{"product_id":"extraordinary-quests-for-amateur-witches-isbn-9780593814017","title":"Extraordinary Quests for Amateur Witches","description":"\u003cb\u003eAfter accidentally cursing his ex-boyfriend, a reluctant hero must complete a dangerous quest to undo his spell . . . all while falling for a brooding new crewmate with dark secrets.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKieran has never had much luck in love or magic. Other than being freed from a family curse that would have killed him and doomed his twin sister, life isn’t going his way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo, after getting put on notice by his boyfriend and accidentally writing a poem so bad (and magically hazardous) that it makes him invisible to the guy, \u003ci\u003eof course\u003c\/i\u003e Kieran returns home to find the Witches Council sitting in his living room, demanding he complete his magical training. Panicked, he blurts out that his Calling—a kind of magical thesis—will be to find a magical cure-all that can break any curse . . . an enormous task that he absolutely doesn’t have the power to pull off.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNevertheless, Kieran sets off on this dangerous journey, accompanied by his sister Briar, her girlfriend Delilah, and a swoony new crewmate, Sebastian. If he survives, he may just learn how to turn his luck around and figure out what kind of witch, person, and boyfriend he wants to be.\"\u003cb\u003eAn absolutely enchanting quest\u003c\/b\u003e full of endearing characters you can't help but take into your heart! Prepare to be charmed!\"—Sarah Beth Durst, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Spellshop\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e★ \"This feel-good magical fetch-quest-style adventure will do well in libraries with diverse young fantasy readers who love \u003cb\u003ea cozy tale\u003c\/b\u003e.\" —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eA trope-packed queer romance \u003c\/b\u003ewith a satisfyingly happy ending.\"\u003ci\u003e —Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003ePractical Rules for Cursed Witches\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Part cozy romance, part coming-of-age adventure (with airships!), \u003ci\u003ePractical Rules for Cursed Witches\u003c\/i\u003e is \u003cb\u003ea whimsical delight\u003c\/b\u003e. Highly recommended!\"—Heather Fawcett, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eA big-hearted road trip\u003c\/b\u003e bursting with charm, humor, and whimsical magic.\"—Allison Saft, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eA Fragile Enchantment\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"The perfect recipe of complex yet charming characters, generational curses, monsters, and a dash of magic that blend together for \u003cb\u003ean enchantingly good time\u003c\/b\u003e.\"—F. T. Lukens, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eSo This Is Ever After\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eKayla Cottingham \u003c\/b\u003e(they\/she) is a former teen librarian and \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of sapphic horror and fantasy novels, including \u003ci\u003ePractical Rules for Cursed Witches\u003c\/i\u003e. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Kayla lives in Boston, where they love to go hiking in the woods, play RPGs, and snuggle on the couch with their ridiculously large black cat, Squid.Chapter One\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs the first snow of the year began falling on the golden city of Gellingham, Kie­ran Pelumbra was hours away from unintentionally upending the entire course of his life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe, of course, wouldn’t have guessed that at the time. For him, it was like any other Friday since his move to Celdwyn’s capital city. He’d woken to the piercing ring of his alarm clock just before the sun rose, thrown on his wrinkled uniform, and shuffled off through the frigid air on his way to the Witch’s Brew Café. The morning rush had seemed endless; due to the café’s proximity to the Library of Curses, most of their clients were, predictably, witches.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNone of them, however, was the witch Kie­ran was not-­so-­patiently waiting for.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs each new customer walked through the door, a silver bell rang overhead. Kie­ran couldn’t help but tear his attention away from the customer ordering to see if maybe, just maybe, a familiar face would appear. As the minutes ticked by, though, only the regulars and a few tourists stopped in. He examined the clock on the wall as the hands moved far too quickly toward nine a.m. That was the start time of said familiar face’s shift at the library, which meant that after nine hit, it was pretty much a guarantee he wasn’t stopping in.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the clock’s arms landed on twelve and nine, Kie­ran let out a long, strained sigh.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Is making a mocha really that much of a hassle?” the customer in front of him asked, incredulous.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran jumped at the sound of the voice. “What? Oh—­no, I’m sorry. Just distracted. I’ll have that for you at the bar in just a moment.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs Kie­ran turned to the espresso machine, his coworker, a blond woman in her early twenties named Sylvia, shot him a sideways look.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Hoping Ash will come in?” she guessed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBlood rushed to Kie­ran’s cheeks. It had been six months since Kie­ran started dating Ash Bartelle, an apprentice librarian at Gellingham’s famed Library of Curses. Their relationship hadn’t started in earnest until just after Kie­ran’s deadly family curse broke last spring, thanks to his best friend, Delilah Bea. After a brief period of travel around the country, Kie­ran, along with his twin sister, Briar, and Delilah, her girlfriend, had decided to move to Gellingham. For Delilah, it had meant the opportunity to become a professional cursebreaker. For Kie­ran, it had meant a chance at pursuing the handsome librarian he’d fallen for on their first trip to the city.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEverything had clicked into place. The first few months of dating Ash had been some of the most exciting of Kie­ran’s life. The boys had explored the city together, trying all kinds of new foods and checking out the historic sites Ash had such an intense love for. The relationship had been fun, and easy, and Kie­ran had looked forward to seeing it grow every day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUntil the summer ended, anyway. As soon as autumn arrived, Ash’s apprenticeship kicked back into full gear, taking up most of his free time. At first, they’d managed to still see each other. Their meetings were brief but enjoyable. But as the city grew colder, the stretches between meetings got longer and longer until . . . \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran loaded a scoop of ground coffee beans into the espresso machine, cranking it until it clicked into place. “He’s probably just trying to save money—­you know how it is. Apprentices don’t make much, and rent’s expensive.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSylvia’s lips pressed into a line. “Doesn’t stop all the other apprentices from stopping in every morning.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran opened his mouth to shoot some comment back at her, but then Sylvia turned on the frother, which let out a loud hiss as she dipped it into the milk. That, paired with the rumble of the espresso machine, made it too loud to do anything but watch the machines work. Espresso slowly began to spit into a small white cup, and the milk began to bubble and steam, giving off a warm aroma.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the machines finished and the noise quieted, Sylvia asked, “When did Ash last come in?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran had to hold back a wince. “Oh, well . . . Lauren said he’s been coming in in the afternoons pretty frequently. He’s less busy then, I think.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In the afternoons . . . when you’re not working?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran turned even redder. “Maybe we could talk about something else? The closers haven’t cleaned the floors since Wednesday—­”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Kie­ran, come on. While you stare at the door like a war widow waiting for a soldier who’ll never come home, I’m picking up the slack. I think I deserve a little honesty.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Honesty about what?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Face it, Kie­ran: He’s avoiding you, and it’s messing with your head. A \u003ci\u003elot.\u003c\/i\u003e”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran tensed. His stomach twisted, and bile crept up his throat. “No, he’s not. He’s just . . . got a lot on his plate.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSylvia cocked an eyebrow. “How long has it been since you last saw each other?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran flinched. The answer wouldn’t have been so hard to wrap his head around if he hadn’t been literally counting the days. Especially since one day had turned into three, then five, then a week, and then . . . \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A month,” Kie­ran admitted, forcing himself to focus on mixing thin curls of chocolate into the espresso and milk, melting them down the moment they hit the steaming liquid. “Give or take.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A \u003ci\u003emonth\u003c\/i\u003e?” Sylvia repeated in horror. She shook her head. “Kie­ran, if someone you’re in a relationship with doesn’t talk to you for that long, it’s not a good sign.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“So?” he shot back, tone more venomous than he’d intended. “Some couples just—­you know—­talk less than others. How often do you talk to Raya?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Every day,” Sylvia replied without missing a beat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran blinked. “Seriously?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSylvia nodded. “Sometimes it’s just a five-­minute call to check in, but yeah. If they didn’t talk to me for a month, I’d assume they were dead or . . .”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran asked the question before the growing anxiety tightened his throat too much: “Or what?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Or they were breaking up with me.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran recoiled as if he’d been slapped. He quickly righted himself, clearing his throat. “Well—­that’s just your relationship, right? It’s not like that for everyone. Plus, for the record, Ash called me yesterday \u003ci\u003eand\u003c\/i\u003e we’re getting dinner tonight, so maybe you’re overthinking it.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eI’m\u003c\/i\u003e overthinking it?” Sylvia repeated, trying not to laugh. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Kie­ran, come on. You gotta be realistic about this. A relationship where you don’t communicate isn’t much of a relationship at all. You deserve to feel like a priority in your partner’s life.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran’s eyes went to the floor. “He’s just . . . busy, okay? I can’t blame him for that.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“We’re all busy, Kie­ran. What matters is who we make time for.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSylvia took the finished mocha from Kie­ran as he stood in silence, staring out at the door again. While she called the customer’s name and set the mug on the bar, Kie­ran exhaled through his nose.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShe doesn’t know what she’s talking about.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShe doesn’t know\u003c\/i\u003e us.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat afternoon, Kie­ran returned home to the shoddy little apartment he shared with Briar and Delilah. He was tired enough that he passed out face-­first on the couch and slept for nearly an hour before the sound of Delilah rifling through the kitchen cabinets stirred him from his post-­work nap haze. He moaned, just faintly, and Delilah stifled a chuckle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Sorry to wake you,” she said as she pulled down a mixing bowl from one of the higher cabinets. Now that his eyes were open, Kie­ran spotted tins of flour and sugar lined up neatly on the counter. Delilah continued: “I’m meeting some potential clients this evening, and I wanted to make them some enchanted biscuits as a sort of . . . preview of my magic. Might help sell them when it comes to hiring me to break their curse.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKie­ran sat up, rubbing his bleary eyes with the inside of his forearm. “Oh, it’s okay. I should have gone to my room.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“But it’s too cold in there?” Delilah guessed, shooting him a wry smile over her shoulder as she pulled her brown curls into a ponytail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn response to her repeating his frequent grievance, Kie­ran muttered, “Maybe.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDelilah laughed, then turned back to her baking. Ever since they’d moved in together, near the end of summer, she’d made an effort to fill the run-­down apartment with things that made it feel more like a home and less like a refuge for wayward mice (which they had seemingly evicted, though Kie­ran wasn’t holding his breath).","brand":"Delacorte Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233157722341,"sku":"NP9780593814017","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593814017.jpg?v=1767726569","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/extraordinary-quests-for-amateur-witches-isbn-9780593814017","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}