A Hex To Remember

by Lou Wilham

There is no rest for the wicked.

If Azure Elwood thought getting their new coven members settled would free up a moment for her to propose to the woman she loves, and spend time with her new family, she was very much mistaken. Moondale, as always, has other plans, and they come in the shape of a centennial celebration full of issues. Missing tables. Stolen scissors. And ghosts? Well, it’s just another day in Moondale, Maryland.

The first rule of necromancy is simple, spirits lie. Icarus “Rus” Ashthorne is intimately familiar with this fact, so when Az’s ancestor appears again with a warning about the Soul Jumper making a return, she knows there’s more to this story. She just isn’t sure what it is. And with Az determined to propose, Rus will have to unearth all the skeletons she thought she’d buried.

There’s a prophecy still hanging above their heads, the centennial is falling apart, and ghosts are literally walking among them. The Coven of the Forgotten is up to its eyeballs in problems. What else could possibly go wrong?

332 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2025

About the author

Born and raised in a small town near the Chesapeake Bay, Lou Wilham grew up on a steady diet of fiction, arts and crafts, and Old Bay. After years of absorbing everything, there was to absorb of fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi she's left with a serious writing/drawing habit that just won't quit. These days, she spends much of her time writing, drawing, and chasing a very short Basset Hound named Sherlock.

When not, daydreaming up new characters to write and draw she can be found crocheting, making cute bookmarks, and binge-watching whatever happens to catch her eye.

Learn more about Lou and her future projects on her website: https://louinprogress.com

Or follow her on social media @lou.wilham on Instagram or @louwilham on Facebook.

Reviews

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is nice to see more of Rus and Az, and to see their relationship develop further. They're a really sweet couple, perfect for each other, really, even when the world conspires around them (except for Moondale itself, given all the manipulation it's been doing in the background), and they way that they support each other and accept each other is wonderful. Of course, life is not easy for them, as we've already learnt from the previous books, but at least they're making significant progress in getting the life that they want, and making a name for their newly established coven. There are quite a few reveals in this book, and it is possible that it could be their last book, though I can also see their being more - we shall see, I guess.

I really enjoyed it - the development, the growth, and just all the additional details that have come to light. Of course, if you've already read the previous books, then it is a must read, but it is completely worth it.

As an aside, The world of Moondale has grown quite a bit, with the addition of two more series that are interconnected with it (Ironport and the fae one) and have some cross overs. They're not required reading for The Witches of Moondale (especially as the pairings are different), and you can get the gist of what you need to know from this book. Having said that, this book feels like a must read for those who read Kill Your Darlings, given the events that happen at the very beginning of the book.

[Gem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Witches of Moondale series and I just love the whole series so much. I love the town of Moondale and the various covens. I love the dynamics between the characters and the covens. Rus and Az, as main characters, are just the best. They are well written, deeply layered and flawed characters bound together by their love for each other and their love for Rus’s adopted children.

Book three saw our main characters forming their own coven - the Coven of the Forgotten - and dealing with an evil soul jumper threatening the town. In book 4 the coven grows and I feel like they are finally finding their place in Moondale. Don’t want to give anything away but I would highly recommend going back to book one and reading the whole of this series, you won’t be disappointed.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To understand the nature of necromancy,” ... “one just has to see the beauty inherent in life and death."

Moondale's centennial celebration is coming up but the ley lines that protect the magical community are weakening and the Council doesn't seem to care. Only Icarus and Azure and their Coven of the Forgotten are concerned because it also seems like the ghosts are getting restless and, yet again, the Soul Jumper has something to do with it.

Add to that Az is serious about asking Rus to marry her yet again. But will the Council's lack of decision put that in jeopardy too?

This series is, at its heart, a love story that is turning education into acceptance and empowering the new generation of Moondale's magical community to come together to save the heart and literal soul of a community where complacency has replaced magic. Can love change that?

I have been in love with this series from the start. Author Lou Wilham has in some ways added magical realism to a community I'd want to live in if given a chance and woven life as well as acknowledging death as an aspect of growth. Highly Recommended 5/5

[ Disclaimer: I received this book from the author but in no way did it affect my reading or reviewing]