The Winter Witch ย by Paula Brackston -340 pages
ARC from St. Martins Press
Book Blurb:
In her small Welsh town, there is no one quite like Morgana. She has never spoken, and her silence as well as the magic she can’t quite control make her a mystery. Concerned for her safety, her mother quickly arranges a marriage with Cai Bevan, the widower from the far hills who knows nothing of the rumours that swirl around her. After their wedding, Morgana is heartbroken at leaving, but she soon falls in love with Caiโs farm and the rugged mountains that surround it, while slowly Cai himself begins to win her heart. Itโs not long, however, before her strangeness begins to be remarked upon in her new village. A dark force is at work thereโa person who will stop at nothing to turn the townspeople against Morgana, even at the expense of those closest to her. Forced to defend her home, her love, and herself from all comers, Morgana must learn to harness her power, or she will lose everything.
My Review: 3.5 stars
If you can suspend reality and go into a world where witches live among us, then youโll highly enjoy this book. A great romance, an interesting protagonist who doesnโt speak and a book filled with moral issues and the power of gossip and fear. Ultimately the belief in magic used for good rather than evil is paramount and I found it fascinating that I could like the protagonist so much even with no voice.