The Witch and The Watcher

FANTASY: Living in the human world of Mortalia, Liddy and Will are training to learn to use their Watcher powers properly. They are also dating now, but kissing and touching makes them begin to glow, making it difficult to stay discreet. Their mentors Nick, Shai, and Nolan help the teenagers begin to understand the past of the Watchers through sharing their memories and determining strategy to move forward in their struggle against the witch, Mara. However, after a previous encounter with Mara, the adults in Will and Liddy’s lives are fighting amongst themselves over how much information to provide their charges.

When Laura Detering delves into the memories of Liddy and Will’s antagonist and mentors, her writing glows as brightly as the eyes of her characters’ magic! This book is a continuation of a series and should be read in conjunction with the first book in order to fully understand the characters and conflicts in this book. The world-building, particularly surrounding the realm of Cristes, is fascinating and well-crafted. The story itself is unique and compelling, though the pace could have moved a little more quickly. Though few and far between, there are some grammatical errors that detract from the enjoyment, and some of the characterizations could use a little additional depth. In particular, dialogue sometimes feels stilted and a little overly formal, especially for the teenagers. Each character has moments when their uniqueness and personality shines through, and when they do, the book excels. In “The Witch and the Watcher”, Ms. Detering’s creative world-building truly brings her story to life.  

Shailyn Rogers