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| Photo credit: Girl Well Read. Do not use without written permission. |
Marais is hilarious and warm, and she sure knows how to throw a party! It was fantastic to see so many bookstagrammers and authors in person, especially Samantha M. Bailey and Marissa Stapley who were Bianca's special guests. There were cocktails, appies, and a tarot card reader.
The coven faces issues that plague all females, one of which is aging. Society is obsessed with youth, tying it to beauty, thus denying women the privilege to grow old gracefully. Another paramount theme is that of sex and sexuality, topics that are often taboo with women that are more mature with age. Marais also explores themes of identity, sisterhood, and the balance of power.
Told from multiple points of view, the characters are complex and unique. With its propulsive narrative and strong female leads, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor is magical, mysterious, and full of mirth. You will be put under its spell.
Five octogenarian witches gather as an angry mob threatens to demolish Moonshyne Manor. All eyes turn to the witch in charge, Queenie, who confesses they’ve fallen far behind on their mortgage payments. Still, there’s hope, since the imminent return of Ruby—one of the sisterhood who’s been gone for thirty-three years—will surely be their salvation.
But the mob is only the start of their troubles. One man is hellbent on avenging his family for the theft of a legacy he claims was rightfully his. In an act of desperation, Queenie makes a bargain with an evil far more powerful than anything they’ve ever faced. Then things take a turn for the worse when Ruby’s homecoming reveals a seemingly insurmountable obstacle instead of the solution to all their problems.
The witches are determined to save their home and themselves, but their aging powers are no match for increasingly malicious threats. Thankfully, they get a bit of help from Persephone, a feisty TikToker eager to smash the patriarchy. As the deadline to save the manor approaches, fractures among the sisterhood are revealed, and long-held secrets are exposed, culminating in a fiery confrontation with their enemies.
BIANCA MARAIS holds a certificate in creative writing from the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies, where she now teaches creative writing. Before turning to writing, she started a corporate training company and volunteered with Cotlands, where she assisted care workers in Soweto with providing aid for HIV/AIDS orphans.
Originally from South Africa, Marais resides in Toronto with her husband.
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