Written By: Sophie Escabasse
Illustrated By: Sophie Escabasse
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Published By: Random House Graphic
Release Date: 31st August 2021
We return once again to the magical city of Brooklyn, where the young witch-in-training Effie lives with her eccentric Aunts Carolta and Selimene. As the Christmas holidays come to an end, Effie is itching to see her best friend Berrit again back at school. However Berrits attention has been completely focused on her new neighbour and sudden new best friend Garance. Leaving Effie feeling left out and jealous towards the new girl in class.
Back in her magical life, Effie gets to meet the fellow witches society of Brooklyn. Who have been lifetime friends of each of her aunts, all from different walks of life with a similar thing in common – they use their powers to help people. Effie becomes involved in a rather unusual case within the community, when serious accidents start becoming more frequent at a certain crossroads. A magical mystery to be solved, one that Effie might be able to help with.
It is such a joy to see a second book being released in this series, as I thoroughly enjoyed the debut of Witches of Brooklyn. In the first book, we met young Effie. Who had just lost her mother and was more or less dumped on the steps of her ‘Aunt Selimene’s home by a caseworker. She not only dealt with her mother’s passing, her new surroundings and getting to know her new guardians – but she also discovered magic! Something that has stayed with her ever since and now she gets to meet the fellow witches that live in her area. As Effie is thoroughly welcomed into the society, back in her everyday normal life – things at school aren’t quite going so well. The excitement of Effie being the new girl in school has died off automatically after the Winter break, as a new transfer student has just started in her class. Now all eyes are on Garance, especially Effie’s best friend Berrits’.
This book is filled with excitement, adventure, magic and more! It’s not all purple Lions and moving statues however, as Effie also has to both confront her jealous thoughts if she wants to save her friendship with Berrit and get to know the new girl – that seems to give off an unusual prickling feeling at times. It’s all a part of growing up, as Effie takes on the magical world around her and the challenges of middle school!
The ‘Witches of Brooklyn’ series is both written and illustrated by the talented Sophie Escabasse, a French author and illustrator living in Montreal. She has done illustrations for many other books in her career, including Florence Parry Heide and Roxanne Heide Pierce’s Spotlight Club Mysteries series (Albert Whitman); and the Freestyler Funnies series by Tom Easton (Hachette UK).
‘Witches of Brooklyn: What the Hex?!’ is currently available for pre-order online now through the links below. It will also be available in your local book shops from the 31st August, so don’t forget to shop local.
Overall: 8/10
