A. Phillips 5 out of 5 starsGreat holiday read Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 August 2017 Verified Purchase Witch Dust was every bit as well written and meticulously constructed as Marilyn's first two (wonderful) books, and though I thought I'd miss Stella, Serenissina (aka Sandra) was an equally interesting & feisty female role model. The book made me laugh with the witty use of language, cringe with some of the gruesome goings on and kept me gripped throughout its roller coaster storyline, with me wishing, more than once, that I could manage to find some witchy ancestors of my own! Can't wait for the next one -keep writing, Marilyn!

Eve-Vee 5 out of 5 stars. Like the Strange series Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 June 2017 Verified Purchase Once again, Marilyn Messik has left me speechless with her skilful storytelling. Like the Strange series, Witch Dust quickly pulls you into the story and characters and doesn't let you go until the very last word - even at that point, you really don't want to leave this fantasy world; a world carefully created to intertwine with apparently normal, everyday life. The characters are lovable and loathsome in equal measure, depending on their role within the plot, each quickly built into a personality you can easily recognise. The author's deft hand also maintains a level of humour, often dark, sometimes subtle, but always with the power to have you giggling from beginning to end. I really don't want to give too much of the plot away, but it is an absolute must for any fantasy/paranormal/witchcraft fans who like a bit of a giggle when fighting with the demons of other worlds, and indeed of this one. Highly recommended for everyone, but if you are a Pratchett fan, this will be right up your street.

Susan Hampson 5 out of 5 stars. Pure magic Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2017 Verified Purchase This is such a lovely, good feel and 100% fun book to read with a sprinkle of darkness thrown in, too. I just loved it. Every child wants a bit of magic in their lives, but when you are surrounded by it, I suppose it becomes just everyday normal. Adam and Ophelia were illusionists at the top of their game, so their daughter Sandra was more than used to seeing Dad throw knives at her mum. Sandra, now grown up, noticed that at times odd things happened that no one else seemed to pick up on, a little sort of jump in time, just for a split second, when she thought a knife or such was heading towards her mum rather than just missing. If she ever questioned it, people always seemed to dodge the answer. After a fallout between her mum and dad, Ophelia takes Sandra with her to visit relatives that she had been told simply didn’t exist and what starts as a visit to this failing family hotel of the most bizarre people you could meet just made me want to book in. Sandra always yearned for more family, but these people are not like, to put it bluntly, normal. What begins as a visit turns into something much more. What a super book this is. I loved the humour and full-on colourful, eccentric and magical characters that just filled my mind. Such a lot of people, but each one had their own quirkiness and abilities that they were all so easy to remember. The story is told by Sandra, which I loved, as when she was shocked, angry or just simply funny, then that was what I felt. It was like we were discovering everything together, with never a dull moment. What Sandra had found shocking to start with soon becomes her new normal. The chapters are a nice length to give you a chunk of the story, but short enough to get a quick chapter in too, with a coffee break. It is all a visual reading experience. Just pure magic!