The names won me at first. I was in love with the name "Persephone". Her character...on the other hand...ugh. I know that she is an orphan and not aware of the craft. But, for her to not know even the basics is unheard of and slightly annoyed me. I had to put it down and pick it back up again.

I apologize but I was not able to finish this book. I was in a different headspace at the time of requesting / recieving this book and the time I got it.

Great book, love this author and how they can keep my attention to the end! The plot is well developed, characters are believable and they obviously paid attention to detail to make the story worth your time to read.

A big thank you to the author Paige Crutcher the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

The premise of this book is intriguing. A young lady has been invited to a mysterious island by an online friend. She is relieved because every person she ever gets close to.....looks into her eyes and then goes crazy. The island is available only to witches and the ladies that she meets let her know that she is their cousin. And she is the key to saving the island of witches.

The story then starts to ramble around and gets confusing. There are multiple other worlds and witches are trapped and cousins are the enemy....or not?

I had some trouble following the story and it ended up resolving itself. While it had some interesting parts, but I am not sure that I would recommend it.

The Orphan Witch has everything I wanted in a novel. It has mystery, magic, and romance! The story is very well-written and magical! The characters are very interesting and complex. The mystery was very delightful! Therefore, I recommend this for fans of Luanne G. Smith, Paula Brackston, and Deborah Harkness!

A super interesting story about finding family and secret worlds hiding in plain sight. If you like witchy books I would absolutely give this one a try.

A magical story about a witch who goes on a journey and must break a curse. Nothing too groundbreaking, but fun and perfect for the Fall season.

The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher snagged my attention by the cover and synopsis. I love all of the witchy vibes, and I was looking forward to reading this. It started interesting, but I quickly lost interest in most of the characters. The changes in POV through me off a little bit, and I wanted more focused time on Persephone. I want to explore the island's mysteries with Persephone more because there are a few times that I felt like we were told the history rather than shown. There were glimpses that I loved, and I would have enjoyed more time unfolding the secrets from one perspective.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the ARC.

Persephone May has no one, and strange things always happen to the people nearby. With no family, no friends, and boyfriend, Persephone is excited to be invited to Wile Island by someone she once knew.

Here, she not only discovers family but also learns she’s a witch, a witch who may have the power to break a terrible curse.

As she learns to control her magic, she enters strange worlds and dimensions, meeting a man in a magical library who can’t leave. Of course, romance deepens between them during her visits.

In the meantime, an evil is emerging as a feud deepens between family members on the island. Can Persephone save everyone and break the curse before it’s too late?

Overall, The Orphan Witch is a cozy and entertaining magical story perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman or The Secret Circle. While imperfect (some parts drag slightly in the middle), this story about sisterhood is an enjoyable, witchy read. Plus, the last third of the book is fantastic.

I’m not sure why I didn’t connect with this book more, I usually love fantasy stories involving witches. This follows Persephone's journey as she finds her powers and searches for her family.

This is a story about finding family.

I don’t think this was a bad book by any means, but I struggled to connect and it felt more like literary fiction with magical elements vs fantasy. That being said the writing was lovely! I think this might be a good fit for readers who typically read contemporary and are looking to branch out.

Thank you so much Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for the eArc!

Great story!!

Description
"Mystical, magical, and wildly original...If Alice Hoffman and Sara Addison Allen had a witchy love child, she would be Paige Crutcher. Do not miss this beautifully realized debut!"--- JT Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of Her Dark Lies on The Orphan Witch.

A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost...and found.

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around—changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight—and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.

After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.

Answers. Family. Home.

And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.

Persephone May destroyed me. I loved her, hoped for her, rooted for her, and wept for her. There was no intention of loving The Orphan Witch. Or feeling such a kinship with a character who shares the same foster background as me. But I found myself in the lovely world, with this girl who only wants to belong to a family, to be accepted and embraced no matter what, to be loved unconditionally by SOMEONE. But life and curses and magic seemingly get in the way. And we must see it all to the end with Persephone May.

A lovely, magical, and poignant read in the veil of Alice Hoffman that will rip your heart-strings out to weave them into something so complicated yet universally human.

We all want family, Persephone is no different. And yet her appearance , her aura , the things that happen when she is near keep her alone and isolated. An invitation to a place that offers no objection, and promises she will be left alone opens a world she could only imagine.

This was not at all what I expected and I ended up loving it. The characters were great and the story was engaging. So much so, that I finished it in a day. Will definitely recommend.

Delightful, well-written, full of details, and a wonderful story full of love, loss, yearning, and magic. From the moment I began reading this book until the final page, I was captivated by the story. The fictional emotions Crutcher is able to create for characters are easily transferred into emotional reactions by readers that won't want to put this work down. I bought a copy for myself and several friends!
Fans of the witchy topic, nonfiction, or fiction will find something to draw them into Persephone's story that has been so elegantly and eloquently crafted by Paige Crutcher.

I tried to read this one in multiple formats but it just didn't grip me the way I wanted to, so I just was unable to finish it. I liked the concept, but the main character seemed immature at times to me when she's supposed to be an adult, I think?

Clever, heartfelt, and bursting with mythical wonder. An excellent selection for readers who are still waiting on their Hogwarts letter in the post. Big thanks to NetGalley and this publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this lovely book.

4 stars

Persephone is looking for a home her whole life. She has also been plagued by horrible accidents that happen when she meets another person's eyes. After the latest incident, Persephone takes a chance on a brief meeting with Hyacinth Ever and takes the invitation to visit her home on the Isle of Wile. Once there Persephone discovers the family she never had, impossible magic powers and a curse that will destroy it all if it is not stopped.

I liked this book. It was a bit of a dreamy read for me with a huge helping of Practical Magic mixed with Charmed and sprinkled with The Good Witch. (Yes I have watched way to much witchy tv). I liked the story. The dreamy feel I got was in the writing and the sort of knowing that was shared throughout the book without actually telling the reader. This drove me a tiny bit nuts but I actually want to know instead of guess.

The plot was interesting but it was not fast. Despite the urgency of the coming curse everything moves along at an exploratory pace. Which was fine but made it easy for me to pick up and put down the book. I think I wanted a bit more urgency or drama or something.

My favorite parts were the library and Dorian. The ending was good but a bit abrupt for me. I wanted just a tiny bit more.

This is a coming of age story and finding where you belong with magic. I can’t believe this was a debut. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eGalley. All opinions are my own.