Just not for me at all, I found the writing was childish, making it unbearable to read. The characters were not to my liking and the was no development with world building. Basically I just wasn't for me but give it a go.

I swapped my kindle back in 2018 and am unable to recover this title. I appriciate the opportunity that was given for review but sadly can't complete it for this title. Based on the other books I have read I give this 4 Stars. Many thanks.

DNF. I couldn't connect with this book at all and found it really hard to get into. I had high hopes for this, which is a shame.

I thought the premise of the story was interesting, but the execution just didn't do it justice. I felt like the book kind of died and tried to turn itself into something that it shouldn't be. I was disappointed with it.

Trigger warnings for: Mental and physical abuse, animal murder, grooming, rape, paedophilia, victim blaming.

Thank you for providing a copy of this book for review however I was unable to open the file for this document unfortunately! Apologies.

This is going to be a tricky one to review. On one hand, it is a chilling look at manipulation, mixed with the wonder of discovering that magic is real. On the other hand, it has some deeply, deeply problematic messages which are never fully challenged or acknowledged.
Going into this I was a little cautious because, as much as I love stories about witches, I know that Melvin Burgess' writing can be hit-or-miss for many people and I had heard seem mentions of problematic content in this story.
I was pleasantly surprised by the start of the book - the wonder and mayhem of the Hunt, the hares leaping into the car, the strong bonds in Bea's family - all of this is established in just a few pages and it is magical. As the story continues we get to know a little more about Bea and her confusion and caution over what is happening to her is very realistic. I also loved that her parents are fully present and care about her - in fact they even get in the way, but it is great to see parents actually parent in a MG/YA book!
It is when we meet Lars that the book began to take on a sour taste for me. He is clearly manipulating Bea from their first meeting. This sense of wrongness only grew as I read on, but the part of the book that is most problematic is when Bea finally escapes his control...and is put on trial for the acts she committed while with him. She was aged 13 when she was, essentially, kidnapped and brainwashed, almost 16 when she escapes. Even her mother's spirit seems to blame her rather than support her rehabilitation.
Things make more sense when it is revealed that one of the witches calling most fervently for her punishment is not entirely herself, but there is a persistent message that Bea is to blame and must never be forgiven or forgive herself. While this dark view is definitely one that we have all heard, I feel that it borders on irresponsible to have this message come through so strongly without any acknowledgement, challenges or at least a note by the author or publisher to say that this account could be triggering for some reading it, or perpetuate tired victim-blaming stereotypes for others.
Overall, this book is a chilling look at the power of manipulation to change your view of the world and yourself and it has some truly magical moments, but I would not be recommending it to anyone without warning attached.

Had to put this one down. Simply couldn't get into the story; the writing was strange and didn't flow very well, and I didn't really like any of the characters.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. I couldn't connect with the writing style and found the plot too rushed. The book had a lot of potential but the author wasn't able to deliver. I found the portrayal of abuse to be very problematic and can't tell whether the author intended that or not. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this one.

I thought this was fantastic. I went in with quite low expectations as Burgess has slipped in recent years but this was a return to form. The first third wasn't amazing, but acts 2 and 3 were so cleverly done. I've never been so angry at Goodreads reviewers who clearly didn't "get" this. The sharp ending and lack of explicit condemnation for Bea's "victim blamers" was INTENTIONALLY shocking. The fact the text allows the reader to decide to be angry is a credit to the author - sadly rare in more modern "moralising" YA. Contrast this with SJM's heavy handed treatment of Tamlin (no criticism to her) and the expectations placed upon the reader are much higher here. Shouldn't we be expecting our young people to be able to figure this stuff out for themselves?

As an aside, the return to Norse mythology (and the namecheck to Cherry from Bloodtide) fills me with great joy.

Thank you Netgalley for a review copy of this book

I, on the whole, do not judge a book by it's reviews - I prefer to give it a go myself. I did and, unfortunately, I have to go with the majority. I did not finish the book. It's story line was weak and predictable and the characters flat and boring. The main character annoyed the hell out of me - I have read books where this has happened before but I just could not read on with this one.
I am really disppointed as I have read other Melvin Burgess books and been blown away by his imagination but I think he ran out on this one.

I was really looking forward to this book. The plot sounded really interesting and the cover is gorgeous however this did not live up to my expectations. In this book, we follow Bea who discovers that she is a witch and is in danger from being destroyed by The Hunt.

I found the plot to be really slow moving in parts and the parts that were most important seemed to be really rushed. I got really confused in parts of the book and had to go back and reread parts. Throughout the book, I did consider giving up as I didn't really enjoy it. I did really like the main character either. I know she was only 13 but she felt and acted much younger.

Overall this book wasn't for me and I really did not enjoy it. The plot wasn't really what I was expecting and I had a lot of issues with the pacing and the characters.

There’s no getting away from the fact that this is an odd read. Full of magic, darkness and some unusual circumstances that rather test our beliefs.
Bea is travelling back with her family when they disturb a hunt. Bea helps to save a hare and from that moment on she can see and hear things that nobody else can. She’s 13 and her parents put her odd behaviour down to hormones. Bea, however, is told that she’s a witch with a powerful ability that people who are against witches are determined to take.
Over the course of two years Bea is abducted by someone who she thought would help her. This character’s abusive behaviour towards Bea is glossed over rather, and she becomes part of some very dark events.
I couldn’t help but feel that the opening section of the book was dragged out rather when compared to how quickly everything pans out.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this prior to publication. I see some reviews have been less than complimentary as this does feel like something that is the germ of a great idea, just a little unpolished.

Unfortunately I couldn't finish his book. I tried to make a go of it but I found there were too many repetitive words and the writing felt quite child like. I couldn't gel with the main character and found that it was quite lacking. I really wanted to like this book buy it just wasn't for me.

Well.

This book sucked. It sucked so much that I did something that I have only ever done once with a book.

I DNF'd. I couldn't do it. I managed about 53% before I had to throw the towel in and accept that this book was not going to get any better.

So, let me dive into some of the reasons why I had to put this book down.

The writing was childish, making unbearable to read.
The main character, whose name I have forgotten as she wasn't memorable, was the worst. Dull, boring, pretty much a piece of wood.
THE WORLDBUILDING SUCKED. There was no development. You are thrust into it from the moment you start reading. HATE THIS SO MUCH.
Main character pretty much finds out from the very beginning she's a witch and she's just like, "Ah no, okay cool I'll deal with it" !?!?!?!? WHAT.
A 17-year-old boy is coming onto her and I swear she's only 13!? Sorry, no thanks.
The plot felt rushed and all over the place.


I probably could think of tons more but I think you get the picture. The book felt rushed and the thought process behind it felt as if it lacked any real planning.

I NEVER WANT TO SEE THIS BOOK AGAIN. Unfortunately I had to give this book a 1/5* on Goodreads but in my opinion it's a -10000000000.

This book was, in short, utterly baffling.

I’m no stranger to Melvin Burgess’s work – often heralded as the godfather of UKYA, his 1996 novel JUNK is a controversial, yet extremely popular book. THE LOST WITCH is completely different – it’s still YA, but instead of being a gritty look at drug addiction and runaways, it’s a fantastical tale about witches. And I LOVE WITCH BOOKS.

I thought I knew what I was in for when I read the blurb, and to be honest, the first quarter or so of the book is exactly what it says on the tin. Bea, our protagonist, slowly begins to realise that she has the powers of a witch. She’s also drawn to Lars, the cute and mysterious older boy at the local skate park. It sounds pretty typical of a lot of paranormal romance and fantasy YA, but after the first chunk of the book it goes off in a completely different direction to what I was expecting.

This is a really surreal novel – there’s some seriously weird scenes (including one with a man with two faces) and I found it to be quite quirky in a slightly creepy way. A lot of the book takes place in the countryside and Burgess’s descriptions effectively evoke an atmosphere of ancient, earthy magic – perfect for a story about animal-shifting witches who are connected to nature.

Bea isn’t the greatest character – I found her a bit irritating and I was slightly weirded out that she was 13 at the beginning of the novel (she’s 15 by the end), especially considering the way her relationship with Lars develops. I would have personally aged her up (to 15 going on 16/17), although I suppose her young age makes the numerous questionable decisions she makes seem more realistic. Lars, on the other hand, is probably the most interesting character in the book – he starts off seeming like a generic YA male love interest but soon reveals different sides of himself that kept me curious.

Burgess’s writing style is interesting, though I honestly thought for a while that the novel was set in the 90s – it was only when Bea used her phone that I realised it was actually meant to be set in the present day. Still, it made the novel feel a little more timeless and rustic, almost – like it was stuck in a dreary part of England which hadn’t caught up with the rest of the country yet.

This book isn’t for everyone – Burgess has a very unique style of writing – but it’s definitely a surprising and unpredictable read, which makes it worth picking up. I loved the creepy, quirky atmosphere and the developing darkness – I’m interested to see what happens in the sequel.

Solid contemporary fantasy story with a dark, creepy undertone & a compelling, twisty plot. It feels as though there are occasional gaps in the narrative but overall it's a great read. Worth having.

'The Lost Witch' by Melvin Burgess was a let down.

This review is going to be harsh. It's my first Burgess novel and it is also the last. I found this book very difficult to get into and I blame the scattiness of the prose. There were so many unnecessary sentences and exclamation marks that I was half confused the entire length of the story. Some parts where explained in length, and others (probably important parts) where glossed over with only a sentence or two. How am I supposed to connect with the story if I physically struggle to even read/understand it?

I didn't like any of the characters in this book. I found Bea so naive and just stupid that I wanted to smack her. Her personality and strength of mind doesn't change at all. She may as well have been a talking plank of wood. None of the other characters are even worth mentioning. Also, was Burgess high when he wrote this? There were so many scenes that where kinda f*cked up and just downright bloody weird. The man with two faces for instance. His face can travel along his whole body. WTF.

This was 100% a cover buy and it's gone terribly wrong. It wasn't at all what I was expecting and I'm actually upset about it. I wanted more mystery and more spells. I wanted things to be developed more. I wanted a MC who had a brain and functioning heart. The one thing I can say, is that there is a lot of creative imagery in this but I feel like I should commend whatever narcotics Burgess was using instead of the author himself. I know this is a brutal review but I really didn't like it.

"If you want to be yourself, you must join us. You must put away everything you know, everyone you love, and you must follow us."

Initially when I read The Lost Witch by Melvin Burgess I struggled to get into it but after a few chapters I began to enjoy reading it. The Lost Witch is a young adult book and is exactly the kind of book I would have enjoyed as a young adult.

Bea is beginning to hear and see things that no one else can – creatures, voices, visions. Then strangers visit Bea and tell her she is a witch and she is being hunted. Her parents think she is hallucinating and needs help. Bea just wants to get on with her life, and to get closer to Lars, a mysterious young man she met at the skate park. But her life is in danger and the question is – who can she trust?

When The Lost Witch begins the Wilder family were on their way back from a disappointing family holiday in North Yorkshire. They come across a hunting party chasing three hares and that is when something happens that changes Bea’s life forever. One of the hares takes shelter in their car and Bea swears she hears it talk.

“The hare turned its head sideways to look up at her. Bea looked into it’s eye and she saw…Worlds upon worlds within worlds. “

Bea quickly convinces herself that she is seeing things even when a young girl named Silvis tells her that she is a witch.

“She knew magic did not and could not exist.”

Bea doesn’t really know what to think especially when she is told about The Hunt and The Huntsman, both of whom are after he particular magical skills.

“Most of The Hunt that actually get to see, the ones who chase us down they’re nearly all golems – people who’ve had their spirits stolen and replaced with something else. Sometimes it’s the spirit of another person but more often of an animal. “

When Bea talks to her parents about her views and the potential danger she is in they are worried that she has some kind of mental illness and Bea worries the same.

The Lost Witch was easy to read and something I think fans of the genre will like.

I always expect the unexpected from a Melvin Burgess, and this read is no exception.
After a surreal encounter with people on quad bikes, chasing hares, in the dark, on a lonely part of the moor, teenager Bea starts to see images in the clouds and faces in trees, water and other elements of the natural world.
Bea meets new people, but are they friends or enemies?
This book gripped from the beginning. Drawing on folk lore, history and fantasy Melvin immerses the reader in the age old battle between good and evil, trust and scepticism, right and wrong.
This is a young adult novel with adult appeal and hopefully a sequel in the not too distant future.