Not a must-read but a solid, witchy story.
A teenage witch is torn between the life she’s built and the bonds of a coven she barely knows.
Emsy’s life is mostly that of an ordinary California teen, except for some occasional pyrokinesis. Magic and ritual are her parents’ things—Emsy would rather be surfing. So when her mother tells her that a family of witches has been brutally murdered and they must move back to upstate New York to rejoin their coven for safety, Emsy’s world comes to a shattering halt. Leaving her friends and girlfriend is bad enough, but Emsy soon realizes just how little her parents told her about witches and magic as she suddenly finds herself training to wield a power she’s never embraced. Desperate to undo it all and return to normal, Emsy agrees to help another teen coven member who is even more devastated than she is to bring his family back from the dead. But every choice in the world of magic comes with a cost, and Emsy’s involve the very highest of stakes and direst of consequences. Seaton’s richly colored illustrations are dynamic, adding to the atmosphere. The multiracial, intergenerational ensemble cast of queer witches facing a deadly, unknown magical threat forms a strong narrative foundation, enhanced by intense character conflict and action. The neatly wrapped-up conclusion doesn’t deliver on such compelling tension, however, and despite some remaining questions leaving room for a sequel, the ending may leave readers deflated.
Not a must-read but a solid, witchy story. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-11216-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories.
Grammy Award–winning artist Keys co-authors a YA superhero graphic novel bearing the title of her hit song.
Smart, quiet 14-year-old Loretta “Lolo” Wright struggles to stand up for herself until, on what should be a routine trip to a convenience store, her 16-year-old brother, James, is mistakenly accused of stealing by the police. When the officer slams her brother to the ground, Lolo’s powers manifest for the first time. Meanwhile, Michael Warner, who lives in the same Brooklyn housing projects as the Wrights, is rejected from the football team for being too small. He develops exceptional fighting abilities and shortly afterward gets involved in working for a drug dealer named Skin. When Skin sees a video of Lolo levitating the cop who assaulted James, he wants to recruit her as well, and he tries to extort protection money from Lolo’s dad, who owns a moving business. Lolo must convince Michael to choose a different path; it’s only by working together that they can defeat Skin. Featuring dizzying shifts among multiple perspectives, this full-color graphic novel presents vibrant, expressive characters set against mostly simple, bright backgrounds, with extreme violence depicted in gory detail. The narrative briefly explores class issues and racial stereotypes, but while the setup is intriguing, the momentum fizzles and the pieces never quite come together. Most main characters are Black; Skin reads as White, and secondary characters appear racially diverse.
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-302956-9
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A romantic romp through the supernatural.
Blackwater, Maine, isn’t an ordinary town, but Eli Hirsch and Tony Price are mostly ordinary boys.
Eli, a trans Jewish boy, is isolated by an autoimmune disease, an overbearing mother, and a standoffish attitude. Popular track star Tony, who is cued as Puerto Rican, fights with his distant father and is watching his childhood best friend turn into a bully. But mysterious things are afoot: Tony is bitten by a werewolf, and Eli is being followed by a ghost. Trying to unravel the werewolf curse, Tony, Eli, and Marcia, Tony’s levelheaded goth friend who reads as Black, investigate, coming across intriguing complications and haunting dangers. The horror elements are playful, spooky, but not too frightening, providing a backdrop that adds to the developing relationship between the boys. Despite some animosity, they accept one another exactly as they are, with no pretenses, as their friendship turns into a mutual crush. There’s a kind earnestness to their connection, particularly Tony’s easygoing support toward Eli’s chronic illness. An exciting element lies in the artwork: The creators illustrate alternate chapters, with Arroyo’s vivid and dynamic lines and more cartoonish style serving action scenes well and Graham’s precise approach highlighting more heartfelt, character-driven moments. The styles blend together seamlessly to make a stronger whole. However, the story, while breezy and enjoyable, feels incomplete, missing details that would make characters and their emotional arcs more complex.
A romantic romp through the supernatural. (Graphic horror. 14-18)Pub Date: July 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-30402-5
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
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