Series: A Month of Magic #2
Publication Date: 05th Oct 2023
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
4.2 Stars
One Liner: An entertaining adventure
None of the witches are happy about the gloomy magic-free November, except Clemmie (Clem) and her cousin Mirabelle. October was a mess. Everyone is still struggling with what had happened. However, their troubles are far from over when knights from the past come knocking on the door.
It has been the Merlyns vs. Morgans for decades. However, the knights have only one target – to burn the witches. The two covens have to come together to find a way out and stay alive. Soon, Clem and her cousins realize it’s up to the young hags to save the day. Can they do it?
The story comes in Clemmie’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
This is the sequel to The October Witches, released last year (2022). It cannot be read as a standalone, as it starts where the previous book ends.
I confess to not remembering much (almost zero retention), though I could recollect the basic details once I started this book. It didn’t take long to get into the grove and go with the flow.
This book has a faster pace, which I appreciate. The story keeps moving, which keeps things interesting and entertaining. However, it can also be a disadvantage if the reader doesn’t remember what happened in the previous book, as there are minimum references.
The aunts are grumpy, and Clem is feeling guilty. However, there’s no time to dwell on this. In fact, even the Morgans have to swallow their pride and be humble. Of course, it’s not easy on the old hags on either side. A clash between the two could erupt at any time, and the young hags have a helluva time trying to soothe things.
There’s also a glorious magical forest (I love it) where the action occurs in the second half. The setting is beautiful and comes alive on the pages without getting overly descriptive.
The book truly belongs to the kids- Clem, Mirabella, Kerra, and Senara. There’s another kid, ‘Potboy’, a young wannabe squire longing to prove himself by capturing the witches. We see how they have to be adults (since the adults act childish most of the time, except for one person) while knowing their limitations as children.
“The deep-down true things are hard to say, but they mean the most.”
Topics like bullying, family bonding (or the lack of it in one case), parental pressure/ approval, listening to the other person, finding one’s voice, desire to prove one’s worth, etc., are woven into the plot. Since we get the story from Clem’s POV, it has a realistic touch to it with a dash of humor and some lovely observations. Clem finding her voice and pushing beyond the fear of speaking is a recurring theme in the book. I love how it is contrasted (yet aligned) with Kerra’s issues.
“I thought fixing was the opposite of breaking, but whenever I try, they’re kind of mixed up together. Maybe fixing can’t come without a bit of breaking.”
Mirabelle’s puns are well… hit or a miss, something even she knows. That’s what makes them funnier than actual, I suppose. Serena is a stable and balanced young hag exploring her strengths and helping her cousins.
Clem’s mom, Patty, has some great advice. She is the only sane old hag in both the covens. Imagine that!
The climax isn’t as powerful as in book one, but does the job. The book ends with a cliffhanger and sets the stage for book #3 (this is to be a trilogy). I am already excited about The December Witch (that can be the only possible title).
To summarize, The November Witches is a great continuation of book one and takes the story to the next level. It is entertaining, steady-paced, and delightful.
Thank you, NetGalley and UCLan Publishing, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #TheNovemberWitches
***
The quotes are from an uncorrected proof copy and are subject to change.
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