Promo - Witch High - Anthology (edited by Denise Little)

Witch High
Anthology
Edited by Denise Little
DAW
October 7, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7564-0513-7

Book Blurb:
move over, hogwarts...High school is different for everyone. For some, it’s a time to shine, and for others, a time to survive. Then there are the students who attend those special schools for the gifted. But what if there was a school that catered to those rarest of students—those who can do magic?These fourteen tales explore the challenges that students of the magical arts may face in a high school of their very own. If you think chemistry is tough, try alchemy. If you ever fell victim to a school bully, how would you deal with a bully gifted with powerful magic? And if you needed more time to study, what spell could give you all the time you desired?These are just a few of the magical adventures that will await you when you enter Salem Township Public High School #4— otherwise known as Witch High...

*Authors included in this anthology are: Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Laura Resnick, Phaedra M. Weldon, Pamela Luzier McCutcheon, Christina F. York, Jody Lynn Nye, Sarah Zettel, Debra Dixon, Esther M. Friesner, Bill McCay, Pauline J. Alama, Karen Fox, Sarah A. Hoyt, and Diane Duane.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert

Season of the Witch
Natasha Mostert
NAL
March 4, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-22335-7

Gabriel Blackstone makes his living by stealing information for those who are willing to pay. He also has the gift of remote viewing and at one time worked for Eyestorm, a group of remote viewers who put those talents to good use. A case gone bad caused him to leave, and now Gabriel is being asked for help by one of his former team members.

Frankie wasn’t just a teammate, she was his lover, and his conscience won’t allow him to just say no. William Whittington is a man of wealth whose son, Robert, has disappeared, he’s also Frankie’s husband. While it’s not unusual for Robert to take off, they believe he’s come to harm and need Gabriel to use his talents to discover the truth.

With his partner Isidore’s help, Gabriel’s quest for answers leads him to Minnaloushe and Morrighan Monk, powerful witches who may have the talent to commit murder and get away with it. Gabriel is certain that one of them is a killer, and he will find out which one it is even if it means risking his own life for the answer.

Season of the Witch is a murder mystery with a mystical edge. After years of careful avoidance, Gabriel will use his talent to slam a ride and hope to find the answers he seeks on behalf of the Whittingtons. What he never expected was to be caught up in a deadly game within his own mind and the mind of the killer. Ms. Mostert weaves a mystery overflowing in the arts of alchemy and witchcraft. Season of the Witch is a seductive rollercoaster ride of power, love and murder.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Immortal by Traci L. Slatton

Immortal
Traci L. Slatton
Delta – Bantam Dell
January 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-385-33974-2

With no memory of his parents, the life Luca remembers begins as an abandoned young boy on the streets of Florence, Italy. It’s apparent early on that Luca is different from other children. He barely ages, he doesn’t take ill, and his differences label Luca a sorcerer and witch.

Betrayed by a boy he considered a friend, Luca finds himself in the clutches of Silvano, a cruel man who beats him and sells his body to the men who frequent his brothel. Silvano holds Luca with the promise of information and the threat to use it against him as one of the many torments he inflicts. It’s his love of art and his desire to learn that comfort Luca through the long days until he finds freedom once again.

During his early years, Luca meets the artist Giotto di Bondone and later Leonardo di Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. His interest in their talents makes his years bearable as Luca continues to pursue the mystery of his heritage, religion, love and the art of alchemy.

Through plagues and war, enemies and friends, Luca remains strong, until a loss he can’t bear sends him over the edge. In grief, madness and the eventual acceptance, Luca will gain the answers he’s spent his long life chasing, but the cost to get there will be much higher than he ever imagined.

With a touch of the paranormal, Immortal is a historical novel of love, religion and the mysteries of life. On his own from a young age, Luca survives much worse than life on the streets before achieving his lifelong goals. Ms. Slatton does an amazing job of drawing readers into her story with remarkable detail and passionate characters. The unique plot and vivid description of Florence and the surrounding area adds beauty to what would have otherwise been a dark story. A lengthy tale, but well worth every moment spent reading it.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews