I loved the ending of this part of the story, Rosie and Germ are awesome together, I love that their relationship grew with them and Rosie was able to make space for new people. Looking forward to reading book #2 right away, can't wait to see what they get into next.

Such a great middle great series starter. I loved the plot and the characters. Some parts were as to be expected but then some other parts were really intriguing. Will recommend to my preteens!

Wow! What a book. I read this to my grandchildren over the course of a week and they just loved it!!

Twelve-year-old Rosie Oakes has always made up stories to comfort herself. She lives with her mom, but her mom has never been like other moms. She can’t seem to hold on to any of her memories. One night, Rosie wakes up to find ghosts in her house. The ghosts show her a book that holds her mother’s secret history as a witch hunter. The witch called The Memory Thief cursed Rosie’s mother after Rosie was born. Rosie, along with her best friend Germ, have to hunt down the witch to get her mother’s memories back.

This was a fun paranormal story. My favourite books in middle school were about ghosts, so I loved this one. Rosie was a strong character who practically had to raise herself since her mother wasn’t present in her life. She was brave since she insisted in hunting down the witch who had cursed her mother. I love reading about brave, determined young girls like Rosie.

There were some subtle plot lines that were woven throughout the story. The prologue shows the night that Rosie was born, which ended up being important to the end of the story. There were also lots of references and similarities to Harry Potter, which I also love in a book. Despite the problems with the Harry Potter world, I find the references comforting and they connect me to the story.

This was a fun first book in the Thirteen Witches trilogy!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything I wanted when I was younger and I'm so glad that it's here. I adored everything to do with this book. This world has many new magical creatures, interesting lore and magical elements that make it such a refreshing new read. I absolutely loved the writing style and character narrative. She felt so much like a kid growing up as it felt like a mature adult - mostly because she has had to grow up fast in certain areas while desperately trying to keep her childhood in others. An easy read for those stepping into a more world-building book without getting overwhelmed. I highly recommend.

Rosie is an independent young girl who loves writing stories and whose mother isn't quite there. One night, she decides to burn every story she has ever written. Little does she know that this simple act will give her the sight, the ability to see beyond the mortal world.

From there, Rosie learns that every woman in her family has been a witch hunter and that they've all been cursed, including her mother. This sparks a quest to recover her mother's memories and to find a way to stay alive and safe from the witches.

This book was an entertaining and heartfelt story. I loved Rosie's character growth throughout the book. She developed some new relationships and improved those she already had. The side characters were interesting and you couldn't help but care for them.

I'm curious to see where the story goes and I definitely intend to pick the sequel as soon as it comes out!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Where was this book when I was younger?!

Rosie wants her mum to act like her mum instead of the lost soul she is. She doesn't know why until she discovers a witch cursed her mother to forget; forget her life, passion, work, and daughter, Rosie. Now working with a ghost, her mother's witch-hunting guide book and her best friend, they will take on the witch known as the Memory Thief, save Rosie's mum and start to save the world.
The only problem is the Memory Thief Witch is one of thirteen witches, and they don't like losing.

This world has many new magical creatures, lore and magical elements that make it such a refreshing read. I have never adored a writing style and character narrative more than I did with Rosie. She felt so much like a kid growing up as it felt like a mature adult -mostly because she has had to grow up fast in certain areas while desperately trying to keep her childhood in others. An easy read for those stepping into a more world-building book without getting overwhelmed.

The first thing I need to say is… The ARC layout on my kindle was pretty horrible. This isn’t my first ARC, but this was the worse. Sentences cut in half and continuing on the next paragraph, really?! Okay, moving on to the actual story now.

Great prologue! A bit confusing, but it makes the reader wonder what is happening and more importantly, what will happen next!

If Rosie’s mom has been more or less mentally absent since she gave birth, how has Rosie survived? Now Rosie takes care of everything, including dinner and laundry. But who took care of Rosie and mom during the early years?

Other than wondering about the early years and a few missed typos, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were believable as 12-year-olds. Their friendship is real, with its ups and downs, and how it changes as time goes by. Even the friendship Rosie has with Ebb grows in a real way.

I loved how stories and the written word is so important to Rosie, her imagination (Little One) basically saves the day! Never underestimate the power of words!

The world that Rosie and Germ can now see was well described, in ways easy to imagine. The emotional situations of the book weren’t overflowing, just enough to give life to this story. Now, did I cry when Rosie comes back home? ABSOLUTELY. I hate emotions and this book forced them on me… It was done beautifully! I can’t wait to find out what else is in store for these 2 friends. I hope they find Wolf.

Thirteen Witches book 1,The Memory Thief is published by Simon & Shuster Canada and will be available March 2nd, 2021.

4.5⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, Aladdin, and Jodi Lynn Anderson for an advanced copy of this story in exchange for an honest review!

What an incredibly fun middle grade read!!! I loved the adventure, the characters, the creatures, and the abilities in this story! I was captivated right from the get-go and anxiously following along to see what would happen! I loved following along on Rosie’s journey to help her mother, and herself in turn, with her friend, Germ, in tow!! It will pull on your heartstrings, tug at your imagination with all of the fantasy aspects, and you will find yourself cheering Rosie and Germ on! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!

I still get shivers when I think about this book.

THE MEMORY THIEF is a heart-wrenching tale of a girl whose mother has forgotten how to love her. Rosie is doing an admirable job of taking care of herself, along with some help from her best friend, Germ; but all that changes when she learns the truth from a moody ghost-boy.

Her mother was a witch-hunter, and her memories have been stolen by one of thirteen witches responsible for all the world's pains.

What follows is a beautiful, lyrical adventure into a world where ladders hang from the moon, ghosts hold aching secrets, and moths gobble memories overnight. Jodi Lynn Anderson has written my favorite kind of contemporary fantasy, where everything is familiar yet .... not. The beauty is shadowed by genuine creepiness, balancing hope and hopelessness in a way that feels unquestionably *true.* I don't have the words to do MEMORY THIEF justice; all I can say is yes, yes, yes!

It's a wholehearted recommend from me, for MG fans and readers of all ages. I can't wait to see where this series goes next. 5/5.