The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

There is no other way to say it, The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol rocked. I started out reading to determine if the content was okay for my grandson. Once I started reading, I just could not put it down. What is not to like about a heroine who is so genuine that you can laugh and cry with her?

Arianwyn Gribble has been in the care of her grandmother ever since her mother died and her father joined the army. As old fashioned at it is, she is also apprenticed to her. Her peers, especially Gemma Alveston, never fail to remind her that she just does not quite fit in. Then in front of them all, she fails her witch’s evaluation test. Instead of the silver star signifying full witch status, she is given a bronze disk called the moon brooch, given to witches who show promise but have yet to pass the evaluation, and told she can retake the test in six months.

Despite Arianwyn’s lack luster performance, her grandmother, who sits on the Council of Elders, arranges to have her posted to Lull a small out-of-the-way hamlet close to the Great Woods.  Don’t let the name fool you, Lull is anything but boring. There are hexes about and dark magical creatures in the Great Woods. In fact, the citizens have been reporting a high number of encounters with magical creatures.

Arianwyn has her hands full dealing with the everyday problems and learning the ropes of being a working witch. Therefore, you can imagine her surprise when Gemma shows up in Lull for a “rest” and is told they will be working together. Little does Arianwyn know, Gemma is not the brightest when it comes to witch craft. To make matters worse, she is having troubles of her own with a strange glyph that seems to interfere with her spells. She will need to figure out this glyph and get her spells under control because Lull will very soon need her services like never before.

The author, James Nicol, did such a wonderful job with all aspects of this story. The plot moved along nicely without seeming rushed and the mix of the magical and the mundane was brilliantly done. For me, the best part was the way in which the characters leapt off the page or I leapt in with them. I still have not figured out which yet. It was magical.

If you are a fan of Harry Potter, regardless of your age, you need to read this book. In fact, this copy is going on my bookshelf and I will have to buy my grandson his own.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.