Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Stunning illustrations for a fantastic middle grade mystery series.

Was this review helpful?

The third installment in the series, "A Tangle of Spells," takes readers on another thrilling adventure with the three sisters as they leave behind Crowstone for a new life in the village of Pendlewick. However, the move doesn’t offer the peace they hoped for, as dark magic and new dangers quickly emerge. As always, Michelle Harrison's world-building is superb, drawing readers into the mysterious and magical atmosphere of the story.

This time, the sisters face more than just external threats; they're also growing apart as their priorities change, adding depth to their personal struggles. Betty remains the fierce protector, while Fliss is distracted by her future and romance, and Charlie longs for freedom. The magical elements, such as the nesting dolls, continue to be a key part of their defense against the increasingly sinister forces at play.

The book is full of suspense, twists, and eerie superstitions that keep you on edge, and the new characters add fresh layers to the story. The pacing is faster than the previous books, making it even more gripping. While the target audience is young readers, this is a story that can captivate adults as well, offering a nostalgic return to the wonder of children’s fiction.

Overall, "A Tangle of Spells" is the best of the series so far, blending magic, danger, and sisterhood in a way that leaves readers eager for more. A thoroughly enjoyable and magical read!

Was this review helpful?

I thought that this story was an interesting fantasy novel, that I think children would enjoy. I found it to be a little basic, but nonetheless, I believe that it's something that kids could read

Was this review helpful?

Felt like a warm hug being back with the Widdershins, and I think this is my favourite story in the series. I've grown to really love the Widdershins sisters, and they share a wonderful relationship that has grown substantially since the first book. My favourite is Charlie - she's mischievous and brave, with a fondness for animals that is loveable and endearing. She looks up to her older sisters but isn't afraid to challenge their decisions either.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely love anything by this author. Fabulous. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Was this review helpful?

This instalment on Harrison’s delightful series focused on the Widdershin’s sisters does not disappoint. Another Delightful, well written, fantastically plotted tale. Like sinking into a warm bath I keep coming back to these characters and stories. Can’t wait to read them to my daughter when she’s older - they’re a must buy for any young lovers of magic

Was this review helpful?

The Widdershins sisters, Charlie, Fliss and Betty, are back in this newest adventure. It is sure to be a hit with anyone who loves family, fantasty, and lots of magic.

Was this review helpful?

Though it is immediately apparent at the outset that this is part of a series, I didn't have too much trouble understanding what was happening in this book. The plot stands fairly well on it's own. The characters are distinct enough without relying on foreknowledge.

Was this review helpful?

Is this a perfect middle grade? No, but it's perfect for me. Listen, I had a blast reading this. It's full of action, adventure, and best of all, sisterly bonding! Basically meant for me. The US edition tries to hide a bit of an alcoholic plot for granny lol (probably the reason that the audiobook for this has been delayed- or scrapped?- for US release) but I found that funny, and kinda very British lol. There is a bit of darkness in this, and I wouldn't advise it for young, young kids... but for older kids that like young adventures... or adults who are young at heart... this is perfect.

This is, of course, the third book in a series and although the adventures in each book are not super contingent on the previous book, I feel like this one benefits greatly from having read the other two, as there are a few call backs... but if you don't mind being out of the loop for basically easter eggs, then this one can be read stand-alone too. I endorse all these books, as they are a super fun time with really fun protagonists and snappy plots. They are predictable and silly, but still fun.

Was this review helpful?

A Tangle of Spells is the next adventure for the Widdershin sisters. They are moving out of Crowstone into a new town that holds so many secrets. The family gets wrapped up in a new magic vs magic with a sister on the line. I think middle grade readers will enjoy this adventure.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book in the series and the family were able to leave Crowstone where all their previous adventures happened. This didn't mean the adventure stooped and they soon discover something isn't right in their new village. Lots of magic involved and lots of twists and turns to keep you turning pages

Was this review helpful?

Ooh, this was a fun one. The Widdershins sisters had their work cut out for them in their new home town. I loved the ending, Betty is awesome and always puts her family first. Charlie is so spunky, even though she is little. I hope the Widdershins sisters will have another adventure in the future.

Was this review helpful?

I have been in love with the Widdershins since book one of the A Pinch of Magic series. Betty, Fliss, and of course Charlie return for another magical tale in A Tangle of Spells by Michelle Harrison. You could certainly read this book on it’s own, but I still recommend that you go on the first two adventures with the sisters first. In this new adventure, the family moves from Crowstone to Pendlewick and a new life awaits them at Blackbird Cottage. In this small village, there are stories of witches and no one talks of magic, and everyone is suspicious.

While tidying up the cottage, there are silver coins and salt found inside which intrigues the girls. When Betty finds a secret room through her closet which contains a stunning painting and some journal entries that tell of the magic that envelops the family’s new town and no one is safe, not even Granny. Through the reading of the journals, Betty learns about the town’s secret and notices similarities with the stories and what has been happening since their arrival. Along with Charlie, Betty pieces the puzzle together and what follows is another adventure weaving magic with the bonds of sisterhood.

What I particularly noticed was that this book is a touch spooky, from the setting, to the mysteries that are uncovered. The sisters seem to be growing up. Fliss is enamored with a boy, and Betty and Charlie are left trying to figure out the mystery on their own (kind of, no spoilers here). Once again the magical world does not disappoint and I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The curse is broken and the Widdershins sisters are off to a new home in a land they never expected to be able to see. What could go wrong? Well to start the house that they are moving into is not quite what they expected. It is a bit run down and mysteriously there seems to be window in front of all the windows and doors, and there are silver coins in the corner of each room. The town itself seems to dread talking about magic and witches. In fact, it seems that no less than three witches have been a part of this town’s history, the last alleged witch being Ivy, who lived in their house before they moved in. While the Widdershins sisters are not new to dealing with magic and curses can they band together one more time and solve the mystery of this town before it becomes too late?
This is such a fun story. I had previously never read a Widdershins sister tale, but honestly you don’t have to read the other two tales in order to pick up this book. There are enough hints within the story about their past adventures that you are easily able to pick up enough of their past adventures to realize they are no strangers to magic. Kids will love how strong and perceptive the sisters are. The fact that they are such three different ages and still able to work together to create a team that brings each of their strengths is such a beautiful testimony to how sisters can work together. Overall, this is a great story, just dark enough to be perfect for the fall season. This will be such a fun book to recommend over the next couple of months. Thank you so very much to Clarion Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Was this review helpful?

Lovely little book filled with magic and adventures. I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it.

Was this review helpful?

When 7-year-old Charlie, 13-year-old Betty, and 17-year old Fliss move to Pendlewick, they get excited to find out their new dilapidated house looks like a witch’s house. As they look into the history of the house, they find a lot of stories about witches in Pendlewick, but they keep getting warned to not talk about magic. While exploring, they find a secret room that belonged to Ivy, a girl who disappeared two years ago. They soon uncover dark secrets within the two and Fliss even appears to get cursed by a local. It’s up to Charlie and Betty to sort things out, save Fliss, and maybe even a pinch of magic. Will they succeed? What really happened to Ivy two year ago? What is the town really hiding?

The story is enchanting and engaging. The characters are easy to connect with and bring the story to life. Packed with excitement, adventure, mystery, and magic this is a must-read for any fantasy and magical realism fans. This is the third book in the series, but can be read out of order. However, for full enjoyment, it’s recommended you read the others first

Was this review helpful?

This installment gets very spooky. The Widdershins sisters move to a new town that rivals their hometown in terms of creepy atmosphere and strange neighbors. They use their pinch of magic and sister bond to face down the antagonist of the story. I'm curious to see if the family will stay in this village, or continue to solve mysteries throughout the countryside. Either way, we have interesting, brave girls to follow.

Was this review helpful?

Third book in a series about the Widdershins sisters, it can be read by itself. I hadn't read the first two and it filled in enough detail to stand alone. However, it was an exciting, fun read so I may go back and read Pinch of Magic and Sprinkle of Sorcery!

Was this review helpful?

A Tangle of Spells is another deliciously dark and creepy adventure for the Widdershins sisters. They have finally escaped the Islands of Crowstone and are looking forward to a new start in the cosy village of Pendlewick. However, alarm bells begin ringing as soon as they reach their new home with salt sprinkled across every doorway and silver coins tucked into every corner. What is being kept out? Or maybe in?
Betty, the middle sister, quickly begins to suspect that the village is not quite as idyllic as it at first appears but even she couldn’t imagine the danger that would be facing all three of them but especially Fliss. Who is the strange old lady that breaks a mirror in their cottage and why is the portrait of a young girl so lifelike?
The book is brilliantly named as there is indeed a tangle of spells covering the whole village and the nearby wood. The mystery unfolds bit by bit and then builds up to a thrilling climax. The characters are all vividly written but the standout characters are the three sisters. Betty has always been my favourite and it was great to see her take the lead to protect her family.
This was another great read from Michelle Harrison and I am grateful to Net Galley and the publishers for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Betty and her sisters, Charlie and Fliss, are finally moving away from the spooky islands of Crowstone. They've had just about enough of witches and curses, but their new home in Pendlewick has a few spooky mysteries of its own. When the cat starts acting strange and the girls find a creepy old woman poking about their house, Betty is determined to get to the bottom of things, but if she can't figure out the clues quickly, her whole family will be in danger.

This one got spookier than I was expecting, but it was a tasty bit of shivering. This combined with the bewitching mystery and quirky characters makes for a real page-turner. I highly recommend this series for anyone who likes a bit of dark magic sprinkled into their family drama.

Was this review helpful?