Genre: Fantasy Age Range: MG Star Rating: 4 stars Series: first book of trilogy
Blurb:
There’s so much to love about October – Halloween, pumpkin everything and MAGIC. Especially magic. But for nervous young witch Clemmie, this October might see the stars descend on her for the first time, bringing with them a whole month of chaotic new power. She’s spent twelve years watching her mum, aunts and cousin receive their October power and knows that, for the Merlyns, magic can get very messy.
And there are those who want to harness their magic and make it last beyond October. It’s a bold experiment, until Clemmie and her coven find themselves in mortal danger. What price must be paid for magic that never ends? Or for having magic at all?
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Review:
THE OCTOBER WITCHES is such a joyful autumnal read full of magical shennanigans.
I really enjoyed getting to read a book that wasn’t the dark and moody side of the autumn, but all the colour and fun of it. This book has giant pumpkins and witches and a very determined postman. It is absolutely atmospheric, but in the “pumpkin spice” way rather than the “graveyard” variety. It’s full of magical chaos.
I really liked the premise – what would happen if you only got one month of magic a year? Everyone wants to extend their magic forever, but also some witches just want to make soup in large cauldrons or snazz up their wardrobe. The magic is both everyday and spectacular at once.
There are little Royal Mail delivery card scattered throughout (the “we missed your delivery” cards put through doors when the national post service can’t find anyone to open the door.) They were so funny. I am very familiar with these cards and so the notes (starting off commonplace and then getting increasingly more bizarre as the book went along, but with a deadpan tone) was such a nice little touch.
There are some light Arthuriana touches to this book – the Merlyns and the Morgans are the main ones but there’s one more that I cannot talk about without spoilers but I loved it. However, it is a very light touch so more like taking the idea and then teleporting to another continent. It makes for nice easter eggs without every trying to be a retelling.
Read my reviews of other books by Jennifer Claessen:
Month of Magic (this series):
- THE NOVEMBER WITCHES (#2)
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 