by Paige Crutcher
ASIN/ISBN: 9781250797391
Publication: December 27, 2022

**I was provided a copy of the book through NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.**

After trying to save her daughter, Brigid is transported to the future with no memory of why she is there. As she tries to regain her memories, Brigid also tries to save the town of Evermore alongside her descendants by preventing more of the Damned from being unleashed. Although the story is a compelling one, I was often as lost as the lost witch.

The story is told in a roundabout way that left me frustrated and often disoriented. The story jumps back and forth between the past and present as Brigid tries to remember why she is suddenly in 2022. As she tries to recall her purpose for being in the future, no valid reason appears to explain why she is transported in the first place. By the end of the book, I still did not understand how coming to the future would help save her daughter. Adding to my frustration was the interruptions of events by interviews and chapters switching to different characters midway when all I wanted to do was get an answer.

The structure of the story affected my inability to connect to the characters. Just as I was beginning to connect with Brigid and understand her, she lost her memories and the near connection was reset. Ophelia and Finola, Brigid’s descendants, were not very rounded characters. They were often used for comedic relief, but they did not always provide the intended effect. The most interesting character was Luc Knightly. I wish there had been more of him in the story.

I enjoyed Crutcher’s The Orphan Witch and had high hopes for The Lost Witch, however, it was difficult to enjoy. I strongly believe my frustration with how the story was told affected my ability to connect with the characters. Whenever I started to feel I might be able to finally pin things down, I would be interrupted, leading to further frustration. While I ended up liking the story, I wish it had been structured differently so I would have been able to enjoy it rather than fight to piece things together.