The Near Witch by Victioria Schwab

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget

Though the Near Witch starts off a little slow for my taste, once the story got rolling I really enjoyed it.

Lexi and her family live on the moor in a town called Near. This scenery was so beautiful and haunting. It was like the moor was alive and had a mind of it's own. If you just listened hard enough, it would tell you all it's secrets. But as Lexi's father always told her, the wind is lonely and always looking for company. I loved everything about the moor. I wanted to explore it and learn about it with Lexi. I wanted to get lost in it.

All the stories Lexi's father told her were beautifully written. There was a lot but I couldn't help wanting to hear more. Even though the father is dead the whole book, I felt like I knew him. It was clear he was a great man and father. I liked him the most, even though all we hear are stories about him.

The magic in this story was wonderful. It was 'old' magic, controlling elements instead of casting spells. I wish we saw more of this type in YA books.

Lexi was fierce and very protective. She was a great main character. She loved her family and her town and did everything she could to protect them. I admired that.

Cole kind of bothered me at first. I think it had something to do with how mysterious him was. It seemed a little unnatural and forced. But when he started to open up more, I really liked him.

The Near Witch is a hauntingly beautiful story that is well worth checking out. The writing has a very lyrical quality to it and I can't wait to see what Schwab comes out with next!

Have you guys read this? What did you think?