This convoluted episode seems to wrap up the trilogy, though there is a hint that the archangels might be needed again;...
Two teen archangels continue the fight to save mankind and themselves from demonic takeover.
The archangels, no longer fledglings, are both in college, apparently white in their contemporary forms. This third installment of Duncan’s Revelation saga finds archangel Gabriel—Gabe—lost in the apocalyptic Dark Realm, where he must face the intense allure of the dark power within him. Micah, the female incarnation of archangel Michael, concerns herself with Mastema, who in his depthless fury has a habit of disguising himself by residing in rotting human flesh. The archangels race to close the portal connecting the realms so as to prevent Mastema from releasing hell on Earth. Duncan, again drawing from Jewish traditions, also brings to action the massive beasts Behemoth and Leviathan to do ultimate battle with Gabe and Micah. By now, Gabe and Micah’s relationship has moved from flickering romance into a deep friendship. The tale puts forward the principal that balance requires both light and darkness, good and evil. The third-person narrative, however, devolves into a shambles, swinging between times, locations, and the archangel’s doom-ridden visions so often that readers will find that making sense of the events becomes their preoccupation.
This convoluted episode seems to wrap up the trilogy, though there is a hint that the archangels might be needed again; whether readers will respond is another question entirely. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-60542-609-9
Page Count: 318
Publisher: Medallion Press
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener.
Teens from different social spheres collaborate, investigating magical mysteries while navigating their shared attraction.
When 18-year-old Wren Hayes doesn’t receive a magical gift from the three Fates—Dawn, Day, and Dusk—she’s shunned by Aurilian high society. Unbeknownst to Wren, 19-year-old Damien, a thief from the Void (a part of the city she’s forbidden to visit) has taken the locket that should have been her gift from the Fates. He’s shocked to discover a photo of himself inside. Using his own Fates’ gift—a mirror with powers of invisibility—Damien infiltrates a party and steals a silver watch from a guest. But his gift isn’t fully functioning, and Wren tackles him, sending them both tumbling into the mud. They tussle and exchange flirty barbs before Damien makes off with his prize, losing Wren’s locket in the process. Unsure why someone from the Void would possess such a gift and determined to uncover why hers was “unjustly kept” from her, Wren tracks down Damien. Seeking answers of his own, he agrees to work with her. Their well-crafted dance of desire and restraint is on point (“She stifled a stunned noise as I placed a menacing kiss—a mere graze of my lips—on the back of her hand”), melding seamlessly with the plot. The story addresses sexism, privilege, and wealth while hurtling the characters into a whirlwind of action and disturbing revelations. Wren presents white, and Damien has tanned skin.
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener. (map) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9798217117215
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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