Nightcurse

by Emma Hinds

Overview

Cursed with eternity, haunted by love–discover the truth about living forever in this achingly atmospheric dark academia fantasy

Emrys Swift is so dead. One hundred and fifty seven years worth of dead, to be exact. He’s a Revenant, nightcursed, destined to be stuck being seventeen forever. Hidden away, he spends his infinite days as an undead librarian of witchlore at the NeverEnd library–until a new Revenant arrives and magical artifacts start going missing, jeopardizing his beloved home.

Emrys’s mortal enemy and annoyingly attractive shapeshifter Aubrey Vale is determined to solve the mystery – with Emrys’s help. Suddenly Emrys and Aubrey are magically bonded together on a quest into the dark and frost-bitten world of night-kin. But as Emyrs and Aubrey interrogate ghosts and face drowning by mermaids, deathly creatures aren’t the only spectres haunting them. With the ghoulish Night Hunt chasing them down, can they outrun the secrets of Emrys’ death and Aubrey’s life? And if they can save NeverEnd’s future, can they have a future together?

Hauntingly gorgeous and tender, Emma Hinds’ Nightcurse is both a Gothic mystery and an enemies-to-lovers romance about navigating life and love in the face of death.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250369550
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/13/2026
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.38(w) x 8.25(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

EMMA HINDS is a queer writer living and working in Manchester who is passionate about writing queer fantasy that explores the depth of British magical folklore. Emma has a Masters degree in Creative Writing from the University of St Andrews and is the author of adult novels The Knowing and The Quick and the Dead, and the YA novels Witchlore and Nightcurse.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Witchlore:

"Witchlore is endlessly entertaining...the relationship between the traumatized, grief-stricken Lando and the overconfident Bastian feels, at times, like the TV show Heartstopper. All in all, Witchlore is a lovely, sweet adventure.” - The Washington Post

“Witty, mordant and original, this queer urban YA fantasy will appeal to fans of Holly Black.” - The Guardian

“Adventurous and magical, this romance is an enchanting read.”—Book Riot, “New Queer YA Romances to Melt Your Heart”

“This character-driven fantasy thoughtfully explores Lando’s gender identity and the prejudice they face. The romance element is cozy and matches the book’s overall themes of being authentic and recognizing the value of life.” - Kirkus

“Hinds’ YA debut examines what it’s like to be different—particularly when one’s identity is further marginalized within an already marginalized community…themes of grief, suicide, gender and sexual fluidity, and systems of oppression are discussed with care.” - Booklist

“Drolly funny and with a wildly inventive magic system, this is an addictive read.” - The Bookseller

"If you've been hunting for a more grounded fantasy story to get lost in, we can't recommend Witchlore enough. It feels rooted in reality yet deeply magical all at once, with a powerful queer allegory and lovely story of love, longing and loss at its core.” - Sweety High

"Genuine and surprising. Hinds has created a witchy, magical fantasy that explores grief, self-love, gender expression, and societal expectations with nuance and care."—F.T. Lukens, New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound

"Witchlore is all at once a page-turning adventure through old libraries, supernatural history and British folklore, a tender and complex queer love story, and a profound exploration of grief, survival and the power of self-acceptance. Wise, brilliantly written, and full of humour and heart - I loved it." —Sophie Keetch, author of Morgan is My Name

From the Publisher