Dust on the Altar is a dark urban adult fantasy with magical witches and a touch of sci-fi. It's set in an alternate Earth timeline, where cities are ruled by technology and their citizens have marginalized witches to the townships, where they can practice magic with little fear of reprisal.
Jade loves her life in Sun City: their technology is cutting edge, she's right-hand woman to the country's most powerful business owner, and no one suspects she's a Witch. But when her old coven's High Priestess and last remaining family member is murdered, she’s expected to leave her beloved city life behind, regain the powers she abandoned years ago, and take her place as coven leader.
Going back to Sugar Hill won't be easy. She'll have to find a way to reconcile with her former best friend who's the man she must now call partner, find the keys to her ascension ritual, and stop a Witch who will do anything to bring his daughter back from the dead.
With the coven's magic fading and a whole township counting on her to bring it back, will she find the strength to face the ghosts of her tragic past, or will she run from her responsibilities, again?
Michelle and I met online several years ago and I read an EARLY EARLY EARLY version of this book (and she’s ready early versions of mine too!) so when it turned out we were going to release our books in the same month, I was so excited! I was even more excited when she asked me to be part of her blog tour.
This is such beautiful urban fantasy. It has mystery, love, friendship, and of course - magic! Michelle Winkler offers an intricate and unique world where magic and technology are at odds, and our heroine Jade is caught in the middle.
Jade is both admirable and relatable, and all of her side characters are charming and heartwarming. You quickly grow to love each and every one of them and wish you could bury yourself in this book and join the coven of Sugar Hill! I read this book in one day, and it was a delight from start to finish. If you are looking for a fresh new urban fantasy, you need to pick this book up!