I received this book for free from Provided for review through Audiobook Blast/Boom in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Witch Song by Amber Argyle Narrator: Melissa Reizian Frank
Series: Witch Song #1
Published by Starling Publishing on 2011-09
Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 322
Format: Audiobook
Source: Provided for review through Audiobook Blast/Boom
Goodreads
The Witch Hunters have come for Brusenna, for she is the last. All the others have been captured by the Dark Witch. And without their magical songs to control nature, the world is dying. Though young and untrained, Brusenna must succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the Dark Witch. Fight her. Defeat her. If Brusenna fails, there will be nothing left to save-for the Witches, for mankind, or for the young Guardian who has committed his life to protecting hers.
Julie’s Review:
I had Witch Song on my eReader shelf for quite some time and finally got a chance to read it as an audiobook. So this is both a #ShelfLove review as well as a review copy review. Wheeeee.
I really liked the main character, Brusenna. While naive and sheltered, she’s brave and determined to make things right. Even though she believes she will fail in the ultimate mission of stopping the evil witch and rescuing all the previous witches who have failed, she still goes on. She’s the last of the witches, a young sproutling, yet she refuses to give up. That is what makes a great character, and what ultimately makes her the special snowflake who succeeds. I also enjoyed the young warrior/Guardian
I also enjoyed the young warrior/Guardian Joshen, who is likewise determined to take the brave course and fight to protect the young witch. Both are great characters, and I definitely rooted for them. However, their relationship, while expected, I can’t really say blossomed believably.
The book is overall a bit journey, but a lot of action happens along the way. Senna keeps getting attacked, and she keeps going and getting free of her situation despite the odds. The resolution was a bit odd to me, in the way the Creators got involved. Didn’t the Creators already know what was going on? Or, didn’t the other witches think to appeal to them? It was kind of odd that we had this epic witch battle, and then it was like the parents showed up and the playground bully was stopped.
As for the narrator, well I already was not a fan of her’s from a previous book, so I knew what to expect. The dry, news reporter way she speaks wasn’t enjoyable, but I didn’t let that affect my opinion of the book too much since I already knew I wasn’t going to like the narration before starting the book.
I did like that the book ended on a positive note (since you know my opinion on cliffhangers), so I’m wondering what is in store for the witches in the rest of the series. It definitely can be read as a stand alone, since the conflict wraps up, but I’m sure new conflicts are seen in the other books in the series.
