Summary

Since she was a pup, Zima has been taught to fear humans—especially witches—but when her family is threatened, she has no choice but to seek help from the witch Baba Yaga.

Baba Yaga never does magic for free, but it just so happens that she needs a wolf’s keen nose for a secret plan she’s brewing… Before Zima knows what’s happening, the witch has cast a switching spell and run off into the woods, while Zima is left behind in Baba Yaga’s hut—and Baba Yaga’s body!

Meanwhile, a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking the witch’s help, and when she meets Zima (in Baba Yaga’s form), they discover that they face a common enemy. With danger closing in, Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that threatens them all.

Review

This book is AMAZING. I was a little leery about reading a middle grade book (at the ripe old age of 35…), but I adore Baba Yaga and when I read the back cover blurb I knew I needed to read this book. I can’t believe this is Karah Sutton’s debut novel!! This intriguing, magical story of a wolf, a girl, and and a witch is written for middle grade readers, and is so well told and that it’s enjoyable for audiences of all ages.

Told in the limited third-person past tense, A Wolf For A Spell alternates between the point of view of Zima (a young female wolf), Nadya (a young orphan girl), and Baba Yaga (a notorious witch, whom you may have heard of…). The threads of their stories are so intricately woven to create a beautiful tapestry of a tale that is, at heart, about finding the courage within yourself.

If this is what Karah Sutton brings to the table for her debut, I can’t wait to see what she writes next! This is definitely a debut author to watch.

A digital ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.