Witchspark - Dominique Valente

    

 'Be bold, be brave and let us begin.'

Eglatine lives in a magical house with her father and their rather unusual staff. They love the place, however, Eglatine's lack of magic means that when they are threatened by her uncle and the Whistlewitch, they are powerless to do anything. Eglatine has just 3 months to save the house and her father, but first she must discover her magic and this means turning to an illegal 'Correspondence Course for Aspiring (and Ungovernable) Witches' run by the elusive Miss Hegotty. But can Miss Hegotty help and what exactly does a young Princess Victoria have to do with all of this?

Can I just say from the start that I absolutely love this book! Sometimes you start reading and just know that you're going to struggle to put the book down and that was absolutely the case with Witchspark. The writing is inviting and you feel as though you instantly build a rapport with Eglatine. She is strong and full of love for her family, and is determined to do the right thing (even when that means some very difficult decisions need to be made). The fact that she is born with one arm means that readers understand that you can achieve whatever you want in this world, regardless of you physical ability. She is such a hero in so many ways.

Then we meet Princes Victoria, eventually to become queen but at this point in time, being controlled by those around her and unable to do anything herself. She feels stifled and knows that magic is something she isn't allowed to have as a member of the royal family. She and Eglatine are two very different people but they make wonderful characters that readers will definitely love getting to know.

Witchspark is an utterly immersive read that will enchant and delight readers before leaving them wanting more (that ending!). It's a book that reminds us that being unique is a wonderful thing and that we all have inner strength, we just need to know how to tap into it. Publishing on the 10th October, Witchspark is a book that needs to be pre-ordered and will definitely be a contender for my first daily read with my new class in September.