Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire

As a teenage witch in training, Verity Vox—accompanied by her shape-shifting familiar, Jack— travels from one community to another, offering her magical services at no cost as practice toward perfecting her ability to cast spells through song and spoken spells. Her latest request, mysteriously delivered to Verity upon a leaf, reads: “We’re cursed... Send help.” Tracing the origins of the plea, she arrives in Foxfire, a forgotten Appalachian mining town. Foxfire is suffering from blight and malice; simultaneously, the townsfolk are being conned by wicked salesman Earl, a purveyor of twisted bargains and corrupt contracts. Though Verity gamely attempts to counteract Earl’s curses and restore Foxfire to its former glory, when she learns that Earl draws power from the mountains themselves, she struggles to find ways to weaken his magic. Podcaster Martin, making his YA debut, blends supernatural fare with mundane, cozy elements into a warmly engaging tale about finding one’s place in the world. The sprawling Appalachian setting and nature-infused witchcraft give the narrative a timeless, folkloric feel. Protagonists cue as white. Includes a contextualizing end note. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kate Davids, Arc Literary. (Aug.)