A quirky and queer urban fantasy homage to The Devil Wears Prada.
A young man stumbles into the world of witches after accepting a position working for a famous socialite in Napoli’s novel.
Twenty-three-year-old Clark (“like Kent”) Crane works a dead-end job at a local coffee shop to pay the bills after dropping out of college. A former English major, Clark lives alone in a tiny apartment in Queens. He lacks direction in his life (especially in his career) until a family friend inexplicably sets him up for a job interview to work for Charisma Saintly (whose name is clearly a direct reference to the character of Miranda Priestly from the film The Devil Wears Prada). Unbeknownst to Clark, Charisma is globally famous—and, incidentally, a witch. What exactly Charisma is famous for is lost on Clark and remains obscure for most of the novel; however, her notoriety has established her as a renowned taste-maker for celebrities and the otherwise wealthy. Clark’s interview with Charisma’s “fourth assistant,” Monica, does not go well from the start—Clark bumbles through her questions, caught off guard when Monica mentions Charisma’s coven and refers to witches. Regardless, he is offered a position. Things become stranger as he starts the job, where he is essentially the only man. One exception to this rule is the bartender at Charisma’s bar: Joey, a handsome Italian American from Brooklyn who immediately charms Clark, kicking off a whirlwind romance. As the overworked, unpaid, and completely unappreciated Clark complains to friends, many of them ask him why he puts up with such terrible treatment, which leads to the novel’s main flaw: Clark’s unclear motivation. Any time the question comes up, Clark responds with some unconvincing line about it being “a new opportunity… that could ‘open many doors.’” This is never really resolved, though an entity who appears later in Clark’s dreams indicates more may be revealed in later installments of the series. Despite this lack of characterization, Clark is a charming protagonist who is easy to root for.
A quirky and queer urban fantasy homage to The Devil Wears Prada.Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781039469273
Page Count: 238
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A beautiful meditation on queer identity against a supernatural backdrop.
Three women deal very differently with vampirism in Schwab’s era-spanning follow-up to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2020).
In 16th-century Spain, Maria seduces a wealthy viscount in an attempt to seize whatever control she can over her own life. It turns out that being a wife—even a wealthy one—is just another cage, but then a mysterious widow offers Maria a surprising escape route. In the 19th century, Charlotte is sent from her home in the English countryside to live with an aunt in London when she’s found trying to kiss her best friend. She’s despondent at the idea of marrying a man, but another mysterious widow—who has a secret connection to Maria’s widow from centuries earlier—appears and teaches Charlotte that she can be free to love whomever she chooses, if she’s brave enough. In 2019, Alice’s memories of growing up in Scotland with her mercurial older sister, Catty, pull her mind away from her first days at Harvard University. And though she doesn’t meet any mysterious widows, Alice wakes up alone after a one-night stand unable to tolerate sunlight, sporting two new fangs, and desperate to drink blood. Horrified at her transformation, she searches Boston for her hookup, who was the last person she remembers seeing before she woke up as a vampire. Schwab delicately intertwines the three storylines, which are compelling individually even before the reader knows how they will connect. Maria, Charlotte, and Alice are queer women searching for love, recognition, and wholeness, growing fangs and defying mortality in a world that would deny them their very existence. Alice’s flashbacks to Catty are particularly moving, and subtly play off themes of grief and loneliness laid out in the historical timelines.
A beautiful meditation on queer identity against a supernatural backdrop.Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781250320520
Page Count: 544
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.
A reluctant princess is thrust into deadly political intrigue in Perry’s sweeping, high-stakes romantasy.
Odessa is the overlooked and underestimated princess of Quentis, whose life takes an unexpected turn when a deal is struck between her father and the formidable Turan warriors force her into an arranged marriage with their enigmatic prince, Zavier Wolfe. Intended as a mere formality to secure trade routes and military alliances, the betrothal spirals into something far more dangerous when ancient magic, a ruthless Guardian, and a looming war threaten to upend everything she knows. Finally emerging from the shadow of her seemingly perfect half sister, Mae, Odessa must navigate court politics, monstrous creatures, and her own uncertain place in a world where survival often depends on strategy rather than strength. As tensions rise, she finds herself entangled with the dangerous, enigmatic Guardian—a man whose silver eyes hold secrets of their own. Perry’s worldbuilding is lush and immersive, crafting a kingdom rife with old magic, deadly beasts, and political machinations that add depth. The pacing is relentless, carrying Odessa from one life-altering event to another as she grapples with duty, defiance, and a destiny she never chose. Her internal conflict is compelling, torn between the expectations placed upon her and the fierce independence that threatens to make her an outcast in her own kingdom. Romance simmers as Odessa struggles to reconcile her obligations with her growing attraction to the Guardian, whose past is as shadowed as his reputation. Mae is introduced as Odessa’s political foil, and although her presence drives much of Odessa’s internal drama—being constantly overshadowed or underestimated—she’s mostly seen through Odessa’s perspective. Her motivations, ambitions, and political maneuverings might have benefited from deeper exploration to give more nuance to the power dynamics. However, Perry’s evocative prose and intricate plotting make for a gripping tale. Readers looking for a slow-burn romantasy with rich political intrigue and a protagonist forced to create her own fate will find much to enjoy.
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781649378514
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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