Omens Bite

February 15, 2022
The sequel to Spells Trouble (2021) sees twin sisters Hunter and Mercy on separate paths. Since the death of their mother, Abigail, Hunter and Mercy are the latest Goode witches to become the guardians of the earthly gates to the different mythological Underworlds. But following their failed attempt to heal the sacred trees that mark each portal entrance, the sisters start to drift apart. Hunter delves into dangerous blood magic under the patronage of a Greek goddess, while Mercy befriends Khenti, a warrior who introduces her to the Egyptian Land of the Dead. But time is running out: Can the sisters mend what is broken between the worlds--and between themselves--before it is too late? This return to the Sisters of Salem series largely moves away from the previous entry's shaky worldbuilding and core premise to focus on the complex dynamics between Hunter and Mercy and on their separate journeys. Adrift from each other and struggling with their broken bond, the sisters reckon with grief, guilt, and the development of their powers, each having different experiences that are explored in the story. The unevenly paced narrative drags for the first half, finding a more assured footing toward the ending, when the main plotline also finally moves along. The Goode sisters are White, and Hunter is lesbian. A middle book that lacks bite. (Fantasy. 14-18)

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