Summary
"Infused with page-turning suspense, bittersweet romance, shocking twists, and tragic turns, Sterling has written a standout debut." --Dana Mele, author of People Like Us
Hannah's a witch, but not the kind you're thinking of. She's the real deal, an Elemental with the power to control fire, earth, water, and air. But even though she lives in Salem, Massachusetts, her magic is a secret she has to keep to herself. If she's ever caught using it in front of a Reg (read: non-witch), she could lose it. For good. So, Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow Elemental Witch) Veronica, hanging out with her best friend, and working at the Fly by Night Cauldron selling candles and crystals to tourists, goths, and local Wiccans.
But dealing with her ex is the least of Hannah's concerns when a terrifying blood ritual interrupts the end-of-school-year bonfire. Evidence of dark magic begins to appear all over Salem, and Hannah's sure it's the work of a deadly Blood Witch. The issue is, her coven is less than convinced, forcing Hannah to team up with the last person she wants to see: Veronica.
While the pair attempt to smoke out the Blood Witch at a house party, Hannah meets Morgan, a cute new ballerina in town. But trying to date amid a supernatural crisis is easier said than done, and Hannah will have to test the limits of her power if she's going to save her coven and get the girl, especially when the attacks on Salem's witches become deadlier by the day.
Isabel Sterling's delightful, suspenseful debut is equal parts sweet romance and thrilling mystery. With everything she loves on the line, Hannah must confront this murderous villain before her coven--and any chance she has with the new girl--is destroyed.
Publisher's Weekly Review
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. Agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (May)
Kirkus Review
Keeping an identity secret, avoiding a manipulative ex, flirting with girls, dealing with threats to the coventhese are a few of the hassles of being a teen witch.Hannah lives in Salem and works at a touristy witchcraft supply store, but few know she's the real dealan Elemental Witch who can manipulate fire, water, earth, and air. Her best friend, Gemma, certainly doesn't, since she's a Reg (Sterling's version of Muggles). Her ex, Veronica, does, because she's part of the same coven, although Hannah's trying to avoid her during this summer before senior year. Her new crush definitely can't find outas if being 17 wasn't hard enough. Meanwhile, someone's dabbling in dark magic, and Hannah's worried it's a Blood Witch, who historically are the unpopular, manipulative ones of the bunch. Or it could be something worseWitch Hunters. Among the white main cast, Hannah is a self-identified lesbian, and Sterling presents a realistic treatment of her other queer characters. Hannah also admirably stands her ground in leaving an unhealthy relationship. Unfortunately, the book includes a lot of telling instead of showing, with everyday magic and motivational backstory scenes. Additionally, there are some weaknesses in structure and in characters professing intense emotions that often don't lift beyond the page.For a romantic mystery with magical elements, the book's flame is disappointingly lackluster. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Everyone in Salem has heard about witches, but Hannah knows they're real like the rest of her family, she is one. An Elemental Witch, she can manipulate the world around her, although she has to keep her powers a secret from any nonwitches, like most of her friends. Her girlfriend, Veronica, was an Elemental, too, so that had been great up until Veronica broke her heart. When Hannah stumbles across a dark magical ritual at a party, she's convinced that there's a Blood Witch in town. Blood Witches have a bad reputation, and normally they're pretty solitary, but she and Veronica recently crossed one, and now Hannah's worried that she's here for revenge. But fending her off without getting in trouble with her coven means working with Veronica, which is the last thing Hannah wants to do, especially since there's a cute new girl in town. Sterling's debut in an enjoyable read that, while frequently charming, isn't afraid to go dark or challenge stereotypes. A contemporary mystery with a magical twist.--Maggie Reagan Copyright 2019 Booklist
Excerpts
Chapter One They say there's a fine line between love and hate. I used to think They were idiots. Most people are. What could some faceless They know about love? Or hate for that matter. But then I dated Veronica Matthews. Veronica. Matthews. The girl who pulled me out of the closet so fast and so completely my head was still spinning weeks later. Our first kiss was life-changing. Identity-altering. Even after a year, I still don't have the right words to describe it. My parents were surprised, though they recovered quickly, when I walked into the kitchen the day of the kiss to announce, "Mom. Dad. Turns out, I'm gay." Dad dropped his sauce spoon on the floor. He blinked a few times, then shrugged. "Oh, well, okay then." Mom picked up the sauce spoon and rinsed it in the sink. "Want to talk about it?" I remember shrugging. Dad and I do that a lot. "Nope. Just thought you should know." And that was that. Veronica Matthews taught me about love, and I guess They were right. There really was a fine line to cross to hate. The same girl who dragged my ass out of the closet later tore my heart from my chest with her meticulously manicured nails. I hate her. The stupid, self-centered-- Someone clears their throat in front of me. I tear my gaze away from Veronica, who's in the back of the shop by the prepackaged potions, flirting with a girl whose name I can't remember. She looks familiar, with her warm brown skin and a tumble of tight black curls. I think she was on the cheerleading squad with Veronica, but her name eludes me. Evan Woelk, a tall, skinny white boy with guyliner thick around his dark brown eyes, stands on the other side of the counter. He smiles when I finally turn my attention his way. "Hey, Hannah." He drops a pile of merchandise next to the register and shoves his hands deep in his front pockets. "Find everything okay?" I ask, stifling a cringe as Veronica giggles. Even the lavender incense burning on the counter behind me can't calm my nerves when she's around. Evan nods and watches the total go up and up as I scan his items. Black candles. Twine for binding rituals. A book on hexes. Incense. An all-black athame, both edges of the knife sharp even though the blade is only used for directing energy. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Yet another Reg playing at being a witch. I ring up the last item and glance at Evan. He has the whole goth thing going on--black jeans, a tight black shirt, and rings on every finger--which makes this all the more ridiculous. "Eighty-four ninety-five." I bite my lip as he swipes his card. Part of me wants to warn him. Even if Wiccan magic is child's play compared to what I can do, it's still dangerous to mess with forces you don't understand. Not that I'll actually say anything. To expose my secret is to risk banishment. Or worse. Evan accepts his bag with a tight smile. He shifts on his feet, not leaving. I plaster on my work smile, but I'm itching for him to go. Veronica's still giggling over something What's-Her-Face has said. I don't want to deal with her, but I can't leave the counter with a customer in the shop. I never considered myself the jealous type, but if those two don't get out of here soon, I'll-- "Is that Veronica?" he asks, pointing at the pad of paper in front of me. The one with my half-finished Veronica-turned-evil-demon sketch. "I heard you two broke up." Heat burns at my cheeks. I crumple the page and toss it in the trash. "I really don't want to talk about it." Of course he's heard. The whole school gossiped about our public breakup for weeks. "Forget I asked." Evan brushes his dark hair out of his eyes. It's a wasted effort, as it flops right back into place. "Are you going to the bonfire tonight?" I offer a half smile, my thanks for the subject change. "I think Gemma wants to go." And if my best friend wants to go to the annual end-of-school-year bonfire in the woods, there's no way she'll let me skip it. "I take it you're going?" "Wouldn't miss it." He raises his bag of magic supplies, the athame poking out through a small tear in the plastic. "See you tonight." "Later," I say, but I roll my eyes once Evan is gone. I get enough of the wannabes from the tourists who visit Salem. It's even more annoying when the locals do it, too. They act like it's all about the wardrobe and accessories. Here, buy a necklace and a few candles. That totally makes you a witch. If they had any clue what real witches were like, what we're capable of . . . They probably wouldn't sleep very well at night. Veronica's laugh trickles through to the front of the store. Familiar pangs of desire work down my spine, but the ice in my veins squashes the feeling. I want her out of this shop. I want her out of my life long enough for me to get over her. But no. If only I were so lucky. The selfish, gorgeous bane of my existence belongs to the same coven as my family. Which was great while we were dating, but now . . . "Oh, Hannah. I forgot you work here." Veronica sidles up to the counter with a small basket of candles and incense, the lie falling effortlessly from her glossy lips. "How are you?" I reach for the candles she deposited on the counter and ring them up. "What are you doing here?" "Shopping." She smirks and shares a look with What's-Her-Face, who snaps her gum. "This tourist trap overcharges, and you know it." I shove the candles into a paper bag, letting my shoulder-length brown hair fall past my face. It creates enough of a barrier to keep from looking at her. "Maybe I wanted to see you." Veronica's voice is sweet like honey, but I can hear the poison beneath her words. "You're not returning my texts." "Yeah, well, take a hint." I place the last of the incense in the bag. "That'll be forty-four ninety-three." She hands over cash, her fingers lingering on mine. A shiver crawls along my skin, but I won't let her see that. I can't let her know she still affects me that way. "It doesn't have to be like this, Hannah." She almost seems sincere. And the way my name sounds rolling off her tongue? I have to swallow around the lump in my throat before I can speak. "Thank you for visiting the Fly by Night Cauldron. Have a nice day." "Come on, Ronnie, let's go." What's-Her-Face, who Veronica never bothered to introduce, pivots and hurries toward the exit, her heels clicking against the floor. But Veronica pauses. Lingers. As if there's more she came to say. My heart pounds in my chest, and I'm sure she must hear it. I tug at my uniform again. "Since when do you let people call you Ronnie? You hate that." My ex watches her friend leave, and when she's sure we're alone, she leans against the counter, staring up at me through her lashes. "Be careful, Hannah. I might think you're jealous." A deliberate breeze brushes my neck, laced with a current of Veronica's power. The smoke from the incense swirls its way between us, caressing my cheek and slipping along Veronica's collarbone, drawing my eye to the bit of exposed skin. "What the hell are you doing?" Even though I don't see anyone else in the shop, I keep my voice low so no one overhears. "If Lady Ariana caught you using magic in public--" "Relax, Hannah. It's not like she'd ever step foot in a place like this. No one's going to know." She fixes me with her emerald stare, but I back out of reach. Using magic in public is a surefire way to lose coven privileges. And I, for one, don't want my training delayed because my obnoxious ex is careless. Veronica sighs and pushes away from the counter, releasing her hold on the air. The wind dies and resumes a more natural path. "Happy?" I don't dignify her with an answer. She knows what would happen if a Reg caught us. If our high priestess found out. "Listen, Hannah." Veronica fusses with her bag of candles. "I wanted to know . . . Are you coming to graduation tomorrow? I think I finally perfected my speech." "Really?" I cringe at the encouragement in my voice. Instincts from a lifetime of friendship are hard to quell, no matter how much she hurt me. I cross my arms and glance around the shop to make sure we're still alone. "No, I'm not. I'd rather let the Council strip my magic than sit through that." The words hang in the air between us, charged with more power than Veronica's manipulated wind. Her lips part, but nothing comes out. I wonder if she's thinking about the day we went shopping for her graduation dress. If she remembers what we did the night she was officially named valedictorian, after her parents went to bed. Guilt clutches at my chest, but I push it away. It's her fault we're not together anymore. She's the one who hurt me. Veronica shifts the bag to her other hand, and a mask settles over her features. Gone is the hurt. Gone is the girl I loved, replaced by the one who broke my heart. What's-Her-Face leans back into the shop. "Everything all right in here?" "Of course." Veronica smiles her perfect smile, brandishing it like a weapon. "Just thought I forgot my receipt. Let's go." She turns away, loops her arm through her friend's, and disappears out the door. As the bell jingles their departure, my heart threatens to burst. The tears sting, but I won't let them fall. I won't give Veronica the satisfaction. If she thinks she can show up at my work all summer, she's sorely mistaken. Because when it comes to holding a grudge, I'm an Olympic champion. Excerpted from These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
