KATHLEEN MCAVOY

As the daughter of a Morse Code Operator (SOE-Special Operations Executive) in World War 2, I was very familiar with the Morse Code as both my parents used to keep certain information from the Inquisitive ears of my 8 siblings and myself by whistling Morse Code back and forth. My interest was piqued when I heard this Title. My mother "ran away" from her family farm in Scotland at 18 years of age, exaggerated her age on the forms and joined the RAF. She was stationed in London during Hitler's Blitzkrieg. The Book was detailed, well-researched but I found it filled with personal minutia describing trains, dinners, food, parental attitudes and reading more like a romance novel. The author took too much time to get to Europe and the meat of the story - the female participation in "going to war for her country like her brother." I was disappointed.

The story is about an orphan, a witch in Britain forced into a lifetime of hiding her magic gor her own safety. She is then hired over the internet as a tutor for three young girl witches hidden away in Nowhere House. The beginning of the book hooked me. The characters felt real. The story kept me engaged. The use of foul language and vulgar words, albeit every now and then (the f.. word) and other expletives was unnecessary. I hoped maybe it was a one off but it persisted. Then about half-way through it lost its appeal. The writing, the story became more of an adolescent 'falling in love' young adult book. My granddaughter may like the story. Young adult books are important works. I did not finish it but skimmed it hoping it would morph back to original writing.