Sixteen-year-old Mark has always known his grandmother was a witch. In the Yorkshire countryside, strange family traditions and Winter Solstice celebrations are just part of life. But when his Nanna finally reveals the truth about his family heritage, Mark is given a choice: learn real witchcraft… or walk away.
As Mark begins to explore magic, a mysterious new student arrives at school. Damian is handsome, guarded, and carrying far more baggage than anyone realises. Drawn together by friendship and growing feelings, Mark soon discovers there’s something deeply wrong. Tragedy follows Damian wherever he goes, and Mark becomes convinced that a dark curse is at work.
As winter closes in and ancient forces begin to stir, Mark is thrown into a world of spells, danger and impossible choices. Because saving Damian may mean risking everything — and some magic comes with a price far greater than anyone expects.
Perfect for fans of LGBTQ+ urban fantasy, found family, slow-burn romance, and magical adventures with heart.
Winter Trials is the spellbinding first book in the bestselling Northern Witch series.
K.S. Marsden is an internationally best-selling author of Fantasy and Urban Fantasy novels, known for creating thrilling adventures filled with magic, witches, monsters, and unforgettable characters. Based in Yorkshire, UK, she has made it a personal mission to ensure her stories either take place in Yorkshire or feature Yorkshire characters, bringing a distinct sense of place and personality to her books.
She is the best-selling author of The Northern Witch Series, an LGBTQ coming-of-age Urban Fantasy series following Mark, a teenager whose life becomes far more complicated than he ever expected. Mark was always written as a gay character from the very beginning, and rather than focusing on a coming-out story, K.S. wanted to explore what comes next: a character already comfortable in who he is, thrown into a wildly entertaining world of witches, danger, friendship, and adventure.
Her debut Witch-Hunter Series remains especially close to her heart. Fascinated by witches from a young age, K.S. naturally found herself writing about them. Alongside fast-paced action and magical battles, the series explores ideas of heroism and morality, questioning whether the so-called "good guys" are truly good. After all, from the Shadow Witch’s point of view, Hunter and his colleagues might look like the villains.
K.S.'s Lost Soul Series is a love letter to the fantasy stories that shaped her childhood, particularly The Chronicles of Narnia. She wanted to create a world where a person’s beginnings do not define their future — while also making room for evil unicorns, good monsters, and a fantasy world much larger and more complicated than the human characters first realise.
Outside of writing, horses have always been her other great passion. She spent much of her twenties working with horses across the UK and Ireland, and now lives back in her hometown of Doncaster with her horse, Mouse, and her very spoilt spaniel, Bailey.