When Aldwyn, a young alley cat on the run, ducks into a mysterious pet shop, he doesn’t expect his life to change. But that’s exactly what happens when Jack, a young wizard, picks Aldwyn to be his magical familiar. Finally off the tough streets, Aldwyn thinks he’s got it made. He just has to convince the other familiars—the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert—that he’s the telekinetic cat he claims to be. But when Jack and two other wizards in training are captured by a terrible evil, it will take all of Aldwyn’s street smarts, a few good friends, and a nose for adventure to save the day!
Unfamiliar Familiars is a comprehensive and humorous handbook to finding and caring for the unconventional animal companion. This guide will help you find the animal best suited to your personality and particular magical needs. Animals include a narwhal (strong in clairvoyance and fencing), an albatross (best for sea-faring witches), or an earthworm (for garden-based magic and fish summoning). • Features real-world facts with a playful, magical spin • Includes a helpful quiz for finding your own familiar • Brimming with suggested names, strengths, weaknesses, and more Forget the toads and black cats: Every witch is unique, so shouldn't you have a familiar as one-of-a-kind and extraordinary as yourself? Unfamiliar Familiars is an entertaining and educational guide to a menagerie of magical, less-appreciated creatures that may just become your ideal partner in the arcane arts. • Filled with quirky, charming watercolor illustrations • Perfect for anyone who wants to find their own familiar, just as they love learning about their own horoscope, zodiac reading, or Pottermore Patronus • Sure to delight animal lovers who have a sense of humor • You'll love this book if you love books like Sad Animal Facts by Brooke Barker; Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman; and The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Deck and Guidebook by Kim Krans.
Everyone agrees that Mason Blaine had a lot of enemies. But one of them hated the chairman of the university’s Spanish Department enough to kill him–and then stick a knife in his back. The Reverend Kathryn Koerney is no stranger to the sins of man, but this shocking example of overkill in small-town New Jersey has even her puzzled. Now, with Harton police chief Tom Holder, she finds herself hunting a killer through the cloistered world of academia–an unexpected hotbed of adultery, betrayal, ambition, and revenge. For Blaine’s murder is only the bait in a carefully disguised trap set for the real victim. And with their personal and professional lives on the line, Kathryn and Tom can only pray they aren’t looking the other way when death strikes again.
“Assured and alluring, this beautiful tale of women, witchcraft and the fight against power is a delight.” —Jessie Burton, New York Times–bestselling author In 1612 Lancaster, England, the hunt for witches has reached a fever pitch . . . But in a time of suspicion and accusation, to be a woman may be the greatest risk of all. Fleetwood Shuttleworth, the mistress of Pendle Hill’s Gawthorpe Hall, is with child. Anxious to produce an heir, she is distraught to find a letter from her physician that warns her husband she will not survive this pregnancy. Devastated, Fleetwood wanders the estate grounds, where she catches a young woman poaching. Alice Gray claims she is a local midwife and promises to help Fleetwood deliver a healthy baby. But a witch-obsessed frenzy sweeps the countryside. Even woodland creatures or “familiars” are thought to be dark companions of the unholy. And Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft. Time is running out. The witch trials are about to begin. With both their lives at stake, Fleetwood must prove Alice’s innocence. Only they know the truth. Set against the real Pendle witch trials, this compelling novel draws its characters from historical figures as it explores the lives of seventeenth-century women. Ultimately it raises the question: Was witch hunting really just women hunting? “A rich and atmospheric reimagining of a historical period rife with religious tensions, superstitions, misogyny and fear.” —The New York Times Book Review “An intricate and sensitive portrayal of a brave, tenacious young girl carving her place in the world. A must-read novel.” —Heather Morris, #1 New York Times–bestselling author
Niniane Westvane wants to make the world a better place . . . especially for non-human animals. So when a chicken on her aunt's farm develops the ability to read and write, Niniane is certain that she's found in Charlie the perfect "spokes-chicken" for the animal liberation movement. But, as Charlie's own interests develop along unforeseen lines that lead to theological study and ultimately to the Vatican, Charlie, Niniane, and eventually the Church, become entangled in thorny questions about what it means to love, to believe, and to belong.
