Ballad for Jasmine Town -- Molly Ringle, Paperback

A law-abiding metalworking witch and a form-shifting half-fae musician embark on a secret romance, but soon become caught in escalating tensions between fae and humans that threaten their hometown. The second story after the popular Lava Red Feather Blue comes alive in Ballad for Jasmine Town.

The town of Miryoku has ocean views, fragrant jasmine vines, and a thriving arts scene, including a popular nineties cover band. It also sits on the verge, sharing a border with fae territory, a realm of both enchantments and dangers.

Rafi has been unusual all his life: a human born to a fae mother, a mortal denizen of the fae realm, a form-shifter. He aches to join the human world, but prejudices and legal tangles stand in his way. After the death of his beloved human grandmother at the careless hands of fae, his only connection to humans is the cover band he plays with--until he meets Roxana.

Roxana is a dutiful single parent and a metalworking witch specializing in healing charms. When she meets Rafi one summer night and repairs an instrument string for him, they strike up a friendship that soon kindles into love. But she's moving away from Miryoku at summer's end, and Rafi must stay, determined to stop the fae who keep hurting townsfolk. Together, Roxana and Rafi formulate an idea that might tame the most dangerous offenders--or might only accelerate the doom of their hometown.

Author: Molly Ringle
Publisher: Central Avenue
Published: 06/04/2024
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.98w x 0.79d
ISBN: 9781771683647

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 04/22/2024
Foreword 04/24/2024

About the Author
Molly Ringle was one of the quiet, weird kids in school, and is now one of the quiet, weird writers of the world. For as long as she can remember, from elementary school libraries to university anthropology courses to the deliciously imaginative niches of online fandom, she's been passionately drawn to queer literature and other works that challenge and reshape cultures. With her intense devotion to humor, she was proud to win the grand prize in the 2010 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest with one (intentionally) terrible sentence. She's into folklore, fantasy, mythology, mild rainy climates, gardens, chocolate, tea, and perfume (or really anything that smells good). Though she made up occasional imaginary realms in her Oregon backyard while growing up, Eidolonia is her first full-fledged fictional country. Molly currently lives in Seattle with her husband, kids, corgi, and a lot of moss.