These Witches Don’t Burn

Hannah, a teen member of a secret coven of witches in modern-day Salem, Mass., is trying to move past her feelings about her ex-girlfriend, fellow Elemental Witch Veronica, when a bloody ritual sacrifice is discovered in their town. Worried that the ritual is a warning from a revenge-fueled Blood Witch, Hannah sets out to find the foe before the danger escalates. Propelled by suspenseful paranormal drama, Sterling’s debut also touches on deeper subject matter in its thoughtful depiction of the manipulative, potentially abusive relationship between Hannah and Veronica. Veronica is “the girl who pulled me out of the closet so fast and so completely my head was still spinning weeks later,” according to Hannah, who describes their first kiss as “life-changing” and “identity-altering.” Hannah’s inability to tell her human friends of her heritage and the recent threats for fear of being stripped of her powers intensifies the situation. Sterling doesn’t shy away from profanity or details of physical relationships in her authentic portrayal of adolescence as viewed through a contemporary teen witch’s experience. Ages 12–up. [em]Agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (May) [/em]