An interesting fantasy story that blends magic with a historical, steampunk setting. The plot follows Amelia Twigg, a teenager in 1901 who discovers she has magical abilities in a world where magic was thought to be extinct. It is a capable start to a series that focuses heavily on how magic and technology coexist.

The setting is the most developed part of the book. Minart spends a lot of time detailing how industrial cities and dragons fit into the same world, which provides a unique backdrop for the story. Amelia is a decent lead character whose transition from a blacksmith’s daughter to a witch is handled clearly, and the plot stays moving with several chase sequences involving a secret organization.

However, the book is quite long, and the pacing suffers in the middle. Some sections feel repetitive, and the writing style can be a bit formal, which makes it harder to connect emotionally with the characters at times.

While the lore shows a lot of effort, the story itself could have been more concise. It is a good choice for readers who enjoy detailed fantasy worlds, though it requires some patience to get through the slower chapters.

Thanks for the ARC!

Thank you to the Author, Publisher, and Netgalley for this arc novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Tale of The Young Witch is a magical read. It follows Amelia and Jake on their epic adventure.
Starting strong we are told that magic has been banished but somehow our FMC, Amelia, is able to use it. Shortly after discovering her ability to use magic, her city goes under attack and her father passes. An evil sorcerer hunts her down and she and Jack are forced to flee. While it did take me a few chapters to get used to the writing style (as is normal for me when switching back to a high fantasy read), the plot progression and character personalities kept me hooked!
I would recommend this book to other high fantasy book lovers that enjoy a fast paced magical world full of quests.

I will be looking to read any upcoming future novels from this Author!

My rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

I gave The Tale of the Young Witch 4.5 stars because this was such a magical and immersive read. If you love the feeling of stepping into a world filled with magic, mystery, adventure, and discovery like the Harry Potter books, then you will probably really enjoy this book.
What I loved most was the magical atmosphere throughout the story. It has that cozy yet adventurous feeling where you genuinely want to keep exploring the world alongside the characters. The magic system, the sense of wonder, and the journey itself made this such a fun escape to get lost in.
I also really enjoyed the coming-of-age feel woven into the story. Watching the young witch navigate her powers, challenges, and the magical world around her gave the book a lot of heart and charm. It captured that feeling of curiosity and discovery that makes magical fantasy stories so enjoyable.
The reason it wasn’t quite a full 5 stars for me is that there were a few slower moments where I wanted the pacing to move a little quicker. But overall, the magical world and atmosphere completely pulled me in.
This would be perfect for readers who love magical schools, fantasy adventures, witches, coming-of-age stories, and books that give you that nostalgic magical-world feeling.

I couldn't get past the first few pages. It jumped around too much and I found it really hard to keep track.