Waking the witch Rachel Ruby Rachel Ruby was known as the witch of her small village. People kept their distance from her, afraid of the strange powers she possessed. However, one day, a young girl named Sarah decided to approach Rachel and learn more about her. Sarah was intrigued by Rachel's reputation and wanted to know if there was any truth to the rumors that surrounded her. She had heard stories of Rachel's ability to communicate with spirits and cast powerful spells. Sarah wanted to find out for herself if these stories were real.
With the promise of choosing her own gift, Thrash embarks on an adventure with the Lunes. But an adventure never sounded so dangerous.
When Thrash unexpectedly breaks a mirror with her mind, she discovers she has a knack for magic and will receive one of the three sanctioned Gifts Glamour, Growth, or Sight. As Thrash crosses the magical Thirteen States of America, Osmarra hot on her heels, she discovers bewitched diners, haunted tourist traps, and a secret about the Gifts that will change the Thirteen States forever.
Sarah wanted to find out for herself if these stories were real. One morning, Sarah gathered her courage and knocked on Rachel's door. She waited anxiously, not knowing what to expect.
Fat Witch Summer by Lizzy Ives – ARC Review
Sixteen-year-old Thrash doesn’t enchant eyeliner over her lids or clear her acne with magic. She is plus-size, but she doesn’t hate what she sees in the mirror—that’s the realm of her mother, Osmarra, a slim and elegant Glamour witch. When Thrash unexpectedly breaks a mirror with her mind, she discovers she has a knack for magic and will receive one of the three sanctioned Gifts: Glamour, Growth, or Sight. The only problem is that mothers choose the Gifts, and Osmarra is convinced that the Gift of Glamour will fix her daughter’s looks.
When Thrash fails to persuade Osmarra to accept her as she is, a trio of cool witches who call themselves The Lunes offer her an out. Their leader, fiery and charismatic Cresca, recruits Thrash for a road trip to New Salem University, where the girls plan to steal their own Gifts. As Thrash crosses the magical Thirteen States of America, Osmarra hot on her heels, she discovers bewitched diners, haunted tourist traps, and a secret about the Gifts that will change the Thirteen States forever.
This is about a girl named Thrash who is about to receive her gift, one her mom has to choose for her. There’s three gifts possible: sight, growth and glamour. Her mom wants to gift her glamour but that’s far from what Thrash wants for herself.
With the promise of choosing her own gift, Thrash embarks on an adventure with the Lunes. But an adventure never sounded so dangerous.
First of all I love Thrash, this is a coming of age story about a girl that can’t make others see past her appearance, not even her mom. Thrash is fat and happy with it, and it was beautiful to read how much she just wanted to be herself. I believe that was accomplished with the Lunes.
She also had two moms and you can still see the grief for the one who is not there anymore, she can’t even face the things her mom left behind…
The Lunes are a ton of fun. I really enjoyed Cresca and her friends. Em is even half mermaid? They all have very different parents. Some want them to choose her gift, others want to wait, others don’t want to give any. But in their core they are all witches just wanting a better life, something they choose for themselves.
The adventure part and the world building was really interesting and fun, there wasn’t any info dumping, and you learn it along the way. It even has a map! The world is captivating and I loved learning more about it.
I personally really enjoyed following this coming of age story with witches that tackles fatphobia, LGBT characters and overall it’s a really relatable book, actually if possible, can I live in this world??
The pace was also spot on, it was an ‘always on the move’ type of book. Also I have to mention, in this book witches also have familiars and Thrash’s mom has a horse for one, how cool is that??
Overall, this was a gripping book, and I would totally read a sequel with them in university! I generally don’t enjoy when books are blurbed to be like The Craft but this one I enjoyed. The Craft is way darker still but I can see why it was blurbed that way. This is more a fluffy novel tackling big themes with a lot of fun!
What did you think of it? Have you read it? Let’s discuss it in the comments below!
This is about a girl named Thrash who is about to receive her gift, one her mom has to choose for her. There’s three gifts possible: sight, growth and glamour. Her mom wants to gift her glamour but that’s far from what Thrash wants for herself.
Finally, the door creaked open, and there stood Rachel, her silver hair falling loosely around her face. Rachel had a worn look in her eyes, as if burdened by the weight of her powers. However, when she saw Sarah, a warm smile spread across her face. She invited Sarah inside, offering her a cup of tea. As they sat together, Sarah asked Rachel about her abilities. Rachel explained that she had always possessed a connection to the natural world and had been taught how to harness her powers from a young age. Rachel told Sarah about the importance of balance and respect when it came to using magic. She explained that her abilities were not to be feared but embraced. Sarah listened attentively, soaking in every word. After their conversation, Rachel took Sarah out into the woods to teach her some basic spells. They spent hours practicing together, Sarah feeling a sense of wonder and excitement she had never felt before. As time went on, Sarah and Rachel became good friends. Sarah learned more and more about witchcraft, and Rachel shared her knowledge with passion and patience. The village slowly began to change their perception of Rachel. They saw Sarah's genuine friendship with her and started to realize that maybe Rachel was not a threat to them after all. Rachel's reputation as a witch gradually became one of respect and admiration. The villagers sought her advice and help in times of need, knowing that she would always be there to guide them. As for Sarah, she became a powerful witch in her own right, embracing her newfound abilities with grace and gratitude. Without Rachel's guidance, she would have never discovered her true potential. In the end, waking the witch Rachel Ruby brought about a beautiful transformation, not only for Sarah but for the entire village. They learned that it was important to look beyond appearances and embrace the diversity and uniqueness of those around them. And so, Rachel's story became one of acceptance and unity that would be passed down through generations..
Reviews for "The Witch Who Wakes: Rachel Rubye's Extraordinary Transformation"
- Lucy - 2 stars - I did not enjoy "Waking the Witch" at all. The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters felt one-dimensional. I found myself constantly questioning the decisions the characters were making, and it made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Additionally, the writing style felt choppy and disjointed, which further took away from my enjoyment of the book. Overall, I would not recommend "Waking the Witch" to anyone looking for a captivating and well-written read.
- John - 1 star - "Waking the Witch" was a complete disappointment for me. The story lacked depth and failed to engage my interest from the start. The protagonist, Rachel Rubye, came across as unlikable and her actions often felt forced and illogical. The world-building was weak and the magic system poorly explained, leaving me confused throughout the entire book. The pacing was also off, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by rushed and unsatisfying resolutions. I regretted wasting my time on this novel and would not recommend it to others.
- Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Waking the Witch" but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The writing style was overly descriptive and heavy-handed, which made it difficult to connect with the characters or care about their journeys. The plot felt predictable and lacking in originality, leaving me bored and uninterested. The dialogue also felt forced and unnatural, making it hard for me to fully engage with the story. Overall, I found "Waking the Witch" to be a forgettable and underwhelming read.