A gothic page-turner.
An English girl with a mysterious past discovers her future.
Mia has had a tough life. Her mother died in a car accident, her older brother left to figure out some things, and her father became an abusive monster. The one bit of luck Mia’s had recently is her father’s untimely murder at the claws of a great big furry beast. Now she is newly alone in the world, Mia’s mysterious uncle Sebastian arrives to bring her to Hood Academy, a small private school in Nottingham that trains werewolf hunters. Indeed, werewolves are real and deadly, and Mia’s past is full of them. Secrets are revealed, allegiances are tested, romance blooms, and friendships are forged in this tome that packs plenty of plot and pairs it with lycanthropic mythology and some good old-fashioned star-crossed romance. The enterprise is competently crafted, chugging along and tearing through plot twists and developments that will keep readers engaged. The emotions don’t run deep, but the action sequences are well rendered. All the werewolf-versus-hunter action gives the novel a charming throwback vibe—back to the early 2000s when Twilight was all the rage and the market was flooded with weird creatures that lusted for teen girls. Two secondary characters are repeatedly described as having dark skin in a way that emphasizes the white default for everyone else.
A gothic page-turner. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64397-009-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: BHC Press
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
An often engaging narrative about coping with anxiety with an optimistic outlook, despite a few flaws.
Jahn’s latest YA novel follows a high school junior on her summer break who struggles with germaphobia in Manhattan during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Phoebe Benson isn’t a typical 16-year-old; she’s not worried about what people think of her, or even about extending her curfew. Instead, she’s scared of accidentally endangering her kid brother with Covid-19––so scared, in fact, that she’s nearly completely isolated herself. Phoebe’s anxiety has made it so that she hasn’t touched anyone in two years—not even members of her family. Although she’s seen several therapists, her anxiety hasn’t greatly lessened, and her parents don’t know how to deal with her. Still, she manages to take a pottery class and hold down a part-time job at independent bookstore Dust Jackets. But when she hears the beautiful sound of a violin in the subway station on her way to work one day––and the young man playing the instrument smiles at her––she’s tempted to move outside her cozy quarantine bubble. Phoebe’s best friend, Walter, the 64-year-old owner of Dust Jackets, lost his wife in a tragic accident years before and also has problems with anxiety. So when he encourages Phoebe to read a new book about living with anxious thoughts, she takes on the challenge. Jahn navigates the romance and social-commentary aspects of her book expertly, and the work offers strong attention to detail, a well-paced plot, and intriguing major characters. But although the author delivers fine dialogue, her teenage characters read young, and her innocent depiction of high school, although suitable for younger teens and tweens, may not entice older teenagers. Side players also don’t receive very deep characterization, independent from Phoebe’s own arc, which is a missed opportunity to dive into how friends and family can help those with mental illness.
An often engaging narrative about coping with anxiety with an optimistic outlook, despite a few flaws.Pub Date: June 15, 2021
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 271
Publisher: BermLord
Review Posted Online: April 8, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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