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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
tl;dr
There's a dash of magic in here, but the snappy narration and relatable protagonist keep the story grounded and surprisingly realistic.
Thoughts
Modern stories where magic is considered just as standard as any other industry are always fun for me. So it was nice to have an apprentice who argues with her parents over whether or not to become a professional sorcerer, or something more respectable, like a lawyer. You know the one. And I think that's my favorite part of the book. Despite being a world with magic, the story is a very grounded novel with a relatable protagonist who has very relatable problems. The magic system is clearly explained, although not explored as deeply as I'd like, and magic is used way less often that I initially expected. The family and friends are appropriately messy, although there's a part of me that would not have complained if they were even MORE messy. Narration is quick and snappy, and I enjoyed the POV quite a bit. A good read for anyone looking for a YA modern mystery with just a touch of magic to it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
There's a dash of magic in here, but the snappy narration and relatable protagonist keep the story grounded and surprisingly realistic.
Thoughts
Modern stories where magic is considered just as standard as any other industry are always fun for me. So it was nice to have an apprentice who argues with her parents over whether or not to become a professional sorcerer, or something more respectable, like a lawyer. You know the one. And I think that's my favorite part of the book. Despite being a world with magic, the story is a very grounded novel with a relatable protagonist who has very relatable problems. The magic system is clearly explained, although not explored as deeply as I'd like, and magic is used way less often that I initially expected. The family and friends are appropriately messy, although there's a part of me that would not have complained if they were even MORE messy. Narration is quick and snappy, and I enjoyed the POV quite a bit. A good read for anyone looking for a YA modern mystery with just a touch of magic to it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Blood, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
I'm going to read anything billed as 'magical Knives Out,' first of all. These Deadly Prophecies delivered! The twisty plot and central mystery is a good one, and from the first few pages of the book, I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down until I found out what happened to Sorcerer Solomon. Tabatha is a delight of a heroine, with a wise-beyond-her-years wryness to her voice that nonetheless feels very true to a seventeen-year-old sorcerer who's seen her fair share of dead bodies in the last few weeks. Who couldn't fall for Callum Solomon and his terrible-wonderful magical family? (That he's last seen in a white cable-knit sweater was such a move on Tang's part. I see what you did there!) The magical system is fresh but not overcomplicated, and it's integral to the plot without losing the stakes of the core story: a girl gets swept up in a world that's not quite meant for her after the sudden, violent death of her mentor. What a vibe!
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A cute and funny murder mystery filled with magic, prophecy, and a sprinkle of romance. What’s not to love?
Tabatha Zeng is an apprentice of the famous fortune teller Sorcerer Solomon, who predicts his own brutal murder. Teamed up with Callum Solomon, the third son of Solomon and classmate of Zeng, the two must solve the murder before being framed for the deadly deed. The only hunch they have is the sorcerer’s own prophecy.
The dialogue really makes this book a must read. Callum is such a cute jock, and I couldn’t help but laugh at his super nerdy jokes. The mystery was great to solve along with the characters. Fans of Knives Out will love this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for this ARC.
Tabatha Zeng is an apprentice of the famous fortune teller Sorcerer Solomon, who predicts his own brutal murder. Teamed up with Callum Solomon, the third son of Solomon and classmate of Zeng, the two must solve the murder before being framed for the deadly deed. The only hunch they have is the sorcerer’s own prophecy.
The dialogue really makes this book a must read. Callum is such a cute jock, and I couldn’t help but laugh at his super nerdy jokes. The mystery was great to solve along with the characters. Fans of Knives Out will love this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for this ARC.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Tabatha Zeng is the apprentice to Sorcerer Solomon. Or she was, until the prophecy he told her one evening comes true and he is found gruesomely murdered in his own home. The police have two suspects - Tabatha and Callum Solomon, the sorcerer’s youngest son. The two young suspects decide to team up, to find the real killer and clear their own names.
First, I love the overall premise of this book. The magic involved is really interesting, and I would have enjoyed seeing Tabatha use her magical skills more often. The characters all had distinct and interesting personalities and the sibling relationships were well done. The level of mystery in this book was a bit lacking for me. Tabatha and Callum are supposed to be seeking out clues but it never really feels like they are using detective skills. Their detective work amounted to talking to each other about their suspects. I also found the ending a bit unsatisfying and wish it hadn’t wrapped up quite so quickly.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC.
First, I love the overall premise of this book. The magic involved is really interesting, and I would have enjoyed seeing Tabatha use her magical skills more often. The characters all had distinct and interesting personalities and the sibling relationships were well done. The level of mystery in this book was a bit lacking for me. Tabatha and Callum are supposed to be seeking out clues but it never really feels like they are using detective skills. Their detective work amounted to talking to each other about their suspects. I also found the ending a bit unsatisfying and wish it hadn’t wrapped up quite so quickly.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was put on this earth to watch Chris Evans wear cable-knit sweaters in a murder mystery. Compare any book to my favorite movie, Knives Out, and I will read it.
The Knives Out comparison is on the nose. These Deadly Propheciess has an unhinged, quick-paced narrative, with a cooky cast of characters and a dash of magic and romance. Tabatha's goal is to be a sorcerer, but for now, she's just an apprentice to the greatest fortune-teller of all time, Sorcerer Solomon. When he is found brutally murdered, it's up to Tabitha to figure out who killed him, and why.
Tabitha is a great narrator. She's sarcastic, witty, and just a tad jaded. Her Chinese parents aren't a fan of her chosen career path, and she's desperate for approval; not just from them, but her mentor too. She's jealous of the ease Solomon's family moves through the world. Their money, status, and race lend them a leg up on her. Her pessimistic point of view and determination to find her mentor's killer made her an easy character to like.
The mystery aspect started a bit slower than expected. Yet, this book is under three hundred pages. Even with the slower start, it is still fast-paced and quickly resolved. The magical realism added a unique element to a stereotypical plot line. Despite the cheesy ending and villain reveal, the mystery was wrapped up nicely.
Overall, this book is just such a fun ride. If you like The Inheritance Games, or Knives Out, I highly recommend you give this a try.
Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, for the advance copy! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The Knives Out comparison is on the nose. These Deadly Propheciess has an unhinged, quick-paced narrative, with a cooky cast of characters and a dash of magic and romance. Tabatha's goal is to be a sorcerer, but for now, she's just an apprentice to the greatest fortune-teller of all time, Sorcerer Solomon. When he is found brutally murdered, it's up to Tabitha to figure out who killed him, and why.
Tabitha is a great narrator. She's sarcastic, witty, and just a tad jaded. Her Chinese parents aren't a fan of her chosen career path, and she's desperate for approval; not just from them, but her mentor too. She's jealous of the ease Solomon's family moves through the world. Their money, status, and race lend them a leg up on her. Her pessimistic point of view and determination to find her mentor's killer made her an easy character to like.
The mystery aspect started a bit slower than expected. Yet, this book is under three hundred pages. Even with the slower start, it is still fast-paced and quickly resolved. The magical realism added a unique element to a stereotypical plot line. Despite the cheesy ending and villain reveal, the mystery was wrapped up nicely.
Overall, this book is just such a fun ride. If you like The Inheritance Games, or Knives Out, I highly recommend you give this a try.
Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, for the advance copy! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Dnf’ed at page 79.
Honestly, 80 pages in and just the story was so slow. Like… Tabitha has just started “investigating”.
I did like the hindsight is 2020 narration style.
Honestly, 80 pages in and just the story was so slow. Like… Tabitha has just started “investigating”.
I did like the hindsight is 2020 narration style.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Tabatha Zeng is the apprentice to a world renowned prophet--a sorcerer who deals with seeing the future. When he predicts his own death, and warns Tabatha to stick with his youngest son, Callum, Tabatha decides to solve the mystery with Callum's help, of course. But the deeper she looks into Sorcerer Solomon, the truth slowly starts to come out, and Tabatha may just be a target.
I wanted to love this book. I was so excited, but it was very different from what I was expecting (which is partially on me!). This isn't a high fantasy book where sorcerers are common, it's more magical realism, wherein sorcery has always existed but at some point was allowed to become common practice. Tabatha has no sorcery in her family, while the Solomon family is a longstanding pillar of the magic community. There are brief discussions on race and expectations, but like most things in the book, they are barely touched on. I didn't see the ending coming, but it was so rushed that there wasn't time to unpack any of the complexities of why the murderer did what they did.
I was very confused by some of the verbiage used throughout the book. We are told multiple times that this takes place on the East Coast of the United States, but half the time the words sound... British? People were using "bloody" as a curse, and the syntax of certain sentences felt off. As far as I know, northerners don't sound like that, and southerners definitely don't.
The world-building here was quite weak. We're given pieces of information, but very little context. Like being told that a council(?) approved the use of magic beyond those biologically given it, but we learn nothing of why the practice was expanded or what pushback it faced.
Throughout the book, there are weird time jumps where we're told time passes, and yet nothing has happened. Neither within the pages nor off-page. It was hard to keep track of the timeline because we would go weeks within the same chapter, even. It was very muddled and hard to follow.
Speaking of action, there wasn't a lot. There's very little sleuthing, and clues are nearly non-existent. The murderer confesses about when Tabatha figures out who it is. The action to speak of is within the last 15%, if that. Any action throughout the book has very little stakes and is resolved quickly. I slogged through this because there wasn't a lot to grab my attention.
One of my major pet peeves is being spoken to as the reader. There were parts of this where it made sense (the beginning and end), and if it had been left that way, I wouldn't have any complaints. But being addressed throughout the book takes me out of the story. I don't need to be brought into the story, tell yours and let me see through the character's perspective.
I didn't really like this book, but I think it could be good for younger YA readers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!:)
I wanted to love this book. I was so excited, but it was very different from what I was expecting (which is partially on me!). This isn't a high fantasy book where sorcerers are common, it's more magical realism, wherein sorcery has always existed but at some point was allowed to become common practice. Tabatha has no sorcery in her family, while the Solomon family is a longstanding pillar of the magic community. There are brief discussions on race and expectations, but like most things in the book, they are barely touched on. I didn't see the ending coming, but it was so rushed that there wasn't time to unpack any of the complexities of why the murderer did what they did.
I was very confused by some of the verbiage used throughout the book. We are told multiple times that this takes place on the East Coast of the United States, but half the time the words sound... British? People were using "bloody" as a curse, and the syntax of certain sentences felt off. As far as I know, northerners don't sound like that, and southerners definitely don't.
The world-building here was quite weak. We're given pieces of information, but very little context. Like being told that a council(?) approved the use of magic beyond those biologically given it, but we learn nothing of why the practice was expanded or what pushback it faced.
Throughout the book, there are weird time jumps where we're told time passes, and yet nothing has happened. Neither within the pages nor off-page. It was hard to keep track of the timeline because we would go weeks within the same chapter, even. It was very muddled and hard to follow.
Speaking of action, there wasn't a lot. There's very little sleuthing, and clues are nearly non-existent. The murderer confesses about when Tabatha figures out who it is. The action to speak of is within the last 15%, if that. Any action throughout the book has very little stakes and is resolved quickly. I slogged through this because there wasn't a lot to grab my attention.
One of my major pet peeves is being spoken to as the reader. There were parts of this where it made sense (the beginning and end), and if it had been left that way, I wouldn't have any complaints. But being addressed throughout the book takes me out of the story. I don't need to be brought into the story, tell yours and let me see through the character's perspective.
I didn't really like this book, but I think it could be good for younger YA readers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!:)
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No