First of all, I would like to thank Lola's Blog Tours and the author Daniel Brown for gifting me this copy in exchange for an honest review. A special thanks to Daniel, for sending me the book along with a bookmark and a nice personalized note.
Before starting with the review, I would highly recommend this awesome book trailer on youtube.
There's also a Giveaway during the tour period. Check it out here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1370/
Bea's Witch is a ghostly coming-of-age story about an adopted girl Beatrice, who after moving to her new home (with a new "mom") at the age of 11, is struggling to fit-in the so-called normal world. Being a teenager who doesn't believe in magic as it has failed her so many times, faces a situation where she finds herself amidst a historic world of witches. After running away on her 12th birthday, she encounters the ghost of a famous witch, who wants to make a deal with her. She offers her treasure, in exchange for something very dear to her. Can she trust her? Should she give her what she asks? How will Bea's life change after her encounter with the witch?
It's a short beautiful story of an adopted child and her struggles. The best thing I felt about this book is that it's not completely based on magical realism. Although the story highlights the encounter of Bea with the witch, there's still a mystery as to if that's real or if it's made up in her mind. The struggling child, left by her birth mother who she barely remembers now, can try to find comfort in a made-up magical world. Being an adult, we do not believe in mystic entities (Ok I am not saying Hogwarts isn't real just because I didn't receive the letter.! It is real. It has to be). But a child has a very different thought process and creating a magical encounter can be a defense mechanism. That's the beauty of this book where we debate if the encounter was real or not. But nevertheless, it helped Bea to change her perspective towards life.
As a foster care child, she has been a part of more than 1 home. To find her hopes being shattered every time, it's difficult for her to call any place home. She can't bond with people wondering when will they find an excuse to leave her. So she bonds with her toy turtle (who she is a bit rough with :D).
Apart from the psychological aspect of Bea's mind, the story itself is interesting and well-written. I like reading fast-paced books as they keep you hooked. So was the case for Bea's witch. The element of adding witchcraft in historic periods was another hit point. The inclusion of real-life English figures such as Mother Shipton and the facts surrounding the treatment of those who practiced witchcraft (or even suspected of doing so) gave the story a perfect blend.
To summarise, Bea's witch is a historic fantasy fiction blending with the pain & struggles of an adopted child.