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"An enchanting new book full of magical mischief and adventure, Alane Adams's The Blue Witch is guaranteed to please" —Foreword Clarion Reviews
Before Sam Baron broke Odin's curse on the witches to become the first son born to a witch and the hero of the Legends of Orkney series, his mother was a young witchling growing up in the Tarkana Witch Academy. In this first book of the prequel series, the Witches of Orkney, nine-year-old Abigail Tarkana is determined to grow up to be the greatest witch of all, even greater than her evil ancestor Catriona. Unfortunately, she is about to fail Spectacular Spells class because her witch magic hasn't come in yet. Even worse, her nemesis, Endera, is making life miserable by trying to get her kicked out. When her new friend Hugo's life is put in danger by a stampeding sneevil, a desperate Abigail manages to call up her magic―only to find out it's unlike any other witchling's at the Tarkana Witch Academy! As mysteries deepen around her magic and just who her true parents are, Abigail becomes trapped in a race against time to undo one of her spells before she is kicked out of the coven forever! Rich in Norse mythology, The Blue Witch is the first of a fast-paced young reader series filled with magical spells, mysterious beasts, and witch-hungry spiders!
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
October 23, 2018 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781631524615
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781631524615
- File size: 6635 KB
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 4.5
- Lexile® Measure: 650
- Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
- Text Difficulty: 3
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Reviews
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December 1, 2018
An orphan witchling struggles with school bullies and the likelihood that the mother she's never known betrayed her coven in the launch of Adams' (The Santa Thief, 2017, etc.) YA fantasy series. Like all 9-year-olds in the realm of Orkney, Abigail begins her training in witchery at Tarkana Witch Academy. Friends are hard to come by, especially as Endera, daughter of powerful High Witch Melistra, targets Abigail for ridicule. But Abigail fortunately befriends Hugo Suppermill, a scientist-in-training at the Balfin School for Boys. The two are together--outside of their respective schools--when Abigail first uses witchfire. Though she no longer needs to worry that she's a magicless "glitch-witch," Abigail is perplexed by her blue witchfire--everyone else's is emerald-green. She and Hugo soon learn that this unique color could mean she's the daughter of Lissandra, a Tarkana witch and reputed coven traitor. With Endera using spells (courtesy of Melistra's spellbook) against Abigail, it's hard enough for Abigail to avoid expulsion from the academy. But in the swamps outside of Tarkana Fortress, Abigail will face menacing creatures, such as the giant, wolflike viken, while resisting a new, insistent voice in her head that's trying to turn her toward dark magic. Adams' entertaining novel is a prequel to her previous series, also set in Orkney. As in her earlier novels, this series' first installment is rich in Norse mythology, including references to Thor and Asgard. But it's the main characters that truly boost the narrative. Abigail and Hugo are particularly strong, two devoted pals who seemingly take turns saving one another. The author's chiseled prose and speedy pace are complemented by Stroh's (The Raven God, 2017) sharp illustrations, which create memorable images, most notably pigtailed Abigail in a defiant stance. While subplots are resolved, series arcs are likewise established; Abigail, for example, may be part of a dark prophecy with the threat of war--another tie to Adams' preceding series.Bright, brave characters star in this exhilarating tale of magic and mystical creatures.COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (Online Review)
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