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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I finished this book in only a few days and I thoroughly enjoyed it! So much so that as soon as I finished it I bought the second one.
The characters are different and endearing, my favorite being Tori.
The plot is entertaining and funny with a bit of sass and mystery.
The illustrations are beautiful (done by the author herself).
I love the way magic presents itself in each witch.
The overall vibe of the book is just sweet and colorful, which I love.
The characters are different and endearing, my favorite being Tori.
The plot is entertaining and funny with a bit of sass and mystery.
The illustrations are beautiful (done by the author herself).
I love the way magic presents itself in each witch.
The overall vibe of the book is just sweet and colorful, which I love.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Truly enjoyed this sweet book — it feels familiar and comforting, sprinkling together fairytales like Cinderella, witches, regency-era debutantes, and charming romance to form a lovely world and story.
While reading, I kept thinking just how captivated my younger self would have been by this novel. It brought me back to the same feelings I used to have reading fairytales like Ella Enchanted. The Herbwitch's Apprentice has joined the ranks as one of those charming, magical tales that still grab at my heart.
The illustrations are what drew me to the book in the first place; it is such a treat to have beautiful illustrations within the pages. The writing and pacing are great, the characters interesting and enjoyable. While it may not be the most unique story, it is wonderful as it is: a lighthearted and lovable fairytale. And I'm very happy to have it on my shelf. :)
While reading, I kept thinking just how captivated my younger self would have been by this novel. It brought me back to the same feelings I used to have reading fairytales like Ella Enchanted. The Herbwitch's Apprentice has joined the ranks as one of those charming, magical tales that still grab at my heart.
The illustrations are what drew me to the book in the first place; it is such a treat to have beautiful illustrations within the pages. The writing and pacing are great, the characters interesting and enjoyable. While it may not be the most unique story, it is wonderful as it is: a lighthearted and lovable fairytale. And I'm very happy to have it on my shelf. :)
**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Note: this review will contain mild spoilers throughout and major spoilers towards the end (specfically in the fifth paragraph of the review).
I have been following Ireen on her art Instagram for a few years now, and I've always found her work ethic and her drive to improve impressive, not to mention the beauty of the art she makes. When she announced that she had finished her first novel, I found it entirely unsurprising (but no less admirable) that she had used her quarantine to write a novel, and I was excited to read it. Though The Herbwitch's Apprentice wasn't my favorite, I still found it an enjoyable read.
The Herbwitch's Apprentice follows a young half-witch, Amarante Flora, in a world where magic is illegal. Amarante faces the dual challenges of handling life as a debutante, with all the petty squabbling it entails, and her emerging magic, which she must hide under the threat of severe consequences. When Amarante befriends Prince Ash, younger brother to the king's heir, and also begins training as an herbwitch (one with power over organic material) with the formidable witch Lana, she becomes entangled in issues plaguing the humans and witches alike.
Above all, I thought this book was a fun adventure. The characters were likeable and idiosyncratic, especially Amarante and Ash, and Amarante's trickster side brought a well-needed dose of laughter. Though I felt many of the side characters filled the roles of two-dimensional archetypes at times - Tori as the boisterous and funny friend, Olivia as the shy girl being coaxed out of her shell, Julianna as the irritating and condescending rival - I still enjoyed hearing about their exploits. The small and amusing details - for example, three daughters all named Victoria, who go by the nicknames of Tori, Vicky, and Ria - added to that enjoyment and inserted a particular and unique charm.
One of the ways I felt this book succeeded was in the pacing. I felt intrigued by the dual problems facing Amarante in her experience as a debutante and in her powers as a witch, and there was a good balance of the two storylines to keep both equally exciting, especially in the beginning, as both storylines were being introduced and developed. Ireen also has a real skill for writing dramatic chapter endings that keep the reader engaged and encourage further reading. Especially in a book with a younger target audience, I think this is a great accomplishment; I remember having books read aloud to me chapter by chapter as a child, and one of the necessary components was a strong chapter ending that would get me excited to hear the next part of the story.
**Spoilers in next paragraph**
However, one of the weaknesses I saw in this book was that the stakes felt poorly established, with the result that certain events towards the end of the novel felt sudden and jarring. This was true specifically in the dangers of magic and the prejudice facing witches, which influenced Amarante's forced servitude and later imprisonment. I saw attempts to establish the hardship facing witches at many points throughout the earlier book, in moments such as the backstory on the original ban on magic and the witches' not-wholly-successful attempts to grow crops and difficulty obtaining food, and I appreciated these moments. However, when I reached the later parts of act two and into act three of the novel, I felt that events escalated far more rapidly than I had expected in a way I found unbelievable. Amarante being forced into the position of Narcissa's scullery maid and her later planned execution in particular felt overdone to me, and I think that part of this could have been rectified with a clearer focus on the hatred of witches earlier in the book. Much of the witchcraft featured early in the story is via Amarante's discovery of her magic and her growing skills, which naturally led the reader to associate magic with miracles and excitement rather than the hatred that existed for many people in Olderea. Like I said, though, while the hatred and fear of witches was textually established, my understanding of the scale of that hatred felt insufficient to justify what Amarante faced until after those events had occurred. This may have been a misreading on my part, but I would have liked greater attention to establishing those high stakes. That said, one of my favorite details was that magic was not overpowered in this world - magic had limitations and was insufficient in certain situations, and the witches were not all-powerful because of the magic they possessed.
**Spoilers over**
Overall, if you're looking for a fast-paced, mostly lighthearted read featuring an exciting cast of characters and an imaginative world, I would recommend The Herbwitch's Apprentice. As a debut novel, I'm impressed with the skill Ireen has already employed, and I know that she will only improve in her future novels. I'm excited to see where her writing goes next, and I encourage you to follow her work as well!
Note: this review will contain mild spoilers throughout and major spoilers towards the end (specfically in the fifth paragraph of the review).
I have been following Ireen on her art Instagram for a few years now, and I've always found her work ethic and her drive to improve impressive, not to mention the beauty of the art she makes. When she announced that she had finished her first novel, I found it entirely unsurprising (but no less admirable) that she had used her quarantine to write a novel, and I was excited to read it. Though The Herbwitch's Apprentice wasn't my favorite, I still found it an enjoyable read.
The Herbwitch's Apprentice follows a young half-witch, Amarante Flora, in a world where magic is illegal. Amarante faces the dual challenges of handling life as a debutante, with all the petty squabbling it entails, and her emerging magic, which she must hide under the threat of severe consequences. When Amarante befriends Prince Ash, younger brother to the king's heir, and also begins training as an herbwitch (one with power over organic material) with the formidable witch Lana, she becomes entangled in issues plaguing the humans and witches alike.
Above all, I thought this book was a fun adventure. The characters were likeable and idiosyncratic, especially Amarante and Ash, and Amarante's trickster side brought a well-needed dose of laughter. Though I felt many of the side characters filled the roles of two-dimensional archetypes at times - Tori as the boisterous and funny friend, Olivia as the shy girl being coaxed out of her shell, Julianna as the irritating and condescending rival - I still enjoyed hearing about their exploits. The small and amusing details - for example, three daughters all named Victoria, who go by the nicknames of Tori, Vicky, and Ria - added to that enjoyment and inserted a particular and unique charm.
One of the ways I felt this book succeeded was in the pacing. I felt intrigued by the dual problems facing Amarante in her experience as a debutante and in her powers as a witch, and there was a good balance of the two storylines to keep both equally exciting, especially in the beginning, as both storylines were being introduced and developed. Ireen also has a real skill for writing dramatic chapter endings that keep the reader engaged and encourage further reading. Especially in a book with a younger target audience, I think this is a great accomplishment; I remember having books read aloud to me chapter by chapter as a child, and one of the necessary components was a strong chapter ending that would get me excited to hear the next part of the story.
**Spoilers in next paragraph**
However, one of the weaknesses I saw in this book was that the stakes felt poorly established, with the result that certain events towards the end of the novel felt sudden and jarring. This was true specifically in the dangers of magic and the prejudice facing witches, which influenced Amarante's forced servitude and later imprisonment. I saw attempts to establish the hardship facing witches at many points throughout the earlier book, in moments such as the backstory on the original ban on magic and the witches' not-wholly-successful attempts to grow crops and difficulty obtaining food, and I appreciated these moments. However, when I reached the later parts of act two and into act three of the novel, I felt that events escalated far more rapidly than I had expected in a way I found unbelievable. Amarante being forced into the position of Narcissa's scullery maid and her later planned execution in particular felt overdone to me, and I think that part of this could have been rectified with a clearer focus on the hatred of witches earlier in the book. Much of the witchcraft featured early in the story is via Amarante's discovery of her magic and her growing skills, which naturally led the reader to associate magic with miracles and excitement rather than the hatred that existed for many people in Olderea. Like I said, though, while the hatred and fear of witches was textually established, my understanding of the scale of that hatred felt insufficient to justify what Amarante faced until after those events had occurred. This may have been a misreading on my part, but I would have liked greater attention to establishing those high stakes. That said, one of my favorite details was that magic was not overpowered in this world - magic had limitations and was insufficient in certain situations, and the witches were not all-powerful because of the magic they possessed.
**Spoilers over**
Overall, if you're looking for a fast-paced, mostly lighthearted read featuring an exciting cast of characters and an imaginative world, I would recommend The Herbwitch's Apprentice. As a debut novel, I'm impressed with the skill Ireen has already employed, and I know that she will only improve in her future novels. I'm excited to see where her writing goes next, and I encourage you to follow her work as well!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
4.5- this is such a good story!
I’m not sure what I was expecting when I bough this book, but the cover is amazing and the story sounded intriguing.
I fell head over heels for this story, and it had such a whirlwind of events! the characters and setting felt very real, and soaked up Amarante’s story in one day! i’ll definitely be buying the illustrated edition to have on my shelf!
I’m not sure what I was expecting when I bough this book, but the cover is amazing and the story sounded intriguing.
I fell head over heels for this story, and it had such a whirlwind of events! the characters and setting felt very real, and soaked up Amarante’s story in one day! i’ll definitely be buying the illustrated edition to have on my shelf!
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This gave me Ella Enchanted vibes (one of the highest compliments I can bestow).
Although, the violin bow being used as a stirrer did make my musician heart die a little!
Although, the violin bow being used as a stirrer did make my musician heart die a little!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No