My Review: This is a compulsive read, I genuinely couldn’t put it down until I knew how this cross-historical supernatural story would end. Marie is mysteriously connected to two other teenage girls who lived at different times in history, Aine (enslaved by invading Romans) and Sarah (accused of witchcraft) and the fate of their souls are fatally intertwined. I always enjoy it when adults in stories for children and teens immediately take their young people seriously when there are supernatural forces involved. For me it ups the stakes when adults are aware of the danger and seriousness of the situation but reliant on the teens for solutions which is what happens in this story. In fact it’s Marie’s twin brother Ben who doubts the truth behind her fears at first. There’s a rich seam of horror titles pitched at that illusive ‘teen’ 12+ market at the moment and this exciting and atmospheric book fits solidly into this (as do Stone and Witch by the same author).

Suggested For: 12+ readers who enjoy their supernatural horror more spooky and atmospheric rather than gory

If You Like This You Might Enjoy: Cuckoo Song by Francis Hardinge, Wilde by Eloise Williams, Crow Children by James Dixon, Wolf Light or A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe, The Twelve by Liz Hyder, Whispering Hollow by Rachel Burge, Sisters of the Moon by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, the All Our Hidden Gifts series by Caroline O’Donoghue, The Revelry by Katherine Webber, Ghostlight by Kenneth Oppel

Blurb: What calls across the centuries to three girls drawn together to lay to rest an ancient evil in the woods?

60 AD

A blackbird calls a warning. Aine, a slave girl running away from her Roman masters, pauses to listen as she lifts a totemic, druid carving she’s found in the tunnel where she’s hiding. The last thing she sees is a tangle of matted fur, a sheaf of claws, a flash of fangs, as she unleashes a hungry animal presence.

1783 AD

Centuries later, white witch Sarah Gibson wanders the woods in search of refuge. She’s at ease here with the changing seasons, the plants and animals, until one moonlit night, she senses Aine’s terror. The blackbird calls a warning, but Sarah wants to help Aine’s restless spirit.

Present day

Marie has dropped out of Art College and is staying with her Aunt for a while. But the woods nearby are hiding something. Marie can feel it. She hears the local gossip about tragic happenings there. Hopelessly caught by the ghostly voices of the past that echo uneasily in her present, Marie must pit her wits against powerful old magic.

Thanks to Head of Zeus for the review copy via NetGalley.