The Reign of the Occult by Lauren Louise Hazel

An epic novel of forbidden magic, tangled loyalties between dark and light, and the fierce strength of family, The Reign of the Occult by Lauren Louise Hazel is a breakout start to a riveting new series.

With her incredible power of foresight keeping them one step ahead of anti-magic officers determined to exterminate her kind, Prue and her brother Everett have been on the run for years. Picking up powerful new allies along the way, their journey takes them back to the fiery depths of the Underworld, and into the heart of the Occult’s power, to cut off its sinister Head. Weaving in lessons about humanity’s perennial weaknesses – fear of the unknown and mistrust of the “other” – the author layers in powerful societal statements that will feel timely for YA readers.

When it comes to execution, the language level is appropriate for the target audience, though some of the syntax is convoluted and occasionally redundant. There are also some spelling and grammatical errors, i.e. “splinted” vs. “splintered,” which a keen-eyed editor should have caught. That said, the world-building and magical exposition is done very well, the good-sized cast of characters defies expected tropes, and the dialogue moves the story along at an engaging clip.

Whether fleeing Demons after a cage match in hell or avoiding deadly betrayals from within their merry band, this tenacious crew of heroes are entertaining from the start, in this dark and creative new work of YA fantasy.