Island Witch -- Amanda Jayatissa, Hardcover

"Every once in a while, a book comes along that drops you into another world and takes you places you never could imagine. This is that book. An astounding accomplishment!"
--R. L. Stine, author of Goosebumps

Set in 19th century Sri Lanka and inspired by local folklore, the daughter of a traditional demon-priest--relentlessly bullied by peers and accused of witchcraft herself--tries to solve the mysterious attacks that have been terrorizing her coastal village.

Being the daughter of the village Capuwa, or demon-priest, Amara is used to keeping mostly to herself. Influenced by the new religious practices brought in by the British Colonizers, the villagers who once respected her father's craft have turned on the family. Yet, they all still seem to call on him whenever supernatural disturbances arise.

Now someone--or something--is viciously seizing upon men in the jungle. But instead of enlisting Amara's father's help, the villages have accused him of carrying out the attacks himself.

As she tries to clear her father's name, Amara finds herself haunted by dreams that eerily predict the dark forces on her island. And she can't shake the feeling that it's all connected to the night she was recovering from a strange illness, and woke up, scared and confused, to hear her mother's frantic cries: No one can find out what happened.

Author: Amanda Jayatissa
Publisher: Berkley Books
Published: 02/20/2024
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 9.15h x 6.34w x 1.09d
ISBN: 9780593549261

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 09/01/2023 pg. 14
Publishers Weekly 12/04/2023
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2024
Booklist 01/01/2024 pg. 33

About the Author
Amanda Jayatissa is the author of My Sweet Girl, which won the International Thriller Writer's Award for Best First Novel, and You're Invited. She grew up in Sri Lanka, and currently lives in Portugal with her husband and two spoiled huskies.