Death Card

by Jasmine Smith

A dark contemporary fantasy featuring witchcraft, tarot, death, and a bit of romance that's perfect for fans of Immortal Dark and Cinderella Is Dead.

On an ordinary Monday morning, eighteen-year-old Mikaela Broussard receives the shock of her life. During a customer’s tarot reading at her family’s occult shop, she turns over the Death card and envisions the beautiful stranger stabbing her in the heart.

In order to determine why the girl, Joelle, wants to kill her, she’ll have to keep her close. But the more time Mikaela spends with her soon-to-be murderer, the more irresistible she finds her.

As if imminent death isn’t worrisome enough, witches are turning up with their magic stolen. And it’s clear some very dark magic is at work. Mikaela, as the next Witch Queen of her coven, is tasked with figuring out who’s behind the horrific acts—a mystery that will put her and her power to the test.

Death Card is a dark, pacy, and romantic fantasy about one witch’s journey to find the strength to fight for herself, her future, and her beloved community.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Lesbian, Romance, Witches, Queer, LGBT

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 11, 2026

About the author

Jasmine Smith has been daydreaming of new worlds and characters since she learned to hold a pen. Born and raised in North Carolina, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from North Carolina State University. When she isn’t writing, Jasmine can be found with a camera in her hand or her nose in a book.

Reviews

[jenny reads a lot]

Black, queer, and set in New Orleans featuring a tarot card reader who’s destined to unalive the hot girl. Sign me up!

| IG | TikTok |

[Sam’s Sapphic Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I teetered back and forth with this one on whether I liked the story. The overall premise of a witch coven trying to figure out who’s responsible for the deaths of their fellow coven members was an interesting one. It’s a race against time to find the one helping a demon and vice versa.

I’ll admit, I got frustrated multiple times while reading. I had to remind myself that the MCs were 17-18 years old, so I can’t hold their decisions and actions against them, but I seriously wanted to yell at them. Mikaela chose to ignore what was right in front of her, even when she was TOLD she was wrong. Unfortunately even the adults were the same way. We all know how assuming goes, and these characters LOVED to assume.

I was disappointed by the relationship between Mikaela and Joelle, I mean it was practically non-existent, yet their emotions were so strong at the end? I don’t like relationships where there’s no sustenance.

I’m giving it three stars because I enjoyed the story itself and the action, but it did lack in a lot of aspects. I think details are everything and there just wasn’t enough of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers for the ARC.

[Mai H.]

Black History Month TBR

Halloween TBR

Pride TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

[Eliza]

June 14/24: Black and Queer fantasy..... YESSSSSSSS!!!!

[Lily | The Bi Library]

A contemporary fantasy about a Black bi witch who's got a massive crush on the girl who's destined to kill her

NEED IT

[Mars · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was honestly a bit conflicted about this book during my reading experience & I kept going back and forth on wether I was enjoying it or not. It was one of my most anticipated reads of this year & while I liked some aspects, overall I found it lacking :(

The stakes are technically high but the characters don’t always act like it which weakens the tension. On top of that most of the conflict is built on assumptions which was annoying. I feel like this also plays into Mikaela’s role as the protagonist which wasn’t fully working for me. She lacks basic survival instincts & it’s frustrating that she only starts questioning obvious thing so late in the story. It makes her feel behind rather than actively driving the plot.

The biggest issue for me is the lack of depth across the board. The romance between Mikaela & Joelle feels underdeveloped & I wasn’t invested in it. It was really hard for me to believe that they were so in love by the end of the story. The same goes for Mikaela’s friend group, some of the side characters, & even the antagonists. Big moments don’t hit as hard as they should because there isn’t enough buildup or emotional connection. There’s potential for surprise but it fell flat because I couldn’t spend enough time with anything to really care.

I also wish there was more development of Mikaela’s magic. Early on we’re told she’s not as skilled as others especially her brother but by the end she’s suddenly very powerful with nothing to show for it. That progression felt skipped over & not earned.

With all that being said, the book is very easy to read & kept my attention the entire time. I just wish it had gone deeper because with more development & stronger pacing it could’ve been a lot more impactful.

PUB DATE: August 11th 2026
Thank you so much to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers & NetGalley for the ARC of Death Card in exchange for an honest review

[Alisha 🦋💗 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was teaaaaaa. Ima give a full review soon!

[Gabriella୨ৎ (semi-ia)]

ᰔᩚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: ꒱
i saw this on netgalley and had to request and add this to my tbr. even if i don’t get approved, i’m definitely reading it when it’s released. witches, queer, tarot cards, and perfect for fans of Immortal Dark? count me in!! that cover too omg, it is STUNNING. if you know me, you know i'm a total sucker for pretty covers, and this one might just be one of the prettiest i've seen.

[Bre · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)
This was such an intriguing book. Death Card wastes no time in grabbing your attention with a mysterious ailment falling upon Mikaela’s coven that quickly morphs into a bigger mystery when a standard tarot reading reveals that a stranger is going to kill her. I enjoyed getting to follow along as Mikaela really comes into her power and gains confidence in her abilities while also processes the grief she holds and the fear of crumbling under the expectations of your family—made worse by a developing crush on the person who’s going to kill her.

I do wish we got to spend a bit more time actually exploring the magic in this book and getting to really see as Mikaela steadily grows in her ability. The pacing felt a bit off at times, especially towards the ends. I wish we got to spend a bit more time in this world and really digesting the information as it was revealed, though I think the author did a great job considering the shorter length of the book.

Overall, this is such an enjoyable debut novel that expertly tackles themes of grief, familial expectations, and bigotry. I’m excited to see what else Jasmine Smith writes in the future!

[Chapters With Carmen ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

YA Fantasy book that follows a teenage witch/tarot reader. One day, a beautiful girl comes into a job for a tarot reading. The story unfolds from there. I liked this book and would recommend for young adults who enjoy reading about a queer FMC.

[Sarah Daughtridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so lucky to have won the goodreads giveaway of this ARC copy of Death Card by Jasmine Smith that comes out in August of this year. Mark your calendars just in time for spooky season!

What a FUN read. This book felt like it encapsulating my love of all things witchy that has been brewing (pun intended) since my obsession with Charmed.

I turned the pages of this one SO fast. As I was reading, I could genuinely feel the fun that Smith had writing this book and the parts of herself she poured into her characters.

Also, absolutely obsessed with the badass FMC in this one. We love a relatable, POC, Bisexual witch QUEEN. With wonderfully written supporting characters I might add. Everyone will be able to find someone to love and root for in this one.

[Rayne]

One of the prettiest covers I've ever seen, can't wait to read this!

[Nìk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishing company/author for this advance copy. 3.75/5 stars!!

Okay, I’m not going to lieeee… the concept alone had me locked in. Pulling the Death card during a tarot reading and then seeing the person in front of you stab you in the heart… I needed to know what was going on immediately.

One thing I genuinely loved was the attention to the tarot details throughout the story. As someone who is a little obsessed with astrology and anything in that lane, I appreciated the explanations behind the cards and what they symbolize. It didn’t feel thrown in for aesthetics. It actually added to Mikaela’s journey.

My one piece of feedback is that I would have loved to see more of the magic in action. Mikaela is stepping into such a powerful role as the future Witch Queen, and it would’ve been really cool to see her testing her abilities more, almost like a training phase where she’s figuring out what she can actually do. Even small moments like witches making potions or using magic in everyday situations would’ve added another layer to the worldbuilding.

That said, this is a really solid YA fantasy: dark, a little sapphic romantics

[Akana Phenix]

I saw the book art and I'm so excited for this one!!

[Michael Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having heard about this book, I decided to enter for a chance to win a copy. To my surprise, I would end up winning an advance copy and as such be given the chance to review the novel early. While a bit short, the story kept me interested from start to finish. Please note that this is a review of a book that may change by its release. I want to thank Penguin Random House for the advanced copy of Death Card.

Mikaela Broussard has always struggled with her powers as a witch. A year after her grandmother and witch queen of her coven died, Mikaela alongside her grandfather and twin brother continue to struggle in their mourning. Things get more complicated when her grandfather decides to run for political office in New Orleans and pass on the title of witch queen to her. A role Mikaelas coven is doubtful she can live up to. If that wasn’t bad enough, during a tarot reading on girl Mikaela clicks with, she sees a vision of said girl stabbing her in the near future. As Mikaela tries to find a way to avoid her demise, she soon gets wrapped up in solving another mystery of why witches as not only losing their magic but turning up dead as well. Putting Mikaelas leadership and confidence in herself to the ultimate test.

One of the things I really enjoyed about the book was the writing. Between Mikaelas funny dialogue while she is analyzing things or making a joke to the funny comments made by her brother or grandfather, the book has something for everyone. The added emotional depth between the characters about topics about family or racism did a great job connecting the story to everyday life.

I also enjoyed how the book connected the story to real life. Not just in cultural references in New Orleans, but also its politics. While not always front and center, the side story does play a role in the main plot. Giving the reader a look into the lives of those who live in the city and the surrounding areas.

When it comes to the fantasy element, this book doesn’t quite deliver as much as I would have hoped. There are moments where we see Mikaela and her grandfather preform a little magic or dwell into the history of the witch covens such as those from their coven who came from Africa. However, I felt the moments that did come up were far and few in-between. A few more moments of magic or its history in the story would have also helped expand the world building.

As a protagonist, Mikaela was great. From her most vulnerable times to when she managed to overcome her fears, I felt any reader could relate to her. That is because just like you and I, she struggles at first with living up to others’ expectations as well as finding the courage to overcome personal obstacles. Mikaelas is also someone who trusts her family and coven, but knows when to speak out when something is wrong. Showing how she slowly grows into a leadership role. I also loved how the author wasn’t afraid to make it clear she was part of the pride community. Too often characters like that are mentioned and pushed aside. It is about time we have an equal number of diverse protagonists in books so that readers have a bigger pool to read about.

While the story was good, I did feel it was on the short side. I understand it is because it takes place over a short period of time, but I felt there was some more plot points that were rushed as a result. Mikaelas relationship with Joelle and solving the mystery effecting the coven could have had been expanded had the author allowed a bit more time before the big climax.

I know some tweaks are going to be made before the book comes out later this year, but I can say for a shorter story like this, it was still a great read. If they can make the book a bit longer so they could add more magic, I think the story can thrive even more. Other than that, I would recommend this book when it comes out. Here’s hoping this isn’t a one and done with Mikaela!

[jayden abel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Possible Spoilers*

Unlike its cover, Death Card is a bit disappointing. The art oozes power and mystique, unfortunately, the book reads like a knockoff Beetlejuice. The main antagonist is a demon who gains power from its name being uttered. The main characters are boring, perfect, and tragically underestimated.

Mikaela is the cookie cutter fantasy heroine. Her parents died in a car crash, her adored grandmother died of cancer, her grandfather overshelters his grandbabies, and her twin brother is an emotionally unavailable partier drowning his grief. At nearly eighteen years old, Mikaela is destined to become Queen of her powerful coven. There are some stumbling blocks in ascending the throne. One being that the coven elders see her as a nepobaby, and two being that her magic is basically dormant. Eventually she figures out that believing in oneself is the key to harnessing power. Mikaela is such a good person that she’s a bore. It never felt like she was capable of making real mistakes. Wrongly accusing the (shocker) not-so-bad rival witch of murder doesn’t count, the trope is overused.

Mikaela and Joelle are the least significant plotpoint. They don’t really have any meaningful conversations. Joelle is a paranormal fangirl searching for a cure to her mother’s ailment. One of her first days in town, she runs into a beautiful girl who’s secretly a witch (Mikaela). Now, what I did like was how Mikaela’s gruesome vision panned out. Joelle does technically kill her, but not out of malicious intent. She kills the demon’s soul(?) that’s lodged in Mikaela’s body.

The basic world has potential. Mikaela is the descendant of an enslaved witch whose name has been lost to time. The first Witch Queen’s power got handed down through generations of Black women, landing in Mikaela’s lap. I wish that we had gotten a few chapters from past witches, as respecting ancestry is such a big Broussard family value. Throughout the book Mikaela reads her great-grandmother’s journal; including some entries from it would’ve built the world, and involved the reader, in the discovery process. I never fully grasped the world Mikaela lives in. I needed more world-building.

I was kind of bombarded by left-wing politics. Now, I dislike the current administration as much as Mikaela, but personally, I read books to escape the real world. Consistently name-dropping MAGA and their policies distracted me from the fictional world Smith was trying to create. It was subtle how the real villains were the town’s resident White Republican family, who believe that the Broussards have stolen success.

While the book wasn’t for me, people who love liberal paranormal fantasies will be all over it. For me, it was just too straightforward and predictably good.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I will be posting this on Goodreads and/or Tiktok and Instagram in late April.

[Mimccub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for providing this eBook in exchange for my review. After I saw the cover of this book, and read the synopsis, it became an anticipated read for me.

​​​​​Mikaela Broussard ​and her twin brother Orion lost their parents soon after they were born. They were raised by their maternal grandparents. The story begins on the one year anniversary of the death of their grandmother, making Mikaela​ next in line to be the new Witch Queen.

The story grabbed my attention from the first chapter when a young witch is attacked. And then within days, Joelle walks into the family's occult shop, asks for a tarot reading and Mikaela​ has the vision of Joelle stabbing her in the heart. I quickly became invested. ​

A​t times I grew frustrated with the amount of pressure that was being put on Mikaela by Gramps and others to become the Witch Queen. Sure Mikaela​ graduated at the top of her class and was valedictorian, but was she capable of solving the mystery of who was attacking her fellow witches? Was she strong enough, magically, to protect her coven and be the next Witch Queen.

While I figured out who was responsible for the attacks early on, I liked how the author still kept us guessing throughout the story. There were a few times when some of ​​Mikaela​ actions really frustrated me. It eventually felt like the author used these scenes to show us that sometimes our perceptions and assumptions about others can be guided by family or friends. Mikaela​'s came directly from Gramps, other family members and other members of their coven.

I really enjoyed the scenes where Mikaela​ had to trust herself, her magic and became more confident as she learned new ways to use her magic. I especially enjoyed the scenes where she was finally able to communicate with her mother and when she was able to dream walk with her grandmother.

​My only issues were that I wish there had been more scenes of Gramps, or her aunts, training Mikaela since Grans death​. And, that we'd had a few scenes with the Hightower family and Dupree family interacting with the Broussard family beforehand.

The pacing of the story was well done and the book was hard to put down at times. I enjoyed how Mikaela and Orion worked together, how they communicated with each other like twins seem to be able to do and protected each other.

I was hoping Mikaela would be able to protect her coven from future attacks. That she would evade her death or figure out a way to stop it. And, that she would be able to have a future with Joelle and be able to go to college. Mikaela​ was more than capable, but had to learn some lessons along the way to becoming Witch Queen.

[Tori Kamosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to start off by thanking NetGalley & Penguin Young Readers Group for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover, breathtaking, the premise, dark & fantastical, but the execution… leaves much to be desired.

I REALLLLLLLY wanted to love this book. A Sapphic Witch Romantasy that takes place in New Orleans, sign me up! Sadly, I had to force myself to finish it for the sake of a fully honest review.

I was so excited to get an arc copy of this book. It seemed so different and original, but then the writing was so colloquial and had far too many current times references to be considered fantasy to me. The pacing was choppy and I feel like this book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be focused on witches/tarot/magic or current day political climates. I don’t feel transported by magic when we’re talking about things like vaping, redbulls, and MAGA republicans. The use of Gen Z phrases like “that was sus” and “I know this food is gonna slap” gave me such ick, but I trudged through hoping the magic side would make up for it. Unfortunately, it fell flat in the end and even the romance felt ultra forced. It was mainly Joelle being aggressively flirtatious and our FMC being infatuated without any connection behind it; unless their attraction to each other is enough to mean insta-connection.

SPOILERS from here on out:
To sum it up, I think this is going to be a miss for a large portion of Fantasy readers. Nowhere in the description does it make you think that current day politics are going to play such a large role in this book and every time I thought we were going somewhere with the magic, it jumped right back to Grandpa’s political campaign and then we never even found out if he won or not. And the villain of this story turns out to be a jealous racist white girl who SUMMONED A DEMON because she felt that she was unfairly passed over for valedictorian. WHAT?! I’m not sure if it was supposed to be comical but that made me laugh out loud in a moment that was supposed to be a big reveal.

I’m sorry, this was an overall miss for me, but props to whoever did the cover design because it looks amazing.

[Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you PenguinTeen and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This book is so good! A year ago Mikaela lost her grandma, who happened to be the Witch Queen of their coven. Since then she, her twin brother Orion, and her Gramps have been trying to move forward but it’s hard, she was their everything. Mikaela is stagnant not sure how to move forward. To make things worse her own powers have never seemed to be that strong, which had the coven questioning whether she had what it takes to be the next Witch Queen as is her birthright. The one magical area she does excel at though is divination. Then one day a customer comes into her Gramps’ occult shop, a very cute girl, and wants a tarot reading. It’s nothing unusual until Mikaela draws the death card and sees that its fate that the girl, Joelle, will kill Mikaela on the next full moon. On top of that something strange is happening to her coven, witches are losing their magic and dying. Can Mikaela find her power in order to save her coven? And she should stay away from Joelle but it’s so hard when she’s so drawn to her. Can she change her fate before it’s too late? This was such a quick read and I was hooked right from the start! Jasmine Smith does a wonderful job building the magical world but in a way that flows naturally and isn’t confusing for the reader! I loved all the characters in it and the strong bonds of the coven! I love that there is mystery mixed in with the magic and that the story touches on magical politics but that it also brings in real world politics and blends them seamlessly! A story about a strong powerful black woman finding herself and being the hero her coven needs! If you like queer magical stories you won’t want to miss this one!

[itselliebbby · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover and premise of Death Card caught my attention immediately. A book about a black bisexual witch set in New Orleans? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, that is where my enjoyment ends. This book was more about right wing extremism than magic and tarot which completely blindsided me because politics were mentioned nowhere in the synopsis. I loathe the Trump administration just as much as our MC Mikaela, but the contstant mention of MAGA and republicans really threw me off. The book couldn't decide whether it wanted to be out magic/tarot or the modern day pollical climate.

Some of the lines from the MC's family were so out of left field. "It's the truth," Aunt Lorriane spits. "A man is dead because Adelaide Broussard failed to stomp out these wretched white witches when she had the chance." ?????????


The premise of the world, characters, and story were promising but ended up being extremely underdeveloped. The writing was overly simplistic and didn't create a magical atmosphere. The relationship between our MC and love interest had little progression throughout the entire story which left me unfulfilled.

Micaela is a descendant of an enslaved witch whose power is handed down through generations of Black women. I really wished the book delved deeper into her ancestry as family and ancestors are such recurrent themes in the book. More insight and lore from past witches would've really added to the story.

Overall, the book needed a lot more world building, including the development of characters, plot, and relationships.
The cover is absolutely stunning.


Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the eARC.

[Krys F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.

First I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for this arc.

Death Card was a coming of age story about a young witch thrust into leading her coven after the death of her grandmother. At the age of 17 and still mourning the loss of her grandmother, Mikaela felt she wasn't ready to lead, and some of the coven members tended to agree. But with witches dying and Mikaela pulling a death card during a reading, it didn't matter if she was ready or not, because fate had a mind of its own.

I thoght this booknwas well written and I enjoyed seeing Mikaela's her twin brother Orion's and their grandfather's character growth. I felt the sense of family and community within the pages. The author painted a beautiful picture of the vibrancy that is New Orleans. I thoght the story was even paced, laced with enough mystery to keep the reader engaged.

The dislike for me: Fantasy is my favorite genre, so when I read it I'm looking for a little escapism from the horrors of the real world. Unfortunately this story brought in MAGA, which completely threw me off. I see enough of MAGA and racism in real life, so I honestly don't need it in my fantasy reads. I wasn't expecting it, therefore it casted a haze of anger within me as I continued to read the book. I'm glad that I was able to pull myself out of that haze because overall, this is a really good read.

[ReadsByMochi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasmine Smith's debut YA novel was a solid read!

Mikaela is part of a family of witches. Her specialty? Visions through Tarot reading. Her struggles? Working through the grief of losing her grandmother - and the Head Witch of their coven - the year prior. Her grandfather announcing that SHE will be the new head witch. And, a vision of the beautiful new girl in town stabbing her in the heart during the next full moon... which is only a few weeks away. Oh, and, members of her coven being attacked with a mysterious illness that takes their magic, and lives.

Smith does an incredible job of portraying Mikaela's fears, insecurities, and growth throughout the story, without derailing or adding unnecessary details. I'm sure we can all relate to wanting to be the person your family can count on, while also working through everything that holds you back - especially if what's holding you back is yourself. This book is aged for young adults 12 and up, but even as someone in her thirties, it is a solid read. Smith includes modern day racial issues that POC are experiencing every single day, and in a way that is easily digestible for a young adult starting to really notice the state of the world. It's not done in a way that incites fear, but in a way that encourages community, and turning to your loved ones during difficult times. A fantastic ARC that I will most likely be purchasing in the future.

[Ashley Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Jasmine Smith and Penguin Young Readers Group for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Death Card by Jasmine Smith and thought it was such a fun mix of mystery, magic, and self discovery. Mikaela is a witch who has always been insecure about her magic, so when she is unexpectedly named the next Witch Queen after her grandmother’s passing, the pressure she feels is immediate. The story hooked me right away when a tarot reading reveals that a girl named Joelle will one day be responsible for Mikaela’s death, which sets up a really intriguing and tense premise.

I loved watching Mikaela investigate what was happening to her coven as magic begins disappearing and suspicion falls on another powerful family. The mystery surrounding the siphoning of magic kept me really engaged, especially as Mikaela worked with Orion and her friends to uncover what was truly going on. I also appreciated how the story balanced magical politics, demon summoning, and the emotional stakes within Mikaela’s coven.

By the end I was fully invested in Mikaela’s journey and seeing her step into her role with more confidence. The climax was intense and emotional, and I loved how everything tied back into the tarot reading that started it all. Overall this was a really engaging witchy story with strong friendships, high stakes magic, and a main character I enjoyed rooting for!

[Reli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🔮✨️This story follows Mikaela who is on the precipice of her 18th birthday. Struggling with grief at the death of her Gran, high expectations from the coven, and uncertainty of her or her twin brother, Orion's futurr.

She meets a pretty girl named Joelle at work and is asked to perform a tarot reading for her. Pulling the cards, her vision shows her that Joelle will thrust a dagger into her chest.

Wanting to put as much distance between herself and Joelle. Imagine her frustration when her Grandad hires her to work at the shop. Struggling with mixed emotions, the stress of her grandfather's campaign, and growing worry for her brother. Mikaela is desperate to figure out how to rewrite fate.

This story was quite charming. I am always a sucker for new orleans witches. I did wish there was a little more exploration of the magical growth for Mikaela. As well as a little more interaction between Mikaela and Joelle. However, this was a pretty short book and I enjoyed it nonetheless. I think if the author wanted, they could totally write a second book following these characters!

I think this is a great book to get you into the spooky spirit. A charming, short, southern gothic.

⚠️ Some things to keep in mind. This book with deal with grief, death, and racism.

This book is scheduled for release on August 11th, 2026. Be sure to check it out!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this book!

3.75/5
Perfect for younger fans of Legendborn! Death Card is charmingly suspenseful contemporary fantasy and a quick read. I love a book where someone has bad or disturbing visions of the future and characters coming together to prevent those visions from happening. New Orleans as a setting for a witchy fantasy is just chefs kiss.

The only shortcoming of this book (and why I'm not rating it higher) is its length— while it is effective with the space it has, the story feels a tiny bit compressed. I would’ve loved for the to have been more time for a few parts of the book to be fleshed out further and make the world of the story feel richer.

For one, I would’ve loved to see more magic/fantasy elements, especially Mikaela’s tarot magic. Her magical arc throughout was pretty straightforward and it would’ve been cool to see her flex her newfound strengths a little bit more.

I also wish we’d spent more time exploring the motivations of the main antagonists and had gotten a bit more of an explanation of how they managed to accomplish the things they did in the climax. No spoilers, but iykyk.
Hopefully these can be fleshed out a bit prior to publication— it would make an already good book even better!

[Lilyin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Jasmine Smith for this ARC!

From jump I was so excited for this read; it was one of my most anticipated of the year. A bi Black girl thrust into a position of power she did not ask for, magic, tarot, set in the south? As a spiritual Black girl you had me by the neck already. First and foremost, the themes of ancestral veneration, connecting with your roots, familial bonds, and magic spoke to my spirit in ways I can’t truly put into words. While I did enjoy this read, but there are quite a many things I felt could have been executed differently.

The heavy theme of navigating racism in a current time Louisiana (mentions of MAGA and republicans) played a very major role throughout the plot. While I don’t think it was executed in a bad way, there was no mention of political aspects in the description of this book and I think that is an important thing to mention for others.

I loved seeing how Mikaela’s magical capability changed as her belief in herself and her position grew, her connecting with her ancestors, the tarot, alchemy, etc but found myself still wishing they would have been expanded on more. Her navigating her crush on the girl meant to end her and the very real aspect of danger felt like it was lacking detail in places it shouldn’t have, and I would have liked to see more development with their relationship. Seeing the vastly different ways her brother, family, and coven navigated their emotions, actions, and assumptions was crucial to the plot and it was interesting to see how everyone changed by the end and the impact their choices had on what went on.

Overall, I felt myself wishing this book was longer so that things could have been fleshed out just a little bit better. That being said, I did still enjoy it and I would recommend it to certain people.
3.75, rounded up to 4 stars.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death Card exceeded my expectations for a debut novel. I really loved the diversity in this book, from Black witches to queer representation. It all felt natural and well done.

There is no better backdrop for a magic shop, tarot card reader, and witchy story than New Orleans. I adored the descriptions of the French Quarter. NOLA is my favorite city, and this book truly captured what I love about it so much.

I also enjoyed the character building. Going into the story, I did not expect themes of grief and loss, but I appreciated how the author explored them and showed how different people experience grief in different ways. I always love a strong female main character, even when she does not realize how strong she is at first. As the story builds, the FMC grows into herself, finds her magic, and starts to believe in her place in the world, which I really enjoyed watching.

This book does feel like it is written for the younger side of YA, possibly middle school, as the writing style is fairly simple. The story moves quickly with shorter chapters, which makes it an easy, fast read. I do wish there had been a bit more focus on the magic, but overall I still found it enjoyable.

Thank you so much to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Alexandria Sekerak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a prepublication copy of Death Card by Jasmine Smith through a Goodreads giveaway, and I am really glad I did because this ended up being such an enjoyable read.

The premise hooked me right away. It has this slightly eerie, mysterious feel that pulls you in and keeps you curious the whole time. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” and then suddenly I was way further in than I planned.

The atmosphere was one of my favorite parts. There is this quiet tension running through the story that makes everything feel a little darker without ever feeling too heavy. It kept me on my toes in the best way.

The characters were interesting, and even though I did not feel deeply connected to every single one, I was still invested in what would happen to them and how everything would come together.

The reason this landed at four stars for me instead of five is just that there were a few spots where the pacing felt a little uneven, and I found myself wanting a bit more depth in certain moments. Nothing that took away from the story in a big way, just enough to notice.

Overall, I had a really good time reading this. It is engaging, a little eerie, and definitely worth picking up if you enjoy a story with a darker, mysterious vibe.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just by the cover and summary alone, I thought I'd love this-and I did! (for the most part). Mikaela pulling the Death Card and having the vision she was going to die by the hands of the beautiful girl in front of her pulled me in immediately.

Although it was fun following Mikaela's journey, I did get a bit frustrated at times and had to remind myself that it is a YA novel. Some of the decisions made had me questioning everyone. Like why didn't they prepare Mikaela to takeover once Gran got too sick? Why is nobody sitting down to have a proper conversation to talk things through? I also wanted to see Mikaela's progress with her ability a bit more. It was kind of glazed over and I would've liked to see more of her testing what she can and can't do or maybe having her brother or friend help her.

I did love the tarot readings with the explanations, the setting (I think I just love anything set in NOLA tbh), and I related a lot to Mikaela when it came to processing grief. My senior year was sort of similar to hers, but I lost my grandfather the day I graduated and I ended up taking a gap year after my first year of college.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️✨ (2.5/5)
Death Card by Jasmine Smith is a strong debut that shows a lot of promise, but I think it just wasn't for me.

Highlights:
- The magic system! So interesting, unique, atmospheric, and easily the standout of the book.
- The family dynamics added a really nice emotional core that grounded the story.
- I also appreciated the underlying political message and the diverse range of characters, it felt relevant and important, especially right now.

But overall it leaned a bit too young for me, and I found myself craving more depth from the characters. I wanted to feel more tension, more complexity, more connection. It felt at times a little bit surface for me, this made some of the character progression hard to invest in

That said, for a debut, this is genuinely impressive. There’s a strong foundation here, and I’d absolutely pick up Jasmine Smith’s next book to see how her writing evolves.

✨ Perfect if you enjoy: YA fantasy, family-centred stories, and cool, original magic systems
✨ Might not hit if you’re looking for: deeply complex characters or a more mature tone

Overall: a solid debut with standout ideas, even if it didn’t fully land for me