Chills and chortle-worthy twists mix in happy abandon.
All is definitely not right at Issa’s new boarding school.
Issa has been forcibly enrolled by her concerned but often absent parents at the Siren School, a finishing academy for witches—a consequence of becoming temporarily possessed by an angry ghost at her public school. This event, while no real surprise for Issa, could have led to dangerous public knowledge that she’s a rare conduit for spirits. Rumors of deaths at the new school turn out to be all too accurate…plus, whatever is growing in the belly of Headmistress Serena is decidedly not a human baby. Issa’s aversion to the school takes a radical shift, though, when news of a devastating family tragedy sets her on wildly dangerous (and rightfully forbidden) inquiries into ways of cheating death. Sharing several members of a magically gifted extended family with Miles’ The Fall of the House of Tatterly (2023), as well as the same sublime blend of humor and horror, this companion volume pitches its determined Black lead into encounters with terrifying foes and surprising allies—some living, some dead, and one pesky boy who’s not quite either. Better yet, along with being the delightful sort of school where feline familiars stroll through walls and Salome’s spellbinding dance is taught in anatomy class, the Siren School turns out to be a place where Issa finds real friends at last while coming away stronger in both self-command and in connections to her ancestral heritage.
Chills and chortle-worthy twists mix in happy abandon. (Paranormal. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781454949336
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun
It’s been 42 days since the Monster Apocalypse began, and 13-year-old Jack Sullivan, a self-proclaimed “zombie-fighting, monster-slaying tornado of cool” is on a quest to find and rescue his not-so-secret crush, June Del Toro, whether she needs it, wants it, or not.
Jack cobbles together an unlikely but endearing crew, including his scientist best friend, Quint Baker; Dirk Savage, Parker Middle School’s biggest bully; and a pet monster named Rover, to help him save the damsel in distress and complete the “ULTIMATE Feat of Apocalyptic Success.” Middle-grade readers, particularly boys, will find Jack’s pitch-perfect mix of humor, bravado, and self-professed geekiness impossible to resist. His sidekicks are equally entertaining, and it doesn’t hurt that there are also plenty of oozing, drooling, sharp-toothed monsters and zombies and a host of gizmos and gadgets to hook readers and keep them cheering with every turn of the page. Holgate’s illustrations play an integral role in the novel’s success. They not only bring Brallier’s characters to life, but also add depth and detail to the story, making plain just exactly how big Rover is and giving the lie to Jack’s “killer driving.” The marriage of text and illustration serves as a perfect example of what an illustrated novel can and should be.
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun (. (Graphic/horror hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-670-01661-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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