Summary Provided by Goodreads:
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.
Lexi grew up different then other girls in the neighborhood of Near. Her father taught her to hunt and protect herself. He also taught her about nature and how everything, including the trees and the winds tell a story. Because of this, Lexi is a very open minded person in a town that well, isn’t. She lives in a place that does not welcome visitors and follows the outdated laws of generations before. One night a mysterious young man, who Lexi names Cole, comes to town. The next day a child is missing and everyone assumes it was the young man, everyone that is except Lexi. Now it is up to her to find the real kidnapper before more children go missing and an innocent Cole is murdered by the townspeople.
While the town blames Cole for hurting the children, Lexi believes that it is the Near Witch calling the children from their beds and making them go to her. The only problem with this theory is that the Near Witch has been dead for a very, very long time. Leaving Lexi to solve a bigger mystery then she can imagine!
The Near Witch is an intense read and I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. I read it in a night and I could not put it down. The only thing I would have liked to see more of was Cole. I understood him a lot more once he explained his past, and what a sad past it is, but I still felt like I didn’t know him like I should have. Other than that, I fully enjoyed the story that was told. I especially loved the ending. There was no cliffhanger, it just ended beautifully. In a YA world in which every book ends on a cliffhanger, The Near Witch was a nice and welcomed change!
The Near Witch comes highly recommended! Schwab will keep you wanting more of her writing and her stories and I can not wait to see what she comes up with next!
The Near Witch comes out August 2, 2011 and I hope everyone checks out this book! You will not be disappointed.
I loved the ending, it wasn't rushed or too simple...just perfect :) It is so refreshing to see a stand alone in the middle of all the series that come out!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it! I gave a review of it last week :)
★Leila
I also really loved this story. One think that I was so happy about was that it's a stand alone. Sometimes it's nice for a story to be only one book long - no waiting!
ReplyDeleteStuckInBooks.com
This is the second time I have seen this book around, and all in one day! Looks like it may be another popular read. The cover certainly catches your attention!
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