Death Card

by Jasmine Smith

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A dark contemporary fantasy set against the richly wrought backdrop of New Orleans, featuring witchcraft, tarot, death, and a bit of romance

"A charming and compulsively readable debut.”—Jamison Shea, author of I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me

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, LGBT, Romance, Witches, Queer, Lesbian

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published 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

[vicky ꨄ︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The start of the book was very enjoyable and kept my interest but sadly as the book progress I started losing the send interested. Don’t get me wrong the book is written beautifully but it has two main plot points. One of them being what the synopsis describes and the other being current politics being not even sprinkled in but also main focus of the book. I wouldn’t have mind the politics if I were told before hand that it would be the main plot as well. The magic plot point personally in my opinion was there in the background like I was expecting so much more from it especially since she become the Witch Queen. I was hoping that we would get to see her magic develop fully and to see her struggled with it but yeah the magic isn’t the main plot.


Can we told about the romance being nonexistent? Like was I meant to be rotting for them?? If so then the romance was done so badly. They only actually fully interacted twice (in my personal opinion) and I’m meant to believe that they liked each other?? How can their emotions for each other be so strong at the end?? There’s no way they love each other.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.



——————————————-

𐙚⋆°. preread

We all know that I have to read multiple books at once and this one is my next victim. The premise of this book honestly sounds so intriguing. Also it’s finally time that I read more sapphic books.

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔮🖤 Death Card ✨🩸

I really enjoyed this one! 🔮 I loved the magic system and worldbuilding, especially everything surrounding the covens and their politics.

I just wish the book had been a little longer so we could dive deeper into it all! I especially wanted to learn more about the other coven and how the larger witch community worked. I did love Mikaela's family coven though, and the family dynamics were one of my favorite parts. Especially her Grandpa🖤

I was fully prepared to give this 5 stars right up until the ending. 😭 Something about it just felt slightly off to me. I can't even pinpoint exactly what bothered me, but it didn't land quite the way I wanted it to.

Either way, I still really enjoyed this and would absolutely spend more time in this world!

⭐️ 4.5 Star Read!

What to Expect
🔮 Witch FMC
🃏 Tarot Magic
💀 Death Premonition
🌈 Sapphic Romance
👑 Witch Queen Heir
✨ Stolen Magic
🖤 Occult Shop
_ _ _


📅 Pub Date: August 11, 2026
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[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 |

[brittany:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: going to a book event today to go meet her!!

🃏🔮🖤 Death Card 🕯️✨

I thought this was the perfect read for spooky season. 🎃🍂 I dabble in YA from time to time, and this definitely didn't disappoint.

I loved the New Orleans setting 🏛️⚜️, the witchery, covens, magical hierarchies, prophecies, tarot, and the sense of impending doom that was established right from the very beginning. 🔮🖤 Following Mikaela's journey as she tried to prevent the future she'd been shown kept me invested the entire time.

This also features a predominantly Black cast 🤎, LGBTQ+ representation 🌈, and a classic YA fantasy feel while still feeling fresh and atmospheric.

Overall, this was a solid story. I'd give it 3.5⭐ and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a spooky YA fantasy with witches, tarot, magic, and a touch of romance this fall. 🍂✨🃏

Thank you, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for the ARC! 🖤📚

[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.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this jewel of a story 3.5 ⭐️’s! I’m not going to lie if it was nothing else it was very interesting and had awesome storytelling value. I love a good witch 🧙 story, I just like my witches a little older and more developed in life experiences. This definitely screamed YA, so it was like eating tamed jalapeños. Just leaves you wanting more and just doesn’t hit the same.

If you enjoy YA and are looking for a good witchy story to get you in the mood. Then check this one out. This was so well written with really diverse characters and for that I say….well done and thank you!

[lost in epilogue | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 3 out of 5]

i went into this with high hopes bc sapphic witches in new orleans?? ummm YES PLS!

unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my hopes. there were some parts that were enjoyable, like the closeness of her family and coven. but i wanted to learn so much more about the magic system, which stayed pretty vague. the romance doesn't really take the forefront either.

the most frustrating part was how tunnel visioned and stubborn the fmc is. while i love a determined fmc, it was so obvious what was really going on the entire book and her refusal to even glance at other explanations was kind of wild.

overall, it was an ok read. i think teens will enjoy 🔮

an honest arc review <3

[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

[Mai H.]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Black History Month TBR

Halloween TBR

Pride TBR

[Karina (shedreamsinwords) · Rating 4 out of 5]

yes all the witchy vibes + raven boys energy in New Orleans was SO good! I absolutely, highly recommend picking this up for spooky season 😍💜

[alyssa✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

not my favourite but still enjoyable!

[KMart Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine Smith doesn't just set this story in New Orleans, she opens the door and welcomes you in. The culture, the community, the family dynamics, the coven... it all feels so rich and lived in that you just sink into it. This is exactly why I read diversely. These are experiences I would never get to live otherwise, and this book gave me a genuine window into something beautiful.

The tarot magic and occult atmosphere are fantastic, but what really got me was how much the main character resonated with me. Her struggles with anxiety, guilt, grief, and the crushing weight of expectations and perfectionism... It all hit so hard for me. The family dynamics in particular are incredible.

A longer book or more focus into character arcs would have let it go deeper and darker, which I personally would have loved, and I wanted the romance to push a little harder too. But this is young adult and it delivers exactly what it sets out to do.

The sapphic romance, the NOLA culture and witchy mythology, the community at the heart of it all... this one has it all. A really promising debut. Highly recommend for young adult readers looking for a story where the characters actually feel their age. Fantastic book.

Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tour, the author, and Penguin Teen for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[zara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

as much as i do enjoy reading this, it felt like the book was RIGHT THERE on the cusp of being great, but then it fell flat again. there was so many intriguing aspects but they weren't fleshed out that well, and the reveal at the end ended up making the story a little bit underwhelming. but overall, it was a pretty good read

[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

[Montes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story from the beginning. The way it was written was very engaging, I didn’t want to put it down. The grief that still permeates everything after one year had passed from her grandma’s death was well written. All of the moving parts and politics of the coven were very interesting to me. I must admit that I was way more invested in the coven business than on the romance between Joelle and Mikaela.

For me, the ending felt a little bit rushed. I felt like the final battle didn’t last as long as I would have wanted to and then suddenly she was stepping into the circle and being stabbed by her crush. I did enjoy that slowly, throughout the book Mikaela gained confidence, started to make her own decisions and became the Witch Queen she was meant to be.

I was very close with my grandma and I’m very close with my mom so the relationship and the connection that Mikaela still had with them even when they were in different realms was so touching. The appearance of the beauty mark where her grandma kissed her and when both her mom and grandmother went to accompany her when she had momentarily passed made me cry.

I also had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and Andia Winslow was such a wonderful narrator. She had one of those voices that are so captivating, you never want the audiobook to end because you don’t want to stop listening to her talk. Definitely the best choice for this story, she knocked it out of the park.

Thank you to Jasmine Smith, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

—꒰ 🔮 ꒱ 3.5 stars

LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEEE

[Mar Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Review of arc from NetGalley

I had high hopes for this story after reading the blurb, but unfortunately it failed to deliver on any of them.
I was hoping that this book would borrow from real life and take inspiration from Black witches from New Orleans. Not only did it not do that, but the magic system didn’t make much sense, or have much explanation, and the tarot readings were only briefly present.
The biggest part of the story is the current politics, with Mikaela’s grandpa running for city council (I think) opposite a very bigoted, rich white man. It’s a good storyline, but not what I was expecting coming into a book about magic and it took up a lot of the story.
The romance was basically nonexistent, and what I hoped from the blurb would be something like enemies-to-lovers or similar, since the love interest stabs the main character in the heart, turned out to have a simple and uninteresting explanation.
Mikaela spends a lot of the story assuming she knows who the villains are and following obvious red herrings while she makes her accusations with little to no proof. Also, she supposedly had very weak magic and then all of a sudden as soon as it’s inconvenient to have her magic be weak, she is suddenly so much stronger. It didn’t really make sense.
The inclusion of actual demons just made everything so much less interesting.
All in all, I thought the idea for the book had a lot of potential which it never reached.

[Fadeless Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley

3.75⭐

I had no idea how this story was going to end. The beginning started off slow and I felt I was going to give up and put the book down but it got interesting towards middle of the book. All of the action was in the last few chapters. I wish there was more character development and relationship building between the FMC and the love interest. Overall, the ending is one I wasn't expecting and I actually enjoyed it but I was expecting more magical scenes.

[Anna Obermiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly magical from beginning to end. ✨

Personal note: I’m so proud of my dear friend Jasmine on her first novel! I can’t wait to see what world she creates for us next.

[Ace Enni Vinadetta · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was not a single mention in the summary of how politics heavy this book was going to be, and not in the matter of 'everything is political' (which it is) but in the manner of literal politics. We are the granddaughter of a man running for city council in this book. We drop republican and MAGA over and over like it's nobody's business, and apparently, who ever wrote the summary of this book decided that was just not fucking important enough to include, despite the fact that it very much is. It's arguably a more important plot point than the fucking death card.

Like what do you mean the titular death card is the least important fucking plot point in the entire god damn fucking book?!

[Courtney N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen, anytime you put Witches, New Orleans, and Tarot Cards in the same sentence, I’m there faster than a witch on a broomstick (sorry lol 😭)

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up for goodreads!

This book was the perfect YA read. It fit into the category seamlessly with young characters coming into themselves, their roles, their magic, their sexualities and futures while making the typical mistakes and learning the lessons you’d expect from the category.

This setting was so rich, I loved being able to walk the street of New Orleans and spend time in magic shops with the characters. I also appreciated the exploration of grief, family, and the touches on politics & queer identities.

In terms of the plot and magic system, this had all of the ingredients to be a really special story. It was packed with witch covens, tarot card magic, forbidden romance, a doomed fate, mystery and more but with all of that, I don’t think things were fleshed out enough for me to buy into what I was supposed to feel.

There was some underdevelopment issues and pacing troubles in the writing that took away from the story. I can’t help but feeling like less would have amounted to more. Maybe less characters to focus on, less detours in the plot, less themes to manage and then there could have been more focus on developing the main characters, the romance and main plot without things feeling glazed over or rushed through.

Overall, I did have a good time reading it. This is a solid debut novel that gives enough to have a good time reading through it.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was teaaaaaa. Ima give a full review soon!

[Kenzie Deerin · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This is the PERFECT October witchy read!!!!! I am obsessed 🔮✨🍂

[Ayeley &#x1065a; ·˚(editing reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

[Weronika · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is just something about magical books set in New Orleans. I thought this was a good coming of age story. We follow Mikaela and her family as she embarks on becoming their coven’s leader. Pulling the Death Card and seeing her own demise starts a chain of events where Mikaela will need to come to terms with her new role.

This was a darker YA story, I loved the inclusion of our main characters being Black and Queer. The story was slower paced but I really liked the conclusion and twisty reveal. I wish there was more whimsical magic to offset the heavier topics, but I still liked the messaging of magical ancestry and being stronger together.

Thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the review copy.

[The Nightwatch Desk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mikaela Broussard is a witch who's grieving the death of her grandmother. She does a tarot reading for a pretty customer named Joelle. While doing so, she pulls a death card and has a vision of the girl stabbing her in the heart.

At the same time, someone is stealing the magic from members of Mikaela's coven. She'll have to investigate both problems while avoiding catching feelings for her potential murderer.

🔮Young Adult Fiction
💀Contemporary Fantasy
🔮Witch Coven
💀Murder (Prophecy) Investigation
🔮Grief & Death
💀Bisexual Heroine

'Death Card' is a contemporary fantasy that features a sapphic romance, a witch's coven, magic, and tarot cards. It deals with heavy themes like death, pain, and self-worth.

Mikaela's life has been frozen while she grapples with grief. She's supposed to be the next leader of her family's coven, but she doesn't feel deserving of the honour. At its core, this story is about her searching to find the confidence she needs to be a leader. It seemed like a horrible deal for an eighteen-year-old to take on that role, so it was hard to root for that journey.

The romance is a tiny subplot. Mikaela is guarded around Joelle because of her death vision, so they don’t form a particularly strong connection. She's attracted to her from the start but doesn’t trust her. It was such a tiny part of the story that I'm hesitant to even mention it in my review.

This book somehow manages to do too much and too little at the same time. By the midpoint, lots had been introduced, but then it stagnates when it's time to delve deeper. It needed to decide if it wanted to explore the heroine's grief, focus on her dating life, or investigate the coven's problems. When put together, it was enough to be interesting, but not enough to address each subplot.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has potential but for me just fell a bit flat. I found it repetitive and a bit formulaic. I liked the setting but just wanted more from the story and the characters.

[Jamie (Books and Ladders) · Rating 5 out of 5]

See this review and more on Books and Ladders!

Content Warnings: Death, Grief, Racism, Homophobia, Hate crime, Murder, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death of parent

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

This had such an interesting premise and I loved seeing how the mystery unfolded. I felt at times the pacing was a little off considering this was life and death, which took me out of the story. But reading Death Card felt like stepping straight into a New Orleans spell circle. The setting is so textured and lived‑in that I could practically smell the incense and hear the hum of the coven politics swirling in the background. I loved how Jasmine Smith blends ancestry, magic, grief, and community into something that feels both grounded and mystical at the same time.

The sapphic romance is sweet and has great potential, but I found myself wishing it had been developed more deeply. The same goes for some of the plot threads: there’s so much here (witch covens, tarot magic, stolen powers, political tension, doomed fate, mystery), but at times it felt like the story was juggling too many ingredients to fully flesh each one out. The pacing issues really showed themselves at the end with the final act not having enough room to breath.

Still, the representation of a predominantly Black, queer cast is vibrant, and the book’s themes of identity, community, and magical ancestry shine through beautifully. And honestly, any story that gives me witches, tarot, coven politics, and a doomed vision is already halfway to winning me over.

Overall, Death Card is a rich, atmospheric YA fantasy with a strong emotional core. It’s not perfect, but it’s absolutely engaging and I’m excited to see what Jasmine Smith writes next.

Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mikaela is freshly graduated from high school. She's smart and caring, but she's lacking in the magic department. She's content with just helping out at her grandfather's occult shop.

During a tarot reading, she pulls the Death card and somehow she's the one dying in the vision. On top of that, members of the coven are losing their magic. So now she must find a way to stop both from happening.

Mikaela definitely comes off as weak in the beginning because she's unable to perform some of the simplest magic spells. She doesn't have a lot of faith in herself or her abilities. As time goes on, things change. She becomes stronger. She begins to believe in herself.

While some things might have seemed predictable, I still felt there was the element of surprise. At no point did it feel slow to me. I wanted to keep reading.

I liked the commentary on the political side, as I lean the same way as the characters in the book. Racism from certain characters is discussed. I believe that makes the story more real.

While I'm not a teenager or Black, I still felt like I could connect with the main characters. They wanted what was best for their family and their community. They also struggled with grief and self-doubt, something we all deal with.

Overall, this was a wonderful story, and I can't wait to read what comes next from Jasmine.