Review by Kirkus Book Review
Readers return to Haelsford, Florida, to be reunited with six teens who face new dangers in this follow-up to The Witchery (2022). It's summer, but rather than enjoying a well-deserved break after the events of the previous book, witches Jailah, Logan, Iris, and Thalia, and their mundane friends, Trent and Mathew, find themselves facing even more challenges. While exploring their new romantic connection, Iris and Mathew are contacted by Lord Death himself and learn they have life-changing roles to play. Meanwhile, Thalia, Trent, and Logan trek back to Thalia's hometown to investigate the mysterious disappearance of witches and how they may be connected to Thalia's witch-hating pastor father. Back at Mesmortes, the coven academy, Jailah is taking up her role at the Junior Witchery Council when she comes across a secret that could potentially change everything. As the friends' paths diverge, so do the threads that previously connected them. The six protagonists become entangled with revenge attempts, unexpected revelations, and unveiled secrets, all while discovering their agency and sense of purpose in this multistranded sequel. The character-driven nature of this novel--in contrast to the cohesive central mystery of the first book--makes for interesting beats, yet it sometimes feels too loosely connected overall. But fans of the first book will still find much to enjoy. The well-developed cast of characters is predominantly Black and includes queer representation. A disjointed but nevertheless engaging sequel. (Fantasy. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
