The Witchery

THE WITCHERY is a YA fantasy that transports the reader to Haelsford, Florida. This small town has a school for witches and is suffering under a long-standing curse. The witches and humans in town have some animosity for each other, but the only way to end the curse may be to work together.

What I loved: This was an intriguing read that brought the reader into the characters of the story, giving them strong emotions and motivations. The mythology of Haelsford and the affinities amongst the magic were really fascinating, with witches having certain abilities. The atmosphere was perfect for a fall/Halloween read.

What left me wanting more: I struggled with following the story, as there were so many perspectives and characters that I kept getting lost and having to go back and forth to remember who was whom. To keep the pace moving/focused on the present, it also felt like we didn't get enough of the history and world-building to fully understand the things that were happening. As a personal preference, I would have liked to be more immersed in a couple perspectives with more background so I could really get pulled into the story.

Final verdict: THE WITCHERY is an intriguing story of teamwork, magic, and power. Recommend for people who enjoy multiple points-of-view and Halloween-style atmosphere.

The Witchery is a wonderful debut novel, with six (6) unique POVs.
I'm not usually a fan of any more than three POVs, four tops, but Isabelle does a fantastic job of giving each character their own voice and personality, I didn't find myself confused and bogged down as I had in previous similar amounts of POVs.

While each character had their own backgrounds and personality, the witches all seemed to practice magic in the same way, despite different cultures. I was hoping for the magic usage and learning to be a little more fleshed out - but I suppose they all learned the same way in another popular magic world, as well.

I loved the different representations throughout the book. The diverse cast of characters made the story quite immersive and rich. The "rivalry" between schools was interesting; Witches of Mesmortes and the Mundanes at Hammersmitt - despite their differences (magic vs. non magic), they overcame their fears to help one-another.

There is a hint of romance, but again, nothing too fleshed out. The potential is there, for both new love and maybe even a second chance.

I found the book to be carefully constructed around the Wolves and their curse, bringing various twists and turns throughout. The Witchery is definitely a book that needs your full attention, as every detail matters.
The ending wraps up nicely, with just enough of a cliffhanger to keep you checking social media for sequel updates.

The Witchery has something to offer for any YA Urban Fantasy fan. Fingers crossed that there is a second book soon!