GUTTERWITCH by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson
Fiction, Fantasy, YA, Romantasy, Part 1 of series, Coming March 2027
4****
Blurb: Scullery maid Joan has always known her place. Bound in service to a powerful witching house, she is maid and companion to Belinda, their treasured heir. But when she stumbles upon a fallen star and makes an impossible wish, she becomes a most fearsome and forbidden thing: a witch with wild magic. When Joan and Belinda are invited to study at an elite university, Joan is swept into a world of ancient academia, ruthless politics, and intoxicating power. Shunned for her lack of lineage, her magic nonetheless flourishes – and she is drawn to Silas, her enigmatic mentor, and Caspar, a fellow outcast and the bastard son of a faerie queen. As Joan’s powers grow, she is thrust into a web of secrets that threatens the fragile peace between witches and fae. With her heart and loyalties divided, Joan stands at the front lines of a war that will shape her destiny – and the fate of witchkind forever.
THOUGHTS: This is a YA fantasy that is reminiscent of H.Potter in that a poor orphan girl gets chosen to go to a special school for witches where she is often bullied. She has a few friends, including Caspar, who is also an outcast. She gets chosen by one professor for special training in mind control.
When Joan was eleven, she made a wish on a captured star to have powerful magic. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Joan discovers that her wild magic isn’t as wonderful as she thought it would be. Yes, she is very powerful, but she also has little control over her star magic. She and Caspar go on a hunt to discover who murdered a young woman the year before. Joan is certain she knows the answer and makes a plan to catch him before he can hurt Belinda, Joan’s friend and mistress. When their plans go awry, Joan discovers who the true villain is and becomes even more of an outcast than before. She disappears into the Otherlands determined to show everyone what she truly is.
The story is slow paced until the end. But the world building and character creation is beyond excellent. You really feel like you’re there and that you know these people. The cliff-hanger ending is not my favorite, but none-the-less, an intriguing fantasy with mystery, romance, danger, and more.
Recommended.
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”. Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Books for providing this ARC.
