A Witch in Winter

Winter Trilogy #1

by Ruth Warburton

Anna Winterson doesn't know she's a witch and would probably mock you for believing in magic, but after moving to the small town of Winter with her father, she learns more than she ever wanted to about power. When Anna meets Seth, she is smitten, but when she enchants him to love her, she unwittingly amplifies a deadly conflict between two witch clans and splits her own heart in two. She wants to love Seth, to let him love her - but if it is her magic that's controlling his passion, then she is as monstrous as the witch clan who are trying to use her amazing powers for their own gain.

When love is tangled up in magic, how can you be sure what's real?

Genres: Young Adult, Witches, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Magic, Supernatural

356 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2012

About the author

Hello goodreaders! What can I tell you about myself... well, I love coffee, hate tea.

I prefer cheese to chocolate (but would eat either, if you're offering).

I grew up on a reading diet of my mum's classics (Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice) my dad's sci-fi/fantasy (A Wizard of Earthsea, Dune) and the Jilly Cooper novels passed around school at break time. I always wanted to be a writer but I never thought it would happen.

I was born and raised in Sussex on the south coast of England, and I went to school in Lewes and Brighton, but I now live in London.

If you want to find out more or contact me, the best way is via my website www.ruthwarburton.com or my facebook page www.facebook.com/ruthwarburtonwriter

Reviews

[Mizuki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Remember how Beautiful Creatures was accused of being a Twilight wannabe when it first came out?

To tell you the true, not once had I thought about Twilight when I read Beautiful Creatures, and Lena Duchannes is nothing like Bella Swan. But now I had finished reading A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton, I see what a real Twilight-wannabe looks like.

A Witch in Winter would have been an interesting, amazing paranormal YA romance if only Ms. Warburton truly knows how to breath life into her characters, how to write a believable romance and a stronger heroine. If only she knows how to write about the fearsome power of magic and magical battle between good witches and evil witches.

But Ms. Warburton has given me none of the above, so I can only give her creation a I'm disappointed by this Twilight-wannabe 2 stars. The only thing I can be grateful of is that there's no love triangle in the story.

To be honest, the first problem I have with this book is that I just can't shrug off the Twilight-vibe when I read it.

Ever since Twilight, I notice there seems to be an annoying, overused YA-paranormal-romance-formula at work, as a result publishers and YA authors are all eager to produce YA books by following this formula, in hope to create another bestseller like Twilight.

Sadly creativity and originality is largely overlooked in this feverish wave to create a money-making new Twilight.

What formula? Some of you might ask, I'll show you here:

(1) new girl in a new town and goes to a new school.

(2) the new girl is supposed to be plain-looking, but clearly she isn't.

(3) said supposedly plain-looking girl somehow manages to attract the attention of the most beautiful boy in school since her first day.

(4) mean spirited Queen Bee who hates the new girl since Day 1 because HOW DARE SHE GETS THE ATTENTION OF THE BEAUTIFUL BOY!

(5) instant-love between the male and female leads even though they hardly exchange more than 5 sentences and barely know a thing about each other.

(6) said male and female leads not able to be together due to this or that stupid rules. HOW SAD!

(7) evil villains come out of nowhere, whose only purpose is to create tension and climax at the end of the book.

(8) the story has to be told at first person POV by a female protagonist.

To tell you the truth, A Witch In Winter isn't so very bad, at least it's better written than Twilight and I'm also glad that this time it's the girl who has supernatural power, not the boy. However, sadly enough A Witch in Winter just isn't so very good either. It brings nothing new to the table, it just fails to stand out among so many other YA books with similar themes and plots, which flood the YA market by a thousand. Plus I'm really sick of YA girls being afraid of their own power as well.

Aside from the lack of originality, the lack of depth in characters also makes A Witch in Winter a boring, sandy book to read. Anna is supposed to be a powerful witch but she never acts strong nor independent. She cannot even stand up for herself when a bunch of school girls tries to bully her; therefore Seth, the love interest has to step in to tell those bullies off. When other good witches brace themselves for the upcoming battle against the villains, Anna is still hesitating and basically acting like a damsel in distress. Then how am I supposed to believe Anna can face down the powerful evil villains later on? I have no pity for weakling like this.

Plus, the good witches are good and nice to Anna with barely any reason; supporting characters are being shoved in front of us without much of a backstory; which unluckily makes them look like a bunch of cardboard cutouts.

As to the love interest, Seth and the romance; the only remarkable thing about it is that Anna accidentally pulls a love spell on Seth, which makes it difficult to tell whether Seth's feeling for her is real or not. BUT! I went LOL so hard when Seth proclaims his undying love for Anna even though they had just met for weeks and the two had barely spent time to know each other. What a mature and meaningful relationship.

Ms. Warburton writes in a very strange manner:

In the book, somehow Anna knows what kind of bitchy tone Caroline (Seth's current girlfriend) would use EVEN BEFORE she exchanges a single word with Caroline.

Somehow Anna also knows the serious-looking girl from English class is called Emmaline even though Emmaline had refused to talk to her and had never introduced herself to Anna, still somehow Anna knows who she is without even having to ask around. Ms. Warburton never bothers to enlighten me how did Anna manage to find out about Emmaline's full name.

That's so very messed up.

Suggestion: if you don't feel like reading yet another Twilight-wannabe, skip this one.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on my blog : http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com

So, A Witch in Winter is about a girl called Anna Winterson who moves to a small fishing village called Winter with her dad. Her dad has just recently lost his job and fell into a depressed state so moving to Wicker House in Winter is a new start.


Wicker House is a damp, run down and just about liveable house, overlooking a forest with the sea in the distance, nothing like living in London. For some reason Wicker House reminded me of the house in Casper :)


Anna is clearly not happy with the move. A new house, no phone singal, a new school and having to make new friends. A teenagers worse nightmare! She does make friends though and while her dad is away visiting friend's in London Anna and some of her new friends have a sleepover in Wicker House. There they decide to do an incantation from a old spell book that Anna's dad found in the house for some fun. They pick a LOVE SPELL!


All hell then ensues, with "bad boy" Seth falling in love with Anna due to the love spell, finding out Anna herself is in fact a witch, stand off's with Seth's ex-girlfriend , near death experiences, creepy crows, a crazy organsation and a battle witch on witch to compete with Harry and Voldermornt! Phew! What more could you want?


A Witch in Winter was a fast paced novel with a romance that makes you cheer on the love, however leaves you still a little, just a tinie bit unsure whether the love is all real. With a fresh take on witches, set in a small village on Britains coastline. A Witch in Winter is a must read!


Ruth Warburton is a talented author with a great debut novel. A Witch in Winter is just the beginning of the story and what a great beginning it is. I can't wait for the next in the series A Witch in Love!

[Amanda K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also reviewed on my blog, The Vintage Bookworm. (www.vintagebookworm.blogspot.com

I can tell you right now that I will most likely have trouble writing this review. I have a love/hate relationship with this book. It took me a while to get into this book, which then made it to where it took seven days to finish it. When I was reading it, it aggravated me so much because I'm not very used to this much UK English. But when I put it down to do something else, I kept thinking about it. The story line. What would happen next with Anna.

Witches are one of my top favorite supernatural beings. I've loved witches for as long as I can remember. I was obsessed with the TV show Charmed when I was in middle and high school and still kind of am. So when I first found out about this book, I knew I'd love it.

Anna is pretty easy to relate to. She just moved to a new part of England that seems a lot different than London where she grew up. She starts a new school and there is this guy there that she thinks she may like. In the beginning I got really curious of how the witches would come in. She doesn't know she's a witch in the beginning and I'm going to leave it at that so I won't throw out any spoilers. Anna is pretty down to earth and nice and is fine not having a boyfriend. She doesn't need one. I really like how she grew more confident by the end of the book. She grows a lot from the beginning.

I like some of the other characters, but not all. The ones that felt more real to me were Seth, Emmaline, Maya and Anna's dad. I really hope they grow stronger in the second book.

I loved the story line! I was a bit scared when I read the summary despite my love for witches because I thought it would be a regular over done story, but it wasn't. It was unique.I had a little trouble with the language, but I could kind of hear the accents in my head when I read it. (I LOVE English accents. <3 *le sigh*)I think I might of gotten used to it by the end because it didn't bug me as much. I was more into the action in the end. LOVE the action scenes.

Overall, despite me not loving this book to death like I thought I would, I do want to read the next book. I'm really curious about what happens next with Anna and Seth and, of course, the Ealdwitan.

[Suzan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ilginçtir ki tüm yan karakterleri sevdim kızımız olan Anna hariç 😖 kitap kendini toplar 3 'ün üzerine çıkar mi dedim ama çıkmadı çünkü beklentimin altında kaldı.

[Brodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could a harmless, fleeting thought of that cute guy at school spark a chain of events that will forever change your life and every single person you're connected to? You think not? Anna Winterson would strongly disagree. Shortly after she and her father move to the small coastal town of Winter, Anna finds an old, hidden grimoire in their house. During a sleepover with her new friends, they each use it to perform a love spell... just for fun, right? For everyone else it is, but when Seth Waters dumps his girlfriend and suddenly declares his undying love for Anna, she begins to suspect that perhaps witchcraft is real after all. Desperate to fix her mistake, Anna tries counter spells, but she's uncertain whether they actually work because Seth is still hanging around her. Still claiming he has feelings. As the novel progresses, there is that seed of doubt as to whether or not it's the love spell or if he genuinely cares about her, because Anna can't just snap her fingers and conjure up the truth. And as much as she'd like to, she can't deny her own growing feelings for Seth.

Anna is the kind of protagonist that you can easily relate to. She has a down-to earth sort of feel, but she's not meek nor does she need a guy to survive. She stands up for herself, she takes action and despite the conflict that rages in her heart, she's prepared to make the tough decisions. I loved seeing how she began to grow more sure of her powers, particularly toward the end where she needs to be sure, because she's pretty much in the centre of a war where there is no room for uncertainty. That's not to say she's a totally capable and seasoned witch by the end, but she develops in a believable way.

This was such an engaging novel, the kind that you think you've been reading for only ten minutes but find an hour has passed because you've been so caught up in the story. I especially loved the ending, where everything drew to a climax and erupted into an epic showdown. It went out on a bang, everything that happened throughout the book mounting into one huge battle between two powerful forces. There are casualties, there are sacrifices and choices must be made that are none too easy, but that's what makes it such a compelling read. The magic is laced with reality. It's not just about frilly love spells, there is heavy witchcraft abound and nothing is swept under the rug, every action has a reaction and not all reactions will be for the best.

The town of Winter was just as much a character as those who reside within it. Ruth does a fantastic job of luring you right into the heart of this small town, where you can taste the salt of the sea, feel a tickle on your spine as you enter the haunting Wicker House and have your heart pound in tune with the thrashing waves and hammering rain from the violent storms that rage the town. The action scenes at the end of the book are fantastically written. You can't draw away from the pages until you know how it will all end, who will make it out alive and whether the fight is worth the risk after all.

Unlike the love spell Anna unintentionally created, it's clear Ruth has taken the time and care to carefully measure each of her ingredients to brew this spell-binding novel. A heady blend of magic, forbidden romance, action, high-stakes and consequence, A Witch in Winter will satisfy all lovers of witchcraft and juicy, complicated romances!

[Shanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. It was recommended to me by a friend who insisted that I would love it because it was original, well-researched and stayed true to the beliefs of witchcraft.

So, let me tell you now that it was not.

It was not original. I found quite a few similarities between this book and The Craft movie, as well as The Secret Circle by L.J.Smith.

Then we have the instant love recipe which is really getting on my nerves. Seriously they were confessing their love for each other in like the first 30 pages. Of course let's not forget the single, clueless parent element. What else...oh, the fact that our heroine thinks herself to be too boring and ordinary and plain to warant the attention of the great catch that is our hero. I could go on and on about the shallow relationships and how everyone is just willing to sacrifice everything for one another even though they have just met, but that would take too long and, really, there's no point.

So, on to the witchcraft part. I don't know what my friend considers the beliefs of witchcraft to be, but this was far, far from any belief I've heard about. Just because you put a few sentences in a book, that have some seed of truth in them, doesn't mean that it instantly turns the book into a well-researched one.

And last but not least, Anna and her power. She has no idea she is a witch. And suddenly the moment she finds a spell she becomes this extremely powerfull, super-witch or something. It is obvious in the book that flares of magic occur around her when she experiences strong emotions (i.e. the wind picks up, freak storms etc.). And my question is this; did she have to meet Seth to experience strong emotions? She hadn't gotten angry before or sad or desperate or happy or anything? No...?nothing? Really?!

[Kevser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kitap çok klişe başladı ve öyle de devam etti. Her şey o kadar belirliydi ki okumasam bile sonunu tamamen tahmin edebilirdim sanırım.
Anna , ilk gün 'şans eseri' okulun en yakışıklı çocuğu olan Seth'in yanına oturuyor. Buna dayanamayan Caroline -yakışıklı çocuğun havalı ve şımarık kız arkadaşı- kıza düşman oluyor. Anna bir gece büyü yapıyor ve o zaman cadı olduğunu fark ediyor. Bunca zaman boyunca gücünün açığa çıkmaması da çok şaşırtıcı! Seth'i hiç tanımamasına rağmen anında aşık oluyor. Tüm kasabayı etkisi altına alan bir büyü yapıyor ve cadı konseyinin dikkatini çekiyor. Bu öyle bir konsey ki tüm cadılara karışma hakkı var. Konseydekiler çok güçlü , çok acımasız ve her işe burunlarını sokuyorlar. Yazar ilk kitapta gizlice bize bir mesaj da veriyor ; serinin devam kitaplarında aşk üçgeni olacak. Bu size bir yerden tanıdık geldi galiba. Kurgu Twilight serisi ile aşırı benzerlik gösteriyor. Yazar, hafif hafif de Sally Green'in Bela kitabından esinlenmiş. Böyle ortaya karışık bir şey çıkmış.

[Keren Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, let me say I absolutely love this cover. The colour is striking and makes it stand out on the shelf. The model is beautiful and I just love the way the whole thing comes together.

But whilst it was the cover that drew me in, it was the stunning story within that kept my attention.

A WITCH IN WINTER was simply sublime. It was a fast-paced, well-written, wonderful story. Very fluid in it's motion. I picked it up at 12 noon yesterday and was finished within the day. I was just so hooked I found it impossible to put down.

In all honesty, I have that many books to read that I actually asked my 5 year old son to pick one for me. When he picked this, I had been wanting to read it for a while anyway, so I was only too pleased to sit down and settle in. What I didn't expect was to get so carried away by it that I would lose track of time. Suddenly 3 hours had passed in the blink of an eye. It felt like the writing was almost hypnotic.
Ruth Warburton is definitely an author to look out for in the future. She knows just how to press all my buttons and pack a punch into her story.

This is a line from the blurb that I just loved so much -
"Although a perfect fit for the paranormal romance genre, A WITCH IN WINTER avoids fangs, excessive body hair and submissive female leads, and tells the heart-wrenching story of a couple meant to be together, but being forced apart"

It really sums things up and I couldn't have said it any better!

This was the story of Anna Winterson. A sweet girl who never believed in magic. Until now.
When Anna's father is made redundant, they are left with no choice but to move. The bills are adding up, the pressure on her father to get a job and pay those bills is mounting. So they move to a house in the small town of Winter. Wicker House. Or as some of the locals call it 'Witch's House'.

Forced to move school mid-year, to live in a house she thinks is dilapidated, to go to a school where she knows no-one, Anna's life couldn't get any more complicated. Or could it?

When Anna has a couple of girls from school round one night, they look through a book that her dad uncovered whilst doing up the house. This book is full of odd words and weird writing. It's mostly burnt. Yet something the girls discover inside makes things get a whole lot more complicated for Anna. Unbeknownst to her at the time, she has 'bewitched' Seth - the gorgeous boy at school who is dating Caroline.

At this point, I can't tell you more. That's for you to find out. But I can tell you, this story is quirky, fast-paced and full of intrigue. There's so much packed into such a short space. So many things happen to Anna that you wonder if the girl is cursed. Poor Anna goes through so much. It's a roller coaster ride for her and her emotions.

If I could live inside any book and be friends with any characters, I would chose A WITCH IN WINTER. I totally heart me some Seth. But I also found I have a mini girl-crush on Anna. She is so sweet and so good. I just love her!

I was after reading something different. This book was it. It was a truly magical, marvellous journey. There were ups and downs, twists and turns. Things that I wouldn't have thought would happen, but they did. I am so eager to read A WITCH IN LOVE when it comes out in July and then A WITCH ALONE (I'm not sure when that one comes out).

This was the start to what I am sure will be a really beautiful trilogy. I just really hope things work out well for all concerned in the end. I know there will be more ups and downs ahead. I really wouldn't want it to be an easy journey. If it was, it would feel like it was missing something. But though there's bound to be rubber waters and they're bound to take some falls, I know that with Ruth Warburton at the tiller, it'll all work out right in the end.
(even if we have to suffer a little along the way)

I will admit that there were moments of pure joy during this book, but there were also tears too. I didn't even realise I was crying until I felt hot wet tears run in rivulets down my cheeks. But in the end, I was left smiling.

All that's left to say, I guess, is thanks to Ruth for creating some amazing characters. I can honestly say I loved them all. Even the baddies. because they were all written so well. I wish I had my very own Emmaline. Though she starts out as someone I would gladly slap, she ends up someone I would want in my life come hell or high water. She isn't a fair-weather friend, she's got the makings of the best kind of friend a girl could have.
Thanks also for the kind of story that sticks with you. A story that leaves you feeling at once sated yet crying out for more.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I have always, always loved stories about witches and witchcraft, especially historical novels about witchcraft. When I realised A Witch in Winter was a contemporary, I was momentarily a little disappointed, but Warburton creates quite a rich, historical atmosphere with her setting that there was no chance of this becoming too Sabrina-like. I like my modern-day witches to have a strong connection to the past and A Witch in Winter definitely achieved that.

A Witch in Winter is a fun read, a strong debut and definitely my kind of book. I loved how English this book was, with its fantastic setting, evocative of an old Cornish town by the sea, held up over the centuries by the various spells and enchantments placed by the witches who have lived there over the years. The old, crumbling house Anna moves in to with the witch marks carved into the wood, and the old grimoire found in the fireplace, these were highlights of the book for me. It was great to read about a secondary school where the kids are studying their A Levels (although oddly, I still didn’t recognise some of the classes Anna was taking). I loved all the British insults and it made me smile to hear phrases I’ve heard all my life instead of American ones.

It also made a nice change to have a fairly average protagonist. Anna won’t go down as one of my favourite heroines of all time, she’s too pale to make that big of an impression. But I really appreciated how she reacts to the knowledge that her inadvertent love spell has caused Seth to fall in love with her. She knows it isn’t real, she knows it was a terrible thing to do to someone, is horrified how it makes Seth act and is determined to undo it, no matter how she feels about him. Since I like my heroines a little more feisty, it was Emmaline I particularly liked, and who I hope to see far more of her in the second book, but Anna felt like an everyday teenager, which isn’t a bad thing

Warburton has created a romance that I can see a lot of readers rooting for. Seth seems like a genuinely nice guy (apart from a few overly possessive moments). It is an example of the dreaded ‘insta-love’ but in this case there is a more plausible reason behind it. I liked that neither Seth, Anna, or the reader, can be sure if the growing feelings between these two are real, though I had a few issues. I personally didn’t find Seth all that interesting (I far more intrigued by Abbe). Seth was a bit too much of a ‘golden boy’ and the growing romance between him and Anna got a little too sappy for my liking. Seth also forgives her far too quickly and it just seemed too easy that the boy she barely knows and accidentally casts a love spell on turns out to be the right guy for her anyway. But this is still the first book in a planned series, and Warburton has definitely set up more than one obstacle for these two to be together.

A Witch in Winter isn’t just about a love spell gone wrong. There are darker, more dangerous sides been drawn in this first book and the beginnings of a quite exciting premise that sets the tone for the series nicely. There are more witches and warlocks converging in Winter than Anna realises as she finds herself right in the middle of a powerfully dangerous society.

A Witch in Winter sets just the right tone for Young Adults Paranormal Romance that I think younger and older readers will enjoy. I would have liked a grittier story with more practiced witchcraft and was desperately hoping Warburton would tell us more about the grimoire and the original witch who owned it, but I cannot complain. There’s nothing overly unique here but A Witch in Winter is fresh, atmospheric and has plenty of action, mystery and romance. Though it’s a series and there are some unanswered questions, there’s no major cliffhanger and it works as a stand alone novel. I’ll definitely be picking up A Witch in Love this July.

*Many thanks to Hachette Children's books for sending this in exchange for an honest review*

[Wren · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

this review can also be found at http://fortheloveofbooksreviews.blogs...


Anna and her father have just moved to Wicker House in a town called Winter. The house is old and needs work, but things become interesting when Anna finds a spell book. She invites her new friends over for the night and they cast a love spell from the book, not expecting anything to happen. Soon after, Seth, a boy at school, dumps his girlfriend....for Anna.

The spell has actually worked, and Anna isn't sure what to do next. Little does she know that she is actually a true witch herself, and that she has broken rules and over-stepped the bounds that many other witches, both in and out of the little community of Winter, have agreed upon. A love spell may be the least of her worries.

Unfortunately, I have to say that I am disappointed with this book. I was excited to read it, (as I am usually excited to read most books) but the cover had drawn me in and the synopsis made it sound like this book would either be some kind of paranormal, romantic comedy, or maybe on the creepier side of things. This was neither.

Instead, I got an unbelievable romance with an impulsive heroine. Sure, impulsive characters can be interesting and even likeable, but I didn't really like Anna, so her impulsiveness just seemed annoying. I feel like she was actually really foolish, and again, not in a funny, or a likeable, way. She never seemed to think things through. Overall, she wasn't really a person I would ever hang out with, if she were real.

Then there was Seth. I think he wasn't a bad character, but he was way too flat. Just calling him a bad boy and saying that he got into a fight or two doesn't tell me enough about his character. I feel like I didn't know him well enough by the end of the book to care about him, or his romance with Anna, for that matter.

I really didn't care about Anna and Seth's relationship. While Seth was initially enchanted by Anna, even when he is supposedly free of the charm, he is still head over heels for her, and the author tries to pass this off as true love. While there are certainly ways to convince a reader of this, the author failed miserably and I spent the rest of the book hoping that Seth would snap out of it and run away from Anna. Honestly, he ended up in way too much danger for a girl he just met, and who manipulated him through magic, of all things, to have feelings for her! I could understand an attraction, but the author tried painting it as actual love, and after the ridiculous circumstances it just doesn't fit.

Fortunately, this book did have an interesting concept. The idea of love spells, trying to fix one's mistake, and possibly inciting the wrath of other witches is one that could make a really, really great story! The author's writing style was pleasant, it flowed very well and I could read for long periods of time without getting tired from overly-wordy sections and unnecessary descriptions, as I have with other authors. Unfortunately, the execution of the plot and the characters nearly made this a did-not-finish for me, and I won't be reading the next book in the series.

If you like books with lots of romance and magic, this is a book you may enjoy. YA readers who like paranormal stories might want to try this one out, if the concept intrigues you.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna and her father have just moved from London to the coastal village of Winter for a fresh start after her father lost his job. Although Anna wasn't happy about the move she actually settles in quite quickly and begins to make friends. After a few drinks at a sleepover one night Anna's new friends think it would be a great idea to try out a love spell. Anna is sceptical - she doesn't believe in magic - but she gets caught up in the fun and names Seth in a spell. None of them are expecting anything to happen so Anna is shocked and horrified when Seth suddenly starts declaring his love for her. No matter what she does she can't seem to reverse the spell though, in fact everything she tries just seems to make things worse and she is only drawing more attention to herself. Just who are the group that are taking such an interest in her though and what do they really want with her?

I have to start by saying how much I loved the British feel to the story, anyone who has been to a coastal village will be able to picture the scenery perfectly and I loved the use of Brit slang throughout the novel. I read a lot of books by American authors and as much as I enjoy them it is always nice to discover a story that is a set a little closer to home. It was also nice to read a story about witches rather than the usual vampires and shape shifters, I'm not sure why but witches tend to be a lesser used supernatural character (well, in the books I've been reading anyway) so I'm always drawn to books I spot about them.

Anna is a great character and the thing I liked most about her was the fact that she is so normal, she is just your average teen who has moved to a new area and is trying to fit in and make friends. We don't have to suffer too much teen angst though and she starts to make friends quite quickly. Anna and her father are living in Wicker House, a creepy, run down, Gothic, old house in the middle of the woods and this makes a fab setting for the story. The house is a character in it's own rights and it was very easy to visualise it, I'm not sure I'd want to live there though - well, not until it had been refurbished anyway! Anna had no idea that she was a witch until the love spell goes wrong and I enjoyed watching her come to terms with her powers. What I liked most was that she knew it was wrong to have Seth's interest purely because of a spell and she was determined to release him from it.

As far as Seth goes I really couldn't see her attraction for him at first, they had barely spoken and he didn't seem like a particularly nice guy at first. I changed my mind towards the middle of the story though when Anna gets to know him better and they spend time talking, they obviously have things in common and found it easy to confide in each other. I really liked Anna's new friend Emmaline and her mother Maya but the character I'm most interested in finding out more about has got to be Abe. I hope we get to see a lot more of him as the series continues!

A Witch in Winter is a great debut from Ruth Warburton with a wonderful setting, interesting characters and an action packed finale that will have you on the edge of your seat. This is a trilogy I'm excited to continue and luckily we only have to wait until July for the second installment. I highly recommend this magical read.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books about witches. I think perhaps my obsession with witches all started with the movie Teen Witch. It’s a movie from the late 80′s about a girl who discovers she is a witch… or perhaps it stemmed from another witch movie from the late 80′s The Worst Witch. (Which was also a book!) I mean who wouldn’t want magical powers! I even wrote a book in elementary school about turning myself invisible and playing pranks on people at school. Regardless I’ve wanted to discover that I just happened to be a witch. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still hoping.

But anyway… we should really talk about A Witch in Winter. I wanted to read this book because of the witch aspect, and I’m so glad that I did! It was such a fun book to read and I can’t wait for the next one!

Anna Winterson, moves to the small town Winter with her father. (Winterson and Winter… did you catch that!) Anyway, they move into this big creepy house, from what I can take this house has a lot of secrets we have yet to discover. Anna makes a few new friends at school and a few enemies too. This isn’t spoilery since it’s in the summary, but Anna finds out she is a witch when unknowingly enchants a boy at school after her friends find a spell and have some fun at a slumber party. (Wow run-on sentence!) This novel however, is not your typical witchy romance. There is a darker aspect to the novel as well, a good vs evil element, if you will. I think readers who love paranormal with romance but are looking for something a little different, will really like this one.

I loved Anna’s character. She continued to surprise me throughout the entire story, she’s not at all your typical heroine and that was refreshing. I loved that she didn’t do what I expected her to do most of the time. Although I do have to admit there were a few times I wanted to give her a hard love tap! And Seth was such a great guy, it was nice to have a paranormal read with the love interest not being a jerk.

And this might sounds a little funny… but I LOVED the UK slang in the book! I hope they don’t change that if they do end up publishing it in the US, it helped cement the setting of the story so well.

I was so thrilled to have a chance to read this book and I sooooo can’t wait for the next one! I’m not sure if this one is going to be released in the US (fingers crossed) but it’s worth the read if you can get a UK copy!

[Lala_Loopsie [fire breathing B!tch Queen]]

What do you say when you've read 87% of the book?? I didn't finish it.

[Ali Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

It says on the cover a reviewer read in one sitting - and it has only taken me not quite 48 hours. Being classed as YA it still is well written and adults can read. It is very atmospheric and the brooding descriptions certainly set the scene for the town of Winter. If you like books of this genre it will not disappoint.

[lalareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really easy read! It was definitely cheesy in some place but I live for that 😂 anything to do with witches I instantly love and the descriptions in this book made everything feel magical. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and see where Anna and Seths relationship goes ❤️

[Misty · Rating 2 out of 5]

***This review is SLIGHTLY SPOILERY. You have been warned.***


It took me awhile to get around to writing this review, in part because it took me forever to read the book, and in part because I just felt like I didn't have a lot to say...

It's a very typical YA. Girl moves to small town. Girl sees pretty boy. Boy has a girlfriend (and is dogged by rumors of violence and rages), but girl falls for boy anyway. And (oops) puts a spell on him that makes him lover her, too.  Did I mention the girl is a witch? No. It's okay, she didn't know either until she was able to do, um, everything, so it's cool.
We've seen this before.
It's been done.
To death.

And maybe if I was younger and was ever the type of girl to be wooed by insta-lovey swooneyness - I wasn't - this would have won me over. It's a quick read, certainly, so it's not like I had to drag myself from one swooning-and-sighing perilous encounter to the next. Though I guess that's not entirely true: I couldn't for the life of me muster up the desire to pick this up most of the time; took me ages. Partly I think this was because everything felt like a foregone conclusion, so it felt like a waste of time - I knew what was going to happen, so why waste the couple hundred pages getting there? - but I also think it may have felt like a quicker read than it was because when I did pick it up, I sometimes resorted to skimming. I just could not make myself want to read Anna's thoughts. There were times when I just had no choice but to skim through her anxieties and woe-is-mes and flutterings, and just get to the next plot point or bit of dialogue. It was skim or give up, and I chose to skim.

But it just all just feels VERY young, and very almost silly in it's emotions and Mary Sue-ness (Here comes Miss Powers Out the Ass to bungle everything up, and maybe, if she can get it together, save the day). There was just not enough development or slow-burn to anything, so I knew exactly where it was going from page 1. Everything was laid out and obvious. Yes, it's a fantasy, and yes, Winter is an interesting town with a really interesting history. And yes, Anna has powers, and now she also has questions, and those could have all made the book something special, a tale of discovery and and secrets and intrigue. Instead it was very much a book about a girl's inexplicable love for a guy she doesn't know, and then his unfortunately explicable love for her (he's under a spell - and then he's not, but he still super-duper loves her), and it just doesn't ever get past that or turn into anything more than that. I think if this had taken a different turn, if it had delved more into the history of Winter, and had a more slow-slide into Anna's discovery of things, I could have actually liked this a great deal. But it didn't.

Its one saving grace is that it does pick up at the end, and Warburton is not so flowery and sentimental a writer that she won't give her characters legitimate consequences. This is HUGE for me, because when a book has really high stakes and a ton of really crazy super-powery stuff or mega-villains or Good vs Evil, etc., and all of the characters are in danger all the time, I expect something legit to happen. If all the good guys come through unscathed and all the villains get crushed into oblivion or escape with their tails between their legs, Imma be pissed. (And no, for those of you reading this in the UK, I do not mean I'll be drunk, but after all that, I'll want to be.) FORTUNATELY, the last 1/4 of the book or so moves along at a very brisk pace, and actually had some pretty enjoyable moments, and FORTUNATELY, it does end up having some good consequences that made me glad I did stick it out and finish the book.
UNfortunately, I don't think even that is enough to make me want to pick up book 2...

But this will find a rabid, happy audience in young girls and those looking for a light throwaway read.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Witch in Winter is one of them novels that you can lose yourself in straight away. From page one British author Ruth Warburton has created an engrossing and captivating novel that is Young Adult Paranormal Romance at its best.

The story follows the life of Anna Winterson, a young girl who moves into the small town of Winter with her father. The house they move into is known amongst the town people as a witches house but Anna is quick to shake it off, well that is until she finds a mysterious book hidden in the house. Anna soon finds out that it’s a Grimoire; a witches spell book. One night while having a sleepover with her friends Anna tries a spell but everything backfires when the hottest bad boy at school dumps his girlfriend and claims he is now in love with her. What can Anna do? All she knows is she needs to reverse the spell that she put on Seth and fast because she soon starts to fall for him and she doesn't want to become as monstrous as the witch clan that are using their magic for their own gain.

I love British authors mainly because I'm British but most books I read are American authors and I do love them too but I just love reading books that are by British authors because they make me feel at home. The UK compared to the USA have so many different rules from the drinking age to the school years but A Witch in Winter sticks true to us British people. It was great reading about our characters going to Sixth Form and having girlie moments with her friends over a bottle a wine. It was so much fun because I could relate to it that much more.

The story itself was fun, exciting and easy to read. One that I will look forward to reading more about. Anna was a great character and I really felt I connected with her and all her drama. She is thrown into a whole different situation that she has no control over and I believe she handled things very well. She quickly learns that she's a witch and she knows from the start that she doesn't want to do bad things with her magic, so she works hard at trying to right her mistakes. Her journey was enjoyable and emotional because you can see her battling with her feelings with for Seth. She honestly doesn't know how he feels and it was easy to get wrapped up in their romance. I'm so eager to see more.

I also really enjoyed the backstory with the Witches and how Ruth bought in the Old English language. It was something new and refreshing and I think she did an great job with it. The ending was tied up nicely however we know it's not the end of Anna's journey so I'm super excited to find out what happens next.

Overall, A Witch in Winter was a great debut by author Ruth Warburton. Any fans of Witches and Paranormal Romance will love this and I highly recommend it for 2012.

Thank you to Hodder Children's Books for providing me with an advanced readers copy for review.

[Rosina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start with the things I liked about this book. I LOVED the setting. I live by the sea, and so does Anna in this book so it got plus points there. Also, I've read that the author used to live in Lewes and this was one of the inspirations for Winter. I live not far from there and have visited a lot, so it felt kind of homely reading the book. Winter was described really well, and the beautiful but creepy vibe resonated throughout the book. Similarly, I enjoyed reading a book set in England. A lot of teen books tend to be American and so have the American slang etc etc. Because we brits get so much American stuff over here, I don't usually get too confused or anything. But it's always nice reading about a school system I'm familiar with and slang I actually use.

I really liked Anna as a main character. She was nice, sometimes unsure, witty and realistically 'teen' like. I liked that she didn't swallow up being a witch in a page. She was actually confused and refused to believe it for a while. I also loved that after enchanting Seth, she wasn't like 'oh cool yay.' She felt guilty and she didn't want Seth to like her unless it was real. However, I struggled picturing her in my head. She describes herself as plain quite a bit in the book, too much honestly, but the girl on the cover is really pretty so I kept imagining some weird kind of mix.

I also liked Seth. Physically..I'M IN LOVE. He's almost my perfect guy. I had such a vivid image of him in my mind. Personality wise, I felt it was a little cliche that he was the hot bad boy every girl loved with a softer side. Still, I liked that he was actually nice and didn't treat Anna like a jerk. He did have a few creeper moments, but he was enchanted so I'll cut him some slack. However, because of the whole enchanted angle, I found Anna and Seth's connection a little lacking. I definitely warmed up more towards them as a couple near the end of the book.

Plot wise, I'm torn. Part of me wishes the book had just been a contemporary book focused on Anna and Seth's developing relationship with none of the witchery. Then another part wishes there had been more witchcraft. I think the problem lays with the length of the book. I feel if the book was longer, both the contemporary and witchcraft aspects of the book could have been more well developed. Despite this, I did find the story enjoyable. It's obvious Ruth Warburton did a lot of research into witchcraft and spells and all that jazz, so it all felt very believable. The story was also exciting, especially the climax.

To conclude, I'd say to me, this was a good book, but not a great one. With more development in both the romance and witchcraft, it'd have been better. However, I enjoyed reading it and will most definitely read the sequel.

I give it a 3.5/5.

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

First thoughts:
This is a very magical book about witchcraft, first and true love and about dealing with the consequences of your own behaviour. Seth and Anna are a beautiful couple to watch as they grow closer and realize that they care about each other. This is a beautiful story and I'm looking forward to find out how it continues, hoping that all questions will be answered and all wishes will come true.

More detailed:
My favorite aspect about A Witch in Winter is the magic we get to experience. Like I've already said above, this is a truly magical book. The spells Anna encounters and uses are creepy and completely different from what I was used to from, for example, Harry Potter. But this is the best part of this novel since it's quite special.

Anna's story in Winter starts off creepy when she practices magic in which she doesn't even believe in. But when she binds Seth to herself all of sudden she has to believe in the impossible. Her journey from unbelieving to finally accepting her powers is wonderful to witness and it's very obvious how much she changes and developes until the end of this book.

Sadly at some points the character and relationship development is a little bit too sudden for me. Yes, sometimes magic is involved, but certain conversations become serious very quickly. I'm sure that most people won't be disturbed by that (it seems more like a personal preference to have longer conversations) and especially towards the end those scenes almost disappear completely.

Besides that, I truly enjoyed A Witch in Winter. It's very exciting with lots of action scenes - especially towards the end -, very relatable and diverse characters I'd love to find out more about (one name: Abe!) and a truly magical gift that has turned a beautiful love story into a very complicated one. All in all, I can definitely recommend this novel and advice you to pick it up if you're looking for a great story about witches.

[Nicke Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok so girl meets boy, girl casts love spell on boy, girl ends love spell on boy, but boy still says he’s madly in love with her! It’s all a bit cheesy, but I love cheese!!!! I could see this being a Netflix movie! I really enjoyed this book! I’m going to keep a lookout for the next two books in the trilogy so I can read more about these characters and that for me is a good sign!

[Georgina Martin (Bookz and Bitz) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone that reads my reviews knows I dislike fairies with a passion, but few will know I feel the same about witch and wicca stories. Good ones are just so few and far between. They rely on cliches and stereotypes (minus the warty noses thank goodness) and I'd yet to find a compelling new take on the witch story. So it was with trepidation that I started A Witch in Winter (AWIW)

AWIW is told from the POV of Anna Winterton, a London teen who has moved to a little village (Winter) on the south coast. Winter is fictional but from the descriptions I suspect it was placed around lewes, plymouth etc. Little is said about Anna's mother, other than she disappeared when she was young. Anna's father had a nervous breakdown following being fired and so bought a run down cottage on the outskirts of the village, in an attempt to start again. The book begins as Anna and her father arrive in Winter, and as Anna begins school at the local comp. Anna soon makes friends (and spots a cute, but taken boy - Seth) and they share with her stories about her cottage, nicknamed Witch's Cottage and the villages long wiccan-related history. When Anna's father finds a spell book it seems only fitting that the girls perform some of the spells - love ones of course. None of them believe that they are ACTUALLY conducting magic, its all a bit of fun, and when the other girls objects of affection are no different, they all laugh and move on. All except Anna, suddenly Seth has dumped his girlfriend and is starting to obsess about her and confesses his love for her. Still Anna thinks its a joke, a game. But just incase she tries a few counter-spells from the book. Nothing changes. Anna is then introduced to some local witches, mad at her for her spell on Seth. Anna discovers she's a witch (of course) and with the help of her new friends tries to un-enchant Seth. Along the way there are a few enemies made, and a governing body of witches who want to get to know Anna better - whether she wants to or not.

As I said, I don't like witch stories, but AWIW won me over. Its a charming tale, with a great twist on the usual girl meets boy stories. By casting the love spell, Anna will never know if Seth truly cares for her or whether she forced his hand. The magic in the book was more believable than most, Warburton's description of the power within Anna is fascinating and her writing brings a wonderful visual to the reader.

The only part of the story that worried me was the Twilight-eque plot (no, not vampires) but the 'evil' council vs the small coven, who call thier friends to arms to watch the injustice (I can't say any more for fear of spoiling the plot), it was all very breaking dawn which distracted me slightly. Whilst Meyer doesn't have the monopoly on such a plot, it is the first thing that springs to mind, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to think so.

As other reviewers have pointed out, its lovely to have a YA book set in the UK. They are few and far between, so AWIW was a refreshing change. I loved the way that Warburton wrote the characters, not just Anna, but all of them. The teens were TEENS, no pretence for the sake of writing, they drink when until they're sick, they smoke they might just talk about SEX, there's even a tattoo snuck in there :O , As I said, they are true teens. Anna's dad is normal too, he worries, he doesn't really know how to relate to a teenage daughter, and he's keeping secrets. There is definitely more to find out about Anna's mother, and I suspect the only one to know is her dad but he's not ready to talk, all interesting fodder for book 2.

I really did love the book, it hasn't sold me on witch stories, but its sold me on Warburtons writing, any future wicca story is going to have a high standard to beat. Yes there is the twilight bit that was a little annoying, but thats a few pages in an otherwise brilliant book, its all good vs evil, love and magic but thats what YA readers generally want, if we wanted something hard hitting, soul searching and generally depressing, we'd look for something outside of the genre.

Roll on book 2 (I'm off to buy it now!)

[Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Witch in Winter has me in a bit of a quandary. There are a lot of things to dislike about it. Anna is a complete and utter Mary Sue. She spends the whole book telling us that Seth couldn't possibly be into her because she's so average, even though she absolutely is not average. For one, she is this extremely talented/powerful witch. Her society's Volturi desperately want to recruit her for her powers and are prepared to kill to do it. She is academically ahead of everyone in the class. Seth is constantly telling her she's beautiful. Her main competitor in his affections is a plastic cheerbitch. Why is she so determined that she's unworthy?

And why is she quite as determined to believe that everything, ever, is her fault? Anna, you didn't know what you were doing. It is not your fault a load of sociopaths are out to get your friends and family. It is not your fault that no one in your family told you you were a witch or that, finding a spell book in your old house on a drunken sleepover you and your friends pull a Secret Circle. None of this is your fault. Enough of the pity party already. Your flaky self esteem is irritating.

The other major issue is the instalove. Now, some people might argue that you can get away with instalove when it's supposed to be the result of an enchantment, but I say nay. Everything suggests that Anna would have managed to remove the spell with her attempts. Seth is still determined that he is in love with Anna and would have been even without the spell. They both trade "I love you"s like they're going out of fashion. There's some cheesy "we saved each other" shit. It's all a bit way over the top.

To make matters even worse, I think I spied the set up for a love triangle later in the series. As if madly in love before we even hit page 100 wasn't bad enough.

There were a few other minor irritations. Anna and Emmeline suddenly becoming BFFs and Anna being adopted into her family after ten minutes all seemed a bit unlikely. And what happened to Anna's BFF from London? Did she just drop off the face of the earth after Anna's first day of school? Anna and her dad's house - a man with no DIY skills whatsoever makes a dump into a palace? And if birds keep coming into the house, why do they leave the windows open all the time? If Anna's last name is "Winterson" which is too similar to "Winter" to be a coincidence... and if she has her dad's last name, which would seem to imply that the magic is in his line... why all these dangled hints about her mysterious mother? And if her dad is clueless about the whole thing, why did he buy a house that had evidently housed witches before? And why in Winter of all places? And how can a man who lost his job and who can only afford to buy a semi-derelict house afford to not work? And so on.

And yet, I didn't hate A Witch in Winter. I should have. I really should have. But actually I found the actual writing to be humorous; I liked seeing a YA set in England - and accurately so; and most of all, I was entertained by the read. Strange how that happens sometimes, isn't it? There was a lot to dislike... but I liked it. I'm nothing if not contrary.

[Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a lot of books about witches but was really interested to check out A Witch in Winter purely because it’s written by a British author and the story’s set in England which is a bit of a rarity with paranormal young adult fiction. It was really refreshing to read a book set in an old British seaside town but at the same time it wasn’t so British that it wouldn’t do well over seas. I think that Ruth Warburton does a fantastic job of writing a solid British supernatural book that can stand proudly next to the popular US paranormal titles.

The book begins with Anna moving to the seaside town of Winter her and her dad taking residence in the old abandoned Wicker House more notoriously known by the locals as “The Witches House.” Despite the house being seriously creepy nothing is out of the ordinary until Anna finds an old spell book and messing around accidently casts a love spell on her crush Seth Waters. Seth quickly falls head over heels for Anna and dumps his popular girlfriend Caroline which makes life more than a little difficult for Anna at her new school. However Caroline is the least of Anna’s problems what with her discovering that she has magical powers, and not being able to remove her love spell on Seth. Plus there’s the Ealdwiton, a council of the most powerful witches, who are after Anna to use her new found powerful magic for their own purposes. Anna’s magic appears to be hugely powerful and with no training Anna manages to get herself into some serious trouble but with Anna’s growing attraction to Seth and his love that she knows she can’t believe in can Anna undo all that she’s done before she causes any more damage to Seth, her dad, and her new found friends?

What I loved most about this book was Seth and Anna’s romance. I really felt for Anna having to constantly do the noble thing and fight her attraction to Seth so as not to take advantage of him whilst he’s under the influence of her spell. Then of course there’s the mystery as to why the spell can’t be removed is it because Seth’s feelings are real? Or is Anna’s magic just too strong? I loved their complicated relationship and really hoped that Seth’s feelings for Anna were real because they made such a fantastic couple. I really liked them both as characters and had instant respect for Anna for not taking Seth for granted and always trying to do the right thing. With a guy like Seth fawning over her I can tell you she’s a stronger girl than me that’s for sure!

I think that A Witch in Winter was a fantastic start to what promises to be an awesome series. I’m so intrigued as to how strong Anna’s powers actually are and what’s in store for her next. This was a fantastic book that I read in one evening because I couldn’t put it down and I am already looking forward to its sequel A Witch in Love!

[Zoey Talbon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review also posted: http://zoeysuncreativelytitledblog.bl...

I really love to read books about witches. Maybe it has something to do with Harry Potter, or maybe it's because I'm still holding onto that childhood fascination I had with them, (I dressed up as a witch every year on Halloween from the time I was five until I was 10) but I still love to read about them. So A Witch in Winter was something I was really excited for.


The biggest issue I have with this book is the characters, particularly Seth and Anna. They're both so melodramatic a lot of the time, and Anna can be very whiny. And the thing is, I know Anna has her reasons for being that way - she's done something she feels is truly awful, and even though she's done everything she can to fix it, nothing has changed. But her whining is so repetitive, the same thing over and over again, that I couldn't help but be frustrated by it. They also say, "Oh, Anna," or "Oh, Seth," about a million times throughout the book.

However, there were times when I really liked Anna. She's a fairly strong character. She's willing to stand up for herself and others when it's truly needed, and she also genuinely cares about her friends. She's not my favorite character, but she's not my least favorite. Same goes for Seth - he's also a caring person, he's fun, and he's definitely someone I'd love to know in real life, but he's also a little melodramatic and there are times when he seems fake.

One thing I love about this book is that the bad guys are real bad guys. They're not wimpy; they go all out when Anna goes against them, which provides a great story. The bad guys make it pretty intense. And if I'm honest, they're very entertaining to read about.

Another great thing is the way Anna grows throughout the book. She goes from being a scared little girl who knows nothing about magic to trying to save everyone she knows, and I think that's the makings of a good book.

Overall: The plot is gripping and the bad guys are awesome. If not for my frustration at the characters, this book probably would have been 4 or 5 stars. Still, as it is, it was a fairly enjoyable read. 3 stars.

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the arrival of vampires, shifters and angels, witches have taken the background. Luckily, 2012 brings us some very interesting young-adult debuts featuring witches, including Witch in Winter.

When at a slumber party Anna by accident bewitches her crush Seth to fall in love with her, she doesn't know what to do. She has found an old spell-book and she tries everything to undo the spell. But her powers are attracting unwanted notice, and some people might do anything to make her stop...

What I liked about Witch in Winter is the main character Anna. She is believable and a nice girl. She isn't the popular kind of girl, but not the lonely emo kid either. It was nice to have a main character that has a nice group of friends. Her love interest Seth is kind of standard at the begin of the story, the typical popular bad boy. He does change over the course of the novel, and getting to know him was enjoyable.

Watching their romance was a bit of a rocky road for me. At times I liked it, at times I didn't. At the end I wasn't that sure if Seth is the right guy for Anna. I met a character that I think might be a better match for her as she matures throughout the story. I'm looking forward to see how their romance continues in the next book.

Another thing I liked in Witch in Winter is the old-school magic system. There are spells and rituals, different powers, clans and everything. And their magic isn't just for little stuff, but they can do some pretty impressive stuff with it. Witch in Winter contains an epic magic battle that I enjoyed a lot. I'm looking forward to read more about the different kinds of power, and what makes Anna so special.

Witch in Winter is a very enjoyable paranormal read featuring witches, but it left me wanting more. I want more details, more magic, more background. Even though some things in the book are a little bit off, it is a great debut book and I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel, Witch in Love.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just didn't feel that this book really had anything to offer in the genre. It feels like another rehash of Twilight with all the usual cliches that I've come to hate in YA novels.

Firstly we have to have the new girl coming to a new school where she feels like the awkward outsider. As usual on her first day, the hottest guy at school has to fall madly in love with her and BOOM we have the dreadful Insta-luv that I hate. He can have his pick of anyone but has to have the plain looking girl which would never happen at any school I ever went to. And of course uber bitch popular girl hates her at first sight and must make her life miserable by getting a group of peers to bully her. Does this not sound like the last hundred books in the YA paranormal genre that you've read?

Can I mention how I hate Insta-luv? They barely know each other and they become the star crossed soulmates with flowers and bells and all that crap. Except of course true love has to be made difficult by a series of terrible events to break your heart...Gads! There was nothing new or interesting in any of this and I got bored with it. It is setting up YA girls for a bit of a shock if they think their first boyfriend will love her forever and treat her like a princess and they will have a wonderful life together. It gives unrealistic expectations of relationships.

Our main character is such a wimp, letting people walk all over her and bully her when she should be trying to use her power to teach the buggers a lesson. I get sick of these pointless female leads who are incapable of functioning in a school environment, never mind gain control of their powers.

Just the same old story with a different cover and name.

[Sarah Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why people are classing this as a 'twilight' ripoff. Twilight wasn't so desperately original to begin with. If every book involving supernatural stuff, about a girl joining a new school is now considered a 'twilight' clone regardless of lore, setting and character profiles we are in deep trouble. Especially since in this book it is the protagonist who has the supernatural powers and actually (hooray!) uses them to kill some bad guys.

Anywho, a refreshing bold protagonist and entourage which manages to circumvent most of the annoying self-sacrificing clichés of the genre, i.e. the 'I will leave you for your own good' and 'I will run off and endanger myself to protect others who will then have to track me down and save me anyway' sort of thing. Decently reframes the 'love spell' plot to address issues of consent in such a situation, which the newer and more 'woke' Craft Legacy movie completely failed to do.

Slightly annoyed by the presence of what could become a love triangle, but at least Anna isn't instantly attractive to every member of the opposite sex she meets. She is actually reasonably unpopular. Also annoying was how the book feels like it's set in America, yet is apparently set in England - the school being called 'Winter HIGH' the fact that young teens are all driving, the kinds of 'classes' they have etc. And the protagonist somehow manages to recognise on sight someone she knows the name of but has never been told what they look like. And also later knows the name of someone who has never been introduced. Could be a witch thing, more likely an editing slip-up.

A solid read.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I make a habit of reading my sister’s books. Don’t ask me why – just know that when a book is sitting in our bedroom I will read it. Even in situations where said book does not particularly appeal to me, I will read it.

With the Winter trilogy, I was unsure as to whether or not I was truly interested. It seemed like just another teenage supernatural love story. I have read more than enough of them. However, I have enjoyed some of them. Thus, I went ahead and gave them a read.

For me, this first book was nothing spectacular. It follows the formula of the other books in the genre. New girl moves to town. Hot guy grabs her attention. The supernatural somehow become involved. Girl finds out she has power. Town needs saving. Bad guys are defeated.

I have seen it all before. I guess what prevented me from hating this book is the fact it was witches. It deviated from the vampire norm and gave us a different supernatural creature.

Overall, it was an okay read but it was nothing unique.

[claireloueeez · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 2.5 to a 3 star I think. I felt like everything was a little rushed, yes I've seen instant attraction in books before but to actually fall in love with someone when you barley even know them....Sounds a bit like Frozen to me. I think I'll still continue with this trilogy but I was just hoping for something a bit more original, instead of new girl moves to town finds out something unreal about herself, falls in love with boy, and puts everyone in immediate danger by the end of the book. It would have been nice to learn about the witches a bit more for instance their origins and the way their society works. Anyway here's to hoping the next instalment is a lot better.

p.s. I wish authors didn't make their characters so worried about their looks....you know how it goes right? "But I'm so plain and ordinary how could you be in love with me"

Girl every human being is unique and beautiful!, stop sending out the message that some are more beautiful than others :/.

[Elisha122 · Rating 5 out of 5]

'A Witch in Winter' is a enchanting tale of magic and witchcraft. I am giving it 5/5 stars because from the first chapter it was gripping, exciting and interesting. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I ended up reading the book in only a couple of days. I would highly recommend this book.

Plot: Anna Winterson has just moved from London to a small village called 'Winter'. She starts a new school and meets new people but little does Anna know she is in for a remarkable shock when she uncovers the truth about Wicker House, the house she is currently living in.

Overall, I would say this book is written excellently and I would highly recommend it to anyone that likes teen fiction/ fantasy books.

-Elisha122 :)