Hello and welcome to #NoWaitWednesday, where we take a look at a title that's sitting on our New Release shelves that's just waiting for a lucky patron to check it out.
Set in the hills of the Ozarks on the Missouri-Arkansas border during the Great Depression, a young woman, Gracelynn Doherty, lives a quiet life as she helps her grandmother get by as a midwife and apothecary to the local community, supplying herbs, advice, and rudimentary medical care to those around Tin Mountain. Whispers abound that Gracelynn - and her Granny - are actually witches, but people still come to their remote mountain cabin for help. That is, until itinerant traveling preacher Josiah Bellflower comes to town, promising blessings, miracles, and prosperity to everyone - after all evil and supernatural beings are rooted out of the community, of course. Gracelynn and her grandmother, once trusted local resources, now become targets, and just before Granny falls into a coma, she believes she recognizes Josiah back from when he first came to Tin Mountain - back when she was a little girl. Is it the same person? As Gracelynn tracks down the mystery with the help of a family diary and the strange visions that accompany it, the narrative shifts to the 1880s to complete the story of how the preacher's destiny entwines with those of the Dohertys.
The Witches of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy is a wonderful example of the historical fiction genre mixed with a handful of fantasy - and an even smaller pinch of horror. "Ozark Gothic" might be a more appropriate genre label here, as Kennedy's novel is dark and moody yet lush and introspective, perfect for readers who want that deep sense of history of a certain time and place yet want an enticing tale filled with mystery and folklore. Readers who enjoyed "Practical Magic" by Alice Hoffman or "Garden Spells" by Sarah Addison Allen will find much to like here. Thanks for reading, and the next time you come in to the library, don't overlook the New Release shelves, as there's always a great read that awaits you!