REVIEW: Memories in Bone by JP Jackson (Haunted Hearts: Season of the Witch)

MEMORIES IN BONE

Haunted Hearts: Season of the Witch Series

by JP Jackson

Release Date: October 29, 2025

Review

What a fascinating way to work a real-world condition into a world with magic. And really, raising the dead was always bound to bring problems.

Cesar is at the top of his game, but being a bone witch has personal consequences. He shouldn’t keep practicing, but you can’t really deny a Hurtdao family when they decide they want something.

When his life intertwines with Artur it was bound to shake things up. An untrained chaos witch who’s gotten a bad wrap and no help from his community. Cesar takes him under his wing. Working together isn’t smooth sailing, but their connection can’t be denied.

I love the two over-40 men. They’ve lived, and though their lives were vastly different, they are able to see past those differences and see the other's kindness and love.

It’s a remarkable world of magic I’ve never seen, a group of really terrific friends, and an especially wonderful ending to their story.

Add to your TBR List

GOODREADS LINK

Synopsis

Cesar Aguiar is a respected Bone Witch within the Obscuras Clan in Puerto Vallarta, regularly called upon to raise the dead, and imbue charms and amulets with magical properties made from various remains. But he’s begun to notice small slips in daily magical practices. Normal spells that were once second nature are harder to recall, and with Dia de Muertos coming up, he’ll be called upon to reanimate corpses for the festival catrinas. What’s more, Luana Hurtado, the head of the most powerful magical family in the community, has hired him to be their necromancer.

But with Cesar’s early onset dementia, will he be able to carry out the difficult task? And why does he have a lurking sense that the Hurtados secretly want him to fail?

Artur Beaulieu is a societal outcast. Shunned at every turn and marginalized to the outer rim of the Clan where he can do the least amount of damage. As a Chaos Witch, his ability to change probabilities and outcomes leaves people nervous, and his untrained powers have regularly caused unfortunate accidents, losses of wealth, and failed relationships. Anything Artur touches goes awry.

His reputation on the streets of the city is equivalent to the refuse in the gutter. Living a solitary life, no one knows of his pain from being rejected by everyone around him.

When Artur’s kind heart becomes apparent with a simple gesture toward Cesar, saving the older Bone Witch from a mob of thugs, the men form a bond that allows them to go beyond the community’s perceptions. Cesar sees past the chaos, and Artur gains his first friend, mentor, and lover.

Together they must find a way to stave off Cesar’s ailing mind and create a welcome place for Artur within the magical world.

Can they do it before the Day of the Dead celebrations? Or will the Hurtados' dark plan fall into place?

About JP Jackson

J.P. Jackson is an award winning author of dark urban fantasy, paranormal, and even paranormal romance stories, but regardless of the genre they always feature LGBTQ+ main characters.

J.P. works as an IT analyst in health care during the day, where if cornered he’d confess to casting spells to ensure clinicians actually use the electronic medical charting system he configures and implements.

At night, the writing happens, where demons, witches and shape shifters congregate around the kitchen table and general chaos ensues. His husband of 22 years has very firmly put his foot down on any further wraith summonings and regularly lines the doorway with iron shavings and salt crystals. Imps are most definitely not house-trainable. Ghosts appear at the most inopportune times, and the Fae are known for regular visits where a glass of wine is exchanged for a good ole story or two. Although the husband doesn’t know it, Canela and Jalisco, the two Chihuahuas, are in cahoots with the spell casting.

J.P.’s other hobbies include hybridizing African Violets (thanks to grandma), extensive travelling and believe it or not, knitting.

Where to find them: