I tried to get into this book twice, but really can’t do it. The plot seems ok but the narrator doesn’t work with the YA vibe.

I did enjoy the jump between POVs and dates, and the descriptive language meant I really painted an image in my mind of the environment.

I did a triple-take at the opening scene, in which an accused witch is being burned at the stake. In the main narrative, which is present-day, the protagonist is 15-year-old Nate, which would probably make the audience for Witchfinder's Serpent late-middle-schoolers; as much as I'm in favor of books for young people addressing difficult/terrible issues, that scene struck me as straight-up nightmare material. Maybe Kids These Days are tougher than I was, but ...

Moving on, though, I kept being distracted by aspects of the narrative that didn't make sense. Nate and his younger brother, Mark, are sent to live with their hitherto unknown aunt Celia after their father dies. Speed Bump #1: their apartment is packed up by some unspecified adult(s) and they are left with only one box of mementoes. (I guess they get to keep their clothes, at least.) They get no say in any of this. Who's staying with them during this in-between time? Goodwin handwaves the legalities and practicalities here, not to mention the basic emotional sense (who on earth discards all of a family's household goods without consulting the tween and adolescent kids?).

I do realize that the target audience for this book is unlikely to pick up on any of that, but in a way it makes matters worse, as if young people don't deserve careful plotting because they don't have the real-world knowledge to spot mistakes. Anyway, Speed Bump #1 heralded any number of successors. Nate and Mark have lived in NYC, apparently all their lives; I promise you they have never thought of the city as the Big Apple, nor will Nate be impressed at finding that Aunt Celia's Connecticut house appears to be over a hundred years old.

And the narrative just kept clunking. The white blonde who's the leader of the Mean Girls at Nate's new high school has two brown acolytes. One of Nate's close friends, Zach (or Zack -- this was the audiobook, so I can't be sure) is of Native American ancestry; after the day's history lesson addresses British settlement in what's now Connecticut, he says something to the effect that his ancestors wouldn't have been welcome. Never mind that this understates the case considerably, it's a weirdly off-kilter take coming from a young person I miiiiiiiiiiight expect to be hip to the idea of settler colonialism.

There's a gang of bullies. The lead bully is stupid and dirty. Because bullies are low-class, of course. Sigh.

There's also a plot problem in screaming neon: why doesn't Celia keep the key to the locked room with her rather than leave it hanging in her bedroom? Do we not all know that saying "You can go anywhere in the house except for this one room which I keep locked and you must not enter under any circumstances!!!!" ensures that your interlocutor will stop at nothing to find out what's behind that door? Come on, Celia, have you never heard of Bluebeard?

I rounded up to 3 stars because I suspect many early-teen readers will find the story absorbing without picking up on the overtones and general ineptnesses. Also, the narrator does a good job. But I'm rounding up with misgivings, because I do think kids deserve better and because I really am troubled by that nightmare material at the start.

The Witchfinder's Serpent by Rande Goodwin is an enchanting story of two young brothers who following a personal tragedy find themselves putting their lives back together with the help of an aunt they never knew existed. Their Aunt Celia generously welcomes them into to her home, they had free reign in the house to do as they pleased except to enter one closed off room.

Nate and His brother attend a new High School, make new friends, and start putting their life back together, But to Nate something just doesn't seem right, and he becomes determined to find out what Aunt Celia is hiding behind that door. When all his digging opens a door to an unexpected room he encounters a magical bracelet that permanently attaches to his wrist he endangers them all. As the previous owner wants that bracelet and will stop at nothing until it is returned.

This book is an enchanting story full of magic and the evil that wishes to control it. A fun read geared towards Young Adult and Teens.

I received the audiobook narrated by Nick Mondelli who delightfully brings this story to life.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Rande Goodwin, Greenleaf Audiobooks, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an okay tale. The premise is similar to Hocus Pocus, though the execution is far less campy. Some teenagers go somewhere they're not supposed to go, mess with stuff they're not supposed to mess with, accidentally release a bad witch who was magically imprisoned centuries ago, then scramble to defeat the bad witch before they can regain full strength, playing keepaway with a magical object that would empower the bad guy. The teenagers receive help from a human/animal creature that appears to defy death. Aunt Celia is a notable difference, though.

Anyway, it was entertaining enough. I'm not sure I needed the trots back in time to Alice's POV, but I understand the purpose they served. Overall a pleasant way to pass the time, but I don't need more of it.

I really enjoyed this audiobook by this debut author. It’s the perfect young adult witchy book to get you in the mood for spooky season. It also made you wonder if it were based on a true story, and sure enough, there’s an interesting historical basis that is explained after the ending. It makes me want to read non-fiction, which I rarely am interested in. I look forward to this author’s other books in the future!! The narrator, Nick Mondelli, did a great job with telling the story and I am going to check out to see what else he has narrated! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

What a fun read. Perfect for the upcoming fall season. I loved the magical realism in the book. The humor was also well done. I love the found family aspect. I can't wait to see how the story unfolds as the series progresses.

This was not for me. The story was a little too slow moving for while simultaneously sometimes being too convoluted. It just didn’t help my attention very well and had it not been an audiobook I probably wouldn’t have finished it. I did think it was neat that Goodwin based the novel around the actual first person to be hung as a witch in the united states though.

The narrator was fine. He neither added nor detracted anything important. It was just a simple reading.

The story was a dual timeline of 1700s history which relied on historical research, and I appreciated, and a 2019 story that drives home the YA element moreso. The author simultaneously juggles developing each individual story and creating some ties between the two. The rag-tag teenager bunch that ends up in the middle of the action has some stereotypical characters--the super smart girl, the aggressive bullies with bad home lives, the overweight guy who finally finds his tribe, the new kids who are really good kids just fighting to do the right thing... It works as a collective and the story is strongest when they're all together.

For me, though, the story just didn't land. I wasn't drawn to any of the characters. The descriptions, aside from "Grandma", were lacking. The connection between the two timelines was just meh. It fell short and seems pretty forgettable for me.

Overall: 3 stars

I'll tell my students about: language, graphic imagery/violence, animal death, death/murder, trauma, drugs, witchcraft

**Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

The Witchfinder's Serpent
by Rande Goodwin
The two timeline story of the conflict between perception and reality. Started during the pandemic this book looks at the turmoil of modern life, and the problems of colonial life. A story of magic and the wonder of gifts of nature. The book moral concept shows the insidious nature of greed and power. How people manipulate others for their own gain? It is a great opening into a world of magic, and responsibility. This balance is needed in YA readers to show children that propaganda and power struggles are not only in history but we are subjected to them today.
The Audible version is an easy day read, as the voice of the reader breezes through the story.

You can read the synopsis.

I was looking for a middle grade book. This was a little more than that.

Gives all the spooky Fall vibes I love.

I love the history lessons. The fact that some of these characters were real people is an aspect I really enjoy.

It was like reading a mash up between The Crucible and Hocus Pocus. There was a point where I was like, "He just lit the black flame candle."

The grandma scene was a little creepy 😳

I can't wait to see what happens with little brother in book two.

I'm now planning a dream trip to this town to learn more about the Young family and what they experienced.

This definitely was not the book I was looking for, but I'm glad it was the one I found.

I received this as an ARC on Netgalley.com
Thank you for letting me have a first look at this series.

A fabulous new series -I accent *series* as I wasn't aware of the going in -from a debut author based on historical characters & facts around the Salem witch trials.

I'd recommend as a YA thriller/fantasy but must point out if you've a trigger for animal deaths you'll find that here. It's not excessive but the ones there are a bit graphic.

Still a great read. I would continue this series.

✨⭐️🌟⭐️

I actually listened to the audiobook and it was a lovely "back to school" and "eagerly anticipating autumn" mood. Hopefully much of what it felt was missing or underdeveloped will be revealed in future books since this is labeled the first of a series. As witchy ya goes it was a fun embellishment of what were clearly well researched historical elements. Orphans and a mysterious auntie, a forbidden room, witch bottles and crows, magic and transfiguration . . . now we wait for Book 2!

When Nate moves in with his mysterious aunt Celia, the last thing he is thinking about is magic and vendettas. While he is trying to focus on building a new life for him and his younger brother, he can't help but feel like not everything is as it seems. As he searches for answers, he is lead to a locked door in his new home that is forbidden. But once he gets inside, he finds a witch workshop, and it's no coincidence that he is now living in the same town that 45 years before the Salem witch trials, Alse Young hanged as America's first witch.

The Witchfinder's Serpent was not for me. I received this as an audiobook ARC and I had to keep replaying parts to follow along with what was happening. I usually get through an audiobook quickly but this one took me days to complete. It simply didn't hold my attention. I felt like the narrator was fine and they didn't sway me to like or dislike the book, it just wasn't for me. Maybe for the right audience this would be more enjoyable. I hope if you decide to read this that you have better luck than I did. Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it won't be for you.

Happy reading

Get ready to be charmed by The Witchfinder's Serpent by Rande Goodwin, narrated by the enchanting Nick Mondelli. This debut novel casts a spell of excitement that's pretty irresistible.

In this debut novel, Goodwin conjures a magical brew of adventure and enchanting escapades amidst the angsty lives of teenagers and flashbacks to how their lives all became entwined like thick ropes of ivy wrapped around an old house from the times of the Pilgrims. The plot unravels with twists and turns that'll leave you curious how it all ends. With a cast of characters as diverse as a potion ingredients list, you'll find yourself immersed in a realm of laughter and suspense.

Mondelli's voice dances through the narrative like a spell, creating an auditory spell that you won't want to break. The Witchfinder's Serpent is a bewitching blend of magic and intrigue, a book that's sure to cast a smile on your face. So, if you're ready for an enchanting ride, grab your broomstick and let Mondelli's narration whisk you away into this fantastical world of wonder.

Thanks to Greenleaf Audiobooks, Greenleaf Book Group Press via NetGalley for the advanced audio copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

R.L. Stine meets Stephen King in #TheWitchfinder’sSerpent debut novel by #RandeGoodwin Dark and creepy.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version.
I will say that the book was entertaining and it was a pretty fast read ( at least for me). It would be perfect for Halloween month.🎃

I believe this was listed for YA which I usually don't read, but the synopsis intrigued me.

Thank you Greenleaf Audiobooks, Greenleaf Book Group Press, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic audio review copy of this book. Great world building, clear descriptions rooted in actual historical events (Salem witch trials), and masterful narration made this a wonderful story that I enjoyed a lot.