Hey guys! Welcome to my stop on the Invoking Nonna Blog Tour hosted by Sage's Blog Tours. Click here for the full tour schedule.
Title: Invoking Nonna
Author: Sage Adderley
Series: Triple Goddess (Book One)
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Paperback: 186 pages
Publisher: Sweet Candy Press
1ST edition (December 20th 2013)
ISBN-10: 0989709825
ISBN-13: 978-0989709828
Synopsis:
Maggie Sloan is a free-spirited teenager growing up in rural Georgia. Unlike her peers, Maggie is a witch and so is her mother. In addition to normal teenager rites of passage, she must learn about her family lineage and witchcraft. Her mother, Laura, keeps a tight lid on their family secrets - like the mysterious life and death of her grandmother who passed away before Maggie was born.
Practicing the craft will test solid friendships and introduce Maggie to new realms. While seeking the truth about herself and her family, Maggie is faced with danger from churchgoing classmates who will stop at nothing to make sure she is found out. Laura and Maggie strengthen their bond through witchcraft and work together to overcome their enemies. Are their magical gifts enough to keep them safe?
My Thoughts:
INVOKING NONNA is a tale of a young girl named Maggie who begins searching for answers regarding her family history and who she is. Told from multiple POV, the story is mostly from Maggie's point-of-view and explores the issues with which she comes face to face - finding out who she really is and her family roots, handling the different reactions to her beliefs, and building the relationship she wants with her mother.
Maggie and her mom, Laura, have an unusual mother-daughter relationship - they're both witches but don't acknowledge it to each other. In the beginning I had a hard time understanding their relationship. They aren't close though Maggie desperately wants to be and seem to rarely interact. They definitely never talk about family - Maggie knows next to nothing about her roots, but once she's assigned to do a genealogy project for her history class, everything changes.
Not only does Maggie begin to find out more about her family, but Laura also recognizes her daughter wants to learn the craft and begins practicing openly and teaching her. The more Maggie learns, the more complicated her life becomes. As if being a teenager wasn't already complicated enough! But she handles it better than I would have because she's resilient and unafraid.
There's a great mix of heavy emotions as well as lightness and fun to balance out the heaviness. Ruby was a character who added humor to the story, and I adored Maggie and Ruby's friendship. They reminded me of my friendships in high school. Everyone needs a Ruby in her/his life! INVOKING NONNA is a story I loved every moment and found myself wishing the story had been a bit longer as I'm anxiously waiting for the next book!
My Rating: 5 / 5
About the Author: Sage Adderley
Sage Adderley is a single (and very busy) mom of three humans and one cat. She is passionate about kindness, coffee, mental health, fat activism, and the DIY lifestyle. Sage is the owner of Sweet Candy Distro & Press, Sage's Blog Tours, and writes the zine Tattooed Memoirs and Marked For Life. She is also the creator of FAT-TASTIC! Sage currently resides in the magical land of Olympia, WA.
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I haven't read many witch stories, but I love the adventure of discovering who you are and then learning how to be that new self. The mother/daughter relationship sounds like a painful push-pull type deal. And with a name like Ruby, how can she not be awesome? Side note, Sage Adderley sounds like the busiest mom ever! Jennifer, you would absolutely love the magical land of Olympia, WA. Great review!
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DeleteI love witch stories, and this was a really great one. The mother-daughter dynamic was painful but once you read the story, you understand why Laura isn't forthcoming with her daughter about their family history and why their relationship isn't close.
I want to visit WA and Oregon SO badly!! We almost went to Seattle a couple years ago but went to Vegas instead for our 10th anniversary. One day we will go to Seattle, and then we can meet you and your fam!
Omigod, I know! Sage has to be the busiest mom ever! :D Thanks, Robyn! x