The Near Witch

The Near Witch is absolutely FANTASTIC! Victoria Schwab did a masterful job creating a full-length Brothers Grimm style fairy tale or Hans Christian Anderson style fairy tale. A little scary (for small children, perhaps), plenty of intrigue, a lot of adventure. Cole is an interesting stranger who comes to Near and is accused of snatching children out of their beds without a trace. The story unfolds and comes to life with witches and plenty of mystery. The MC Lexi is a wonderful heroine who doesn't allow fear to keep her away from the unknown. I really appreciate a strong female character, one who goes against the majority for the good of society. Definitely add The Near Witch to your reading list. You won't regret it.

"The Near Witch" by Victoria Schwab is one of those books that takes you into the story. It is a very good book (I am so looking forward to the finished book). You go through everything the character, Lexi goes through and the village of Near, when the children start disappearing. It is a page turner and is very hard to put down--the final copy is going to be placed on my wish list--adding it to my collection. I read and reviewed an advanced copy for proof. I was hooked; the author has a gift for capturing her audience. This would be a good book to add to any Teen's collection or any high school or public library's Teen/YA Section.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie

I read this for the first time about a year ago. I thought it was okay. A year later, I reread it and totally became obsessed with it. Basically, The Near Witch isn't a book that you like immediately. It takes time and patience. Read it again during some other time, and I guarantee you'll at least tolerate it. Trust me on this one, you won't be disappointed.

There's something about fairy tales that makes everyone happy. Yes, they may be childish, but hey, that's why I read them! However, The Near Witch is a fairy tale that's brought to a whole new level. (Yes, I do know I'm being extremely superficial right now...) It's basically a creepy reincarnated witch meets kick butt heroine meets mysterious awesome guy meets a gorgeous story meets a whole lot of fantasy type of story. If you think about it, you don't really get those types of books a lot. In other words, GO READ IT NOW. Yes, I mean now!

Lexi is strong and lethal and clever and simply one of those few kick butt heroines. Her father was a hunter, so he taught her the skill of being strong. Well, he also taught her how to track, but that's not nearly as important. I love how Lexi never forgets about her father, but she isn't bogged down by sadness either. She's strong and balanced. She's one of the characters that never annoy me at all, which is really impressive! In other words, she is a MONSTER but in a good way. She's stubborn and determined, which is incredible!

One thing you should keep in mind is that while The Near Witch is in first-person, it's the type of first-person that makes you think it's in third-person. In other words, the wording is your present day wording. It feels timeless and a bit older, but it is so worth it. In my opinion, the writing style totally brings out the beauty of the fairy tale. You see, in other books, the author's way too caught up in the action to focus on the finer parts of the story, the writing. However, Victoria Schwab actually handles the book like a pro (or a boss) and makes The Near Witch a masterpiece. It's stunningly strong and delicate at the same time.

You know, some of the best books make you feel conflicted because you love it in spite of some issues it may have. The Near Witch may or may not be one of those books. That's because you won't know until you pick it up and start reading it! (See what I did there?) You know, if you're still reading this review, you might want to stop... so you can read The Near Witch!

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I loved this book! The imagery. The course of the story. The emotion. I don't even know where to begin. I was captivated from the start, caught up in a tale that could be set in this world but would up with magic and fears and a reluctance for change. And a touch of romance but not so much that it overtakes the story.

Lexi has always been closer to her father, who taught her to creep after the red deer and to touch it without its startling, and to Magda and Dreska, who speak to the wind and the earth and seem older than time, than to her fellow villagers. And now that her father is dead, her younger sister barely remembers what their family was, and her mother has taken to kneading and baking bread endlessly to work out her sorrows, Lexi longs for nothing more than to be close to the moor the way Magda and Dreska are close to it--or closer, the way the first stranger to come to town in ages seems to be.

Then, when the town's children start disappearing in the whispering dark of the night, drawn out of their rooms by a wind that can speak their names, Lexi needs that closeness. She needs the moor to surrender signs of the children so she can track them; needs Cole, the stranger, with his burden of memory and his strange powers; and needs, most of all, to know the truth about the Near Witch. It might be the only way to save what's left of what she loves.

I couldn't put it down, and couldn't stop thinking about it once I did. Schwab's language is as subtle and irresistible as the wind on the moors, and the world she creates in this novel comes to life with suspense, romance, and redemption. I would recommend this book to fans of YA romance and literary fiction alike.

There are many retellings of fairy tales, but seldom do I come across a completely new one, brimming with a richly, imagined world, full of interesting mythology and magic. And Victoria Schwab's storytelling ability is absolutely beautiful. Language that wraps you up and completely entangles you into the story. Just loved this tale and the compelling nature of a stranger into a town who isn't used to any type of change.

5x5
The wind whispers in the town of Near....out on the moor and there are witches about... I really enjoyed this book! I was absolutely swept away into the the town of Near. Amazing scenery and very interesting people abound in this part fairy tale...part love story. I always enjoy a great story especially ones that tell of long ago :) *sigh*

This will take you back in time and cast a spell on you! GET IT NOW!!

Hands down, The Near Witch easily carved a spot on my favorite books ever list. The gorgeous writing, thoughtful heroine, and eerie yet magnetic atmosphere make for a rich story that is sure to capture the heart and imagination.

*10/10*

This book is impossible to stop reading after you start. It is magically written to make you feel like your apart of the book. It left me wide awake at night just thinking about how awesome it was. It is a great adventure book as well as a mystery. The little romance is nice as well ss shoeing how there village is. Everyone needs to read this book it is beautifully written for everyone because all ages and people will fall in love.

This was a wonderful first novel by Victoria Schwab and I would recommend it to everyone who is in search of a semi-spooky story that draws you in from the first page. The novel offers the readers a chance to step into Near, where there are children going missing and witches galore. It is guaranteed to make you never think of wind the same way again!