I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young woman who’s spent her life alone discovers the possibility for a family she never thought she’d have, but finds her untapped potential for her powers and an ancient family feud all tie together with an ancient curse in author Paige Crutcher’s “The Orphan Witch”. 

The Synopsis

A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost…and found.

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around—changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight—and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.

After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.

Answers. Family. Home.

And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.

The Review

This is such an incredible and rich story. The first thing that struck me as I really delved into this narrative was how the theme and atmosphere took on a perfect harmony of magick, fantasy, and metaphysical fiction that really spoke to me. Not only are the more fantastic and fictional aspects of the narrative really entertaining, but the mind-bending settings and ideas explored in the narrative, including moving between worlds and different realities altogether, and how magick can bleed into the cosmos as a whole, are all ideas that I myself have been studying and exploring in my own life over the last couple of years, and it was great to see how the author implemented this notion while still creating engaging characters and captivating narratives. 

The heart of any magical and fantasy-driven narrative has to be character growth. Persephone is such a complex and heartbreaking (and relatable) protagonist. The heart of her character’s arc is definitely the journey to find love (both familial and romance separately), as well as the journey to find acceptance and our own inner power, a power that can cause others to fear you when it is something beyond their understanding. In the end, her journey will take readers to a thought-provoking truth, which is what the true meaning of love is.

The Verdict

A masterful, enlightening, and thoughtful read, author Paige Crutcher’s “The Orphan Witch” is a must-read magick-filled fantasy read. The perfect way to begin the fall and spooky season, this is a reality-bending and life-and-death deep-dive into the fabric of our universe, and what the cost of love really means. With a heartfelt ending and plenty of world-building that would leave room for more stories in the future, this is not a novel readers will want to miss. Be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Paige Crutcher is the author of THE ORPHAN WITCH. Her work appears in multiple anthologies and online publications, and she is a former Southern Correspondent for Publishers Weekly. She is an artist and yogi, and when not writing, she prefers to spend her time trekking through the forest with her children, hunting for portals to new worlds.

Home

Tweets by PCrutcher