This was an enjoyable read! I enjoyed the blend of time travel, magic, and a sprinkle of historical elements. It gave the story a fresh and unique feel that kept me curious. While the beginning was a little slow for me, the pace picked up around the middle, and from there I was drawn in.

I especially enjoyed the FMC; she was relatable and down-to-earth, and I found myself connecting with her thoughts and choices throughout the story. Her journey felt genuine, and it made me even more invested in how things would turn out. The relationships between the characters were another highlight. They felt well-developed and added a nice emotional depth to the plot.

And that twist at the end? Totally didn’t see it coming, but I loved it. It gave the story a satisfying edge and made me even more curious about what could happen next.

Konnte ich leider nicht lesen, da unser system die LCP dateien nicht verarbeitet, was schade ist, leider aber bei etwa 20% der titel der fall ist

Thank you Tiny Fox Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book and binged it in two days! I always take a while to get into a book, but once I did ‘Desolate’ was impossible to put down. The plot twist was very good and I hadn’t seen it coming at all!

Mia as a character was lovely. I think her story was very believable and I really enjoyed going on this adventure with her. I also loved the side characters. Especially Mia’s aunt was one of my favourite characters.

All in all a really great book. I would definitely recommend you pick this up.

* I''l like to thank to NetGalley and Tiny Fox Press for opportunity of reading reviewing the ARC*
(This is non spoiler review)

Desolate is a story of Mia a young lesbian witch with ADHD who was raised by her aunt in Salem. Mia (accidentally) happens to time travel to time when a mysterious murder and kidnappings happened in year 1992.
Mia then is faced with dilemma: let the girl, Cecillia, who was supposed to be murdered in 1992 die or save her and make ripple in the timeline that might change everything in her future....


I have to say this is a great book with enjoyable characters. I absolutely adored the relationships in this story. Every relationship is thought through and well written. My favorite part was how supportive Mia's aunt Tilly has been and Mia's dedication to her family and friends was certainly what make me love this book so much. Since after time travel Mia ends up in her family home we got to see a lot of heartwarming family moments between younger versions of its [family] members.
Cecillia and Mia's relationship was greatly written as well and I loved that there were hints of how the ending came to be but not enough for me to fully guess how this book will end.
We also get to see Mia develop her powers and character throughout the book despise her disability. I've found the Mia's ADHD portrayal so refreshing bc it does show it as something that (while hard to handle) doesn't have to hinder her in all fields, in fact there were few moments when she acknowledges that hyper focus could help her learn more about her magic.
In this novel I was found of the fact that the Salem witch trials being part of the Mia's family history and being important to plot overall as well.

For technical things i'd say I've found a typo or two in the arc but i don't think that a big issue.
Overall, I give this book 4 stars and I will for sure love to read a book 2 once it comes out!

It reads like an extended Charmed episode which I love Charmed, but a lot of the plot seemed to be done before.

I was disappointed in how the author told us the MC has ADHD rather than showed us that she does. It felt very after school special.

Desolate by Kelli Storm, published by Tiny Fox Press was a fun, quick read. It weaves together magic, time travel, and emotional depth in a story about Mia, a young witch learning to harness her powers while navigating complex relationships and high-stakes choices. The concept is imaginative and layered, touching on themes of identity, responsibility, and how even small actions can ripple through time.

While the story kept me engaged, I found the writing a bit uneven at times—some parts felt repetitive or slightly clunky. Mia, as a character, could be frustrating; she often made choices she knew were risky or unwise, a familiar trope that occasionally tested my patience. (Although this may be fitting for the YA crowd who will likely identify more closely with Mia.) That said, her journey was compelling, and I appreciated the emotional complexity behind her decisions.

The ending provides many reveals but also leaves several questions unanswered, clearly setting up a sequel. Despite a few bumps along the way, I’m curious to see what happens next for Mia and her family, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next book to find out.

I really enjoyed reading this book, I found the start a little frustrating and slow but as soon as Mia was home the plot really picked up the pace. There were some great unexpected twists, some beautifully tender moments!!

It didn't finish on a huge cliff-hanger but it did leave me wanting more!

I would defiantly recommend this book to my students.

Mia Fitzgerald is a teenage witch having a hard time grasping control over her magic. When a childhood friend goes missing, Mia tries to use her magic to find him, only to find herself twenty years into the past! Now Mia needs to find a way back to her original time. However, the past may reveal not only a clue to the events of her time but also unlock the secrets to gain control over her magic.

To be clear, I love teenage witch/wizard/magical person stories. This book does a good job working within that space through Mia and her character journey. There is a lot this book throws at the reader to keep track of, which may be intentional to give readers a perspective into Mia's ADHD. The writing style for this book and how it handles exposition, however, didn't work for me. The inciting event felt like it happened rather late in the story, and so the book doesn't really hit a decent stride until nearly halfway through. I don't know how I feel about a certain reveal in the story, but I'm leaning towards not a fan.

Did it achieve being the start of a series and establishing Mia's origin story? It does. Does it do it well enough to want to read the rest? Not for me, but I can see how others may continue to read the series to answer the questions posed in the last 10% of the book.

This book went in some dark and painful directions. But Kelli Storm brought it all together with her world building and twists. I really hope to read more about Mia's journey at the Academy. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you to Tiny Fox Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

4.5 stars

Desolate is a well crafted story about Mia, a young witch with ADHD, who unknowingly travelled back in time. We follow her as she grows to understand herself, her powers, and the mysteries of the world around her.

The world building, and the magic system were easy to follow whilst still being distinctive enough to be completely unique to anything I’ve read before. The author did an incredible job at weaving together the two timelines; enhancing the world, the characters, and the plot.

From the first page, this book kept me intrigued, wanting to discover more! My favourite part was the way the characters were written and developed; realistic, feeling very human. Especially Mia was a character I connected with, and the ADHD representation was done so well.

The relationships between Mia and her family, and how the different timelines allowed us to get a glimpse into the relationship between them was something else I really enjoyed; equally heartwarming, as heartbreaking. The relationship between Mia and her grandfather made me tear up on multiple occasions, and the moments with aunt Tilly were just as touching.

If you like witchy fantasy books, with incredible characters, a compelling story, great representation, and unpredictable plot twists; this is a book you’d like!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tiny Fox Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Desolate delivers some of the best ADHD representation I've seen in mainstream fiction. Mia's journey of self-understanding and learning to harness her intense emotions felt authentic and powerful. As a protagonist, she's wonderfully flawed - making believable teenage mistakes while actively learning from the consequences. Her growth throughout the story is both realistic and inspiring.

The family dynamics are absolutely the heart of this book. Mia's complicated relationships, especially with her phenomenally supportive family, had me crying multiple times. I literally had to put the book down to cry it out before continuing. The moments between Mia and Aunt Tilly were particularly touching, and I'm already desperate for more of their relationship in future installments.

While the magic system is straightforward, Storm's world-building adds the perfect amount of uniqueness to keep everything fresh. The overlapping worlds of Others and Commons create an ideal backdrop for this high-stakes mystery. Witches, werewolves, vampires, gnomes, mermaids, and fae all have their place, and I love how Storm hints at a much more intricate world to explore (I'm already impatient for book two).
I'm usually wary of time travel elements due to potential plot holes, but Storm weaves everything together masterfully. The story is clearly crafted with care, and I'm already looking forward to rereading to catch all the easter eggs she's planted.

If you're looking for a well-crafted mystery with supernatural elements, a teenage baby lesbian with ADHD, and some of the most simultaneously heartwarming and heart-wrenching family moments you'll find, Desolate delivers all of that and more.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Tiny Fox Press for the ARC*

Wow! I am not usually the biggest fan of YA books, but this one did not feel juvenile in the slightest. Desolate had some of the best ADHD representation that I have seen in a mainstream book. Mia grows to understand herself and finds ways to make her intense emotions work for her. I adored Mia as a character as she makes mistakes that are understandable for a teenager and actively learns from the consequences. She has gone through a lot and her family support is phenomenal. Her complicated relationships within her family were my favorite part of the book. Multiple times I was trying in vain to read through tears and had to cry it out before continuing. I am desperate to see more Mia and Aunt Tilly moments together in future installments.

While the magic system is fairly straightforward, the world building adds in the uniqueness that is needed for the story to still feel fresh. As this feels like the beginning of a series, I like that Storm hints at a much more intricate world that will continue to be explored (I am already impatient for the next installment). Witches, werewolves, vampires, gnomes, mermaids, fae, etc, are all mentioned or met in this story and the dynamics between the overlapping worlds of the Others and the Commons makes a perfect setting for this high-stakes mystery. I typically hesitate with time travel elements, as they can lead to all sorts of plot holes, but Storm did a wonderful job rolling everything together. I look forward to rereading Desolate and catching all of the easter eggs that she planted throughout the book.

If you are looking for a well thought out mystery with supernatural elements, a teenage baby lesbian with ADHD, and some of the best simultaneously feel-good and heart-wrenching family moments Desolate will give you all of that and more.

Thank you to Tiny Fox Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I really liked Mia as a main character and the depiction of her struggle with ADHD. I haven’t read a book with a neurodivergent main character before, so this was a first for me and a welcome look into ADHD representation. The characters are all very likeable—or in Cecilia’s case, quite hateable—which is important too, especially since I enjoy character-driven stories.

The story itself is compelling, and Mia’s actions and internal dialogue make her feel very human. She’s not a protagonist who knows it all or succeeds at every turn, and that’s refreshing to read. I was constantly cheering her on and felt her losses and heartbreak along the way.

The plot twist was amazing, I did not see it coming!

That said, I struggled with the writing style at times, particularly because some scenes end quite abruptly. For example: “Good.” Her aunt’s eyes were grave. “I’m sorry sweetheart. I—” She stopped speaking. Turning without finishing her sentence, she hurried back into her workshop [...] Mia went back upstairs and into her room." To me, that felt like a jarring shift in scene and not very fluid, since Tilly just leaves mid-thought without explanation. There are a few similar moments throughout the book where the pacing felt a bit uneven.

At times, the author’s descriptions also felt a bit too detailed—especially near the end, when everything comes together and Cecilia explains her plan. There’s a lot of information for the reader to take in, and I think the book could’ve benefitted from being slightly longer to give that reveal more room to breathe.

Overall, a nice read—3/5 stars!

Wow wow wow.
Mia is just your average everyday teen with ADHD and girl problems. Only she’s not. She’s a witch. With terrible luck.

This book was so entertaining to read, as a 90s baby myself I loved the flash to the past and attention to detail that entailed.

I didn’t start figuring out who the villain was till maybe a chapter or two before it was revealed which is always nice to be surprised! I also trust NO ONE 😂😂

Hoping there will eventually be a book two as I absolutely need to know how Mia does controlling her power, and let’s not forget her live interest. ❤️

All in all I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the next one!

I think I was hoping this book would be a bit more snarky based on the summary. I just did not connect with this one. I made it to 11% before I put this one down.

The writing style threw me off quite a bit. It might not be for me but that doesn’t mean you won’t love it.

Thank you for the eARC. I am leaving honest feedback voluntarily.

This was super fun overall. I enjoyed the books themes and the pacing was also good, not too fast but also not too slow. I also enjoyed how diverse the characters are in this book too. Overall I would recommend this book to others