Witches of Ash & Ruin

About this book

Modern witchcraft blends with ancient Celtic mythology in an epic clash of witches and gods, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab's Shades of Magic trilogy and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Seventeen-year-old Dayna Walsh is struggling to cope with her somatic OCD; the aftermath of being outed as bisexual in her conservative Irish town; and the return of her long-absent mother, who barely seems like a parent. But all that really matters to her is ascending and finally, finally becoming a full witch—plans that are complicated when another coven, rumored to have a sordid history with black magic, arrives in town with premonitions of death. Dayna immediately finds herself at odds with the bewitchingly frustrating Meiner King, the granddaughter of their coven leader. And then a witch turns up murdered at a local sacred site, along with the blood symbol of the Butcher of Manchester—an infamous serial killer whose trail has long gone cold. The killer's motives are enmeshed in a complex web of witches and gods, and Dayna and Meiner soon find themselves at the center of it all. If they don't stop the Butcher, one of them will be next.

Censorship history

In 2024, "Witches of Ash & Ruin" by E. Latimer faced bans at the school level across several districts in the United States, primarily due to its LGBTQ+ content and perceived religious blasphemy. Notably, a formal complaint was filed by a local parent in a conservative Irish town, leading to a heated PTA meeting where the book was ultimately voted to be removed from the curriculum. The ban has been upheld in multiple districts, with ongoing discussions about its reinstatement in light of challenges from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.

Bans

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