First published 2022
Prudence Perry comes from three generations of Ladybird Scouts, women who hunt interdimensional parasites called mulligrubs while disguised as a proper ladies' organization. The Ladybirds poison these emotion-feeding monsters with special teas and wield knitting needles as weapons before advancing to axes and swords. Three years ago, Prue's best friend died on a hunt. She abandoned the Scouts and joined a group of punk friends called the Criminal Element, disappointing her mother and Tía Lo. Now sixteen, Prue can't escape her guilt and trauma. She hatches a dangerous plan to rejoin the Ladybirds and steal the Tea of Forgetting, a forbidden brew that erases memories. Back among the Scouts, Prue trains junior members to fight the creatures she herself fears to face. Her old instincts return as she bonds with the young hunters. When demons attack her town in an unprecedented wave, Prue must confront her most formidable enemy: her own past.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, action, paranormal
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, redemption
Setting: Ladybird Scouts
Period: Three Years Ago
416 pages · Hardcover · Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Content warnings: anxiety, depression