The Book of Autumn - by Molly O'Sullivan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Try as she might, anthropologist Marcella Gibbons can't escape the fact that she's a dimidium, one half of a formidable pair of Magicians, forever tied together to enable the other's powers. After a tumultuous final year at Seinford and Brown College of Agriculture (and Magic) in rural New Mexico, Cella felt more than a little uneasy about returning to the sun-drenched desert campus ever again. She'd cut ties with her other half--the charming and rugged rancher Max Middlemore--and sworn off Magic, academia, and heartache for good. Until Max turns up at her door, grinning under his cowboy hat for one last favor. Something is shifting at her alma mater, something bigger than anyone understands. One student is dead. Another is floating midair in the infirmary, growling guttural nonsense and terrifying the staff. Their best, perhaps only, chance to intervene requires Cella and Max to work together. But the origins of the disturbances lie centuries ago. To unravel them, Cella will have to confront the truth about her past--and Max. Because she might be challenging a power she could never rival alone . . ."--

Book Synopsis

For readers of Adrienne Young, Olivie Blake, Erin Sterling, Hazel Beck, and Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House, a spellbinding debut about ambition, privilege, second chance romance, and ancient magic set at an enchanted school tucked among the red mesas of rural New Mexico, where a formidable pair of magicians are summoned to pursue an alleged killer.

*A Publishers Marketplace BUZZ BOOKS Selection*

Try as she might, anthropologist Marcella Gibbons can't escape the fact that she's a dimidium, one half of a formidable pair of Magicians, forever tied together to enable the other's powers. After a tumultuous final year at Seinford and Brown College of Agriculture (and Magic) in rural New Mexico, Cella felt more than a little uneasy about returning to the sun-drenched desert campus ever again. She'd cut ties with her other half--the charming and rugged rancher Max Middlemore--and sworn off Magic, academia, and heartache for good.

Until Max turns up at her door, grinning under his cowboy hat for one last favor. Something is shifting at her alma mater, something bigger than anyone understands. One student is dead. Another is floating midair in the infirmary, growling guttural nonsense and terrifying the staff. Their best, perhaps only, chance to intervene requires Cella and Max to work together. But the origins of the disturbances lie centuries ago. To unravel them, Cella will have to confront the truth about her past--and Max. Because she might be challenging a power she could never rival alone . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for The Book of Autumn

"Stunning. . . The Book of Autumn is a resplendent fantasy novel in which a young magician determines her relationship with magic on her own terms." --Foreward Reviews

"O'Sullivan debuts with an appealing and vibrant addition to the dark academia genre, set in sun-soaked New Mexico and replacing dim and drafty castles with dramatic Southwest scenery." --Library Journal

"O'Sullivan's sun-drenched debut sheds an unexpected light into the shadowiest corners of dark academia. A poignant portrait of power, prestige, and personal growth, O'Sullivan masters the delicate balance between dire cosmic consequences and visceral, character-driven intimacy. Autumn's magic feels a fingertip away." --A. Rae Dunlap, author of The Resurrectionist

"Ancient magic, gruesome murder, a second-chance romance to die for, and a setting so vivid, you can feel the desert air on your skin and smell the horses. The Book of Autumn is a masterclass in contemporary fantasy: suspenseful, clever, and atmospheric." --Genoveva Dimova, author of Foul Days

"A refreshingly sunbaked dark academia set amidst the mesas and ranches of New Mexico, O'Sullivan's debut is scorching with romance and magic, ambition and power, and the insidious nature of grief." --Francesca May, author of Wild and Wicked Things

"A stunning debut, with one of the best mystery twists! O'Sullivan artfully blends dark academia and a unique magic system with a second-chance romance, making this debut unputdownable." --Alysha Rameera, author of Her Soul for a Crown

About the Author

Molly O'Sullivan is a cybersecurity engineer turned speculative fiction writer with a deep love for the natural world, tea, and for characters who, despite everything, still manage to hope. Originally from South Carolina, she has lived all over the country but now resides outside Seattle. Visit her online at MollyOSullivan.com.