A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, 579 pages

Diana Bishop is the last in a long line of powerful witches. Immersing herself in alchemical academia, Diana refuses to acknowledge her magic until one day she inadvertently accesses a magical text that had been lost for hundreds of years.  Before she knows it, Diana is plunged into the world of creatures--witches, vampires, and daemons--where she is pursued by all three. When Diana teams up with a dark and mysterious vampire named Matthew de Clairmont, she realizes too late her life is changed forever and she will have to not only accept her power but also how to wield her growing list of magic to defend those she loves. 

I read this book because a patron recommended it to me, and I'm so very glad that he did. Harkness' world feels magnificently authentic and her attention to all the little details gives an electric charge to not just her characters, but the world itself. Everything unfolded with a chaotic sort of purpose but in a way that rang true.