Witch Song (Witch Song, #1)

Jul 01, 2012 Cait rated it 3 of 5 stars

Okay, so first things first. I have to share a grievance that I experienced; just to get this all off of my chest: I had already written quite a long review for this book and for two others, as well.

Now, my dear Goodreaders; for the sake of my anguish over all of this I'm going to assume that all of you are wondering, "well what happened then, Cait?"

Well, my friends, my computer decided to be a prick and randomly turned off in the middle of finishing typing up my last review, so if you still a...more

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May 08, 2013 Levina C. rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: hedge monsters

Shelves: fantastical-fiction, novels, a-great-abundance-of-meh

Imagine you're on an obstacle course. You brave snakes, quicksand, cliffs, zombies, mermaids, sea monsters, and poisonous plants; the king's soldiers, archers, secretaries, horses, and palace mice; foreign Customer Service helpline assistants; a hurricane, and, finally, Godzilla and his lawyer in court.

You're at the end of the obstacle course, and you're waiting for the double whammy to arrive. After all, throughout your journey you suffered and nearly died countless times, so you expect nothing...more Imagine you're on an obstacle course. You brave snakes, quicksand, cliffs, zombies, mermaids, sea monsters, and poisonous plants; the king's soldiers, archers, secretaries, horses, and palace mice; foreign Customer Service helpline assistants; a hurricane, and, finally, Godzilla and his lawyer in court.

You're at the end of the obstacle course, and you're waiting for the double whammy to arrive. After all, throughout your journey you suffered and nearly died countless times, so you expect nothing less than an atomic bomb at the end. Right? RIGHT?

But you arrive at the end, and this is what you find:
(view spoiler)

So this is what Witch Song was kinda like. An obstacle course with a deadly birch sapling at the end. Know what an anticlimax is? No? Yes? Do you find them awesome? No? Yes? If yes, then you will love this book.

The heroine, Brusenna, on the other hand, is nothing like an obstacle course. In fact, she's more like an ice cream sundae. But you know how ice cream sundaes usually have toppings and whipped cream and fruit and whatnot? Well, Brusenna has none of that stuff. No, she's the plain ice cream base of fantasy heroines; with all the basic requirements - she's brave, beautiful, magically gifted, and smart.

And that's it.

Brusenna completely lacks any unique personality or traits that will set her apart from other fantasy heroines: in other words, the chocolate sprinkles, the nuts, the caramel or the nougat.

Same with this Joshua guy. If people drank milkshakes with their ice cream sundaes, Joshen would be the plain vanilla soup. Joshaniel is the perfect basic mold for a love interest: strong, handsome, loyal, brave, caring, and kind. Too bad that's all he is.

So there you have it: Witch Song is the supremely awesome novel about a plain ice cream sundae and a vanilla milkshake on an obstacle course that beats even the likes of the Amazing Race... it's The Amazing Fast Food Race! Now doesn't that sound tasty?(less)

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Jul 15, 2011 Kristi-The Book Faery rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-author-2011, one-sit-reads, series-to-watch-for, ya-pnr-5-star, ya-pub-date-sep-11, ya-series, ya-reviewed, epic-fantasy, witches, written-reviews, ya-pnr-2011

THE FAERYS VIEW

Amber Argyle has written a novel, Witch Song that had me so thoroughly engrossed that my own world almost ceased to exist. The only world I cared about was that which she so artfully created and crafted in Witch Song! Ms. Argyle’s story of a young witch’s journey through dangerous lands during even more dangerous times held me utterly mesmerized. Witch Song was Bewitchingly Beautiful and the tempo of the story sang to me long after I had finished it.

The story of Senna (Brusenna)...more THE FAERYS VIEW

Amber Argyle has written a novel, Witch Song that had me so thoroughly engrossed that my own world almost ceased to exist. The only world I cared about was that which she so artfully created and crafted in Witch Song! Ms. Argyle’s story of a young witch’s journey through dangerous lands during even more dangerous times held me utterly mesmerized. Witch Song was Bewitchingly Beautiful and the tempo of the story sang to me long after I had finished it.

The story of Senna (Brusenna) is that of a young untrained witch, one who is ignorant of her heritage and covenant with those like her. To use magic, Senna and her mother, Sacra, use song to sing to nature. There is so very much that her mother has not told her and more importantly, not taught her. When her mother leaves with another witch, saying only that if she is gone for a while that Senna must follow her written instructions, Senna is left feeling lonely and abandoned with only her huge wolf-hound, Bruke to protect and keep her company.

With all the Keepers (witches) those who keep the seasons as they should be are captured by the evil Espen who is controlling the weather, everything in nature is affected. People will starve from droughts; animals from land to sea will die because Espen is changing the natural order of the seasons. The time comes when Senna must embark on a journey far from home that will change the fate of the world and all of its inhabitants-although she doesn’t realize this at the start of her journey, she is the world’s only hope. Senna soon realizes that she needs help. Senna fears getting close with anyone for getting close to somebody only leads to heartbreak when they inevitably leave---and they always leave. Just like her father, her sister who died as a babe and then her mother. Whether they want to leave or not, they leave Senna and Senna is left with a broken heart. Better to keep people away to begin with then to let them get close only to lose them. Senna must put aside her fears and learn to trust her heart and the risk. With trusty Bruke in tow, Senna finds that along her journey she will meet many people on the way that will help her at their own peril but there is one in particular who has the power to break her heart. With Sennas courageous and compassionate heart, she feels every loss meant to protect her but despite her fears, her compassion and evil on her tail at every turn, Senna knows she must prevail or lose the world to the treacherous Espen who would enslave all with her greed and malevolence while destroying the world in the process. She must set the Keepers free!

Ms. Argyle describes each character in Witch Song with such depth, intensity and uniqueness that they become step off the page realistic. They become your friends or your enemies. Their happiness is your happiness, their fears are yours and their tears-I’ll just say, some tissues would be handy. The journey that Senna takes is breathtaking in its beauty and portrayal. Ms. Argyle is a master with vivid descriptives that transport you from a rainy dirt road to a lush humid jungle.

Much to my delight, Witch Song was everything I thought it would be and more. A One-Sit-Read, the highest honor this reviewer can give and a multiple read, which I reserve for only a few books! Amber Argyle is unbelievable as a debut author and I can only imagine what the next in Witch Songs series holds in store for us. I cannot wait!
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Mar 11, 2011 Amber Argyle rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Well, I think it's fabulous. But I wrote it . . . ;)

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Sep 05, 2012 Hillary Hunt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: witches, ya, fem-fantasy

Don't judge a book by its cover. So true in this case, because this book looked awesome but the content didn't impress me much.

These witches can control nature, which is cool and to be expected with a witchy/pagan tale. But it's how they do it that I thought was kind of silly. They sing and throw seeds. Every spell requires they sing a simplistic little rhyme, and they have to be pitch perfect. When they're just making plants grow in their backyard it's cool. But when Brusenna is "sing fighting"...more Don't judge a book by its cover. So true in this case, because this book looked awesome but the content didn't impress me much.

These witches can control nature, which is cool and to be expected with a witchy/pagan tale. But it's how they do it that I thought was kind of silly. They sing and throw seeds. Every spell requires they sing a simplistic little rhyme, and they have to be pitch perfect. When they're just making plants grow in their backyard it's cool. But when Brusenna is "sing fighting" at her enemies, it seems so hokey, I cringed every time. Like instead of a dance battle, it's a sing off!

And when it comes to the bad guys, Brusenna and the gang fight them with all the force of a pillow. For about 2/3rds the book she is chased by bad guys, and these guys aren't very good at their job. They are caught/cornered/trapped multiple times, but no one can bring themselves to actually kill these guys. I'm no lover of violence, but it just seemed a little too convenient that they are basically allowed to keep chasing Brusenna throughout the story even though the characters have multiple chances to take them out. And each time the bad guys escape whoever captured them last, they know exactly who to talk to pick up on Brusenna's trail with no explanation of how they figured it out. As for the the other bad guys, Grendi and Espen; they were one dimensional caricatures. There was no explanation of why they were doing what they were doing, they were just stupidly evil. I truly believe a story is as good as its villains, and these villains weren't very good.

The romance was what I like to call "diet romance". I don't think it was the author's intent to make romance the focus, but since she chose to end the book with an engagement, it's fair game for critique. If your character is old enough to get engaged (not to mention I found the engagement contrived and utterly unnecessary) then she is old enough to enjoy her sexuality beyond chaste little kisses. Pick one or the other: mature content for characters ready for marriage, or young characters who behave young and aren't ready for marriage. If you try to have both, it's gonna look like some tired, cartoonish, princess stuff.

Writing wasn't the best either. There was something very rote and dry and about it. I couldn't feel the author's joy or enthusiasm in the story she was telling me. It was like cake without the frosting. Or salad without the dressing. A knee without cartilage. Or a painting that only manages to convey a recognizable image, but it doesn't make you feel anything.

I hate to give a harsh review, but....I really didn't care for this one at all.

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Jun 25, 2011 Resti Triyuliandha rated it 5 of 5 stars

oh wow..
read it few days ago. and i still remember the story.
it was definitely not my first and last time to read this book.
at first, I have to be honest that, I had a little difficulties to follow the story, because it sure from very different world.
but then, I could not put it down.
i felt as if i was in the story. I really like it. and i was a bit sad when it's over :(
it's really a great book :)

PS : when i read this, i remember Yelena in Study Series. I kinda hope there's the sequel. but on t...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, review-copy, blog

Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

Witch Song by Amber Argyle is a book that I was really excited to read. Like, really excited for. I noticed the cover on Goodreads and thought it looked gorgeous and then (as I've mentioned a time or 12 before) I met Amber at a book signing in Utah, pretty much on accident. And she was awesome in person. Like, a lot awesome. So, when I got a review copy of this in the mail, I did a little happy dance.

And, while I did like the...more Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

Witch Song by Amber Argyle is a book that I was really excited to read. Like, really excited for. I noticed the cover on Goodreads and thought it looked gorgeous and then (as I've mentioned a time or 12 before) I met Amber at a book signing in Utah, pretty much on accident. And she was awesome in person. Like, a lot awesome. So, when I got a review copy of this in the mail, I did a little happy dance.

And, while I did like the book, it wasn't really what I'd hoped it would be. It was good, but I wanted more from it. There were a few times that the characters, mostly Bressena, made these huge thought jumps that I didn't understand. At all. Kind of like going from zero to sixty with nothing in between. And this confused me, made me wonder if something had accidentally been left out. I'm actually really hoping that these are things that will be smoothed out in the finished copy.

About the story itself, there were things I loved, things I liked, and things that I... well, not so much.

I loved the idea of this story. I loved the songs themselves and the way the songs gave the witches an ability to manipulate and control nature. Like using corn stalks to trap the bad nasties trying to kill her. Umm, hello Yes! I love watching the seemingly innocent and harmless characters turn around and lay the smack down. I also really liked that Amber made the songs simple poems instead of super complex and weird. Really, I loved the magic in this story. The spells and potions were just awesome (although there is a seed fight that I just couldn't feel as... dramatic as it should have, because they were, well... throwing seeds...) (I also really liked that the police officer types in this book were actually the good guys! Yay for positive representation of law enforcement! :P)

Also, this book is another perfect example of why parents who 'keep super important, life threatening information from their children because it 'protects' them are stupid. It always backfires! Ignorance is more deadly that knowledge in these situations. And, when you have this in a novel, a parent who keeps the important info hidden, it often leads to a major info dump later on, as a 'sneaky' way to give the reader all the information at once, since, hey, the character is getting it now too. (But really, it's not that sneaky) But, although it gets precariously close a time or two, I was very pleased that Witch Song never actually felt like it was info dumping on me. So, yay for that.

I did also have a hard time with Bresenna's character at some points. She was very insecure, very unsure of herself and constantly believing that no one could ever like her. And, I get that the people in the village were cruel and unwelcoming, and her mom did lie to her about very important things. But her mother also loved her, and raised her in a very loving environment. Which, in my opinion, should have counted for more. It should have made it easier for Bresenna to accept that not everyone was as closed minded as her village and that people (like Joshen) really were interested in helping her. I kind of felt like her insecurities were so strong to add a little more tension to the lovey stuff. Which got a little old. I do love me some Joshen though. :)

The climax of the story, well, the first climax was... interesting. I am not a fan of the dues ex machina and I was more than a little disappointed that Amber chose to take the story there. But she kind of made up for it during the second climax scene, because I loved the power that came through in that section, and at certain parts, I was definitely feeling it.

So, although I did have some issues with this book, overall, I did enjoy it. If Amber chose to write a sequel, I would read it. And I'd be excited if/when I get me a copy. But it's not one that I can throw my whole recommending self behind either, which makes me sad. It's by no means a bad book, but it could use a bit more smoothing out. I am incredibly excited to see how Amber grows as a writer though!

Have you read this one yet? Let me know what you think!(less)

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Apr 29, 2012 Eileen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, read-2011, fantasy-witches

This book has a beautiful cover and although it's a little bit girly it didn't disappoint me. The witches in this book don't fly around on broom-sticks and don't have wands, but have an affinity with nature, especially plants and seeds, and chant beautiful magical songs. Besides magic this enchanting tale is filled with love, good, evil and an adventurous journey. It's not rushed, not boring and is simple and smoothly written.

The main character is Brusenna, a young girl that grows up in the wood...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

The novel was interesting. It was interesting to watch how Brusenna went from being so afraid and timid to getting some self confidence and being able to fight the Dark Witch. It was interesting watching how she learns about being a witch and how she learns to fight. The biggest transformation I think is her realizing that she is able to do something about the way that she is treated and learns to be confident in herself.

The plot is also pretty cool. I really liked the idea of the “unknown” evi...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Truly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Para pencipta menamai kita penjaga, itulah diri kita
Penjaga Keempat Saudari-Bumi, Tumbuhan-Air dan Sinar Matahari
Aku, Brusenna Sang Penyihir Terakhir
Bersama Joshen penjagaku
kami bertarung melawan Sang Penyihir Kegelapan
Kisah kasih kami harus ditunda walau hati kami saling menanti

Dengan nyanyianku
Diriku terlindung dari mereka yang berniat jahat
Tumbuhan hutan sibakkan jalan untukku
Karena hutan ini harus kulewati
Setelah 'ku berlalu sembunyikan jejakku,
Karena musuh harus kuhindari.

Kuubah diri menjad...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Straight below ~~

The cons:
* Senna's reaction seems too serious at times when the author try to throw some humor in.
She's only sixteen. We need some fun times to balance the struggle.
* To me, the early chemistry between Joshen and Senna seems weak and too slow to build.
* Don't really get the witches' suspicions to Senna. She helped them, they should have been thankful!
* I would've liked it if the author writes some about Joshen after he's back to Corrieth.
I felt that Senna matures but Joshen wa...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Laura Bastian rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a fun book. The magic of the Witch in this world depends on their ability to sing. They are the keepers of the earth, making sure the seasons behave properly, helping the plants to grow. When one witch decided to change the way things were done she began to take the powers from other witches becoming the Dark Witch. Brusenna has been kept hidden, growing up in an area where people hate and fear witches instead of respecting them for the good they've done. Even though she is young and un...more This was a fun book. The magic of the Witch in this world depends on their ability to sing. They are the keepers of the earth, making sure the seasons behave properly, helping the plants to grow. When one witch decided to change the way things were done she began to take the powers from other witches becoming the Dark Witch. Brusenna has been kept hidden, growing up in an area where people hate and fear witches instead of respecting them for the good they've done. Even though she is young and untrained, Brusennas song is very strong and powerful. When a witch comes to beg her mothers help to mount one last stand against the Dark Witch her mother agrees to go on the condition that Brusenna is left alone. She leaves her with a book of spells to learn and Brusenna resents her mothers deceit and lies.
Her mother never returns and Brusenna realizes she must go to save her mother and see what she can do to stop the control the Dark Witch has over the earth. Brusenna is joined by a boy who is the son of a Guardian, men who served the witches as their protectors. They travel to the witches hidden island so Brusenna can offer her help to the witches only to find out she is the only one there. All others have been captured. She spends time studying the histories and learning all she can in the hopes when she meets the Dark witch she will have a chance to win.
When Brusenna confronts the Dark Witch, I was surprised at when it happened and how things worked out, until I realized it wasn't the main plot point. There was more coming. At times it was a little slow, but quickly picked up the pace. Brusenna had so many things to deal with, experienced growth and change. Had horrible trials that she worked through both on her own and with the help of others. There was a side story with romance and my only complaint about that was how Brusenna didn't think he could love her because of her lack of beauty even though he proved time and again he thought her beautiful.
It's a great escape story and fun to see the nature aspect in such strong play instead of the witches using strange spells. Though there were potions and spells they seemed pretty logical. I must admit I started to skip over the places where the songs/spells were written because I kept getting irritated I couldn't sing in my mind the way I thought Brusenna should be doing it. I'm excited to read the second book in this series.(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 BookHookup rated it 3 of 5 stars

Christina's original review can be found here on The Book Hookup.

The witchy universe that Ms. Amber Argyle created was one of masterful beauty and tons of depth. These aren’t witches that ride brooms or cast spells, but rather a group of gifted beings that connect to the universe through earth, air, sunlight, and water. They sing enchanting songs that harness their powers and bend the world- particularly plants- to their command. However, with the ability to influence the flow of nature, natural...more Christina's original review can be found here on The Book Hookup.

The witchy universe that Ms. Amber Argyle created was one of masterful beauty and tons of depth. These aren’t witches that ride brooms or cast spells, but rather a group of gifted beings that connect to the universe through earth, air, sunlight, and water. They sing enchanting songs that harness their powers and bend the world- particularly plants- to their command. However, with the ability to influence the flow of nature, naturally they’ll have enemies and that’s where the bulk of this book takes place.

Brusenna is a young witch who has been sheltered from the witch world by her mother for most of her life. Her mother, Sacra, took to hiding them in the countryside town after a witch war broke out that killed her husband and eldest daughter as well as many other witches. Thinking it was best for her protection, Sacra kept Brusenna in the dark about all the other witches and their duties, hoping that the less Brusenna knew, the safer she would be. However, all that changes when another witch strolls into town and saves Brusenna from the townsfolk that only wish her harm. Upon speaking with Sacra, the other witch implores Sacra to join her in their plight to defeat the Dark Witch, Espen, once and for all. Not long after, Brusenna learns that all the witches have been captured and through a string of letters left by her mom, finds herself on a path to self discovery where she becomes the witch she was always meant to be, battles the forces that’s upset the laws of nature and those that choose to aid it, as well as find herself falling in love with the young Guardian, Joshen, who has vowed to fight for her life and love or die trying.

I enjoyed the authentic feeling and voice that Argyle lent to her characters and this world, and could clearly visualize the book and all the action it entailed. However, that’s what ended up being one of my bigger grievances with the book. There seemed to been one life-and-death, epic battle after another, and over a period of time, they began to lose their intensity. I couldn’t really be bothered to conjure the fear or anxiety that the situation called for because each battle became just another blip in a long stream of catastrophic events. Honestly, I feel like if a few of these brushes with death had been edited out, the more pressing scenarios would have packed a better punch.(less)

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Aug 30, 2012 Sue rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an excellent book. There was a little romance and some fighting. But over all a very good read.

It is about witches who sing their spells. You know there has to be a bad witch in the book because what would a story about witches be without a bad witch. The story line is good and well written. The plot is quite believable and easy to follow.

I picked this book up in March 2012 as a freebie through Amazon. I think it was www.ereaderiq.com I took a chance on it. I thought if I did not like i...more

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Aug 18, 2012 NaiNai rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Thoughts in no particular order:

-World building was mostly okay. Not amazing, not terrible.
--Although, why did the villagers hate her so much at the beginning, if witches were responsible for keeping the world in order? Did they think that the witches had caused the world to get out of order? You'd expect more a sense of betrayal, rather than just vicious hatred if that were the case.
---Also the insult "chanter" was somewhat bothersome, since it related to a "bad" form of magic. If you're going...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Ashley Ferguson rated it 4 of 5 stars

As seen on The A P Book Club

Having never read anything by Amber Argyle, I wasn't really expecting too much from this book. Don't get me wrong - I was excited to start it just from the synopsis. I love books that present new ways that nature and the elements are controlled, and I was not disappointed here. There may be a few spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution.

I really enjoyed the way that Brusenna grew and matured and changed over the course of the novel. At first, I felt bad for her and def...more As seen on The A P Book Club

Having never read anything by Amber Argyle, I wasn't really expecting too much from this book. Don't get me wrong - I was excited to start it just from the synopsis. I love books that present new ways that nature and the elements are controlled, and I was not disappointed here. There may be a few spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution.

I really enjoyed the way that Brusenna grew and matured and changed over the course of the novel. At first, I felt bad for her and definitely wanted to jump into her world and punch all of the people in the market for being mean to her simply because she was a witch. Then, she kind of turned into a brat when her mom had to leave, buy I think it was an understandable and realistic reaction for a girl her age. By the end of Witch Song though, I found myself very much liking the girl Senna had become.

I'm glad that Argyle didn't spend too much time going over the details of Senna's stay at Haven. I think there was just enough detail to get through that time in her life, but not too much that the reader is left bored and stuck in a rut. Actually, I felt that most of the book was like that.

I have a love/hate relationship with authors killing off characters that are clearly very important to the protagonist - I hate that it has to happen but I love when it's done well and the protagonist grows from the experience. Here, I think it was done very well. I was a little disappointed with how it was dealt with and then seemingly forgotten though. Senna's reaction was very believeable, but I have a hard time believeing that everyone else would be as insensitive as they came off, even if it was a logical way to be.

The story progressed well, and most characters were well developed. Having a major antagonist and several minor ones added to the urgency of Senna's quest, and I really enjoyed reading about how the witch hunters were foiled time and time again. Although there were a few parts that were iffy for me, I really enjoyed this book and am very excited for the sequel, Witch Born, to come out soon. I would give this book a 4/5, and would recommend it to YA readers looking for a tale with magic, nature, romance, and adventure. (less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Julee F. rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book, by Amber Argyle, was amazing! It is about a young witch named Brusenna who has to learn how to use her powers by herself after her mother disappears along with all the rest of the witches of their world. The way the witches in this story use magic is by singing (very original!). Following her mother's journal, Brusenna finds a hidden and deserted community named Haven where she finds a library of magical songs and histories that she studies. Aided by a young man named Joshen (yes ther...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Lyla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, suspense, young-adult, favorites

Although, I didn't rate this as a 5 star book, I still consider it a favorite. It reads more like a children's book in a way, without all of the tedious watering down.

The story is about Brusenna who later on becomes just "Senna." She's the child of a witch, and also a witch. That much she knows at the start. Their lives are typical of what you're used to reading about when thinking back on how people treated or acted towards witches/accused witches in the old days. Her situation was no different...more Although, I didn't rate this as a 5 star book, I still consider it a favorite. It reads more like a children's book in a way, without all of the tedious watering down.

The story is about Brusenna who later on becomes just "Senna." She's the child of a witch, and also a witch. That much she knows at the start. Their lives are typical of what you're used to reading about when thinking back on how people treated or acted towards witches/accused witches in the old days. Her situation was no different...aside from her thinking no others like them existed.

The story takes it's first sharp turn when Brusenna gets in a bit of trouble in town and is rescued by another...shockingly, since no one in the town or anywhere else dares speak to her, much less speak up for her. She finds out this is another witch...and one that her mother knows. This is the beginning of Brusenna finding out truths about her mother's life before she was born...and in that, she feels confused, betrayed, and lied to.

There's a dark witch out there that has been taking them in one by one...the one that saved Brusenna in town needs her mother to help them capture the evil one. This leads to Brusenna being left alone with strict instructions to follow should her mother never return.

Angry, alone, and bitter...it didn't take very long for Brusenna to realize that something had gone terribly wrong and thus starts her path into womanhood. Making decisions, shucking her immature ways, teaching herself all she can to prepare to fight the dark witch an freeing her fellow witches or sharing their fate.

I found this story to be addicting...I couldn't put it down. Not in the anxious way you'd read to find out what happened next, but in the way that I found the story enchanting. I have never heard of a "witch song" or witches using song to cast spells. Not in the way it's presented in this book. I found the story taking me out of the little witchy box that I'm normally stuck in when reading witchy books. This story sort of took me back to what my original impression of witches were...before television and other books made them into what you view them as today.
It took them back to nature, simplicity...they had personality and even with a little power, they were still obviously human.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking to take a break from all of the glitzy fantasy stories for a simpler story that still has drama, magic, and emotion...minus all of the filler. This is something I'd allow my daughter to read because it's not influential in the way other mainstream books are...the only thing I see this influencing any child/teen is to show compassion and respect nature.

4.5 stars in my opinion. Well worth the half a day it took me to read it.

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Mar 15, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Amber Argyle’s debut novel, Witch Song, is an interesting look into the secret world of witches. Spells, magic, and hexes are all here. The world that Argyle created for these remarkable witches are so vivid and darkly beautiful. Filled with characters that are likable, it’s a formula that will surely hook readers from the first page.

The writing style that Argyle presents in this novel is simply stunning. Whether it is people, events or the setting, she does not leave out any description. The st...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, historical

Review by Shyla: I’m not even going to wait until the end of this review to recommend Witch Song. From the moment I read the first page I was swept into a new world filled to the brim with adventure, danger, magic and a touch of romance. The picture Ms. Argyle paints is vivid and all consuming. I felt like I had stepped back into the time of Merlin. I connected with the heroine Brusenna immediately and rooted for her as she went through her trials, both emotional and physical. This is a fantasti...more Review by Shyla: I’m not even going to wait until the end of this review to recommend Witch Song. From the moment I read the first page I was swept into a new world filled to the brim with adventure, danger, magic and a touch of romance. The picture Ms. Argyle paints is vivid and all consuming. I felt like I had stepped back into the time of Merlin. I connected with the heroine Brusenna immediately and rooted for her as she went through her trials, both emotional and physical. This is a fantastic story that managed to capture the growth of child to a woman amidst the most extraordinary circumstances.

Our hero Brusenna and her mother Sacra have been shunned their entire lives by the people in their village for being witches. Witches aren’t looked upon kindly here, and the two women are blamed for the dying crops. Brusenna is only fifteen, but in many aspects she’s been forced to grow up before her time. She is the one who’s felt the sharp sting of disapproval, and prejudice when she ventures into town for the food and supplies she and her mother need to survive. My heart ached for the outcast woman child, and I was left wondering why her mother would place such a heavy load on young shoulders.

When a merchant accuses her of stealing and moves to do her bodily harm I found myself wishing for a medieval version of Child Protective Services. I was relieved when a stranger steps forward and stills the merchants temper with her sharp tongue, and coins. The beautiful woman, named Coyle, dazzles Brusenna with her kind words and the truth she reveals about her Mother. Brusenna’s mother Sacra has a hidden past. She’s a Keeper. Keepers are powerful witches able to sing a witches song. Yes it’s exactly what it sounds like. Think Harry Potter magic without the wands or the Latin language.

Sacra ran after she lost her husband and older child to the wicked witch Espen, determined the witch would not take anything else she loved. Over the years Espens’ powers have continued to grow as she kidnaps the Keepers one by one, and bends them to her will. Espen’s unnatural magic has upset the balance of the world, and nature has begun to rebel against her rule. Crops are dying, the ocean is still, and innocent people suffer. Sacra has no choice but to leave with Coyle in hopes of defeating the evil witch. Sacra is forced to leave Brusenna behind with a letter to be opened should she fail to return, a book of spells, and a promise to answer all her questions.

I couldn’t help but feel for this wayward teen. She’s discovered a legacy she never knew she had, and found her whole way of life was a lie. When her Mother fails to return the weight of the world rests on Brusenna’s slim shoulders. This is where her adventure begins, and we met our hero Joshen. Joshen is the son of a Guardian, a person who dedicates their lives to aiding witches. Strong, wise, and gentle Joshen is the perfect companion on Brusenna’s journey. They travel on land, on sea, encounter mythical creatures, powerful foes, and form a bond that proved to be unbreakable.

If you like magic, fantasy, historical and adventure , this is the one for you.
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Oct 12, 2011 Bonnie (Words at Home Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

In a word, Witch Song is a fantastic read! It is exciting, unique and exquisitely written. Amber Argyle creates a world where Witches control nature and the changing of the seasons through their songs. The Dark Witch, a Witch who has turned her back on The Creators and nature, captures all of the remaining Keepers and wrecks havoc on the world. It is then up to Brusenna, who has never been trained, to learn a lifetime of Witch Songs and defeat the Dark Witch before the world is permanently alter...more In a word, Witch Song is a fantastic read! It is exciting, unique and exquisitely written. Amber Argyle creates a world where Witches control nature and the changing of the seasons through their songs. The Dark Witch, a Witch who has turned her back on The Creators and nature, captures all of the remaining Keepers and wrecks havoc on the world. It is then up to Brusenna, who has never been trained, to learn a lifetime of Witch Songs and defeat the Dark Witch before the world is permanently altered and all of all of the remaining Keepers of Witch Song are killed.

Amber’s writing was so vivid and her descriptions so strong that I was pulled into this world completely. This was a book that I just could not put down once I started reading it. The author made Witch Craft more than spells, and hocus pocus, it was deeply rooted in nature and had an organic and peaceful feel to it. I loved the connection that the Witches had to nature and found everything from their songs, to their use of the seeds to be utterly incredible. I didn’t expect to find a fantasy world where plants could be called upon to bind and hold predators, or for the Witches to have seeds that could be used to fight and dual others. The use of Song was also incredibly unique; a Witch’s strength is correlated to the strength of her voice. The more powerful, clear and beautiful her singing, the more powerful her spells. I have never read anything like this and I give the author kudos for her originality.

The characters were also well crafted and believable. Brusenna’s character started off a little shaky for me and felt rather weak and whiney. She had a very difficult time letting anyone in to help her, and was frustratingly blind to the adoration and love that other’s felt towards her – but given what was shown of her childhood and experiences with anyone other than her mother this didn’t surprise me. In fact it made her character easier to relate to. I loved how as she discovered her power in Song she also discovered a strength and determination that she hadn’t known existed before. She was strong but vulnerable, brave but not without her doubts and eventually confident enough in herself to let others in to help her.

Witch Song was an exhilarating read and I found myself tearing through the pages. The action sequences were exciting while still holding true to the Witches connection to nature and there was always a surprise in store for the reader. I highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy and YA.

I received a E-ARC of Witch Song from the Publisher (thank you!!!) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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Sep 20, 2011 Sara Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I got this e-book from the publisher for free in return for an honest review.
Brusenna has been an outcast her entire life and suddenly, she is alone. Tired of waiting, she starts a journey to find her mother and the other witches she hadn't known existed before her mother disappeared.
On her journey, she learns of Espen, a witch who is determined to rule the world and destroy the other witches. Senna has to stop her, save her mother and just survive in a world she was completely unprepared for.
W...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Rick F. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons-but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fade, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna do...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Michael Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amber Argyle started out with a great debut novel. Senna is a humble champion for witches that learns to overcome the trials placed before her while struggling to come to terms with the tasks placed before her. The pacing is great making it an easy read. I don't care for much romance in my novels, and Amber was able to keep it to acceptable levels for my enjoyment, leaving me more entertained with the action sequences. Amber brings her imagery to life allowing the reader to enjoy the twists to w...more

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Jun 16, 2011 Traci (The Reading Geek) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amber Argyle's Witch Song is the captivating story of Brusenna who is a witch that uses her power through song. Brusenna is the last witch left when all of the other witches, including Brusenna's mother, are taken by the Dark Witch. Brusenna along with her guardian must find a way to stop the Dark Witch before she captures Brusenna and destroys the earth.

Witch Song is an original story that captures the readers attention from the first page and holds it until the last. Brusenna is a brave but s...more

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Jun 01, 2011 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of fantasy, esp. young adult fantasy

Recommended to Katy by: Rhemala Pub.

Shelves: ebook, galley-for-review

In a scintillating debut, Amber Argyle creates an impressively detailed world for her characters to live in. As impressive as this debut is, I’m sure we have years of wonderful stories to look forward to from this writer.

Brusenna (also called Senna in the story) and her mother Sacra are Witches (or, as they prefer to be called, Keepers). They control their powers through song. In their small town of Gonstower, they are feared and reviled, especially so since a three-year drought has left many vi...more In a scintillating debut, Amber Argyle creates an impressively detailed world for her characters to live in. As impressive as this debut is, I’m sure we have years of wonderful stories to look forward to from this writer.

Brusenna (also called Senna in the story) and her mother Sacra are Witches (or, as they prefer to be called, Keepers). They control their powers through song. In their small town of Gonstower, they are feared and reviled, especially so since a three-year drought has left many villagers on the edge of devastation. Brusenna is in the town trying to buy supplies when she is accused of theft and nearly put into the stocks before a strange, beautiful and obviously powerful woman saves her, then tells Senna she wishes to consult Senna’s mother. This turns out to be another Keeper, called Coyel, who has come to tell Sacra that she is one of only eight full-fledged Keepers that remain and is needed to come and fight against the Dark Witch, Espen.

Left alone, Brusenna is attacked by a witch hunter and discovers that her mother, Coyel, and the rest of the Keepers have been taken by Espen and that she – untrained, untried – is the only witch left free. She determines to go and try to save the rest of the Keepers, accompanied by her wolfhound, Bruke, and using a letter and journal that Sacra left for her, in case of this situation. She discovers a whole world that has been kept from her in Sacra’s vain attempts to keep her safe from Espen. Along the way she meets many enemies, as well as unexpected friends.

I literally could not put “Witch Song” down once I started it, and remained glued to the pages for the entire time it took to read it. While there were some minor issues that momentarily took me out of the story (like the fact that Brusenna worried about not really knowing how to ride, but took off on a horse and apparently managed to not only ride, but handle the tack by herself with no problem), usually a comment further on in the story either cleared up the issue or clarified the situation to the extent that I was satisfied with things.

Richly imagined, with strong characters, “Witch Song” is a fantasy story to whet the appetites of any reader. Give it a read!(less)

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Sep 04, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would have to say that at first, I thought this was an MG book. Brusenna was very young and shielded from the world. So, the book was written as simply as our heroine. However, as our heroine grew within her adventure, so did the tone of the book. I really began to appreciate the way it was written.

This adventure still could easily be read by the MG crowd, but also by the older YA and adult audiences as well. Thrust into a leadership role Brusenna's character grew much faster than it would hav...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I Loved Amber Argyle's Witch Song!
Witch Song is such an amazing story,I was drawn in from the very beginning, I could not put it down. Witch Song is about what else, witches, these are different witches then any I have read about before, they can control the elements, (thats not new) every spell requires a little rhyme, (again not new) but what is, is the fact that the strength of the spell & if the spell will even work depends on the witches ability to sing & carry a tune!

Brusenna (Sen...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Avry15 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, quick-review

Quick Review:

Cover:very pretty.. would catch anyone's attention

First Impression: From the title witch, which I'm a fan of, I promised myself to read this book

Plot: I enjoy the plot right at the beginning.. the end part of the books seemed to drag. I wanna know what happened in her stay at Haven (island).. the next thing I knew, she was walking toward the boat where Joshen is. But the end seems rush, like the author realized the book's too long.

Characters: I'm in love with Joshen actually, :D......more

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Oct 19, 2011 Liv Chanin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This book, while a refreshing change from the angst-ridden, supernatural romance that floods the YA market, does not completely live up to the gorgeous cover or the synopsis. I was very excited when I picked up this book because it is a "real" fantasy. No sexy vampires or brooding fallen angels here. The premise of the book is very interesting. Halfway into the book, however, I was left wanting more. More character development. More description. More feeling. A subplot or two. The writing style...more

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