A Secret History of Witches

A Secret History of Witches
Author: Louisa Morgan
Publisher: Redhook
Total Pages: 496
Release: 2017-09-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 031650856X

A sweeping historical saga that traces five generations of fiercely powerful mothers and daughters -- witches whose magical inheritance is both a dangerous threat and an extraordinary gift. Brittany, 1821. After Grand-Mere Ursule gives her life to save her family, their magic seems to die with her. Even so, the Orchires fight to keep the old ways alive, practicing half-remembered spells and arcane rites in hopes of a revival. And when their youngest daughter comes of age, magic flows anew. The lineage continues, though new generations struggle not only to master their power, but also to keep it hidden. But when World War II looms on the horizon, magic is needed more urgently than ever -- not for simple potions or visions, but to change the entire course of history. Praise for A Secret History of Witches: "I loved it. A beautiful generational tale, reminiscent of Practical Magic. . .. Grounded and real, painful and hopeful at the same time." —Laure Eve, author of The Graces "Historical fiction at its absolute finest....Deliciously absorbing." —Boston Globe "At once sprawling and intimate, A Secret History of Witches deftly captures the greatest magic of all: the love between mothers and daughters." —Jordanna Max Brodsky, author of The Wolf in the Whale For more from Louisa Morgan, check out: The Witch's Kind The Age of Witches


Witchcraft

Witchcraft
Author: Michael Streeter
Publisher: White Lion Publishing
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2020-03-03
Genre: History
ISBN: 0711252254

Witchcraft unravels the myth from the mystery, the facts from the legends, in this bewitching introduction to witchcraft’s lesser-known history. Spanning several centuries and comprising unbelievable facts and little-known legends, meet all the witches of your imagination and learn why, where and how it all began. Uncover the meanings of their rituals and rites, their lore, and their craft Discover the significance of their sabbats and covens, their chalices and wands, their robes and their religion. Unlock the secrets of the legendary witches of mythology and folk talesand find out how these early stories influenced the persecutions and witch hunts of the Middle Ages. Learn about the people who inspired the pagan revival and how their work in literature and magic rekindled the fires of the sabbats across Europe and the New World today. Features spell-binding historic and contemporary pictures that perfectly capture the key characters, events and wonders of this captivating, colourful and controversial history.


The Great Witch of Brittany

The Great Witch of Brittany
Author: Louisa Morgan
Publisher: Redhook
Total Pages: 407
Release: 2022-02-15
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0316628778

Set in the late 1700s, a tale of magic and fate, triumph and heartbreak, and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters unfolds in this spellbinding novel from a master storyteller. Brittany, 1762 There hasn’t been a witch born in the Orchière clan for generations. According to the elders, that line is dead, leaving the clan vulnerable to the whims of superstitious villagers and the prejudices of fearmongering bishops. Ursule Orchière has been raised on stories of the great witches of the past. But the only magic she knows is the false spells her mother weaves over the gullible women who visit their fortune-telling caravan. Everything changes when Ursule comes of age and a spark of power flares to life. Thrilled to be chosen, she has no idea how magic will twist and shape her future. Guided by an ancient grimoire and the whispers of her ancestors, Ursule is destined to walk the same path as the great witches of old. But first, the Orchière magical lineage must survive. And danger hovers over her, whether it’s the bloodlust of the mob or the flames of the pyre. ​Return to the world of A Secret History of Witches with the bewitching tale of Ursule Orchière and her discovery of magical abilities that will not only change the course of her life but every generation that comes after her. For more from Louisa Morgan, check out: A Secret History of Witches The Witch's Kind The Age of Witches


The Age of Witches

The Age of Witches
Author: Louisa Morgan
Publisher: Hachette UK
Total Pages: 496
Release: 2020-04-07
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0316419508

In Gilded Age New York, a centuries-long clash between two magical families ignites when a young witch must choose between love and loyalty, power and ambition, in this magical novel by Louisa Morgan. In 1692, Bridget Bishop was hanged as a witch. Two hundred years later, her legacy lives on in the scions of two very different lines: one dedicated to using their powers to heal and help women in need; the other, determined to grasp power for themselves by whatever means necessary. This clash will play out in the fate of Annis, a young woman in Gilded Age New York who finds herself a pawn in the family struggle for supremacy. She'll need to claim her own power to save herself-and resist succumbing to the darkness that threatens to overcome them all. Praise for The Age of Witches: "Morgan's beautifully conjured tale of three women, social mores, and the sanctity of self-determination is thoroughly enthralling." —Booklist (starred review) "Morgan’s incantatory prose and independent-minded women will delight fans of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen with this tale of female self-realization and magical realism. A highly enjoyable read." —Historical Novel Society "An Austen-esque romance, a heart-racing mystery full of dangerous twists and an anxiety-inducing yet enthralling family feud....It all makes for a perfect brew." —Bookpage For more from Louisa Morgan, check out: A Secret History of WitchesThe Witch's Kind


The Witch's Kind

The Witch's Kind
Author: Louisa Morgan
Publisher: Hachette UK
Total Pages: 348
Release: 2019-03-19
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0316419494

In the aftermath of World War II, two women with unusual gifts must protect a mysterious baby in a poignant tale of family, sacrifice and magic. Barrie Anne Blythe and her aunt Charlotte have always known that the other residents of their small coastal community find them peculiar -- two women living alone on the outskirts of town. It is the price of concealing their strange and dangerous family secret. But two events threaten to upend their lives forever. The first is the arrival of a mysterious abandoned baby with a hint of power like their own. The second is the sudden reappearance of Barrie Anne's long-lost husband -- who is not quite the man she thought she married. Together, Barrie Anne and Charlotte must decide how far they are willing to go to protect themselves -- and the child they think of as their own -- from suspicious neighbors, the government, and even their own family. . . Praise for The Witch's Kind: "The strength of Morgan's powerful story is her depiction of this time and place and the everyday struggles of determined women. A great choice for readers who enjoy novels by Alice Hoffman and Barbara Kingsolver." —Booklist "Family, love, and ultimately personal strength. Fans of Morgan's The Secret History of Witches will appreciate this latest installment, and newcomers will be equally enchanted." —Historical Novel Society For more from Louisa Morgan, check out: A Secret History of Witches The Age of Witches


A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches
Author: Deborah Harkness
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 593
Release: 2011-02-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1101475692

Book one of the New York Times bestselling All Souls series, from the author of The Black Bird Oracle. “A wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight” (People). Look for the hit series “A Discovery of Witches,” now streaming on AMC+, Sundance Now, and Shudder! Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Harkness has created a universe to rival those of Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, and Elizabeth Kostova, and she adds a scholar's depth to this riveting tale of magic and suspense. The story continues in book two, Shadow of Night, book three, The Book of Life, and the fourth in the series, Time’s Convert.


The Witches' Ointment

The Witches' Ointment
Author: Thomas Hatsis
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2015-08-17
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1620554747

An exploration of the historical origins of the “witches’ ointment” and medieval hallucinogenic drug practices based on the earliest sources • Details how early modern theologians demonized psychedelic folk magic into “witches’ ointments” • Shares dozens of psychoactive formulas and recipes gleaned from rare manuscripts from university collections all over the world as well as the practices and magical incantations necessary for their preparation • Examines the practices of medieval witches like Matteuccia di Francisco, who used hallucinogenic drugs in her love potions and herbal preparations In the medieval period preparations with hallucinogenic herbs were part of the practice of veneficium, or poison magic. This collection of magical arts used poisons, herbs, and rituals to bewitch, heal, prophesy, infect, and murder. In the form of psyche-magical ointments, poison magic could trigger powerful hallucinations and surrealistic dreams that enabled direct experience of the Divine. Smeared on the skin, these entheogenic ointments were said to enable witches to commune with various local goddesses, bastardized by the Church as trips to the Sabbat--clandestine meetings with Satan to learn magic and participate in demonic orgies. Examining trial records and the pharmacopoeia of witches, alchemists, folk healers, and heretics of the 15th century, Thomas Hatsis details how a range of ideas from folk drugs to ecclesiastical fears over medicine women merged to form the classical “witch” stereotype and what history has called the “witches’ ointment.” He shares dozens of psychoactive formulas and recipes gleaned from rare manuscripts from university collections from all over the world as well as the practices and magical incantations necessary for their preparation. He explores the connections between witches’ ointments and spells for shape shifting, spirit travel, and bewitching magic. He examines the practices of some Renaissance magicians, who inhaled powerful drugs to communicate with spirits, and of Italian folk-witches, such as Matteuccia di Francisco, who used hallucinogenic drugs in her love potions and herbal preparations, and Finicella, who used drug ointments to imagine herself transformed into a cat. Exploring the untold history of the witches’ ointment and medieval hallucinogen use, Hatsis reveals how the Church transformed folk drug practices, specifically entheogenic ones, into satanic experiences.


The Once and Future Witches

The Once and Future Witches
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publisher: Redhook
Total Pages: 528
Release: 2020-10-13
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0316422037

"A gorgeous and thrilling paean to the ferocious power of women. The characters live, bleed, and roar. "―Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by NPR Books • Barnes and Noble • BookPage In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history in this powerful novel of magic, family, and the suffragette movement. In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters―James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna―join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote―and perhaps not even to live―the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive. There's no such thing as witches. But there will be. An homage to the indomitable power and persistence of women, The Once and Future Witches reimagines stories of revolution, motherhood, and women's suffrage—the lost ways are calling. Praise for The Once and Future Witches: "A glorious escape into a world where witchcraft has dwindled to a memory of women's magic, and three wild, sundered sisters hold the key to bring it back...A tale that will sweep you away."―Yangsze Choo, New York Times bestselling author "This book is an amazing bit of spellcraft and resistance so needed in our times, and a reminder that secret words and ways can never be truly and properly lost, as long as there are tongues to speak them and ears to listen."―P. Djèlí Clark, author The Black God's Drum For more from Alix E. Harrow, check out The Ten Thousand Doors of January.


A Witch in Time

A Witch in Time
Author: Constance Sayers
Publisher: Redhook
Total Pages: 448
Release: 2020-02-11
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0316493600

A witch is cursed to relive a doomed love affair through many lifetimes, as both troubled muse and frustrated artist, in this haunting debut novel. Helen Lambert has lived several lives-a young piano virtuoso in 1890s Paris, an actress in 1930's Hollywood, a rock star in 1970s Los Angeles -- only she doesn't know it. Until she meets a strange man who claims he's watched over her for centuries, bound to her from the beginning. At first, Helen doesn't believe him. Her life is as normal as any other modern career woman's. Then she begins having vivid dreams about ill-fated love and lives cut short. Caught in a curse, Helen will be forced to relive the same tragic events that ruined her previous lives. But with each rebirth, she's developed uncanny powers. And as the most powerful version of herself, Helen must find a way to break the curse before her time runs out. A Witch in Time is a bewitching tale of passion, reincarnation, and magic perfect for fans of A Secret History of Witches and Outlander. Praise for A Witch in Time: "A sweeping story of magical, star-crossed love, as glamorous as it is romantic. Prepare to be dazzled."―Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger "Incredibly engrossing and decadent in all the best ways, A Witch in Time is a sumptuous story of love and loss that's perfect for fans of historical fiction with a touch of fantasy."―Hypable "A narrative rich in historical detail, brightened by flashes of humor, and filled with colorful characters and fascinating settings. A most rewarding read!" ―Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches For more from Constance Sayers, check out The Ladies of the Secret Circus.