Witches of Ash & Ruin

Dayna Walsh, 17, feels most at home with her coven and away from her reverend father and his followers. Dayna has plenty to deal with—the disclosure of her bisexuality in her small Irish town, her OCD, and the return of her estranged mother—even before a witch is killed and branded with the mark of the Butcher, a serial killer hunting witches in 10-year cycles. When her coven accepts the help of a witch rumored to work in black magic, Dayna navigates her feelings for a new love interest and member of a rival coven. In her race to catch the Butcher, Dayna experiences coincidences that suggest her role within her own coven is more complicated than first believed. Latimer (The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray) infuses modern-day references with Celtic mythology while packing the novel with gory action, alternating viewpoints between the witches and those who hunt them. Despite unresolved subplots and a problematic depiction of Catholicism, the action sequences are cinematic in scope, and rich interior characterizations add depth to an arresting story. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Silvia Molteni, Peters Fraser and Dunlop. (Mar.) [/em]