As if being a teenager isn’t hard enough…toss in some uncontrollable magic, the knowledge that you’re destined to either end up alone or spend your life falling in and out of love according to the season, and the overwhelming expectation that you’re the one who can save the world…and it’s no wonder Clara is contemplating giving up her magic.
What I Liked…Nope, Loved:
This book is a wonderful new take on the teenage witch trope. I love the focus on the connection between witches, their magic, and the sun/earth. This book offers a stellar, flawed main character, and the author takes the time for us to get to know her, to understand how she thinks and what she feels. And I love the subtle, yet ever-present distinction between physical attraction and love. I also loved that Clara gets to be her own hero, not a damsel in distress, but a young woman trying to find her way in the world who has to learn to love herself AND that asking for help when you need it is okay.
I couldn’t help but root for Clara from the very first chapter. She’s snarky, funny, loyal, compassionate, and strong. This was one of those books that I couldn’t wait to see how it all turned out while at the same time didn’t want it to end.
This is one of the best debut novels I read in a long time and look forward to seeing more from Rachel Griffin.
For it’s fresh take on a familiar trope, the believable romance, it’s sophisticated magic, and for keeping me up way past my bed time…five easy-to-give stars.
Book Details
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: 1 June 2021
Book Blurb:
For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.
In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic—losing the ones she loves—is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.
In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.
In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.
In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves…before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.