The Witch of Belladonna Bay – Suzanne Palmieri

The Witch of Belladonna Bay by Suzanne Palmieri, which I won from a Goodreads contest, is a lovely book that has a little bit of everything: mystery, romance, suspense, and magic. Bronwyn is forced to return to her unhappy home in Magnolia Creek, Alabama after fourteen years when her brother Patrick is accused of the murder of her childhood friend. Once there she finds her alcoholic, eccentric father with his hands full trying to take care of Bronwyn’s 11 year old niece Byrd. Before she can even attempt to acclimate herself she finds herself sucked into the mysteries surrounding the murder, the “Strange Ways” that Byrd possesses and to which Bronwyn herself has familiarity with, and Grant, the perfect love interest. This is one of those books that at the end you close, sigh, and think “That was lovely”. The book is written in multiple points of view, but the short chapters make it easy to follow. You will totally follow in love with the characters, especially Bronwyn and Byrd. I read this 336 page book in a little over 3 hours because I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend this to readers who are looking for something light and easy to read. Even if you don’t usually like fantasy in your books, the small amount of magical realism truly adds to the story.

Reviewed by Kim