By the Blood of Rowans

Dark YA fantasy loosely inspired by Celtic mythology
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The Sheehy witches are the most feared and detested family on the island of Inisliath, and none more so than Rowan.

As a deathwalker, Rowan ferries island souls to the Otherworld, experiencing their deaths and carrying their memories like ghosts within him. It’s a fated role he accepts even as it inexorably destroys him.

When the magic on the island starts to seep away from the other founding families, everyone blames the Sheehys—especially when islanders start dying.

Ash is sick of their father’s fists and constantly having to apologize for who they are. Life on Inisliath might be the fresh start Ash and their mum need, and meeting soft-spoken, curly-haired Rowan feels like the ray of sunshine Ash has desperately needed—but everything goes sideways when Ash’s mum becomes lead detective on a series of ritualistic murders allegedly tied to island magic, and Ash’s family history.

The islanders are convinced Rowan is guilty, but Ash refuses to believe it. When Ash does some investigating of their own, they discover Rowan is far more likely to be the next victim. With time running out to save Rowan, Ash will have to choose between a life free of their father or the boy they’re starting to love. Meanwhile Rowan will have to decide just how much he’s willing to sacrifice to save his family from the darkness about to be unleashed on the island.

CW: death, murder, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, child abuse

Book cover of 'By the Blood of Rowans' by Xan van Rooyen featuring two young men with bare shoulders, one with bright red hair and green eyes, the other with short brown hair and closed eyes, surrounded by red and black branches and fluttering black butterflies on a dark blue background.

Book and review quotes

"Honestly? It's a fucking crime that this isn't ten-- or even a hundred-- times more popular.”

Nenia Campbell author of the Horroscape series

“I loved this book SO much. It was easy to read, I liked how weird it was, the lore and scary aspects. The character’s traumas were so heartbreaking and infuriating but they really put up a fight.”

“By the Blood of Rowans was a rich, dark, atmospheric read filled with magic, with a queer/nonbinary love story. It takes a hard look at what family means, and when you have to stop trusting in blood.”

Cat Hellisen author of The Shape of Monsters

“I loved this book so much. The claustrophobic island setting with grudges that went back centuries was beautifully portrayed. The rituals and the magic were so interesting and reminded me of Practical Magic, in the sense that it was more vibes than a cohesive magic system. It's shocking to me that this was published in 2021 because this reminded me of the angsty, edgy, and slightly emo paranormal stories that were super popular amongst alt kids in the aughts. If you find yourself feeling nostalgic for the goth kid books of your halcyon days, you're going to love this.

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