The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Lexi has lived in the quite little town of Near all her life. And even though she doesn’t quite fit in, she likes it there. It’s the only home she has ever known, and that’s where all her friends and family are. But everything changes when a stranger appears and the children of Near start disappearing from their beds. Everyone is convinced that the stranger is at fault—everyone except for Lexi. She knows that someone—or something—else is at work, and with the help of the stranger, she’s doing her best to find out.  But her search leads her in surprising directions, to what she thought were just bedtime stories for children. Could it be that the Near Witch is not just a story? And how can she defeat this elemental magic and save the ones she loves from harm?

The Near Witch is a beautifully written and impressive debut. Readers will be immediately swept away into the complexities of Lexi’s world. There is something so quaint and enchanting about the town of Near; Schwab wonderfully captures its not quite modern way of life while weaving in additional magical elements. However, Near is like any other small town in its mentalities where not conforming is discouraged and the unknown is feared, and this makes the setting a little more chilling. It’s hard to say exactly what I loved about this novel. Everything came together so well, from the Lexi’s defiant and strong character to the supernatural danger to Schwab’s lyrical writing. The plot is just riveting with its combination of fairytales come to life and its gorgeous romance. The beauty of this story is in its little details and in the way Schwab was able to weave them all together; it is clear that every little part of this novel has been carefully thought out, and the whole of The Near Witch is definitely more than the sum of its magnificent parts.

The Near Witch is sure to be enjoyed by fans of Ice by Sarah Beth Durst and Falling Under by Gwen Hayes.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from publisher Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley