Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch

by Julie Abe

Overview

In this thrilling sequel to Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, Eva must put a stop to the violent Culling or risk the fate of Rivelle Realm forever—perfect for fans of Kiki's Delivery Service.

From this day forward, we will believe in the impossible.

Eva Evergreen has fulfilled her dream of earning the rank of Novice Witch, and discovered the chilling truth behind the mysterious Culling — the violent magical storm wreaking havoc across Rivelle Realm.

Revealing the truth, however, proves to be a difficult task and soon the culprit is at large. To make matters worse Eva learns what might be the horrible truth behind her pinch of magic and her mother's own mysterious connection to the Culling and rogue magic.

With her spirits at an all-time low, Eva must muster up the courage to prove her mother's innocence and learn to believe in her own magic, if she wishes to put a stop to the Culling once and for all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316493963
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	07/05/2022
Series:	Eva Evergreen , #2
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	111,815
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Julie Abe has lived in Silicon Valley, spent many humid summers in Japan, and currently basks in the sunshine of Southern California with never enough books or tea, where she creates stories about magical adventures. She is the author of Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch and the sequel, Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch. Visit her online at www.julieabebooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Eva Evergreen:

"Eva Evergreen's journey unfurled before my eyes like a Miyazaki film, lush and mesmerizing. I cheered for Eva every step of the way, and hope to get to spend time with her on the next leg of her journey. (And I really want a flamefox!)"—Debbi Michiko Florence, author of the Jasmine Toguchi series and Keep It Together, Keiko Carter

"Eva Evergreen shines in this high-flying, page-turning, and wonderfully heartwarming adventure! Readers will cheer as Eva discovers that friendship, community, and courage have a special magic of their own."—Temre Beltz, author of The Tragical Tale of Birdie Bloom

"Magical. Reading along as Eva tries her hardest to do good with the gifts she has — no matter how small — is inspiring and wondrous. Friendship, family, and flamefoxes! A magical story with the most relatable hero ever. Following Eva's story is truly a joy."—Sean Easley, author of The Hotel Between

"I read this with a smile on my face. Abe's debut is whimsical and enchanting, with a heartwarming story of family and friendship at its core. Magic wands and flamefoxes abound, and readers of all ages will fall in love with Eva's bravery and determination. A delightful fantasy — I finished wishing I could grab a broomstick and fly into Eva's world!"—Elizabeth Lim, author of Spin the Dawn

"Eva Evergreen sparkles with magical whimsy that will remind readers of Kiki's Delivery Service! With a delightful cast of characters, Abe creates a rich world filled with intrigue, friendship, and of course magic. Eva is a charming, sometimes bumbling, but always well-intentioned Novice Witch who will have readers rooting for her from page one!"—Kat Cho, author of Wicked Fox

"Julie Abe has created an intriguing, flawed character."—School Library Connection

*"Abe creates adazzling, magical world with well-developed characters, relationships, and challenges. Bewitching — a must-read for fantasy lovers."—Kirkus, starred review

"...as captivating and charming as before. Abe’s descriptive writing takes readers on a compelling, suspenseful adventure in a spectacular magical realm full of “impossible possibilities.” An enchanting, magical read."

 

—Kirkus

"...ends on a satisfying note with an action-packed resolution."—School Library Journal

"A gripping and enchanting sequel that dares readers to “believe in impossible possibilities.”"—Booklist

From the Publisher

08/06/2021

Gr 3–7—This sequel features a more confident Eva Evergreen who is beginning to come into her abilities as a witch, and feeling more sure-footed as a valued member of the magical community. Mysterious catastrophic weather events continue to plague Rivelle Realm. When evil Grand Master Grottel curses Eva's mother and drains her of magical powers, it becomes evident that he is responsible for the disasters that are affecting town after town and the strange disappearances of Rivelle's citizens. Grottel's motivation and goals are murky, but Eva is determined to fight evil with kindness, and to protect Rivelle at all costs. As she seeks to restore magic to her mother, and to reunite her friends Davy and Charlotte with their parents, Eva embarks on a dangerous quest, fighting on the frontlines alongside much more experienced witches and wizards while acting as a live-map tracker as they hunt for the source of Grottel's power. Throughout the story, Eva stands up for herself, for the community she loves, and for those too vulnerable to save themselves with her faithful and spirited flamefox Ember by her side. We see her take on the role of mentor and protector, and a clear correlation is made throughout the narrative of the link between courage, self-belief, resilience, and magical ability. Eva's magic is only as strong as her heart, and she is most successful when she pours the love she has received from her family and friends back into her community. The narrative thread can feel plodding, especially during the first half of the story, but the plot pace picks up, and ends on a satisfying note with an action-packed resolution that indicates the series will continue. Character ethnicities are not explicitly described, though context clues in the text and artwork imply Eva is Japanese. VERDICT Recommended for fiction collections committed to also purchasing the first book in the series.—Lauren Younger, Univ. of Dallas Lib.

School Library Journal

★ 2021-06-01
Eva Evergreen summons her courage and her magic to stop the Culling once and for all in this exciting sequel.

Eva has finally achieved her dream of becoming a Novice Witch by helping protect her assigned town, Auteri, from the Culling, a mysterious, disastrous, magical storm. On top of that, her mother has been accused of using rogue magic, passing it on to Eva, and bringing about the Culling. When the parents of two of Eva’s friends from Auteri go missing, she attempts to locate them, in the process uncovering who might actually be behind the Culling—something she reveals to the queen and Inner Council. In retaliation, the suspect casts a curse, which costs Eva’s mother her magic, and then disappears. With the culprit on the loose and the Culling worsening, Eva is assigned a critical mission. With the help of her friends and her red-gold flamefox, black-haired Eva must find the courage to find the truth behind the Culling before it destroys the whole realm. With curses, rogue magic, and secrets, this sequel is a little darker than its predecessor but still as captivating and charming as before. Abe’s descriptive writing takes readers on a compelling, suspenseful adventure in a spectacular magical realm full of “impossible possibilities.” Japanese names and manga-style spot art add to the atmosphere.

An enchanting, magical read. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews