Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
This is a very sweet, short story, and although it’s set in a fantasy world, the parenting dilemma will play relevant to any parent whose child has had difficulties.
I’m wondering if I was missing out because I haven’t read anything else by this author, and in a story this short you just don’t have the time or prior knowledge to really invest.

In F.E. West's enchanting debut novel *Be Careful What You Witch For*, the allure of magic and the bonds of family intertwine in a tale that blends cozy fantasy with heartwarming resilience.

Set in a village beset by mysterious afflictions and societal judgment, the story follows a mother's desperate quest to save her daughter from uncontrollable temperaments believed to be magical in nature. As tensions rise and the village whispers with suspicion, the protagonist, alongside her husband Renault, faces a daunting decision: seek help from the elusive enchantress known for her demanding Favors, or risk losing everything to forces beyond their understanding.

West deftly crafts a narrative rich in familial love and the courage to defy societal norms. The protagonist's journey unfolds with palpable urgency and emotional depth, as she navigates treacherous paths both literal and metaphorical to secure her family's future. The depiction of magic is woven seamlessly into everyday life, adding an element of wonder and uncertainty that keeps readers engaged throughout.

At its heart, *Be Careful What You Witch For* is a story about resilience and sacrifice. The characters, particularly the strong-willed heroine and her determined husband, resonate with authenticity as they confront adversity and navigate the complexities of love, duty, and the pursuit of hope in a world where magic and mundane collide.

West's writing shines in her ability to evoke a sense of place and atmosphere, from the quaint village with its secrets to the mystical allure of the enchantress's domain atop the mountain. The pacing is well-measured, balancing moments of quiet introspection with bursts of action and revelation, ensuring the narrative maintains momentum until its satisfying conclusion.

Overall, *Be Careful What You Witch For* is a captivating introduction to the Enchantress Chronicles series, promising readers a blend of magical intrigue, familial bonds, and the unwavering determination of characters who defy expectations to protect those they love. F.E. West's debut is sure to enchant fans of cozy fantasy and leave them eager for the next installment.

*Be Careful What You Witch For* by F.E. West captivates with its blend of magic, familial bonds, and the resilience of its characters in the face of adversity, offering readers a charming escape into a world where love and courage triumph over darkness.

Be Careful What You Witch for by F.E West got my attention with its snappy title and kept my interest with its delightfully quick pacing. I enjoyed the characters and overall how the bonds between family and community were shown in this novel. While serving as the first in a series this novel stands well on its own for those who prefer standalone works and I look forward to seeing what the writer will put out into the world next.

Valerie, a blacksmith's daughter, and Renault, a chicken farmer, are a happy couple with daughters: Fayette and Clothilde, the youngest, Margot, the eldest, and Alya, eight-years old and struggling to deal with her growing magical abilities, which send her into screaming tantrums and hurling crockery. Valerie cannot understand what is sending Alya into such extremes of temper, but knows that something must be done for the girl, but not what the priest advised, which is to simply to increase discipline.

Valerie decides that Renault must take Alya to the enchantress in the north, who lives on the mountain. Valerie knows there will be a cost, possibly detrimental to the family, as the enchantress is known for getting expensive Favours from those she helps.

Renault and Alya head out on their long and difficult journey, encountering numerous problems. He and Valerie manage to stay in touch through lovely letters, where they share how much they miss and love each other, among other things. Once Renault is gone, a man appears in town, saying that he has prior claim on Valerie and Renault's house. He begins a campaign to take the house from her, enlisting some of the townsfolk, while Valerie does her best to resist.

This was delightful. Valerie and Renault make a sweet, loving couple who are trying their best to raise their children, and find the best possible way to help Alya learn to manage her magic. It was so refreshing to read a fantasy that deals with two parents who really want to do the right thing for each of their children, while also dealing with the mundane aspects of running a household.

The story is fairly low key, even with the threats and dangers each parent faced over the course of this novella. There is a happy ending, and author F.E. West gave us just enough of a taste of this world in this cozy story to make me want much, much more of these characters and this world.

Thank you to Netgalley and to F.E. West for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This book is so cute! I love how it's a short read but has so much in those short pages. Like the author says at the beginning, they do not waste words or write pointless words, but the feelings of the moment.

I love how this is fantasy based, but also has some parenting mixed in. It's a struggle with a child who is a little different from their other children. They are learning how to better support their child. Some of the methods can be applied to everyday parenting.

I'm looking forward to the next books in the series.

There's a lot to love and I'm grokking as I want to write a meaningful review
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

cozy fantasy story about a couple and their children. The characters and their world are charming, offering a fresh perspective on the trials of parenthood instead of focusing solely on young adults. Despite being concise, the story felt complete and self-contained. The length was just right for the narrative. Excitingly, this book marks the beginning of a series, promising further exploration of the captivating world and characters. I am eager to dive deeper into the witches and magic system in the forthcoming installments! A definite recommendation. Grateful to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Sweet, kinda cozy book. The parents of a young girl are trying to help her. She has outbursts that cause her to destroy things and say ugly things about and to the family. The family learns of a powerful witch who can help the daughter.
Daughter and Dad take the journey to the witch. Mom stays behind with the other children and faces some stuff and thangs all on her own.
I would have LOVED this book as a young teen/middle grade child.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review

Be Careful What You Witch For (Enchantress Chronicles Book 1) by F.E. West is a heartwarming, unique, fresh new type of cozy novel which will clearly evolve into a strong series with its own place within the Fantasy genre

Alya is the daughter of Renault and Valerie, parents who love her dearly but are struggling to help her thrive while maintaining peace and balance within their home. Lost for how to help their daughter grow happily, Renault takes his daughter on a journey to meet an Enchantress on a mountain to help Alya understand her unique abilities

There was so much in this short novella that lays the ground for what will be an incredible series while working very well as a standalone. It was sweet, engaging and original and the flow was steady, even across multipe POV's

Highly recommended and I look forward to more

Thank you to Netgalley and the author F.E West for this incredible ARC . My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

A really lovely short fantasy novel about a family with a child who experiences the world in a way her parents don't understand. Alya flies into rages when asked to do things around the house, not simple tantrums, but true rages. Her family just wants to bring her peace. After exhausting every local option, Alya and her father journey to a far away enchantress, facing dangers on the road. Her mother, left behind, faces danger of another type when a long lost cousin attempts to take her home.

For a story that's barely more than 100 pages, it's doing a lot of work. Chapters are from four different points of view, a world full of magic is being built, and the warmth of a family is born. It's so full of love. This is the first book in the Enchantress Chronicles, and I look forward to spending more time with these wonderful characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Be Careful What You Witch For is a beautiful tale about magic, love, family, and neurodivergence. The prose is stunningly beautiful, the love story between the parents is gorgeous, and little Alya is a character I cannot wait to read about again as she grows and matures. Five stars, and eager for the next volume!

I loved this one! (Thank you to NetGalley and Tempest & Kite Publishing for providing an ARC e-galley)

I'm so glad this is the first in a new series because I can't wait to read more! If you like witches and magical fantasy, this one is for you.

a thrilling tale of a little girl whose magic makes her different, and parents who must learn how to help her. a surprisingly cozy story of learning to love ones differences, and accept what cannot be changed. follow Renault, a father who must take his daughter on a weeks long journey to a sorceress to find ways to help his daughter, and Valerie, his wife, who must tend to the children left at home while dealing with a threat to their home, and how they handle the challenges while separated. a thrilling tale of love, acceptance, and overcoming the odds, and oddities of the world.

A delightful cozy fantasy about an established (but still very romantic) couple and their children. I enjoyed the characters and the world, and it was refreshing to read a fantasy about the difficulties of parenting rather than about fresh young adults. It was very short, but self-contained enough to work as a standalone. The length was really just right for the story being told. Still, since I enjoyed the world and would love to see more of the characters, I was glad to discover that it will be the first of a series! I can't wait to learn more about the witches and the magic system in future volumes!
Definitely recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me review an ARC of this book.

This beautifully written short story is the tale of a family struggling with their daughter and her ‘wild temper’ and in desperation, they seek help from a mysterious witch.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints but mainly from Renault: the father who, with his daughter, travels by horseback into the woods to seek the witch’s help and Valerie: the mother who stays behind with their other children and finds herself defending their home against an unwanted guest. Valerie is a fabulous character - she’s warm and caring but at the same time she’s tough as nails and you can really feel her determination to protect her family.
This story was so well written - you can really feel the parents pain as they seek to find answers for their beloved daughter. The setting is described in wonderful detail - I really felt like I was in the story. I do wish that the end hadn’t been wrapped up quite so quickly - I would love to have read more about what had changed for the family at the end of the book.
The magical elements are an important and interesting part of the story but they are quite subtle and the magic doesn’t distract from what is really a tale of a family who will do anything to help their daughter. You can tell that this story means a lot to the author.

A good story overall, but the jumping story lines from husband to wife, left me a bit distracted at times. Still though, the concept and the idea of traveling during the medieval times was interesting, plus the idea of magic. Would recommend.

Be Careful What You Witch For by F.E. West
5 ⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, F.E. West, and Xpresso Book Tours for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Valerie and Renault are worried about their daughter, Alya, who bursts into temper tantrums every now and then. She seems unaware of what she says during her tantrums, but Valerie and Renault remember well. They love their daughter, but Alya screams that she hates them and that they are the worst parents whenever they ask her to do something. They go to the doctor, the priest, and the witch to ask what her problem might be, but no one knows. Now their only hope in helping their daughter recover from the trance-like anger bursts is to visit Madame Montagne, an enchantress known for collecting favors in exchange for her services. Though they don't want to be in magical debt, they love Alya unconditionally and are willing to take the risk. So, Renault and Alya set off on a long journey to meet the enchantress.

I knew from the beginning that I would like this book. The reason contributing to this is the heart-touching and funny author's note in the beginning. If an author can hook me in with her author note right from the start, I thought, I'm pretty sure the book will be wonderfully well-written. And I was so right!

The story revolves from Valerie's to Renault's to Alya's to Madame Montagne's perspective as the situation requires. Though it is a fantasy novel, the themes it explores make it so relatable. The struggles of the parents, the feeling of not being understood by the children, the family dynamics, and finally, the love we have for one another despite the challenges we face.

It is a rather short novel and can be easily finished in a day, even in one sitting. The story is fast paced and well plotted. I'm very interested in continuing the series and am eager for the next book.

The priest says it’s a lack of discipline. The doctor says it’s magic; the village witch says it couldn’t be. The wild tempers that seize my daughter have left us no choice–Renault and I can’t live like this anymore. Only the enchantress who lives up the mountain, famous for extracting expensive Favors from her supplicants, can help us now.
But the dangers of the road north and the encroaching winter weather may make reaching her impossible…and since his cousin just showed up to claim our farm, I really need him back tout suite.
When Renault’s letters stop coming, I’m forced to assume the worst has happened. But I don’t carry a knife in my skirt pockets for nothing…how far would I go for my daughters?
It’s time to find out.
Be Careful What You Witch For is the first book in the Enchantress Chronicles series. If you like cozy, slice-of-life fantasy with strong heroines (of all ages), unpredictable magic, and families that will defend each other against incredible odds, grab this book now!

This was a cozy fantasy with some good slice of life moments in it. If you're looking for a good pallet cleanser, or a cozy fantasy read, then this one is pretty good. not amazing, not bad. 3 stars