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By the Blood of Rowans book cover
By the Blood of Rowans
2021
First Published
4.23
Average Rating
340
Number of Pages

The Sheehy witches are the most feared and detested family on the island of Inisliath, and none more so than Rowan. As a deathwalker, Rowan ferries island souls to the Otherworld, experiencing their deaths and carrying their memories like ghosts within him. It's a fated role he accepts even as it inexorably destroys him. When the magic on the island starts to seep away from the other founding families, everyone blames the Sheehys—especially when islanders start dying. Ash is sick of their father's fists and constantly having to apologize for who they are. Life on Inisliath might be the fresh start Ash and their mum need, and meeting soft-spoken, curly-haired Rowan feels like the ray of sunshine Ash has desperately needed—but everything goes sideways when Ash's mum becomes lead detective on a series of ritualistic murders allegedly tied to island magic, and Ash's family history. The islanders are convinced Rowan is guilty, but Ash refuses to believe it. When Ash does some investigating of their own, they discover Rowan is far more likely to be the next victim. With time running out to save Rowan, Ash will have to choose between a life free of their father or the boy they’re starting to love. Meanwhile Rowan will have to decide just how much he's willing to sacrifice to save his family from the darkness about to be unleashed on the island. CW: death, murder, suicidal thoughts, physical child abuse (off page).

Avg Rating
4.23
Number of Ratings
26
5 STARS
46%
4 STARS
42%
3 STARS
4%
2 STARS
4%
1 STARS
4%
goodreads

Author

Xan van Rooyen
Xan van Rooyen
Author · 8 books

I'm a genderqueer non-binary author with a penchant for the dark and strange. I primarily write SFF but enjoy literary writing as well. (Pronouns she or they) When not writing, I teach music at an international school, climb, eat anything involving peanut butter, and serve the whims of my shiba inu. I've also published stories and novels as Suzanne van Rooyen and you can find those on the link under 'influences' in my profile.

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