It’s fruit against veg, and wizards against witches, in this entertaining short novel. Set in a cosy rural fantasy land, the characterisations of the wizards and witches owed a lot to Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, which was nice, but was not very original. The fruit and veg theme, I liked! Glunda is a young witch who has a lot to prove, however the Drupe Mages are making her life difficult and are refusing to hand over guardianship of the land. She has to contend with the rebellious witches too, and the farmers who need to choose sides. It’s a fun book which I imagine will delight many readers who are looking for an easy fantasy read. I did feel my interest in the plot slipping away around the middle of the book. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was too gentle for my reading taste. It’s well-written and humorous though, so I’m not surprised it was 7th place in the Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Awards 2024. There’s even a recipe for vegetable soup at the end of the book, although the quantities are American. In summary, a rather charming book which will encourage you to eat fruit and veg!

Independently published in 2023. Thank you to the author and TheWriteReads for the copy of the book. Part of the BBNYA Finalists tour 9th-13th June.