What do you think?
Rate this book
Adventures in Levena #1.5
When Witches Sing: Yuletide Special
When Witches Sing is a novella that takes place after Phantom and Rook.
A glitter and glue covered witch calling the man who took him under his wing Dad for the first time.
A riverside vigil held for a man thought lost to time, arranged by a witch filled with chaos.
A dancing witch who hides in plain sight, protecting others like them from a violent and unfamiliar Levena.
A swamp witch comprised of moss and a lonely heart, who finds out how many ways a heart can be stretched.
A clumsy immortal, returned home to the hedge witch who has waited eleven years to hold his soulmate again.
There will be screaming goats, long nights filled with nightmares and the comfort of a lover once lost to time, burnt breakfasts and dancing in kitchens. Fireplaces will crackle to life in cottages filled with bones, crystals, paintings and books. The snow will fall lazily outside windows that are decorated with strands of citrus garland. The silver and golden moons will be full, and they will all dance around a bonfire to massive drums beat upon by kindred spirits.
And when the night melds with dawn, those who have been separated for far too long will reunite under candle light, accompanied only by the sounds and sensations of the person they're with. Their person.
The witches will sing, and there will be so much love and life, that there can't possibly ever be another Yule like this one.
A glitter and glue covered witch calling the man who took him under his wing Dad for the first time.
A riverside vigil held for a man thought lost to time, arranged by a witch filled with chaos.
A dancing witch who hides in plain sight, protecting others like them from a violent and unfamiliar Levena.
A swamp witch comprised of moss and a lonely heart, who finds out how many ways a heart can be stretched.
A clumsy immortal, returned home to the hedge witch who has waited eleven years to hold his soulmate again.
There will be screaming goats, long nights filled with nightmares and the comfort of a lover once lost to time, burnt breakfasts and dancing in kitchens. Fireplaces will crackle to life in cottages filled with bones, crystals, paintings and books. The snow will fall lazily outside windows that are decorated with strands of citrus garland. The silver and golden moons will be full, and they will all dance around a bonfire to massive drums beat upon by kindred spirits.
And when the night melds with dawn, those who have been separated for far too long will reunite under candle light, accompanied only by the sounds and sensations of the person they're with. Their person.
The witches will sing, and there will be so much love and life, that there can't possibly ever be another Yule like this one.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 21, 2022
About the author
Aelina Isaacs
11 books88 followersAelina Isaacs is a fantasy and historical fiction author with endless coffee stains, and a craving for adventure and inclusive fiction. Aelina also writes under the pen name Noah Hawthorne
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 21, 2023
You MUST read Phantom and Rook before reading this book.
After finishing Phantom and Rook, I dove straight into this novella. I NEEDED MORE of these characters, and this did not disappoint. I loved seeing more of my favorites from P&R, plus meeting new favorite friends.
It's hard to talk about details without spoilers, but I'll just say that this takes place after Phantom & Rook. It it satisfying and a bit heartbreaking to see what has been going on. It was so comforting to know more about what happened, and this leaves me looking forward to the next book which will be set before When Witches Sing. We'll get to find out what the gang has gone through and how they made it to the events of this story. I can't wait to read it when it comes out!!
After finishing Phantom and Rook, I dove straight into this novella. I NEEDED MORE of these characters, and this did not disappoint. I loved seeing more of my favorites from P&R, plus meeting new favorite friends.
It's hard to talk about details without spoilers, but I'll just say that this takes place after Phantom & Rook. It it satisfying and a bit heartbreaking to see what has been going on. It was so comforting to know more about what happened, and this leaves me looking forward to the next book which will be set before When Witches Sing. We'll get to find out what the gang has gone through and how they made it to the events of this story. I can't wait to read it when it comes out!!
August 30, 2023
OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK!
I gave Phantom & Rook a 5 star rating without needing to think twice on it, but gosh this feels even better. Of course without the foundation of Phantom & Rook, When Witches Sing would be nowhere, but this book feels like all the joy in the world bundled together with a wrapping of love.
ADULT FELIX! Seeing this sweet and adorable kid from the original book in such a happy place, with a loving parent in Arlo, a whole community around him that gives him support and then later him being in such a great relationship with his partner almost made me cry right at the start of the book. Seeing him grown up like that hit me so deep, knowing he is safe and protected means a lot. And then the book continuing showing so many smiles on his face, I just can't it was amazing.
Getting to know Calen was so special too, he carved out a place in my heart within a second and hasn't left since. What a unique character that went through so much, and so amazingly has a safe place now too. It's the absolute best.
Lysander as well was great to get to know, him being a bit secluded and still yet so loved and involved was great to see.
And then Thatch. I honestly don't know what to say. Reading more about him with Arlo made me sob so so hard. And to be honest, thinking back on it now, two months later, makes me sob again. Them together is everything. And then for that to move onto them having sex again. It just... gosh I really don't know what to say. I can simply say that the smutty scenes were good sweet and had a lovely dom/sub dynamic. But saying that feels like I'm omitting the emotion that they give you. Because they are written so full of emotion it was amazing.
In my daily life I often struggle with feeling bad. But reading this book gave me a safe happy place to retreat to and feel wholly at home.
I gave Phantom & Rook a 5 star rating without needing to think twice on it, but gosh this feels even better. Of course without the foundation of Phantom & Rook, When Witches Sing would be nowhere, but this book feels like all the joy in the world bundled together with a wrapping of love.
ADULT FELIX! Seeing this sweet and adorable kid from the original book in such a happy place, with a loving parent in Arlo, a whole community around him that gives him support and then later him being in such a great relationship with his partner almost made me cry right at the start of the book. Seeing him grown up like that hit me so deep, knowing he is safe and protected means a lot. And then the book continuing showing so many smiles on his face, I just can't it was amazing.
Getting to know Calen was so special too, he carved out a place in my heart within a second and hasn't left since. What a unique character that went through so much, and so amazingly has a safe place now too. It's the absolute best.
Lysander as well was great to get to know, him being a bit secluded and still yet so loved and involved was great to see.
And then Thatch. I honestly don't know what to say. Reading more about him with Arlo made me sob so so hard. And to be honest, thinking back on it now, two months later, makes me sob again. Them together is everything. And then for that to move onto them having sex again. It just... gosh I really don't know what to say. I can simply say that the smutty scenes were good sweet and had a lovely dom/sub dynamic. But saying that feels like I'm omitting the emotion that they give you. Because they are written so full of emotion it was amazing.
In my daily life I often struggle with feeling bad. But reading this book gave me a safe happy place to retreat to and feel wholly at home.
February 25, 2023
We are back in Levena for Yuletide and I love it!!
There are a few chapters at the beginning that take place 'during' Thatch's absence, that is from the POV of some of the characters we met in book 1 (plus a couple of new ones!) and then the book catches up to Thatch's return and we are back with him and Arlo, as they readjust after their reunion.
This book is sweet and spicy, with plenty of emotion as is Isaacs' forte, and I am here for it.
The next book in the Adventures of Levena series is set to take place during Thatch's absence, and as such there are a few details that are left intentionally vague in this book. While this is frustrating at times, and has left me with more questions than answers, it has me chomping at the bit to return to Levena!
There are a few chapters at the beginning that take place 'during' Thatch's absence, that is from the POV of some of the characters we met in book 1 (plus a couple of new ones!) and then the book catches up to Thatch's return and we are back with him and Arlo, as they readjust after their reunion.
This book is sweet and spicy, with plenty of emotion as is Isaacs' forte, and I am here for it.
The next book in the Adventures of Levena series is set to take place during Thatch's absence, and as such there are a few details that are left intentionally vague in this book. While this is frustrating at times, and has left me with more questions than answers, it has me chomping at the bit to return to Levena!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
We're back in Levena, and it's Yuletide!
This novella takes place several years after the end of Phantom and Rook, and life has also continued to move forward. Our characters have aged, the kids have grown up and we get to see them all celebrate the winter holiday together. Some of my favorite moments were those with the pack of mostly-grown children still getting to act like kids. And this book gets especially celebratory after Arlo gets the gift he's been waiting over a decade for!
The timing in the story for this novella is interesting, because it takes place long after the next book in the series, which hasn't come out yet. So there are bits that definitely feel glossed over, but I was ok with it knowing that we'll get answers in the next novel-length book coming in this world. I think it will be fun to re-read this one again next holiday season after having filled in some of those gaps.
This was a good cozy read for the very cold Winter Solstice we had this year. As with Phantom and Rook, there are some spicy scenes at the end, so read at your own risk.
This novella takes place several years after the end of Phantom and Rook, and life has also continued to move forward. Our characters have aged, the kids have grown up and we get to see them all celebrate the winter holiday together. Some of my favorite moments were those with the pack of mostly-grown children still getting to act like kids. And this book gets especially celebratory after Arlo gets the gift he's been waiting over a decade for!
The timing in the story for this novella is interesting, because it takes place long after the next book in the series, which hasn't come out yet. So there are bits that definitely feel glossed over, but I was ok with it knowing that we'll get answers in the next novel-length book coming in this world. I think it will be fun to re-read this one again next holiday season after having filled in some of those gaps.
This was a good cozy read for the very cold Winter Solstice we had this year. As with Phantom and Rook, there are some spicy scenes at the end, so read at your own risk.
March 26, 2024
This book made me cry in public, because it was so beautiful.
November 6, 2023
4.5⭐️
I obviously had to pick this up immediately after finishing Phantom and Rook. I simply needed to see the moment Thatch returned!
Little did I know there would be beautiful and heartbreaking short stories with completely new characters that tie in to the larger plot and family of the P&R world.
It was really interesting to fast forward so far into the future, but I felt immediately drawn back in and was able to catch up on the basics of what happened in the interim.
Highly recommend as a Yuletide read!
I obviously had to pick this up immediately after finishing Phantom and Rook. I simply needed to see the moment Thatch returned!
Little did I know there would be beautiful and heartbreaking short stories with completely new characters that tie in to the larger plot and family of the P&R world.
It was really interesting to fast forward so far into the future, but I felt immediately drawn back in and was able to catch up on the basics of what happened in the interim.
Highly recommend as a Yuletide read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2025
4.5 stars
When the writing is good and you don’t want to rush reading! That was this book for me. The love story between Thatcher and Arlo is beautiful and everlasting. The found family continued in this novella and I couldn’t have been happier. While the storyline had a lot of sadness, there was so much care and love put into the characters that you knew, even the saddest parts, the reader would be protected from truly horrible depictions of the suggested evil in the story.
When the writing is good and you don’t want to rush reading! That was this book for me. The love story between Thatcher and Arlo is beautiful and everlasting. The found family continued in this novella and I couldn’t have been happier. While the storyline had a lot of sadness, there was so much care and love put into the characters that you knew, even the saddest parts, the reader would be protected from truly horrible depictions of the suggested evil in the story.
March 24, 2025
This was a fun cozy fantasy novella which still had enough action for a well-balanced plot. I enjoyed the sweet (and spicy) interactions between Arlo and Thatch as well as the polyamorous relationship between four of the younger witches. The animal companions were a delight as well. Highly recommend the main Adventures in Levena books if you haven't already read them.
December 24, 2025
Five stars isn’t enough, i need to give this book a million stars.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews