Publishers Weekly
10/19/2020
West (the Nissera Chronicles) packs the thrills of the Vampire Diaries series and Buffy into a smart, wry supernatural novel set in East Texas. In 1921, teenage witch Malachi Rivers and three friends botched a spell to expose their abusers—fatally poisoning 12 men by mistake—and unleashed a haunting that claims 12 boys every 50 years. A century later, Malachi’s 18-year-old descendant Natalie Colter’s biggest problems are nosy tourists and her awkward kiss with poet Levi Langford. When cult symbols and decapitated deer appear around her house, Natalie discovers that her town’s women secretly protect the town’s men from dark possession with hereditary magic—and that they need Natalie’s powers to prevent another tragedy. Despite blind spots on race, West’s nuanced handling of gender politics and cycles of misogyny avoid easy answers, and Natalie and Levi’s kind romance is one to root for. This fun, chilling, and sincere gothic novel keeps its head—and its heart. Ages 14–up. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
"This action-packed story of sisterhood will suck readers in from the first page. . . . West's propulsive supernatural tale keeps the story grounded in female friendships, the struggle to process change, and a second-chance romance."—Booklist
"This book has a little bit of magic, a little bit of thriller, and a little bit of romance. And amid all of this there is an overarching theme of female empowerment and standing together while fighting for what is right. . . . A solid magical thriller perfect for fans of witchcraft and slightly darker YA books."—School Library Journal
"West (the Nissera Chronicles) packs the thrills of the Vampire Diaries series and Buffy into a smart, wry supernatural novel set in East Texas. . . . This fun, chilling, and sincere gothic novel keeps its head—and its heart."—Publishers Weekly
"A richly woven tale of magic and murder and vengeance. This book kept me up all night! One of the best stories I've read all year."—Shea Ernshaw, New York Times bestselling author of The Wicked Deep
"Evocative writing enhances the horror with a chilling atmosphere. . . . Female empowerment at its fiercest."—Kirkus
"Witches and spells blend with everyday anxieties in this supernatural murder mystery centering on a powerful group of women who claim their strength."—Foreword Magazine
"the horror hits hard"—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
School Library Journal
01/15/2021
Gr 9 Up—This tale takes place on the 100th anniversary of a curse created by a group of witches who tried to take revenge on the men who wronged them. Set in San Solano, TX, the novel tells the twisted story of murder in a small town. Natalie Colter's great-great-grandmother's past as the local "cult" leader seems to haunt her when strange events start occurring—hinting that the ritualistic murders of the past might begin again. This book has a little bit of magic, a little bit of thriller, and a little bit of romance. And amid all of this there is an overarching theme of female empowerment and standing together while fighting for what is right. The plot is dark and contains mature themes of animal and human violence, supernatural possession, and cults. While the story is paced slowly throughout, there is a constant sense of urgency, making the slower moments feel all the more pressing. The writing is descriptive and flows throughout the passages, adding to the thriller aspect of the story, though the romance is underdeveloped. The main characters come from multiple ethnicities and backgrounds. VERDICT A solid magical thriller perfect for fans of witchcraft and slightly darker YA books.—Zoe Leonarczyk, Florida State Univ., Tallahassee
Kirkus Reviews
2020-09-10
A 100-year-old act of revenge continues to torment a Texas town.
In 1921, four young women cast a spell to reveal the evil in the hearts of 12 men who committed horrible crimes. The curse went awry, killing its targets. The girls’ involvement was never proven, but suspicions remain. Another massacre 50 years later left a dozen local boys and men dead, the deaths unsolved. As the semicentennial approaches, the town is filled with tension: Is another mass murder on the horizon? Natalie Colter plans to spend the summer before college working and hanging out with friends, but her plans are canceled when Nat discovers, as a last living descendant of the original spell’s creator, she’s inherited a burgeoning, powerful magic. Nat is a Warden, one of a group of spellcasting, gun- and knife–wielding maidens, mothers, and elder wise women, descendants of the original four. Only the Wardens know that the 1971 murders were committed by Woodwalkers, terrifying creatures inhabited by the souls of the original 12 victims; it’s the Wardens’ mission to destroy them. Narrator/protagonist Nat retains her cool even when facing death, and the satisfying conclusion hints at the possibility of another adventure. Evocative writing enhances the horror with a chilling atmosphere. Natalie is White; one Warden is of Mexican descent and another is Black.
Female empowerment at its fiercest. (Horror. 13-18)