Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I feel like the odd one out as everyone who has read this and the series as a whole loves this. And I... well, I feel very meh about it. While I did like A Pinch of Magic, I did struggle with it and hoped that when I read/audiobook this, I would fall for it and see what everyone loves and yet... I didn't. If anything, this one was even more of a struggle.

This is very much a "It's Not You, It's Me" situation. Because I see why you all love it so. Sisters, magic, kidnapping, pirates, Michelle Harrison's writing. It all should have worked for me. And yet, it didn't. It felt as if something was missing or one of the elements was just off centre and it didn't stick the landing.

I know fans will love this and I think do this series is a fabulous middle-grade, but this isn't the series for me.

Another wonderful adventure with the Widdershin sisters. This one has complete cemented this series as an absolute favourite. I really enjoyed Pinch of Magic but this one took it to a new level. Fun, fast paced and brilliantly written! Bravo!

Michelle Harrison has written some great magical stories. This one is just so good I love the mystery and the adventure and full of magic.

An enchanting story seeped in magic, family and love. Sisters embark on a journey of peril to save their family.

Strange things start to happen when a girl mysteriously appears at The Poacher's Pocket with a pocket full of hag stones and a floating will-o'-the-wisp,

In order to save their sister they must travel through misty marshes and past an island that doesn't exist on any map.

Excellent sequel to A Pinch of Magic. This time the Widdershin sisters embark on a dangerous journey involving magic maps, witches, pirates and will o' the wisps. This is a brilliant series with feisty female heroes. Can't wait for the next installment!

I loved the first book in this spooky, magical series, and A Sprinkle of Sorcery is even better!

The story picks up a little while after the end of A Pinch of Magic, with the three Widdershins sisters on edge as their granny tries to sell the pub they live in. I think you could definitely get away with starting here, as it’s a wholly new adventure for Betty and her sisters, and everything you need to know is well explained – that being said, I would highly recommend starting with A Pinch of Magic just because it’s wonderful! You can check out my review here if you want more details. As with the first book, Sprinkle is full of dark, lush atmosphere – you can almost feel the fog in the air as you read (and I read this on a bright spring day!).

There’s such an adventure feel to this book, with will-o-the-wisps, a runaway girl, legends coming to life, and best of all, pirates! Betty and her sisters are drawn into the search for a missing man that takes a turn for the dangerously magical, and it requires all their resourcefulness, loyalty, and courage to make it back home. I adored the twists and turns of the plot, and the way in which it pays to know your local myths, because you might just end up needing them to survive. I meant to only dip into the story for half an hour or so, but I ended up reading the whole thing in one go! It’s magical and kind of classic feeling – old-fashioned in a good way, like the fairy tales and adventures that enthralled you as a kid.

I think what I love about these books so much is that they have so much heart in them. Every character is exquisitely drawn, and they feel hugely real – they never fall into lazy stereotypes. I particularly love (as I mentioned in my review of Pinch) that 17-year-old Fliss is not condemned for being aware of her own attractiveness, and I also find Granny very endearing, with her fierceness combined with her obvious love of the girls. There’s such a warm feeling of family that emanates from the Widdershins, even when they’re driving each other mad, and it’s wonderful to read.

An absolutely gorgeous read (which suits that absolutely gorgeous cover by Melissa Castrillon!) that I would recommend to anyone looking for smart, dark, magical middle grade. It’s perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Edith Nesbit, and KA Reynolds. Five out of five cats!

I loved the first book in this series so had pretty high expectations for this book, the Widdershins sisters had such an amazing adventure in A Pinch of Magic, so I was excited to see what adventure they have in this book.

I love the bond that Betty, Fliss and Charlie have, and I loved seeing them meet and take in Willow and help her on her own quest, and they meet a a pirate called Spit and the relationships they have between them is brilliant. Also Charlie never fails to make me laugh, she's such a typical kid, asking obvious questions and I love it. At the end of book one the curse is broken so the sisters can now safely leave their island for adventures, and they have a brilliant adventure in this book, which involves pirates, wisps, a mysterious girl and a hidden island. As much as I enjoyed the first book, I was a lot more gripped and on the edge of my seat for this book, and the twist near the end had me sobbing, I did not see it coming at all.

I would definitely recommend this series, they're such light hearted middle grade books and (even though I cried) they make me so happy. I cannot wait for the third installment of the series to be released next year.

Tales of magic and mystery blended with family trials and triumphs are always popular and they are the type of story Michelle Harrison excels at. This is her second book featuring the Widdershins sisters – Fliss, Betty and Charlie – and, since they lifted the family curse in the first they might be expecting to be having an easier life. But Crowstone, the prison island, is rarely an idyll and things have got so hard they are even thinking of selling the Poacher’s Pocket (the run-down inn they live in). Then one night, during another prison escape alarm, a young girl appears at the inn – bedraggled and alone except for an eerie will-o-the-wisp – and they are thrown into a new adventure. Young Charlie is abducted, Granny (a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed delight) is thrown in the cells so Fliss and Betty, with the mysterious Willow, have to set out to rescue her. This venture involves a folktale about a blind witch, a raven and a hidden island, a magical hag-stone, many many more will-o-the-wisps (which are very dangerous despite their lack of substance) and pirates. Great characters, an interesting plot, lots of humour and did I mention the pirates? Everything is better with pirates…

Great for adventurous girls (or boys) from 8 up or anyone who loves magic, folktales and pirates.

With a pinch of magic and a sprinkle of sorcery, Michelle Harrison has mixed up a delicious tale of fairytales, pirate adventures, hidden islands, magical creatures, enchanted items, deadly peril, courage and three of the best sisters you'll find in literature.

I adored a Pinch of Magic, but if anything, this sequel is even better. The Widdershins sisters are simply fabulous. It's a wonderful depiction of sisterhood, with both the love and support and the squabbling and disagreements. They're becoming more fully developed characters with each book, and it's great to see new facets of their character. There's fear and bravery mixed together, and the fact that you sometimes see their hesitation and trepidation makes their courage all the more striking and believable. They don't just rush into danger, they consider it, get scared, and then rush into danger anyway.

And what danger it is! There's a fantastic cast of pirates and ghosts and witches. There are spooky legends and challenging trials. The challenges the girls face really capture that classic fantasy feel and give the book a timeless quality. A Sprinkle of Sorcery takes the action away from Crowstone, and it's great to see new parts of Michelle Harrison's fascinating world, though it's still centred around the same group of islands giving it a strong sense of continuity.

I loved returning to the Poacher's Pocket, and I found the further adventures of the Widdershins absolutely enthralling.

Michelle Harrison has long since been an auto-buy author of mine. I have adored all her books to date and A SPRINKLE OF SORCERY was no exception. Fast paced and magical, it dazzled me from start to finish.

When a strange girl appears in their back garden in the dead of night, the Widdershins sisters once again find themselves pulled into a adventure. One that will see them unravelling age old curses, battling pirates and venturing to long lost isles in search of treasure…

This book was so sweet! I adored the bond between the three sisters, and how each of them are brave and cunning in their own unique ways. While once again told from Betty’s (the middle sisters) POV, this book saw Fliss and Charlie get much more page time and we got to know them even better.

There were also appearances from most of our favourite characters from A PINCH OF MAGIC, including Charlie’s beloved Rat who was very much part of this adventure.

However there were a whole host of fun new characters and villains to meet. Pirates of varying degrees of evilness, ghosts with grudges and a witch with a very dry sense of humour. It was simply impossible to not enjoy this book!

The plot moves at a fast pace and the stakes were always high. The magic and stories inside the story were beautiful and craftily thought out. Much of the book kept me guessing and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we will meet the Widdershins sisters again in future…

And have you seen the cover? Isn't it just gorgeous!

All in all, a lovely 5 star read!

I liked this book because it was set out in mini adventures. The characters were kind and helpful, trying to prove the innocence of Willow’s father. They work together to find the truth, discovering that there hadn’t even been a crime, The magic dolls could turn people invisible so they used the dolls as part of their mission.
This was an excellent story which could be easily used in class and I will be using it for plot lines, character development and atmospheric language. The language and style are entirely appropriate for children, yet the plot had a few good twists and surprises. Team work and kindness for each other are recurring theme s. 4 and 1/2 out of 5
A great read. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

What a welcome return to the world of the Widdershins sisters this was! It tells the story of our trio as they discover a young girl in the garden of their pub one night and embark on an adventure to clear her father's name. Cue pirates, wisps, buried treasure and ancient legends galore.

The Positives: The dynamic between the sisters was fabulous here. Betty is clearly the ringleader, but Fliss and Charlie both have their own strengths and definitely demonstrate more facets of their personalities here, which was great. The plot, while not quite on a par with A Pinch of Magic for me, was very well constructed and I flew through this. I love the way Michelle Harrison interjects legends into the narrative really deepening the world building. I also thought that Willow was an interesting character and her arc here was really well done.

The Negatives: For some reason, it just didn't feel as expansive or magical as the first book for me. I think it is much more of an adventure story than a magic story, which is fine, but I personally prefer magical tales.

Overall, this is a great book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a good swashbuckler.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What a fantastic book and a superb 2nd in the series.

This carries on the story of the Widdershin sisters and their adventures where they live on the Isle of Crowstone. There is many an adventure to follow as they try to find out just who the strange girl is who appeared in their garden. There is a sense of mystery about her and whilst she seems nice, should they really trust her? She has a kind of magical power and has caused trouble around them; but they need to trust her if they are to find their missing little sister.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am already waiting on the third one. A super read that moves pretty quickly. It's full of adventure, mystery and magic too. A must for anyone who loves this genre.

A brilliant story, well crafted and engrossing.
It's the first story I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I loved the characters, the world building and the plot.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this early via Netgalley. I might be slightly late and ended up reading my finished copy today. I apologise for this.

I read this book in one sitting. This was a fabulous follow on story after The Pinch of Magic. I love the Widdershins sisters. This story introduces 2 more main characters Willow and Spit both were great additions and Spit especially became a favourite of mine. He had a decent back story and his character development throughout was brilliant.

You really cant do anything more than follow along in their adventure and it really did suck me in.

I would recommend this series to everyone. Kids and adults alike. It really is magical in places.

I absolutely loved to be back with the three Widdershin sisters Betty, Fliss and Charlie. We meet the three Widdershin sisters on a new adventure. Betty, Fliss and Charlie set out onto an adventure on the seas, on land, involving ships and pirates and witches and stories of old and the need to move on.

Michelle Harrison has packed so much into the story, and she has done so so very, very well.

The only regret I have is that we do not see much of Charlie in this book. Apart from that, all thumbs up.

I really enjoyed being in the company of the Widdershins sisters again in this charming and entertaining middle grade fantasy. My many fans of Harrison will be very excited to see this in the Library.

Thoroughly entertaining , inventive sequel that draws on traditional folklore to create a compelling adventure. The witty & resourceful Widdershins sisters really are a delight. Excellent stuff.

I'd almost forgotten how much I'd loved entering the world of the Widdershins as they lifted the family curse in a Pinch of Magic. Sure enough, Fliss, Betty and Charlie are back and nobody messes with their family!

With a magically interwoven fairytale, which I loved, the girls second adventure is even more thrilling than the first with a mysterious girl followed by wisps, pirates and a mysterious islands that doesnt exist! And of course, Charlie has been kidnapped, again.

This sequel is just as thrilling as the first and I devoured it. I am really looking forward to recommending this book to children and adults alike.