Ivy works at a butterfly zoo and was abandoned as a baby. The only thing she has is a note from her mother saying that she tried to keep her safe. After searching for years Ivy finally locates her mother on Bardsey Island where according to folklore, the cormorants that fly over the remote Welsh isle are the terrifying witches of Arthurian legend.

Despite her mum warning Ivy not to come and find her and to stay away from the lighthouse Ivy disobeys her and now she’s at risk from the witches. Her mother welcomes her in but warns her that she shouldn’t have come and uses salt as protection but will it be enough to keep the evil at bay and what do the witches want with Ivy?

This was such a good book. It was atmospheric and the setting of the island was definitely creepy with it being abandoned during winter. The ending was just amazing and leaves it open for book 2 (please let there be a next instalment I need to know what happens next). Great characters and great storyline. If you like witches, mythology and Arthurian legends you’ll love this book. Saying that though if you aren’t into the above I reckon you’ll still enjoy this book because it’s so well written and the storyline is just so good.

I received this as an eARC and it’s the first one I’ve ever got - and what a book to get!

The story follows Ivy, a young girl with a mysterious past and the journey she goes on to discover more about it. Throughout the book we encounter parts of Arthurian legend, witchcraft and a healthy dose of feminism - all deftly handled by Burge.

I really enjoyed the setting of the book, set across the UK and a large portion of it was spent in Wales which is such an underrated, beautiful part of the world. The writing really set the tone and felt incredibly creepy at times, giving portions of the book a real unsettling vibe and making you second guess just what was actually happening and the characters motives.

The characters themselves were great, Ivy never felt like a cliche of a character and the writing managed to avoid making her into a classic “Mary-Sue”, as we so often see. The other characters were very interesting and seeing the twists for some of the well-known people of Arthurian legends was refreshing.

The folklore and legends that were covered in the book were very well researched and handled. I felt you could tell it’s something the author has a genuine interest in, making the twists she put on them seem even better made made me want to keep reading more.

My only criticism of the book was the middle part did drag a little, the start and ending with were fantastic with lots of things happening and events that kept me guessing right up until the end. The middle portion in comparison to this just felt a little flat but still enjoyable. The ending is, hopefully, setting us up for a sequel as well which I’ll be keeping an eye out for.

Overall a great book, perfect for fans of magic, myths and mystery!

I was quite intrigued by this book as it’s set in Wales where I’m from, I had never heard of this island before now but I’m desperate to take a trip after reading this! It definitely started off strong, there is certainly a lot of mystery although I found the middle of the book dragged with lots of action right at the end. It sets up well for the next book which I’m really looking forward to and there’s a lot more characters that I’d like to see developed.

The characters in this book carry the story along really well - they are created in a way that you feel you know them from the very beginning and feel invested in what happens to them. Lots happens in a relatively short span but the story never feels rushed and although as a reader you know there is lots yet to come this is a satisfying read in its own right. The links with Arthurian legend work well as do the links to wider issues such as growing up in care and women’s voices being silenced by powerful men.

This superbly atmospheric novel takes us into the life of Ivy who has been searching for her birth mother and finally tracks her down to a island off the coast of Wales. Arriving unannounced she’s unsure of what she’ll find, especially as the island is uninhabited in the darker months. Here is a dark power at work here, and her family has secrets which are dark and frightening. This great novel draws on traditional legends and mythology, and in true Rachel Burge style, is steeped in the most amazing atmosphere. A great fantastical adventure.

When I started this book I thought it was going to be another over powered teen with a terrible life who comes along and saves the day and wins the boy. But while it did go along this way to a certain degree, there is much more to the story than this.

The background that has its roots in the arthurian lore is good, like really good. Some neat little twists to the basics, which fits the story in a perfect way. The "bad" guys are not bad at all, but quite creepy with what happens to them.

A nice little read, something easy and not heavy, and perfect to relax and sit back with.

This is a lovely self discovery story which speeds Ivy along with Tom on the search for her mum and the truth whilst linking to mythology and magic, Its an easy read and the characters are easy to like and cheer on.

Thank you for bringing this book in to my life!
I loved this book- it was Fresh and original, I haven't read anything similar.
The protagonist was fantastically flawed and the character building was exceptional.
The tension throughout kept me on my toes and I loved the way myths and legends were intertwined.
The writing is beautiful and I will be recommending this book for years to come.

A satisfyingly spooky tale of folk magic and horror.

Teenager Ivy lives in the south-west of England, and has spent most of her life searching for her birth mother. Abandoned as a baby, and passed from one foster home to another, all she has is an unfinished note from her mother telling Ivy "I can no longer protect you". Eventually, a surprise lead points her to a woman living on a island off the coast of Wales, who might be her mother. Following a strange experience at work, Ivy finds herself on the road to Wales, courtesy of friend-not-friend Tom.

Before you know it, we're deep into an adventure full of surprises, revelations, discoveries and puzzles. The story unfolds nicely, and there are few flat-bits where you might want to skip ahead. The book does take a slight 90-degree turn about halfway through, but that works too. The Arthurian legend is woven into the story (we are in Wales, after all) albeit with a new twist. The end even leaves things open for a sequel.

I've said before I dislike the term "YA" when classifying a book - it likely means that many readers will pass by what could be a terrific read. "Waking the Witch" is typical. It's a satisfying story, which I'm sure will appeal to readers of many ages. The story is told in the first-person, and in this case it works well. Ivy, Tom and those she meets are developed enough for us to care about their fates, and the island especially is painted in language that genuinely brings it alive. Ivy, previously closed off and vulnerable, learns to trust others and to accept help when it's offered.

I was glad to receive a Netgalley review copy of the book, and I can heartily recommend it to fans of Karen Perkins, Helena Coggan and Deborah Harkness.

I really enjoyed this book, far more than I had expected to. The characters were strong, the dark and creepy atmosphere was really well done, and I loved the integration and unique spin put on the Welsh and Arthurian legend. I love Arthurian legend and I thought the way it was reimagined and explored in this book was really interesting.

The characters were all well developed and interactions were nuanced and convincing and I loved the relationships between them. The themes of family and belonging throughout really added to this and the changes in Ivy from the impact of the relationships created a convincing character arc and a well developed strong female lead. There was a tangible sense of foreboding throughout and the book was a great combination of YA fantasy and YA horror throughout and I particularly enjoyed the horror created by the unknown in the first half.

Generally, I loved the writing, however at times I didn’t love the dialogue which at times felt too forced or awkward. Despite this, due to how engaging the story was as a whole, I didn’t really mind. It also really reminded me of the Dark is Rising books which is great!!

I've read several of Rachel's books and they never dissapoint. Her writing, and telling of the story is captivating, drawing you in from the very first page.

The world building is perfect and you can visualise yourself within those settings as you read.

Characters are very well developed and it made a welcome change seeing Arthurian myth from females' perspective.

A fabulous story of self discovery and finding your true self.

Overall I found Waking the Witch a highly enjoyable and engaging read which had me addicted from beginning to end.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This story throws you straight into the action making it engaging from the off.

We have our protagonist Ivy who has lived in care all her life after being abandoned as a baby, working at a butterfly house. A job she loves except for the pervy Manager who has made unwanted advances on Ivy multiple times. We then have Tom, Ivy's co-worker at the Butterfly House who becomes a central part of the story.

The story begins with Ivy receiving a strange phone call from her Mother who is has only just managed to track down, suggesting that some dark and sinister things may now be after her. And things do indeed immediately become scary and bizarre. Ivy and Tom set off to Bardsey Island to find Ivy's mother.

I adored the relationship that built between Ivy and Tom, the banter and chatter were lovely to witness and to have Tom be a nice balance against some of the more sinister male characters in the book was refreshing.

At about the halfway point it feels like we move from YA horror to YA fantasy which for me was a bit of shame because I was really enjoying the creepy, unknown, horror going on but at about the halfway point a significant revelation is made and the second half becomes more about the preparation for a battle. I was also surprised to find that this ended on a cliffhanger with many elements of the story being left unanswered which makes me think this is to be part of a series or at least a duology.

The themes running through this are beautiful. Ivy is very closed off from other people, a coping mechanism she has built through living in the care system, she has no friends and feels as if she has no family (she does not feel that her foster family are her family despite them being nice) but throughout the course of the story she begins to realise how important it is to have friends and family, and also how important it is to show emotion and embrace your feelings and we see this through a variety of relationships that she builds.

It's very difficult for me to give this a star rating for a couple of reasons. The first half of the book felt like a 5 star read for me. When we switched genre at the halfway point I felt less enamoured with it and I felt further disappointed upon realising that this seems to be set up for a sequel, given the length of the book I would have much preferred a standalone. Overall all though I think 4 stars captures my feelings.

I do hope to see more of Tom :)

Waking The Witch has a fresh fantasy concept, but I never quite felt like its potential was fully realised. The blend of demons, shapeshifting witches and Arthurian legend is an interesting one, but with the slow start it's all a bit much to fit into one YA novel. Similarly, I loved the elements of feminist allegory, but there wasn't quite enough space to develop any depth or nuance to its telling.

Ivy really grew on me as a character: Burge captures the teenage frustration of bottled-up emotions well. Tom is a likeable lighthearted sidekick, with an interesting depth of character of his own (although I really could have done without the romantic development).

Waking The Witch is an enjoyable YA fantasy with an intriguing new concept that I just wanted a bit more from.

I’m in awe of how incredible this book was! It was full of mystery, folklore and magic, with beautiful, enchanting writing.

There was always something to keep me engaged. I loved the characters, especially Ivy, who had amazing development. I’ve read nothing by this author before, but you can bet I’ll be checking her other books out! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

Brilliant as usual! It was a different tone to Rachel's previous books, but still filled with myth, legend and intrigue. The things Ivy discovers about herself are fascinating and fantastical. A really good story, and I hope there is a sequel!

I will update the review with a link to our blog closer to publication date.
I'd like to thank the publisher Bonnier Books UK, Hot Key Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Waking the Witch was ok, I found the beginning a bit confusing and kept putting it down to focus on other titles, which is not like me. I liked that it ended on a cliff hanger but I'm not invested in the characters enough to read the sequel.

Everything about this book intrigued me and drew me in. The nod to arthurian legend, witches, Merlin. It balanced a great horror element with fantasy and right from the get go, I knew I was hooked.

I instantly warmed to Ivy’s character and found that whenever I put the book down, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again to rejoin the story. The more I read, the more invested I became and wow, as I continued on, it definitely turned into ways I hadn’t envisaged!

I’ve never read anything by this author before but after this one, I’m certainly interested in any other of her books. Addicted to say the least and to the very last page I was kept on the edge of my seat. It was absolutely brilliant! Need the next one stat!

My 50 Word Review

This darkly supernatural novel was unputdownable, sublime pacing, a chillingly atmospheric setting, a flawed and feisty protagonist and the promise of danger sprinkled throughout like breadcrumbs. The anticipation and foreboding that I felt from the start was perfectly executed and the ending is poised for a sequel or your imagination!

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read this in advance. Brilliant as it wasn’t what I expected. Well worth a read