The Witches of Moonshyne Manor

Author: Bianca Marais
Publisher: MIRA
ISBN: 0369722450
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 382

Book Description
“Bianca Marais is a genius” — Ann Patchett, #1 New York Times bestselling author A coven of modern-day witches. A magical heist-gone-wrong. A looming threat. Five octogenarian witches gather as an angry mob threatens to demolish Moonshyne Manor. All eyes turn to the witch in charge, Queenie, who confesses they’ve fallen far behind on their mortgage payments. Still, there’s hope, since the imminent return of Ruby—one of the sisterhood who’s been gone for thirty-three years—will surely be their salvation. But the mob is only the start of their troubles. One man is hellbent on avenging his family for the theft of a legacy he claims was rightfully his. In an act of desperation, Queenie makes a bargain with an evil far more powerful than anything they’ve ever faced. Then things take a turn for the worse when Ruby’s homecoming reveals a seemingly insurmountable obstacle instead of the solution to all their problems. The witches are determined to save their home and themselves, but their aging powers are no match for increasingly malicious threats. Thankfully, they get a bit of help from Persephone, a feisty TikToker eager to smash the patriarchy. As the deadline to save the manor approaches, fractures among the sisterhood are revealed, and long-held secrets are exposed, culminating in a fiery confrontation with their enemies. Funny, tender and uplifting, the novel explores the formidable power that can be discovered in aging, found family and unlikely friendships. Marais’ clever prose offers as much laughter as insight, delving deeply into feminism, identity and power dynamics while stirring up intrigue and drama through secrets, lies and sex. Heartbreaking and heart-mending, it will make you grateful for the amazing women in your life.

If You Want to Make God Laugh

Author: Bianca Marais
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735219338
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 450

Book Description
A rich, unforgettable story of three unique women in post-Apartheid South Africa who are brought together in their darkest time and discover the ways that love can transcend the strictest of boundaries. In a squatter camp on the outskirts of Johannesburg, seventeen-year-old Zodwa lives in desperate poverty, under the shadowy threat of a civil war and a growing AIDS epidemic. Eight months pregnant, Zodwa carefully guards secrets that jeopardize her life. Across the country, wealthy socialite Ruth appears to have everything her heart desires, but it's what she can't have that leads to her breakdown. Meanwhile, in Zaire, a disgraced former nun, Delilah, grapples with a past that refuses to stay buried. When these personal crises send both middle-aged women back to their rural hometown to heal, the discovery of an abandoned newborn baby upends everything, challenging their lifelong beliefs about race, motherhood, and the power of the past. As the mystery surrounding the infant grows, the complicated lives of Zodwa, Ruth, and Delilah become inextricably linked. What follows is a mesmerizing look at family and identity that asks: How far will the human heart go to protect itself and the ones it loves?

The Witch of Willow Hall

Author: Hester Fox
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 1488096740
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 394

Book Description
"Steeped in Gothic eeriness."--Nicola Cornick, USA Today bestselling author In Salem, they burned. Now, they will rise. New Oldbury, 1821 The house holds its breath, trying to outlast me… Something has awakened in Willow Hall. Eighteen-year-old Lydia Montrose can feel it. But she has no idea what it is. Rocked by rumor and scandal, Lydia, her parents, and her sisters, Catherine and Emeline, fled their sparkling life in Boston for the sleepy country estate. But bone-chilling noises in the night have Lydia convinced their idyllic new home wasn’t exactly vacant when they arrived. The Salem witch trials cast a long shadow over the Montrose family as the cloying heat of summer in Massachusetts mingles with something sinister in the air. The sprawling history of Willow Hall is no stranger to secrets, and its dark past soon calls to Lydia, igniting ancient magic she never knew she possessed. But with menacing forces unwilling to rest, threatening to tear her family apart, Lydia must learn to harness her newly discovered power or risk losing everyone she holds dear. Don't miss Hester Fox's next novel, THE BOOK OF THORNS, where two sisters who never knew the other existed meet on opposite sides during the Napoleonic Wars and must use the magic of flowers to solve the mystery of their mother’s death—while surviving the war raging around them... Look for these other gothic mysteries from Hester Fox: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library The Widow of Pale Harbor The Orphan of Cemetery Hill A Lullaby for Witches

The Widow of Pale Harbor

Author: Hester Fox
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 1488036624
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 363

Book Description
A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of witchcraft. Who can save Pale Harbor from itself? Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor. But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband. As the incidents escalate, one thing becomes clear: they are the work of a twisted person inspired by the wildly popular stories of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. And Gabriel must find answers, or Pale Harbor will suffer a fate worthy of Poe’s darkest tales. Hester Fox comes to writing from a background in the museum field as a collections maintenance technician. This job has taken her from historic houses to fine art museums, where she has the privilege of cleaning and caring for collections that range from paintings by old masters to ancient artifacts to early-American furniture. She is a keen painter and has a master’s degree in historical archaeology, as well as a background in medieval studies and art history. Hester lives outside Boston with her husband. Don't miss Hester Fox's next novel, THE BOOK OF THORNS, where two sisters who never knew the other existed meet on opposite sides during the Napoleonic Wars and must use the magic of flowers to solve the mystery of their mother’s death—while surviving the war raging around them... Look for these other gothic mysteries from Hester Fox: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library The Witch of Willow Hall The Orphan of Cemetery Hill A Lullaby for Witches

The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea

Author: Katherine Quinn
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781648981562
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 372

Book Description
One woman chosen by the God of the Sea. A king hellbent on saving his mysterious island home. And a forbidden romance that could destroy them all. Trapped in a society ruled by men, Margrete, daughter of a nefarious sea captain, accepts that the only way to escape her power-hungry father's cruel hand is to marry the wealthy Count Casbian. Cunning in her own right, Margrete yearns to craft her own fate, to flee to the sea, and to lose herself to the aquamarine waves that have called to her since birth. Bash, a devilishly handsome warrior seeking revenge, believes the beautiful daughter of his greatest enemy is the key to breaking a curse inflicted upon his people. On the day of Margrete's nuptials, Bash kidnaps the bride, whisking her away to an island where he reigns as king. Shielded from the mortal realm, Margrete finds herself on the fabled shores of Azantian-the birthplace of impossible magic... and a keeper of monstrous secrets. But secrets are not the only thing Margrete finds on the island, and Bash isn't the heartless rogue she once believed. Unable to hide her feelings, Margrete must choose between a forbidden love and a destiny spun for her by the God of the Sea himself-A god that has set his sights on Margrete... and the potent magic awakening inside of her soul. The first book of this exciting fantasy trilogy is perfect for readers who love high-seas adventures, swashbuckling heroes, and forbidden, steamy romance. Fans of Clare Sager's Beneath Black Sails and Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses will be enthralled.

The Virago Book of Witches

Author: Shahrukh Husain
Publisher: Virago Press
ISBN: 9780349016986
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
A collection of more than fifty stories about witches from around the world. There are tales of banshees, crones and beauties in disguise from China, Siberia, the Caribbean, Armenia, Portugal and Australia. The characters featured include Italy's Witch Bea-Witch, Lilith, Kali, and Twitti Glyn Hec. Alluring women, enchantresses, wise old ladies and bewitching women: they are all here and ready to haunt, entice, possess, transform, challenge - and sometimes even to help.

Life, Unscheduled

Author: Kristin Rockaway
Publisher: Montlake Romance
ISBN: 9781542027717
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 318

Book Description
A smart, modern novel about a woman trying to balance her career, her best friend, and falling in love without crashing and burning. Nicole Palmieri is married to her job. As a user experience designer at Virtuality, an artificial intelligence company in Los Angeles, Nicole is at her desk from sunrise to sunset. She doesn't have time for a social life (or a love life), but that's perfectly fine with her. Until her best friend, Parisa Shahin, announces her engagement and asks Nicole to be her maid of honor. That's when Nicole decides to meticulously schedule out the next six months of her life--from her project due dates to her dress-fitting appointments to how many hours she plans to sleep each night. If she can stick to her schedule, she'll balance everything fine. Of course, that's a really big if. And after she crosses paths with emerging restaurateur Brandon Phelps, Nicole is feeling feelings she hasn't felt in...well, ever. But scheduling time to fall in love might push even the most meticulous plans into pure chaos.

The Crescent Moon Tearoom

Author: Stacy Sivinski
Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre Ltd.
ISBN: 1804189634
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 302

Book Description
'A delightfully sweet and cozy novel that's as comforting as a warm cup of tea' - Kirkus Reviews, Starred Following the untimely death of their parents, Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley have made a business of threading together the stories that lie at the bottom of their customers' teacups. Days at their teashop are filled with fortune-telling intertwined with the sound of clinking china and the scent of cinnamon shortbread. When the Council of Witches comes calling with news that the city Diviner has lost her powers, the sisters suddenly find themselves being pulled in different directions. As Anne's magic begins to develop beyond that of her sisters', Beatrix's writing attracts the attention of a publisher, and Violet is enchanted by the song of the circus-and a mischievous trapeze artist threatening to sweep her off her feet-it seems a family curse that threatens to separate the sisters forever is taking effect. With dwindling time to rewrite their future and save the cosy and much-loved tearoom, the Quigleys set out to bargain with Fate. But in focusing so closely on saving each other, will they lose sight of themselves?

I Only Read Murder

Author: Will Ferguson
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 0369748697
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 340

Book Description
“Strap in for a hilarious and satisfying ride.” —Terry Fallis, bestselling author of Operation Angus A once-famous TV sleuth An amateur theater production An onstage murder A town full of suspects… Miranda Abbott, once known for the crime-solving, karate-chopping church pastor she played on network television, has hit hard times. She’s facing ruin when a mysterious postcard arrives, summoning her to Happy Rock, a small town in the Pacific Northwest. But when she gets there, nothing is what she expected. In dire straits, she signs up for an amateur production at the Happy Rock Little Theater. On opening night, one of the actors is murdered, live, in front of the audience. But no one actually saw what happened. Now everyone is under a cloud of suspicion, including the town doctor, the high school drama teacher, an oil-stained car mechanic, an elderly gentleman who may have been in the CIA—and Miranda herself. Clearly, the only way to solve this mystery is for Miranda to summon her skills as television’s Pastor Fran. Because the show must go on! Miranda Abbott Mystery Book 1: I Only Read Murder by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson Book 2: Mystery in the Title by Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson Book 2: Mystery in the Title by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson

Mystery in the Title

Author: Will Ferguson
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 0369760182
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 324

Book Description
From the bestselling authors of I Only Read Murder comes a sidesplitting mystery of epic movie-of-the-week proportions, featuring the unstoppable Miranda Abbott. Miranda Abbott, actor, will once again be a star. After a very long dry spell that followed her network hit series, Pastor Fran Investigates, Hollywood has come calling and wants Miranda back. This time, she will be the female lead in an oddly expensive movie of the week being filmed in Happy Rock. Miranda signs on the dotted line, but her trusty assistant, Andrew, a whiz with apps and clouds, thinks it all seems a bit fishy. Things go from bad to worse when Miranda’s costar makes a grand entrance at a media-packed press conference by crashing through the atrium window at the Duchess Hotel and being very much dead. The out-of-town cast and crew are horrified, but the great citizens of Happy Rock—including police chief Ned Buckley, grumpy bookstore owner and soon-to-be ex-husband Edgar Abbott, Bea of Bea’s B&B, and the malodorous Melvin Jacobson of S.J. Fertilizer Supply—return to help solve the case in this second Miranda Abbott mystery. Miranda Abbott Mystery Book 1: I Only Read Murder by Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson Book 2: Mystery in the Title by Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson