Title: Talisman: Gifts of the Shavtal
Author:
Toni Yap
Publisher:
Atmosphere Press
Genre:
Paranormal Fantasy / Horror
Publication Date:
24 October 2023
Language:
English
Print Length:
252 pages
POV: You start reading a fantasy book… and suddenly you’re inside a 12-year-old’s survival story where magic isn’t escapism — it’s protection.
Talisman: Gifts of the Shavtal opens with a line that hits hard: “Revenge is never justified, and you’ll always be held accountable.” And from that moment, you know this isn’t just about fairies and talismans. It’s about power. And what happens when a child is forced to use it.
Georgina “GiGi” Trabeck isn’t your typical middle-grade heroine. She’s twelve. She’s scared. She’s been warned never to call the police. But when she finds her pregnant mother unconscious on the floor, something shifts. Fear turns into fury — and her ability to see auras intensifies.
Since she was six, colors have been her warning system.
Red? Hide.
Dark tones? Protect Chrissy.
Certain shades at school? Avoid the bullies who target her for being Filipino.
But now there’s a black cloud wrapped around Step-Dad’s neck — thick, suffocating, dangerous. And here’s the twist: GiGi can manipulate it.
This is where the story gets powerful. The magic doesn’t feel whimsical. It feels raw. Personal. Like a child reclaiming control in a house where she has none.
Then enters Irra — a Sidhe Fairy — bringing a talisman and the revelation that GiGi isn’t entirely human. She’s connected to something older. Otherworldly. And with that connection comes responsibility.
The fairy’s warning? Don’t use it for revenge.
But GiGi isn’t looking for revenge. She’s looking for truth.
About Step-Dad. About Danae’s parents. About the darkness she senses but doesn’t fully understand.
And that moral tension? That’s the heart of this book.
It explores:
• Childhood trauma without sugarcoating it.
• Cultural identity and bullying.
• The thin line between justice and revenge.
• The burden of power in young hands.
What I appreciated most is that the story doesn’t romanticise anger. It acknowledges it. Lets it breathe. But constantly questions it. GiGi’s gift isn’t just about seeing colors — it’s about learning that power without wisdom can become the very thing you’re fighting against.
Line of the Day:
“Power given in pain can either protect your heart or harden it.”
Mood: Dark fantasy meets emotional resilience.
Vibe Check: It feels like Matilda if her telekinesis came from ancestral magic and unresolved trauma.
Who should read this?
If you like fantasy grounded in real emotional stakes.
If you appreciate stories where magic is tied to morality.
If you enjoy young heroines who are brave not because they’re fearless — but because they’re done being silent.
Would I recommend it?
Yes — especially for readers who like layered middle-grade fantasy that balances the mystical with real-world struggles.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Toni Yap is an immigrant and a U.S. Army veteran, married to her husband of over 27 years. She is a proud mother of three adult children and currently lives with her husband and their three cats in Snohomish, Washington.
Learn more about Toni Yap and her work here:
https://www.toniyap.com
https://a.co/d/0buRlEac
Disclosure: This post contains sponsored content. All opinions are my own.