Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch

Description:

DELUXE EDITION--a gorgeous hardcover edition featuring beautiful stenciled edges!

The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch is an adventurous cozy fantasy romance about a retired war sorceress, her seventeen magical cats, and the hero she never expected to meet, by #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Spellshop series, Sarah Beth Durst.

Eva was once hailed as the Sorceress Savior, until she was called the Butcher of Vyron. Now she's known only as the Cat Lady, and that's exactly how she likes it.

Years of magical warfare in the Kingdom of Revok left pools of toxic battle magic dotting the war-torn countryside. With her most loyal cat by her side and her staff in hand, Eva now rescues creatures unfortunate enough to have absorbed the magical residue: cats.

Regardless of whether it's a stray breathing fire or the baker's pet making the kitchen rain, Eva takes care of any and all problems of a feline nature. For a small fee. When Eva and her seventeen cats (some would say that's too many, and some would be wrong) get run out of town, she knows she needs to find a permanent, accepting home for her dangerous rescues.

A remote village in the mountains seems to be just what they're looking for: a sanctuary where they can live free and start to heal with no neighbors all over their business--well, except for the decidedly handsome local builder. But soon Eva realizes that she's not the only person in the mountains with a dark past, a magical secret to hide, or people who would kill to find her. And Eva, just like her cats, is already on her ninth life....

The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch is a safe-space read where you'll find healing, love so tender, and the cuddliest of magical cats, perfect for fans of Heather Fawcett's Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter and Kanehito Yamada's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Expect:
Standalone romance
Found family
Cat mom x dog dad
Whimsical creatures

Bramble books by Sarah Beth Durst

The Spellshop series
The Spellshop
The Enchanted Greenhouse
Sea of Charms
The Magical Cheese Emporium

Other novels
The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch

Brief description: Sarah Beth Durst is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty books for adults, teens, and kids including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded the American Library Association Alex Award, the Libby Book Award for Best Fantasy, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.

Review Quotes:

"The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch has it all--a fabulous cast of characters, lovely romance, warm and healing vibes, and most importantly, cats! I couldn't have loved it more! It's the perfect whimsical, cozy fantasy read, and exactly the kind of huggable book Sarah Beth Durst does so very well. You won't just read it, you'll feel it in your heart." --India Holton, USA Today bestselling author

Praise for The Spellshop
A New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestseller!

"If the words 'cottagecore fantasy romance' sound appealing, this is the fall book for you. Durst's cheerful, unapologetically low-stakes novel is an exemplar of the literary subgenre." --The New York Times

"Expect slow days in a sleepy coastal village, baked goods, winged kittens, a sentient spider plant, and a hot man who builds bookshelves for our heroine. I, for one, couldn't ask for more." --Sangu Mandanna, bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

"Those who come for the cheery aesthetic and celebration of everyday successes... will find this utterly delightful."--Publisher's Weekly

"A story full of love, magic, plants, books, and mutual aid, for those who love to see heroes fight for a gentle life and a cozy corner of the world to call their own." --Booklist

"Kindness is king in this soft and breezy low-stakes cottagecore fantasy."--Kirkus

"As comforting as homemade jam on a fresh baked muffin!" --Rebecca Thorne, author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea

"Thoroughly enchanting!" --Heather Webber, USA Today bestselling author

"The Spellshop is about believing in the kindness of people, even when you've seen nothing but cruelty." --J.R. Dawson, author of The First Bright Thing

"Reading this book was like sitting in the sun, watching bees in the foxgloves; I finished the book smiling." --Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale

Praise for The Enchanted Greenhouse
A New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestseller!

"A beautiful, profoundly hopeful love letter to the magic of community." --Sangu Mandanna, bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

"The perfect comfort-read to sink into! --Stephanie Burgis, author of Wooing the Witch Queen

"This magical novel offers the reader a respite from cold reality, a balm of beauty and fragrance, and a spell of priceless enchantment." --Jennifer K. Lambert, USA TODAY bestselling author of Never the Roses

"Kind, comforting, and utterly delightful - reading this book feels like coming home." --Julie Leong, bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes

"A charming ensemble of characters, delightful mythical beings, and a sprinkle of wondrous magic make this world one you'll want to linger in well past the final page." --M. Stevenson, author of Behooved

Praise for Sea of Charms
An Instand New York Times, USA Today and indie bestseller!
Featured in The New York Times's "The Novels Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026"!

"Oh, is Sarah Beth Durst good at writing imaginative magical worlds! A really beautiful book that made my heart melt." --Stephanie Burgis, author of Wooing the Witch Queen