From the publisher:
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 Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher was published September 28th, 2021 by St. Martin's Griffin.

My thoughts: I almost DNF'd this book. But, I did finish it. I found it confusing in places. And the number of descriptions of smiles dragged me away from the story. I had to re-read the ending twice. And I had trouble getting invested in the characters.

On the plus side, the cover draws the eye. And the notion of Persephone May having magical reasons for not making eye contact is interesting. I liked the Library. It was like a character itself. And it was interesting how the magic worked. "There's always a cost."

Overall, I give The Orphan Witch 3/5 stars. It's an interesting book. If you enjoy witchy stories, you might enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This review is my unbiased opinion.

I really liked this story. It kept my attention and was interesting. I love reading stories about magic and this was no exception. I liked the characters and was intrigued by the Library of the Lost.
I did feel at times that the story got a little muddled for all the details and a bit
Confusing but overall it was very good.

Crutcher created a breathtaking, atmospheric story about love, sacrifice, and magic. The omniscient POV generally isn't my favorite but in this novel it truly helped me empathize for every character, even those that were supposed to be villains. The themes of the story are wonderfully woven throughout the book. I loved reading this, but agree with another review that the ending felt drawn out at times. In the end that was mostly positive as it mostly added the intricate detail of the story. Definitely for fans of Erin Morgenstern and Deborah Harkness.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A captivating tale of magic, loss, family, and the history that binds all the characters within these pages.

THE ORPHAN WITCH is a blend of magic and history made only better by intricate relationships and a 100-year curse. Crutcher breathes life into the tale of Persephone May and her newly found family.

The one thing I loved about this tale is the characters and the way they have such unique personalities. When we first meet the women on this Isle, the reader will make judgments and assumptions on who the cast is. Then as the story progresses perspectives change. There is a beautiful way that the author constructs her narrative around the development of these women.

With all this being said, the curse is the driving force for this novel. It allows Crutcher to create a world of magic deeply enriched by the lore of the location and how the curse came to be. Having Persephone learn her history and how she is part of a larger picture allows the reader to find out all the nitty-gritty details craved within a novel like this.

There is magic, a love story, and a heroine who has to decide how to save her newly found family. What more can you ask for? A dazzling read.

Sisterhood, curses, magic spells, witches + another worldl called the Library of the Lost. This bok was exactly what I wanted in an October read. This book is about finding your place in the world and how to live your purpose, a theme I definitely love reading about.

Big thanks to netgalley and the author and publisher for letting me read an ARC of this book. It wasn't what I had expected, but I think it will be a hit, especially with those who love books such as Practical Magic.

The cover is so pretty! (And from reading some reviews - I think many agree with that!) For whatever reason (maybe because so many people tagged it young adult?) I'd expected the story of a young girl who was orphaned and growing into her powers. Instead, the main character is in her 30s, although I guess that is pretty young to me anymore :) I think the theme of wanting family and to belong is still relevant though - it certainly doesn't have an age limit.

I liked the island and seeing the different witches at work. I thought the four primary witches on the island were interesting, and how things evolved wasn't predictable. I was a little detached from things emotionally the whole time though - exactly how I felt when I read Practical Magic - but intellectually I was involved.

The Hook

I wanted to read The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher was because I like the idea of a story of an orphan finding their family. Add in a magical twist and I couldn’t wait to read The Orphan Witch. The thing that kept me reading is that I connected with the main character right away. The loneliness of the main character, Persephone, is the thing that kept me hooked. Now, I am not saying that I am lonely or anything. I have a family that I am close to and I’ve certainly never been through any of the traumatic experiences that Persephone had to face. So why did her loneliness call to me? It’s possible that I just really wanted to see her find her family, or it might be that I am lonely in my own way.

The Power

Early in the book, we get a look at the power that Persephone possesses. Her power seems to be a big part of the reason she is so alone. I choose to take this power as a metaphor for women’s power, seeing as all the main characters but one are women. Women who possess super-natural powers are displayed heavily and are a great source of jealousy. It made me think about how we are always having to fight for power in our personal and professional lives. So much so that when we see others with what we believe is the power we want we covet it to an unhealthy point.

The Love

Love is a big part of the story of The Orphan Witch. Not only in the way that you might imagine. Yes, a romantic love develops between Persephone and Dorian, and it is so romantic because it was practically predestined. However, love appears in many other forms throughout The Orphan Witch, between sisters, and cousins. In the end, familial love is what connects most of the characters and in many cases moves the story along.

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“The library is a warehouse of magic.”
— The Orphan Witch
The Library

In my opinion, the best thing that Paige Crutcher created in The Orphan Witch is the Library. A magical library where Dorian, the man that Persephone falls in love has been trapped. With Persephone, we stumble into a library that is a character itself. A place that attracts lost souls and holds the information of anything you can imagine. It also has a mind and rules of it’s own that makes itself known in usual and sometimes extreme ways.

My Conclusion

The Orphan Witch is a book that can easily hook you in with its extraordinary characters. With the island that seems practically abandoned with magic spilling out of it. It brings to mind the book and movie Practical Magic. The sister love and similar landscapes bring out the magic in both stories. However, the adventure brought forth by The Orphan Witch consists of more overt magic and magical scenarios that come to life with the words in the book. I would suggest that you read The Orphan Witch, and take on a magical adventure full of love and the unexpected in every corner.

My Review:⭐️⭐️ ⭐️.5/ 5 stars (rounded up)

Perfect witchy book to read during Halloween week - Paige Crutcher’s writing is inviting, lyrical, and enticing from the first page. This is a multi POV fiction about Persephone May, who is an orphan. And at age 32, never felt like she had found a family because she has the tragic gift of never being able to have real eye contact with anyone - they simply go mad. Until she meets Hyacinth Ever - who invites her to come to an island, Wile Isle. After an accident at work, Persephone knows this is the fresh start she craves and ends up taking up Hyacinth on her offer. As she arrives, she is informed about the curse of the island, and how she might potentially be the “one” - to complete the power of 3. In this story, Persephone discovers the deep family secrets, feuds, and even realms she did not know to ever exist.

I love a good witchy book - and the premise is promising. However, parts of the story were a bit confusing. I also would rather have more pages about Dorian - and felt the small parts he was in was not enough to persuade me they were deep in love. Also, just over a few short weeks, she felt already attached to them as family? I found it hard to believe that an orphan who went from foster home to another could attach so easily. I liked parts about sisterhood and the backstory of the family, but I was bored and my attention drifting for most of the story.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the e-copy in exchange for my honest review!

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher is about a young woman named Persephone May. Abandoned at six weeks old, Persephone has always felt lonely. She drifts from job to job. Persephone doesn’t feel close bonds with anyone. That’s because when she cares about someone or makes too much eye contact, strange dark things happen. As it turns out, Persephone is a witch and the key toward lifting the curse on a place called Wile Isle. She is invited by a passing acquaintance to stay on Wile Isle and to learn to harness her magic so that she can lift the 100 year old curse.

HOW LONG DID I LAST?
85 Pages

WHY DID I DNF?
I realized maybe it was not meant to be with this book when I kept reading the same page over and over and over. Normally I can make progress with all of life’s distractions pressing in on me. However, I legitimately struggled to get through this. Then I realized one chapter was over fifty pages and when I basically got to the end of that chapter I thought, okay I am out. Life’s too short to force yourself to read something that just isn’t hitting for you. I do think maybe in a different season of my life this might be the book for me. But, basically it didn’t hook me and I did not feel any kind of compulsion to care about what happens after I set it aside.

IS THERE ANYONE THE ORPHAN WITCH WOULD APPEAL TO?
I feel like if you enjoy books with time travel — you might like The Orphan Witch. Also, if you have the attention to devote to it. Oh and if you are someone who doesn’t mind long chapters. People who are used to books aimed at adults and who have patience are certainly the target audience. This is a good book to pick up in Autumn — just it wasn’t for me and I am onto the next one.

This book was adorable. It’s perfect for fans of Practical Magic and The House in the Cerulean Sea. I really adored the found family aspect of this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Paige Crutcher for the opportunity to honestly review The Orphan Witch.

Persephone May has always longed to find her family. She has grown up an orphan with the inability to make connections with anyone due to a strange power she holds. After a powerful and very public display of magic, she is forced to run again. Persephone receives an email from her one friend inviting her to come to the elusive Wile Isle. She takes her up on the invitation and finds more than just the answers she is looking for.

The Orphan Witch is a perfect book for Autumn. The world is lush and atmospheric and full of family and mystery. It’s great for the person that wants a cozy book that is still brimming with spooky, magical vibes. The characters are all very interesting and developed well.

I loved that I didn’t know what was going to happen next. In some books, the plot is somewhat predictable. But that was not the case with this one, for me at least. It kept me guessing and engaged throughout. I really enjoyed it.

Audiobook/Ebook review

Overall: 4.5 Stars
Story: 4.5 Stars
Narration: 5 Stars

The title was lure and the synopsis was the hook and I have to say that I’m very happy that I took a chance on this book because it drew me in from the start and kept my focus until the very end.

I really liked Persephone from the start. There was a painful yet strong awareness of herself blended with a goodness that I felt wanting to come out and play, but couldn’t because of circumstances beyond her control...or so she believes at first. So watching her learn about her family, their history and finally being able to be was fascinating, heartbreaking as well as fun.

While I don’t typically compare anything I read to anything else, I must say that this story gave me a Practial Magic ~ the movie, not the book ~ vibe with the uniquely quirky sisters and small town feel, but also different enough because of it’s history, which was well written and quite interesting on how Wile Isle came about, along with all the other worlds connected to it.

This was my first time reading anything from the author and I found the writing to be quite engaging and the pacing good. I also liked that there were multiple pov’s and time shifts going on. It gave depth and understanding to all that we going on ~ even when the dots didn’t totally connect at the time.

With this book, I did something that I’ve never done before. I read and listened to the book concurrently ~ meaning I read a couplefew chapters then listened to the majority of them while doing that workthing ~ and I can say with some certainty that my enjoyment of the story was elevated by Ms. Maarleveld’s performance. I would have enjoyed it, nonetheless, if I had only read it, but the narration was extremely well done. After listening for a few chapters, I could tell which characters were “speaking” and the cadence and tone of the narrator fit the mood of the book to perfection.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

This book started off interesting but it got a little off track. I enjoyed the book but it was a little slow towards the middle. The characters were likable and I liked the basic storyline.

Can we talk about that gorgeous cover first? It’s a big reason why I wanted to read this one.
Penelope May is raised in the foster care system and has never felt like she belonged. It doesn’t help that anytime she looks at someone for too long bad things happen to them.
When she takes her friend up on an offer to visit Wile Isle, everything changes. She discovers that Wile Isle is no ordinary island and maybe she isn’t alone in the world after all.
This was a great story. The characters were rich and detailed and I enjoyed the magic system. Great world building and storytelling made for an enjoyable read. I will be looking for more books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc to read and review.

The Orphan Witch
Paige Crutcher

Crutcher’s debut is a true magical delight, a mix of magical realism, fantasy and paranormal romance that will appeal to a multitude of fans. Her world building is an ingenious mashing of real and imagined places like the appearing/disappearing Library for the lost, and people - some quirky, some scary and some nice and everyone unforgettable. Persephone being so starved for affection will make the audience want to envelope her in an at least 30second hug because she counts every second of every physical encounter she’s ever had seeing they’re so few and far between. And because of her humility they’ll also cheer her on as she selflessly unweaves the spell that curses the island and its inhabitants. This totally unputdownable novel will appeal to both male and female readers, fans of Sarah Addison Allen, Deborah Harkness and Paula Brackston, and incredibly strong female characters.

Narration:
Saskia Maarleveld is the perfect choice for the narration of this novel, she’s got an accent straight from the realm of fairies, a voice that bespeaks mystical mysteries, does a bang-up job of both male and female voices, and is the absolute ideal Persephone.

Abandoned on the steps of a Firehouse at six weeks old Persephone May has only ever wanted to belong. She wanted to belong to every family who almost adopted her, she wanted to belong to every group home she was shipped to throughout her youth in the foster care system. But every time she was this close to belonging something bad would happen, something she knew she’d caused and she’d be alone again. What she didn’t know was that she wasn’t causing bad things to happen, she was a witch who simply didn’t know how to control her power. Then at age thirty-two after another seemingly unimaginable catastrophe Persephone decides to accept an invitation given to her by Hyacinth, a woman she could actually look in the eye, who she met a year ago who seemed more familiar than anyone else she’d ever met. So on the Autumnal Equinox, a day which she shouldn’t have been able to, she stepped foot on Wile Isle for what she hoped would be a new start. What she found was a strange powerful place that was under a 100-year-old curse two sets of sisters at the center of it all and a beguiling man and his library for the lost that seemed in between worlds.

“The Orphan Witch,” the latest release from Paige Crutcher, is an epic tale of prophecy and power in the same vein as Addie LaRue and The Night Circus.

And although the tale initially reminded me of the Sarah Addison Allen favourite “Garden Spells,” it doesn’t take long for the narrative to take a very dark turn.

This page-turner is full of family secrets, a library of the lost, worlds of wonder and destruction, and a whole lot of herbal tea.

Crutcher expertly blurs the lines between good and evil in this carefully crafted novel, and certainly kept me guessing until the very end.

This one is highly recommended.

The Orphan Witch is a great fantasy that deals with some thorny problems many people (even those of us without magic) deal with, including feeling alone and dealing with family drama.

Persephone hasn't had an easy life. She was raised in foster care, and realized early in her life that there was something "wrong" with her. No matter how kind she was, no matter how much she tried to connect with her foster families, something would happen and they would reject her. As a young adult, she's learned that if she makes sustained eye contact with someone, they go crazy. She lives a very lonely life and longs for a family and friends to love her.

When Persephone leaves yet another job after someone accidentally stares in her eyes and almost walks out into traffic, she gets an email from her one friend, who invites her to spend some time on Wile Isle. When she gets there, she can feel the power and the magic enveloping the island. Her friend Hyacinth and Hyacinth's sister welcome her, but other magical residents aren't so excited to have her there, even though she is their long-lost cousin. The island is under a curse, and supposedly, Persephone can break it along with her new-found cousins, if she can learn to control her magic, and if they can figure out how to break the curse. Persephone begins walking between worlds, meeting an annoying yet sexy librarian who is himself cursed, and getting to know her new family. For once, she feels like she is part of a family and is loved. But can it last?

I loved the world Crutcher created. The cover led me to believe this was going to be more of a light-hearted read, but instead, the book dealt with the pain of being an orphan and being shuttled from house to house in the foster care system, and how jealousy and the quest for power can corrupt people and cause them to hurt the people they love.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance copy of a wonderful novel!

2.5 Stars

This book was just ok for me. It was way too slow and the story was too confusing to really follow. There were a lot of of witches I just couldn't keep up with. The ending starting getting good then it just ended. I finished it but it was definitely a trial to get through.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Orphan Witch cast a spell on me as it drew me into the magical world of Persephone May on her journey of self-discovery to find herself, her place in the world and her family. The story centers on the mysterious Wile Isle, whose mystical charms and curses both repel and draw in curious visitors, depending upon the right conditions. I loved the detailed descriptions of the Isle, the Library of Lost things (and the charming librarian Dorian), and the charming cottages and shops. I could imagine being there and it would have been a place I would LOVE to visit. However, the dialogue was rather simple amongst the characters, leaving it harder to become immersed in their stories and understand who they are.. The back stories, however, although repeated frequently, were very confusing in the telling of exactly how the curses began on that fateful night long ago, how all of the witches were related (a diagram would have been helpful), exactly what do their gifts do and what happened to their ancestors on the mainland? Also where exactly what did the curse actually do and where were those afflicted? It was very confusing (and I am usually never confused when reading a book), so I think I would have absolutely LOVED it had it expanded a bit to explain things a bit better. Maybe a sequel will resolve some of those unanswered questions? Also the title made me put off reading it for a bit--would have been more intrigued had it been less generic, more descriptive (The Lost Witch of Wile Isle? or even the Orphan Witch of Wile Isle). Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

This one just wasn't for me. It read like YA, but the characters are all fully adult, and I also really just didn't like any of the characters regardless of their ages. I found myself distracted and disinterested, and put it down at about 20%.