I first heard about this book when the author, Laurel Snyder, tweeted the book cover recently. I've followed her for a while and read several of her books. What a happy coincidence to find this on NetGalley, and then receive it as an ARC.

Summary

Zipporah Chava McConnell (Zippy) loves magic. More than that, she thinks of herself as a witch; it's how she became best friends with Bea. But now they're twelve and suddenly things don't seem like they make as much sense between her and Bea now. Zippy also has to start planning for her bat mitzvah; which frustrates her because she only attends synagogue on holidays, and doesn't even know if she wants to be a "real" Jew. When she and Bea start falling out, Zippy leans harder into her magic. She isn't exactly sure how, but somehow she conjures a girl with wings out of nowhere, a girl who doesn't have any memories. Zippy feels certain that she can use her magic to help the girl remember who she is. This book is her thoughts as she records them, what she calls "The Truth".

Creation

Try as I might, I don't see too much in this story that, on its own, points to God's good intent. Zippy struggles to fit in, doesn't have any real friends, and her parents don't spend much meaningful time with her. I'll dig into some of this more in the next sections.

Fall

Like I said above, a lot of the pieces of Zippy's life are in contrast to God's good intent for creation. She is Jewish, but only on high holidays. She lives with her parents, but they are so focused on other things she spends a lot of time alone. There is a certain kind of bittersweet pessimistic tone Snyder uses at the beginning of the book to introduce us to Zippy and set up the central conflict. Zippy is the narrator and she gives you great access to her thoughts; she is more honest with the readers than with anyone else, and her honesty makes you feel the sadness and worry she holds.
Zippy is a witch. But not in a Harry Potter pretend wand sort of way. She would tell you (and based on some of the things she describes) she is an actual witch. Everything she does as part of her magic has deep roots in the occult. She uses and researches spells and hexes, has a scrying bowl, and consults Tarot cards. Even if magic isn't "real", the things she does, from a believer's perspective, are dangerous. There are numerous warnings against practicing witchcraft in both the Old and New Testaments. Paul tells us that it is an obvious sign of someone practicing sin (Galatians 5:19). Believers in the early church who practiced witchcraft and then followed Jesus would burn their scrolls as a clear sign of their repentance (Acts 19:17-20). Let me be clear on two points:
I am condemning witchcraft in strong terms, but not condemning people. There is the possibility of repentance from any sin, witchcraft included.
I am not condemning this book. This is one element of many that points to the fall, and I will not throw out this whole book because of this one issue. But I would be remiss if I did not speak to the dangers of witchcraft.

Redemption & Restoration

While this book may not have had many ways to point to God's good intent in creation, it had much to say and show about redemption and restoration. In fact, Zippy's whole arc could be its own post on these themes, but I'll keep my focus on these points:
One of the very first things to happen in the narrative is Zippy and her best friend, Bea, growing apart. I spent a lot of my time reading this book just feeling sad about this; I thought of my own experience as a middle school girl growing apart from my friends. It didn't seem like Zippy and Bea would mend their relationship, but they did. It was organic and felt true the way fiction sometimes does. Zippy described Bea as "her person", her best friend; even though they spend a lot of the book apart, Bea is her truest friend. The way they return to each other at the end is so encouraging.
One with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24
Even though Zippy's family is not devoutly Jewish, she does prepare to celebrate her bat mitzvah. At first, this causes her to feel uncomfortable and angry; she knows this is not something to take lightly and she doesn't want to offend anyone whose beliefs are stronger than hers. But her rabbi, Rabbi Dan, encourages her to work through her questions as part of her preparations. He doesn't say it in these words, but if we know where and how to look, God's presence can be seen anywhere (Psalm 19:1). Rabbi Dan shows her a different way of being Jewish and having beliefs that she had never considered before. In the end, she says at her bat mitzvah she still doesn't believe in God exactly, but she does have the desire to learn more. Her growth in her Jewish beliefs, even if small, is a good model of how to grow in faith.
I really struggled with where to place Miriam. She was the character I mentioned in the summary, the girl with wings that Zippy mysteriously conjures into being who has no memories of who she is. Her relationship with Zippy is mysterious, and one of the things Snyder doesn't exactly explain (which, no spoiler, is kind of the point). I can say without giving too much away, she is connected to Zippy in a way that makes Zippy feel safe and curious, as well as bothered and uncomfortable. I can also say that a lot of the redemption Zippy experiences surrounding her Jewish heritage and beliefs centers on Miriam. What ultimately led me to include Miriam in this section is how her part of the story resolves itself. Again, without spoilers, Miriam leaves Zippy feeling almost more confused than ever, but it leads Zippy to the understanding that some stories don't have nice neat endings, and that the unknown is sometimes the point. This conversation is certainly on Zippy's mind when she gives her speech at her bat mitzvah (again, I won't spoil it, you'll have to read it for yourself). And that's how God works. In Jeremiah's prophecy, God promises that He can be found if we search with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13), and Jesus echoes this in His sermon on the mount (Matthew 7:7).

Family Ideas

I am not Jewish, but as a Christian, it was not hard to see similarities between the two religions. If you're a Christian, think about visiting a local synagogue for Shabbat services one week. Discuss with your family, or reflect on your own about what is similar about the two types of services, what you enjoyed, or what stood out to you.
Zippy and her family have their own unique ways of practicing their Jewish beliefs (dumpling sabbath, how they celebrate the high holidays apart from the services). Think of your own traditions and ways you live out your beliefs that are unique to your family.
One of the central conflicts of the book is the isolation Zippy feels, even from her parents. Incorporate time into your life to connect with people. Family members, good friends, a pastor, or a counselor could all be a person capable of encouraging you and connecting with you. If you need help, you're not alone.

Closing Remarks on The Witch of Woodland

At this point in my reviews, I usually offer a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for the book being reviewed. In this case, since witchcraft features so strongly in the plot, that doesn't feel quite right; there's something odd about praising God for witchcraft. Instead, I'm going to offer a prayer of repentance.
Dear God, forgive us for the ways we try to push You out of our lives, thinking we know better. It can be so easy in our society to find ways to not make time for you. Or, like Zippy, we can delay making a decision about what we believe. Help us to seek you, and to turn to Your word to make sense of things. Reveal Yourself to us, and continue to draw us to You. Amen.

I really enjyoed reading this, it was what I was expecting from the description. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and the world they were in. The plot was so well done and kept me invested in what was going on. Laurel Snyder has a great writing style and I'm so glad I was able to read this.

"Ahh!” called the girl as she grabbed at my fingers, clutched them, and the pulse grew stronger. Her eyes brightened, and two spots of pink appeared in her cheeks before she pulled her hands away, and I realized she wasn’t transparent anymore. I could no longer see the trees beyond her. She was solid now."