Being a Witch, and Other Things I Didn’t Ask For

I found that Being a Witch, and Other Things I Didn’t Ask For by Sara Pascoe was a very fun book to read! Raya is a teenage girl that is in foster care and does not realize that she is a witch.  She and her cat Oscar go on a series of adventures all while learning and adapting to her new found powers. Being a Witch is written with amazing characters and plot line. The setting for this book in unreal. Pascoe does an outstanding job in creating and writing about the settings so that you feel as if you are really there enjoying the fun Raya and Oscar. The story time travels back to the witch trials and teaches you a little about the history of the trials.  I found this book fast paced and very exciting to read.  You really do not want to miss out on this young adult read.

This book was amazing. At first I thought yep she has Schizophrenia like her mom and then BOOM WITCH. Loved this book so much! Can't wait to read more from this author.

I have this itching desire to read everything witch related that I can get my hands on, so upon reading the brief summary of Sara Pascoe's charming novel Being a Witch and Other Things I Didn't Ask For it's not surprising to hear that I had to read it. I had a bit of trouble getting into it at first (perhaps I am out of its targeted age range) and there were times I felt like it was all over the place, but for the most part it was a fun read.

The first thing I need to say is that you should give it a bit of time to get into its groove. Because once it gets there, it really gets things moving. Being a Witch and Other Things I Didn't Ask For has its flaws and will certainly not be for everyone, but it's such a solid read that I see it being one of those books. The sort of novel that gets preteens/teens reading for real. I felt out of touch with the way it was written/portrayed sometimes but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.


Raya is an ordinary teenage girl (or so she thinks) who has lived in foster care and has a backstory that is rich and full of life but she is a teenager. I don't think a lot of adults (or readers in their late teens) will really connect with her or understand how she became who she was at the start of the novel. That's a problem--she is very... she's just not a character I see some of the audience really appreciating. But, I did. I think younger readers will, too.

I thought the pace was a bit too quick and underwhelming in terms of descriptions and plots but this keeps things moving and will surely captivate its target audience. Where I long for more to the story instead of just being told things, this is a good way to grab onto others. Fantasy is hard to write for but the way that Pascoe tangles the real world with these magical elements is fun and smart. It's not difficult to get into (once the story gets into the thick of it) and it just genuinely gives off this vibe that is full of life.

Whilst this was far from my favourite YA read this year, it was still entertaining! I won't be picking it up again for a reread anytime soon but I definitely appreciate it for what it was. Kids--specifically those who are aged 11-16, will enjoy the ride that ensues and love the character of Raya as if she were a friend.

Raya is a foster kid whose life hasn't been easy with dead grandparents and a schizophrenic mother, so when she starts seeing things she figures she has schizophrenia like her mother and doesn't know what to do, but in reality she's just a witch. One things leads to another with Raya ending up traveling back in time, first to England in 1645 then from there to Istanbul in the same time period. I didn't really enjoy the writing, it was a little juvenile even considering the main character is a 15 year old. Also the plot line was really up and down for me, like it would pick up and I would get into it but then I would just go what the heck and it would jar me out of it or I would get bored.  I do think how ever that someone younger might enjoy this book much more than I did because I doubt it was written for bitter 21 year olds so there's that. I probably would have enjoyed this much more if I was still in like middle school.

14-year-old Rachael's inability to control her newly found witch talents lead her and her friends into dangerous territory in this historically based, time-travelling adventure. An interesting read with an endearingly flawed protagonist.

“Be careful what you wish for..” A line from book exactly goes for the book.
This story is about a girl who never had proper relationship with anyone in life, who will learn to value people in her life and respect their love for her during her time travel. 
Characters- I loved Oscar in this book. He was fun and wise cat. I really wish I have a talking cat. 
Raya- (protagonist) I didn’t get her initially, she was so irresponsible and selfish, not ready to accept her witchy things and all. As she does her first time travel, I was interested to know her more. Her character develops very smoothly and steadily as the book progress. 
Bryony- she was nice, her character was important in this book, but I think the whole focus was on Raya, maybe that’s why she gets less attention. When you picture a tutor in mind you want them little strict, smart, and influential but here she was exactly opposite. Well, I don’t want judge anything. 
All secondary characters were nice too.
Few thing I liked about book were- the historical period and lifestyle of people linked with the main theme of the book. Social issues- racism and xenophobia pointed out remarkably during the time travel.  I felt the time travel that solely depended on the Raya’s wish was believable, I enjoyed that part the most. Raya’s past and her thoughts about life was well explained. Well thought out moral behind the story.
The only thing I didn’t like was- Pace of the book, it had on and off effect on me. I feel, there was little more seriousness than the fun it required. Otherwise everything was fine. Something different than regular witch books.
This is a kind of a book that all parents wish their teens to read. Both adults and YAs will enjoy reading this story.

Witches. Time travelling. Telepathy. A heroine. AND A CAT! Basically most of the concepts I want to find in a YA Fantasy book. I was really excited when I read the plot of this book. The title is interesting and the book cover as well.

But upon reading the first 30-40 pages, I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it at all because I find it hard to relate to Rachel. However, when I discovered her family's background and history - especially about her grandfather - I really understood why she's being like that, why she wanted to run away from her foster parent and leave everything behind. Somehow, I can relate to her.

This book is an incredible adventure to the past. I find it interesting that the author chose the timeline when the Essex Witch Trial happened. I can say that the author's writing style is effective because those chapters are totally creepy and frightening. 

But I had the opposite feeling about the Istanbul setting. Maybe because I'm not familiar with the place and its history. Those chapters are really confusing to me. 

However, what I like most about this book is the way it shows what it's like to be a teenager. Personally, even though I'm not an integrator like Rachel, I sometimes have those moments when I'm with someone older than me and it's so awkward that I want to get away from him/her as soon as possible. 

Like Rachel, I sometimes tell myself too, that adults should always take the responsibilities for us youngsters. There were also times when I didn't think of a decision carefully and I ended up hurting other people.

This book has a simple story but deeper message behind it. I would recommend it to young readers, especially to teenagers. You will learn a lot plus you'll get to travel to the past along with a CAT! 

Overall, my rating for this book is 4/5 stars!

This book was a pleasure to read.
I loved Raya, and her character development throughout the book was excellent. 
A well structured story, that surprised me, as going into it I was unsure of what to expect, but I really really enjoyed this.
I just hope that maybe there will be more books telling of Raya and her adventures.

This was a fun read.  It's not just about being a witch, but being a teenager wanting independence but also desperately wanting to be 'normal'.  Insecurities are rife which aren't helped much by Raya's circumstances of being in foster care after watching her mum suffer from schizophrenia.  A bit slow to start when the adventure starts there's plenty going on to keep you hooked.  I think this book is more suitable for younger teens.

This was a pretty good book but it did suffer from some pacing and world building problems. I felt like the beginning part in modern day London dragged on a little bit too long, but their time spent in England in the past was pretty good. after that they go to Istanbul in the same time period and it felt like thing kind of stagnated there for awhile before picking up at the very end and rushing through the ending a little bit. Also, for other people who are going to be reading this and worrying about the cat the entire time, don't worry, he comes out of everything just fine! The world building was a bit confusing because it seems like magic and witches are something that people know about and accept as being real but it's never actually discussed and some things don't fit - for example shouldn't Rachael know that cats can talk to witches if it's such a common thing? It also did that thing where people change something big in the past and get home and everything is exactly the same, which is a huge pet peeve of mine.

However it was a very interesting concept. I loved Oscar the cat and I liked that Rachael learned about a different culture from her own and became a more tolerant and understanding person by the end of the story. I think an actual teen or pre-teen would enjoy this a bit more than I did because it's definitely written for that age group. It translates okay to an adult readership but I did finds parts be a bit juvenile.

First off, I love the title of this book. It's hilarious & kind of gives you an idea of the protagonist's voice right from the start. The book itself was cute, but definitely has some pacing problems. We delve right into Raya's world, one where she hears voices, her mother is a schizophrenic, she's stuck in foster care, etc. In reality, she's a witch. From a readership standpoint, it isn't exactly easy to figure out when she knows this, and when she doesn't. There is no world-building, and it's all a bit of a whirlwind. Some parts move faster than others. 

You can read the plot from other reviews (time travel, talking cats, etc.), so let's talk about the audience and voice. 

Raya's voice is quirky & juvenile. As a twenty-something adult, I didn't really connect with her on any level, but could imagine someone who was still in their rebel phase in middle school might. She's mouthy, irresponsible, but the novel follows her as she matures (a little) into her potential. She's definitely full of personality & life, I just didn't appreciate her in her full glory. (But I totally own up to that.) So voice, great. Audience, definitely younger. 

Overall, super hard to finish. I think there's definitely a lot of potential in here, but the ride to get there could've gone smoother.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sara Pascoe and the Independent Book Publishers Association for allowing me to read and review this book.  I enjoyed following Raya’s journey of self-discovery.

This is a wonderful story about a young girl, who has had a difficult life and is struggling to come to terms with her past.  Raya finds it difficult to let anyone get close to her and vice-versa.  She is in foster care but wants to run away and be free to make her own choices.  In her quest to find herself and establish her independence, Raya quickly discovers that she is an integrator (witch), which is a relief to her as it explains some of the weird things happening to her. 

She is quickly immersed in a new world of adventures, which relies on her mastering her new skills to save herself and her companions.

Characters

Oscar, her talking cat companion, is a fun yet wise character.  Who wouldn’t want a talking cat?
Raya is a troubled teen, who is initially irresponsible and selfish, but later realises the value of her friends and lets them into her life.

Bryony is her tutor and attempts to help Raya practise her new time travel skills.  She even tries to save her when things go awry.

I liked most of the secondary characters as well.

Conclusion

I enjoyed the contemporary setting of the story as well as the historical period featured during the time travel.
I thought that the time travel, which wholly depended on Raya’s wishing to be elsewhere, was believable and added significantly to the storyline.
Raya’s past and her perceptions of her life were explained in an authentic and easy to understand way.  I think that it helps the reader understand her character better and allows them to relate more easily to her.
There was a well thought out moral underpinning the story.

I think that teens aged 13–15 would especially enjoy this story.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read giving a troubled teen a voice and letting her find and embrace acceptance and love.

Being a Witch, and Other Things I Didn't Ask For is a riviting book full of suspense. With unexpected moves at every turn, this book is a real page turner.

I was ready to think this was a copy of Harry Potter because I love JK Rowlings stories so much. Its not! Being A Witch, and Other Things I Didn't Ask For is good story on its own and Sara Pascoe has done a fabulous job!! With wonderfully written characters and a new take on a young girl finding out about her powers, it is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. I will be recommending this to anyone I know who is a reader and has any interest in the genre, as well as definitely recommending it to all my Mom friends to have their kids read it. I give it a strong 4.5 stars

Rachel, AKA Raya, is a teenage girl in foster care in London. She lives with Angie and Jake, another child in foster care. She’s almost 17. She wants to run away and live on her own. She goes to a hostel that someone recommended but it isn’t what she expected. She meets Pavel, who brings her to his friends, Ian and Emma, who own a cafe and have a spare room for her to stay in. She works for them for about a week but eventually her social worker finds her. Her foster brother has also run away, and he took Oscar, their social worker’s magical, talking cat, with him. Raya feels terribly guilty for influencing Jake to run away. They find him in a coma in the hospital. He ran in front of a truck to save the cat. Oscar was still in the hospital, so Raya and the social worker, Bryony, go to get him back. But when they reunite with Oscar the cat, Raya suddenly transports them back in time. Raya and Oscar arrive in England in 1645, just in time for the Essex Witch Trials. This isn’t the best time to be a teenage witch who travelled from the future, with a talking cat. Raya has just discovered she has powers, so she isn’t strong enough to bring them back to the future. Bryony comes back and finds them, but that isn’t the end of their adventure. When Raya attempts to send them back to the future, they only travel to Turkey, during the same period. Now Raya is faced with the challenge of learning how to use her powers to return them to modern England and how to survive in 17th century Turkey.

I enjoyed this book. At the beginning I was a little confused about how witches are perceived in the London of the book. Of course, since it’s called Being a Witch, I knew that the main character was going to be a witch. But she called her social worker a witch like it was an ordinary thing to say to someone. And her social worker agreed with her. Plus, she could hear a cat speak. No one addressed if this was a normal part of their life. There was also a part of the police department dedicated to “integrators,” which is the term used by Pavel for people with magic powers.

I enjoyed the story once she got to Turkey. The last half of the story was quite exciting, with her travelling around Istanbul, Turkey and learning how to use her new powers. I liked the historical aspects of the novel too. They were accurate depictions and added some truth to this fictional story.

Being A Witch And Other Things I Didn't Ask For by Sara Pascoe    

Title: Being A Witch And Other Things I Didn't Ask For
Author: Sara Pascoe
First Published: 2017
Publisher: Trindle's and Green Ltd
Pages: 380
Price on Amazon: Paperback: £11.99 Kindle: £2.29
ISBN: 0993574734
Hearing the cat talk to you inside your head can only mean one thing right?
Raya is a fourteen-year-old girl living in foster care who decides to run away and live on her own, she takes off to London after a shaky start and her fake ID in hand she finds herself a job in a cafe and a place to stay in the bedroom above the cafe. Raya discovers she's a witch which is a relief after thinking she is going mad and has developed schizophrenia like her mother. This book follows Raya and her cat Oscar on their adventures through time. With Raya still learning to control her powers she accidentally transports herself and Oscar back in time to the witch trials. Can Raya escape before she is tried for being a witch and put to hang? Raya also finds herself transporting herself, Oscar and her social worker to Istanbul where she finds herself in trouble yet again, This time Raya changes history and not in a good way. Can Raya get herself and her friends back home to their time before its too late?
This is a young adult book I would say aimed at 12-16-year-olds. As I am almost 27 I am out of its intended age range. I did enjoy the book, it had well thought out characters and plots. I found it to be a little too fast paced though, everything seemed to happen very quickly without much build up. Still, a very enjoyable light read for anyone looking for a quick and lighthearted read. Although I won't be in a hurry to pick this book up and read I again, i am glad I read it as like I said i did enjoy it and it took me just a day to read, I would recommend this book to those in its intended age range.
I have chosen to give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
Reviews for this book can be found on:
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This was so much fun - all the time traveling and crazy things that happened. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a lighthearted read that takes you all over the world!

I give this story 3.5/5 black cats.

I have to admit, I like stories about witches. In fact, my favorite TV show is Charmed. I remember hurrying home from school so I could watch it every Monday night. I just love those Halliwell sisters. 'Til this day, I still watch it on the web if I have a chance, because unfortunately, I did not get to finish the whole show. So, it's not a surprise that I chose to read this book.

Do you remember bumbling your way through something new? Like a new hobby, or a new craze or your first time to wear high heels? Channel that experience and picture it. That is exactly how the main character--Rachel or Raya, felt in this story. She has to clumsily learn and work through her new abilities as a witch. Sometimes, she had to learn the hard way. This is a coming-of-age story of Raya as a witch.

The story started slow. It started to get really interesting when the powers of Raya manifested. What sets it apart from the other witch stories is that the story takes you to some places and times in history. It was for me a learning experience about another culture. Being transported to an exotic place set in an earlier era is always exciting for me.

When Raya's powers started to fully unfold, the story also started to peak. I think the highlight of the story is when Raya embraced her gifts. When she accepted who she is, it's when the story flew it's heights. I especially liked that part. I also liked Oscar's witty comments and replies to conversations. Oscar added more life and character to the story.

I give this story 3.5/5 black cats. I enjoyed the story and I am looking forward to the next location of Raya, Oscar and Bryony's adventures. I am looking forward to meeting new and exciting characters just like in this story.


Why does it seem like my life is always interrupted for other people and their problems?

- Sara Pascoe, Being a Witch and Other Things I Didn't Ask For -


Thanks again Netgalley for the copy.

The plot is really interesting and I had such high hopes that it will deliver a captivating story. But as exciting as the blurb sounds, I was left a little disappointed. I had trouble connecting to Raya. I get that she’s a young teen with a lot of issues but it’s hard to sympathize with her when she keeps blaming other people. She learned her lessons and had a good character development, though, so I guess that’s fine in the end. The world building of the story is also confusing and the ending seemed rushed that it left some loose ends.

It started really slow and only picks up once the time travel happened. Which is definitely one of the things to look forward in this book. Especially the one on the Essex Witch Trial period, as well as the bits in Istanbul. It is really fascinating with its historical and cultural components. The excitement on both events certainly made up for the slow start. I like Oscar the cat, too. He is amusing and sarcastic and made the adventure more fun. I’d say overall, it is an okay read despite some issues I have with it. If I’m a young teen, though, I’d probably connect to Raya and enjoy her story more.

Rachel, or Raya, is a teenage girl who has been bounced around the foster system and for whom her life so far has not been easy. She seems feisty, bitchy and a rebel at the start of the book, but also just a typical teen with a Goth streak (hair and makeup) in her case. 

She really wants to leave the foster home she's at. She has a hard time making friends and relating to people, but she does have a good friend called Jake who is also at the foster home, and who stays there when she leaves. She wants to be independent and live her own life. 

She seems very determined in her quest for that, and ends up meeting some interesting characters. I wasn't sure about Bryony at first. Bryony is Raya's social worker and becomes more like her tutor as the story goes on. I liked Emma and wasn't sure about Ian. I liked what I saw of Jake's character and how Raya was able to contact him even after having left the foster home where they lived together.

Raya has the power to associate people and experiences with colors and sounds. She worries she may be going crazy or that she has scizophrenia like her mother. In fact, she's a witch.

She and a talking cat called Oscar time travel to various places, including 1645 Instambul, and Oscar is a real character. I liked him. 

The plot had good parts and sad parts too. It was a little slow in places, and some of the language was very young sounding and not really what I could imagine a 15 year old saying. Overall, quite a fast-moving plot but I would have liked to have the other characters (Bryony, Pavel Jake and Emma) fleshed out more. 

Thank you to Sara Pascoe and her publisher for my ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
3.5 stars.
I can see this appealing to 12-15 year olds. The title and cover are very fun!