A Pinch of Magic (A Pinch of Magic Adventure)

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Clever, tense, beautifully written and extremely atmospheric, A Pinch of Magic is riveting, and simply fantastic. This is a very well-written book, particularly the way in which Michelle Harrison describes the feelings and emotions of the three sisters - there is a fantastic atmosphere to the book. I haven’t read a book like it. Themes- seeking adventure, feeling trapped, sister relationships, teenage siblings, making do, not being the pretty one, family shame, grandparent and granddaughter relationships. Sumptuously magical . . . prepare to fall under the spell of the story everyone will be wanting to read in 2019.

On Betty's thirteenth Birthday, Granny reveals the Widdershins are plagued by an ancient curse that has them trapped on the island's confines with death their only escape. Their only good fortune comes in the shape of three mismatched items, handed down to them from generations of their ancestors - a carpet bag, a mermaid looking glass, and a set of dolls - and all these items come complete with a little pinch of magic. This story touches on some uncomfortable ideas – how to behave when you feel you are not the special one, what it feels like to unexpectedly be the villain of a story, how to deal with embarrassing family members – and shows how the three different sisters navigate these challenges. It’s a lovely rehearsal for some of the classic teen worries. A Pinch of Magic is a story of sisters, a curse and maybe a pinch of magic. Widdershin sisters Fliss, Betty and Charlie are the latest in a long line of Widdershin women to be cursed to never leave their home island, or else they'll be dead by sundown. But Betty longs for adventure and a way to escape her boring life by breaking the curse. So when the girls are gifted with some family heirlooms in the shape of a mysterious travelling bag, a set of wooden dolls and an old mirror Betty decides to take matters into her own hands and seek out the knowledge of a prisoner who seems to know the answer to breaking the curse.Michelle Harrison's magical fantasy series has been enthralling middle grade readers since the first adventure, A Pinch of Magic was published in 2019. In a modern fairy tale of witches, sorcery and exciting escapades, the Widdershins sisters use their cunning and magic in a good v evil adventure. Stories guaranteed to keep them reading after lights out. I also really liked the world building. Set primarily on large island surrounded by three smaller ones (named Lament, Torment and Repent) it feels atmospheric and full of tension that lends itself well to the high stakes story. The world building is good, with plenty of descriptions to give colour to the island and help set the scene of a stormy and hostile environment. I also particularly liked the chapters dedicated to Sorcha's story and the clever way it was interwoven into the current storyline that made it feel more like a magical fairytale.

All Betty Widdershins wants is an adventure--one that takes her far away from Crowstone, the gloomy island where she's always lived. But instead of an adventure, Betty and her sisters, Fliss and Charlie, are given of a set of magical objects, each with its own powers: a scruffy carpet bag, a set of wooden nesting dolls, and a gilt-framed mirror. And these magical objects come with their own terrible secret: the sisters' family is haunted by a generations-long curse that prevents them from ever leaving their island--at the cost of death. I love Michelle Harrison - I hadn’t read much fantasy but this series hooked me! Brilliant writing, beautiful!’ Lisa Thompson A spellbinding middle grade fantasy about three sisters--adventurous Betty, curious Charlie, and proper Fliss--who go on a quest to break the curse that's haunted their family for generations.

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It was just truly magical. It might be called A Pinch of Magic, but magic infused every word of this wonderful book. There is also a story within the story, telling how the curse came to be. This adds another dimension and another fantastic set of characters to enjoy. The three sisters each have unique identities - they all behave and respond in different ways, and there is a strong cast of supporting players, whom readers will enjoy getting to know. Desperate for an adventure, Betty plans a secret outing to neighbouring Marshfoot on her 13th birthday, but is furious when Granny stops her. Granny then breaks the devasting news that all Widdershins’ girls are trapped by an ancient curse and if they ever leave Crowstone, they will die by the following sunrise. This is a captivating and exciting adventure, full of hope, which gets more and more enjoyable and interesting. The book left me on a high, and I’m hoping Michelle Harrison will write a second. Not at all predictable, the book is full of imagery and I love the way Michelle Harrison describes the feelings of Betty, Fliss and Charlie in great depth.

Take three sisters, add the cruelest of curses and a pinch of magic, and you'll have a tantalising tale you cannot put down' Tamsyn Murray, author of Completely Cassidy The three Widdershins sisters are unlike in looks and personality. The eldest, Fliss, is famed island-wide as much for her beauty as for her flirting, middle child Betty is the straight-taking one whose eyes are always resting on the horizon, and youngest Charlie is a bundle of energetic trouble, who can usually be found with a four-legged rescue hiding somewhere inside her overalls. All three reside with their granny on dreary Crowstone and all three are longing for adventure. This last fact is where lies their problem. Michelle's path to becoming a writer was inspired by stories told by her sisters as she was growing up, one of which was so vivid it prompted her to dig in the garden looking for evidence of a dead fairy. (She didn't find anything.) Since becoming a published author she still does strange things like asking people to shut her in the boots of their cars – all in the name of research, of course – like Alice. A Pinch of Magic is an easy read, with plenty of interest for a range of ages in the MG genre. How Betty’s adventure would pan out developed into plenty of suspense, although from a long way out (well, about 42% through) I had three-quarters of the solution.On the isle of Crowstone, set upon eerie marshes with a prison as its closest neighbour, the Widdershins sisters: Betty, Fliss and Charlie, set out to break a deadly curse which has haunted their family for generations. The adult characters were reminiscent of old seadogs, although they were mainly old warders and old lags. Everyone seemed to have a criminal past, but then the whole adventure hinged on releasing a prisoner who promised them the secret of breaking the curse. well told, but not gripping Books about journeys are my favourite sort of book - but A Pinch of Magic is different, in that the sisters want to leave the islands for an adventure of their own, but they are trapped by a curse.

If you hadn't been an author what would have been your dream job? Either a career as an illustrator, or perhaps something working with animals. It’s not the best sign: I sat down to write a review and I couldn’t remember how the story started. Betty is the middle daughter of three, with dad in prison and mum dead. Their overworked and dispirited granny (when she’s not been imbibing her spirits) looks after them in her dilapidated bar. Betty’s disgruntlement gets worse as her older sister, who used to be such fun, is now a sour sixteen year-old. As Betty reaches her birthday, she discovers the reason why. The curse is upon her and her sisters. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - You can probably tell I wasn’t gripped by this adventure. Yet it was well told, with occasional detours to tell the story behind the creation of the curse. Thinking about it, my problem may be that I didn’t see much difference between Sorsha (the curser) and Betty (our heroine) voice-wise, so I mixed them up between reads. Realising that I was finding it all too easy to put down and forget about, I determined to read to the end in one go.

Will there be more adventures for the Widdershins sisters? (We hope so!) I hope so, too! I’ve given my publisher two ideas for my next book. One’s a Widdershins, the other is something new. Whatever happens, I don’t want it to be the end for the sisters. A good choice for middle grade fairy-tale fans craving something with an occasionally dark twist, and some sisterly double crossing. She softens the blow by showing them three magical objects which have been passed down through generations: an old bag that transports the bearer wherever they wish to go, a mirror which shows the holder whatever they want to see, and a set of Russian dolls containing the power of invisibility. When Betty tries to use these objects to change their fate, she inadvertently puts her sisters in grave danger. A cliffhanger at the end of each chapter persuaded me to read on each time. A truly magical book, I was gripped by every single word. But the sisters. My god did I love reading that bond between the three Widdershin sisters. It was so authentic, full of loyalty and annoyance and all the complicated emotions that come along with such relationships - even the age differences showed. I don’t even HAVE siblings, and I could tell this is exactly how it is a lot of the time. And their progression through the book only added to my love for them, so much so that I’m itching to read the next book immediately. I want to know where they could possibly end up!