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.

Verity Vox is an apprentice witch. Travelling to a new town every year she sings her spells helping however she can along with her familiar, a most-of-the-time cat, Jack. When she’s summoned to a town cursed by a peculiar man with magic deals that always go wrong, she knows she will truly be tested. But the hills have eyes (and other things) and there’s something powerful under the mountain. Can Verity solve all the mysteries of Foxfire and save her friends before her time is done?

Oh, my heart. As a West Virginia girl who grew up with magic in her soul, a song ringing through the trees, and creek mud… well, everywhere, this one is a special delight.

Foxfire is a forgotten town with woes of all sorts, the fantastically magical deals and the mundane trials that aren’t so singular in a state full of forgotten towns. Verity is here to help, but it’s hard to help people who were abused and abandoned by the people promising the good life. For the first time she experiences the feeling of being unwanted and it’s in a place that needs the most help. Trust is the rarest commodity. Her journey is hard but worth it.

This cozy story is packed with magic, yes, we have flying brooms and singing spells, cryptids and folklore galore, but it also dives deep into the magic of the heart. Through understanding and connection, we see the power of people working together and the deep pull of home and family that no curse can twist or break.

Y'all! This is oh so fun. If you're looking for a middle grade adventure packed with heart, folklore, and 'there's magic in them there hills' vibes then look no further.

Verity and Jack are sublime, they can visit my house and help out anytime!

I love Foxfire and the history that's rooted in a real story of a forgotten town. The people are so real, I felt right at home with the side eyes and begrudging acceptance and never fail hospitality to boot! I loved watching the characters embrace who they are and what they can do together. Nothing beats the magic of love and understanding.

Figuring out the local cryptids was a special bonus while reading. And the songs, obviously! I can't wait for the audiobook!

This book is an absolute gem! It has me craving crisp fall days and the mountains. Don Martin's writing is melodic. The characters they have crafted will stay with me for a long time. I love Verity's spirit and this "new" type of witch. I would love to be friends with her. I can't wait to recommend this to students!

Perfect for fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service, Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire will sweep you off your feet.

What a truly heartwarming and whimsical story of a young witch trying to find her place in the world.

This book somehow made me cry and laugh all within a span of a sentence. Filled with hope, love and a bit of magic Verity, Jack and the town of Foxfire worded its way into my heart. I adored the sense of community in this story. While Foxfire has its little quirks the imagery and people of this cursed little mountain town were truly enchanting. I loved how the mountains were described and how silly and real characters like Mrs. Miller and Theny Hazlett felt.

Verity was also a very enchanting main character. Full of wit and gumption I had no doubt in my mind Verity was going to find a solution to any problem thrown her way. I appreciated the queer romance in this as well. Tacita and Verity were adorable together and I wish I could read more about their adventures.

Lastly, I loved some of the darker twists this story had. I really enjoyed the way our villain King Earl was described and how gruesome some of his deals were. I also enjoyed how the writing conveyed the heaviness, grief and sorrow the town of Foxfire had been through yet, the humor and whimsical tones throughout the story really conveyed how much hope this little cursed town had and it made me love it so much more.

Overall, this was a truly enjoyable and cozy little story. I highly recommend to all my Kiki’s Delivery Service fans (especially if Gigi was one of your favorite cheaters - Jack Be Nimble is truly the best animal companion in this story) and those who are looking for a little magic in their lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire is a cosy folkloric fantasy about a young witch learning to trust her magic and find her place in a strange, sorrow-filled mountain town.

The tone reminded me a little of Kiki’s Delivery Service, with a touch of something darker lurking underneath. Foxfire feels like a real place, full of charm and grief and stubborn hope. I loved the way the story balanced its whimsical magic with heavier themes of loss, fear, and community resilience.

Verity is such a loveable narrator as well! Brave, kind, a little unsure of herself but always determined. Her bond with Jack made me smile throughout, and the quiet sapphic romance added a lovely softness without taking over the plot.

Perfect for fans of magical realism, cosy fantasy, and stories where power looks a lot like kindness.

In Appalachia there is magic in community, hospitality, gossip, and the deals we make with the darkness.
But some people have more magic than the simple spells we murmur over our biscuits and gravy, and those people are witches.
Verity Vox is a witch in training and finds herself drawn to the forgotten town of Foxfire by another forgotten wish on a leaf.
Crops dont grow, milk goes sour, and nobody can leave. Accompanied by her familiar, Jack, and her new friends Verity goes up against the cunning contractor that has bound the people of Foxfire and faces the limits of her seemingly endless power.
A cunning story about small town community, growing up, and the magic we all have inside us. Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire comes out August 4th, a must read for anyone who is a fan of Kikis Delivery Service, Appalachian folklore, and coming of age stories.

"What is magic after all but having the gall to believe you could tell the world around you how it ought to be then watching as it did as it was told?"

This cozy little book is wonderful in all the right ways! We’re introduced to Verity, a young witch in training, who finds herself in the town of Foxfire. Set in the heart of Appalachia, Verity has to work towards helping out a town that already has a wary view of magic. This book reminds me a lot of Kiki’s Delivery Service, and I think that’s a big part of why I enjoyed this book. The story and the words are beautifully put together, and this is a book I can see a lot of people enjoying.

A cozy and curious tale about a witch in training takes the reader to a small forgotten town of Foxfire. Verity must aid the town within the trickster that has preyed on the townsfolk and kept them sequestered from the rest of the world. Along the way, Verity and her familiar, Jack, help the town with their troubles, make new friends, search for a missing girl, and uncover a way to end the curse that is plaguing the coal mining town of Foxfire.

The writing of this story was reminiscent of Lemony Snicket narrating stories from my childhood. I felt immersed into the life of Verity Vox and the troubles in Foxfire through unique and whimsical storytelling. I could envision a series of Verity’s adventures that I would repeatedly want to dive into. This is a timeless tale that I look forward to sharing with my kids as they get older! I absolutely adored this book and am so thankful to have received an ARC.

A charming sapphic witchy story perfect for autumn and fans of Kiki's Delivery Service, filled with a cursed town, a witch in training, and a girl who has lost her heart! Verity Vox is a witch in training who has never met a problem she couldn't solve, yet when she gets her next destination to where she is meant to train, asking her to come to the town that is cursed and help them break it she finds herself in over her head. Verity soon finds herself in a cursed town in the Appalachian mountain where the residents are all cursed by a traveling magician who calls himself the king of the mountain who makes deals with the townspeople... deals that will cost them everything. Verity's first task is getting the townsfolk to even accept her help and then she finds herself tracking down a missing girl.... a girl who made a deal that might be impossible to break. Magic, slow burn romance, adventure, and a very cozy autumnal small town read! I had an absolute delightful time reading this. It's the perfect autumn read for your tbr! It's got a studio ghibli-esque vibe to it and it's a charming atmospheric read. I loved the characters and the journey that they went on! I would absolutely recommend this!!

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Page Street Publishing | Page Street YA for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

What an enchanting adventure! Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire swept me away with its perfect blend of mystery, heart, and magic. Verity is a fierce and clever young witch, and watching her grapple with the limits of her power and the weight of responsibility was both inspiring and deeply moving. The town of Foxfire is eerie and beautiful, full of secrets and sorrow, and Tacita completely stole my heart. I loved the emotional depth layered into every spell and shadow, especially as Verity learns that true strength isn’t just about magic it’s about connection, courage, and care. A must read for anyone who believes in the quiet, powerful magic of doing the right thing even when it’s hard. #youngadultfantasy #yafantasybooks #fantasy #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations comes out Aug 5th.

Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire is one of those charming upper middle-grade stories that truly crosses over to all ages/adult appeal. I adored the main characters and the setting in Appalachia. The story hit the perfect mix of cozy and sweet with dark and a little eerie, which makes it the ideal read for autumn. Verity is such a delightful character as a young apprentice witch who is still learning her powers and trying to help the residents of a town cursed by a shady magic bargainer. Honestly, once I started reading this, I didn't want to put it down! Give this to upper middle-grade/lower YA readers who love magic, folklore, and emotional depth, and don't mind a bit of creepy horror mixed in. A gem of a book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for access to the ARC in exchange for a honest review!

A wonderful mixture of witchcraft and isolation of the Appalachians, the story Verity and her familiar Jack is adventurous, loving and a little scary. This book feels like an upper middle/lower YA fantasy and would be great for any age. Verity comes to know her own limitations, but never stops trying to find new ways solve the troubles facing the town of Foxfire.

Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for this DRC.
#VerityVoxandtheCurseofFoxfire #NetGalley

**My thanks to Page Street Publishing for providing me with an advanced review copy via NetGalley**

4.5 stars

Kiki’s Delivery Service meets Motheater

This is a nearly perfect novel that bridges middle grade and young adult fiction. Verity Vox is a young witch, tasked with moving yearly to communities that need her help and magical intervention; this year she is called to the cut-off Appalachian village of Foxfire, which has been laboring under a curse.

Verity is a strong, plucky, intelligent young heroine, but she also has a great deal of growing up to do in this novel. She is a naturally brilliant overachiever who has always been able to solve problems with her natural talents, up until Foxfire—where she is faced with challenges that force her to think outside the box and work at creating solutions that don’t come easily to her, as well as acknowledging her own limitations. This book would have been amazing for me as I was transitioning from middle to high school; as a bright kid, I had always found schoolwork easy and intuitive, until I faced my first real academic challenge in honors classes in high school and had to suddenly learn how to study. With Verity as a model, I think the transition would have been easier to face, and so I’d highly recommend this book to previously high-achieving students, athletes, or other competitors who find themselves really struggling in their area of expertise for the first time.

4.5/5 ⭐️
A heartwarming tale that captures the essence of Kiki’s Delivery Service, but queer, along with the tone and whimsy of Ella Enchanted or a Heather Fawcett middle grade.

This story was full of so much heart. Even when things were bad and most of the town pushed her way, Verity had so much heart and goodness to give that she never stopped trying. And through it, helped those who were stubbornly prejudiced and in the process found her found family, and her person.

It’s a tale of feeling lost, of feeling lonely, of feeling trapped, but rediscovering the hope to change it. It’s a tale I would 1000% give to others to read. Especially younger readers. It is cozy and full of whimsy and important life lessons to learn. It was a lovely book to read.

Thank you to NetGalley & Page Street YA for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

This new YA novel is full of witchy magical goodness and definitely didn't disappoint. I enjoyed it so much and wanted to just keep reading all the way through. Verity is off on her witch apprenticeship, traveling around and offering her services. I love the concept of this and how much character that kind of journey can build, let alone the magical powers! Foxfire is such a sad town, and they have been struggling for so long they've lost hope and don't trust anyone. Verity is so patient and is willing to put in the work to gain their trust. I didn't expect the book to be so sad, but it really was. But in a good way if that's possible. I love the found family throughout this book, the strong female characters, and the message to be you and find the people who love you as you are. Heartwarming, sweet, sad, uplifting, and magical. You won't want to miss this one.