Review of The Near Witch

My review of The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab is based on a hardcover copy of the book that I won from. The following review is my honest opinion.

Goodreads Summary: "The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget."

I've always loved legends, lore, and anything mythical. [Hm, that really should have had something else with an 'L' instead of mythical. That is why I write the reviews and not the novels. So far.] I loved the story of the Near Witch that was told throughout the story. It was purely lyrical. [Ah-ha! There's the missing "L" word!] The way that the legend was woven into the present events of the story was brilliant.

Lexi was one of those heroines that you just want to follow behind, join her on her adventures. She was strong, stubborn, and so fierce. Lexi was the kind of young woman who would follow her heart no matter what logic might tell her.

Cole, oh what can I say about Cole. Mystery makes the heart grow fonder and he's full of mysterious behavior. He's even introduced to the reader as a complete mystery. I loved how his story unraveled bit by bit as the main story was revealed in it's entirety.

My only regret is having not spent enough time with the witch sisters who lived at the edge of Near bordering the moor.

I'm a sucker for a good witch story and this was one of the best. Haunting, poetic writing that calls to you. It's a tale of witches and ghosts all rolled into one. I'm giving The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab a five out of five stars review. It's impossible to write a review that does this book justice, just trust me when I say that it's one of the best and pick up your own copy immediately.