A unique, well-characterized addition to the paranormal genre that celebrates West African culture.
When her best friend disappears, a teen must accept her ancestral powers to find her.
Addae Ewiem’s home is a special place, one she never wants to leave. Her ancestors and other families running from enslavers found the abandoned South Carolina island near present-day Hilton Head. They named it the Golden Isle for the fireflies who helped guide their journey, and there they maintained their cultures and traditions, which came from all over Africa. Their descendants—called the Kinfolk—are now led by Nana Ama, Ada’s grandmother. They keep to themselves, raising their children with the Adinkra—“centuries-old Akan symbols” offering guidance from the gods—and avoiding the mainland. When one of the Kin turns up on shore with his throat ripped out, and then Ada’s best friend and her boyfriend go missing, Ada ventures to the mainland to investigate. Her search leads to more secrets about the island and her ancestors than she ever could have imagined. Angoe’s YA debut seamlessly weaves Akan lore into the story, creating a foundation for strong character development. The inclusion of beings from West African mythology—from widely familiar Anansi to others that are less well known—enriches the story. The supernatural elements are well balanced with the complex family dynamics. The pacing for the most part is strong, revealing information in layers, but the ending feels rushed and a little too clean.
A unique, well-characterized addition to the paranormal genre that celebrates West African culture. (Paranormal. 14-18)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781250872685
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
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
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
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