I really enjoyed reading this book, I was abit unsure at first but once I got into reading it I could put it down I am really looking forward to the next instalment

Hedgewitch is the sort of story that took me right back to days of hiding out in my local library and reading any books I could find on witches when I was a kid. This has everything I love about witch stories, and lots of twists and a fresh angle on a well-trodden path.

Cassie Morgan is unhappy and an outside at the boarding school she’s been at since her mother disappeared. Now it’s been seven years, and her mother had been declared dead Cassie is being sent to an orphanage, but is saved by a talking cat and she is soon to discover she does still have family, including an aunt who is a Hedgewitch.

She learns of the Hedge and the Faeries world beyond as she starts her new life training to be a fully-fledged witch. But as children from around the country start going missing, including the younger brother of one of Cassie’s new friends, she knows she has to do something about it. But can Cassie and her new coven save them before it’s too late?

A truly magical read, full of wonder and adventure, one that will be perfect for fans of The Worst Witch, Diana Wynne Jones and Nevermoor.

An enjoyable childrens’ fantasy book about adventure, discovery and fairies. Strong female leading character and includes some nice illustrations between chapters.
A book for readers and daydreamers alike.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading. Would recommend to my class and would purchase a copy for my class library. Very worst witch like so if a fan of these you’ll love Hedgewitch. Would have liked more illustrations throughout to complement the story. Looking forward to finding out more of Cassie’s story:

I chose this book mostly because of the cover. I love the swirling leaves.

I loved this book, it was easy and fun to read. Cassie is an appealing character, and very relatable. She’s not had the easiest childhood, but she’s brave and a good friend.

I liked the setting too, Hedgely felt like it was part of a whole world. I enjoyed the magic, and the elements of faerie that were in this book. I’m looking forward to seeing more in the rest of the series.

Overall, this was a fun read, full of magic and friendship. I definitely recommend it to readers young and old! I can’t wait to read the next book.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

I was so reluctant to leave the world evoked by Skye McKenna in Hedgewitch that I started reading this book again immediately after finishing it! This is something I hadn't done since I was a child. And Hedgewitch reminds me of the books I loved when I was younger, particularly Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones, which I regularly borrowed from my local library. As I turned the pages of Hedgewitch for the first time, it felt like being reunited with an old friend.

Cassie Morgan is twelve and lives in Fowell House, an austere boarding school. This is where Cassie has been ever since her mother left her there, promising to return for her one day. That was seven years ago and no one has seen Cassie's mother since. When the awful headmistress of Cassie's school announces that she is being sent to an orphanage, Cassie plots her escape from Fowell House. But with no friends or relatives and nowhere to go, what is to become of her? Luckily, Cassie is not as alone as she thinks. She finds herself in Hedgely, a charming village named after 'the Hedge'. This is an enchanted forest that forms a border to the land of Faerie. Humans are protected from all that lies beyond and within the Hedge by the Hedgewitch and her wardens, an elite network of highly-trained witches.

After Cassie arrives in Hedgely, she discovers her ancestral heritage; Cassie comes from a long line of witches, but witches are not born with magical skills; they must learn them. As Cassie studies to become a witch, she tries to find out where her mother went and why she left so abruptly. Meanwhile, children are going missing all over the country and something mysterious and sinister threatens everyone's safety.

The only thing more exciting than reading Hedgewitch was discovering that it's part of a five-book series. I'm already looking forward to the other four books. It's rare to enter a fictional realm that feels so real, especially when magic is involved. Skye McKenna's attention to detail creates an intricate, rich and convincing universe.

The portrayal of the citizens of Faerie recalled the folklore I grew up with here in Ireland. Members of the Faerie community that are not to be trusted, and possibly even dangerous, feel far more authentic than the sparkly and generous kind. In Hedgewitch, living so close to the Faerie realm means peculiar and suspicious incidents, and items being stolen, rather than fairy dust, granted wishes or pots of gold.

Despite this, Hedgely is an irresistibly quaint setting. I'd love to explore its cobbled streets, sample the delights of Marchpane's, browse in Widdershins' bookshop and call to The Pickled Imp afterwards. The Hedge is as alive as all the characters and the reader can almost smell its earthy scent and hear twigs snapping when Cassie enters it. You never know what is waiting inside the Hedge, and its maze-like structure is forever changing, which adds to the appeal.

As fascinating as Hedgely and its surroundings are, this book's characters are equally compelling. So much subtle humour exists in their interactions and even those with minor roles are remarkably well developed. From the paper-eating 'bookwyrms', nefarious goblins, unreliable imps, volatile urchins and to-be-avoided river hags, and the teachers at Fowell House, every creature we encounter is full of personality. The villains have plenty of depth and complexity too.

Cassie is a wonderful character: loyal, brave, determined and clever. At the same time, she is not perfect. Cassie can be impulsive and reckless, headstrong and short-tempered, but her flaws make her more lovable and relatable. Cassie's friends are amazing supports and her relationship with them is just as powerful as any form of magic.

Housekeeper Mrs Briggs is a benevolent force that recalls the kindest of grandmothers. I would love to spend time in her kitchen. Brogan the gardener is a gentle soul whose protectiveness of his plants, especially his prized 'gurtroot', is as endearing as it is amusing. I was in stitches during a scene that involved an invasion of 'urchins' in his potting shed. I get the impression he has Irish roots which made me even fonder of him.
Montague the cat explains Hedgely and its conventions to Cassie and in turn to the reader. With lines like, "I do not like the direction you appear to be heading in with this line of enquiry," he is so exquisitely feline and another fantastic character. Miranda, the aloof Hedgewitch, is as intriguing as the disappearance of Cassie's mother. I look forward to learning more about both as the series develops.

There are so many inventive and atmospheric elements that enrich the story further. The Hartwood Tree which lies at the centre of Hartwood Hall is so striking that it actually gave me goosebumps. The badges that the trainee witches collect as they complete different challenges, similar to those awarded to girl guides, are another excellent touch. The different witch patrols and the rivalry between them are also brilliant. I loved all the scenes involving broomsticks and how they're capable of being as unpredictable and obstinate as mules.

It's challenging to talk about a book that elicits such a strong emotional response without sounding like a babbling idiot. I loved everything about Hedgewitch and I could go on and on, but I won't. I'm going to leave you with the description of Marchpane's, a shop in Hedgely that has, "a pink-striped awning and the smell of cinnamon, toffee and fresh bread wafting through the open door." I found Hedgewitch every bit as enticing. It's beautifully written, extremely funny, slightly creepy and utterly magical. Make sure you pick up a copy when Hedgewitch releases on 14th April to see for yourself how absolutely magnificent this book is.

A brilliant addition to the middle grade shelf for anyone drawn to the magical realm. An approachable and relatable protagonist, who will appeal to both boys and girl alike. The descriptions were particularly wonderful, providing a fully immersive experience - which I often struggle to find! A great book to begin the journey into the magical worlds of Nevermoor and Harry Potter, with a sprinkling of Mallory Towers. I can't wait to share with my 8 year old on and future LKS2 classes.

What a wonderful book! Cassie Morgan’s story starts off with a daring escape from a grim boarding school, a chase by child-nabbing goblins, another daring escape aided by a flying broomstick and a talking cat… and this is just the very beginning! Cassie finds refuge in her aunt’s house in Hedgley, which is bordering the Hedge, the vast forest which is the border between England and Faerie.

Cassie gets to join the Coven, which is charmingly similar to Brownies and prepares young girls to become fully-fledged witches. For the first time in a long-time, Cassie has a home, friends, and a full tummy. Which takes me to the mouth-watering descriptions of food - oh, they are glorious! Life could be good, were it not for the mystery around the disappearance of Cassie’s mother seven years ago. Is Cassie’s mum truly dead? Who is behind the kidnappings of young children all over the country? And is there a traitor living amongst the people of Hedgeley?

I devoured this book over two days. It would be the ideal read for fans of Nevermoor, Harry Potter and A Pinch of Magic - and for everybody who enjoys a good adventure with magic and folklore thrown into the mix too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Welbeck Publishing UK for the digital reading copy.

Cassie is an outsider, different, strange and everyone at Fowell House boarding school is keen to remind her of that. When her mother is declared dead after being missing for 7 years, Cassie is to be sent to an orphanage but is saved from the ordeal by a talking cat who orders her to sit on a broom and whisks her away to her auntie the formidable Hedgewitch. At her family's home she is told about the Hedge and the land of Faerie beyond and she begins a new life training to be a fully fledged witch. But trouble is brewing - children from around the country are going missing and when the younger brother of one of Cassie's new friends disappears she must act before its too late. Can Cassie and her coven save the day?
As soon as I saw this book being advertised I was desperate to read it and I loved it. Full of witchy folklore and superstition with a good dose of adventure and excitement, this book will appeal to magic lovers everywhere. I'm already waiting for news on the next book.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Welbeck Publishing for the advanced read. Hedgewitch is published on 14th April, 2022 and I can't wait to add this to my classroom bookshelf on publication day.

It’s funny how sometimes you really look forward to reading a particular book – more, perhaps, than you would a special event. Or maybe that’s just me! Here is a title that I have been anticipating keenly for months after being tipped off by book blogger Jo Clarke that something fabulous was on its way. Not due out for another couple of months, I was thrilled to discover it tucked away amongst the newly added reads on Net Galley and even more thrilled when I found I could download and read it straight away.

With any book, there is always a gamble involved in relying on someone else’s thoughts – possibly even more so when the title is by a debut author – and there have been times when I’ve finally read a book and just haven’t felt the same excitement about it that other people have. Here, though, I’m pleased to report that I fully get it – this is a magical adventure packed with brilliant characters and a gripping storyline, highly original yet with a deep respect for the numerous witchy books which have preceded it and one which I am delighted to say is the first in a new series, with more mysteries and dangers to come for young heroine Cassie.

When we first meet her, danger is something that seems far away for Cassie, who has hidden herself in a broom cupboard in order to savour reading Tales of Faerie away from the prying eyes of her fellow pupils and teachers. Books to be read for pleasure are a rare treat at Fowell House and Cassie has carefully managed to squirrel away a few titles to provide her with an escape from the boredom of her daily routine. This dull life is soon to change though. Firstly, another pupil mysteriously vanishes – the latest in a series of inexplicable disappearances of children – and secondly, Cassie learns she is to be sent from the school to live in an orphanage when her mother, who has been missing for seven years, is declared dead.

Deciding that this would be even worse, she decides to run away. Fleeing the school under cover of darkness, and taking her precious book with her, Cassie finds herself pursued by what appears to be a gang of goblins, who corner her in a dead end. With escape looking impossible, Cassie is startled when she is suddenly advised by a nearby cat to sit on a broom which she has picked up to defend herself with, and with no other plan to fall back on she does. Together with the cat, who instructs her on how to fly, Cassie escapes and after returning to earth is even more stunned when the cat tells her he has been sent to collect her by the Hedgewitch – an aunt she had no idea existed up until now.

After travelling to her aunt’s house, Cassie is warmly welcomed by the housekeeper but has to wait to meet her aunt – a stern woman who tells Cassie that she must maintain the family’s reputation and follow the rules she is given, including staying well away from the Hedge – a wood nearby which is packed full of dangers. Desperate to find evidence that her mother is still alive, Cassie starts to investigate as she settles in and starts to train as a witch, but finds herself irresistibly drawn towards the Hedge. What or who is it that is hidden there? How is it connected to the missing children? And what is the role of the Hedgewitch in all of this?

Cassie finds herself suddenly plunged into a magical community of which she has up until now been ignorant, and because of this the book is bound to draw comparisons with the Harry Potter, Nevermoor and Amari series. Yes, there are commonalities, as there always will be when writing about witches, but this is not an imitation of anything I have read before in the genre. It stands perfectly well on its own alongside those titles and is one that I will be adding to my list of alternatives for those children who have read those and want something similar to enjoy.

There are so many fresh and original ideas here that will engage young readers. I especially loved the idea of the coven – a witchy equivalent of the Brownies – something so ordinary and familiar portrayed as something so magical and extraordinary, and I know many others will too. This idea, as well as all of the others skilfully included in the fantastic writing of Skye McKenna, lends the story an incredible feeling of credibility, meaning that for much of the book Cassie’s story feels much more real than many other titles currently on sale. I for one cannot wait to see what happens to her next, and I’m certain I won’t be alone in this.

The most enormous thanks goes to Welbeck Publishing UK and to Net Galley for my advance read. Hedgewitch is published in hardback on April 14th, and is most definitely one to add to your wish list.

trigger warning
<spoiler> child neglect, bullying, grief, loss of a parent, kidnapping, human trafficking, mention of slavery </spoiler>

Cassie Morgan has been for seven years at an awful boarding school when she recieves news that, for legal reasons, her mother is supposed as dead. It turns out she <i>has</i> living relatives, and her aunt is none other than the Hedgewitch, and she'll be going to live with her.

The Hedgewitch guards the Hedge, the border between this world and the fairyland, because the fair folk can't be bothered to play nice and strange things may escape and wreak havoc on the next village.
Additionally, the Hedgewitch leads the local coven and works on the education of the local girls who wish to become witches themselves.

Let me be honest here, as bullying is a trigger to me, the first 40 pages were rough and I was considering putting this aside, but I am glad I kept on it, because that topic ends there.
After these 40 pages, Cassie is whisked away by a talking cat to her new home, and what a home this is!

The plot is relatively predictable, but this is more about the atmosphere, and that was a lot of fun.
I'll make sure to return to this series, as this is one of those middlegrade books older readers will enjoy, too. And this simply ticked all the right boxes for me.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

I love reading books that range in ages from middle grade all the way to adult and this is definitely one of those books. It is well written with characters that i just wanted to keep in my pocket and a brilliant storyline. I loved the imagery and magic in the book and i took the protagonist to my heart. I cannot wait to read more in this series I loved it.

Oh we loved this story.
I read this together with my daughter. She loves anything witchy so this was totally loved by her. She loved it but had to skip some parts as she found some parts a big scary and naughty Mummy didn’t take notice of the age rating. So maybe parts were a little to scary for my 7 year old.

I however read on and loved it. I loved the writing style and will look forward to buying the series to read with her once she’s a little older.

I have to say this was one of those books that I did sneak off with and read on by myself as I couldn't wait to find out what was happening. It's got a brilliant pace with great character development. The publishers recommended reading age is 9 years +. It's quite a hefty length and so I would say it would be suited to 9+ year olds who have a good stamina with books. Chapter 1-4 is quite dark in a more 'real world' way in which Cassie our protagonist is bullied both verbally and physically. If you have a more sensitive child I'd consider waiting until they are a little older for the start.

From chapter 5 onwards you are more in the world of fantasy and actually I feel that the writing is then more suitable for a younger audience. My five year old very much enjoyed listening to parts of the story, especially any parts with the cat Montague in! For my 8 year old I chose to omit some parts of the first few chapters as she is a more sensitive soul.

In short, Cassie escapes a boarding school where her mother left her seven years prior promising to return. As soon as she evades the school and THE DOG she is thrust into a magical world that she's been reading and dreaming about all her life. Her mission is to find her mother, but there are problems along the way.

This is the first book in a five part series. It's a great read and we all enjoyed the classic - fall helpless into the writers world - storytelling. Very much looking forward to the rest in the series.