The Reimagining of Thornwood House

A cozy mystery surrounds a troubled sentient house in this uplifting fantasy from Johnson (Unbroken Chain). Evie Sharpe is an earthwalker witch unhappily working for the dastardly Environmental Crisis Response Agency, which is delaying her adoption of 11-year-old Ruby, a farseer witch capable of predicting the future. When Evie receives a letter from the mayor of the quaint village of Iskendra seeking a caretaker for the sentient Thornwood house, she jumps at the chance to get out of her ECRA contract. The previous caretaker, Amelia Howell, died, and the despondent house now frequently runs into the forest on its huge chicken legs, not letting anyone enter. Evie manages to gain Thornwood’s trust but inside she’s surprised to find a pile of blue and silver wood shavings that can only come from a valuable and endangered Star Oak tree, a source of immense magic. Now Evie must work out a few different mysteries, including what happened to the house in the six months since Amelia’s death, what someone wants with the Star Oak, and just how angry local firewitch Ignatius Smythe is that Evie was chosen as Amelia’s successor over him. Johnson weaves a sumptuous tale around the themes of chosen family and new beginnings. With shades of Howl’s Moving Castle and Baba Yaga folktales, this playful fantasy charms. (June)