FROM ASH & DARKNESS

A teenager and his friends must once again confront an evil djinn in the hope of getting rid of it for good in Sullivan’s YA fantasy novel, one in a series.

This sequel to From Brick & Darkness (2022) finds high school sophomore Baxter (Bax) attempting to resume normal life after banishing the evil djinn Ifrit back into his box. No one will be truly safe, however, until they bury it once and for all. But when Bax and his friends Jason and Ashley attempt to do just that, they discover to their horror that the box has been stolen. Now, someone else has released Ifrit back into the world, and the trio—alongside the friendly (and lifesaving) djinn Janni—must race to discover who. Meanwhile, Bax is still grappling with the vivid nightmares plaguing his sleep and attempting to avoid vasovagal syncope episodes that cause him to spontaneously lose consciousness. While the friends attempt to hone in on Ifrit’s new master, the evil djinn himself makes an unwanted appearance (“Smoke pumped in rapid bursts from his wet nostrils, forming a gray cloud”) that unwittingly leads the group to conclude that the person who released Ifrit may be closer to Bax than he realizes…and doesn’t necessarily want to hurt Bax. The bigger question now becomes, what do they want? Readers who missed Bax’s initial adventures are quickly and naturally brought up to speed. Sullivan’s smooth dialogue and expert pacing propel the story forward without feeling rushed. While there is some harsh language, the violence is never gratuitous. Bax is a surprisingly emotionally mature protagonist, attending therapy and learning to come to terms with harsh emotional truths (although those truths are sometimes a bit trite: “I couldn’t change the past, but I could change the future.”) Sullivan has crafted a compelling story that effortlessly juggles themes of growing up and battling demons—both inner and outer.

A steady stream of mystery and action make for a compelling YA fantasy that will keep readers guessing.