From the first page I was immersed in Ivy’s life and the dangers awaiting her at the remote island. The darkness following her on the road trip was high effective in sending chills up my spine. The atmosphere and location of the island was ideal for this creepy tale.
My lack of knowledge of the Arthurian legends this was based on didn't put me at a disadvantage as the folklore is explained well in the prose. The imagery of the cormorants and witches is powerful and haunting adding to the increased tension as sisters fight against evil.
The ending arrived too quickly and I didn’t want to let the characters go. There was so much more that could be explored and has potential to be a series.

I tried so hard to like this! However I feel disliking it is purely subjective to my tastes and preferences.

The writing is good, the story eventful and thw characters interesting. I just didn't feel the URGE to read it. I am sure there are many who would enjoy it, it just wasn't for me.

3.5⭐️ A chilling Upper YA fantasy exploring welsh mythology and arthurian legend

Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for an e-ARC in return for an honest review

I was originally drawn to the cover and title of Waking the Witch and when I read the blurb and saw that it was about Welsh mythology and arthurian legend I was even more intrigued. I feel like welsh mythology especially (less so arthurian legend) is underrated and neglected in popular culture, media & books in favour of Classical Greek and Roman myths. Now I LOVE classical mythology and studied Classical Civilisation at A-Level so I love reading about them BUT it was so nice to see something different used as inspiration and it has definitely made me want to learn more and broaden my mythological horizons!

The chapters of Waking the Witch were short and the pace was quick which worked really well because of the creepy almost thriller-like parts of the narrative.

If you’ve ever seen the film The World’s End with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost then you’ll understand what I mean when I say parts of this book (slight spoiler- possessed people) made me think of that!

Although I loved the fast pace of this book, the downside was that I found the ending too fast. It felt really abrupt and was also open ended which isn’t something i’m a massive fan of but it was a really interesting read with great ideas!

Waking the Witch

Ivy has been in care her whole life she has finally tracked down her birth mother to a remote Welsh Island. Ivy mother warns her to stay away but she needs answers as strange things start to happen around her. She is soon pulled into a world she had no idea she was part of.

I knew I was going to love this book as soon as I started reading ! A creepy and Atmospheric read. Action packed and i was fully lost in the story would definitely recommend if you a fan of witchy stories. I will definitely be looking for more books from this author


Thank you to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and Racher Burge for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review

Waking the witch follows Ivy a young teen who grew up in Foster care. After reaching out to her biological mum things escalate quickly as strange and sinister things happen. She rushes to the Welsh Island that her mum lives on to get the answers she needs, only to find out there is a witch within which she needs to unleash if she has any hope of saving the mum and family she's longed so much for.

This book was more of a 2 for me but I lifted it to a 3 because I can admit a big part of that was I don't think I was really the intended audience. Although I love YA this definitely leaned more toward the "Young" in Young Adult.

I feel like this book had so so much potential that was untapped. The foundations of the story with the history and interlinking myths were so interesting but I felt the book was just a bit too rushed. It just seemed to rush from scene to scene, event to event and forced emotion to forced emotion. "I must now feel this way to wrap up this element of the story." I think if this had been tightened up to let the reader really connect with Ivy and fully explore the history and legends then this book could have been amazing. I've read a lot of good reviews though so hopefully in the right hands this book hits the spot - just not my old cynical hands.

Thanks for opportunity to read and give an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

This book had flashes of a really creepy, interesting, gothic horror set in a lighthouse. Sadly it abandoned all of that potential to become a run of the mill YA fantasy featuring reincarnation but pretty much no plot or interesting aspects. Most of the book felt like set up. I kept waiting for a plot to begin, but it had the vibes of the first 80 pages of a fantasy novel, not a fantasy novel. The book was over and I didn't feel like I knew any of the characters, why Merlin was the way he was, or any details of most of the character's backgrounds.

Burge has incredibly powerful writing, but I wish the characters and plot justified it. I found the beginning where it seemed like gothic horror incredibly compelling, atmospheric, and I was really excited. The rest of the book was not it.

I don't think I'm a huge fan of reincarnation stories, but Ivy and Moronoe barely felt like characters and they were the lead. She was a sad foster kid who liked butterflies. Beyond that, I really know nothing about her. Is she selfish, kind, capricious, feisty, dangerous, funny, clever? No idea. I got nothing other than witch with past life.

And Morgan was a carbon copy of a mother figure. We're told she can be capricious and selfish but we're never shown that, so she just seems perfect, which is incredibly boring. If both Morgan and Merlin had been morally grey and Ivy had to figure out where she fit in on the spectrum of morality, that would have been really interesting. Instead we had obviously perfect Morgan versus cartoon villain Merlin, so all of Ivy's actions were completely obvious. In a book with little obvious plot, you expect some internal conflict, but Ivy's only conflict was whether or not to accept a past life, and it wasn't even that difficult for her.

And Tom was there. That's kind of all he was. He was there and continued to be there. Again, can I name a single personality trait? Uhh, maybe lazy? But again, that was told to us, and not shown.

I think Burge has incredible potential to write a really exciting gothic horror, and I would love to read it. Unfortunately, this book did not have that. Two stars, mainly for the glimmers of potential mixed in with a pretty boring, standard YA fantasy.

Waking the Witch is a YA fantasy novel steeped in Welsh mythology with a nod towards Arthurian legend. We follow Ivy, a teenager who has been in foster care for most of her 17 years after her mother left her at a motorway service station as a baby. She questions why she was abandoned in this manner and wants to find out why and has finally tracked down her biological mother. Her search takes her to the remote island of Bardsey, a tiny barely populated island on the West coast of Wales. The setting is superb, it’s wild and desolate and the author really captured this in her writing with her vivid beautiful descriptions of the island.

Ivy is a great character, she’s an endearing and relatable sort of a character and you really feel her teenage frustrations and pent-up emotions. Her love of her job at the butterfly centre shone through and it was lovely to see her connection with some of the regular visitors. Tom is by far my favourite character, he’s hugely likeable, a tall hunk of a guy with an amusing personality and calm and caring disposition. I loved his humorous comments and jokes and he made me chuckle to myself a lot. His friendship dynamic with Lucy is great and not too heavy on the romance.

I particularly enjoyed the first three-quarters of this book and I loved where it was headed, it’s atmospheric, eerie and tense and it built up beautifully and with the mysterious and strange occurrences you’re never quite sure what will happen next. However, somewhere along the line the story started to lose it’s way and the latter part of the book felt chaotic, over-dramatic and it all started to go a bit bonkers. This is such a shame as it started off so strong.

Waking the Witch is a quick read at only 258 pages. As a standalone it definitely needed an epilogue, it ended rather abruptly and I do hope there is another book to tie everything together.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the eARC via Netgalley to review.

First off I want to say big thankyou to bonnier books /hotkeys books , I was very excited so thankyou thankyou thankyou ,

Plot - Ivy the main character goes looking for her mum who she's not seen since she was young and she ended up being put into foster care,
She ends up on a very remote Welsh Isle, she uncovers a very dark secret about her past corrupt power stalking Ivy , and the only way to save herself, is the dig deep within herself and not be afraid of the power that she withholds.

My Thoughts- well me being me love a good Witcher story and when I got this in my hand I was over excited, I didn't know what to expect I did read one of Rachel's old books which was the twisted tree which I really enjoyed so I thought I had to give this one ago, I love the mythological Welsh side to the story it really Drew me in and I love the darkness and the creepy vibes that made your spine tingle.
The story overall is very atmospheric, feminism in the story the Sisterhood they would have called it back then, it's very enchanting and really makes for a fantastic story.

I loved ivy character I phoned you could really relate to her as a character as well which is always good for any book that you read.
Also the character Tom I really enjoyed the banter between ivy and him they were both very witty and there was a little bit of romance but there wasn't loads just enough I would say.

If you're looking for a gripping creepy witchy very atmospheric story then this is the book for you I promise you won't be disappointed

I write this book 5 Stars

Waking the witch by Rachel Burges.
Ivy is searching for her mother. But when her search draws her to a remote Welsh Isle she uncovers a dark secret about her past.
Omg brilliant read. Creepy and eerie. Loved it. Definitely recommend. 5*.

If, like me, you’re a sucker for feminism, folklore, and witches, then this is the book for you.
Waking The Witch by Rachel Burge mixes the themes of mental health, family, feminism, and identity with the legends of Merlin and Morgan Le Fay, and makes you rethink what you thought you knew about these infamous characters.

The narrative follows Ivy, a girl that has never felt that she belongs anywhere since she was given into the care system by her mum as a baby. Little does she know that her mum, in sending Ivy away from the remote Welsh island she calls home, was trying to protect her from ancient forces that wanted to harm her…
When Ivy gets into contact with her mum, she is warned to stay away, that she will only be in danger if she comes searching for her. However, after an unsettling incident with a customer at work that has Ivy wondering just what danger her mum knew was after her, she embarks on a journey to the island that’s steeped in legends of Arthurian folklore.

Rachel Burge did a fantastic job in writing a teenage protagonist who struggles with feelings of not belonging, of discomfort with showing her emotions for fear that she’ll lose those she cares about. Also, the setting of the island and the lighthouse were evoked well with strong sensory details. Not to mention the Arthurian folklore that saturates the plot - it was so refreshing to have a new take on the legends of Merlin and Morgan Le Fay!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hot Key Books for the ARC, it was a pleasure to read Waking The Witch.

I read a lot of witchy novels and I am always on the look out for a fresh take on the witch trope, so I was thrilled when Bonnier Books UK sent me an ARC of Rachel Burge's new novel, Waking the Witch. I have already read The Twisted Tree by the same author and enjoyed it, so I was eager to read this new story.

Waking the Witch is set just off the coast of Wales on Bardsey Island, which is often said to be the site of Avalon. It is there that young Ivy travels with her friend Tom, in search of Ivy's mother, who gave her up at birth. Ivy has grown up in care, moving from one foster home to another and she is looking for answers as to why she was abandoned. Following up on a lead, she learns that her mother lives on the island and so Ivy writes her a letter, which results in a strange phone call from her mum telling her to stay away from the island and warning Ivy that there are dark shadows who are trying to find her and harm her.

Ivy ignores her mother's warning and goes to the island anyway, eager to find some sense of family and homecoming, but there are strange shadows that follow her, shadows which can takes over anyone and make them attack her. When Ivy finally meets her mother, she finds herself pulled into the midst of a battle between good and evil. How far will mother and daughter go to save one another?

This is a witchy tale with an Arthurian twist, but in this book the popular mythology is subverted, with Morgan le Fey being a benevolent force and with a much darker depiction of Merlin than I have ever read before. The characters are well drawn, with Tom providing the light relief of humour to quite a dark story.

This is an evocative novel which successfully incorporates witches, shape-shifting, demonic possession and reincarnation, all woven together quite beautifully. As Ivy discovers more of her family history she must come to terms not only with who she really is, but what she really is too. The book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, so I expect that there will be a sequel coming soon as well, which I am looking forward to reading.

All in all this is another fabulous magical world created by Burge, full of twists and turns and things that I didn't expect. I loved the Arthurian slant and the witchy vibes were strong throughout the story. Waking the Witch is an atmospheric read, perfect for curling up with on a rainy day. Happy reading!

Marie x

AD; This novel was sent to me by the publisher for the purposes of review. It is released today August 18th, and is available in paperback, digital and audio book formats.

Ivy has grown up in foster care and has learned to rely on herself for everything, but one day she finally gets a lead on the identity of the woman who abandoned her as a child—the address of a lighthouse on a remote Welsh island. But as Ivy searches for the truth about why her mother abandoned her, strange things begin to happen. In order to solve the mystery, Ivy must figure out who she really is and how to release her own power.

This is a an utterly compelling, darkly atmospheric novel that swept me away from the first page. I loved the juxtaposition of Ivy’s contemporary story with the ancient Arthurian myths and the witchy allure of the lighthouse itself. An empowering and refreshing feminist lens on a classic tale. Brilliantly done.

Ivy grew up in foster care, nursing a dream of finding her biological mother. Believing to finally located her, she was surprised when she got a mysterious phone call. A woman, supposedly her mother, warned her against the dark forces that hunt her and made her promise never to travel to the island where she lives. But Ivy’s curiosity and the need to meet her mother were too intense...⁠
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I have to say that I loved the first part of this novel. I found it fascinating and addictive. The mystery of Ivy’s heritage made me read half the story in one sitting. But the second half... It probably wasn’t what I expected from this book. Steeped in Arthurian legends, the story has a surprising twist that I did not fully enjoy. The novel became a bit too weird, the action seemed rushed, and the language was simplified.⁠
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Still, the author develops an original idea and uncommon representation of a witch in this book. It also has a very feministic message that some will love, but others might find it too intrusive.

I've not read any YA fiction in years and this book showed me how enjoyable it can be. I loved the dynamic between Ivy and Tom and the atmosphere was super creepy and tension building. The second half for me was less enjoyable as I liked the build up the most but overall really enjoyed the Welsh setting, Arthurian references and the fast plot.

What a book, I felt like I was there! I loved Ivy breaking down her walls to let Tom in. The folklore of Arthurian Legends, Morgan Le Fay, Avalon & Witches yes please!

Ivy is a strong character to follow and her determination leads this book. There is a lot of gore and violence throughout the book, so avoid it if that bothers you. King Arthur feels and witchy elements, especially after the halfway mark. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

I requested a copy of this on Netgalley as I had read and enjoyed other books by this author and the premise really intrigued me.

I did enjoy the reading experience. It was a quick and engaging read with some interesting plot points but it didn't blow me away.

I think I'm getting to a point where I'm no longer in the correct demographic for YA books and I feel I probably would have enjoyed this one more if I was younger.

There were some atmospheric moments throughout and it was intriguing enough to keep me interested whilst I was reading.

My favourite thing about this book was definitely the characters. I enjoyed the dynamics between our two main characters and the relationships between the witches. I also really enjoyed the focus on family in a few different ways throughout the story.

Overall an enjoyable read but one I think I may have enjoyed more if I was in the YA demographic. If the premise interests you then I would definitely recommend giving it a go.

Waking the Witch by Rachel Burge

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When Ivy's search for her mother draws her to a remote Welsh isle, she uncovers a dark secret about her past.

An ancient and corrupt power is stalking Ivy, and her only chance of survival is to look deep within herself.

For not every story in legend is true, and some evils are not what they seem.

A darkly spellbinding tale of female empowerment, steeped in Welsh mythology and Arthurian legend.

My Opinion

Ivy has managed to track down her mother who abandoned her shortly after birth in a service station - in order to meet her she needs to travel to a remote Welsh island. An atmospheric setting brings this YA book to life, Rachel has written the book in such a way to make the reader feel a little uneasy and keep you on the edge of your seat.

This is an engaging and entertaining read and made for a great introduction to Rachel Burge's writing. Whilst this worked well as a standalone, I can't help but think that it would be a great opening book in a series.

Rating 4/5

TW: gore, violence, blood, homelessness, misogyny, sexism, absent family

Great concept, poor execution. Marketed as YA, yet the writing style and characters were so juvenile I wouldn't put this in the hands of any reader over the age of 12, despite the gore and mild violence.

The story follows Ivy, a girl raised in foster care and her search for her biological mother. The overarching message is that good bests evil and love trumps all, which is why I think it's better suited to middle grade rather than YA. I also expected a lot more to be drawn from the Arthurian legend. The crux of this story would work just as well with any wizard and generic witches, as the inspiration was light. In future, I'd like to see more references to myths or none at all. This mix of name-dropping with little else didn't work well for me.

It's disappointing to see the 'I'm not like other girls' trope STILL being used in 2022: "I want to tell him I didn't learn martial arts the way that some girls take up yoga or gymnastics" like really? As a character growing up in the care system we could have had real insight into an alternative childhood and why Ivy felt prompted to pick up martial arts. Instead we get a quick 'kids go through too much in care' paired with 'oh but my current foster parents are really nice though, and I've always had allowances from every foster family I've been with'. Being chucked straight into the action is normally a good thing, but this history deserved more representation than it was given, both at the beginning and within the awkward flashbacks throughout the novel. Not to mention in the paragraph before we have a "that's what you get for putting your faith in people: disappointment". It's just very cliche and overdone, especially when tied in with the Tracy Beaker-esque backstory.

The other issues I had with this book were the plot holes and the writing. At the beginning of the book, Ivy works in a butterfly centre. I've not read any book featuring a butterfly centre! Nice! There is so much talk about butterflies at the start of this novel I thought this would be a recurring theme, which would've been great had it been executed. During her shift, 3 butterflies start flying around her head in an abnormal pattern. That's weird, and foreboding, and ominous, and all the other things a plot device like this is used for. And then they're never brought up again, save for a caterpillar reference towards the end of the book. Instead we then focus on cormorants, big birds that are actually women!

What's sad about this book too is that with a bit more time and length, it could be a really good book. We're rushed from scene to scene with no time for the character to stop and think. There's not enough character development to find Ivy relatable, nor is there enough dialogue and interaction between the other characters to make them stand out. Most revelations or truths are revealed through 1. info-dumping 2. reading it in a book and 3. memories-that-aren't-quite-her-memories. It means that every 'shock' falls a little flat and the story becomes less and less believable as it continues. Given the speed of the plot, I should've expected the ending to be the same. I was still confused as to why it was cut so short, unless a sequel has been planned.

Now, the writing: it was just so clunky and underdeveloped. Within the span of a couple of pages (and perhaps more, this is only when I started noticing) we have:

"Somehow I know it's done"
"Somehow I know they won't hurt him"
"Somehow I'm not afraid"
"Something tells me that she can heal him"
"Something deep in my gut tells me I can trust her"
"There's something unnerving about the way their bare feet step effortlessly"
"Somehow I know that I once had a special relationship with her"
"Something is happening"

That last one really takes the cake. Yeah, something is happening, it's me losing my will to live. Why hasn't an editor gone through this and tightened it up? It makes for poor storytelling, when we're getting nothing other than the character feeling "something"- I NEED MORE! I know this is an arc, but I'm doubtful how many more revisions it will have before publishing. More show, less tell, please.

There's more I could and want to say, but I've actually run out of steam writing this review. As a disclaimer, two of my favourite books are in the YA genre, so the genre or intended reading age is not the problem here. It's the plot holes, fast pace and lack of characterisation!

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

Gothic fantasy steeped in Welsh folklore.

This was a tale that grew on me the longer I read it. Ivy is a strong female character who has understood the value of independence but fears becoming attached to others due to her traumatic past. She leads the narrative with a guided hand, enabling fellow characters to develop successfully and support her transformation. I particularly loved the opening section about caterpillars turning into butterflies and how this becomes a metaphor for all those involved in Ivy’s story. Tom is a light-hearted and kind side-kick who provides humour after tense moments and, I found, became an endearing character for me.

There are gothic elements to this book which satisfactorily reflects the darker forces at play who become creepier and more grotesque as the narrative progresses. The female point of view for the Arthurian tales provide a refreshing change and feel very suited to the current time, exploring the issues of legends and myths being only told in a male voice.

All in all, an exciting read which I highly recommend for anyone who wants strong characters, loves fantasy, gothic or folklore- or all of the above!