High school folks - 

Check out this new YA fantasy novel, The Witchfinder’s Serpent (ISBN 979-8886450903) published by Greenleaf Book Group and CASL member Rande Goodwin. 

>From Rande - Although it is primarily a modern day story, it is built in part on some very interesting local history, the early American witch trials that began here in CT nearly 50 years before Salem.  So far I’ve shared it with the Conard and Hall high schools in West Hartford and the students have been quite interested in the topic.  Here are a few of the reviews/awards I’ve received so far that I am most proud of (a larger list can be found below):

• Winner, Fantasy Thriller of the Year—2023 The BestThrillers Book Awards
• Silver Winner, Best Teen Book—2023 Reader’s Choice Book Awards

• Spellbinding tale of New England witchery with stellar twists. Editor’s pick"  —Publisher’s Weekly Booklife

• "Readers are immersed into a world where the past and present collide, and where the supernatural is hidden among the mundane. This is a thrilling and compelling read for young adults and adult readers who enjoy magic and suspense. 5 stars”—Readers' Choice Book Awards

• "The Witchfinder’s Serpent has elements of well-researched history combined with a contemporary setting in an intriguing mystery. Goodwin's ability to relate history to contemporary life is phenomenal. This young adult book will cause readers to stretch their imaginations and look at local history creatively.”—AuthorsReading.com

• "Rande Goodwin’s book, “The Witchfinder’s Serpent” is a beguiling teen and young adult fantasy read whose quick pace sets the mood for an addicting ride! 5 stars"—Reader Views Kids

• "For a series opener, the author supplies a wealth of details, including backstories and insight into various types of magick. The final act offers some closure while also revealing a few surprises that could kickstart a sequel. Well-developed characters enliven an absorbing novel that promises a bewitching saga to come.” —Kirkus Indies

 

*** Additional Info ***

Something wicked this way comes . . .

When fifteen-year-old Nate Watson moves to Windsor to live with his mysterious Aunt Celia, the last things on his mind are witches and magick and ancient vendettas. While Nate focuses on building a new life for himself and his younger brother, making new friends and adjusting to a new high school, he can't escape the feeling that something isn't as it seems.

Nate's search for answers leads him to a forbidden, locked door in Aunt Celia's mansion. Inside, he finds a witch’s workshop full of mystical artifacts, some dating back to the time of the earliest Puritan settlers. It's no coincidence that Nate is now living in the very same town where, forty-five years before the Salem witch trials, Alse Young was hanged as America's first witch.

Could magick be real? Nate remains skeptical until he picks up the witchfinder’s serpent--a powerful, demonic bracelet that wraps itself around his arm and permanently imbeds itself into his flesh. Now Nate must confront the truth about Aunt Celia's unlikely ancestry--as well as his own. And with her help, he must find a way to remove the bracelet before the serpent's previous owner returns--an ancient and powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to get it back.

 

Editorial Reviews

• The Witchfinder’s Serpent reimagines the early American witch trials as the backdrop to a very modern YA adventure—but with a clever twist that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat until the very last page. —Amber Benson, author and actor, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

• “In the 1640s, Britain’s Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, scoured the English countryside with one purpose—to accuse, bring to trial, and publicly execute as many ‘witches’ as he could be paid to identify. History says he died at a young age of a mysterious illness, but suppose he fled to America instead . . . ? Rande Goodwin's debut novel, The Witchfinder's Serpent, is a fun, fact-filled tale of revenge that weaves past with present as all hell breaks loose in a quiet New England town.” —Steve Alten, New York Times best-selling author of MEG and The Loch

• “Rande Goodwin’s The Witchfinder’s Serpent is a delightful debut novel that builds upon a fascinating period of human history.”—Peter David, New York Times best-selling author

• “Witches, warlocks, and high school—what could be more frightening? Rande Goodwin's The Witchfinder's Serpent delivers an exciting blend of magic and intrigue.”—Michael Jan Friedman, New York Times best-selling author

• "For a series opener, the author supplies a wealth of details, including backstories and insight into various types of magick. The final act offers some closure while also revealing a few surprises that could kickstart a sequel. Well-developed characters enliven an absorbing novel that promises a bewitching saga to come.” —Kirkus Indies

• "Spellbinding tale of New England witchery with stellar twists. Editor’s pick"  —Publisher’s Weekly Booklife

• "Readers are immersed into a world where the past and present collide, and where the supernatural is hidden among the mundane. This is a thrilling and compelling read for young adults and adult readers who enjoy magic and suspense. 5 stars”—Readers' Choice Book Awards

• "The Witchfinder’s Serpent has elements of well-researched history combined with a contemporary setting in an intriguing mystery. Goodwin's ability to relate history to contemporary life is phenomenal. This young adult book will cause readers to stretch their imaginations and look at local history creatively.”—AuthorsReading.com

• "The Witchfinder's Serpent, Rande Goodwin's first installment of the series, was captivating, mysterious, sad, and shocking. I very much look forward to the second installment in The Witches of Windsor series,—a tale that I truly believe fans of magic and witchcraft stories will most definitely enjoy."—Readers’ Favorite

• "Rande Goodwin’s book, “The Witchfinder’s Serpent” is a beguiling teen and young adult fantasy read whose quick pace sets the mood for an addicting ride! 5 stars"—Reader Views Kids

• Winner, Fantasy Thriller of the Year—2023 The BestThrillers Book Awards
• Silver Winner, Best Teen Book—2023 Reader’s Choice Book Awards

• Amazon rating: 4.7. out of 5 (30 reviews)

• Goodreads rating: 3.84 out of 5 (89 reviews)