What happens when your mentor prophecies his own murder? Well you become an amateur sleuth and work with his son to solve the murder obviously. This witty knives out style story was a great read. Tabatha was the apprentice to the world famous Sorcerer Solomon and was learning all about her gift of prophecy, but when she’s not fully trained and trying to find a murderer that could be one of his family members - she realizes she’s just a teenager playing Nancy drew. The banter and craziness that ensues with the help of the sorcerers son, callum was the best part of the book. The author gives them a real teenage vibe that they can figure this all out but at the same time way over their head. The many suspects and characters we meet along the way have you second guessing who done it. Fun read!

What happens when a powerful sorcerer predicts his death and his inheritance is in the balance? What happens when those around him start dropping dead in violent ways? What happens when the occult police officer is biased against all occult practices? Well, it’s up to two high school kids to find out who DID kill the sorcerer before the wrong person is blamed. Oh, but don’t forget, the family is less than forthcoming. This comes to a very satisfying and surprising conclusion. Jaw-dropping after what I thought would be a completely predictable book. Very good. It does have long chapters, though, that’s the only detraction here.

This book was a very fun read. Nothing earth-shattering but a good time none the less. I did find the main character to be slightly boring but she got better as the book progressed. The story was engaging enough and kept me reading. I would recommend for fans of The Inheritance Games because it definitely gave off the same vibes.

4.5 / 5.0 These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang is a modern magical realism story of a murder mystery, love, and fate.

Tabitha Zeng is apprentice to the most famous fortune teller in the world and is around his magic-touched family everyday. She, like so many other witches and sorcerers and magically-inclined people, is learning the ups and downs of her chosen profession, when her mentor tests her fortune-telling resolve with a true prophesy, the death fate wrote for him.

Here is where the story takes a sharp turn into horror and mystery. The dark happenings of jealousy and envy, and the truth of this family surrounding love, hate, and indifference. This is a fantastic story, the characters are well written and the pacing is excellent. There is a lot of detail and explanation as Tang explores the world with us, but it’s not overdone. It can be a little dry at times but moves quickly.

Overall, it doesn’t have a traditional resolution for this type of story. It leaves some things up the reader, letting us mull over our own thoughts and considerations. The characters are all masterfully placed into their roles in the plot, so just pay attention and you’ll be able to flow into the story easily. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a chance to review this book.

Until Next Time,
MC

Andrea Tang's YA mystery "These Deadly Prophecies" casts an inventive magical twist on the classic whodunit formula. When apprentice sorcerer Tabatha Zeng finds her boss murdered, she teams up with the victim's son Callum to catch the killer and clear their names. Tang builds an engaging world where magic exists behind the scenes of regular society. Tabatha makes for a smart, proactive protagonist as she puzzles out clues and confronts suspects with unique magical talents. The mystery itself intrigues, encouraging readers to piece together alibis and motives alongside the leads. At times the pacing lags, while the ending wraps up abruptly. The romance between Tabatha and Callum also feels underdeveloped. However, the magical elements add fresh imagination to the murder mystery genre. With cunning sorcerers, a scrappy heroine, and plot twists to the very end, fans of shows like "Knives Out" are sure to find an entertaining whodunit with a spellbinding twist.

These Deadly Prophecies was such an entertaining read. I didn’t want to put it down because it was so much fun.

The narrator, Tabatha Zeng, is an apprentice to one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world. She has a talent for prophecy, which is a rare talent. I loved her quirkiness and her determination to follow her own path. And, when she speaks directly to the reader, it’s such a delightful surprise that pulled me in even more because now I was part of the story.

The pacing is breakneck, as the story is full of danger, suspense, and action. Lots of thrills are always a good thing, in my opinion. And it’s surprising! I didn’t expect the who or the why, and the story ended much differently than I expected it to - which I think is good because it shook me up just a bit.

These Deadly Prophecies is technically YA, but it will be equally as appealing to the adult reader who enjoys a magical Knives Out type of story. The mix of fantasy and mystery/thriller takes over, and age is quickly forgotten.

The family dynamics are fun, creating an entertaining aspect, and the magical world is surprisingly well-developed and explained. I just loved this novel and will watch for more books by Andrea Tang.

This book was a DNF book. I will have to manually go and remove it from my
List of finished books from goodreads.
I had a friend review it, how it left them wanting more. I understand the idea but it dragged and I will want more from a story.
The writing is great the story/ plot is long. It can be entertaining but not for me.

Several times in the book are references to the MCs acting like Nancy Drew and Joe Hardy. That is what you're getting here. Very very light in magic (our female protagonist uses it maybe once) and it makes the occult feel very mundane (it's described here as a business). There's some plot holes (why did he rip up his will? It seemed mostly a reason to have two plots move forward but didn't make much sense), and if you can tell a prophecy is true does it matter who says it? Who lives on the house full time? She was an apprentice all through HS but never saw the ,2nd wife in person or in a photo? Again these things are necessary for the plot but they don't fully make sense.

So focus on a YA mystery with very little paranormal sprinkled in.

A gorgeous fantasy mystery. Knives out is a great comparison, I definitely got the same sort of twisted family murder mystery vibe. And the reveal was gorgeous. Thanks for the arc!

Content Warning: death, violence

+ I was very intrigued by the synopsis especially because it revolves sorcerers and magic. Tabatha is an apprentice to one of the most world-renowned sorcerers and he dies. Now it’s a race to find out who actually killed him because she’s on the list of suspects, along with everyone else in the Solomon family. So this is very much a mystery.

+ There is a big cast of characters and everyone is a suspect – which is kind of fun! I love messy family drama. We follow Tabatha on her investigation into Sorcerer Solomon’s death. During her investigation we get to learn a bit about the Solomon family, his ex wives and his children from each union. I thought Tabatha was a fun character because she’s not a part of the family, so we get to see how they function through her eyes. 

+ There is a little romance going on with Callum Solomon (the youngest son) and Tabatha but it takes a backseat to the investigation. 

+ I did find the second half of the book more exciting than the first, maybe because that’s when Tabatha is getting close to figuring things out and a bunch of wild things happen that I did not expect! I liked the twist.

~ It’s a mystery and mysteries are not my favorite because they can be too slow for me. I do think the reader gets thrown into this world of sorcery. It’s told in second person POV so that caught me off guard because I rarely read any books in second person but I think it works well. It’s a contemporary world but with sorcerers in it and there isn’t much world building since the story focuses on the who-done-it part. It would have been nice to see the sorcery in action, outside of the murder mystery.

My Thoughts:

This was a quick read and if you like mystery, magic and some messy family drama, I think you will like this one. I do wish there was more world-building. I look forward to reading more from this author.

A massive thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I really enjoyed this book; definitely something I will tell my friends about!

3.5 stars
“The best prophecies always begin with love stories and end with tragedies.”

In the mystical world of These Deadly Prophecies, Tabitha takes a different path from her mother’s legacy to study under the most formidable sorcerer of her time. The plot thickens when the sorcerer eerily predicts his own death, with Tabitha unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of the investigation.

As the sorcerer’s prediction unfolds, Tabitha, along with the closest members of the sorcerer’s family, embark on an investigation. The collaboration with one of the sons adds layers to the plot, creating intrigue and romance.

The book is an easy read with a faster-paced plot. However, I found it challenging when it came to character attachment. The lack of connection with the characters and my waning attention in the long chapters definitely hindered my interest.

It weaves a tale of prophecy, magic, and family bonds. While the premise holds promise, the disconnect with the characters and the struggle to maintain engagement in lengthy chapters might impact the overall reading experience. If you’re drawn to mystical plots with a faster pace, this one is for you.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the copy!

This contemporary fantasy was a fun ride the entire novel and I couldn't wait to get back to reading when I had to close the book. The point of view character's voice is snarky, sarcastic, and filled with dry humor--all of which I enjoyed. I immediately connected to the first person storytelling which I found fresh and intelligently plotted. At about the halfway point of the novel, I returned to the beginning and reread the first chapter and that's when the imaginative plot device clicked.

The mystery was good, not my favorite, but the characters were fantastic. Red herrings were tossed about that made me question everybody, including the narrator. The ending was too neatly wrapped up for me and I felt a bit disappointed when the suspect was revealed.

The romance felt right to me and even became part of the mystery plot which I enjoyed because once again I was questioning everyone's motives. The family dramas were fun too.

Overall, I found the writing style to be excellent. This world in which magical abilities were not only accepted in daily life, but could also become a person's profession, became a believable one to me.

Nothing brings my more joy than a murder mystery with a sprinkle of magic and incredibly dysfunctional families, which is exactly what this book gave me.

Julius Solomon, one of the most powerful fortune telling sorcerers ever, foretold that he would die by the hand of his best beloved. What he probably didn’t see is that his murder investigation would basically be headed by his teenage apprentice Tabatha and his youngest son. Or that the incredibly dysfunctional dynamic of the whole Solomon family (including both his wife, ex wife, and some other people that had been important in his life) would make everybody a suspect.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Tabatha is the most hilarious narrator and I really loved the dynamic between her and her mother. There were so many twists, so many moments when I thought I had figured out who the murderer was but then some new evidence popped up and proved me wronger than wrong.

The blurb and other reviews have said that this is perfect for fans of Knives Out and the Inheritence Games. I can’t vouch for the whole Knives Out angle because I haven’t seen it (I know don’t come for me) but I definitely agree that it has IG vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Young Readers & Andrea Tang for an ARC of These Deadly Prophecies in exchange for an honest review.

I am very selective with my YA reads, but this one really grabbed my attention with its synopsis. I ended up really enjoying it.

This story follows Tabatha, a young apprentice in training to Sorcerer Solomon, a well known fortunetelling sorcerer who predicted his own horrific death.

After Sorcerer Solomon's murder, Tabatha sets on a mission to try to find out what really happened - who murdered Sorcerer Solomon.

Enter Sorcerer Solomon's three children Callum, Circe and Felix; as well has his current wife & Callum's mother, Rowena and his ex-wife and mother of Circe & Felix, Angelique. Sorcerer Solomon instructed Tabatha to stay close to Callum after his death, which Tabatha honors, but then things get a bit conflicted when (1) she begins to have romantic feelings toward him; and (2) she begins to question whether he can really be trusted.

There are a lot of potential whondunits as well as motives. Any reader well versed in thriller/suspense/mystery novels will likely figure out the real whodunit by the end, but this was a fast-pasted & intriguing story from start to finish that will keep readers hooked.

This was a solid 4-star read for me that I will happily recommend on my IG.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Teen Books for the advanced copy of this book.

The sorcerer's apprentice, Tabatha, is in for more than she bargained for when he is murdered and she becomes a suspect. Teaming up with his youngest son, Callum, the two embark on a mission to figure out who actually did the crime.

The description of this book made me so excited to read it, because I loved Inheritance Games series. However this was at a much slower pace than I was hoping for and found myself setting it aside to finish other books first. With that being said, I loved the urban fantasy world as the setting of this book. There was a large cast of characters, but each so unique it was easy to keep them separated. I liked the banter between Callum and Tabatha. It was quick and fun. I will say that though I was a little surprised by the ending, I had guessed it pretty early on in the story. Many things in this story seemed too easy or too predictable, which might have been why it was a slower read for me.

I think this is perfect for fans of Inheritance Games who love solving puzzles and solving mysteries. I still suggest this book because it had great elements, just not the right book for me.

I fought through the first chapter of this book, I honestly wanted to put it down but I am so glad I didn’t! It kept me interested at every turn and I was honestly truly terrified in that last third of the book. A classic whodunit!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was so fast paced and fun. I absolutely love the cover. It doesn’t give much away but draws you in so well.

Ever since Knives Out premiered, almost every murder mystery has been compared to it. I get tired of rolling my eyes over how not like it most books are. This book pleasantly surprised me, however. It even had the white sweater!!

The plot twists were making my head spin. It was 1 thing after another. You kept wondering what was happening and then I thought I knew and I was wrong. Excellent deflecting. I was suspicious of every character and then my opinion would change but I was actually kind of right from the beginning?

The only thing I didn’t like was how Tabitha spoke to the audience at random times in the book. It was more annoying to me instead of helpful. I liked Tabitha, and she definitely reminded me of a Knives Out protagonist. I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to like Solomon or not, but I didn’t really like him in the end. I felt bad for his family and for Tabitha having to pick up the slack because he’s a jerk.

This story was great and it was so fast paced that I felt like I was watching a really action packed movie. I will always love a good magical murder mystery!

These Deadly Prophecies is a magic fused murder/mystery with a hint of romance. Tabatha Zeng is enjoying studying under the world’s most famous sorcerer. But when Sorcerer Solomon is murdered, it’s up to Tabatha and the sorcerer’s youngest son to solve the murder. Otherwise they just might be at the top of the suspect list…

The Knives Out vibes are there. Think more the general vibes and not the actual plotline. Although, at one point a character literally wears a white knit sweater so do with that what you will. I very much enjoyed that.

I’ll say right away, I think this book is for a younger YA crowd. It read very YA which is fine and fits the category it’s marketed in. However, I tend to prefer the older YA/New Adult books, so it didn’t grab me as much. I had a parent/teen combo ask me for recommendations for a YA stand-alone mystery book with light romance, not scary category. Next time I see them I’ll let them know I’ve got the book for them.

Additionally, in this setting, magic is just another career choice. “Regular” jobs like lawyers and police officers intermingle with Sorcerers and *Magic* Police Officers (officers that police magic, not perform it). It’s stated numerous times that the Solomon family is not only wealthy, but very famous in the US. Personally, that setting didn’t speak to me. I tend to avoid the magical realism genre, and while this book doesn’t belong in that genre, I had a hard time immersing myself in it. I also felt that the magic was shown far less than I expected or wanted. More magic, please.

If this did end up as a series, I’d probably check out the next one just to see.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

As soon as I saw fantasy and murder mystery I knew this would be my jam. I loved how fast paced this book was. I found myself just flying through it because I just had to know what was next. This did really give me Knives out vibes and I am here for it. Definitely one I will recommend.