This was a good book, but somewhat uneven in tone. At times it read like a middle grade book, but then toward the end it had some mild body horror and elements that were certainly more mature and better for a teen audience. The story was somewhat interesting and the characters were believable. I guess my biggest criticism here is just that I *wanted* to love it and in the end I could only mildly like it. I think it had some elements of true potential that were somewhat squandered; I kept waiting for something more climatic or engaging to happen, or deeper explanations or understanding of Verity's magic to occur, and then those things kind of happened, but they fell flat. I feel like this is a book that people will be excited to read and then forget about a few weeks later. I just wanted more from it, overall. Still a decent read, and perhaps it just didn't connect with me and others will love it.

This is a charming book with cozy vibes. I found the characters to be well written and unique, and I especially adored Jack. I very much enjoyed the found family aspects of this book. I felt that the ending could’ve been better explained, as I was a little confused on Earl and the mountain lore. I thought that incorporating the lore was a great concept but I didn’t feel like I understood it as well as I would’ve liked.

This book brings me back to some of my favorites growing up - notably, Miss Switch comes to mind in terms of vibes. We love a quirky, capable witch. The characters of Foxfire are beautifully drawn, I felt like I knew each one of them. I'm really looking forward to recommending this book - there is a bit of a "gap" in options for this youngerYA/Upper MG age group and i think this is a great one.

Absolutely adorable, while also carrying elements of darkness and challenge. This is - as promised - a book for older children (as opposed to “young adults”), but I didn’t find it at all pandering or patronizing like so many books for this age range are. Martin’s background in poetry is on quiet display, creating analogies and pictures that dance through the mind. Verity is lovely and thoughtful, the other characters well-rounded and their motivations are deeply human. The only thing it was missing was a Dixie Chicks reference, and knowing Mr. Martin’s online persona, it amused me to imagine him wrestling with whether to sneak one in or not.