Snow Witch
Rosie Boyes
Published on October 1, 2018
Amazon | Goodreads
About Snow Witch
A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. A GLASS LOCKET. A POWERFUL CURSE UNLEASHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can’t wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside, until one chilly night she vanishes without a trace.
One hundred years later… Still grieving over the death of their mother, Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, are sent to live at St Flurries. They find a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets.
Who, or what, is making footprints in the snow?
And what evil force is taking a cold grip on Star?
Wrap up warm as you join Kes, and a cast of eccentric snow creatures, in a race against time to solve a hundred-year-old curse. Will he succeed? Or will the fate of his sister be decided by a shivery kiss from… the Snow Witch?
My Review
I enjoyed a lot of things about this story: the brother/sister relationship, the family history and how it tied in with the current mystery, the fun English setting. Snow Witch has a lot of good things going for it. I want to call it a really cute story, but I’m worried that will backfire! Haha. I really just mean that it’s a sweet, fun winter tale with some mystery and magic.
I liked Kes a lot. He has such a big heart and has clearly been through so much already. His relationship with his sister is really sweet. I wasn’t as deeply moved by the section of the story from Kitty’s point-of-view. It’s kind of a long flashback, and I totally get why the story follows her memories. I think I just liked Kes so much better and wanted the story to get back where he has a chance to piece everything together and save the day. I liked both of the older ladies in the story, too. Honestly, I should just say it had great characters! Some, like the older ladies, were quirky and surprising. Others, like Kes and his sister, had so much courage.
If you’re looking for a book to read on a winter night with a cup of cocoa, check out Snow Witch. I think it would also appeal to fans of The Griffin of Darkwood by Becky Citra. For more about this book, check out my interview with author Rosie Boyes.
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described. The story is set in England.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
A traveling fortune teller casts a curse on a young girl she believes stole something from her.
Violent Content
None.
Drug Content
Some references to a man drinking too much alcohol. At one point, a child nearly drowns while the man is supposed to be watching him.
