Normally we do tags on Thursdays, but lately both of us have been having a harder time finding tags we want to do or think are fun. That’s whenthis new bookish meme comes in handy: #MGTakesOnThursday created by BookCraic. Middle grade books have become a bigger part of our TBR, so this looked like a lot of fun. Let’s take a look at what this is all about!

How to participate:

• Post a picture of the front cover of a middle-grade book which you have read and would recommend to others with details of the author, illustrator and publisher.
• Open the book to page 11 and share your favorite sentence.
• Write three words to describe the book.
• Either share why you would recommend this book, or link to your review.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe (Eva Evergreen #1)
Released on August 4, 2020

A charming new middle-grade fantasy adventure, about a young witch whose pinch of magic just might be more than enough, perfect for fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service and Aru Shah and the End of Time.

Sometimes all you need is a pinch of magic…

Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Novice Witch before she turns thirteen years old. If she doesn’t, she’ll lose her magic forever. For most young witches and wizards, it’s a simple enough test:

ONE: Help your town, do good all around.
TWO: Live there for one moon, don’t leave too soon.
THREE: Fly home by broomstick, the easiest of tricks.

The only problem? Eva only has a pinch of magic. She summons heads of cabbage instead of flowers and gets a sunburn instead of calling down rain. And to add insult to injury, whenever she overuses her magic, she falls asleep.

When she lands on the tranquil coastal town of Auteri, the residents expect a powerful witch, not a semi-magical girl. So Eva comes up with a plan: set up a magical repair shop to aid Auteri and prove she’s worthy. She may have more blood than magic, but her “semi-magical fixes” repair the lives of the townspeople in ways they never could have imagined. Only, Eva’s bit of magic may not be enough when the biggest magical storm in history threatens the town she’s grown to love. Eva must conjure up all of the magic, bravery, and cleverness she can muster or Auteri and her dreams of becoming a witch will wash away with the storm.

Favorite Sentence on Page 11

“My parents had never given up believing I’d pass my quest. As long as I hoped to be a witch, they hoped, too.”

Describe Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch in Three Words

Magical, Friendship, Bravery

Why I Liked This Book

This is just such a cute and touching magical adventure. I haven’t read anything like it in quite awhile. Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch is such an amazing character. All she wants is to be a witch like her mother and help all the people she can. Her novice quest means a lot to her even though she doesn’t have a lot of magic and things don’t always go well, she’s determined to make everything succeed.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch has a great cast of characters, animal companions, food that makes you hungry and all you want is for Eva to complete her quest and get what she wants. I loved the illustrations at the top of every chapter and I can’t wait to read the second book. Themes in this book such as not giving up, bravery, friendship, growing up, helping out and many others are discussed in this book!

 

If you’re a fan of middle grade books I definitely recommend reading Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch. It’s a fast and fun magical read. I can’t wait to read the next book. Keep an eye on the blog for our review of this book being posted in the near future. If you’ve read this book, what did you think? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.