Of Witches and Ruin

Of Witches and Ruin #1

by Julie Caldwell

Fighting an unknown evil can be tough on the best of days. When sixteen year old witch Ebony Amberwood has to juggle high school, a social life, and visions of her home realm being destroyed, it can sound like an insurmountable task. When her uncle hires a bodyguard to protect Ebony and her two best friends, and when a mysterious new guy shows up at school, Ebony has to add boy trouble to that list. Add in the fact that witch hunters are also trying to kill Ebony and you have a recipe for disaster. Can Ebony stop the oncoming assault, or will it be too late to save everything she has ever loved?
Sixteen year old witch Ebony Amberwood has been banished from her home realm of Amethystia and must learn to live in the human world where she has made new friends. Human friends. Sam Freeman and Melissa McFadden have been by Ebony's side since she arrived in Salem, Massachusetts and that won't change even when their lives have been put in peril.   When an unknown force threatens both worlds, Ebony's uncle, the king of Amethystia, hires a new bodyguard for Ebony named Nightshade Oakenheart, and while this bodyguard is severely cute, Ebony has no time for boyfriends when she has witch hunters and visions of the coming destruction to contend with. Or does she?

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 18, 2023

Reviews

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the honour of ARC reading this book. This book gave me huge Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibes with a young witch living with her Aunt while trying to learn and control her magic while often doing the wrong thing and making a mess before fixing it. It's very young adult but overall a good read that I really enjoyed.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the plot line was creative. If you like modern fantasy YA then it’s a good read. I felt like the story jumped at times when things were introduced and then dropped. There was more sequence minute to minute happening then there was development or world building. It made it hard for me to connect with the characters.

[Mamasita81 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5⭐️ YA Fantasy
I’d like to thank the author for the arc. This is her debut novel and I’m wishing her the best in her writing adventures.

This novel reminds me so much of Sabrina the a teenage Witch from the. 90s and I think it’s what kept me reading. Ebony is a teenage witch that has been banished to the human world for breaking the rules of magic. However, just as she’s getting settled with new friends and a new life, a new threat is lurking that could destroy both the human world and the witch realm.

There’s a fun story here with unique magic and lore. However there was a lot of telling instead of showing which made a few details fall flat. The characters needed to be fleshed out some more with the personality and physical details . I couldn’t imagine them. Much detail was spent on mundane little tasks when they should have been used to world build. And there is so much potential for this world.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first foray into YA Booktok, and it was an adventure for sure! This book has romance, magic, and intrigue–in just the first few chapters alone. I definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for fantasy woven through with relatable problems, family dynamics, and the fantastical alike. It has a really brisk pace but definitely slows enough in places for emotional impacts to land

The romance and affection aren’t too spicy (it’s definitely teen-friendly), but I do want to say there’s a specific, brief instance of a character withdrawing their consent in a romantic situation and not being heard. It’s super short and is resolved, but I think it’s worth noting still for anyone who may be sensitive to these kinds of themes

I don’t typically read YA, and Booktok as a genre is incredibly new to me full stop. That being said, I’m incredibly glad I branched out. I’m excited to see how the characters’ lives and behaviours change over the course of this trilogy

[Ann Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA book. Very short. I was intrigued right away. I liked the characters and there are plenty of unanswered questions that hopefully will be answered in book 2. I wish some of the writer’s thoughts had been fully played out in some of the scenes before jumping to the next sequence of events. It was too short! Those are my only criticisms. I just needed a bit more.

If you loved Sabrina the Teenage witch this book is for you.

[Damita Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good read. Reminded my of the more modern Sabrina with a young girl who happens to be a witch. She's banished to the human world temporarily for bad behavior but something may be after something her family has.

A good quick read at around 4 hours!

[Brittany Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this book! If you have never read a "witchy" book, this is a perfect start to the genre! I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! It was beautifully written. I cannot wait for book two to come out!

[Lisa Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read!!! If you like fontasy, adventure and magic you will fall in love with this book. The story makes you fall in love with each character and you’re on the ride with them! Such an epic adventure!

[Alisha Kuliak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good!
I loved the magic, the mystery. It really did keep me on the edge of my seat when I wasn't reading. I was thinking about this book. Go and read this book!

[Jane McGarry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and engaging YA read that captures the angst of teenage years in a fast paced fantasy. Enjoyed the close friendship bonds and the complicated family bonds. Loved the dual setting.