Another Trade Review for The Witch's Lens!

Thank you to Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association, for their wonderful review of THE WITCH’S LENS!

And thank you to all the Amazon Prime readers who’ve downloaded and reviewed the book so far during the First Reads pre-publication promotion!

“The Witch’s Lens launches Smith’s (The Raven Song, 2022) newest historical urban fantasy focusing on Petra Kurková and a team of witches who are recruited to combat undead at WWI’s eastern front. When the countries went to war, their magic users went with them, unleashing vile forces that mortals cannot fight on their own. Petra, whose husband, Marek, enlisted without sending home his wages, is scraping by doing tarot readings for her landlady and others, using any extra cash to fund her photography habit that allows her to see souls of the dead on film. This and her other long-suppressed magical abilities lead to her recruitment by the mysterious Josef Svoboda, a mortal who is fighting a terrible curse. Teamed with witches who either avoided the wartime draft or were rejected by the military, Petra is forced to reexamine the limits she has placed on her own magic as she stumbles through encounters with other occult foes. Smith’s thorough descriptions make this first novel in the Order of the Seven Stars series an immersive experience for readers.”

— BOOKLIST

New Trade Review

Much thanks to Library Journal, a trusted trade publication for American librarians, for this delightful review of The Witch’s Lens!

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“In this haunting, supernatural twist on World War I fiction, Petra Kurkova has a magical secret, one that filters out into the real world, with her ability to capture photographs of the souls of the dead. A recruiter, Josef Svoboda, uses that knowledge to bring Petra onto a ragtag team of sorcerers to fight their own battles in the Carpathian Mountains. The war has stirred up terrible, dangerous creatures, and with the help of an ancient organization, the team is tasked with trying to subdue the foul things. But something is amiss; there is power behind the resurrections, and a world balance that has been maintained is set to be ripped apart. Petra must learn to wield her more powerful magic in order to counteract the dangerous magic—before all is lost.

VERDICT A delicious foray into a new series that melds history with the supernatural, from the author of The Raven Song. Smith’s fans, as well as new readers, will delight in the heady mixture of historical fiction, fantasy, and horror.”

Out October 1st from 47North

Full review in the link for those with a subscription to Library Journal.

Ghosts

How could a witch not want to photograph ghosts in a city like this? THE WITCH'S LENS begins in my fantasy version of Prague during WWI, then moves to the eastern front after Petra is recruited to battle the undead who are stalking soldiers in their winter camp.

In THE WOLF’S EYE, book two of The Order of the Seven Stars series, the story will return to Prague and spend time in all the wonderful secret, magical locations invisible to the mortal eye.

First Reads September!

I’m excited to share that THE WITCH’S LENS is an Amazon First Reads choice for September. Prime members get an exclusive first look at books releasing in October. Bring on witchy season!

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Synopsis:

With her husband off fighting at World War I’s eastern front, Petra Kurková embraces her fleeting freedom, roaming the city at night with her camera. A born witch, she’s discovered that she can capture the souls of the dead on film. Her supernatural skills don’t go unnoticed by the enigmatic Josef Svoboda. He’s recruiting a team of sorcerers to infiltrate the front lines, where the bloodshed of combat has resurrected foul creatures. Petra’s unique abilities will be needed against the most dangerous enemies of all—those ever present, undead, and unseen.

Deep in the cursed Carpathian Mountains, the ragtag team meets with an emissary of an ancient organization founded to maintain balance between worlds. Photographing the escalating horrors is beyond anything Petra imagined. So are the secrets among her fellow witches. But Petra can’t turn back. Not before she discovers her husband’s fate and the myriad ways her magic is manifesting. To defeat an occult foe, Petra must release the power she’s been concealing for so long, or risk damning a war-torn world to ashes.

The Wolf's Eye

We’re getting closer to the publication of The Witch’s Lens on October 1st! It’s the first book in The Order of the Seven Stars duology, set in Central Europe at the start of World War I.

I’m pleased to announce the follow-up book, due out in spring 2024, now has an official title: THE WOLF’S EYE.

I’m currently working on revisions for the novel, which should be wrapped up by the time The Witch’s Lens comes out in October. I’ll update with the synopsis and official cover as soon as they’re sorted by the publisher. Until then, I’ll leave this image as a teaser for the novel.

Also, with social media imploding somewhat, just wanted to let people know that if you ever have a question or comment about any of my books, or just want to get in touch, you can use my website contact form to send an email or you can leave a comment here on a blog post.

Cheers!