This book was quite a surprise. I absolutely love the character and their new friendship. The magic was really interesting. I loved the amount of queer characters, yes! I'm all for books with more queer than straight main characters. I loved Mr. Scratch, I really hope he stays on the girls' side. I suspected something was up about Madeleine, but damn that was cold. I can't wait to see where this series goes in the next book.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for sending me this arc. I will be reviewing this book.properly in the near future with an honest teview.

There’s nothing like attempting to find the words to review a book you loved because you don’t actually know how to explain just how much you did love it. So if this review ends up in rambling territory, please look away.

The Scapegracers is about Sideways Pike, a lesbian witch, who finds herself the new member of a friendship group with a popular clique of girls after she does magic with them at a Halloween party. Then things start to get weird, involving a curse on a boy, a cute girl, and a creepy family of witch hunters.

The number one best thing about this book hands down was how it centered on a group of girls. And a group of girls who would do anything for one another, at that. Which, I think we can all agree, is the best of tropes. Much of the focus on the book is on their friendship which meant, even when I felt the plot maybe drifted, I still loved it because of them. I just loved that these characters are supposedly “mean girls” but the book completely subverts that by giving them this intense and fierce love for one another which they extend so easily to the main character as well. In fact, there is not one instance of a girl hating another girl in the whole book (at least, not for the usual spurious reasons). It’s so refreshing.

That’s basically the selling point of this book for me, but there’s also witchcraft (and it’s interesting how it’s a world where this is normalised, I liked that take on it), and getting revenge on skeevy boys (always excellent), and my favourite character of all, Mr. Scratch (you’ll see why). It’s one of those books that I just have nothing bad to say about. I loved it and I already want to reread it. Oh, and of course, Daisy is the token straight main character. I went in expecting just a lesbian main character, I came out with two more sapphic characters, and some gay parents. Just how I like it.

Finally, it’s a grower of a book, in a good way. The first chapter may seem a little weird, but you get into it, and you become absorbed by the characters, so much so that you don’t even notice the book going by.

Which, really, just makes it the best kind of book.

Thanks for giving me the chance to read this advanced copy of the Scapegracers !

Well, I've been attracted at first by its beautiful cover, and then by its intriguing summary. I was excited to read this from the synopsis, and after finishing this book it was not a disappointment : it was a lovely surprise since I like it really much !  It starts off hooking you in and doesn’t want to let go, nor do you want it to. I love when characters are not all nice but kind of mean, and the story of this group of girls was great. There were some slower moments but all around it was a wonderful story alongside Sideways and her friends. 
I cannot wait to get the sequel !

“We’re friends now. Blood is truly thicker than water, is it not? We spilled some blood between us with that glass. If Yates is your sister, I’m your sister, too. And now I have to fucking kill those assholes. Boys don’t touch my girls. I swear to god. I can be a fucking monster when I wanna be. I’m not good at a whole lot, but I’m spectacular at terrorizing people until they’ve literally lost. I can ruin people like you wouldn’t believe. And I wanna wreck their sorry lives.”

Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. This book is THE definition of badass. I saw, “a lesbian witch...” in the the first sentence, I knew I had to apply and you cannot believe the excitement I had when I was approved. 

Books like these...we need more of them. We need more queer characters who are unapologetically as fuck and the supernatural aspect made the book even MORE better. It took the book to a new, higher level.

After finishing The Scapegracers, I felt proud to be queer and will continue to hope that I’ll someday gain witchy powers too and that is all I can ask for in a book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very minor spoilers within.

This book is everything I would have killed to read when I was a teenager. It’s very girl power, very witchy and very queer and I loved every second of it. I can’t wait for the second book in all honesty, I think it’s gonna be killer… perhaps quite literally.

I love books with mean girl type characters who genuinely care for each other and look out for other girls. I love it even more when they’re Witches. The Craft film was my jam, although admittedly that didn’t quite end as fairytale found family as I would have liked. This book gave such craft vibes I devoured it, and to make it even better the found family/girl friendships were solid and supportive at the end.

Our main character actually reads as a teenager, which I think we miss out on sometimes in YA fantasy books. Sideways is a lesbian witch who loves her power, who wants to be seen as powerful and show off to her peers. She wants friends. She wants a place to belong, she goes to parties, she charges for spells. The other main characters, our three other coven members and the love interest Madeline, were all equally real and fleshed out. Yates, Daisy and Jing were a beautiful diverse collision of different personalities. We don't really know a whole lot about Madeline, other than that she's a bit mysterious which... ok ok you got my attention. I'm weak for a mysterious girl. I also loved Mr Scratch. Hands down one of the most fun and interesting takes on witch mythology I’ve seen.

The plot was slightly predictable, but not necessarily in a bad way, and one part of the ending did manage to surprise me which was nice. More than anything though, this book is FUN. Between the Halloween parties and the spell casting and the intrigue of the Witchfinders and the spell books, it all wraps into a very enjoyable book.

The only thing I wasn’t really a fan of was how inconsistent some parts where. I don’t know if it’s just me or not but quite often there wasn’t really a separation between scenes, and some things that happened (such as Sideways showing up bloody and upset to her parents) weren’t really appropriately handled. I think the reaction from her dads should have been more worried and intense than it was, rather than just letting her not tell them anything about what happened and run off again with the same people she was with when she got hurt in the first place. Especially when her dads seem to care so much about her and her well being, it just didn’t sit quite right in the flow of the story.

Overall though, a strong read. AND there's a beautiful piece of cover art, as the cherry on top of the cake of characters you care about and a plot that's intriguing. I can't wait to see where this goes, how the Madeline/Sideways angle pans out, and how the Witchfinders are handled. I want to see more different covens, I want to know more about the spell books, more about the wider background of the witch community. I want to see Chett get destroyed. That last one is perhaps the most important.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Erewhon Books for giving me a digital ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*

I had high hopes for this one after reading the premise; a witchy tale involving queer girls in modern times? I’m so here for it. I was excited to see what was going to happen to this group of girls. In the end though, I just felt like the story fell flat. It felt like nothing really happened in the story, and by the time I got to the end it felt like everything exciting was being saved for a sequel. The whole book seems to revolve around the girls wanting to perform magic at parties for no other reason than getting attention from their peers, and that part really didn’t work for me. 

I was also constantly frustrated with the main character’s decisions, which were illogical and went against common sense. I also felt like we got barely any information on the main character other than what happened to her mother and her anger issues (anger issues that were never really discussed or used for character development). I remember being half way into the story and still not knowing what the main character, Sideways, looked like other than that she wasn’t overly thin. I ended up feeling no connection to Sideways because of this.

The ending also really disappointed me. I saw the twist coming from the first chapter, and when it was finally revealed it all felt anti-climactic. Instead of a big exciting finale, I found that the story just kind of fizzled out and left everything for the sequel. In the end, I just wasn’t a fan of this book and it didn’t feel memorable to me.

I was excited to read this from the synopsis, and after finishing this book it was not a disappointment. It starts off hooking you in and doesn’t want to let go, nor do you want it to. There were some slower moments especially as the book went on but all around it was a wonderful story and I look forward to the sequel!

I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"We're inviting the liquid night, the molten magic. We're inviting the star-spiked darkness inside and calling it to this circle.  Our hands entwined are a chalice, flow through us and spill.  All this dancing is in triumph and our booze is all libations.  We've brought you beats, lights, and glamour; we brought fresh meat, new blood, and booze.  In return, we want some chaos, we want havoc; bring us hell"

Sideways Pike has a magical pull within her.  She is able to create incantations and draw sigils to bend magic to her will.  When asked by the three most popular girls in school Jing, Yates, and Daisy to create some magic at their Halloween party Sideways gets more than she bargains for.  This leads her on an adventure of magical tomes, witchfinders, friendships, and smoking hott mystery girls.

There is so much to love about this book so I'll do my best to break it down piece by piece without turning this review into a snorefest.  First, the thing I love most about this story is the friendship that develops within this baby coven.  These girls are so supportive of each other throughout the entire story.  It is so rare to find a story where jealousy doesn't play a part or some secret tears friends apart.  These girls are the real deal and I strive for a tribe like this.

Second, the magic is so interestingly woven throughout the story.  I devoured every second of it.  My only want would be delving into each individuals affinity/spectre to find out what makes the colors assign to each of the girls.  But, knowing this is the beginning of a trilogy I have alot of hope that the author is just leaving us things to discover in later books to keep the story moving at a natural pace without bogging us down in book 1 with nothing but world building. 

Third, the twists and turns keep you on your feet.  You don't know which way is up and who you should trust this entire novel.  There are so many great obstacles for our girls to go thorough and they don't always make the right choices.  This is great and keeps the pacing of the novel at a wonderful speed that leaves you hungry for the next chapter.

If I had to give a critique I would say that the draft I received didn't seem super polished, but these are things that will be ironed out in the last few months before release.  However, I highly recommend The Scapegoats to anyone looking for a magical new series.  I look forward to book 2 and can't wait to see what's in store for our girls.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book in ways I didn't expect. Obviously, when I heard the phrase "lesbian witch coven", I was immediately interested and I am so glad that I was able to read this book before release and share my thoughts on it. It was fast paced and fun, from start to finish. Though there were a few slower paced moments, I felt like they fit perfectly into the narrative of this teenage witch who was just trying to hone her craft while also navigating the high school social scene. Add the evils of her hellish high school to the chase of a sentient spell book, throw in some witch hunters, and add a (huge) dash of queer content and you have a recipe for an awesome thrill ride of a book. Clarke handled the queer aspect perfectly, not just focusing on the MC as the only queer narrative but also alluding to the fact that a woman's sexuality is fluid and most women consider themselves to be on a spectrum, not just straight. This is a perfect way to highlight the realities of figuring out one's sexuality and owning it, not to mention that the MC had two gay fathers. When it came to the witch craft itself, there were some parts when I was not as convinced by the language used, but again, it fit with the narrative. Of course teenage girls casting spells and creating their own incantations would use teen slang and phrasing. 

All in all, I loved this book to pieces. I very much hope there will be another one!

This book was thoroughly enjoyable.

From the female leads, to the queer elements, the magic, to the action. I love a good magical realism, girl-gang story. Better yet, it's own voices as the author is also queer! I'm gay myself (in the umbrella term sense of the word), and oh my goodness, I found myself absolutely wishing I could have had a coven like that in my own life.

Sideways' appreciation of her friends' beauty was really lovely, there were little crushes thrown in, without any of the over-sexualised lesbian tropes that are often found in fiction. 

Some of the plot lines felt a little misplaced, I felt certain characters or ideas could have been introduced a little later on or not brought in, disappeared, and brought back, if that makes sense. I don't want to write any spoilers so I can't quite tell you what I mean.

The dialogue was fun and natural, snappy and clever which gives it that more youthful and true-to-age element for the characters. One thing that did bum me out a little was the constant self deprecation by Sideways. I know we all have that inner voice sometimes that tells us terrible things, but it would be cool to see her have a little more growth, to start accepting and trusting that the women around her like her for good reason. That may be held over until later in the story, though, so I won't be too critical.

In regards to Daisy, Jing, and Yates, I adored the fact that as close as they were, they still had little secrets they kept from each other. Those secrets definitely feel like they'll become side plots in the next installment which will give the characters plenty of room for personal growth, maybe a little bit of conflict, and for them to grow closer. The interpersonal relationships was actually one of my favourite elements.

All in all, I have to say, I was happy when I saw the #1 next to the title because it means we're getting a duology at the least, or hopefully a series!

I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Jennifer's Body & The Merciless, The Craft.

Sideways is a lesbian, a witch, and an outcast. When Jing, Yates, and Daisy, the most popular girls in school, invite her to do some magic at their Halloween party, it’s her chance to show off and be cool. But something goes wrong that brings the girls together.
The way the girls take Sideways into her group is one of the sweetest examples of friendship between girls I’ve ever seen in fiction. All four girls have interesting and distinct personalities that made me wish I had friends like that in school. I loved seeing them together.
In their quest to learn more about magic, the girls learn about other covens and sentient magic books. The world of magic is much bigger than they thought. It feels like we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg and we’ll have a lot to unveil in the sequels.
The characters and the worldbuilding are the best things about this novel, while the plot is a bit of mess with a slow pace. Witchfinders learn about the girls and are now after them. They show up early on and they’re super scary, but then they become this vague threat looming in the background. Getting Sideways a girlfriend and planning a party become more important than the guys trying to kill them. It’s like they forgot their lives are in danger, and doing spells at a party is a really stupid way of getting the witchfinders’ attention. The girls need to sort out their priorities.

The queer rep here is amazing: besides Sideways, Jing is bi, Yates is questioning, Sideways has two dads, and there’s a nonbinary background character that uses they/them pronouns.

This will not be a complete review. Unfortunately i was not able to finish the book. i just didn't like it. i couldnt connect with any of the characters. I found it boring and it took me over an hour to read a single chapter, as my mind kept drifting off. I also had to re read paragraphs as sometimes i just didn't understand what was going on.

From what I could tell the main character wanted to be liked so much she attached herself to a group of girls who paid her for her witchcraft ability, and then wanted to ask out every girl she saw? 

The side characters just went from bland to crazy in a sentence when it wasn't warranted nor did it make sense

I didn’t love this book but I didn’t dislike it.

The book started off fast pace but then the story to me went really slow and was a bit repetitive. Maybe as it Is the first book in the series in will pick up more in the second book. 

I did like some of the characters though. We have Sideways (that is her nickname) whose really name is Eloise who is a outcast and has been practising magic for years. The three others of the group that Sideways joins are Jing, Yates and Daisy. At the start of the book it makes you think they are your typical mean girls but you learn that isn’t the case of these three. As they say you can’t judge a book by the cover.  Two other characters who I loved are Julian and his partner Boris. Julian is Eloise uncle and she lives with them. Her mum has died.. They own a shop which sells unique and interesting items. 

There is slight romance but I presume you will see more of that in the future books. 

If you like magic, fantasy and a sprinkle of romance then I would recommended it to you. 

My rating for this book is 3.5 stars

I received a ARC from Netgalley and Erewhon Books for an objection review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this book to review. I k ew I had to read this after reading the synopsis and seeing it on Twitter. 

This was an entertaining and atmospheric read that I really enjoyed. I enjoyed that the chapters were titles as well as number because I love chapter titles. It is written in first person and out POV is the main character Sideways who I will talk about later.  There are plenty of fun moments in this book but there's also a lot of swear words and other bad language. I'd say this was a strange paced book as it felt like a fast pace and then it would slow down to explain the magic or a movie the friends watched which was a little weird. 

I did like the world-building that was done in the book. I enjoyed how it is set in a town that loved Halloween and has a number of parties surrounding Halloween. I enjoyed the little parts with Sideways dads auction house which I found really interesting and it was the same with Delacroix House which is also neutral ground for witches. The magic system was okay, in this book magic mainly uses sigils and there are rules to it which I liked. I enjoyed the information given about covens, book Devils and how you learn about magic alongside the characters. I felt there was more that could have built upon and other parts that could have been shortened. 

"Feeling witch is a large part of successfully being witchy, and nothing makes you feel powerful like surrounding yourself with gigantic dripping candles."

The characters
Honestly I found the characters hard to connect with and at points they all seemed to blur together as one. However I loved how it showed female friendships in this book! 

Sideways Pike - real name is Eloise. She is a lesbian witch who is a little bit of a disaster when she likes girls or girls like her. Lives with her dads which is her uncle and his partner as her mother died. Makes friends with the powerful triumvirate of girls. 

The triumvirate - we have Jing who's bisexual but not out.  Yates who is a sweet black girl who everyone cares about. Then Daisy who is brutal to those who hurt her friends. These three also find out they have specters (magic) and they befriend sideways and start a coven. 

Another key character is Madeline who is interested in Sideways and wants her to do magic. 
There's a lot more characters in the book but I won't go through them all. I loved the dads Julian and Boris and their relationship. I also enjoyed the relationship they had with Sideways. There is also the mysterious Mr Scratch who is a book devil Sideways releases and a family of witch hunters in the area that want to stop magic which added another element to the book. I didn't really think much about the Romance as there wasn't much to it.  I did however enjoy the diversity of the characaters. 

A little note on the ending, it does leave a lot of things open and it sets up what will be book 2. I would say it ends with a cliff hanger tyke situation which was annoying as I sort of want to know what happened next but now I'll have to wait and hopefully not forget. 

Overall I enjoyed this book and it was a quick entertaining read for me. I would recommend this book if you like YA fantasy with queer characters and magic. There were parts that could have been better and the pacing was strange but it didn't stop my enjoyment of the book.

I wanted to love this one but it all ended up being pretty disappointing.  It was very fast paced and the story was interesting but I failed to care about the characters. The romance just didn't work out at all and the characters all started to blend together as no one really had their own voices.

Such a great read! 
This author managed to capture the readers attention page after page without straying from the plot line like similar books. 

Loved reading this one!! And I can’t wait to read another novel from this author

Scapegracers tells the story of an outcast who finds her people when she begins to explore the world of magic and witchcraft. 

The book opens right into the action and the plot moves along quickly. It is very interesting learning alongside the coven how the magical system works, and the details make for a dark and atmospheric book. There are some smart and funny moments, and in particular I loved the fresh take on female friendships between teenagers, far more realistic (at least in my experience) than the usual clichéd mean girls.

However, I found it difficult to care about any of the characters, and they became fairly interchangeable. Sideways (our protagonist) came across as quite passive, and the romantic relationship felt forced, especially when compared to the well written friendships. 

This book wasn't a favourite, but was entertaining and an easy read.

This review has been posted to Goodreads, and will also be posted to Amazon after release.

Maybe I went into this expecting too much. 

“Scapegracers” begins when the cool girls at school invite Sideways to perform real magic at their party which she thinks is a one night trick with no strings attached but when her power triggers something connecting them all she finds that maybe she no longer has to spend her teenage years standing on the sidelines and when witchfinders come lurking at her door they must band together to protect the coven. 

This book plays to elements of The Craft and AHS Coven with that cool girl squad who brings in a new face only to find that their magic can call upon something darker but it never managed to actually tell a story. So much of this book left me waiting for it to move somewhere and each time I thought we were getting to a bigger point it would back off which was kind of a bummer. 

The pacing was a bit off too with a lot happening all at once only for it to slow down into a painfully long drag that again kept me thinking that we were heading to some kind of big moment be it a betrayal a la the Craft or confronting a big bad in the witchfinders but instead we get another party and cliffhanger. 

I like the idea of women getting together to punish the frat boy Chett’s of the world and I wish we got more than just talk because even the hex that sets the story off gets a brief few sentences of resolution to see if it worked or not. 

Overall this book was rather disappointing so we’ll see if it’s worth continuing but as of now I think I’m good. 

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**