The Hawkweed Prophecy: Goodreads Summary: 

Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn’t lead more different lives. Poppy is a troubled teen: moving from school to school, causing chaos wherever she goes, never making friends or lasting connections. Ember is a young witch, struggling to find a place within her coven and prove her worth. Both are outsiders: feeling like they don’t belong and seeking escape.

Poppy and Ember soon become friends, and secretly share knowledge of their two worlds. Little do they know that destiny has brought them together: an ancient prophecy, and a life-changing betrayal. Growing closer, they begin to understand why they’ve never belonged and the reason they are now forever connected to each other.

Switched at birth by the scheming witch Raven Hawkweed, Poppy and Ember must come to terms with their true identities and fight for their own place in the world. Enter Leo, a homeless boy with a painful past who – befriending them both – tests their love and loyalty. Can Poppy and Ember’s friendship survive? And can it withstand the dark forces that are gathering?

My Thoughts: I loved this book. I am a big fan of all things witchy and paranormal, and the idea of these two girls struggling to find their place and identities and finding friendship was appealing. Both Poppy and Ember were victims of a great betrayal, born of ambition and greed. They struggled in friendships, in their own identity, knowing that somehow they just didn’t fit in with everyone else around them. Ember was a bright and airy girl, missing the necessary magic to belong to her family and coven; Poppy on the other hand, is a handful, not even accepted by her own mother. One day they stumbled upon each other in a secluded dell, and it was friendship from the first. Ember’s wonder at all the things that jaded Poppy could show her, Poppy eating up the ancient texts that Ember loaned to her, discovering a side of herself that she didn’t realize she had.

I loved that this book was about finding one’s place, yet the place for the story itself was ambiguous. It could have been anywhere. And sometimes, it felt like it could be anytime. I loved the coven and the lore surrounding them and their ways, the other covens – like I said, I like witchy stories, and this one was a good one.

Leo was the one part of this book I didn’t care for, yet his character is very central to the plot of the book and moving the plot along. I think that is my problem. There is too much importance placed on him.

Overall I enjoyed this book a great deal, and was happy to have the second book right at hand to start immediately! Stay tuned to this website, my review of The Hawkweed Legacy will be up in a day or two!

Spoiler – Trigger Warning for some:

There is a very sad part in this book regarding Poppy’s cat. I couldn’t read it, I hate animal deaths in books. If it bothers you too, just be warned that it happens.