An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A spellbinding middle grade fantasy about three sisters who go on a quest to break the curse that's haunted their family for generations.
This sequel to A Pinch of Magic is another spellbinding sisterly adventure, this time with a haunted shipwreck, a fierce pirate, and, of course, a little magic! The family curse has been lifted, and the Widdershins sisters—Betty, Fliss, and Charlie—are free to leave the misty prison isle of Crowstone. But when a mysterious girl arrives at their inn accompanied by a will-o’-the-wisp, or ghost, it seems another adventure has landed on their doorstep. The stranger, named Willow, is an escaped prisoner from nearby Lament, desperate to clear her father's name before he's executed for a crime he didn't commit. Then Charlie is kidnapped by poachers, swept away on a dangerous mission in search of pirate treasure that's protected by a vengeful ghost. Betty, Fliss, and Willow pile into their trusty boat and embark on another incredible adventure, one that involves ghosts, fierce pirates, and a journey to a mythic island that exists only in legends. Can they save their sister—and themselves—once more?
Take three friends. Add an old cookbook. Combine with cute boys and a pinch of magic…and see what kind of chaos ensues! When Kelly Quinn and her two BFFs discover a dusty old cookbook while cleaning out the attic, the girls decide to try a few of the mysterious and supposedly magical recipes that are inside. To their surprise, the Keep ’Em Quiet Cobbler actually silences Kelly’s pesky little brother and the Hexberry Tart puts a curse on mean girl Charlotte. Is it possible that the recipes really are magic? Who wrote them and where did they come from? And most importantly of all, when boys get involved, what kind of trouble are the girls stirring up for themselves?
The third book in the thrilling series about the Widdershins sisters is a spellbinding tale of sorcery, spells, and witches. A dangerous spell cast over an unsuspecting village. An enchanted painting locked in a hidden room. A desperate race against time to break the spell before it's too late . . . It should have been a fresh start for the Widdershins, finally free from the misty gloom of Crowstone and beginning a new life. But all is not as it seems in their postcard-pretty village. Their neighbors are acting strangely, and why do they flinch at the mere mention of magic? The Widdershins sisters have their own secret: a set of enchanted nesting dolls with the power to render their user invisible. The sisters must use their wits--and their magic--if they're to break the dark hold over the village, and save one of their own . . . but have they finally met their match?
The Times Thrillers of the Year 2020 ’Superbly crafted with heart-stopping twists and chills galore. A new star has arrived in the thriller firmament’ The Times, Book of the Month
Just a Pinch of Magic, Alechia Dow's middle-grade debut, is as warm and sweet as a cinnamon bun, bursting with magic and sure to please the pickiest readers. Wini's family of enchanters runs a little bakery, but with the prices of magical ingredients skyrocketing, they're going under. Desperate to save her family's business, Wini takes a risk by casting a (sort of illegal) spell that would allow them to gather their own supply of their most needed magical ingredient: Love. But the spell doesn't work. And Wini soon discovers that it didn't just not work, it backfired. Badly. Now the whole town is in danger, and the Enchantment Agency is sniffing around for whoever cast the wayward spell. It's just been Kal and her dad for as long as she can remember. They've weathered everything together, including Kal's mental health struggles. But just as they're about to move to a new town for a fresh start, Kal's grandfather—who mysteriously vanished years ago—has suddenly reentered their lives with a desire to make amends. He joins them in opening their bookstore in the new town, but Kal can't help but wonder if he has anything to do with the whispers around her new home about wicked magic. And it's not just the whispers of the magical books in their shop. When Wini and Kal cross paths—both hoping for the chance to finally make a friend without worrying about their family histories following them—the girls bond over being fellow outcasts. Together they search for the solution to fixing the magic gone awry in their beloved town—and just maybe get their dads to go out on a date. Includes five recipes! Praise for Just a Pinch of Magic: "Just a Pinch of Magic provides more than a pinch of fun. This delightful middle-grade debut is full of friendship, adventure, magic—and recipes!" —Janae Marks, New York Times-bestselling author of On Air with Zoe Washington
“This debut has it all: music, books, aliens, adventure, resistance, queerness, and a bold heroine tying it all together. ”—Ms. Magazine Can a girl who risks her life for books and an Ilori who loves pop music work together to save humanity? When a rebel librarian meets an Ilori commander… Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the death of one-third of the world’s population. Today, seventeen-year-old Ellie Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. All art, books and creative expression are illegal, but Ellie breaks the rules by keeping a secret library. When young Ilori commander Morris finds Ellie’s illegal library, he’s duty-bound to deliver her for execution. But Morris isn’t a typical Ilori…and Ellie and her books might be the key to a desperate rebellion of his own. “The Sound of Stars is a marvelous genre-bending debut." —The Nerd Daily “The Sound of Stars is a stunning exploration of the comforts that make us human and the horrors that challenge our humanity.”—K. Ancrum, author of The Wicker King "This book has everything! Aliens set on conquering earth! A determined heroine with a hidden stash of books! And the power of music and stories to give those with every reason to hate the power to love. Who could want anything more?"—Joelle Charbonneau, New York Times bestselling author of The Testing and Verify “An absolute must-read for everyone.” —Book Riot “Dow's debut is a testament to hope and the power of art.” —Buzzfeed Also by Alechia Dow: The Kindred
Tanya is no ordinary girl. She can see fairies. But not the fairies we imagine. Evil fairies who cast spells on her, rousing her from her sleep and propelling her out of bed. At wit's end with her daughter's inexplicable behavior, Tanya's mother sends her away to live with her grandmother at Elvesden Manor, a secluded countryside mansion on the outskirts of a peculiar Essex town. There is plenty to explore, as long as Tanya stays away from Hangman's Wood- a vast stretch of forest, full of catacombs and notorious for people losing their lives. Fifty years ago a girl vanished in the woods, a girl Tanya's grandmother will not speak of. As Tanya learns more about this girl, she finds herself dangerously close to vanishing into the fairy realm forever. Debut author Michelle Harrison weaves an intricate mystery into a beautiful and haunting fantasy that captures a rich world of fairy lore where only the color red can offer protection.
What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . . Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and – most of all – stories. Especially because he's grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer. When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a clue. Soon he discovers that her secret book, The Museum of Unfinished Stories, is much more than just a story. In fact, he finds two of its characters wandering around town. But every tale has its villains – and with them leaping off the page, Midge, Gypsy and Piper must use all their wits and cunning to work out how the story ends and find Alice. If they fail, a more sinister finale threatens them all . . . A rich and twisting tale of magic, riddles and the power of imagination, from a classic author.
Silver, Wishing Shelf Book Awards!Bronze, Readers' Favorite International Awards Contest!This "wildly imaginative" (Book Pipeline) "splendid conception" (Kirkus) from upstart author AJ Vanderhorst celebrates the transformative power of courage, tenacity and a little skill with a battle-axe. Set in an alternate USA where monsters prowl, this debut novel is told from the perspective of mostly-invisible-but-still-hopeful Casey Grimes.Eleven-year-old Casey is stubbornly friendly, but he's eternally the new kid at Vintage Woods Middle School. Students look right through him-and they're not faking. Casey doesn't know why he's mostly-invisible, but when he scales a colossal oak, he discovers a fortress in its branches. The forgotten sentry tree marks the border between his safe, suburban life and a fierce frontier.Casey and his little sister Gloria infiltrate Sylvan Woods, a secret forest society devoted to ancient, wild things. Sky-high footpaths. Survival sewing. Monster control. Shockingly, people here actually see Casey-but being seen isn't enough. He wants to belong.Keeping his identity hidden--while struggling to prove he fits--is hard enough, but Butcher Beasts have returned to Sylvan Woods after a hundred years. Trickery is under siege. As the monsters close in, and the fearsome Sylvan Watch hunts Casey down, he and his newfound friends must unearth abandoned magic, buried at the forest's roots...or be devoured along with everyone else, Sylvans and civilians alike.A fast-paced middle grade fantasy/adventure book with all the monsters kids could ever hope for.