I’m honored to have been able to read the ARC’s for this whole series: The Witch in the Envelope by Laura Detering. Based in the 1990’s this YA series left me wanting more. Book one: The Witch in the Envelope was my favorite of the three, it was such a strong book to start the series with and I couldn’t put it down.

Synopsis:

Forbidden love could be her greatest downfall…or her saving grace.

When Liddy Erickson was a child, a hauntingly beautiful yet vicious witch plagued her dreams. But when she wakes one morning with a deep gash on her chest in the same place the witch attacked her, she realizes these were no ordinary nightmares.

Shortly after she confides in her best friend, Will, his entire family disappears, along with her memories of them.

It’s now 1998, and seventeen-year-old Liddy has one goal—to move out of the cold Chicago suburbs after graduation. Two things that are not in her perfectly planned life: fun and dating.

That is until the new transfer student catches the eye of every girl at Wheeling High School.

With intriguing scars and eyes that seem to glow, he awakens something inexplicable in Liddy and proves to know her even better than her closest friends.

When a stranger with a distinct melodic chime to his walk saves Liddy from opening an enchanted envelope, he reveals an outrageous claim that she is a lost Watcher and the saving grace for his homeland, Cristes. Liddy must decide if she can trust the stranger’s orders or risk condemning an entire nation.

Review

I really enjoyed the book, I loved it being based in the 90’s. Some of the conversations were cheesy and felt like a 90s teen movie, which to me isn’t a bad thing because they actually sound like teenagers.
I do wish that we would have seen more of Liddy and Will using or learning about their own magic. Not going to lie, Nick kind of got on my nerves. I think that continuing to make Liddy forget was unneeded and if he would have been upfront about things and not sneaking around they wouldn’t have put themselves in danger. Mara’s character really interests me, I want to know more about her and hope to see more of her in the series.
Overall, I think the book is great for readers just joining into the YA genre and those who already love YA fantasy.

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