Nor lives on a small island called Anathema. She is a direct descendant of Rona Blackburn who lived on the island over a century ago and who was attacked by the other settlers on the island for being a witch. Rona cursed the settlers but in doing so she cursed her own family too.

Now back in the present day, Nor knows all about the curse. She knows only too well via her own mother what the curse can do. She hasn’t seen her mother in many years after she nearly killed her, but now her mother has returned and she is back with a book ‘The Price Guide to the Occult’ in which she is selling black magic, but at what cost?

The book opens with the story of Rona Blackburn and the new island settlers. You get to find out all about Rona and the curse that she placed and why it ended up cursing her family too. The story then moves to the present day and you learn about all Nor and what the young 16/17-year-old does and the shop she works in and her friends. This middle section I must admit drained me a little. It dragged as not much happened.

Then we come to the return of Nor’s mother and the book truly comes alive. I was so close to giving up on the book but I am glad that I didn’t as the last section is worth waiting for. Nor’s mother is one proper black witch who doesn’t care about anyone but herself, not even her own daughter. She will burn and drowned people to get her own way.

Overall the book is a great read. Nor is an interesting character, though I would love to have gotten to know her better as I feel she was a little overshadowed by the curse and her mother.

About the Author

Leslye Walton was born in the Pacific Northwest, a location that features prominently in both of her novels for young adults. Her debut, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, was published to critical acclaim in 2014, and was shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, as well as being named a William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist.

Leslye is a full-time writer living in Seattle, and spends her time eating chocolate cupcakes and doting on her chihuahuas, Mr. Darcy and Doc Holliday.