The deck of omens

While the faceless monster that came from the Gray has been imprisoned for now, the city of Four Paths is still struggling in the aftermath of its attacks. Families are rent apart, betrayal and mistrust is everywhere, and the four descendants of the town's founders scarcely speak, let alone cooperate. Harper Carlisle, who has lost more than she ever thought possible, wants vengeance on Justin Hawthorne, even though he's no longer the power behind the Hawthorne family. Justin's sister May, who has the power of the titular Deck of Omens, has the family's powers, but struggles to show her mother she's as good as her brother. Violet, with her memories now intact, is searching for the secrets to rid the town of Beast once and for all, and her friend Isaac's family history may be the key. This spooky sequel (The Devouring Gray, 2019), with its focus on trusting friends during troubled times and chapters patterned after Tarot cards, is the follow-up fans have been waiting for. Every bit as eerie as the first.

In this duology closer, heroes from The Devouring Gray (2019) must end the Gray and the Beast for good. May seeks to restore her family's sacred hawthorn tree, damaged when Harper lashed out at them, as she chafes against her complicated relationship with her mother. Meanwhile, Harper needs to learn to control her powers (and decide who to side with in the town's conflicts). Violet and Isaac have teamed up on a research project to destroy the Beast once and for all--which is complicated by the return of Isaac's last surviving brother (forcing him to face what happened the night of his ritual). And the Beast isn't the only problem: A sinister corruption leaks from the Gray, infecting townspeople. The founders must unravel their ancestors' secrets--the nature of the magic and the Beast--in order to fulfill their responsibilities. Reveals and surprises make up for an occasionally dragging pace. The romantic entanglements form an elaborate love quadrangle: Bisexual Violet has a crush on bisexual Isaac, who is in love with Justin, who loves Harper, who still has feelings for him despite their fraught-with-betrayal past (while, in their parents' generation, Justin's and Violet's mothers--Augusta and Juniper, respectively--dated in high school). However, the relationships are given depth and nuance, especially when the characters work through familial, unreciprocated, or unequal feelings. Characters default to white. A solid conclusion to a story with many spinning parts. (Paranormal/horror. 12-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.