Tag Archives: Witches

YA – A Reckless Oath

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Smith, Kaylie. A Reckless Oath. Disney Hyperion, 2024. 978-1-368-08163-4. $18.99. 528 p. Grades 9-12.

Calliope Rosewood, along with the rest of her friends, are grieving and mourning the loss of someone close to them, but unfortunately, time is of the essence. Now that Calla is soul bonded to Gideon, one of the Onyx Princes, their lives and fates have become even more intertwined. Since they need answers, Calla and Gideon leave the forest for Illustros while Hannah and Caspian gather supplies to rescue Delphine from the Siren Sea. As a prisoner of the Siren leader whose shoal she’s escaped once before, Delphine must outsmart former allies and new enemies if she plans to escape with her life. Meanwhile, the valkyrie Amina has finally broken her curse, escaped the forest, and returned home to discover she’s been away from her friends for the last six years. As she finds her place among them once more, new truths come to light, and the impending Fates War looms over them all.

THOUGHTS:  This is a great recommendation for readers who love Sarah J. Maas. It contains many popular fantasy tropes readers will enjoy at a more, age appropriate level than some of Maas’s later novels. The pages are brimming with strong, female characters, friendships, magic, adventure, peril, and a slow burning romance. A Reckless Oath expands upon the world introduced to us in A Ruinous Fate, and although multiple POVs were used in book one, book two added the voices of Delphine and Amina, allowing the reader to get a glimpse of both the Siren and Valkyrie worlds. The story will either continue or conclude in book three of Smith’s Heartless Fates, and I’d recommend this one to any reader who enjoys the fantasy or romantasy genre.

Fantasy    

YA – The Scarlet Veil

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Mahurin, Shelby. The Scarlet Veil. HarperTeen, 2023. 978-0-063-25875-4. $21.99. 640p. Grades 9-12.

Celie Tremblay is making history as the first woman Chasseur. As a huntsman, she reports to her captain and fiance, Jean Luc. Although she assisted her friend Lou, a witch, in the defeat of Morgane, Jean Luc and her friends treat her as a fragile doll that needs to be protected, rather than an equal. When bodies are found in Belterra, drained of blood, Jean Luc tries to keep Celie out of the investigation. However, she is determined to establish herself in the role of a Chasseur and prove that she can help. When she is mistaken for her friend Coco and abducted by vampires, their King, Michal, takes a great interest in Celie. He brings her to his home, the hidden island of Requiem, with the plan to use her as bait to get to her friends. Celie wants to protect them at all costs, so she makes a bargain with Michal. Since he’s investigating the same murders as she is, Celie agrees to help him. As they search for the killer, she becomes inevitably drawn to Michal and the darkness she once feared. 

THOUGHTS: Although Mahurin’s previous trilogy featured  witches, The Scarlet Veil is very much a vampire novel. As the start of a new duology, I do think it’s important for readers to start with the Serpent & Dove trilogy before picking up this one to have a better understanding of Celie and her friends. The events of Gods & Monsters shaped Celie as a character, and I loved watching her grow into her own person throughout the novel. Readers will enjoy the slow burn, enemies to lovers storyline between Celie and Michal, and fans of Sarah J. Maas or any vampire novel will thoroughly enjoy this YA romantasy. 

Fantasy

YA – A Ruinous Fate

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Smith, Kaylie. A Ruinous Fate. HarperCollins, 2023. 978-1-368-08159-7. $18.99. 432 p. Grades 9-12.

Calliope Rosewood is a witch, and although she could be extremely powerful, she chooses instead to hide her gifts. Her powers to siphon magic from others is forbidden and dangerous, even among other witches. In order to stay alive, Calli deserts her coven and stays hidden with two of her best friends. When she meets Ezra, everything changes, and although she still keeps her powers hidden, she is forced one night to roll a witches die, taking her one step closer to fulfilling a prophecy that will turn her into a blood warrior. Desperate to change her fate, Calli accepts help from Ezra’s older brother, Gideon, and along with her friends, they journey into a dark forest on a quest to find the one named “the witch eater”. Calli and Ezra begin to rekindle the relationship they had previously after revealing startling truths about themselves, but she also feels a connection to Gideon who is trying, like her, to remove his rolls of fate. Together, with old friends and new, the group faces many challenges within the enchanted forest, and Calli has to decide who she can really trust while embracing her true identity and power. Will she be able to change her fate and save her friends, or will she inevitably fulfill the prophecy, start a war, and destroy her people and their magic forever?

THOUGHTS: This is a great recommendation for readers who love Sarah J. Maas. It contains many popular fantasy tropes readers will enjoy at a more, age appropriate level than some of Maas’s later novels. The pages are brimming with strong, female characters, friendships, magic, adventure, peril, and romance. The foreshadowing visions in A Ruinous Fate will have readers coming back to check out the sequel as soon as the last chapter has been read. There is so much more to this story yet to come.

Fantasy

YA – Bring Me Your Midnight

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Griffin, Rachel. Bring Me Your Midnight. Sourcebooks Fire, 2023. 978-1-728-25615-3. $9.49. 416 p. Grades 9-12.

Mortana Fairchild is a witch. She lives with her coven on an island separated from the mainland, and although they practice magic, they only expel small quantities at a time in order to keep the peace between witches and mainlanders, who have been distrustful of witches in the past. As a result, Tana and her coven purge their excess magic once a month into the ocean, and although they have noticed its negative effects on the water, the tradition continues. When Tana misses the midnight ritual due to a run in with a stranger named Wolfe, she must find a way to purge her magic on her own before it kills her. When she discovers that Wolfe and his hidden coven still practice “dark magic” on the other side of the island, she unwillingly accepts his help in order to stay alive. Their relationship becomes complicated when she begins to develop feelings for him because Tana is engaged to Landon, the son of the mainland governor. This arrangement will create an alliance between the witches and mainlanders, and even though Tana knows how important this union is to her coven, she’s torn between her duty and her desire. As she starts to question what she’s been taught about using magic and the powers she has, her world begins to unravel, and her choices will not only determine her future, but the future of her island and her coven.

THOUGHTS: Although Bring Me Your Midnight is a part of the fantasy genre, I would highly recommend this one to readers looking for a love story. It has a bit of everything that kept me reading late into the night: an arranged marriage, a forbidden “enemy to lovers” romance, and an intriguing mystery surrounding the use of magic in Tana’s world. Bring Me Your Midnight is a stand-alone fantasy that exceeded my expectations, and I think this is a must have title for any YA, library collection. 

Fantasy

MG – The Drowned Woods

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Lloyd-Jones, Emily. The Drowned Woods. Little Brown and Company, 2022. 978-0-316-50572-7. 343 p. $18.99. Grades 6-8.

Mer is the last remaining water diviner in Wales and people would kill, literally, for her powers. Once the prince bound Mer’s powers, and she is determined that she will never let that happen to her again. She has spent years out of his reach, and she had planned to stay that way when her old teacher finds her and offers her a proposition. Mer, with the help of a magical corgi, a cursed man, a lady thief, and her old teacher will poison the well that the prince draws his power from and put a stop to him once and for all. Mer is hoping that after this, she can relax and live her life; however, life in a young adult fantasy novel is never that simple. This is a stand alone young adult fantasy novel with a touch of romance that doesn’t overwhelm the plot of the story.

THOUGHTS: I have enjoyed every Emily Lloyd-Jones book that I have picked up. They are well written with unique plots, relatable characters, and satisfying conclusions. This would be a great book for any reader who doesn’t want a long drawn out series but loves fantasy novels.

Fantasy          Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

YA – Wild is the Witch

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Griffin, Rachel. Wild is the Witch. Sourcebooks Fire, 2022. 978-1-728-22945-4. 320 p. $18.99. Grades & up.

Iris Gray knows witches aren’t welcome in most towns after being involved in a severe magical explosion and being forced to leave her last town. While the Witches’ Council was lenient in their punishment, Iris knows they’re keeping tabs on her. Now settled in Washington, Iris never lets anyone see who she really is; instead, she vents her frustrations by writing curses she never intends to cast. Then, she meets Pike Alder, the witch-hating aspiring ornithologist who interns with her at a wildlife refuge. She creates the perfect curse for Pike – to turn him into a witch. Just as she is about to disperse it, an owl swoops in and steals the curse. If the bird dies, the curse is unleashed, and with the bird being a powerful amplifier, the entire region is in danger of being turned into witches. With the possibility of her magic being stripped from her if her secret is found out, Iris begs Pike to help her track the bird through the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, Iris learns much about Pike and about herself that has her rethinking her coping mechanisms and Pike himself. Griffin’s language is lyrical and cozy, perfectly matching the setting of the Pacific Northwest forests in which Pike and Iris hike to find the bird and save everything.

THOUGHTS: Readers of paranormal fiction with an interest in hedgewitch/nature-focused practice will enjoy this thoughtful take on magic. The dynamic of Iris’ family is refreshing as they recover from events prior to the book. Of course as the tense situation with the owl builds, so does the journey toward truths that Pike and Iris keep from one another. A solid standalone YA paranormal romance pick for 8th grade and up.

Fantasy          Natasha Lewis, Whitehall-Coplay SD

Elem. – A Spoonful of Frogs

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Lyall, Casey, and Vera Brosgol, Illustrator. A Spoonful of Frogs. Greenwillow Books, 2022. 978-0-062-89029-0. unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Welcome to Bewitching Kitchen, where today’s featured recipe is Frog Soup. This easy and healthy recipe is every witch’s favorite treat! Ingredients include garlic, carrots, fly extract, and a spoonful of frogs for flavor and a “pop of color.” Unfortunately, the frogs in this witch’s kitchen are less than enthusiastic about jumping onto the spoon and into the pot. They outwit an increasingly frazzled witch before leading her on a chase across the street and right into a nearby pond. Luckily, the witch comes up with an acceptable substitute for frogs that saves both the recipe … and the frogs! Young readers will delight in the exaggerated physical comedy as the witch’s composure dissolves amidst the increasing chaos. They also will root for the adorable, wily frogs.

THOUGHTS: Vera Brosgol’s entertaining digital artwork enlivens Casey Lyall’s minimal, action-oriented text. This is a great selection for Halloween as well as introducing the cookbook section. Laughs are guaranteed! 

Picture Book          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

YA – Gods & Monsters

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Mahurin, Shelby. Gods & Monsters. HarperTeen, 2021. 978-0-063-03893-6. $19.99. 624 p. Grades 9-12.

Lou, Reid, Beau, and Coco are looking for allies to defeat Morgane and her clan of dame blanc witches while still heartbroken and recovering from a devastating loss. Lou is not herself, and although Reid recognizes that something is wrong, he cannot understand why he’s repulsed by even her touch, but saving her may take the ultimate sacrifice. As the plot progresses, new friendships are formed, and through the strength of their bond, they prepare to overcome the obstacles that will lead them to a final battle between good and evil. 

THOUGHTS: In this action packed conclusion to Serpent & Dove, Mahurin ties up loose ends and also gives readers a chance to experience Lou and Reid falling in love all over again. Although I would still classify this title as young adult, there are a few scenes between Lou and Reid that almost cross the line into new adult. In the end, this trilogy is a must have in any young adult library collection and a great series for readers who enjoy fantasy and romance.

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

YA – Kingdom of the Cursed

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Maniscalco, Kerri. Kingdom of the Cursed. Hodder & Stoughton, 2021. 978-0-316-42847-7. $18.99. Grades 12+.

Kingdom of the Cursed picks up with Emilia selling her soul in order to figure out what happened to her sister, Vittoria. Some of the decisions that Emilia made have helped to unlock some secrets and cause her to ask more questions. As this book progresses, the reader sees Emilia trying to figure out if she should trust Wrath as she learns that she can’t trust anyone. Kingdom of the Cursed delves more into the world building of this fantasy world, as well as more character development of Emilia. 

THOUGHTS: Overall, this is a great addition to this series that continues to build on the characters and plot that was laid out in the first book. There are some scenes that are a little more on the explicit side, hence the higher grade level rating. However, this would be a great recommendation for fans of the first book, or fans of the author’s other work. 

Fantasy           Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Grades 10-12+.

After making a deal with the devil, Emilia travels to the seven circles in the Kingdom of the Wicked with Prince Wrath. As the betrothed of Prince Pride, her plan is to infiltrate his court and make it one step closer to avenging the death of her twin sister Vittoria. However, the journey is not easy, and before she meets Pride, she becomes a resident of House Wrath. From Wrath, she learns just how dangerous and deceptive his brothers can be, and he advises her to trust no one. When Emilia slowly begins to unravel the secrets of the past, she realizes that she’ll need the help of magical objects to discover who she really is and if she can really trust Wrath.

THOUGHTS: Kingdom of the Cursed is listed as a young adult title and can be found in the YA section of book stores; however, the romantic scenes between Emilia and Wrath are very descriptive, and I’d go as far to classify this one as new adult for that reason alone. Although it’s heavy on romance that doesn’t always advance the plot, I still enjoyed the book and cannot wait to see how it all ends. I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next installment. 

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

Elem. – The Legend of Christmas Witch

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Murphy, Dan and Plaza Aubrey. The Legend of Christmas Witch. Viking Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-0-593-35080-5. 56 p. $18.99. Grades 2-5.

It’s been a while since a new holiday folklore book hit the shelves! Santa’s twin sister, Kristtōrn, was raised by a witch in the woods. Although it may sound familiar that her magic powers grew just as proficiently as her temper, the storyline leans into fear and persecution of the “other” that existed during the Salem witch trials and occurs in other fashions in the modern day.

THOUGHTS: This story is unusual and far from traditional, but makes space for another tale to be told about the Christmas season. The book is beautifully illustrated and appeals to natural aspects. The ending leaves a lot for the reader to interpret and would be a good project book for older readers. 

Picture Book          Samantha Hull, Ephrata Area SD