Book list
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This fast-paced adventure will blow readers away. Veronique’s mother died during Hurricane Katrina, leading her to live with MawMaw, isolated from the rest of the world. Veronique has an affinity for wind, but her control of it is precarious at best. After she saves a neighbor boy from drowning, MawMaw sends Veronique to live with her aunt’s family in New Orleans, out of fear that she can no longer protect her. In New Orleans, Veronique finds family that she never knew she had and finally has the quintessential teen experience, until she learns that others have similar powers over the elements. Ibura’s debut is an exciting contemporary fantasy reminiscent of Legendborn (2020). Veronique’s fear of her powers, coupled with her elation at falling in love and having friends, makes her a dynamic character, but the story’s pacing moves at such a speed that it’s hard to form connections with anyone in this mystical world. Despite its lack of character development, lovers of superhero stories will devour this one.

Publishers Weekly
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A magically powerful teen struggles to hide her abilities from a villainous organization in this high-concept New Orleans–set YA debut from Ibura (When the World Turned Upside Down). Sixteen-year-old Veronique has lived in the Louisiana countryside with her grandmother, Mawmaw, ever since her parents drowned during Hurricane Katrina. Mawmaw does her best to help V hide her ability to control the wind, but when Mawmaw falls ill, V is sent to live with her aunt in New Orleans. Though V tries to hide her powers, she finds herself in situations with her cousin, Zambia, that force V to use her abilities to circumvent danger. Then family friend Kez clues into V’s gift and reveals that his missing brother, Mal, can control fire. Together, Kez and V work to uncover the mystery behind Mal’s disappearance, and their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of secrets surrounding a shadowy organization, a series of fires in the area, and a coded message from V’s mother. V’s conflicting romantic feelings for two local boys and keenly felt anxiety about others’ perception of her—conveyed via the protagonist’s personable POV—ground the high-concept premise in relatable coming-of-age drama. Most characters are Black. Ages 13–up. Agent: Lilly Ghahremani, Full Circle Literary. (June)

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Sixteen-year-old Veronique is confused and scared when her grandmother sends her to live with her maternal aunt in New Orleans. Veronique has lived with MawMaw in a rural area outside Natchitoches, Louisiana, for most of her life—the only memories she has of her mother are snatches of dreams. Her parents perished during Hurricane Katrina, and MawMaw is the only one who knows about Veronique’s ability to manipulate the wind. Or so she thought. New Orleans is loud and disorienting, a contrast to life on MawMaw’s farm, making it hard for Veronique to control her powers, but she must keep her abilities hidden from Auntie Eve’s family, her new boyfriend, and the shadowy organization that’s hunting her. Veronique eventually realizes that to save the people she cares about, she may have to destroy the new life she’s built. Steady pacing in the first half of the book highlights Veronique’s struggles to cope with drastic life changes. Ibura masterfully explores new and intense experiences relating to school, love, and freedom, creating fully fleshed out characters. However, the pacing gets choppy toward the climax and end of the book; Veronique (and readers) receive an overload of information without enough space to digest it before the next twists arrive, which feels jarring and out of sync with the intentional manner of the earlier buildup. Most characters present Black. A promising premise and alluring protagonist propel this unevenly paced story.(Fantasy. 13-18) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.