An Unlikely Coven

Kvita debuts and launches the Green Witch Cycle series with an impressively assured urban fantasy. Twenty-something architect Joan Greenwood is the black sheep of her family, the ruling clans of the East Coast witching world. With limited magical abilities and no desire to engage in her family’s political maneuvering, she fled New York City to escape them seven years ago. Now she’s back for a visit and, after completely forgetting about her arrival, her relatives immediately suck her back into paranormal politics. A mystery has the witching world buzzing: a human, Mik, has somehow channeled magic, and the Greenwoods want that power for themselves before the Wardwells, the ruling witch family of California, can claim it. Enter Astoria Wardwell, whom Joan knew and clashed with as a child at summer camp. The pair agree to work together to save Mik from their families’ machinations, but divided loyalties threaten to tear apart their budding friendship. It’s a relatively straightforward plot, and Kvita hits all the expected beats cleanly. What makes this shine, however, is their nuanced and believable character work. With an extensive and diverse supporting cast, the narrative reads like a love letter to friendship and community while raising age-old questions about the balance of right and wrong. This packs a paranormal punch. (Oct.)