The Witch Trade

First of all, I have to say that this book is my favorite. The author, Michael Molloy, is a wonderful fantasy writer. He uses wonderful word choice. His characters are also amazingly unique. Second, he makes the story have a straight, main idea plot. Abby Clover is a 'normal' girl that ends up with a new 'scoop'. In the town of Speller, there are Sea Witches. Her aunt ends up adopting a new boy named Spike (Originally Altur). The two of them, along with their strange companions(Captain Starlight, Sir Chadwick, Hilda Bluebell, and some others) go on a strange trip. They have some twists and turns, but at the end, everything goes well. I hope you like this book as much as I did and I would recommend the boook to anyone who has any interest in fiction or fantasy. Victoria Ceipek

This was an adventure which captured the imagination and allowed us to re-think the boundaries of reality. I've read it many times and find it just as exciting each time. The description and knowledge the author put into the book is amazing. I would definately use this book for long car journeys or when you have a whole day off as you will get so into it you won't be able to put it down. i got really into it and really wanted to find out what happened next so I went straight out and bought the next one...and the next. Abby and Spike are characters we can sympathise with and when we find out there secrets it's like OMG!!! I just wish the author had done more of this series ( apart from the three).

Abby Clover lived a normal life but that doesn't last forever. One day she and her friend, Spike, meet Capitain Starlight, who tells her about her parents, who disappeared years ago. Soon, she, Spike, and the Capitain have joined forces with the light witches (good witches), who are fighting the night witches (the bad witches). Abby joins the light witches and realizes she will need all her courage to fight the night witch's terrible leader, Wolfbane. I loved the book because it really gives you a picture in your head so you can see what is happening. I feel like I know the characters. I think it is very well written and the author really worked hard on this book.

This is definately a good book. This book was amazing in all aspects. There are not many books that meet my standards but this is one of them. If you like evil, good, courageous people and a suspensful story you MUST read this book.

Books from Chicken House are growing increasingly appealing to me, starting with Katherine Roberts' exquisite Spellfall and reaching to this one (and Roberts' upcoming "Crystal Mask"). This is not the best fantasy I've read, but a nice read anyway.Abby Clover and the curious Spike are washed ashore after a storm. They soon find that they are in strange new surroundings that include witches, shark-infested seas, captives and missing people, and Ice Dust, which is the cause of magic.They team up with Captain Starlight (huh?) and his albatross Benbow; also Chadwick Street, who is the leader of the Light Witches (why not wizards? I don't know). But as they travel over the shark-y water to the Night Witch fortress, they will have only their wits and a few insufficient talents to defeat a terrible enemy, without the help of the Ice Dust...I liked this book. My breath wasn't sucked away like the best works of fiction do, and while I found it a pleasant pasttime, I wasn't hungering for more once it was finished.Perhaps it was the rather lightweight feel of some aspects of it, such as the names: Starlight, Abby Clover, Chadwick Street -- and Spike only brought to mind the blond vampire. Slightly more exotic or indistinguishable names might be better -- these feel rather cutesy. Also the concept of Light and Night witches (wizards?) is far from new. The Ice Dust brings a feeling rather reminiscent of Philip Pullman's Dust as well (though I far prefer Molloy's book to Pullman's!)The writing is pretty good, fairly descriptive. The characters of Abby and Spike are pretty well-done, as is Benbow the Albatross. I didn't really connect with Starlight, though, and Chadwick Street just annoyed me. I can't say why; perhaps he seemed a little too showy and two-dimensional.Overall, this is a pleasant read, especially for those who prefer British fantasy to American fantasy. It's not deep, but is a pleasant book nevertheless. Simply do not expect something that will take your breath away.