Ivy is a strong character to follow and her determination leads this book. There is a lot of gore and violence throughout the book, so avoid it if that bothers you. King Arthur feels and witchy elements, especially after the halfway mark. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

I requested a copy of this on Netgalley as I had read and enjoyed other books by this author and the premise really intrigued me.

I did enjoy the reading experience. It was a quick and engaging read with some interesting plot points but it didn't blow me away.

I think I'm getting to a point where I'm no longer in the correct demographic for YA books and I feel I probably would have enjoyed this one more if I was younger.

There were some atmospheric moments throughout and it was intriguing enough to keep me interested whilst I was reading.

My favourite thing about this book was definitely the characters. I enjoyed the dynamics between our two main characters and the relationships between the witches. I also really enjoyed the focus on family in a few different ways throughout the story.

Overall an enjoyable read but one I think I may have enjoyed more if I was in the YA demographic. If the premise interests you then I would definitely recommend giving it a go.

Waking the Witch by Rachel Burge

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When Ivy's search for her mother draws her to a remote Welsh isle, she uncovers a dark secret about her past.

An ancient and corrupt power is stalking Ivy, and her only chance of survival is to look deep within herself.

For not every story in legend is true, and some evils are not what they seem.

A darkly spellbinding tale of female empowerment, steeped in Welsh mythology and Arthurian legend.

My Opinion

Ivy has managed to track down her mother who abandoned her shortly after birth in a service station - in order to meet her she needs to travel to a remote Welsh island. An atmospheric setting brings this YA book to life, Rachel has written the book in such a way to make the reader feel a little uneasy and keep you on the edge of your seat.

This is an engaging and entertaining read and made for a great introduction to Rachel Burge's writing. Whilst this worked well as a standalone, I can't help but think that it would be a great opening book in a series.

Rating 4/5

TW: gore, violence, blood, homelessness, misogyny, sexism, absent family

Great concept, poor execution. Marketed as YA, yet the writing style and characters were so juvenile I wouldn't put this in the hands of any reader over the age of 12, despite the gore and mild violence.

The story follows Ivy, a girl raised in foster care and her search for her biological mother. The overarching message is that good bests evil and love trumps all, which is why I think it's better suited to middle grade rather than YA. I also expected a lot more to be drawn from the Arthurian legend. The crux of this story would work just as well with any wizard and generic witches, as the inspiration was light. In future, I'd like to see more references to myths or none at all. This mix of name-dropping with little else didn't work well for me.

It's disappointing to see the 'I'm not like other girls' trope STILL being used in 2022: "I want to tell him I didn't learn martial arts the way that some girls take up yoga or gymnastics" like really? As a character growing up in the care system we could have had real insight into an alternative childhood and why Ivy felt prompted to pick up martial arts. Instead we get a quick 'kids go through too much in care' paired with 'oh but my current foster parents are really nice though, and I've always had allowances from every foster family I've been with'. Being chucked straight into the action is normally a good thing, but this history deserved more representation than it was given, both at the beginning and within the awkward flashbacks throughout the novel. Not to mention in the paragraph before we have a "that's what you get for putting your faith in people: disappointment". It's just very cliche and overdone, especially when tied in with the Tracy Beaker-esque backstory.

The other issues I had with this book were the plot holes and the writing. At the beginning of the book, Ivy works in a butterfly centre. I've not read any book featuring a butterfly centre! Nice! There is so much talk about butterflies at the start of this novel I thought this would be a recurring theme, which would've been great had it been executed. During her shift, 3 butterflies start flying around her head in an abnormal pattern. That's weird, and foreboding, and ominous, and all the other things a plot device like this is used for. And then they're never brought up again, save for a caterpillar reference towards the end of the book. Instead we then focus on cormorants, big birds that are actually women!

What's sad about this book too is that with a bit more time and length, it could be a really good book. We're rushed from scene to scene with no time for the character to stop and think. There's not enough character development to find Ivy relatable, nor is there enough dialogue and interaction between the other characters to make them stand out. Most revelations or truths are revealed through 1. info-dumping 2. reading it in a book and 3. memories-that-aren't-quite-her-memories. It means that every 'shock' falls a little flat and the story becomes less and less believable as it continues. Given the speed of the plot, I should've expected the ending to be the same. I was still confused as to why it was cut so short, unless a sequel has been planned.

Now, the writing: it was just so clunky and underdeveloped. Within the span of a couple of pages (and perhaps more, this is only when I started noticing) we have:

"Somehow I know it's done"
"Somehow I know they won't hurt him"
"Somehow I'm not afraid"
"Something tells me that she can heal him"
"Something deep in my gut tells me I can trust her"
"There's something unnerving about the way their bare feet step effortlessly"
"Somehow I know that I once had a special relationship with her"
"Something is happening"

That last one really takes the cake. Yeah, something is happening, it's me losing my will to live. Why hasn't an editor gone through this and tightened it up? It makes for poor storytelling, when we're getting nothing other than the character feeling "something"- I NEED MORE! I know this is an arc, but I'm doubtful how many more revisions it will have before publishing. More show, less tell, please.

There's more I could and want to say, but I've actually run out of steam writing this review. As a disclaimer, two of my favourite books are in the YA genre, so the genre or intended reading age is not the problem here. It's the plot holes, fast pace and lack of characterisation!

Thank you to Netgalley for this free arc in exchange for an honest review.

Gothic fantasy steeped in Welsh folklore.

This was a tale that grew on me the longer I read it. Ivy is a strong female character who has understood the value of independence but fears becoming attached to others due to her traumatic past. She leads the narrative with a guided hand, enabling fellow characters to develop successfully and support her transformation. I particularly loved the opening section about caterpillars turning into butterflies and how this becomes a metaphor for all those involved in Ivy’s story. Tom is a light-hearted and kind side-kick who provides humour after tense moments and, I found, became an endearing character for me.

There are gothic elements to this book which satisfactorily reflects the darker forces at play who become creepier and more grotesque as the narrative progresses. The female point of view for the Arthurian tales provide a refreshing change and feel very suited to the current time, exploring the issues of legends and myths being only told in a male voice.

All in all, an exciting read which I highly recommend for anyone who wants strong characters, loves fantasy, gothic or folklore- or all of the above!

This will be the perfect spooky read for October and the Halloween season. The story telling is perfectly paced, the characters we developed and included my favourite fantasy genre - witchcraft. If you loved once and future witches then this is the book for you.

WAKING THE WITCH


A fantastic mythical YA fantasy novel and fully deserving the full five stars.

Thank you #Netgalley for my E-arc copy of #WakingTheWitch and allowing me the chance of reading this brilliant novel before its publication in exchange for my honest review.
Not my usual read but I’m so glad that I read it.

I instantly fell in love with this beautifully written novel, I was encapsulated from the first paragraph. What a beautiful start. And the descriptive pros were sensational throughout.

“ A darkly spellbinding story of witches, sisterhood and coming of age, steeped in Welsh mythology and Arthurian legend…Her mum warned her not to come and to stay away from the lighthouse, but now it's too late. As the shadows draw closer, Ivy must look deep within herself if she wants to survive. For not every story in folklore is true, and some evils aren't what they seem...”

WOW! This book was amazing. I loved everything about it - the characters were really relatable and I was rooting for Ivy all the way. The banter between her and Tom made me laugh more than once (despite the scary things happening!). It was atmospheric, fast paced and the inclusion of Arthurian legend and Welsh myth was really clever. I will definitely be picking up a copy of the book when it comes out.

Waking the Witch is a fast paced, YA novel, that delves into strong feminist themes. Ivy is working in a butterfly house, living with foster carers after she'd been abandoned as a baby. She never lets anyone gets close and is desperate to find out where she came from and who she belongs to. She discovers her birth mother is living on a remote island off the coast from Wales and when she's fired from her job, she sets off with the kindly Tom to find her Mum, only her mother is terrified that the shadows of the past will harm Ivy if she comes to visit.

This book was a quick, dark yet fun read. I love that I'm starting to see more books set in Wales, using our culture and mythology as a backdrop to stories. This novel has strong, feminist themes, highlighting how females are still seen as objects by some men. I also enjoyed how the book took on some of the Arthurian legends and myths and melded them together.

Ivy was a strong character. She hides her emotions and refuses to let anyone in and yet she's partnered with Tom, who is warm and desperate to break down the walls that Ivy has built around her. The two characters had a great dynamic.

I'm assuming there's going to be a sequel...it really can't end like that! But it does read as a good standalone too.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an e-arc in return for an honest review.

I really liked this one! I have read Burge's other novels, steeped in Norse mythology so I was really excited to learn more about Arthurian legend and mythology.

The story follows Ivy as she searches for her mother, after spending her life in foster care. However, she finds a little more than she bargains for when she is plunged into the world of magic.

This is such a unique concept and it was really well executed, in my opinion, It opens really fast-paced to lure you in and then grips you with the sense of adventure.

Ivy is a well-written character, which always makes the reading of a book much easier!

If you like witches, Arthurian legend and atmospheric writing, then this one is definitely for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc.

‘Just because you can’t feel the magic inside you, doesn’t mean it’s not there.'

Ivy has gone from foster home to foster home, not truly feeling like she belongs anywhere. She has the butterfly museum, where she works, and that is the closest place that feels like home to her.

She has her coworker Tom, the two of them throwing practical jokes at each other, and Ivy's eyes rolling almost every time that Tom opens him mouth.

But Ivy refuses to open up to him, or anyone in her life.

She bottles up her feelings, afraid to be hurt.

And then, when a letter arrives and then a phone call soon after, she is ready to leave and chase after the ghosts that haunt her.

This book was honestly amazing! I loved the use of Arthurian mythology and Ivy's character was so well written.

This book has a sense of uniqueness to it that was refreshing and made it so enjoyable to read.

I will definitely be recommending this book! Its great for lovers of King Arthur books, witches and spontaneous adventures that can lead to anything!

Thank you so much to the publishers for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Ivy has grown up in foster care, never knowing her mum but always searching for her. One day she gets a lead that takes her to Bardsey Island, but her mum isn't all Ivy finds.

She is thrust into a world of magic and demons, a world where witches and King Arthur are all real and realises she isn't safe - there are shadows searching for her, but what do they want with her and why did her mother give her up?

I have always been fascinated with the myth surrounding King Arthur so I'm constantly searching for new iterations. Enter Waking the Witch, a book that blends the real world with that of myth and legend.

I read this book in a day because I was obsessed with finding out everything as soon as possible. The way the elements of the King Arthur myth were blended with our world, magic, demons, and witches was brilliant and entertaining.

I loved the friendship between Ivy and Tom, the constant banter was entertaining but it was also great seeing how they would do anything for each other.

It was great when the witches were properly introduced, but I would have loved to know more about Morgan and the others. I feel this book would have benefitted from being longer, with the history and characters more well-established, especially Avalon, and the end felt a little rushed to me, but it was still an enjoyable read.

What an incredible read! It had me on the edge of my seat, second guessing what i thought I knew. Highly unpredictable and highly satisfying. It is so intelligently written, which makes it impossible to put down!

Writing aside, i fell in LOVE with the cover. The vibrant colours really draw the eye! It will take centre stage on my shelf! The blurb doesnt give too much away, but perfectly sets up the story, and is intriguing enough to make you read it straight away!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the idea behind this book but unfortunately the delivery fell flat for me.

The pacing was a bit all over the place with a really slow start and rushed ending.

I also feel the writing style was a little young for my personal taste but this is YA so that can happen at times.

The ending I also feel was a bit ambiguous. The main character, Ivy, has wanted nothing more than to have a family and honestly, I still don’t know if the ending resolved anything. I have more questions than answers.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book started off at a super fast pace, it opens with our main protagonist Ivy 17 years old and working in a butterfly farm, Ivy is intuitive but is very closed off to the people around her. She grew up in the social care system and has been looking for her birth mother for a very long time. Finally, she has a lead into her mother’s whereabouts and travels to the remote Bardsey Island off the coast of Wales.
Ivy is soon pulled into a fairy tale of myths and monsters in order to finally understand what and who she really is.
So it’s not very often that you come across a novel that is not only based in England but has very England places and vernacular, I loved the generational references, it felt like I was listening to my own children. The plot is fast-paced and while not a very long book it had so much going on. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, and would definitely recommend it to a younger audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for the advance reader copy.

Ivy has spent years looking for her birth mother, but when she finally finds her on Bardsey Island, she is shocked by what greets her. According to folklore, the cormorants that fly over the remote Welsh isle are the terrifying witches of Arthurian legend - and they are searching for Ivy. Her mum warned her not to come and to stay away from the lighthouse, but now it's too late. As the shadows draw closer, Ivy must look deep within herself if she wants to survive. For not every story in folklore is true, and some evils aren't what they seem...

I love reading new takes on witches and Arthurian mythology and this really did not disappoint. The writing was great and atmospheric. However, the pacing did seem a little off in the second half of the book and the ending left me wanting a little. I really look forward to reading more from Rachel Burge.

Please can we have the next in the series now please, I really don't want to wait to see what happens. I read this with the older children and they both enjoyed it immensely ,as did I. An exciting and heartening tale of a young woman finding out who she really is ,and WOW the punchline is worth waiting for.

I LOVED this book! Ivy was fantastically feisty and her relationship with Tom was brilliantly done. I was so invested in them as a couple and their funny banter felt realistic and really added to the book. The story itself was amazing - gripping from the first page and the witches were wonderfully creepy and strange. I loved how Ivy found a family in the end..

DNF this book at over 50%, I can’t bring myself to read anymore.

I’m not the intended audience for this- it’s YA but definitely more middle grade/YA rather than upper.

Most of the book is the main character trying to find her mother, but it takes mostly 50% of the book of the MC travelling to finally see her mother. Also takes this long to get to the part about witches and a “portal”. It is not a slow moving book. but these main points took reading half the book to finally get to them.

It took a while for the plot to start moving, and I was hoping for more darkness and creepiness from the witches and it isn’t like that.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-Arc!

I love a good book that hooks you in from the first page and this was it. It starts off so innocent yet creepy and the level of creepy goes up and up as we get through the book.

So descriptive, so creepy, but I loved the king Arthur vibes, the sisters, the witches, the friendship etc.

Written so well!!