Stacy Sivinski's first novel, The Crescent Moon Tearoom, is a sweet, wise balm of a story about family, change, and coming into oneself.
The Quigley triplets, Anne, Violet, and Beatrix, have always been close. Their beloved mother was a powerful Diviner. Her daughters put the same skill to use in the Crescent Moon Tearoom, where the three young witches sell magical teas and delectable baked goods and tell fortunes to hordes of Chicago's women and witches. The tearoom (run out of the family home, itself an endearing character with a will and magic of its own) does a booming business, but all is not well with the Quigley sisters. A challenge comes from the Council of Witches, and if they fail, the Council will close their shop. The events entwine with a potential curse on the sisters, threatening to undo everything the sisters love.
While Violet (the family baker) is volatile and in constant, foot-tapping motion, Beatrix is shy and dreamy. Anne is the caretaker, the brewer of teas, and has secretly been holding back her own magical powers so as not to surpass her sisters. Sivinski's droll telling details the lovable Quigleys with all their quirk and charm, each with their own moving emotional arc. Every line captivates: "As seers, the Quigleys had long ago accepted that questioning what they saw in the remnants of their customers' tea was about as useful as trying to wash cherry jelly out of a silk blouse." With its sweetness, realistic challenges, and satisfying resolution, The Crescent Moon Tearoom is a rare pleasure. Readers will miss the Quigley sisters at this novel's end. --Julia Kastner, librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia