For the most part, I enjoyed this witchy, atmospheric tale. It was woven differently to lots of magic inspired novels. Dark, twisty, woven with the characteristics of humans.
The Havoc Wood was it's own character, ambivalent, aware.

However, I did feel like this Novella didn't go anywhere and towards the end it did start to drag. There was no clear beginning or ending, no climax or resolution.

An interesting, atmospheric read all the same.

I really enjoyed how lyrical the writing style was, it really drew me in from the start! I loved the twist on your typical fairytale! I did get confused in areas but found my way back to the story. Overall very enjoyable.

I really loved this little snippet of life before the main Witch Ways series, seeing more of Hettie, and meeting Anna, Charlie and Emz as small children. Hettie is such a big presence in the main series, despite not physically being there, and it was a joy to get to know her better in this book.

Although only short, The Hedgehog Child contains all the magic of a full length Witch Ways novel, and I was totally captivated by it and the new characters I met within its pages (although I will confess that it took me a embarrassingly long time to connect Tinker’s first name with her surname of Bell!).
I would highly recommend this book, and the whole series, to anyone who needs a sprinkling of magic in their life.

Another addictive instalment in the story of the Way women who are the Gamekeepers of Havoc Wood. Whenever there's a new book, whether full-length, or novella like The Hedgehog Child, I find myself re-reading the others to immerse myself in the mysteries of the Wood. These are books that make you work at understanding how the Wood stands in relation to the world. They don't necessarily happen in chronological order, but with each new book things become a little clearer.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC.
Cute prequel! Very magical and whimsical. I really enjoyed how lyrical the writing style was, it really drew me in from the start! I loved the twist on your typical fairytale, and the dangers of the havoc wood! I did get confused in areas About where things were etc but found my way back to the story! Overall very enjoyable and quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC
I got a little lost with this book at times but who doesn’t like a story about witches. As far as characters go at this stage Tinker Bell was my favourite followed by Hettie and Charlie. I liked that the woods was the focus and how they protected those they needed to. I look forward to reading the series

I was spellbound from the opening! I always read a few pages of every new book I start to get a feel of the mood, so I know when I'm the mindset for the tone. With this book I read those few pages and looked up a little over an hour later when I was finished, having been so fully entranced I hadn't moved more than to swipe my finger flipping pages.

The lyrical style with its visceral descriptions were really a remarkable, irresistible blend, perfect for a story about magic. There were a few places that really just grabbed me, the sounds and movements of dresses etc served to ground me in the fantasy.It had a fairytale flare that speaks my heart. I hope to get to the rest of the series very soon.

The Hedgehog Child is an enchanting prequel to The Witch Ways series. Hettie Way and her granddaughters live in Havoc Wood, when one day a cursed child arrives. As Hettie seeks to protect the child, she also worries what the future holds for her granddaughters. The Hedgehog Child is a delightful taste of the spellbinding, but dangerous Havoc Wood. Drawing on elements from Sleeping Beauty, the story introduced personable characters and villainous fairies alike. The writing style reminded me of Robin McKinley. This is my first experience with Slavin’s work, but I feel completely intrigued! I will definitely pick up the first book in the series, Crooked Daylight, to see what happens next. The Hedgehog Child releases June 18, 2020. Thank you to Helen Slavin, Agora Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What first drew me to this book was the title, then, having read the blurb I was keen to read the story which promised a magical tale of travel and adventure. I was not disappointed. I thought the initial concept of the Girls bestowing terrible gifts on the baby was a clever twist on a well known fairytale and I was very take with Tinker Bell who did terrible things for good reason. At times I got a little lost in where the story was, as there were numerous different places and I could not quite work out which ones were part of the same world and which were part of different worlds. However the main plot of the story carried me through and I will definitely read other books by the author.