Derry is a witch, but that’s not what Frank calls her; he says that’s a harmful word and that she and her eight siblings are alchemists. It’s all a rather idyllic life filled with chores, meal times and magic practice, until one of her sisters goes missing in the woods one night. From then, a darkness settles and begins closing in all around her family, and it is up to Derry to save them. All of her skills, both magical and mundane, will be pushed to their limits. Will she be able to defeat the darkness before it takes more from her family?
Lori is an artist. She has moved to a new beach town that is much different from her life in the city. Her parents are recently divorced, and her mother is spiraling out of control, which leaves her the main caregiver for her autistic brother. Lori herself suffers from severe anxiety. She is also a person existing in a fat body and dealing with horrible bullying and self hatred. We follow her as she meets a boy who accepts her for who she is, and she finds her own voice with her art and the ability to stand up for herself.
Please know this book’s portrayal of bullying and what it is like to live life in a fat body is very difficult to read, if you would like more information on that please read my full review.
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