The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd

Item: The Witching Wind
Rating: 4
Author: karenbaron

Posted September 16, 2024 by karenbaron in Children's, Review / 0 Comments

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Witching Wind

by Natalie Lloyd

Published by Scholastic Press on September 3, 2024
Setting: Tennessee
Genres: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 295
Format: Audible Audiobook, Hardcover, Kindle
Source: NetGalley
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon

From Natalie Lloyd, bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic and Hummingbird, comes a heart-expanding adventure about the magic of family, friendship, and the lengths we go for the people we love.

Eleven-year-old Roxie was excited to start sixth grade... until a mortifying incident at a pool party turns her into a middle school laughingstock. Roxie can't imagine enduring a full year of bullying and body shaming, so when her country music star Granny invites Roxie to join her on tour, she jumps at the chance to leave her troubles behind. But then Granny--who's been struggling with memory loss--goes missing, leaving Roxie without an escape plan... and without her best friend.

Grayson doesn't mind being sent to yet another foster home. Her older sister, Beanie, is about to turn eighteen, which means she'll be able to become Grayson's guardian. It won't be long until they live in the same house again. It won't be long until they get to be a real family. But when Beanie's birthday finally arrives, she doesn't show up to collect Grayson. She doesn't respond to calls or texts. It's almost like she's just... vanished.

Roxie knows Granny would never leave without saying goodbye. And Grayson is certain Beanie would never abandon her. So when the new friends learn about the Witching Wind that "steals" what people love most, Roxie and Grayson are certain they've discovered the truth. Granny and Beanie didn't just disappear--they were taken. And it's up to Roxie and Grayson to outwit the Witching Wind before it's too late.

The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd has Roxie and Grayson trying to find their loved ones.

Will Roxie and Grayson save Granny and Beanie from the Witching Wind?

Roxie Darling

Roxie Darling is twelve years old, and she’s not having a great start on her middle grade experience. She’s already been bullied by the most popular girl in their class, and she doesn’t know why. Not only that, but Roxie’s Granny has gone missing. Besides that, the young girl is now shy, unlike how she was before being bullied. Roxie is resilient, though. I like Roxie and how she deals with everything happening to her.

Grayson Patch

Grayson Patch is in the same grade as Roxie, but unlike Roxie, Grayson is in foster care. She also needs a walker to get around because her bones are brittle, and she’s small for her age. I do feel bad for Grayson for a lot that she has to endure. Grayson is one of those characters who doesn’t care about what anyone thinks of her. She has one of those faces where she looks mad when she isn’t. I do like Grayson and how she figures out a lot about herself.

The Story

Roxie and Grayson, and four other characters become the least likely friends. This group of friends help each other navigate the treachery of middle school in the first couple of weeks. Roxie, Grayson, and their friends also help each other get the stuff they lost to the wind. I loved Roxie and Grayson’s friends since they helped each other out a lot and trusted each other. Another thing that I liked was how easily they got along and brought each other up when they were down or convinced someone that a guy like likes them.

Four Stars

The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd brings together a bunch of people that one wouldn’t think could be friends and has them solve the mystery of the Witching Wind. I loved this story a lot, and I give it four stars. Ms. Lloyd is a great author, and this book brought back memories of sixth grade and how having a group of friends that has your back is worth it to stand up to a bully.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd.

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

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About Natalie Lloyd

Natalie Lloyd is the New York Times Bestselling Author of novels for young readers (and the young at heart).

Her first novel, A Snicker of Magic (2014), was an ALA Notable Book, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a top 10 Kids Indie Next Pick and an NPR, iBooks and Parents Magazine best book of the year for children. The book has been optioned for television by Sony Tristar. Natalie’s other novels include The Key to Extraordinary (Scholastic 2016), The Problim Children series (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen 2017), and Over the Moon (Scholastic 2019). These novels have won accolades from Entertainment Weekly, Junior Library Guild, SIBA, Amazon and Bank Street College of Education, among others. Silverswift, her first Audible Original, was published in 2020. Hummingbird, her seventh (and most personal) novel for kids, was published in August 2022. In January 2023, it was awarded a Schneider Family Honor Award by the American Library Association. Her next novel, The Witching Wind, will be available in Fall 2024.

Natalie writes in the shadows beside a sunny window in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She loves adventuring with her husband, Justin, and their dogs.

^got this from the author’s website

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