The Witch of Anámesa by Kim Idynne

Ella Espinosa lives a secluded existence. Isolated from others, and assigned to all the hard work on her deceased father's farm, she gets by with her own spirit of kindness and some help from the farm animals. Her stepmother warns her to stay away from the local villages, as the mountain folk are plagued by a gruesome disease, while the coastal communities are ravaged by violence and corruption. When Ella meets Prince, a young hunter from the mountain village, her beliefs are shaken—but as Ella dares to kindle new connections, she makes shocking discoveries about the mountain folk, whose customs are wholly unlike her own. Meanwhile, Ella's gifts are abhorred by the villagers. Some believe that her unfamiliar songs and herbs are devotions to evil spirits, and that her abilities are the result of witchcraft. As her relationship with Prince deepens, the two begin to imagine having a life together. But as Ella continues to follow her own ways of living, the fears of the villagers rise to new extremes—and so do the actions against her.

Young Adult • Fantasy/Magical Realism