Although I am not a child or young adult this was the perfect story for me! I absolutely loved it. I discovered the Widdershin sisters during lockdown and have now read all three in this series. If anything, I think that A Tangle of Spells is my favourite although I hugely enjoyed all of them. Being an adult, and therefore not strictly speaking the designated audience for the book, it is a joy to return to the magical possibility of children’s fiction again. It feels so incredibly liberating to open the pages and watch your imagination fly along with the story. The story starts with the Widdershins leaving Crowstone and The Poacher’s Pocket and I felt a slight feeling of reservation about the move as this was where all the adventures had happened. However, as the Widdershins arrive in Pendlewick it is very quickly clear that all is not what it seems and the adventure feels even greater and even more dangerous than those before it. I love reading about these three sisters - the brave Betty, courageous and hungry Charlie, the loyal but lovestruck Fliss. I love the simplicity of their good magic - the nesting dolls are all they have to protect them against some really dark magic and it is the strength of their characters which ultimately overcomes. This story had me on the edge of my seat, it felt dangerous and impossible and wonderful. If I were a child, I would find it deeply satisfying that as always the adults just have no idea what is going on, and left to them all would be lost! I think that these books would make the most wonderful films! With thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for a digital copy of this amazing story.

This was brilliant! I love Michelle Harrison's writing and this final book in the Widdershin's sisters trilogy did not disappoint. Betty is such a brilliant character, as are the other sisters but I especially love Betty's determination and bravery. This story felt very atmospheric and definitely very creepy at times. Overall I really really enjoyed it and I am going to miss these girls a lot.

DNF- 25%

I did enjoy this book but I don't think this series for me overall. I enjoyed a pinch of magic (4 stars), I did like sprinkle of sorcery (3 stars) but when I started this book I really couldn't get into it. I was really hopeful about loving this book but sadly I didn't! I tried this book in January, but I couldn't get into it and then again at the start of febraury but I don't think this book/series is for me. I was recommended this series by a Booktuber and I'm really glad I tried it. I may read more from Michelle Harrison in the future (13 treasurers series), I'm just not sure this one was for me. I really enjoyed the wriitng style but I struggled to connect to the characters. Overall, it was okay.

This is the third book in the trilogy and it did not disappoint!

The Widdershin family is moving away from Crowstone and it is time for a fresh start, or so they think.

They arrive in the village of Pendlewick and everyone there is afraid of magic because magic and trouble go hand in hand.

The girls discover a secret room in their house and a hidden painting of a young girl who is she? But that is not the only mystery Fliss, Granny and their dad start acting strangely - could their be some other magic working in the village.

It is up to Betty and Charlie to find out and save their sister and the village.

Michelle Harrison really built up the tension with what was happening in the village and how Betty was the only one at first that could see what was happening.

The twist at the end was surprising and I did not see it coming.

This trilogy is great for fans of Harry Potter.

This is an utterly spellbinding book which will trap you between s its covers and not allow you to leave until you fin out the fate of the Widdershin sisters! Their long awaited relocation comes with its own magical problems and soon they are deeply involved in events of the past and may be robbed of a future. Pendlewick is not all it seems.

I throughly enjoyed this 3rd book in the series and would urge others to read all three.

A Tangle of Spells is the third adventure following Betty Windershins and her sisters, picking up not long after A Sprinkle of Sorcery as the Widdershins family sets off for a new life in a new city now that they finally have the means to leave Crowestone. Originally excited for this move, the girls can't help but be disappointed at the crooked old house that is their new home. It's filled with cobwebs, and even more disturbing, objects meant to ward off evil. While cleaning in hopes of bringing new life to the cottage the girls discover a hidden room that contains a beautiful portrait and a diary. Always intrigued by a mystery and drawn to adventure, Betty vows to figure it out but the stakes are raised when her older sister Fliss starts behaving strangely. Like Crowstone, Pendlewick has its own witchy legends and even though no one in town wants to talk about it Betty realizes history is repeating itself and her sister might be in grave danger. Can she save her sister and the town from the threat of dangerous witchcraft?

One thing I love about this series is how each title seems to have a completely different vibe set by the prologue which weaves itself beautifully into the story. A friend once told me nothing was more frightening than children ominously singing a dark nursery rhyme and that is exactly how I would describe the third instalment. A Tangle of Spells has a very eerie feel to it and is filled with suspense as you try to discover exactly what is wrong.. It was thrilling and impossible to put down as the mysteries slowly revealed their answers with genuinely surprising elements thrown in the mix. The new setting of Pendlewick was a welcome change giving new territory like Tick Tock Forest, new characters, and providing fresh legends for the leads to discover along with the reader. It was nice to see Charlie be given a larger role especially as her spunk added some much needed levity to some situations while her unmasked emotions helped flesh out the true urgency of others. I was left totally unnerved by parts of this book but can't deny it was extremely well done. If you find yourself easily frightened the evil witchcraft afoot might be too much, but otherwise I would highly recommend.

This is such a fun book, it’s about a three day read I would say, but I found myself swept up in it so once I’d picked it up, it stayed picked up!

It’s the third in the Pinch of Magic series. I haven’t read the first two, but I found this book stands alone - there were a couple of bits where it alluded to previous escapades which I know, if I’d read the previous books I would have understood, but in no way, shape or form did this mar this book at all - as I said, it stands alone quite happily.

This book is about a fresh start for the family, moving out of their old town and into Pendlewick, however, as soon as they arrive odd things start to happen, and it’s down to them to work out what is going on in this picturesque village...and hopefully fix it.

I really enjoyed reading this story, I connected with all of the characters, the plot is fabulous, and it’s just a really good fun read - I’m going to read the previous two books as well as I’d just like that completeness...and, well, I just really enjoy the writing!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children's for the advance copy

Another amazing Widdershins adventure! I can't get enough of these books, the tiny bit of magic makes them consistently intriguing and I love the use of superstition and folklore.

This book was a little bit scary in places and felt quite different from the previous two. I still found it really easy and enjoyable but it was also a little bit creepy ;)

Definitely recommend these books!

As with the other two books, whilst this book is part of a series, the story is fairly self-contained and I believe this book could be read as a standalone. There are nods to the other stories and adventures but there is no feeling of missing crucial information.

Wow! I have just finished reading this and I can honestly say I was bowled over by it. This is the third adventure for the Widdershin sisters and, although I loved the first two books, I think this is my favourite so far. The family have left Crowstone and the Poacher's Pocket for a new home in the village of Pendlewick, at first glance a picture postcard place, but there are stories of witchcraft which have the villagers spooked. When the family arrives at Blackbird Cottage, there are signs that someone who had lived there before had been warding against evil magic. Later, Betty finds a diary left by the girl who had lived there before, and it proves that something is wrong in Pendlewick. This is the spookiest tale to date, and I loved every second of it. My only issue is that I wanted to take my time with this, but the writing is such that I had to keep reading. Very exciting stuff. I hope there will be more.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for this advanced reader copy ebook.

So, I read the first book in this series purely based its cover – I saw it in the window of Waterstones and just had to have it. And I was blown away by how much I enjoyed it. So I devoured the second and was chuffed to pieces to be able to read the third one before publication date.

And what a book! The imagination Ms Harrison is quite astounding – I absolutely loved the idea of a secret room and the Tick Tock forest. Some of her ideas are just so original and are handled with perfection. We still have the nesting dolls, which, lets face it, have always had a deep charm but now in mind will always be linked with this series. And Betty and Charlie use them to their advantage, even when facing less good magic.

So after the events of the last novel, the girls and their father and brilliant Granny have left the Sorrow Isles and have found a new home in Pendlewick – a rather clever reference I felt to the Pendle witches in Lancashire – but it’s not the end of their days of adventure, Pendlewick is a village with a dark secret, and Betty, strong, unsuperstitious Betty, must find out what is going on.

The plot is brilliant – so well worked out, so clever, so surprising – I really didn’t see the twist coming and I almost always notice twists! The characters are just as good as always: the girls are warm and supportive of each other, but with distinct personalities. I adore Charlie and her stubborn streak with her love of all animals. Betty, whose point of view the story is told from still adores her maps, feels quietly jealous of Fliss but who is less annoyed by her younger sister is growing into a well rounded character, full of verve but with traditional teenage doubts. And whilst there is less of Fliss in this book (for reasons that will become apparent as you read it) her kind nature is in evidence again, and her pure hatred of boats! I’d have liked more Granny because she could easily be the star of the show – could she go on one of their adventures next? And Barney is barely a footnote. And Spit? He really should have come with them to Pendlewick!

This is a perfect book for children aged 8+ my own daughter at 6 is too young for it but she is starting to be fascinated by some of the concepts – especially the nesting dolls and I look forward to reading all of them with her in the coming years. However, these aren’t in anyway patronizing, I feel like they were written for me as much as for a child. Yes they are about children, but all of us were that age once and this is just a great story with believable characters and females that act on their own agency. This novel passes the Bechdel test in spades.

Clearly the ending, whilst very satisfying leaves way for another story and I really hope there is one.

When the Widdershins family arrive at their new cottage in Pendlewick, having finally broken the curse that kept them in the Sorrow Isles, they are surprised to find that the cottage is not the picture perfect idyll that Granny had led them to believe, but it has a promising garden and Betty in particular is looking forward to exploring. However, salted thresholds, silver coins in room corners and villagers afraid of witches cause the sisters to feel that all is not well. The discovery of a secret room is only the beginning of unravelling the mystery, and when one of the sisters begins acting very strangely, the others know they need to act quickly to find the truth.
The Widdershins family are depicted with warmth and wit, whilst their new surroundings reveal a traditional rural setting with a slightly sinister twist. Part magical mystery and part adventure, this story is full of suspense and a real sense of menace, alleviated by touches of dark humour and set against the comforting background of a close-knit family with genuine affection and care for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed it and know that there are many readers in our school library who will be eager to get their hands on this book.

A Tangle of Spells is a deliciously dark and mysterious read. From start to finish it kept me on my seat and I loved every single second of being immersed in yet another gem from Michelle Harrison!

Wow - what a rollercoaster ride A Tangle of Spells is! I have a confession to make first... I haven’t read the first two in this series. I’m sorry! I’ve always seen great reviews online of this series so when I saw A Tangle of Spells on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it. It certainly lived up to the hype... and more!

This book continues to follow the adventures of Betty, Fliss and Charlie as they leave Crowstone and move to the quiet village of Pendlewick. However, this village is anything but quiet. Dark magic has been cast and a secret room, enchanted villagers and a missing teenager quickly throw the girls into a race against time to save everyone.

This book is an excellent read and had me on the edge of my seat. There were several twists which floored me and I really worried about the safety of the girls on many occasions.

It is such an enchanting read that I highly recommend this book. I’m looking forward to going back and reading the first two now.

A Tangle of Spells is definitely my favourite Michelle Harrison novel yet! It had magic, adventure, a plot I definitely see coming and the dynamic of the Widdershins' sisters was brilliant. A really magical read set in a world that I didn't want to leave!

A Tangle of Spells was everything i hoped for and more. Thankyou to Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book. Before i received this i had not read the two other books in the series - A Pinch of Magic and A Sprinkle of Sorcery however i have heard nothing but fantastic things from a few youtubers. Therefore naturally i binged all three books in a single week. This is a series that once i had started it i could not put it down. These books follow the Widdershins family - mainly three sisters called Fliss, Betty and Charlie who find out that there is a curse on them and they cannot leave the island that the currently live on and A Pinch of Magic follows them as they try to break this curse. My rating for these books increased as the series went on and A Tangle of spells was the perfect book, full of magic and mischief and it had me on the edge of my seat all the time. Cannot wait to purchase all three books to add them to my bookshelves.

Sisters, magic, witches, adventure, what’s not to like? I was delighted to discover that this is a series, and will definitely be seeking out the other books. Highly recommended for all readers who love middle-grade fantasy.

Review copy from NetGalley.

I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster in exhcnage for an honest review.

This installment continues the triumph that is the 'A Pinch of Magic' series of books! I'm not sure if this is the end of the series or not, but if it is, sad as I will be to have no more Widdershin's sisters adventures, I'm very happy with the way everything concluded.

In this book, the sisters, their father and Granny are finally leaving Crowstone to begin a new life away from the islands. Soon though, it becomes clear to the girls that they haven't completely left magic and strange goings on behind them. When the girls discover a hidden room with a strange painting inside, another mystery begins to unravel involving dark magic and dangerous spells. What secrets does their new village hold and will they be able to solve the problems before something terrible happens?

I love the feel I get from reading one of these books. The way the Michelle Harrison weaves the magic and folk tales together gives them a timeless quality and also makes the setting feel very familiar, as if you might have seen the village in a picture or heard about it somewhere. The gradual increase in tension throughout the novel is thrilling: going from a few unusual events, to terrifying danger. I loved every moment of it!

The bond between the sisters has always been at the heart of these stories and once again that shines through, though it is tested more than ever in this book! Betty is still my favourite for her sheer determination and courage, but how can anyone not love Charlie, her band of animals and her very definite opinions about food?

I absolutely adored this book and would recommend the series to anyone aged 8+ who likes stories with witches, creepy magic, clever and determined main characters and spooky settings.

Michelle Harrison has a knack for writing stories that grip you from the word go, and this is no different. The Widdershins sisters are at it again for another adventure, this time in their new village of Pendlewick. Magic, witches and curses - oh my! Fliss, Betty and Charlie must figure out the secret of Pendlewick and save the ones they love, and some other characters besides. By far the spookiest, creepiest entry in the Pinch of Magic series, A Tangle of Spells is a must read for anyone who loves a good village legend. Disclaimer - you may not want to read it before bed!

Thank you to Netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Tangle of Spells, the latest in Harrison's A Pinch of Magic series takes us on another of the Widdershin sisters' adventures.

The sisters are leaving Crowstone island for Pendlewick, an idyllic looking village. However, not all is what it seems. The tale of the strange Hungry tree, the Tick-Tock forest, and songs of evil witches are just a few of the weird parts of Pendlewick, but something much darker is at work.

The strange behaviour of her family lead Betty and Charlie to try and unravel this new mystery, but can their good magic be a match for the old, powerful magic in the village?

My favourite sisters, the Widdershins, are back for a brand new adventure. A Tangle of Spells is the third book in the adventures of the Widdershins sisters. Michelle Harrison has truly had me under her spell ever since I read the first story about sisters Fliss, Betty and Charlie. 'A Pinch of Magic’ was magical by the bucket-load and ‘A Sprinkle of Sorcery’ was an epic adventure. The question was, could Harrison magic up another spellbinding read. The answer is a resounding yes. A Tangle of Spells is everything I love about Harrison’s writing - wonderful characters, a village steeped in folklore and witchcraft, and an unbreakable sisterly bond.

Fliss, Betty and Charlie are thrilled to be leaving behind the Poacher’s Pocket on the gloomy island of Crowstone but their new home in the picturesque village of Pendlewick is not all that it appears. It isn’t long before things start to take a dark turn as their new home reveals its secrets. Blackbird Cottage is a crooked house and is full of mystery with lines of salt on the window sills and silver coins in the corners of every room. It’s not just their home that has secrets, the village of Pendlewick is steeped in a dark past and the locals are fearful of magic and any talk of it or witches immediately rouses suspicions.

As the sisters try to settle into their new life they soon learn why the locals are so afraid. Legends of the Hungry Tree, Tick Tock Forest and the pond on the village green are enough to frighten the bravest of souls. The more Betty uncovers, the more she learns of a town bewitched and of people living under a spell. And every new thing she learns puts her closer to danger and a confrontation that not everyone will survive. Can the sisters free Pendlewick from the dark magic that has bewitched the locals before they themselves fall under its spell?

A Tangle of Spells had me bewitched from the first page, so much that I was unable to put it down and I read it in one afternoon. I was desperate to find out what would happen but I also did not want it to end. The story is seeped in stories of witches, old legends, folktales, mysteries and dangerous secrets. Just when I was thinking that I had put all of the pieces of the mystery together, Harrison dropped the biggest of bombshells that had me gasping for breath.

It was awesome to be back with the three sisters, I feel like I know them so well after joining them on their two previous adventures. It honestly felt like being back with old friends who I genuinely care about. The character development from the previous books is superb. Betty is feisty, fearless and will do anything to protect her family. Fliss and Betty appear to be growing apart as Fliss is becoming more interested in other things, namely boys, and Betty is missing the older sister who she is used to having as a motherly figure and confiding in. Charlie, well Charlie is Charlie - bold, honest, blunt, brilliant and funny. Determined to not miss out on any of the action, Charlie provides some light-hearted relief to many of the more tension-filled moments. I particularly love her mis-pronunciation of the occasional word or two.

For me this is easily the most dangerous adventure that the girls have had as they find themselves battling dark powers that will put their own magic to the ultimate test and has lives hanging in the balance. It is much darker than the previous two books and there are plenty of spine-tingling, creepy and eerie moments as the girls try to unravel the mystery of Pendlewick. Harrison is currently one of the best writers of middle grade fiction and she is an expert at creating atmosphere, building tension and imagining the most wonderful of settings. I love that the town of Pendlewick gives a nod to the famous witch trials of Pendle in the 17th century, and Bread-and-Cheese Hill, the Sugar Loaf tea room and the Splintered Broomstick are wonderfully imaginative.

It is yet to be confirmed whether there will be another Widdershins adventure, I for one am hopeful that this is not the last I read about my three favourite female siblings.

Recommended for 9+.

With huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and Michelle Harrison for the advanced reader copy that I received via Netgalley.