Witch eyes

Scott Tracey

(Flux, $9.95)

In the town of Belle Dam, a fragile truce exists between two warring magical families. Into this feud steps teenager Braden, a powerful young witch who doesn’t yet realize his connection to those warring families, or that the guy he’s falling for, Trey, is on the opposite side. Northeast Ohio resident Scott Tracey has provided a fun new entry into the realm of young adult fiction by combining elements of a Romeo and Juliet-esque forbidden romance and an awkward protagonist. // Lisa Robertson

the taste of salt

Martha Southgate

(Algonquin Books, $13.95)

Josie loves the water. It’s calm and stable, like her husband of four years. Cleveland native Martha Southgate juxtaposes Josie’s desire for simplicity with an inability to escape her family’s problems and a gloomy Cleveland childhood. She must face her past when her addicted brother shows up at her doorstep in Woods Hole, Mass. While the ocean calms her soul, only Josie’s family can help heal her. // Hallie Rybka