One Smart Witch by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of One Smart Witch in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
One Smart Witch had the perfect chance to grow the story—maybe by exploring more of the magical world or shifting the focus to fresh character dynamics. Instead, it treads the same tired path as book one. The plot sticks to the exact same structure, centering—yet again—on the brother. It’s like no one else in this universe is considered worthy of a storyline.
The Details
And yes, spoiler: it’s all about him. Still. But not in an intriguing, morally grey antihero way. He’s smug, whiny, and completely self-absorbed. There’s no charm, no depth—just an endless stream of eye-roll-worthy scenes. Chapter after chapter devoted to his drama felt more like a slog than an adventure.
Honestly, if this is the direction the series insists on taking, they should’ve called it The Brother Chronicles and embraced it. Witches, familiars, magical townsfolk—there’s a whole vibrant world hinted at in the background. But these interesting threads are ignored in favor of one grating man-child. It’s a baffling choice.
Even the titular protagonist gets sidelined. She barely gets time to breathe before the plot reroutes around her in service of more brother-centric nonsense. The pacing slows to a crawl, dragged down by repetitive emotional detours that add nothing new. What could have been a whimsical, character-driven sequel ends up feeling stale.
The Verdict
There are still flashes of fun—some witty moments and clever magical details—but they’re too few to redeem the overall experience. I spent most of the book asking, “Why are we still talking about him?” Unless the third book gives other characters a chance to lead, I won’t be continuing. This witch, and this reader, deserve better.
