A Curse of Ash and Embers

Jo Spurrier

Oct 2018 · Sold by HarperCollins Australia

About this ebook

A dead witch. A bitter curse. A battle of magic.

Some people knit socks by the fire at night. Gyssha Blackbone made monsters.

But the old witch is dead now, and somehow it's Elodie's job to clean up the mess.

When she was hired at Black Oak Cottage, Elodie had no idea she'd find herself working for a witch; and her acid-tongued new mistress, Aleida, was not expecting a housemaid to turn up on her doorstep.

Gyssha's final curse left Aleida practically dead on her feet, and now, with huge monsters roaming the woods, a demonic tree lurking in the orchard and an angry warlock demanding repayment of a debt, Aleida needs Elodie's help, whether she likes it or not.

And no matter what the old witch throws at her, to Elodie it's still better than going back home.

Praise for Winter Be My Shield:

'Unlikely heroes, villains you will cheer for, and cold that eats your bones. "Winter Be My Shield" will take you to an unforgiving place, but you won't want to leave it.' Robin Hobb

Ratings and reviews

Elodie receives a letter from a mysterious sender offering her work as a housemaid and when she was hired at Black Oak Cottage, she had no idea she'd find herself working for a witch—Aleida—who was not expecting a housemaid to turn up on her doorstep. Amidst her employment, no matter what the old witch throws at her, to Elodie it's still better than going back to her abusive home even if it means dealing with the consequences of a dead witch—Gyssha Blackbone, who made monsters—, a bitter curse and a battle of magic. Somehow, someway it's Elodie's job to clean up the mess the old dead witch made which lead readers on a otherworldly journey filled with magic, monsters, witches and more. … and based on the reviews, ‘A Curse of Ash and Embers’ was not as terrible as I thought it would be. I actually quite enjoyed myself. From the relationship between Elodie and Aleida, the cause the death of Gyssha and her resurrection, Dee’s upbringing, outstanding world-building, and the characters themselves had me hooked from the get-go. The likable characters, refreshing and unique premise, and lack of romance really brought this story together. Though this could really end as a standalone, I am really excited to continue the ‘Tales of the Blackbone Witches’ series to see how Dee and Aleida grow and evolve.

I absolutely loved this story, and the others. Ill be keeping an eye out for this author. Rereading what i have until a new one arrives

Great book

About the author

Jo Spurrier was born in 1980 and has a Bachelor of Science, but turned to writing because people tend to get upset when scientists make things up. Her interests include knitting, spinning, cooking and research. She lives in Adelaide and spends a lot of time daydreaming about snow.