About Honour Killings, A Book Review of Tell It to the Trees

Quote of The Week

Crown attorney Gerard Laarhuis after the verdicts:
"This jury found that four strong, vivacious and freedom-loving women were murdered by their own family in the most troubling of circumstances. We all think of these four, wonderful women now who died needless deaths. This verdict sends a very clear message about our Canadian values and the core principles in a free and democratic society that all Canadians enjoy and even visitors to Canada enjoy

Anita Rau Badami

Given the completion of the horrific trial of the murders of the Shafia girls and their step-mother-- who were found drowned in a car in the Kingston Mill Locks on  June 30 of 2009--and the conviction of their parents and brother, Hamed, this week, I have decided to post a review I did last October, my first ARC, Tell It to the Trees by Anita Rau Badami.  There are insightful, if not creepy, parallels in this story to the true life tragedy of the Shafia family.  Badami, like the Shafia family is also from Montreal. Her ethnic origin is Indian and she writes convincingly from the newly arrived immigrant point of view.  The effect of her writing is that, while I realize I was reading fiction, I felt I was being given insight into the frightening real lives of many immigrant woman isolated by language and culture, imprisoned and abused by their own family.  In short, Badami, in Tell It to the Trees, opens a window on the lives of these immigrant woman from which we can learn and understand the conditions and restraints that they must live with in order to literally live.

Tell It to the Trees is a gripping tale of twisted loyalties and murder in a recent immigrant family living outside a remote village in British Columbia.  Captured in this frightening tale are the cycles of abuse that are handed down through the generations.  At the heart of this abuse are the control of women and the cultural subjugation of both dress and behaviour.  But most importantly, this is a story about family secrets and above all preserving the family name and honour.  Although, the real life tragedies of the Shafia woman and girls and the fictitious story of the Dharma family, differs somewhat culturally, the underling factors that propel a family to murder are chillingly similar.  Much is being made in the press about honour killings, and I agree that this is some of the motivation for these ghastly killings, the starting point, but; it is not the whole of it.  The children and the step-mother went outside the family for help, sought help from the children protection authorities of Montreal, complained of their treatment within the family.  They betrayed the family secrets, aired the dirty laundry.  The members of the family allowed to live would keep family business, including murder, a secret.  The members who would tell were killed.  Talking outside the family is the universal taboo of all dysfunctional families regardless of culture.

Now, I do not believe that all women who maintain their traditional dress are abused.  I have worked with several women both nurses and doctors who chose to wear the traditional coverings.  All of whom were very happy and independent women.  First, the problem is when this form of dress is forced upon the woman as a means of taking away their freedom and identity.  Secondly, and even more importantly, is the reaction of the community in which these women live.   When the community that surrounds them does not see these women as individuals, but, as a cultural group, their personhood is lost.  Unfortunately, this is how the Montreal children protection workers saw these Shafia women, as an example of their cultural group who must wear this and behave so, not as four abused women who were in danger from their own family.  A social worker had been in the Shafia house in May and found no immediate concern.  The four were killed the next month.  The social worker could not get past the scarves to see the real pain and fear of the women beneath.  In addition the Shafia family were very affluent, with no appearnace of obvious neglect, the claims of the children were dismissed.  The importance of outward appearances of the children is repeatedly emphasised in Tell It to the Trees.  These children do not 'look' abused.  They 'look' well dressed.

Badami in Tell it to the Trees, explores the effect of secrets upon the different children in the Dharma family.  And shows how one child may embrace the family dysfunction and how another will be become more and more frightened and distressed.  And what of the surviving Shafia children that keep the secrets?  Can you keep a secret of murder, even if only after the fact, and remain sane?  Two girls and a boy survived this family cull; I am sure the girls now firmly know their place as Afgani woman but will the boy understand that you can not get away with honour killings in Canada or only that it must be more expertly executed.  And what of Hamed, now convicted killer, only 18 at the time of this crime, would he have become a cold blooded murder if raised in another family?  How will he feel years from now knowing what his parents had him do and the fact that in the end they were quite willing to hang him out by convincing him to change his testimony to admitting he was there at the scene when the car fell into the Kingston Mill Locks?   Will he realize that his parents were willing to let him take the blame while they would go free?  After all, they did have another ‘good son,’  willing to testify in court to the Shafia version of the truth.


Laarhuis cross-examines a surviving Shafia son, who can't be identified:
Laarhuis: "The reason that you're confirming this with Hamed and your mom is because you know there's a problem with that part of the story."
Son: "No, not really. I'm just trying to help them (tell the truth)."
Laarhuis: "That's the remarkable thing about the truth — you don't need to remind people what the truth is."
From Global News. 


To be fair to these three surviving children and even Hamed, they are also victims of the reining terror in the Shafia household; those that complained got put into the car and drowned in the lock.

The Book Review of Tell It to the Trees

by
Anita Rau Badami

This book will grab your attention from page one and will linger in your mind long after completion. It is a thought provoking book concerning family secrets, an unexplainable death of a tenant and an isolated family invested in maintaining a good family name. The cold harsh setting of a small Canadian town springs to life in Anita Rau Badami beautiful lyrical writing. The Dharma family- consisting of autocratic Vikram; his aged mother Akka, who has chilling secrets of her own; sweet gentle Suman, Vikram's second wife, newly immigrated from India and rushed into marriage; the troubled teenage daughter Varsha, abandoned by her first mother; and Hemant, the sensitive seven year old, haunted by ghosts- live at the end of a lonely barren road outside of a town called Merrit's Point, referred to as Hell by old Akka. Everyone loves secrets...or so you think...and this story is all about secrets, what you tell... who you don't tell...but when you are 7 and have to tell, you tell it to the tree.
This puzzle of a story is told from four view points Suman, Ana, the Dharma family tenant, and the two children Varsha and Hemant. The characters come alive in your mind. Each is given a unique voice expressing alternate views of the story. Each piece of this jig saw puzzle flows smoothly into the next, until a complete chilling picture is revealed at the end.

In Tell It to the Trees, Anita Rau Badami evokes a chilling depth of insight into the psychological aspects of a dysfunctional abusive family. Badami presents us with an opportunity to see those unfortunate abused woman beneath their cultural garb, whatever that might be, and see the person lost and isolated underneath.  This is a book that all women should read, all men should read. This is one of those important books that come along every so often that can change how people view unmentionable aspects of our society. Most books are read for pleasure, entertainment, and, make no mistake, there is a very good mystery story in this book, but, very few go to the heart of such difficult and mostly hidden aspects of our society with such a sense intimate feeling. This book goes beyond entertainment; this is a cautionary tale of isolation and abuse. Tell it to the Trees describes the cycle of abuse and how it passes down the generations. As Suman dreams of escape, Badami describes how such a situation can entrap, ensnare and beat you down until you are capable of fabricating excuses for inexcusable behaviour. Why does she not just leave, is often queried with regard to women who suffer from abuse. This book will show you why. But more importantly, it will clearly show why you should get out, for yourself and, especially, for your children. Does Suman get out in time? We can only hope...

No Victim Impact Statements

Following the trial and conviction of murder, normally victim impact statements would be presented by family members and loved ones from whom the victims had been harshly taken away.  Sadly, in the case of the four Shafia women no one from their family or community will speak on their behalf.  

Zainab, 19: Chose to marry a man of her choice.
The marriage was disallowed by her father.
Two months prior to her murder she fled the Shafia home for a women's shelter.
Unfortunately she returned home.

Sahar, 17: She wanted to be a doctor.
Looks like every 17 year old I know.
Complained to teachers and social workers about abuse at home.
Including a suicide attempt in the spring before her death with no results.

Geeti, 13: Requested to be put in foster care.
Sadly, she was left with her family.
Teachers noted increasingly wild behaviour.
That's called being terrified and no one helping you.

Rona, 52: Died because she loved these girls.
The press has put forth that this was a convenient way to get rid of the first wife.
I do not believe she was part of the original plan.
For a family that purchased a cheap car to kill their family members,
why would they allow the expensive jewlery she was wearing to go to the bottom of the lock?
If only in my imagination, I like to think she went down fighting.
Surely to God, someone would fight for these girls. 

We all should speak on their behalf, because no one should be murdered for just being a girl.

All About Sisters, Book Review The Last Will of Moira Leahy

Sisters 

Quote of the Week

“If you have a sister and she dies, do you stop saying you have one? Or are you always a sister, even when the other half of the equation is gone?”
― Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

Sisters most of us have some.  Love them, hate them; they are the ones that stand by you when the chips are down.  I have been blessed with two sisters.  Younger sisters who stole my clothes, hogged the phone and fought with me tooth and nail through my childhood. I would not change them for the world...well maybe just a little!

For my sisters, Darlene and Jeneffer.

The Review of The Last Will of Moira Leahy 

by 

Therese Walsh

Genre: Suspense, woman’s fiction, mysticism, travel and paranormal elements

Depth: Serious, dealing with grief, learning to remember, forgive and let go  

Topic: The surviving twin’s grief at the loss of her sister, regaining herself

Book complexity: Dual storylines, Dual timelines, several characters
Writing: Fluid, excellent

      Rating: 5 stars. Exceptional book

      Received from: The good old public library

The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a captivating, haunting debut novel by Therese Walsh.  This is a heart wrenching, soul searching story of grief and loss, as the surviving sister, Maeve, tries to reconcile herself to a life without her identical twin, Moira.  Normally at this point I would say what genre this novel would fit into, however; The Last Will of Moira Leahy does not fit into any one specific category.  Walsh wrote this novel much like knitting a multi-coloured sweater.  It is not blue nor red nor purple but a pleasing blend of suspense, woman’s fiction, mysticism, coming-of-age story, romance, a journey and a sprinkling of the paranormal, while exploring the family dynamics of grief, as well as, the actions and reactions of those left behind.  Beautifully written, The Last Will of Moira Leahy will reach in and squeeze your heart.

What makes a novel exceptional is not necessarily the story itself, but the manner and method used to construct the story.  The Last Will of Moira Leahy is written in alternating first person current time and third person back story from 1995 to 2000; two separate story lines that build on each other in momentum and suspense. The pace of the story adds greatly to the suspense as all the right notes are pitch perfect.  Walsh manages with both her lovely writing style and the manner in which she has constructed her novel, to demonstrate how family dynamics both pulls and pushes its members closer and further apart much like magnets as they can simultaneously attract and repulse. 

Maeve’s story is from the first person view point in current time and is gripping in its description of isolation and loneliness, emphasising oneness and being alone.  The reader is confronted with a pervading sadness as we meet this character who is not only separated her friends and family, but, from her true self as well. The Maeve we meet in the beginning of the novel does not stray from routine and has virtually erased herself to the point that she has bleached her once dramatic red hair.  Once a musical protégée, Maeve has suppressed this talent and has been living an isolated life in academia as a professor of languages.  She is haunted by sounds of piano music and dreams of little girls with red hair; Maeve fears for her own sanity.  She quietly keeps these fears to herself.  Maeve attends an auction to distract herself from her tragic memories of November and becomes obsessed with purchasing a Javanese dagger, keris. The keris is very similar to a knife that belonged to her grandfather lost years ago by herself and Moira playing pirate out in the bay in Castine, Maine. Reminded of happier times with Moira, Maeve forcefully bids and successfully purchases the keris.  A note from the previous owner is later found with an invitation to Rome with the incentive to find out more about the meaning behind this specially carved blade.  Completely out of character, Maeve embarks on a on a journey to Rome in search of the origins of the keris, only to be led on a journey of self discovery and healing. 

The back story of Maeve and Moira’s childhood is told from Moira’s point of view, third person set at a distance, emphasising the distance in time and place.  As children Maeve and Moira are extremely close to the point that they feel each others emotions and pains, and even have their own language.  Their mother wants the girls to have separate identities and emphasises the difference between the girls.  Adding stress to family life, the girl’s mother takes on the care of their grandfather after he suffers a stroke.  Maeve becomes the talented fun loving twin and Moira the dependable home body, her mother’s good girl. As the girls enter adolescence, Moira, living in her sister’s shadow, begins to pull away from Maeve in a desperate search for a separate identity and self worth.  Moira’s need to define herself and exert her own will in opposition to the expectations of both her mother and sister comes to a head when both girls become attracted to the same boy.  Moira craves adventure, and, wilfully, embarks on a secret romance.  In doing so she must sever her most intimate relationship with her sister, Maeve.

The threads of the story weave together as Maeve, now in Rome, learns of the magical properties of the keris that mysteriously links to the past she has tried to forget.  Notes are nailed to Maeve’s door with only the Javanese word eling, meaning remember.  Maeve is joined by Noel, a long time friend and not quite yet a boyfriend.  Afraid of becoming too close again to another, Maeve must confront her fears of intimacy as Maeve and Noel together search Rome for the previous, and now, elusive owner of the keris.   More mysterious notes direct Maeve to different locations within the city where she finds painful memories of her tragic past along with the beautiful sites of Rome.  The keris exerting its own will, leads Maeve back to remember and confront her past. Only in her memories of her sister, Moira, can Maeve find the forgiveness she needs to allow herself to let go of this past, and, the will to really live her life.

Even though the reader is well aware that Maeve lost her twin tragically at 16 from the very first page of the story, this is a novel of exquisite suspense as Walsh delivers a well paced story leading the reader irresistibly to the surprising conclusion.  The book was impossible to put down.  Walsh has written a wonderful story of grief and forgiveness, remembering and letting go. We would all be so lucky to have a magic knife or keris fly into our lives to cut through the illusions and delusions in which we surround ourselves, and help us clearly see our selves and those people who are most important to us, and; in doing so, help us find our own truth.  Therese Walsh you are very talented and must write more books.

Highly Recommend.

Sisters and Secrets

Have you noticed that most books that are about sisters are also about secrets.  Sisters keeping secrets from or for each other.  There was  4600 books at my public library on the subject of sisters and at Amazon over 27,000 titles just with sister in the name, never mind the books about sisters that did not get tagged as sisters related.  Why do scary sisters always come in threes?

Books you also may like:

Kate Morton:  House at Riverton- A suspenseful story of sisters of an aristocratic family and secrets concerning the mysterious death during a party in 1924.  The story is told from the point of view of a servant, Grace, working at Riverton House, a large English estate, whose own life is entwined with the family.  Excellent.  

The Distant Hours: Kate Morton third novel is set in an old crumbling country estate, Milderhurst, in which three old sisters have lived their entire lives, full of secrets mysterious deaths.  The beginning of this novel is slow, but builds in momentum and plot.  Excellent

Rachel Hore: A Place of Secrets- Not yet released in Canada or the US, but already a best seller in Britain. I will be doing a complete review soon.  In a nut shell, while performing her job as a auction house appraiser examining the books of an eighteenth century astronomer in northern Norfolk, Jude uncovers the secret writings of a mysterious young girl, and her own family secrets as well.  Very Good

Audrey Niffenegger: Her Fearful Symmetry-  Looking for a creepy twin ghost story, look no further, this is the one for you.  Excellent writing and full of twists and turns and of course the setting of the historic Highgate cemetery only adds to the atmospheric setting.

Kimberla Lawson Roby: Secret Obsession- This is sibling rivalry to the ultimate max.  A light quick read about sisters, family dynamics, mental illness and ultimately forgiveness. OK 

Jodi Picoult: My Sisters Keeper-  I only saw the movie but the book is suppose to be even better.  Parents with a daughter suffering from leukaemia genetically engineer a second daughter in order to save the first.  Medical ethics aside, a very dramatic story.  Need Kleenex with this one.

Frances Greenslade:  Shelter- This I had hoped to win in a different book giveaways but now on awaiting list at the library.  Parental abandonment and sisterly responsibilities.  Sounds great. 

Susanna Kearsley: The Rose Garden- Katrina's sister dies and she is given the task of finding the perfect place to scatter her ashes, returning her to where she belongs.  Katrina returns to Cornwall where they spent happy childhood summers and in doing so, confronts ghosts from her own past.  Time travel in this story as well.  Very Good.

The comment box, my personal bane of existence, apparently could only take messages from me alone.  I have now, I hope configured the comment box to take comments from anyone.  These will be screened prior to being posted in the blog.  So, if you want to let me know about a book you have been reading, have a comment about the blog, want a suggest for your next book, or just have the need to write something, feel free.

White Witch Pond by Jody Kihara Review and Why We Love Witches

Our topic today is going to be WITCHES and the review of the new book White Witch Pond by Jody Kilhara.

Quote of the Week:  Most books on witchcraft will tell you that witches work naked. This is because most books on witchcraft were written by men.”
― Neil Gaiman

First, I must thank all you who have taken the time to read my earlier posts.  19 members, Wow!  To be honest, it was easier to write when I thought it was just me and the computer.  Of course that brings to my mind a scary X-Files episode where the computer falls in love with his maker and kills people for him.  Not to worry, due to my blatant computer illiteracy, my computer can barely tolerate me and I believe occasionally deletes my work and moves files to mysterious locations in a fit of pique.

Second, I learned how to get pictures into the blog posts.  Apparently copy and paste does not work in every situation.  Pictures need a picture format, go figure.

Thirdly, I apparently do have a comment section that works after every blog.  I added a do- hickie thinking it was a quick box tick thingy, but it is actually the comment box.  Wish I had known this before I spent hours trying to up load a supposedly free comment section that wanted me to send them two dollars.  Hey I am Canadian; if it’s free, it’s free.  Canadians are big on free.  It comes up several times in our national anthem, for instance: “The true north strong and FREE…”  and “God keep our land glorious and FREE…”  So feel ‘free’ to leave comments.  Also I match books to readers.  If there is a type of book you are hankering for, but do not have a title ask me.  I can find you something good to read.  Matching books to readers since, well…now.

Last year I discovered something wonderful…the internet.  Contrary to my prior belief that the internet was fully of crazies and nudie pictures, I found places where people like to discuss books, such as, Goodreads, Library Thing and book review blogs.  I also went on to find book giveaway contests.  That’s right, books given away for FREE!!  (Be still my beating heart.)  I am person who normally does not win contests, but I have been lucky to have won some really great books that I would like to share with you.

 

One contest that I entered was for White Witch Pond by Jody Kihara, a Canadian author from Vancouver.  Jody writes Youth fiction and has now written 7 novels.  What attracted me to Jody’s book, aside from the fact that I do have a fondness for witch stories, is the story centered on a pond in which a witch was supposed to have drowned.  I grew up in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Sally’s Pond is a creepy yet beautiful spot found along the Bolton Pass, a road close to my home. Supposedly, a woman named Sally drowned in this pond years ago.  I had many childhood stories built in my mind about this pond.  Sally was an Indian… Sally was a witch… So I was delighted to read this witch tale so similar to my own childhood musings.

White Witch Pond

By

Jody Kihara

Genre: Youth Fiction/ Horror and Ghost fiction

Age Range: Teens, 13 and up, too scary

Topic: Brother and sister being haunted and witches

Complexity: Straight forward storyline, suspenseful

Style of Writing: Scary Stephen King-like suspense, no violence

Quality of writing: Very Good, Fluid, yet tight

Received from: Jody Kihara in online contest

Published: Star Magnolia Publishing, September 2011

Pages: 173

Rating: 4 stars, Great book.

Goodreads Summary:

Shaya Solen’s walk home from school takes her past an eerie pond, where one day she finds an old bracelet made of raven feathers. Soon, strange events begin to unfold: a shadowy figure glimpsed across the water, ominous nightmares haunting Shaya, and rumors of a witch who once drowned in the pond. With the discovery of a strange family connection to the witch, Shaya is drawn into a mystery that must be solved before the approaching Halloween, which is the thirteenth anniversary of the witch’s death – and Shaya’s birthday.

Review of White Witch Pond

Looking for something creepy to read, look no further.  Jody Kihara has written a very spooky, spine tingling, hair standing up on the back of your neck witch/ghost story for teens and adults alike.  Eerie ponds, dark winding streets in October, strange black dogs and even stranger creepy happenings all combine in a suspenseful quest to solve the mystery of a witch who drowned in a pond on Halloween thirteen years earlier.

Shaya and Dev Solen have just moved to a new city.  The new neighbourhood is made up of a nest of winding streets in which the uninitiated are soon lost.  As a rule, Shaya must walk home from school with her older brother.  While taking a short cut through the park, they pass a pond, rumored to be the site of a drowning of a witch thirteen years earlier.  Next to the pond Shaya finds a raven feather bracelet.  The bracelet gives Shaya a very bad felling and she throws it away. Unfortunately, the bracelet is picked up and taken home by her brother.  Shaya begins to see shadowy images of the witch both near the pond and at home.  When her brother becomes ill and begins to behave strangely, Shaya knows she must investigate the death of the woman in the pond and return the raven bracelet.  But where should she bring the bracelet?  Now running around alone, by herself in the dark October evenings, Shaya sets out to investigate just what happened thirteen years earlier and to find the true meaning of the raven bracelet.

 

White Witch Pond is youth fiction, but since the arrival of Harry Potter and other children literature, adults have felt more comfortable reading books ear marked for kids.  There is something to be said for a book that you can pick up and read in one sitting.  Youth fiction, Harry Potter’s 700 plus pages aside, tends to be formatted for younger readers, therefore; shorter in length and designed to get the attention of younger readers quick and sustain this attention to the conclusion.  In my opinion, those authors who write good youth fiction must have better writing technique then those writing for adults.  They must employ fewer words, write more concisely and yet, at the same time deliver a high caliber plot driven story designed to keep children’s attention.  Jody Kihara is a master at clean concise writing that grabs your attention from the creepy beginning to the not- a- Disney- ending, dramatic cemetery conclusion.

The suspenseful pace and creepy settings are straight out of a Stephen king horror book, minus the hand shooting out of the ground.  Lost in twilight running down dark allies, being chased by a big scary black dog and shadowy glimpses of the witch near the pond and even in front of Shayas’ own home, added a spooky atmosphere to this fast paced book.  This book is scary.  I read this book from beginning to end in one night tucked up in my bed.  I was caught up in the building suspense and at a point in the story where someone seemed to be sneaking up on our main character, Shaya, when my husband decided to walk into the bedroom, as he is wont to do for the last twenty years.  Bad timing. I screamed.  He nearly jumped out of his skin, and looked behind himself, because surely there must be an axe wielding mad man or maundering bear immediately behind him to cause such a reaction.  What’s wrong with you, he yelled. (Years and a team of professionals might be able to come up with an answer to that!)  Scary book, was my only answer.  I had only intended to read the first couple of chapters but once I started reading I was hooked.  (In all honesty, I needed the story resolved before I could sleep.)

The characters are well drawn and true to life, Mom acts like a typical busy mom, distracted and yelling.  Older brother, Dev, is annoying in the way that all brothers are, pestering and superior.  The relationship between siblings is very real with equal parts competive, antagonistic and loving.  The main character Shaya is a bright twelve year old, full of the insecurities of a young girl in a new school and new neighborhood.  Shaya employs great determination to resolve this mystery and does not give up despite being very frightened, and, uses good detective skills in order to save her brother.

I believe girls will like this book more than boys.  The true depiction of the older brother’s taunts and lack of contribution to household chores may be a little too real for a boys taste.  Shaya is a fine model for young girl as she demonstrates good problem solving and independent thinking.  Although new in school, Shaya is able to maintain her own identity and does not allow herself to get caught up in the questionable activity of her new friends.

I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book and will certainly encourage my children read White Witch Pond.  Jody Kihara has written 6 other books which we hope to read soon.

Why do We Love Witch Stories

Witches stories have always been a source of great fascination for me since I was a young girl.  And, given the plethora of witch books, I believe many girls and women remain fascinated with this genre.  The witch tale can be both empowering for women and a historical tales of caution dealing with the society’s reaction to those individuals who are different.  Mostly, I believe, especially with the success of the Harry Potter series, that woman and men just want to be able to magically fix things.  The drive that produces gadgets and machines which make our world easier to live in, has its roots in childhood fantasies of magic and witches.  Fantasy promotes wonder and imagination; the urge to make things happen.  You need to be able to imagine a better world before you can create a better world.

Books you may also like:

Children:

Harry Potter Series- Excellent for both children and adults alike.  What is great a about Harry is that he is a boy.  Magic and witches prior to this series had been firmly in the realm of girls.

Narnia Series-  A classic series of magical tales by C.S. Lewis  should be on a mandatory reading list for both adult and children alike.  I reread this series with my children one summer, just wonderful.

Wicked-  by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie.  Teenage witch series for older teen 15 and up.  Some mature themes.  Good degree of scariness

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series- by Michael Scott is an imaginative magical story about twin brother and sister beginning in the book The Alchemyst.

Adults:

The Mayfaire Witches series- by Anne Rice begins with The Witching Hour is by far the best witch books I have ever read to date.  Known for her vampire chronicles, Anne Rice has beautiful writing combined with a creepy New Orleans setting and imaginative plot.

Corrag- by Susan Fletcher.  A historical tale set in Scotland concerning a woman accused of witchcraft.  Lovely writer.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane- by Katherine Howe combines both contemporary and historical timelines to create a very spooky tale.

The Witches of Eastwick-  by John Updike.  If you have not seen the movie, you should classic.  The book is a very worthwhile read.

The Heretic’s Daughter- by Kathleen Kent. A good historical fiction

The Burning Times- by Jeanne Kalogridis. A historical novel of medieval France.  Love this author. 

    

Wicked Series – by Gregory Maguire.  This series has been on my to read list for a while, last book in the series is now out.

For those who are fans of witch series, there is a reading challenge going on at Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf.
http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.blogspot.com/



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