Juniper & Thorn

Ava Reid is a highly acclaimed and best-selling author. Her gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree is ideal for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente. It takes place in the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, but it takes place in a different time and place, where a young witch tries to find her identity and escape the dominance of her abusive wizard father.

A horrible omen. A city in turmoil. A beast whose hunger knows no bounds.

Living in a city that is transitioning from magic to industry, Marlinchen and her two sisters live with their wizard father. She and her sisters cure their customers with antiquated medicines and entice them with nostalgic charm, making them nothing more than a tourist trap despite being the only authentic witches in Oblya. Marlinchen's days are spent attempting to appease her dictatorial, xenophobic father, who keeps his daughters isolated from the outside world, and divining secrets in return for rubles. However, Marlinchen and her sisters go out at night to take advantage of the city's attractions and facilities, especially the newly opened ballet theater, where Marlinchen meets a ballerina who immediately wins her over.

The danger posed by Marlinchen's father's fury and magic increases in tandem with the intensity and frequency of her late-night trysts. And even as Oblya thrives on culture and business, a monster bred of bigotry and animosity and imbued with antiquated authority lurks in its midst. To keep her city safe and discover her place in it, Marlinchen must rely on her own abilities. She is caught between blood and passion, progress and history.