This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Rosie Boyes is a children's author from the UK. She has been passionate about middle-grade books ever since she can remember. Her love of reading came at an early age when she escaped into classic stories, living out the lives of the characters she met. During her spare time, she dreams about dipping her toes in the sea, splashing through puddles, kicking up leaves in the autumn...
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
The Snow Witch by Rosie Boyes is a charming read filled with the magic and wonder of fairy tales. Siblings Kes and Star's lives change when they're sent off to live with their legal guardian: a grandma living in a St. Flurries house said to be haunted. The house is full of mysteries Kes is determined to solve. Their newfound lives take a turn when Star falls ill. Kes knows more is going on with her condition than a simple winter cold. He uncovers a shocking secret that traces back a hundred years, linked to the case of Kitty Wigeon who disappeared and was never seen again. Back in 1918, Kitty faces the loss of her brother and is determined never to leave St. Flurries again. When she's accused of stealing, her life changes and nothing is ever the same.
Rosie Boyes blends fairy tale magic with a snowy mystery in this delightful treat perfect for the holidays. The story weaves through time, exploring history and surrounding the mystery of the Snow Witch. Kes and Star discover the grandma they've never met, who gives them a loving home that happens to be full of secrets. The mystery unfolds to the discovery of the Snow Witch and seems linked to Star's mysterious illness. Boyes jumps into the past and explores the disappearance of Kitty through the events leading up to the moment she vanishes. The mystery drives Kes and, as all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, Boyes jumps back to the present to explore how the story unfolds. This is followed by a series of journals written by the Snow Witch which weave throughout time. The journals explore her origins and give more detail to a curse that will catch up to the siblings in the present.
Boyes incorporates sympathy for the Snow Witch as she slowly discovers the changes in the world and her distance from society as she's unable to take part, cursed to merely be an onlooker. Kitty lost her brother and though she still has her sisters, she struggles with her dad who is consumed with grief. His loss adds a touch of tension to her story. Kitty's loss is similar to Kes and Star who are on their own after the loss of their mother and at first stuck with an awful guardian. This loss in both times of the story is balanced through the love and warmth of their homes, which contrasts to the snowy and cold setting. Kitty and her sisters have a sweet relationship which compares to Kes and Star's bond. Both add a spark of lightness in the story. The Snow Witch is a mystery and fairy tale mixed together in a charming story of magic, loss, family, and strength with characters that are delightful and add warmth to the chilly winter around them.
