The October Witches by Jennifer Claessen - Book Review

The October Witches by Jennifer Claessen

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy 

4 Stars 

One Liner: Entertaining 

*****

October is the time for magic. Clemmie loves and dreads it. As a young witch, this October could be the time for the stars to descend on her for the first time. But magic comes with its share of responsibilities. Clemmie spent twelve years knowing how magic makes her eccentric aunts messy. 

However, things seem to be much more complex and dangerous this time. Clemmie’s aunts want their magic to last beyond October, and so do the Morgans, but for different reasons. What starts as a Merlyn obsession to live as a witch turns into a life-threatening situation. 

Meanwhile, Clemmie is still not sure how her magic works or if she can even use it. But it’s time for Clemmie to step up and accept her gift. Will she know what and how to do to save her family? Can Clemmie be the witch she was born to be? 

The story comes from Clemmie’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

• The story lands us directly in the middle of a magical mess at the beginning. It’s a bit slow to take off but goes full throttle from around 25-30%. 
• The mess, however, continues throughout. It is cute, annoying, eye-roll-worthy (even for the young hags), and carefree. 
• Clemmie is a twelve-year-old and sounds like one throughout the book. I like how she has magic but doesn’t know what to do with it. She isn’t a superhero and doesn’t pretend to be. 
• The aunts are quirky, loud, and full of energy (a little too much, but that’s who they are). The contrast between the Merlyns and Morgans comes out very well. 
• The kids (young hags) have strong personalities but are still kids with insecurities, doubts, and vulnerabilities. 
• The climax is super cool. It’s high action with emotions and humor interwoven together. The combination works rather well and creates a visual treat for readers. 
• While there’s enough history and lore, there’s no information about the whats and whys. Logical questions have no answer. You’ll enjoy this more if you go with the flow. Though I wouldn’t mind a few answers. 
• Not sure if there will be a sequel because things tie up well enough, but there is potential for another book or two as the kids grow. I’d be interested to read those. 

To summarize, The October Witch is a delightful read and a perfect choice for October. It is emotional yet humorous, magical yet messy, and, of course, super cute. 

Thank you, NetGalley and UCLan Publishing, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #TheOctoberWitches