Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Five books that will make you think twice about walking in the woods

Rachel Griffin writes young adult novels inspired by the magic of the world around her.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Griffin has a deep love of nature, from the mountains to the ocean and all the towering evergreens in between. She adores moody skies and thunderstorms, and hopes more vampires settle down in her beloved state of Washington.

When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering the PNW, reading by the fire, or drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea. She lives with her husband, small dog, and growing collection of houseplants.

Griffin is the author of the forthcoming The Nature of Witches.

At Tor.com she tagged "five books that will either make you want to rush in[to the woods] headfirst or run far, far away." One title on the list:
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

This stunning novel takes witchcraft and sets it against a puritanical society that’s bordered by a forbidden Darkwood. The trees are haunted by the spirits of four powerful witches, creating a world that’s as frightening and brutal as it is magical and fierce. The main character radiates a quiet strength that made me want to follow her anywhere, even into the terrifying Darkwood—I had to fight against squeezing my eyes shut out of fear, and keeping them wide open, desperate to find out what happened next. A raw, unflinching feminist fantasy that will haunt you long after you read the last page.
Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue