I have been fighting with myself to find the right word to describe how the book makes me feel and after two reads I believe "Wholesome" is the right word. I have read so many genres and sometimes its nice when a book is sweet and innocent. In the Whispering Hills we see the bonds of friendship being forged and changed, families struggling to cope as memories resurface and the reminder that purity and naivety aren't so bad. It really is almost a "coming of age" moment where all our characters are heading into their teen years and getting a sharp taste of reality. As our band of misfits (6 girls) navigate their way into a new and frightening world with the help of their somewhat mentor they learn sometimes being ordinary maybe isn't so bad.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Owl Hollow Press for providing me an advanced reader’s copy of “The Witches of Willow Cove” by Josh Roberts.

This was such a fun story to read! It is the perfect middle grade novel (that can even pass off as YA) if you are in the mood to read a good Halloween like story about witches. All the characters are distinctive, funny and interesting in their own manner. Amethyst turned out to be my favorite character even though I didn’t like her in the beginning. The villain, Miss Winters is also very intriguing and you don’t really know what she has up her sleeve.

In fact, I loved everyone in the entire group, whether it be Abby or Amethyst or Piper. The author has also paced the story very well, where we are thrown into the action right from the first chapter. I also liked how he included the history of the Salem witch trials into the plot with his own twist.

However, there are some minor things which I felt could have been written better. While Daisy and Delphi were quirky and interesting with their Shakespearean qualities, I felt we did not see much of them. I would have liked to see more of Piper in the book as well because she was so interesting! Moreover, the book tended to focus mainly on Abby and Amethyst, along with Becca, Robby and Zeus. Also, while I enjoyed the story immensely, I really didn’t like the instant romance between Robby and Becca. It appeared out of nowhere, and it took me a while to get used to them. I’m not really a fan of insta love, and considering that this is more of a middle grade book, it was difficult picturing the two in that manner.

But apart from that, I absolutely loved reading this tale and would definitely recommend if you are in the mood for a spooky read.

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.

This is about young witches who have recently discovered their powers, their friends, and a teacher who is also a witch with a secret. It's a super cute middle grade that will also appeal to YA readers as well. It has a little of everything and I really enjoyed it!

I love how all the characters hold their own and have relatable issues while dealing with supernatural ones. They also explore a centuries old mystery connected to the Salem witch trials and I appreciate how it was woven into the story.

The Witches of Willow Cove is a very fast paced read with good world building that's not too redundant or overly descriptive. This was such a good debut and I'm looking forward to more from Josh Roberts!

This book surprised me. Perfect for if you're looking for a middle-grade mystery with a fun group of friends and magic! It was funny, lighthearted, and definitely creative! The adventure is fun and the characters are diverse, lovable and distinct from one another.

"Often there are no good choices. Only good intentions"

I really liked this middle grade novel! It was a quick read that really dove headfirst into the story and kept you in it until the end.

I really enjoyed how this story included boys in a way that many stories about young witches don't. Robby was a really nice character who you rooted for. Similarly, you were pushing for all of the kids to come out of everything unscathed.. although, I felt like Abby could have used some more development- I felt like I didn't know much about her other than Robby's friend and being powerful and I really wanted to know more about her. I loved the way the author spoke of history and storytelling, including the accurate historical elements he included.

There seems to be a lot of potential for a sequel and I am interested to see where this group kids goes!

Josh Roberts give us a book that has interesting characters and its own world. As a former middle school teacher, I would have gladly shared this book with my students. I love the creativity and fantasy elements, so infused in a story that works well.