Review Detail

The Witching Wind is an adventurous middle-grade story about Roxie, an eleven-year-old girl who wants nothing more than to escape her embarrassing middle school life.

After a humiliating incident at a pool party, Roxie feels like the whole school is laughing at her. When her Granny, a country music star, invites her to join the tour, she takes the chance to get away from the bullying but things don’t go as planned. Granny goes missing, and Roxie has to figure out what happened while also dealing with the fact that she’s left behind without a clear plan. Meanwhile, Grayson, another girl with her own family struggles, learns that her older sister Beanie has also disappeared. Together, Roxie and Grayson start to unravel the mystery of the Witching Wind, a strange force that seems to take away the people they care about most.

I really liked how the story mixes mystery, adventure, and a bit of supernatural fun. Roxie and Grayson both feel like kids you could meet in real life, with real fears and strengths, and their friendship is one of my favorite parts of the book. The Witching Wind itself is an exciting idea, and I enjoyed seeing how the girls tried to figure out the clues and stay one step ahead. The mix of everyday middle school problems and magical danger made the story entertaining, but also a little relatable for readers who have faced embarrassing or stressful situations.

On the downside, some parts of the story felt a little rushed, especially near the end, and I wished there were a bit more explanation about how the Witching Wind actually works. Still, the twists kept me turning the pages. My favorite parts were the clever ways Roxie and Grayson worked together to solve the mystery and the moments where their personalities really shined through, like Roxie’s humor and Grayson’s determination. Overall, it’s an adventurous and fun read that balances humor, suspense, and friendship nicely.