A Pinch of Magic (A Pinch of Magic Adventure)

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You can probably tell I wasn’t gripped by this adventure. Yet it was well told, with occasional detours to tell the story behind the creation of the curse. Thinking about it, my problem may be that I didn’t see much difference between Sorsha (the curser) and Betty (our heroine) voice-wise, so I mixed them up between reads. Realising that I was finding it all too easy to put down and forget about, I determined to read to the end in one go. Anyone looking for a book about determination, thrills, love and friendship should definitely read A Pinch of Magic. Michelle Harrison is a very creative author, who had me hanging on every word. Read this book - I promise you will love it. A Pinch of Magic is about three sisters determined to break a family curse. A sea of emotions awaits you. There is humour; there is grief; you will laugh and be afraid - it’s a non-stop rollercoaster. Will the girls ever be able to venture beyond the Sorrow Isles to the places they dream of? Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments But the sisters. My god did I love reading that bond between the three Widdershin sisters. It was so authentic, full of loyalty and annoyance and all the complicated emotions that come along with such relationships - even the age differences showed. I don’t even HAVE siblings, and I could tell this is exactly how it is a lot of the time. And their progression through the book only added to my love for them, so much so that I’m itching to read the next book immediately. I want to know where they could possibly end up!

All Betty Widdershins wants is an adventure--one that takes her far away from Crowstone, the gloomy island where she's always lived. But instead of an adventure, Betty and her sisters, Fliss and Charlie, are given of a set of magical objects, each with its own powers: a scruffy carpet bag, a set of wooden nesting dolls, and a gilt-framed mirror. And these magical objects come with their own terrible secret: the sisters' family is haunted by a generations-long curse that prevents them from ever leaving their island--at the cost of death. Books about journeys are my favourite sort of book - but A Pinch of Magic is different, in that the sisters want to leave the islands for an adventure of their own, but they are trapped by a curse.There is also a story within the story, telling how the curse came to be. This adds another dimension and another fantastic set of characters to enjoy. The three sisters each have unique identities - they all behave and respond in different ways, and there is a strong cast of supporting players, whom readers will enjoy getting to know. A Pinch of Magic is a story of sisters, a curse and maybe a pinch of magic. Widdershin sisters Fliss, Betty and Charlie are the latest in a long line of Widdershin women to be cursed to never leave their home island, or else they'll be dead by sundown. But Betty longs for adventure and a way to escape her boring life by breaking the curse. So when the girls are gifted with some family heirlooms in the shape of a mysterious travelling bag, a set of wooden dolls and an old mirror Betty decides to take matters into her own hands and seek out the knowledge of a prisoner who seems to know the answer to breaking the curse. Sisters, secrets and spellbinding adventure . . . the perfect magical world to cosy up with this Christmas! The adult characters were reminiscent of old seadogs, although they were mainly old warders and old lags. Everyone seemed to have a criminal past, but then the whole adventure hinged on releasing a prisoner who promised them the secret of breaking the curse. well told, but not gripping Because as it is it went this way for me : "MC retake grandma's shop because "why not" ; childhood friend come over -she did not recognize first- with her own problems but the two saves the day doing the shop thing. The end." Heh.

One of the reasons why this is one of the best middle grades I have ever read is due to the characters. Betty is our more predominant heroine, though her sisters have a huge presence too, but Betty’s character is so determined and funny, she drives this story forward. Fliss is the eldest and comes across as quite vain, but she has the best character development out of all of them! And Charlie, oh Charlie, the youngest - she is just incredible! For being a 6 year old, she is a force of nature. These three sisters work so well together, and seeing their relationship in this is so genuine, it adds to the charm of the story. Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her? Three determined sisters are forbidden to leave their home. The youngest, Charlie, is unpredictable, caring and kind. Betty, the middle sister, is adventurous and daring. Fliss is thoughtful and kind. Sumptuously magical . . . prepare to fall under the spell of the story everyone will be wanting to read in 2019.

Pupil reviews

Who were your favourite writers as a child? Controversial choice nowadays, but the author who made me a reader was Enid Blyton. I adored the Famous Five books, as well as the Malory Towers and St. Clare’s series and read them all over and over again. I loved the idea of children going off on their own and having adventures. I also enjoyed the Gobbolino stories by Ursula Moray Williams, and the humour and darkness of Roald Dahl. Later on it was the Point Horror books and then Christopher Pike who kept me reading throughout my teenage years. I loved being scared, and these were the stories that inspired me to start writing my own. Play as Varsha as you try to revive your grandparent's store, avoid scrutiny by the authorities, and find love—all in one summer. It’s not the best sign: I sat down to write a review and I couldn’t remember how the story started. Betty is the middle daughter of three, with dad in prison and mum dead. Their overworked and dispirited granny (when she’s not been imbibing her spirits) looks after them in her dilapidated bar. Betty’s disgruntlement gets worse as her older sister, who used to be such fun, is now a sour sixteen year-old. As Betty reaches her birthday, she discovers the reason why. The curse is upon her and her sisters. Not at all predictable, the book is full of imagery and I love the way Michelle Harrison describes the feelings of Betty, Fliss and Charlie in great depth. But the curse isn’t the only unusual thing about the Widdershins. Each of them possesses a magical object that’s been passed down the family. A scruffy carpet bag, a set of wooden nesting dolls and a gilt-framed mirror . . . none of them is what they seem.