New Book: Of Witches and Wind (Ever Afters, The) by Shelby Bach

Of Witches and Wind (Ever Afters, The) by Shelby Bach was released this week. This is the second book in Bach's The Ever Afters series following last summer's release of Of Giants and Ice (Ever Afters), which is now in paperback. These books are aimed at middle readers and sound quite fun. Fairy tale characters like Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel are grown-ups running Ever After School and the Snow Queen is the ongoing villain of the series. The first book draws strongest inspiration from Jack and the Beanstalk. The second book's cover looks to be a take on Three Billy Goats Gruff. So there are many fairy tales to be enjoyed here for the savvy fairy tale reader.

Book description for Book 2: Of Witches and Wind (Ever Afters, The):

In this second book in a series that Kirkus Reviews calls a “fast-paced combination of middle school realism and fairy-tale fantasy,” it’s up to Rory to save the Ever After School—and deal with her father’s fiancée. 

After taking part in a successful real-life fairy tale, Rory Landon is now an Ever After School veteran. She has better friends than she’s ever had, and she’s stronger, more confident, and ready to take on whatever comes next.

Or so she thought. When a nefarious plan from The Snow Queen threatens the entire Ever After School program, it is up to Rory and Chase to save everyone. Between this new adventure and what is happening at home—where a potential stepmom has entered the picture—Rory wonders if she really has what it takes to come to the rescue.

Book description for Book 1: Of Giants and Ice (Ever Afters):

When Rory realizes fairy tales are the real deal at Ever After School, she embarks on a classic quest to fulfill her destiny in this “fast-paced combination of middle school realism and fairy-tale fantasy” (Kirkus Reviews).
Rory Landon has spent her whole life being known as the daughter of a famous movie star mom and director dad. So when she begins a new after-school program and no one knows who her family is, Rory realizes something is different. After she ends up fighting a fire-breathing dragon on her first day, she realizes the situation is more unusual than she could have imagined. It turns out the only fame that matters at Ever After School is the kind of fame earned from stories Rory thought were fictional. But as Rory soon learns, fairy tales are very real—and she is destined to star in one of her own.

This first installment of The Ever Afters series reimagines classic fairy tale characters in a modern context, merging familiar fantasy with the everyday realities of middle-grade existence.