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Maybe Magic
How can you find yourself when all you know is home?
Maebe Amos is desperate for a change. Born into the close-knit East Branch community, she longs to experience life beyond the fence demarcating the edge of the compound. But no one ever leaves East Branch—well, no one but her cousin Connor’s parents, who moved to the nearby town and raised him among the outsiders there. Maebe doesn’t know much about the outside world, but the little she’s picked up from her radio suggests veritable wonders, and she’s desperate to learn.
But for Maebe, gifted with “the touch” and cursed with a curious birth defect, the protection of isolated East Branch means safety. Lucky for her, the first outsider she meets is Connor’s girlfriend, Jane—and Jane is possessed of a powerful touch the like of which Maebe has never seen. Magic, Jane calls it, and offers to help her.
Can Maebe trust the people she’s been taught to fear? And as she tries to learn about herself and her talents, how can she protect East Branch when its long-forgotten secrets begin to surface?
Maebe Amos is desperate for a change. Born into the close-knit East Branch community, she longs to experience life beyond the fence demarcating the edge of the compound. But no one ever leaves East Branch—well, no one but her cousin Connor’s parents, who moved to the nearby town and raised him among the outsiders there. Maebe doesn’t know much about the outside world, but the little she’s picked up from her radio suggests veritable wonders, and she’s desperate to learn.
But for Maebe, gifted with “the touch” and cursed with a curious birth defect, the protection of isolated East Branch means safety. Lucky for her, the first outsider she meets is Connor’s girlfriend, Jane—and Jane is possessed of a powerful touch the like of which Maebe has never seen. Magic, Jane calls it, and offers to help her.
Can Maebe trust the people she’s been taught to fear? And as she tries to learn about herself and her talents, how can she protect East Branch when its long-forgotten secrets begin to surface?
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2025
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Ash Fitzsimmons
33 books47 followersAsh has always loved a good story. Her childhood bookshelves overflowed, and she refused to take notes in her copies of classroom novels because that felt like sacrilege. She wrote her first novel the summer after her freshman year of college and never looked back. (Granted, that novel was an unpublishable 270,000-word behemoth, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?)
After obtaining degrees in English and creative writing and taking a stab at magazine work, Ash decided to put her skillset to different use and went to law school. She then moved home to Alabama, where she works as an attorney. These days, Ash can be found outside of Montgomery with her inordinately fluffy Siberian husky, who loves long walks, car rides, and whatever Ash happens to be eating.
After obtaining degrees in English and creative writing and taking a stab at magazine work, Ash decided to put her skillset to different use and went to law school. She then moved home to Alabama, where she works as an attorney. These days, Ash can be found outside of Montgomery with her inordinately fluffy Siberian husky, who loves long walks, car rides, and whatever Ash happens to be eating.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 8, 2025
THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!!!!!
I took a break from horror and chose a fantasy read for a change.
The story starts with a teen (well, she's 18) who is running away from home, which happens to be a some sort of secluded community that stays hidden. (and for good reason, but that would be spoilers).....
Maebe has led a very sheltered life.
A good Samaritan comes along and offers Maebe food and shelter.
Maebe doesn't even know what electricity is, or air conditioning, or computers.... so many things. I was so fascinated by reading about this girl that didn't even know how to buckle a seatbelt in a car.
Anyway, turns out Maebe is special and has a touch/ talent that she herself wasn't even aware of.
I had read the hall of Thorns books prior, and was so glad to see Rose show up in this storyline. I need to look into Jane Fortune's stories, too
I took a break from horror and chose a fantasy read for a change.
The story starts with a teen (well, she's 18) who is running away from home, which happens to be a some sort of secluded community that stays hidden. (and for good reason, but that would be spoilers).....
Maebe has led a very sheltered life.
A good Samaritan comes along and offers Maebe food and shelter.
Maebe doesn't even know what electricity is, or air conditioning, or computers.... so many things. I was so fascinated by reading about this girl that didn't even know how to buckle a seatbelt in a car.
Anyway, turns out Maebe is special and has a touch/ talent that she herself wasn't even aware of.
I had read the hall of Thorns books prior, and was so glad to see Rose show up in this storyline. I need to look into Jane Fortune's stories, too
November 10, 2025
Maybe Magic
I wanted a cheery, fun, interesting novel to help take my mind off the troubles of the world, and this is what I got😁
It is definitely an advantage to have read Ash's previous books, especially those about the elven halls and the disastrous consequences of a Halloween party but even so this is a fun story mixing the real world and the magical worlds of Ash's brilliant imagination. Looking forward to the next few novels.
I wanted a cheery, fun, interesting novel to help take my mind off the troubles of the world, and this is what I got😁
It is definitely an advantage to have read Ash's previous books, especially those about the elven halls and the disastrous consequences of a Halloween party but even so this is a fun story mixing the real world and the magical worlds of Ash's brilliant imagination. Looking forward to the next few novels.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews