A Witch's Kitchen

The Enchanted Kitchen #1

by Dianna Sanchez

Millie's a witch, so why can't she do magic?

Despite her mother’s best efforts to teach her, every spell Millie tries goes horribly wrong, but she’s a fabulous cook. When Millie conjures chocolate sauce instead of a transformation potion, her mother gives up and sends her to the Enchanted Forest School, where she’s bullied by goblins, snubbed by an elf, and has her hat stolen. Even as Millie’s magical talent begins to develop, turning her house ghost into a frog and accidentally charming her entire class, Millie starts to wonder: what if she’s not a witch at all? To find out, she and her new friends embark on a dangerous quest to find Millie’s father in the Logical Realm, in contemporary Salem, MA.

Deep in a fantasy realm adjacent to our own, the Enchanted Forest School is located in the branches of an enormous oak tree and has a dragon for a headmistress. Millie’s initial delight in attending school rapidly fades as she struggles in the unfamiliar social environment, encountering fellow students of magical races, making new friends, and discovering that her mother’s style of magic isn’t the only one available.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Magic, Fiction, Paranormal, Witches, Young Adult

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2016

Reviews

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually pretty good. Very well written, with an interesting set of characters and a well thought world building. I think that, actual middle graders will love it. As for us adults, who read middle grade, this might read "too young", but like I said, it has a lot of positive points. In fact it ended up being better than a lot of the so called adult contemporary books that I read.

Millie is a sweet character who loves to bake... like, the girl REALLY likes to bake: Masterchef level.
Unfortunately she doesn't share the same success when it comes to all magical things, much to her mother's disappointment. But at least the mother doesn't have to cook...
Also, Millie's food is go good that she even got a ghost addicted to it! lol
One day, things change, and Millie sees her routine changed: from now on she will be enrolled in a magical school. More out of a political stance taken by her family ( her grandmother is a big shot in Millie's world), than actually concern for her education. You see, young witches are normally home-schooled.
Once Millie joins school the fun begins ( not a very heavy handed message, though ;)
There she'll meet new friends and discover all her potential ( I know. But it is done well!), although not everything will run smoothly...
The description of the school, with all its magical characteristics was done really well. In fact I would love to see that magical giant tree on the cover of this book. More colour, it would probably attract younger readers.
As for the ending, I found it a little too well wrapped, but all in all, this was a really good story.
Definitely recommended. Especially if you have kids that like to read about magical beings.

[megHan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a fascination for children's books, especially when they are something that I would have read when I was younger. This one had all that I needed - a witch who had problems doing things right and lots and lots of cooking. There's adventure, and making new friends, and magic, and a school just for witch's (that reminded me a bit of HP) run by a dragon, and fun.

It was a cute story, but went more than just that. It teaches the reader how to survive the not-so-nice moments in life and the experiences that Millie went through were a lot of fun to read about. Watching Millie grow and figure out who she really is was sometimes funny and sometimes sad, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a middle school age child (or younger, if you're reading them chapter books) who is a little different and could use a story about someone who is like them.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this had been published when I was a young reader, it would have been one of my very favorite books - and I highly recommend it! Millie is a young witch who can't get any of her spells right, and boy is she a good cook. She goes to school, makes friends, and learns about her particular special talents. But this books is so much more, and I think it will be very appealing to young readers. It has a lot "witch irony" - she dusts the house by spreading dust all over the house, has to be sure to get the plates extra dirty before she sets the table, etc. - just so many funny little things that I loved. I plan on using this as a gift once it is published, and I know it will be enjoyed!

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Witch meets Hogwarts in this charming novel featuring the 11-year-old daughter of a fearsome witch. Ludmilla Octavia Noctmartis — Millie to her friends — finds herself more at home with scones than scary spells. She considers herself a total failure as a witch, as do her mother and her catty cousin. But Millie finds her life turned around when her powerful grandmother sends Millie off to be the first witch to attend the Enchanted Forest School.

An interesting plot with quite a few twists and surprises provides the sugar coating for the important messages of believing in yourself, acceptance of other cultures, and the importance of forgiveness. Recommended.

[Andrea Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for a food related book for book club and it will now be on my favorites list! Can’t wait to read the next one and see what kind of food magic happens 🥧

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once in a while, I pick up an unknown book from an unfamiliar author, and I always take a skeptic's prove-it-to-me attitude. Prove that you have something fresh to show in a very familiar genre. Prove that you've got a distinctive voice and intriguing characters. Prove that you're a book that's worth the time it takes to read you.

With A Witch's Kitchen, the proof was, as they say, in the pudding. Or to be more precise, the chocolate sauce cooked up by 11-year-old witch Ludmilla Noctmartis, who prefers to be called Millie. Millie is an excellent cook, but a dreadful witch. The chocolate sauce was supposed to have been a transformation potion, not a dessert treat. But that was the way with Millie's spells and potions. They just never turned out as planned.

Millie can’t enchant a hat or ride a broom or do any of the things that make a witch a witch. Her one true talent is cooking, and at that she excels. Scones, deep-fried frog legs, cheese and bacon sandwiches, beet and fennel salad—all are delivered with five-star skill by the young witch.
Trapped in her house by a critical, unforgiving mother, Bodgana, Millie endures the taunts and insults of assorted relatives—most especially her cruel and hateful cousin, Cretacia. She longs for an escape from her dreary existence, and the door opens to a new life when Millie is chosen to be the witches’ representative to the Enchanted Forest School, where she can mingle and make friends with all manner of Enchanted Forest’s inhabitants, such as elves, pixies, goblins, dryads, dragons and more.

Adventure is quick to come to Millie, who is reunited with her half-brother Max and embraces a new band of friends. Together, they strive to find out more about themselves, their origins, their families, and the realms outside of the Enchanted Forest—including the strangest and most frightening land of all, the Logical Realm, where magic has been banished, and people live by the strange powers of technology.

A Witch's Kitchen offers delightful writing, fun and riveting adventure, and an original take on middle-grade fantasy and fantasy creatures. I can’t wait for more books from author Dianna Sanchez, who clearly knows how to work her own magic with words.

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I've got this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review*

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. As soon as I started reading, I couldn't put it down.
The story was unique and intriguing and I liked all the characters, even the mean ones. Definitely recommend it.

[Melanie Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Witch's Kitchen is, quite surprisingly really, ultimately a book about hats.

I truly enjoy hats, though I'm not sure I look good in them.

However, telling you about the hats in A Witch's Kitchen would be giving away too much. So if you want to know why it's about hats you'll have to read it yourself. Sorry!

A Witch's Kitchen is delightful, and I am hoping and praying that a companion recipe book is already in the works. (Pretty, pretty please?)

Just right off the bat, I love the cover art. I'm not seeing a credit on the publisher's site or within the text so I can't give credit where it is due, I can only gush incoherently and hope the universe passes the karma on to the correct person(s).

Universe, I love this cover art! It's gorgeous! Look at the detail on the bow and the whipped cream effect of her hat! And the little cherry on top of the cupcake!

Okay, I have to stop now because I've exhausted my quota of exclamation points for the next month.

The story begins thus.

"Cooking always got Millie into trouble."

Excerpt From: Dianna Sanchez. “A Witch’s Kitchen.” iBooks.

And isn't it oh so true that the things we are best at, the things we love doing the most, so often get us into more trouble than anything else in life? I have stood on street corners through three light changes because the characters in my head were busily filling me in on what happens next. I consider myself lucky not to have been squished by a car long since.

So obviously Millie is a little bit of a mess when we first encounter her. But as the blurb says, that quickly turns around as her brother comes back into her life and she makes a couple forever friends at her new school. Because for all the bullies one encounters, there are usually a few good eggs to even them out.

The Enchanted Forest School is pleasing realistic considering that it is housed in this universe's version of an Ent, an intelligent, long-lived, mobile tree who has now settled down after his long travels; and is, you know, a school that teaches magic to magical beings.

Because of course these magical races enjoy just as divisive relationships with each other as we humans do. And what better way to foster cultural understanding than to bring their children together and hope that connections and friendships will cross peoples? There's certainly a better chance of it happening in childhood than if you got a bunch of us adults together; we all just pick fights with one another and form political parties.

The entire world is well thought out, with the magical realms having been sundered from our own "Logical Realm" (I myself would argue with that sobriquet, but there you are.)

“The Logical Realm was the strangest of all the many Realms of Earth because it had no magic at all. About six hundred years ago, people began to notice that magic seemed to be disappearing there, possibly due to the rise of logic and reason. Worried that this problem might spread to other Realms, the greatest wizards, witches, enchanters, sorceresses, demons, djinni, and other magicians of all kinds formed a coalition and separated the Logical Realm from all the other Realms in a vast, world-changing enchantment called the Great Sundering. All magic had been removed from the Logical Realm in the process.”

Excerpt From: Dianna Sanchez. “A Witch’s Kitchen.” iBooks.

Food suffuses this book. Sit down with it with snacks close to hand and expect to be jealous, expect to glare at your snacks reproachfully for not living up to their fictional counterparts. The author describes every bit of food lovingly, and there is lots and lots of food. The kids basically picnic for lunch every day. (The book comes by this honestly as Ms. Sanchez is not a chef [** This is an edit - I stated in error that she was a chef in my original post. Many apologies.**] but is obviously an able cook and baker who taught Preschool Chef, a cooking class for children ages 3-5. {Please, please could we have that recipe book?}]) Even the vegan stuff sounds yummy!

“Sagara had elegant little bundles of raw vegetables wrapped in mint leaves and chard..."

“I’ll give you some melthas if you give me some frittata,” Sagara offered.

“Sure,” Millie said. She put a slice of frittata onto a plate and took the mint bundle in exchange. Millie bit into it and gasped in surprise. “Ginger? Mmm, jicama and honeydew and... and straw mushrooms? And what’s that other flavor?”

“Sunchoke,” Sagara told her.

Millie studied the layers in the melthas. “I’ve never had sunchokes before. Y’know, these are really very good.”

Excerpt From: Dianna Sanchez. “A Witch’s Kitchen.” iBooks.

So, granted, I could probably manage that without a formal recipe, but I'm pretty sure that's the only one...

Millie's journey as she learns more about her magic and works through the mystery surrounding why it has gone all backwards on her is lively and lots of fun. As a reader you're really chuffed when something good happens to her.

And I'm going to stop typing now because I honestly don't want to give away too many details of that journey. Trust me, A Witch's Kitchen is entirely worth reading.

I would place it at the lower end of the age range for YA, so it may not appeal as much to adults. But I think that cover art might just charm those of us who still love to read YA fiction into giving it a shot.

http://www.typeroftales.com/a-witchs-...

[Nicole (bookwyrm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun middle grade fantasy about a witch who thinks she can't cast spells... but there is something magical about her cookies (and other baked goods). I really enjoyed this story, even though I'm not the target age range. It's just a lot of fun.

[Kimberley Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fun read! Points in its favor: appealing characters, a cleverly-envisioned school that gives me envy, and some of the most delicious-looking lunches of the literary world. But a hastily-wrapped up ending and some wild inconsistencies in Bogdana's character knocked off a star for me.

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find this review and more on my blog.

I feel the need to add a disclaimer at the beginning of my review - this is a children's book. Well, a Middle Grade book, but the point is that this is not my usual reading fare. In fact, I stumbled upon this book by mistake: I loved the cover on Netgalley and requested it without looking for the intended audience. Glad I did, because I loved it!

Millie thinks she is a useless witch who can't do proper magic. None of the spells her mother tries to teach her turn out right. In fact, the only thing she can do and loves to do is cook, much to her mother's disappointment. But then she is enrolled into the Enchanted Forest School and discovers that there are other kinds of magic then the one her mother uses and that maybe she isn't as useless as she thought. She also makes some friends and a few enemies and uncovers the truth about who her father really is.

The story sounds simple when summarized like that, doesn't it? Well, despite its simplicity, this is a wonderful story that touches on some important topics like the importance of friends, the struggle to meet expectations and the desire to fit in, the difficult choices one has to make when deciding to follow a different path in life. It also talks about things like bullying at school and split families.

Millie is a wonderful protagonist. She is shy and very self-conscious because all her life she considered herself a failure, a disappointment and a source of shame for her mother. She has zero self-esteem because she'd been mercilessly bullied and ridiculed by the other witch apprentices because of her inability to cast any "normal" witch spells. But that rather brutal upbringing didn't turn her into an embittered hag. She managed to remain a very sweet girl who loves making others feel better with her cooking skill. I like how she more self-assured once she makes some friends in school. Growing up is a hard and often painful process during which you can learn some rather unpleasant truths about people you considered your heroes when you were a child. I like that Millie stands up to her mother and decides to undertake the dangerous journey into the Logical Realm (aka our world) to find the truth about her father.

The Magical Realm of the Enchanted Forest is delightfully fleshed out. Yes, it's a bit simplistic because it's a children's book, but it's still full of depth and colors and different magical inhabitants, friendly or otherwise. I loved the School and the different creatures that teach there , and I kinda wish the book spent more time there, a bit like the Harry Potter books in Hogwards. I mean the caretaker is a giant tree! The whole school is located on its branches. And the Headmistress is a dragon. I would have loved to see what other classes were taught there, because the few that we saw seemed really interesting. Not that I'm disappointed with Millie's journey into the Logical Real either, but talking about that would be a huge spoiler, so why don't you find out about it for yourselves?

I don't have kids, but I think A Witch's Kitchen would be an excellent book to read with your middle grader on those fall evenings when the air turns colder and the sun sets earlier and paying outside is out of the question. I think there is something to enjoy in this story for both children and adults. So go on, buy it! You won't regret it.

PS. I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie thinks she’s a useless witch who can’t do proper magic. She isn’t like the other witches in her family, much to their annoyance. She can’t grow any warts, her hair won’t tangle, and every time she attempts to do magic, she turns an object into food instead. But with the right help and guidance at school, Millie learns that she truly is a witch (and an amazing cook) whose powers have been quashed by her family. Whilst at school Millie begins to learn more about herself, and her past. The more she discovers, the more she realises that she does have a talent, and becomes a better witch for it.

Millie doesn’t get on with her mother, Bogdana. She resents her mother for not letting her do things and for holding her back in life. We also see the other side of the coin in that Bogdana does things for reasons of protecting Millie. Although she can be spiteful, Bogdana loves Millie in her own, albeit strange, way.

Managing to escape her life at home, Millie is enrolled at the Enchanted Forest School at the suggestion of her wise grandmother, Baba Luci. There she makes new friends from all species of magic, including pixies. She forms bonds and has them tested through misunderstandings, just as can happen in real life.

Embarking on a quest to learn more about her father, Millie decides to visit the Logical Realm. She uncovers the truth that her mother has kept hidden from her for a very long time and her eyes are opened to what lay ahead.

I’m not usually a fan of fantasy books, apart from the Harry Potter series, and when I was a child I loved reading The Worst Witch stories. Like Harry Potter, there are so many real life and relatable themes in the story, it makes the fantasy realm come to life for the reader in A Witch’s Kitchen.

Although this is a children’s book, I still enjoyed it. The fantasy setting and characters came alive in my head due to the wonderful descriptions by the author. I loved Quercius the Caretaker, an all-seeing-all-knowing tree at the school. He hears everything that is said, or even whispered, and nothing gets past the headmistress – a dragon named Pteria, much to the frustration of Millie’s horrible cousin, Cretacia.

Despite the story being set in a magical realm, it has plenty of real life elements in it: growing up, friendships, bullies at school, wanting to fit it, self-doubt, split families, etc. I think a lot of children could relate to at least one of the themes running through the book.

The names of the characters are wonderfully descriptive. When I read about Cretacia I automatically thought ‘cretin’ which I soon discovered was rather true of her character, as she’s a nasty little witch who wants nothing better than to make Millie’s life miserable.

This book really captures the imagination and I’m sure children will love it.

Reviewed by Jodie at www.whisperingstories.com

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Witch's Kitchen introduces readers to a spunky protagonist who simply wants to get things right, whether that's in the kitchen making delightful recipes or growing up to be a properly talented witch, as her mother expects.  Millie has a lot of heart and a lot of gumption, and readers will be clamoring to make her their new literary best friend.  Add a dash of magic, a pinch of trouble, and a seasoning of adventure, and you have one delightfully charming middle grade novel.

The prose of the novel does read young, so readers used to middle grade for a little older audience may have to take a moment to settle in and get accustomed to it.  However,  the story eventually overtakes the writing, and readers will be drawn into a world where elves, pixies, goblins, gnomes, witches, and more share an Enchanted Forest--and have to deal with each other at school.  Hi-jinks naturally ensue as the young characters practice their magic.

The, perhaps inevitable, result of all these different magical races in one place is a lot of info-dumps.  Sanchez has to share with her readers the history of the fantasy world. as well as some of the culture of each species.  I liked when Millie, as the new student, had to share some of witch culture with her class. However, I think some of the other information could have been integrated a little more gracefully.  I also wanted to hear more about the segregation in the forest, as Sanchez introduces this idea but doesn't fully explore it.

However, beyond the simple (yet, ok, still compelling) story of Millie trying her best to succeed at school as the token witch student, there's also a bigger story here--involving Mille's mother, some of the other adults, and a secret portal to the Logical Realm (aka our world).  Sanchez packs a lot of excitement into this story, nicely drawing it out in ever-widening circles, as the characters' actions have impacts on bigger and bigger things in the world.

The Witch's Kitchen is just a nice addition the middle grade witch books in the world. Charming and occasionally quirky, with a lot to share about important subjects like talent and family and kindness, it's a great choice for readers of middle grade fantasy.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Witch's Kitchen
By Dianna Sanchez
Genre - Childrens Fiction
Synopsis
Millie's a witch, so why can't she do magic?

Despite her mother’s best efforts to teach her, every spell Millie tries goes horribly wrong, but she’s a fabulous cook. When Millie conjures chocolate sauce instead of a transformation potion, her mother gives up and sends her to the Enchanted Forest School, where she’s bullied by goblins, snubbed by an elf, and has her hat stolen. Even as Millie’s magical talent begins to develop, turning her house ghost into a frog and accidentally charming her entire class, Millie starts to wonder: what if she’s not a witch at all? To find out, she and her new friends embark on a dangerous quest to find Millie’s father in the Logical Realm, in contemporary Salem, MA.

Deep in a fantasy realm adjacent to our own, the Enchanted Forest School is located in the branches of an enormous oak tree and has a dragon for a headmistress. Millie’s initial delight in attending school rapidly fades as she struggles in the unfamiliar social environment, encountering fellow students of magical races, making new friends, and discovering that her mother’s style of magic isn’t the only one available.

A Witch’s Kitchen is a delightful 54,000 word middle grade novel.

Review
Poor Millie, can't seem to do anything right, her spells no matter how she tries always go wrong. She doesn't even look like a witch, her hair refuses to tangle, she can't manage to grow any warts at all, and everyone makes fun of her because she doesn't have an enchanted witches hat.
Millies offered a chance to attend school with others from the Enchanted Forest. She accepts the challenge. It's embarrassing for a witch to attend school with non-witches, but Millie figures that school will be better than staying at home being embarrassed by her lack of witch-skills. At school she makes friends with all sorts of magical kids -- pixies, leprechauns, elves, and others. As Millie gains confidence, her magical skills begin to appear,
This book is very similar to Jill Morphy's Worst Witch series.
Highly recommended for girls aged 7 - 10
3.5 stars

[Cee · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this from netgallery in exchange for an honest and fair review*

I didn't realize this was a middle grade until I started. So, this book and I started on the wrong foot. I'm not used to reading books for a younger audience. But, this book was done very well. I actually really liked it and would totally read a sequel.

Millie is a great character and her growth is so warming to see. She goes from a scared stuttering little girl to a confident young witch with a smile on her face. Truly heart-warming. The characters are cute or gross, if need be.

There was so much magic here and different types going to the same school, very interesting. The school was fun. Honestly, I could have read more.

Absolutely loved the characters and the challenges presented and I thought the flow was very good. I would definitely recommend this to people. I wish I knew more kids in middle school... Or at least parents with children.

5/5 would definitely re-read.
I only hope there is more in store for Millie.

[Bernadett · Rating 2 out of 5]

i got my copy from netgalley
no matter what i started to resent books that start out with the outstretched intro of the same content as what ive read in the synopsis. like , thank you, ive already read that.
wow : someone telling this to their child is a real charmer…
“You are the most pathetic excuse for a witch I have ever known. You are eleven years old, and you cannot master even the most basic spells and potions.”
making her child to send into a nervous stutter is really not the way in my opinion how you should get to start a middle grade book…
i felt like a very very cheap rip off of harry potter and trying to get across to the younger audiences without getting really the point. i also dont really like kissing and romantic elements mentioned in books dedicated to younger audience such as middle grade novels. i think its unnecessary. i gave it 2/5 stars.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Millie has to put up with a lot, her hair refuses to tangle, she can't manage to grow any warts at all, and everyone makes fun of her for getting all her spells wrong. Is she really even a witch? You'll find out as you read this and learn all about her adventures as she grows into the witch she was always meant to be. As a huge fan of The Worst Witch as a child, I really enjoyed Millie's story and I hope there will be more to come from Millie and this author.

[Misti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie is hopeless at being a witch. She doesn't have any warts, she can't even enchant her own hat, and every potion she tries to brew somehow turns into food. Because, of course, cooking is what Millie is really gifted at. She wishes that everyone would just ignore her and let her cook, but at coven meetings, she's the laughingstock of the whole group. Then, at one fateful gathering, her grandmother, the leader of the coven, decrees that Millie is to attend school. The Enchanted Forest School has been urging all of the different magical beings to send their progeny, but witches have always kept to themselves, each witch training her own daughters. Will school help Millie discover if she has any magical talents beyond cooking? Or will she be a laughingstock there, too?

I think I would have really liked this book if it had been around when I was a kid. The interactions between the children in the book feel authentic, and I would have eaten up the details about the Enchanted Forest and the school. Plus, Millie's cooking sounds amazing (when it doesn't involve frogs or lizards). As an adult, the pacing lagged, and there were some awkward bits of writing. I can still see recommending this to kids who enjoy lighthearted fantasy, but I probably won't continue with the series.

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good middle school level book

This book touched a cord in me. I wanted so badly to give Millie a hug. Her mother reminded me of my own, and not in a good way. Her childhood echoed the loneliness of mine, and I wish school had been such a refuge to me as it was to Millie. I took refuge in books, like this one. I adored Millie. The one star deduction was for the "mysterious" elements of Sagara's family issues. Lots of hints as to a problem but, unrealistically, not one person says "what's up with that"? I understand the author plans sequels so not everything is resolved but this one point was too contrived and jerked me out of the reading experience.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book delightful. Millie's spells always go awry, turning into delicious treats instead of vile potions. She's bullied by the other apprentice witches and her own mother, but ends up at the village school learning magic with other young forest folk. Millie must figure out how can she pursue her passion for cooking without disappointing her witchy mother.

The only character I didn't care for was Bogdana, Millie's mom. Not because she was awful, but she just seemed kind of muddled and confused. Utterly vile one moment, and more of a pathetic figure the next, although perhaps that's more reflective of reality.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Millie, who cannot do witch magic, attends the Enchanted Forest School and learns some things about herself.

This is a sweet middle grade book with a hefty dose of cooking. While Millie is frustrated at her lack of ability to get witch spells right, she does a ton of baking (especially chocolate, which the resident ghost Horace, absolutely adores). I enjoyed seeing Millie make friends (and one enemy) at the magic school who also appreciate her cooking. Millie learns that she has a hidden ability and grows quite a bit during the story. My favorite creatures were the tree folk, especially Thea the baby tree.

Read this if you need a cupcake-like book with magic and friendship.

[Kathryn Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The take of a young witch trying to cast a spell - any spell!

This title cried up as "recommended reading" after I (very belatedly) finished reading "A Wrinkle In Time". Written on a similar theme and for the same audience, the plot centers on a young witch trying to please her talented and domineering mother. Her attempts at casting spells have... unanticipated results. Interesting characters, an imaginative setting, and witty plot twists made for a pleasant rainy afternoon.

[Devon Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Female Harry Potter

I chose this rating because the writer got me interested and connected to Millie right away. I fell in love with Millie's selflessness and need to find herself even though she didn't realize it as well as the secondary characters who are her friends.
I would recommend this book to other readers who are looking for a book similar to Harry Potter but with a female lead. It is worth reading.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! Even though it's middle grade/lower YA and I'm a middle aged woman, I was drawn into the mystery of what was going on with Millie and her magic and found myself unable to put down the book. This book struck the right balance (for me) between serious problems for the characters while overall being fun, light-hearted, and on the noble-bright end of the spectrum. It was wonderful and charming and I can't wait to dive into the sequel!

[L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I HATE a "forgive your abuser" moral. are you kidding me???? Her mom is WILDLY and SEVERELY abusive.

other than that, the ending is rushed, and the character development is unrealistic.
it is a kids book, so it gets a little leeway for the second two points, but it gets NO leeway for the first one. Her mom is super duper unforgivably abusive and doesnt see any real consequences for it-- but other adults say they "see why she did that" even if it wasnt ok??? NO. NO SEE WHY SHE DID THAT. THROW THE WHOLE WOMAN AWAY.

[Emily Speed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique, fun and entertaining

I really enjoyed this book!! So refreshing to read a new and original idea. Super fun read. No bad surprises with language or adult content in the middle. I really really enjoyed it!!

[Linda Dolven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this story!

I got this story to read to my niece and nephew. But I enjoyed it so much that I ended up reading it on my own as I didn’t want to put it down. But now I get the pleasure of reading it again, this time out loud :-) Such a fun book!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! AND!! I JUST DISCOVERED that this book has been made into a series!!! Happiness for ME!!! This book made me think: World of Harry Potter meets World of Narnia!! There was fabulous character/world development! I’m suuuuuper excited to read the next book!!!

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't normally read YA lit but this one was very charming. A poor little witch girl who went to school because all of her spells produced food, finally gets the approval of her mom and grandmom witches.

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my all time favorites. It shows how the struggles of being a witch is real. Millie goes through A LOT in the book and still manages to come out with something good!!!!😁