This romantic fantasy proves as thrilling as it is delightful.
In Joyce’s YA novel, breaking a human out of Hell isn’t easy—even for Satan’s teen daughter.
Devica will one day take over for her father, the infamous demon who runs the Underworld. She’d rather forge her own path, but Satan insists she hone the skills she’ll likely inherit, like conjuring fire. Devica has no sympathy for the suffering human souls (called shadelings once they reach Hell), as she only sees sinners who deserve punishment. But the handsome, 17-year-old new arrival, Nate Reynolds, catches her eye; he says he’s innocent of the murder that sent him to Hell, but, of course, many of the shadelings make similar claims. Devica, however, starts to question her dad’s possibly flawed method of judging sin by mere sight. When Devica uncovers a startling secret about the mother she’s never known, she plans a trip to Earth—specifically, Los Angeles, Nate’s former home. He can help her get around LA if she can manage to lead a condemned shadeling across the Underworld’s four precarious cities to reach the exit. Joyce’s swiftly paced, demon-narrated tale is, in essence, a lighthearted romance. Periodic screams of agony come from the tortured shadelings, but the violence is mostly subdued and not graphic. The focus is on Devica and Nate, who develop a closeness organically as they help one another through Dante-inspired “lots” (Lot Eight: Greed). There’s plenty of entertaining wordplay, from demon “souldiers” to such expressions as, “What the here?” The serious moments are just as rewarding; readers will sympathize with Nate, who was an orphan on Earth, as well as Devica, whose friendships crumble because every demon, it seems, is terrified of her father. While the latter half leads to a predictable plot turn, there’s also abundant suspense, choices with severe consequences, and a particularly insufferable demon who makes for a great villain.
This romantic fantasy proves as thrilling as it is delightful.Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781649378767
Page Count: 400
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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