Review by Booklist Review
If readers are looking for a fast-paced mystery with a little bit of tarot-reading intrigue, Manansala's YA debut, delivering a gripping story full of twists and tension and starring a main character it's impossible not to root for, is sure to fit the bill. Filipino American Danika Dizon is not your typical high-schooler: she has the fearlessness of a PI, the crimesolving instincts of a classic detective, and just enough confidence (and stubbornness) to take on a case no one else would touch. She also runs a tarot-reading side hustle at school, and when one of her clients disappears after drawing the Death card, Danika doesn't waste any time going after the answers herself. Alongside Gaby, the missing girl's sister, she starts unraveling secret after secret. Among the high-stakes drama and snarky banter, Manansala details plenty of tarot readings, which should delight tarot fans. But it's the fierce, brave, and strong-willed Danika who drives this entertaining mystery, which will keep readers guessing until the last page.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Manansala (Guilt and Ginataan, for adults) injects a grounded mystery with spiritual tarot elements in her YA debut, a detective story about a high school student investigating a classmate's mysterious disappearance. When 17-year-old Danika Dizon isn't assisting her mother at the family's detective agency, she runs a thriving side hustle as a tarot card reader, charging peers in exchange for readings. After popular girl Eli Delgado goes missing, her well-to-do parents deliberately avoid informing the police, instead hiring Danika's mother to locate her, hoping to keep a low profile and circumvent any potential scandal. Danika, too, becomes embroiled in Eli's case, and she finds herself growing closer to Eli's cute younger sister Gaby, who proves distracting to Danika's investigation. But as Eli's secrets come to light and Danika further entrenches herself into her classmates' personal lives, this seemingly simple missing persons case takes a dark turn. Though the conflicts lack tension and the overarching mystery becomes somewhat buried by various subplots, Manansala's snappy prose and the characters' sharp banter make for an enjoyable read. A wealth of classic teen sleuth conventions recalls Veronica Mars's charm. Characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 12--up. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Manansala takes a break from delectable "Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries" for her YA debut, sharing her love for her Filipina culture, extended family, and satiating dishes with younger audiences. Relative newbie Salvacion--a versatile Filipina Italian American voice actor with comedic stage training, quickly racking up audio credits--vibrantly infuses 17-year-old Danika with tenacity, charm, exasperation, and ingenuity. Solving conundrums is clearly in Danika's genes: Mom runs a detective agency; Dad's a mystery novelist. Her prescient tarot talent underscores a successful side business at school. Gaby, the sister of client Eli, who recently drew the dreaded Death card and disappeared, seeks Danika's help. Gaby's parents hire Mom's firm, finally giving Danika the opportunity to officially work her first case. With spirited dedication, Salvacion convincingly bounces between family, friends, strangers, and suspects in search of satisfying solutions. VERDICT Manansala has maintained aural consistency with her adult titles; hopefully, YA listeners can expect to hear Salvacion's in future pairings.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In tarot, Death is the card of change, and that's exactly what a Chicago teen faces. Seventeen-year-old Danika Dizon, a queer Filipino American high school junior, is eager to follow in her private investigator mom's footsteps. But since her mom doesn't pay for the hours she spends working behind the desk at the detective agency, Danika reads tarot cards at school as a way to make some cash. When classmate Gaby Delgado, who's Colombian and Irish, confronts her about her older sister Eli's recent reading and subsequent disappearance, Danika responsibly brings Gaby and her parents to her mom's agency. Now Danika is on her first official case, which follows many expected genre beats: covertly questioning Eli's close friends and ex-boyfriend, evading a potential threat, and infiltrating school clubs and a country club in search of information. In her YA debut, Manansala spins a great mystery that's filled with atmosphere. The various cultural elements, from Filipino family dynamics and martial arts (for Danika, Kali "is a way of life") to the art of tarot, are lovingly represented, and the practice of reading tarot cards is made accessible for readers who may be less familiar with it. The investigation chugs along steadily, but dangers are treated with an appropriate level of severity, and the teen characters largely avoid serious harm. A well-paced and intriguing mystery.(Mystery. 12-17) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
