Thursday, December 26, 2019

These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling - OPTIONAL

These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling, 320 pages. Razorbill (Penguin Random House), 2019. $18.

Language: R (107 swears 11 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (Talk of "sleeping with", characters in bed together); Violence: PG13 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

17yo Hannah has recently broken up with her girlfriend Veronica, and it's hard to avoid your ex when you are part of the same coven (in Salem). When the girls come upon a ritual in the woods, their powers are at risk of exposure, and although they've been told their whole lives not to let Regs - non-witches - know that they are witches, the strange things that are happening are too concerning and dangerous to ignore. When Hannah and Veronica can't convince the coven that they are under attack, the girls take matters into their own hands. So much for "moving on." 

Sterling has carefully woven witchcraft and teen drama together into a great story. The mystery is intriguing with lots of potential villains, there's plenty of supernatural action and some pretty good romance as well. The story wraps up nicely but leaves room for a sequel - I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Lisa Librarian

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