They Call Me the Voodoo Woman - GATHERING DEEP by Lisa Maxwell

Gathering Deep

by Lisa Maxwell

More of a companion novel than a sequel to her well-received Sweet Unrest, Maxwell focuses on Chloe and Thisbe in this atmosphere-packed fantastical mystery. Reeling from the aftermath of finding out that the evil witch Thisbe is her mother, Chloe becomes determined to sever all ties and influence from Thisbe’s dark magic. When her on-off boyfriend, Piers, vanishes on his way to deliver a historical artifact, Chloe knows that Thisbe is behind his disappearance. Enlisting the help of friend Lucy, Voodoo queen Mama Legba, and Mama Legba’s nephew Odane, Chloe gathers all her strength in order to conquer Thisbe’s nefarious influence. The narrative is peppered with fascinating Voodoo rituals and beliefs, heightening the suspense.

VERDICT: As with Sweet Unrest, where Maxwell’s novel excels is in its heady, Southern-drenched mood. Recommended for fans of Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Jackaby.

Note: I reviewed this book for School Library Journal.

Can We Do Some Voodoo? Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell

Sweet Unrest

by Lisa Maxwell

Gr. 9 & Up: A romantic ghost story, Voodoo spells, and the humid-drenched southern locale of historical New Orleans all combine for a satisfying mix of contemporary and historical fiction from Maxwell’s first, Sweet Unrest.  When Lucy Aimes’s family moves to an old plantation near New Orleans for her history professor father’s work, she becomes plagued with vivid dreams featuring a handsome Alex and surprisingly familiar Armantine.

Lucy soon learns that the dreams are much more than they seem with the assistance of a local mystical woman; intertwining a bit of history of Voodoo with an enjoyable mystery, Maxwell produces a well-written, spell-binding, enthralling, and informative story that young readers (and adults) are sure to snap up.  Read it for the heady descriptions of New Orleans and mysticism if nothing else.