The Witch that Could Have Been…

The Witch of Willow Hall

By: Hester Fox

Grade: C

Available: October 2nd

After thinking about this book for a while it’s most like an origin story for a witch when said witch is the least interesting character. Also a love story. Also not that interesting.

*Netgalley kindly provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

After scandal drives them out of Boston Lydia and her family move into the newly renovated Willow Hall where strange things begin to happen, family secrets come to light but hey that’s not really as important as the fact Lydia’s meet a boy!

Sorry.

The thing is The Witch of Willow Hall isn’t really a bad book. It’s got some really interesting elements but little too nothing is done with them and what is ends up in either a shoulder shrugging been there done that or a slightly agitated really, that’s it?

Both Lydia’s sisters are far more interesting than she is. I mean I want to murder Catherine- but still. This could have been a kickass story about sisters! There are some spirits in Willow Hall but they really just pop up. One seems malevolent by a lot but eh just kind of wanders off. I mean someone else eventually tells their story.

Even the romance suffered from the whole been there done that of missed communications and a serious lack of trust. Which does make sense because they don’t really know each other. Yet it didn’t bother me nearly as much as it otherwise might have and I think that was because Cyrus (Lydia’s ex) is such a walking (admittedly cliche) nightmare that I spent a great deal of time hoping a ghost gets him.

The Witch of Willow Hall isn’t a bad book. It’s just very mediocre and it had obvious potential to be so much more! If it had followed the thread with the sisters and gone for it… If it had followed the thread of the ghosts… Oh! It could have also done something really surprising with John but nope.

Recommend: 50/50. More so if you’re looking for a coming of age/romance than a gothic ghost witch story.