Lady Eglantine Bury lives with her father in a very special house. Named Huswywern (or Hus for short), this house is sentient. It thinks for itself, which includes all the furniture inside moving at will. It can also move parts of itself around if needing to protect itself, or build new parts or furniture when required. This makes it an amazing house to live in, and Eglantine talks to Hus as a close family friend.

Hus has been in her mother’s family for generations in a world full of magic. It didn’t used to be so, but after a great quake, magic flowed everywhere and for the lucky ones, into people. This magic is strongly governed however, by the rich and powerful or downright devious.

Two devious people include Eglantine’s evil uncle Lichen and his cohort the Whistlewitch, known to be one of the strongest sorcerers there is. Lichen wants the house for himself, believing it his birthright, and he has the Whistlewitch to help him do it.

An illegal spell suddenly has Eglantine alone in Hus with only her friend and butler Arthur to help protect them both. Lichen has given Eglantine an ultimatum. As the legal owner of Hus (as her parent’s firstborn & only child), Eglantine is responsible for Hus’ care. But to care for Hus properly she needs to have a magical bond with the house. The terrible problem is that Eglantine has no magic, and Hus is becoming sicker by the day with no bond after Eglantine’s mum died.

In order to keep Hus in her care, keep living there, and also get her kidnapped father back, Eglantine has to find a solution. The only solution is to find her own magic, but a test at nine years old told her that she has none.

There is one possible way to do this. Enrol in ‘Miss Heggoty’s Correspondence Course for Aspiring Witches‘ which is not only illegal but dangerous.

Another young girl, who just happens to be the future monarch of England, is Princess Victoria. She too has a magic problem. Royals are banned from having any magical powers, and hers have just arrived completely out of the blue, causing no end of problems. She wants rid of the magic so she too enrols in Miss Heggoty’s course.

The girls meet when both their lives have been upended by magic or the lack of it, and powerful men are hovering to cause further chaos and loss. They must be brave and stand up for themselves, other women and girls, and the future of Witchspark in their country.

Wow! I loved Witchspark and the knowledge that this book is the first in a series. The worldbuilding is rich and fresh, woven through the story effortlessly. Both key characters are strong willed and kind girls, both under pressure by outside patriarchal forces. The author is keen to show this in her novel as something that rules many lives, but is essential to stand up to.

Another important theme is the fact that people who are deemed disabled or less in some way (Eglantine has a limb difference), are definitely not. In fact, they are more determined and strong as they discover their own ways to succeed against those who believe they can’t.

I really liked both Eglantine and Princess Victoria as they deal with the huge problems they face individually, and then together as a team. The sentient house named Hus is a delight as it looks after its inhabitants in many imaginative ways. eg. a chair will move to catch you when needed or the door knocker will bite any unwelcome visitors. Hus is a character in itself and readers will love its antics.

Just like Dominic Valente’s previous magical series, Starfell – Witchspark is going to be a series to gobble up as soon as the next book hits the shelves!

Brilliant!

Author – Dominique Valente

Age – 8+

(2025, Magic, Friendship, Sentient House, Patriarchy, Patriarchal, Control, Rules, Powerful, Revenge, Greed, Royalty, Family, Love, Ghost, Witches, Wizards, Spells, Witch School, Historical, 1833, Secret, Fantasy, Series)