Wise Child

I'm a pretty firm believer in "if the book art is stunning, the story will be also"...it's back-fired on me a few times, I'm sure, but in this case, it doesn't. If you're picking up Wise Child, go ahead and pick up Juniper. And while you're at it, find a copy of Colman too (the third book in the trilogy that came out 14 years after Juniper).

Wise Child is taken in by Juniper, the village healer, who is feared by the townspeople because of her powers as a doran (or witch, as they call her). Set in what feels like medieval Britain, the story follows Wise Child as she shuns her teacher, yet slowly learns to love and admire her. It's only when Wise Child's biological mother, Maeve, (a beautiful, yet darkly self-absorbed sorceress) arrives to tempt Wise Child to follow her way of life that Wise Child learns what she is capable of and who she wants to become.

Captivating story + great fantasy setting + strong women = a book you need to buy.