A Sword in The Sun
“Page’s enchanting worldbuilding and charming heroine will draw readers in”–Publishers Weekly
Calendula Isadora (Callie to her friends) is a powerful witch with a mind for science…magical science. Her independent ways, not to mention her unseemly affection for her human boyfriend, put her at odds with her San Francisco coven. The last straw comes when she builds and animates a massive golem. Really, such things are simply not done among respectable witchkind. Then a sexy Old Country warlock arrives on the scene, just to complicate things further, as Callie’s best friend, Logandina, falls ill with an inexplicable malady. As Callie delves deeper into the swirl of mysteries surrounding her, the witchkind powers-that-be try to keep her in her place. Naturally, she defies them, with help from her mentor, eight-hundred-year-old Gregorio Andromedus, her mother, a “wild magic” witch with a talent for the tarot, and a few new friends. But when illusion, deception, danger and intrigue are the common currency, how can any witch know who to trust or where to turn? Can Callie rely on anyone besides herself–and her familiar, Elnor?
Praise
Page’s bewitching second Nightcraft Quartet urban fantasy (following The Queen and the Tower) opens with biologist witch Calendula Isadora pregnant and grieving the death of her best friend, Logan. Unbeknownst to Callie’s San Francisco coven, the child she carries is half human, a rare occurrence in the witch community. The only person aware of her secret is her wily mentor, Dr. Gregorio Andromedus, a highly respected and powerful warlock who instructs Callie to claim that the child’s father is fellow warlock Jeremy, Gregorio’s son and Callie’s former lover. Shortly after giving birth, Callie is surprised to find her daughter’s magical ability is much stronger than expected. Meanwhile, Logan’s body is stolen and Callie’s search for clues leads her to Gregorio’s lab—where she discovers that she’s not the only one harboring a dark secret. Now she must stop Gregorio’s twisted plan before it tears the magical world apart. Though the plot idles at times, Page’s enchanting worldbuilding and charming heroine will draw readers in, and an exciting cliffhanger ending sets things up nicely for the next in the series. This fascinating blend of science and fantasy is a treat. (Feb.)
—Publishers Weekly