The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher is a magical, enchanting read that pulled me into a world of mystery, magic, and self-discovery. I loved the way Crutcher blends fantasy and emotional depth, crafting a story that’s both captivating and heartfelt.

The protagonist, Persephone, is a woman who’s always felt like an outsider—until she discovers a hidden world where she might finally belong. The magical elements are beautifully written, and the island setting adds an extra layer of atmosphere that draws you in.

What I enjoyed most was how the book balances character growth with the unfolding mystery. Persephone’s journey of finding her place in the world is both relatable and inspiring, while the twists and turns keep the plot engaging.

If you’re a fan of magical realism with strong character development and a touch of mystery, The Orphan Witch is a wonderful, enjoyable read.

This one took a bit to get really into but when I did, it was lights out. I loved the characters. I feel like it could have been a trilogy with how much information there was and how much I wanted there to be.

I found the writing in this book to be both lyrical and engaging, blending poetic descriptions with a fast-paced plot that kept me hooked. The book's balance of magical elements and emotional depth ensures that it resonates on multiple levels, appealing to my enjoyment of fantasy as well as my love for character-driven stories.

I wonderful read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! Unfortunately, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Unfortunately I did not have the chance to finish this book due to extenuation circumstances with. my health and ability to set aside time for reading.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

I was excited to dive into this book after enjoying another witch book by Paige Crutcher, and The Orphan Witch did not let me down. In fact, I enjoyed it even more. Although I was not immediately sucked into the story, having no issue putting the book aside to do housework, by halfway through, prying my Kindle out of my hands to get me to stop reading was looking like a serious necessity.

While there was one major mystery that needed to be solved, it felt like there were several minor connected mysteries as well that kept me guessing about what role exactly different characters would play in the solution to the main problem. And not everyone that Persephone interacts with is what they seem to be, in both good and bad ways.

Overall I give The Orphan Witch 4.185 out of 5 stars.

I enjoyed this book! Gave off strong Practical Magic vibes, but in its own swim lane! Great writing style and a first for me, reading this author. I loved the way the author allowed for such great visualization while reading. I could see all of the scenes, right before my eyes.

When your sense of self is dependent on the opinions of others, being an orphan with no family or home can leave you sure of one thing, you don't belong and never will. All her life Persophone has been looking for her space, the one place that she could call her home. She will not find it until she accepts an invitation to visit and learns that her destiny was set in place long ago and now she must fight to stay there. Paige Crutcher is a new to me author but I loved this book.

This novel is a true delight, meant to be savored slowly. It draws inspiration from the likes of Alice Hoffman and, in some aspects, echoes the descriptive prowess reminiscent of Ray Bradbury. The prose in this work represents the pinnacle of writing excellence — it maintains a well-paced rhythm, exudes a lyrical quality, and introduces characters who effortlessly capture your allegiance.

What makes this literary journey truly exceptional is the compelling believability of its magical elements. Much like the enchantment of "Field of Dreams," the magic within these pages feels within reach, making it all the more enchanting. In Paige Crutcher, we find an emerging author who promises to be a captivating force to watch, especially for those who adore the realm of magical realism or who hold a deep appreciation for writing as an art form.

I tried my best to get into The Orphan Witch. However, This is one that I had to DNF around 60%. For me, the story is a little too slow for my taste and I just couldn't really get into it. It makes me sad because the premise sounds great and I absolutely loved the cover. I just wish I had gotten into it a little better.

The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher is about Persephone May who was orphaned at six weeks. She became a foster child who went from home to home because of strange things happening. This gives her a difficult life as she often finds herself alone, never fitting in and always ready to move on to the next place. She deals and longs for acceptance, somewhere to call home, and a friend who won't turn away from her. As another incident occurs where she is about to get bounced to another place, she receives an email that changes her life. She learns about a place that she never knew existed. Finally, she's going to get all the answers she's looking for but, of course, not without any complications and bumps along the way. Persephone finally meets other witches and they don't go crazy after directly looking at her.

I was drawn in by the cover of the book because it is simply beautiful to look at. I also enjoy witchy and supernatural fiction. Persephone is an interesting character and the author did an amazing job building this world of witches.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me this opportunity for reading this arc.

Due to some health issues, I was unable to get this book read and reviewed in a timely manner. I apologize.

I was unfortunately unable to finish this book. I realized as I struggled to continue it that I wasn't interested in it. I can't pinpoint precisely what I didn't like and I think this is a case of "it's me, not you" (with 'you' being the book).

I love witch stories and books that are witch themed. I thought this book would be a good fit, but it was not, I had trouble connecting with the characters. The writing was not the issue, I think it was just the development of the characters and storyline that I had a hard time with.

Persephone May the main protagonist was orphaned at six weeks. She was a foster child that went from home to home due to peculiar things happening. As an adult she still hops from place to place. A note from a stranger after another event has Persephone heading to an island in North Carolina.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an early reader copy of this book.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed this one the plot kept me interested until the end which is not easy, and the characters were engaging and believable. I highly recommend this book.

The Orphan Witch is an intriguing look at the life of one woman with magical abilities that always bring danger into the lives of those around her. Persephone has always been alone – abandoned as a baby, living through the foster care system, never finding her place, never fitting in, and always, always ready to move on at any moment. She’s lost and begging to be found, to find a place that accepts her, to find friends that won’t turn away – that she can look straight in the eyes and not harm. After one more incident where she must move on again, she’ll receive an email that will change her life and open a portal to a world that she never dreamed existed or that she would find all she was searching for… with unexpected complications.

I enjoyed Persephone’s story, it’s an interesting view of finding one’s place in this world, even when one is as unique as Persephone is. A tale of discovery and acceptance, The Orphan Witch is a good story with likable characters (for the most part). It’s hard to find a home when you’re different from everyone else around you let alone find romance… check out Persephone’s story for an emotional journey full of magic and possibilities.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

Dnf at 30%. I just couldn’t get into it. I will say this book had one of the strongest beginnings I’ve read in ages. A mystery, some action, an MC I sympathized with. But as soon as Persephone got to the island, things became bland in a way that didn’t hold my attention. It’s hard to pinpoint why, something just felt off to me about the way the story was being told. When she goes into town, the surroundings are physically changing by the moment and nothing feels real and therefore doesn’t seem to actually matter. I couldn’t really understand what was going on. So…on to the next!

I enjoyed this book so much! The characters are all amazing. My favorite thing was the island though. Even though it was cursed, it sounded so beautiful and interesting. The magic and curse itself was very cool too! The plot twists came completely by surprise. I can’t wait to read more by this author.