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book cover for Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire

Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire

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Pub Date Aug 05 2025 | Archive Date Sep 05 2025

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Description

WELCOME TO FOXFIRE

The rules here are simple:

Don’t look in the trees.

Don’t whistle in the woods at night.

Don’t answer if you hear your
name called.

And remember . . . everything wants.

Verity Vox is a witch-in-training who has never met a problem her spells can’t solve. But when a cryptic plea for help sends her to the forgotten coal mining town of Foxfire, she soon learns even magic has its limits.

Verity discovers a curse was laid years ago by a traveling magician who vanished into the ancient Appalachian hills to seek greater power. Crops won’t grow. Bellies go hungry. Even treasured possessions fall apart. What’s worse, people have gone missing amidst rumors that they’ve sought out the magician who is lying in wait for those foolish or desperate enough to strike a deal with him.

The witch must break the curse, find a missing girl, and solve the mystery of what’s really under the mountain before the town falls forever into the clutches of the monster lurking in the hills.

WELCOME TO FOXFIRE

The rules here are simple:

Don’t look in the trees.

Don’t whistle in the woods at night.

Don’t answer if you hear your
name called.

And remember . . . everything wants.

Verity Vox is a...


Advance Praise

“Beautifully written, quizzical, and sharp, Don Martin’s Verity, brings the whimsy of witches to the vibrant tapestry of real American History. The gift of a brand new American Tall Tale, in this urgent time when we need it most.”—K. Ancrum, author of Icarus and The Corruption of Hollis Brown

“Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire is quite simply magical! A book that can stand beside (or fly by broomstick next to) the classics and will be included as one in no time.”—Jason June, New York Times bestselling author of Out of the Blue and The Spells We Cast

“One of the most genuinely witchy books I have read. It’s not just the glamour of spellcraft but about the responsibility of possessing it.”—C.L. Polk, World Fantasy Award-winning author of Witchmark

“Beautifully written, quizzical, and sharp, Don Martin’s Verity, brings the whimsy of witches to the vibrant tapestry of real American History. The gift of a brand new American Tall Tale, in this...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9798890032706
PRICE $18.99 (USD)
PAGES 336

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Average rating from 20 members


Featured Reviews

This book brings me back to some of my favorites growing up - notably, Miss Switch comes to mind in terms of vibes. We love a quirky, capable witch. The characters of Foxfire are beautifully drawn, I felt like I knew each one of them. I'm really looking forward to recommending this book - there is a bit of a "gap" in options for this youngerYA/Upper MG age group and i think this is a great one.

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Verity Vox is an apprentice witch. Travelling to a new town every year she sings her spells helping however she can along with her familiar, a most-of-the-time cat, Jack. When she’s summoned to a town cursed by a peculiar man with magic deals that always go wrong, she knows she will truly be tested. But the hills have eyes (and other things) and there’s something powerful under the mountain. Can Verity solve all the mysteries of Foxfire and save her friends before her time is done?

Oh, my heart. As a West Virginia girl who grew up with magic in her soul, a song ringing through the trees, and creek mud… well, everywhere, this one is a special delight.

Foxfire is a forgotten town with woes of all sorts, the fantastically magical deals and the mundane trials that aren’t so singular in a state full of forgotten towns. Verity is here to help, but it’s hard to help people who were abused and abandoned by the people promising the good life. For the first time she experiences the feeling of being unwanted and it’s in a place that needs the most help. Trust is the rarest commodity. Her journey is hard but worth it.

This cozy story is packed with magic, yes, we have flying brooms and singing spells, cryptids and folklore galore, but it also dives deep into the magic of the heart. Through understanding and connection, we see the power of people working together and the deep pull of home and family that no curse can twist or break.

Y'all! This is oh so fun. If you're looking for a middle grade adventure packed with heart, folklore, and 'there's magic in them there hills' vibes then look no further.

Verity and Jack are sublime, they can visit my house and help out anytime!

I love Foxfire and the history that's rooted in a real story of a forgotten town. The people are so real, I felt right at home with the side eyes and begrudging acceptance and never fail hospitality to boot! I loved watching the characters embrace who they are and what they can do together. Nothing beats the magic of love and understanding.

Figuring out the local cryptids was a special bonus while reading. And the songs, obviously! I can't wait for the audiobook!

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This book is an absolute gem! It has me craving crisp fall days and the mountains. Don Martin's writing is melodic. The characters they have crafted will stay with me for a long time. I love Verity's spirit and this "new" type of witch. I would love to be friends with her. I can't wait to recommend this to students!

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Perfect for fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service, Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire will sweep you off your feet.

What a truly heartwarming and whimsical story of a young witch trying to find her place in the world.

This book somehow made me cry and laugh all within a span of a sentence. Filled with hope, love and a bit of magic Verity, Jack and the town of Foxfire worded its way into my heart. I adored the sense of community in this story. While Foxfire has its little quirks the imagery and people of this cursed little mountain town were truly enchanting. I loved how the mountains were described and how silly and real characters like Mrs. Miller and Theny Hazlett felt.

Verity was also a very enchanting main character. Full of wit and gumption I had no doubt in my mind Verity was going to find a solution to any problem thrown her way. I appreciated the queer romance in this as well. Tacita and Verity were adorable together and I wish I could read more about their adventures.

Lastly, I loved some of the darker twists this story had. I really enjoyed the way our villain King Earl was described and how gruesome some of his deals were. I also enjoyed how the writing conveyed the heaviness, grief and sorrow the town of Foxfire had been through yet, the humor and whimsical tones throughout the story really conveyed how much hope this little cursed town had and it made me love it so much more.

Overall, this was a truly enjoyable and cozy little story. I highly recommend to all my Kiki’s Delivery Service fans (especially if Gigi was one of your favorite cheaters - Jack Be Nimble is truly the best animal companion in this story) and those who are looking for a little magic in their lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

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Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire is a cosy folkloric fantasy about a young witch learning to trust her magic and find her place in a strange, sorrow-filled mountain town.

The tone reminded me a little of Kiki’s Delivery Service, with a touch of something darker lurking underneath. Foxfire feels like a real place, full of charm and grief and stubborn hope. I loved the way the story balanced its whimsical magic with heavier themes of loss, fear, and community resilience.

Verity is such a loveable narrator as well! Brave, kind, a little unsure of herself but always determined. Her bond with Jack made me smile throughout, and the quiet sapphic romance added a lovely softness without taking over the plot.

Perfect for fans of magical realism, cosy fantasy, and stories where power looks a lot like kindness.

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In Appalachia there is magic in community, hospitality, gossip, and the deals we make with the darkness.
But some people have more magic than the simple spells we murmur over our biscuits and gravy, and those people are witches.
Verity Vox is a witch in training and finds herself drawn to the forgotten town of Foxfire by another forgotten wish on a leaf.
Crops dont grow, milk goes sour, and nobody can leave. Accompanied by her familiar, Jack, and her new friends Verity goes up against the cunning contractor that has bound the people of Foxfire and faces the limits of her seemingly endless power.
A cunning story about small town community, growing up, and the magic we all have inside us. Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire comes out August 4th, a must read for anyone who is a fan of Kikis Delivery Service, Appalachian folklore, and coming of age stories.

"What is magic after all but having the gall to believe you could tell the world around you how it ought to be then watching as it did as it was told?"

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This cozy little book is wonderful in all the right ways! We’re introduced to Verity, a young witch in training, who finds herself in the town of Foxfire. Set in the heart of Appalachia, Verity has to work towards helping out a town that already has a wary view of magic. This book reminds me a lot of Kiki’s Delivery Service, and I think that’s a big part of why I enjoyed this book. The story and the words are beautifully put together, and this is a book I can see a lot of people enjoying.

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A cozy and curious tale about a witch in training takes the reader to a small forgotten town of Foxfire. Verity must aid the town within the trickster that has preyed on the townsfolk and kept them sequestered from the rest of the world. Along the way, Verity and her familiar, Jack, help the town with their troubles, make new friends, search for a missing girl, and uncover a way to end the curse that is plaguing the coal mining town of Foxfire.

The writing of this story was reminiscent of Lemony Snicket narrating stories from my childhood. I felt immersed into the life of Verity Vox and the troubles in Foxfire through unique and whimsical storytelling. I could envision a series of Verity’s adventures that I would repeatedly want to dive into. This is a timeless tale that I look forward to sharing with my kids as they get older! I absolutely adored this book and am so thankful to have received an ARC.

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