The Lost Witch is a tale of love, loss, family, coven and fight for Evermore. Paige Crutcher created a magical realm that I could picture vividly with beautiful landscapes and scenery. I really enjoyed the first and last 20% of the book - but the middle 40% fell short for me. The third person narration really made it hard to connect to the characters at times as well as the extended memory loss.
All in all - solid, fun and quick read and I’m excited to see what the author comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Brigid is a loving mother. She was a young child when she knew in her very core that she was meant to be a mother. While her goddess refuses to grant her request, a trickster demi-god is more than happy to do so. But then Brigid wakes up 100 years in the future. Her island town has been cursed- no one in, no one out, and cursed creatures escape the loch regularly to terrorize the citizens who are doing the best they can with the hand they've been dealt. As the truth unfolds, and Brigid regains her memories of the years leading up to her time travel, she unravels a convoluted plot to brig chaos to the world.

I really loved this book. I love the way it unfolded and revealed more and more. I love the unique approach to "morally gray love interest" and the found family (that's actually your blood family, but I digress) that is rampant throughout. The magic was great, and made sense while the evil's motives also tracked and were easy to understand. How they began with noble intentions, but were distorted by time and the evil chaos. I loved the love story, the story of motherhood, and the story of friendship all woven throughout the book. But more than anything I loved the way Brigid discovers herself through her rediscovery of her memories.

I will say, the initial set up was very confusing. In general, I loved the majority of the reveal of the truth. Of the romance and of where the child came from. At first it seemed like a quick deal and magic, but as the book progresses, you learn the truth of where Dove came from. You understand Knightly better the more Brigid remembers, and I loved that aspect. You also uncover the truth of their romantic history but are always left thinking you finally have the answer, only for more details to be unveiled that totally changes the narrative. I loved that. However, the INITIAL memory, the first few chapters (which only briefly glance over details that are extrapolated later) gives me one problem- the scene at the lake. Which I feel is super confusing and seemed out of step with the rest of the timeline that is is revealed through Brigid regaining her memories. That single scene had be beyond confused the entirely of the book, and more so as it progressed. Then there's the fact that I just didn't buy Brigid's loss for her daughter. Everything else was so strongly established and shown. But where Dove was concerned, I was more confused than anything. Why is she in the other world? Why can't she come home>? why can't they go to her? And Brigid's loss- she spent the majority of the book not remembering her daughter, and almost every scene about her, the emotions are TOLD to us. I believe Knightly's love her his girls, Brigid's love her knightly and her coven, the modern witches love for each other, and the one girl's love for the book seller. But when it came to Brigid post time jump, I just found that to be so lacking when every other love was so vibrant. It was a real disappointment. Her loss just didn't hit as strong as it could have.

Overall, a greta time. Highly recommend. The romance is powerful, but this isn't a romance. And I highly identify with Brigid knowing she wanted to be a mother. knowing that fact to be true about herself over every other truth. Not because it was what society expected, or because she wanted some twisted narcissistic reason. But instead because she wanted that experience, and wanted to share that kind of love with a person. To raise a person, and share her stories, and try to make the world a better place by teaching a child to be a good person. I adored that, and felt it so viscerally, that I know this is a top book of the decade for me.

Thank you MacMillan audio and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Full of beautiful imagery, for me it was easy to dive right in and immerse myself in this world. I liked Brigid right away and felt for her in her desire to be loved and have a child. The two timelines added to the story and the remembrance of what Brigid needed. I liked the podcast and spellbound additions at the beginnings of chapters.

This was a cute read with a HEA that I'd read again or read another story of.

The narrator really did an amazing job and it added to the story and imagery.

The Lost Witch by Paige Crutcher

This story flows through two timelines in 1922 and 2022. Which kind of makes the story a little hard to follow at times. The story takes place in Evermore off the Island of Ireland. Brigid Heron is a powerful witch and healer in Evermore in 1922. She longs for a child and allows herself to be seduced by Luc Knightly, head of the Knightly coven. However, when her child becomes ill, she is willing to do anything to heal her. In 2022, Evermore is under siege from the witches of Knight who have been using their chaos magic to bring creatures to the island to prey on the villagers. Brigid awakens in this new world with memory gaps of what happened and where she’s been. She must work with her descendants, Ophelia and Finola, to stop the witches of Knight.

I love the premise of the book and the world building was great. Where it fell apart for me is the timeline switching it was sometimes hard to follow what was happening and when. Some of the writing and pacing was off as well. I think sometimes writers want to say to much which can make an otherwise good story fall apart. I think fleshing out more and not making the story complex as well as making the time lines flow smoother with easy to follow transitions to that the reader can follow along better.

Narrated by Aoife McMahon did a great job narrating this story giving life to the characters. I would recommend this book to people who like stories about witches. The world building of Evermore was great. This is a 3 star read for me because of the points I made earlier.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free audio copy of The Lost Witch for an honest review. All thoughts and ideas in this review are my own.

I think this is a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” The premise really drew my eye but ultimately I didn’t enjoy it.

The psychic distance in the beginning does make it sound a little fairytale-like, but it also makes it hard for me to connect with Brigid. This caused me to be unsympathetic to her decisions.

As well, I just couldn’t take her seriously. She meets the love interest, and she’s staring at him, enthralled, unable to speak, and then the text then says that he gives her a look that almost makes her whimper. [sexually]

Girl, you okay????

I also had a hard time distinguishing between Brigid’s and Ophelia’s narrative voices.

I disliked Finola as a character, specifically because I dislike the peppy best friend trope, haha. I just think that trope is tired and overdone.

That all being said, I LOVED the audiobook. Aoife McMahon did a great job, and there were some special effects the audio did that made the reading experience better.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advance of this audiobook.

The story sounded like it was written for me by the synopsis… witches, time travel and betrayal. Sounded like a blissful adventure read by a narrator I enjoy, Aoife MacMahon.
I was ready to go on this trip.

Dear sweet witches, I was bored. I listened to 31% and had to quit. It never pulled me in.

Aoife’s voice was delightful, but the story was lacking for me. I’ll likely try the physical book when it comes out. Maybe tight now this is not the story I need to hear/ read.

Please, listen/ read and make your own decision regarding this novel. Thank you.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this book.

The Lost Witch is about Brigid who is a powerful witch and healer living in 1922 and suddenly waking up in 2022 without any memory of how this happened. She finds out that she left behind a child in 1922 and so in addition to trying to save her land of Evermore she is also trying to get her daughter back.

The idea of this book is really something I thought I would enjoy but something just didn't click with me. I did finish the book and gave it 4 stars but I don't feel fulfilled having finished it. The ending was a really very happy one and I don't know what more I could have asked for. Maybe I need to give it another listen to really get everything out of it. If witches, fantasy and YA romance are your things then definitely give this book a try.

The narrator is perfect! I'll seek out more books narrated by Aoife McMahon for sure!

#TheLostWitch
#PaigeCrutcher
#AoifeMcMahon
#YARomance
#Witches
#WitchMystery
#TimeTravel
#NetGalley
#MacMillanAudio

In 1922 Brigid Heron is a powerful witch and healer in the charming small town of Evermore, on a forgotten isle in Ireland. However, Brigid wants a child and her goddess is not inclined to help where this is concerned. Brigid is seduced by Luc Knightly, handsome, mysterious and powerful. When their child is born and falls ill, Brigid will risk anything to save her daughter–even tap into the forbidden magic of the Lough of Brionglóid. But it is forbidden for a reason, and Brigid ends up losing her daughter, Dove, and herself to the magical chaos.
In 2022 Evermore is under siege. The witches of Knight (not Luc), have been using their magic to widen the rift between the island and the Otherworld, using the lough. Creatures f prey on the villagers, consuming their humanity, making them damned.
Brigid awakens in 2022 with no memory but she learns that she is the reason the Evermore is cursed. To seal the lough and stop the witches, she must work with her descendants, Ophelia and Finola, who also happen to be powerful witches. But the knowledge she seeks lies with Luc Knightly himself—mysterious, handsome, and powerful. To save Evermore (& Dove), Brigid may have to lose everything again.

*Special thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audio copy.*

I requested to listen to the audio book after reviewing the physical arc to see if it was a bit easier to read this book. The Narrator did a fantastic job helping me through the book. First, I LOVE THE ACCENT. It reminded me of Brave… the Disney movie. But, I think my opinion still stands about the story. See Below:

Brigid wakes up 100 years in the future with no memories and oh, did I mention that she disappeared with her town being cursed and is about to be overrun by the damned. What a wake to come back. This novel was beautifully written and very descriptive. It was easy to imagine and visualize what was happening. But, there was something about this book that just didn’t do it for me. I struggled to finish it and I can’t put my finger on it. It was hard to relate to the characters. I did find myself skimming through the book at most parts but I was determined to finish it. The romance wasn’t really there for me. It fell flat. I just wish I was more invested but, I just couldn’t find myself to do it. Now, just because this book wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillion Audio for the early audiobook in exchange for an honest review.