The Ash Trials by E. V. Woods
Coming January 2027
A young witch must join forces with the boy she once loved in the magical Ash Trials to earn sanctuary for both their feuding families—or risk losing their magic forever. A bewitching romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Lightlark and Powerless.
Iris Montparsson and her two sisters are the only surviving members of their great witch coven, and they’re running out of magic. Their altar—the center of their power—has stopped refilling, and Witch Hunters are closing in. The Montparssons must resort to the unthinkable: joining forces with their enemy, the Landevilles, to enter the annual Ash Trials.
The Ash Trials take place at Gallows House, a glittering and opulent mansion that only appears once a year, on Halo’swen. Winning brings sanctuary; defeat brings death. But allying with the enemy means Iris will have to partner with August Landeville . . . the boy she once foolishly fell in love with.
Their new alliance is tentative—and for Iris, the thought of working with August seems impossible when her heartbreak never truly healed. But what is heartbreak when winning the Ash Trials is her only hope of survival for herself, and all she loves?
GIRLS OF DARK DIVINE by E. V. Woods
Published August 2025 from Delacorte (US) and Usborne (UK)
A puppet master wielding a dark curse.
A boy made of shadows.
And a girl who must sever the strings and set her sisters free…
Emberlyn is a Marionette – one of a troupe of hauntingly beautiful girls who have been cursed to perform until they turn to dust… When another one of her sisters falls, Emberlyn decides she must fight back against their Puppet Master and free them from this violent dance.
Whisked away to a new theatre, Emberlyn seizes the chance to escape, but instead brings dark secrets and a boy made of shadows to light… As her strings tighten, Emberlyn realizes the only way to break free is to end the Puppet Master once and for all. Except tearing the life out of his veins might destroy the Marionettes too…
Girls of Dark Divine is the enthralling debut Gothic fantasy, laced with dark magic, electrifying romance and burning rage, perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace and Stephanie Garber, with shades of Black Swan.