Thank you to NetGalley for granting this ARC, super good and fast read. The story was intruiging and the characters had an interesting back story.

The writing was good, but I just couldn't get into it. Although the story has merit, I think this might skew too mature for my students.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

"This delightfully magical tale is filled with everything readers of fantasy and fairy-tale retellings adore: magic, heroism, and whimsy.... Not to be missed. —School Library Journal, starred review

I absolutely love Slavic folklore, and I have a deep rooted love for anything relating to Babe Yaga. So this one was an absolute win for me!

This was a really interesting and refreshing concept! Loved the characters, and loved the call back to Baba Yaga.

Wolves and baba yaga?! I was so down because who doesn't want to see the woman always given a bad rep defend her forest

We purchased for this our collection, as we knew it would be the perfect fit, and a hit with our patrons. Thank you for the advanced copy, Netgalley!

I thought this was such a great book. Once I got started it was hard to put down. I loved the characters and plot of the story. I loved how it took a different take on the Baba Yaga. I love how we got different perspectives from Baba Yaga, the wolf Zima, and Nadya and how their lives weave together to help Baba Yaga right the wrong that happened to her. Where she was tricked and waited years to set things right. Each of them brought some kind magic to the book.

I absolutely loved this book! The Russian lore and mythology had me hooked from the beginning, and I loved the plot and characters. The magic evoked some nostalgia that I loved. Highly recommend!

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

A Wolf for a Spell

3.5 stars

What I like

This story was a truly wonderful fairytale read that is great for all ages. This reads more middle grade than YA, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it. I thought this book grazed some important and inspiring topics while also crafting a mildly dark and unique fairytale. This book was easy to read and easy to enjoy.

What I did not like

There is nothing in particular that I didn't like about this book. Not specifically. It was enjoyable but there was nothing truly fascinating about it.

In Conclusion

A fun easy fairytale that I would recommend especially for middle grade or even for children who are not easily frightened by stories that take place in the dark woods at night.

I love books about wolves and I love book based on folktales or mythology so this was great. I liked all the characters and the plot was good. The writing was also good. The pictures were very nice.

Such a beautiful and well-told reimagining of the Baba Yaga folktale for middle grade readers. I read this aloud with my 7 year old who loves wolves and she was captivated from page one. If you enjoy fairytale reimaginings, Russian folklore or stories full of magic, excitement and adventure then this is for you. It would also be a prefect read for fans of the movie Wolfwalkers. I can't wait to see what the author does next!

As a result of my various committee appointments and commitments I am unable to disclose my personal thoughts on this title at this time. Please see my star rating for a general overview of how I felt about this title. Additionally, you may check my GoodReads for additional information on what thoughts I’m able to share publicly. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this and any other titles you are in charge of.

This is a middle grade that will clearly speak to more than just children and it made me think of books like The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier and even a little similar to the feeling of The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (or perhaps LOTR due to the long, detailed journey)

I really loved the folklore and Russian mythology incorporated in the story and I think that was my favorite part. I loved the atmosphere and I think that having an animal as a main character was really interesting. My main problem was following the plot. The plot took a while to kick off and be clear and once it got going it was a bit hard to follow. I also thought that because two of the characters switched bodies at some point in this book it was hard to determine who was who. Don’t get me wrong, the emotions it invoked are incredible and I loved the ending but I didn’t feel that pull towards picking it up and continuing to read, I wasn’t wondering what was going to happen next

Format: E-book/Audiobook. I’d like to thank Karah Sutton and Random House Children’s for a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review! I went back and forth with the ebook and audiobook while reading.

To sum up:
In this is a reimagining of Baba Yaga, a wolf makes an unlikely bargain with the witch to save her brother. This bargain has a price, however, which requires the wolf, Zima, and Baba Yaga to switch physical forms temporarily. This leaves Zima in a position she never thought she would find herself in, but she quickly becomes involved in a quest to save her pack and to save the forest she lives in. Woven through this tale, Baba Yaga attempts to fix an old mistake, and protect a boy that saved her in the forest. Lastly, this is also the tale of a young girl in the village, Nadya, who just wants to run away from the orphanage she grew up in, but her best friend Katarina, and the Tsar’s betrothed, has promised her a place in the palace if she can behave herself (easier said than done!). When Katarina falls ill before her wedding, Nadya is determined to figure out what has happened to her friend and nurse her back to health. These stories are woven together so that by the end, all of them will be needed in order to save Baba Yaga’s magic and to restore peace between the forest and humankind.

Review:
This was such a sweet and whimsical story. The POVs were rich, funny, and unique, and the way that they all became woven together in the plot was beautiful! I loved how the story unfolded and how the characters came together. The setting was also richly detailed and beautifully rendered. I felt like I was being told this tale at a fireside as snow fell outside! Lastly, I loved the themes in this book, the search for belonging, standing up for your sense of home and family, new unlikely friendships, and confronting old prejudices and fear.

Overall, I thought this was a really sweet and engaging tale! I think all ages would enjoy this one (MG-adult) and it would be a fun one to read as a family.

Unfortunately, I DNF’d at around 20% as it did not keep my interest. The synopsis and characters might be middle grade, but it didn’t read that way, so it clashed in my head.

A Wolf for a Spell was great middle grade fantasy based on Russian folklore that revolved around a wolf-Zima, a human-Nadya, and a witch-Baba Yaga. It was about facing fears and not let it overpower you, doing right things, it’s okay to be different, friendship, belongingness, family, trust, and good vs evil.

Writing was easy, gripping and mesmerising with short chapters. It was third person narrative from Zima, Nadya and Baba Yaga’s perspective that worked perfectly here telling readers about each main characters’ life and what they thought about each other and their situation more clearly. I never felt confused with switch between perspectives. It was easy to follow and didn’t distract me from story of each characters.

Plot was interesting. It had Red Riding Hood feel. I’m not going to repeat the plot as synopsis said it well- how it started, how three different characters had their own issues and goals, and how the body switching spell made things complicated that gave a new twist to their goals and changed their life and perspective. It was interesting to find out what was Baba Yaga’s plan, why she needed a grey wolf for it, how their path connected with each other, and how both Nadya and Zima will face the enemy and make things right.

All three main female characters were flawed, realistic, and relatable and they all developed wonderfully throughout the story. They all were my favourite but I loved Zima and Nadya’s story more.

Zima was brave, strong, fiercely protective of her family and resilient wolf but at the same time she feared and worried a lot for being different than her pack. Her voice and emotions were well portrayed. It was hard for her to voice her thought when it was not appreciated and then meeting Baba Yaga and sparing human life didn’t help her case. But I liked how after being in human body she learned things quickly and how it changed her perspective towards the witch and humans. She saw differences and similarities and found things to learn from humans as well. I admired her determination and how even after all the mess she created, she tried harder to make things right without thinking about dangers arounds her. She developed to be grateful towards her leader and learned to voice her thoughts in right way.

Nadya was kind, lovely, and free-spirited girl. She didn’t like the chores of orphanage and never was good at sewing or any other activities but she loved to wander in forest, she knew forest like home and never feared the dangers of it or from wolves. I felt sad for her when orphanage keeper threatened to send her as servant girl. I could see why she was desperate to go with Katerina and at the same time I admired her bravery for going to Baba Yaga even though she never heard anything good about the witch. I liked how she formed her own opinion after meeting the witch, helped Katerina despite of all the dangers around her and did right thing. I liked her development, how she learned to stood up for herself, realised nobody is perfect, everyone had their own issue in life, and found home and family she was looking for all this time.

Baba Yaga was interesting character. We know most of her story and how she had powers through Zima and her attempt in knowing what was her plan. This formidable old witch was strong and wise yet she was not very different from Zima and Nadya. She too lived a lonely life because of her past mistakes and let fear overpower her life for so many years. But her journey through forest changed her a lot, she realised she had to make things right on her own rather than depending on others or making others do it for her. She was infamous but definitely was amazing and every young reader would love her.

World was fascinating with witches, animals and villagers all living in and around the magical forest. I enjoyed reading how the forest seemed all consuming and dangerous with deadly streams, poisonous plants, and hidden dark holes to caves in ground that could trap anyone for days and yet it helped everybody living in and around it, gave power and protection to all creatures. Baba Yaga’s loyal egoistic hut was fun to read. Snow storms, evil villain and forbidding palace and its corridors added tension to story. Despite of this dark world it never felt heavy and gloomy as characters were not affected or harmed by it which made it perfect for middle grade readers.

Twist and turns were good. I couldn’t guess if Baba Yaga would arrive back in time and how they were going to fight their common enemy. Climax was interesting. I was glad to see Zima take control over things and lead witches, humans and wolves in right direction and how they fought against evil together. End was sad but they all found what they were missing in life.

One thing I would like to mention was there was minor pacing issue. Some readers found second half slow I found the middle part a bit slow but there wasn’t any major negative point so it definitely can be overlooked.

Overall, A Wolf for a Spell magical, beautiful, imaginative, and well written fantasy based on Russian folklore with classic good vs evil theme and perfect middle grade and young readers.

I read this book back in June, but when I tried to submit my response it all completely disappeared. I am so sorry for the late response.
A Wolf for a Spell follows the perspective of three characters across the terrain of the Russian woodlands. Nadya, a human girl, treks through the dangerous woods to escape the perils of her life in an orphanage. Zima, a wolf who is trying to find her voice and place in her pack after her parents death, spends much of her time avoiding humans or harming them. Baba Yaga, a character drawn from Russian folklore, is a witch who lives in a house on chicken legs. The three interweaving stories weave together as the reader learns with the characters about trust, friendship, and family.
I truly enjoyed this book. I found the plot intriguing and the artwork inspirational. The way that the stories come together seemed well planned out, and the plot felt very stable the whole time. I am a high school student, and I haven't reached for middle grade in a long time. When I saw the cover of this book, I was absolutely intrigued. The inside artwork is just as stunning, and provides a vivid picture of the plot throughout the book.

In this tale, a young wolf, Zima, wants to protect her pack; a young human, Nadya, seeks a way to be with her friends; and Baba Yaga searches for a secret that has been hidden away. Through individual quests, body swapping, and animal friends, these three characters find each other and unite to take down the evil threatening their land and their friends.

If you are looking for a cute, fairytale-like, adventurous middle grade book steeped in myth and magic, check out A Wolf for a Spell! I have always been a fan of stories with Baba Yaga and her chicken-legged house and this story did not disappoint! The magical characters provided uplifting and heroic actions teaching the importance of never giving up and the value of friendship. Young readers will find an easy, whimsical read that pulls them into the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.