Dhonielle Clayton

In 1920s New Orleans, eighteen-year-old Zora, banished after an incident in Harlem, struggles with her overbearing family, magical powers, love of jazz, and forbidden romance with a white man.

The Mirror Shattered Midnight

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Shattered Midnight

Author: Dhonielle Clayton

Book Series: The Mirror Book 2

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Black MC and characters

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, retelling, historical fiction, romance, diverse reads

Publication Date: January 18, 2022

Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling

Recommended Age: 14+ (child abuse, religious abuse, death, violence, gore, murder, language, romance, racism, segregation, sexual harassment)

Explanation of CWs: There are scenes of child abuse in the book, but nothing graphic. It’s mainly neglect scenes. There are small acts of religious trauma too, like being sprayed with holy water and religion being forced upon another. There is death and murder in the book, as well as some violence and gore. There are a couple of instances of cursing. There is romance in the book. There is also racism, segregation, and a couple of small instances of sexual harassment in the book.

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 297

Synopsis: Zora Broussard has arrived in New Orleans with not much more than a bag of clothes, a beautiful voice, and a pair of enchanted red shoes. Running from a tragic accident caused by her magic, Zora wants nothing more than to blend in, as well as to avoid her overbearing aunt and mean-spirited cousins. Music becomes Zora’s only means of escape, yet she wonders if she should give it all up to remove the powers that make her a target, especially as a Black woman in the South.

But when Zora gets the chance to perform in a prominent jazz club, she meets a sweet white pianist named Phillip with magic of his own, including a strange mirror that foretells their future together. Falling into a forbidden love, Zora and Phillip must keep their relationship a secret. And soon the two discover the complicated connection between their respective families, a connection that could lead to catastrophe for them both. In the era of segregation and speakeasies, Zora must change her destiny and fight for the one she loves . . . or risk losing everything.

Review: I absolutely loved this read! It was sweet and had the a lot more oomph in it than the first book did. The book did well to develop the characters and surprise me in the end. The book is full of music references and I love that the MC loved music. I also loved seeing her come into her power and I can’t wait for the third book to see what happens from here. I also loved seeing all of the historical references to New Orleans life in the 1920s/30s. I also thought the book was well written, well developed, and it’s a definite favorite of mine this year.

The only issue I had with the book is that it read a little older than the first book, but other than that the book was great and I can’t wait to reread it!

Verdict: Highly recommend!


The Mirror Shattered Midnight

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