Praise for The Witchery
"The Witcheryis a dark, delicious delight. S. Isabelle is a debut to watch." — Justina Ireland, New York Times bestselling author of Dread Nation
"Meet your new favorite squad of witches! The Witchery by S. Isabelle is filled with dark magic, bewitching prose, and enchanting characters. It has everything I love in a book — badass witches, a kiss of romance, and a touch of horror. Isabelle is a powerful new voice in young adult fantasy and this is a debut you do not want to miss!" — Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys
"A twisty and spooky debut." — Kirkus Reviews
"Isabelle expertly balances six alternating perspectives, each brimming with witty dialogue, light humor, and distinct personality that add levity to even the most harrowing events. Strong friendships and an immersive setting and atmosphere that simmers with fear and menace round out this spellbinding story of magical mayhem, whose protagonists are determined to come into their powers, whatever it takes." — Publishers Weekly
"Isabelle skillfully juggles six points of view, covering Thalia, Iris, Jailah, Logan, Mathew, and Trent, and the perspectives never feel like too much; each character has a complex history, differing relationships to magic, and conflicting goals, which both enhance the plot and keep the characters distinct. The story also offers multiple access points for a diverse audience, from a queernormative, Black-centric cast to the fantastical academy setting, while constant cliffhangers will keep readers anticipating the next return to their favorite characters." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
★"The Witchery is a thoroughly modern novel steeped in satisfyingly classic witch lore." — Shelf Awareness, starred review
2023-08-11
Readers return to Haelsford, Florida, to be reunited with six teens who face new dangers in this follow-up to The Witchery (2022).
It’s summer, but rather than enjoying a well-deserved break after the events of the previous book, witches Jailah, Logan, Iris, and Thalia, and their mundane friends, Trent and Mathew, find themselves facing even more challenges. While exploring their new romantic connection, Iris and Mathew are contacted by Lord Death himself and learn they have life-changing roles to play. Meanwhile, Thalia, Trent, and Logan trek back to Thalia’s hometown to investigate the mysterious disappearance of witches and how they may be connected to Thalia’s witch-hating pastor father. Back at Mesmortes, the coven academy, Jailah is taking up her role at the Junior Witchery Council when she comes across a secret that could potentially change everything. As the friends’ paths diverge, so do the threads that previously connected them. The six protagonists become entangled with revenge attempts, unexpected revelations, and unveiled secrets, all while discovering their agency and sense of purpose in this multistranded sequel. The character-driven nature of this novel—in contrast to the cohesive central mystery of the first book—makes for interesting beats, yet it sometimes feels too loosely connected overall. But fans of the first book will still find much to enjoy. The well-developed cast of characters is predominantly Black and includes queer representation.
A disjointed but nevertheless engaging sequel. (Fantasy. 14-18)
