A Pinch of Magic is a brilliantly crafted story from author Michelle Harrison, which we shared in our book club. The group really enjoyed the storytelling of Abi Elphinstone, Catherine Fisher, Katherine Rundell and Piers Torday, and if you like those authors, too, then you’ll be bowled over by this book. Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her? 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.

The three Widdershins sisters are unlike in looks and personality. The eldest, Fliss, is famed island-wide as much for her beauty as for her flirting, middle child Betty is the straight-taking one whose eyes are always resting on the horizon, and youngest Charlie is a bundle of energetic trouble, who can usually be found with a four-legged rescue hiding somewhere inside her overalls. All three reside with their granny on dreary Crowstone and all three are longing for adventure. This last fact is where lies their problem. I love the plot more than anything!! It can be dark and Harrison writes the most pitch-perfect atmospheric scenes I’ve ever read in ANY book, let alone middle grade. Everything is so vividly pictured with the language. The plot also takes turns I couldn’t have expected because I didn’t know how the sisters were going to come out victorious. I mean, this is a re-read so I did know haha, but when I first read this, it took me completely by surprise. If you hadn't been an author what would have been your dream job? Either a career as an illustrator, or perhaps something working with animals. A Pinch of Magic follows three Widdershins sisters - Fliss, Betty and Charlie - who are cursed to always live on Crowstone. If they go beyond, they will die by the next sunset. This is only the beginning of their incredible, magical adventure. It’s a race against time to save their lives and each other.

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I love Michelle Harrison - I hadn’t read much fantasy but this series hooked me! Brilliant writing, beautiful!’ Lisa Thompson This was such an intricate and well-crafted middle-grade story, that appealed to this adult reader just as much as the younger age range it was aimed towards. I found the three sisters hilarious and lovable, and adored getting into mischief alongside them. The story-line was well-paced and brilliantly-plotted with an unknowable trajectory that kept each new escapade and spot of trouble feeling fresh and exciting. I can't wait to see what the Widdershins get up to next, in A Sprinkle of Sorcery Clever, tense, beautifully written and extremely atmospheric, A Pinch of Magic is riveting, and simply fantastic.

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 gripping, atmospheric tale of sorcery, secrets and sisterhood, infused with the titular pinch of magic. 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? A cliffhanger at the end of each chapter persuaded me to read on each time. A truly magical book, I was gripped by every single word. A Pinch of Magic is an easy read, with plenty of interest for a range of ages in the MG genre. How Betty’s adventure would pan out developed into plenty of suspense, although from a long way out (well, about 42% through) I had three-quarters of the solution. 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.