Review: 'Begone the Raggedy Witches' by Celine Kiernan

"I sway left and you sway right, dancing, dancing with all our might"

This is the first book in the Wild Magic Trilogy...And I am definitely going to be reading the next two!

Synopsis:

Mup`s dad has been kidnapped by witches, and Mup - along with her mam, brother and dog - must journey to an enchanted world to rescue him.

Danger awaits them. Witches Borough is a beguiling place of rhyming crows, talking cats and forbidden magic, ruled by a tyrannical queen and her band of raggedy witches. And mam seems strange in this side of the border - striding, powerful and increasing distant.

Even if they can save her father, Mup knows that nothing will ever be the same again.

Overview:

Next to our world is a magical kingdom, where men can fly as ravens, women creep as cats ... And an evil queen rules the land with an iron fist.

Dragged into this world after witches kidnapped her dad, Mup finds herself discovering she could do things she could never imagine.

With the help of her Mam, Aunt (who is now a ghost, Brother (who is now a dog) and dog (who is still a dog) Mup sets off to save her Dad.

The group soon find themselves on an adventure, travelling with a group of witches who speak in rhyme and seek to remain hidden from the Queen and her band of raggedy witches.

Determined to save her Dad, and help her new friend Crow, Mup travels to the heart of the Kingdom - the Queens castle. Here she finds her dad, and discover all the lost souls trapped in the castle by the evil Queen.

With the help of her Mam, the people are finally brave enough to fight the Queen and Mup and he family escape safely. But with the Queen dead, the land of the Raggedy Witches faces new challenges - so what can Mup and her family do to help?

Kiernan`s book is superbly written, with excellent descriptions and fantastic characters. The world of the Raggedy Witches is full of mystery and new magic, and I love how we go on an adventure with Mup, discovering the wonders of the place, and her magic, as she does.

The characters are excellently written and it is so easy to understand what they are going through and feel for them. As we follow Mup on her adventure, we learn so much about her as a character - about her frustrations, but also her determination and her dedication to helping her friend Crow.

Overall:

I would 100% recommend this book. Its well written, easy to read and full of excitement which makes it perfect for any youngsters...Or anyone older wanting a little magic in their lives!

(And I LOVE my signed bookplate!)