Kirjahaku

Final Destination meets House of Hollow in this haunting and lyrical speculative horror about a group of girls doing Death’s bidding in exchange for preserving their own lives. Roslyn Volk isn’t herself any more. It’s been a year since her older sister, Adeline, was found dead in the woods under suspicious circumstances, and she’s still shackled by grief. When six mysterious girls appear in town one morning, Roslyn finds herself inexplicably drawn to them, soon learning that Adeline spent her last summer with the group.Desperate to find out what really happened to her sister, Roslyn agrees to accompany the girls on their road trip. But this strange sisterhood share an inconceivable secret. All of them have been spared from Death’s clutches and now must pay for the privilege. Gifted with Death’s touch, the girls travel the country reaping souls in return for preserving their own lives.As Roslyn becomes more entangled with the girls, in particular the group's leader Shiloh, and begins to kill on behalf of Death, she learns things that make her question her whole life. Did she ever truly know her sister? And how well does she know herself . . . ?

The Handmaid's Tale meets The Village in this stunning feminist debut . . .Shortlisted for the GoodReads Choice Awards 2020 for Best Debut Novel and Best Horror Novel . . .'A magnificent, raw slice of folk horror, dark with threat and clenched with suspense . . . a brilliant debut to chill the brightest summer day' DAILY MAIL'Thrillingly brisk and bracing . . . it takes the best tropes of horror and witchcraft and gives them a refreshingly feminist twist.' S.A. CHAKRABORTY, author of The City of BrassBorn on the fringes of Bethel, Immanuelle does her best to obey the Church and follow Holy Protocol. For it was in Bethel that the first Prophet pursued and killed four powerful witches, and so cleansed the land.And then a chance encounter lures her into the Darkwood that surrounds Bethel.It is a forbidden place, haunted by the spirits of the witches who bestow an extraordinary gift on Immanuelle. The diary of her dead mother . . .Fascinated by and fearful of the secrets the diary reveals, Immanuelle begins to understand why her mother once consorted with witches. And as the truth about the Prophets, the Church and their history is revealed, so Immanuelle understands what must be done. For the real threat to Bethel is its own darkness.Bethel must change. And that change will begin with her . . .And readers have been bewitched: 'I absolutely could not put it down' ***** 'Hecking scary and tense, it gave me goosebumps more than once' *****'Absolutely stunning read' *****'A truly OUTSTANDING read! I am so glad I picked up this book' *****

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut. In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother's union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement. But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood. Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

WANTED - Bloodmaid of exceptional taste. Must have a keen proclivity for life's finer pleasures. Girls of weak will need not apply.A young woman is drawn into the upper echelons of a society where blood is power in this dark and enthralling Gothic novel from the author of The Year of the Witching. Marion Shaw has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation are all she know. Despite longing to leave the city and its miseries, she has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a peculiar listing in the newspaper seeking a bloodmaid. Though she knows little about the far north--where wealthy nobles live in luxury and drink the blood of those in their service--Marion applies to the position. In a matter of days, she finds herself the newest bloodmaid at the notorious House of Hunger. There, Marion is swept into a world of dark debauchery. At the center of it all is Countess Lisavet. The countess, who presides over this hedonistic court, is loved and feared in equal measure. She takes a special interest in Marion. Lisavet is magnetic, and Marion is eager to please her new mistress. But when she discovers that the ancient walls of the House of Hunger hide even older secrets, Marion is thrust into a vicious game of cat and mouse. She'll need to learn the rules of her new home--and fast--or its halls will soon become her grave.

A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come from outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger. Lennon Carter's life is falling apart. Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because--like everyone else at the school--she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself. After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion's heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton's lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her. As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it's a test she's terrified she's going to fail.

A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come from outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger. Lennon Carter's life is falling apart. Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because--like everyone else at the school--she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself. After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion's heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton's lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her. As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it's a test she's terrified she's going to fail.

'Saturated with violence, desire, and power. It's a book with blood on its lips, and I loved it completely.’ ALIX E. HARROW‘This darkly gorgeous story is a lavish feast for fans of gothic horror. One of my top reads of the year!’ SUNYI DEAN'Alexis Henderson is one of the best Gothic writers out there.' HANNAH WHITTEN‘Dark academia stunner infused with Henderson's signature style – it's lush, atmospheric, imaginative and impossible to put down.’ RACHEL HARRISON'A modern-day Anne Rice, Henderson has a gift for creating a world engorged with desire and death.' THE NEW YORK TIMESLennon Carter’s life is falling apart.Until she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to sit the entrance exam for somewhere very few have heard of - Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah.Lennon has been chosen because - like everyone else at the school - she is special. She possesses the innate gift of persuasion: the ability to wield her will like a weapon and to use it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.After passing the gruelling exam, Lennon must now learn how to master this devastating power.While persuasion takes a heavy toll on her body and her mind, she is captivated by all that surrounds her - her studies, Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, her brilliant classmates and, most of all, by Dante, the charismatic adviser who both intimidates and enamours her.But as Lennon becomes more adept at wielding her uncanny abilities, she uncovers more about the unsettling history of Drayton and Dante’s tragic and violent past, and is increasingly disturbed by what she finds.For it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption and darkness . . . and it's a test she's terrified she is going to fail.

When she was eight years old Juliet was possessed by the same demon that claimed her parents' lives . . . Twenty years later, a steely-eyed Juliet - determined to save other children from her fate - joins The Crucix, a secret sect whose members are demonically possessed exorcists. As an exorcist, Juliet travels the world ridding humans of the powerful (and often violent) demons who've possessed them. There are, however, a few who - like her - have been infected by particularly dangerous demons that are difficult or impossible to expel. These individuals are sent to The Godfrey Home for Demonically Afflicted Children. It was here that Juliet grew up, mentored by the renowned Crucix exorcist Luther Godfrey. He taught Juliet everything she knows about exorcism, including the cardinal rule: that under no circumstances should an exorcist kill a child host. Juliet’s loyalty to the Crucix creed is challenged when Luther Godfrey is savagely attacked by one of his own charges: Samuel, a young boy rumoured to be possessed by The Unnamed, a demon with the rare and extraordinary ability to control and kill other demons. As Luther’s life and soul hang in the balance, Juliet follows a string of gruesome killings and possessions on a harrowing journey to find and banish The Unnamed from the innocent boy who harbours it. And Juliet isn’t the only one hunting Samuel. Other exorcists are after him. Their intention is not just to banish Samuel's demon but to brutally exorcise the boy and use the cataclysmic power of The Unnamed to rid the world of the demonic scourge once and for all. Tempted by the prospect of a world without demons, but bound by guilt and Crucix creed, Juliet is forced to choose between the life of a small boy and the power of the demon within him . . .

In her new role as Bethel's warden, Immanuelle struggles to unify her people and reckon with the strange new gifts she's wielded since the Slaughter; the community seethes with unrest. Worse still, Immanuelle's nights are haunted with gruesome dreams of Bethel's violent destruction. When a band of wounded refugees from beyond the Wall comes to Bethel seeking sanctuary, Immanuelle realises that her nightmares of fire and blood are more than figments . . . they're prophecies of a coming war so brutal, it will make the horrors of the Slaughter seem tame in comparison. Desperate to prevent these visions from becoming reality, Immanuelle embarks on a secret mission beyond the Wall, hoping to negotiate peace with the atheistic city-state of Hebron before the war can begin in earnest. Her quest takes her through war-ravaged wilds, ruined cities, and mountains teeming with hostile tribes . . . all the way to Hebron, where she meets two ruthless Grand Magisters - brother and sister - who are beind this war on superstition and mysticism. Welcomed as a guest of the Grand Magisters' court, Immanuelle enters a dangerous world of politics and intrigue, where reason is prised, religion feared, and magic is outlawed on penalty of death. But as she works to stop the war, her powers continue to manifest, threatening to expose her true nature to the Grand Magisters, who would see her burned. Then negotiations fall apart, and Immanuelle realises that the only way she can end the war is to win it.

NOMINATED FOR BEST HORROR NOVEL in the GOODREADS READERS CHOICE AWARDS...'A lurid, luscious debauch of a book.' Guardian'An unforgettable feast of decadence and depravity, House of Hunger cements Henderson's place as one of the great gothic writers of our generation.' S T GIBSON, author of A Dowry of BloodA young woman is drawn into the upper echelons of a society where blood is power in this dark and enthralling Gothic novel from the author of The Year of the Witching.WANTED: A bloodmaid of exceptional taste. Must have a keen proclivity for life's finer pleasures. Girls of weak will need not apply.Marion Shaw has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation are all she knows. Despite longing to leave the city and its miseries, she has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a strange advertisement in the newspaper, seeking a 'bloodmaid'.Though she knows little about the far north - where wealthy nobles live in luxury and drink the blood of those in their service - Marion applies to the position. In a matter of days, she finds herself at the notorious House of Hunger. There, Marion is swept into a world of dark debauchery - and there, at the centre of it all is her.Her name is Countess Lisavet. Loved and feared in equal measure, she presides over this hedonistic court. And she takes a special interest in Marion. Lisavet is magnetic, charismatic, seductive - and Marion is eager to please her new mistress. But when her fellow bloodmaids begin to go missing in the night, Marion is thrust into a vicious game of cat and mouse. She'll need to learn the rules of her new home - and fast - or its halls will soon become her grave.

‘Saturated with violence, desire, and power. It's a book with blood on its lips, and I loved it completely.’ ALIX E. HARROW'Alexis Henderson is one of the best Gothic writers out there.' HANNAH WHITTEN‘Dark academia stunner infused with Henderson's signature style – it's lush, atmospheric, imaginative and impossible to put down.’ RACHEL HARRISON'A modern-day Anne Rice, Henderson has a gift for creating a world engorged with desire and death.' THE NEW YORK TIMESLennon Carter’s life is falling apart.Until she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to sit the entrance exam for somewhere few have heard of – Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah.Lennon doesn’t know it yet, but she is special. She possesses the innate gift of persuasion: the ability to wield her will like a weapon, controlling others, and even matter itself. But this is a devastating power than Lennon must learn how to master.While persuasion takes a heavy toll on her body and her mind, she is captivated by all that surrounds her – her studies, Drayton’s lush campus and, most of all, Dante – the charismatic adviser who both intimidates and enamours her.But the longer that Lennon spends at Drayton, learning to wield her uncanny abilities, the more she uncovers about Drayton’s unsettling history, and Dante’s tragic and violent past.For it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption and darkness . . . and it’s a test she’s terrified she is going to fail.

A young exorcist faces demons both real and figurative in this searing horror novel from the author of The Year of the Witching and An Academy for Liars. At eight years old, Juliet Godfrey was violently possessed by a demon who had already claimed the lives of her parents. When it proved unexpellable, she was sent to the gothic halls of the Godfrey Home for Demonically Afflicted Children, where she grew up under the mentorship and care of exorcist Luther Godfrey-and formed an uneasy truce with the demon inside of her. Twenty years after her possession, a steely-eyed Juliet travels the country as an exorcist herself, removing powerful (and often violent) demons from their human hosts, and occasionally referring the rare children like her, who are infected with particularly dangerous demons, to the Godfrey Home. When Luther Godfrey dies following the unexplained disappearance of Seth, one of his troubled young charges, Juliet returns home for the first time in many years to attend his funeral. But upon her arrival, Juliet discovers that Luther left Godfrey House, and the care of all its students, to her. As the house's new matron, it's Juliet's responsibility to protect Luther's legacy and find his missing charge, Seth, before the dark forces that stalk him claim his life...and his soul.