River Witch by Cheryl Burman – Review by Ayla Phipps

River Witch by Cheryl Burman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read by Cheryl Burman. The story starts when Hester is only 8 years old, she is at the river listening to it and watching the river nymphs play. A mysterious man appears wearing a yellow waistcoat, he tells her that the river is a goddess named Sabrina. She remembers him over the years, always thinking back to that day, learning the rivers name and the walk home as the man told her the names of flowers and what healing properties they have.

A time jump, Hester is now 14 years old, she is once again stealing a few moments away from her chores at home to watch the river. The river nymphs call out to her and finally she decides to give into them. Running down the cliffs to the water she barely reaches the edge the water crashing around her ankles the nymphs’ arms open wide to embrace her when the mystery man stops her once more. He is friendly at first until Hester says the nymphs invited her to join them, he acts as though he had tasted something sour the words “the nymphs invited her” never leaving his mind as winter comes and goes. Hester learns that her paternal great grandmother healed with herbs and flowers, remembering her first conversation with the mystery man she plans to ask him to teach her the ways. The POV changes off and on between Hester and the mystery man Aaron, we learn he is writing a book about the healing properties of herbs and flowers. When Hester asks him for help in learning about healing others after a 5-year-old little girl from the village dies he has an internal tug of war before telling her no. The phrase “the nymphs invited her” still dancing in his mind as he worried for Hester. Unable to stop himself he returns to a place of great pain for him, speaking to the memory of a person long gone. The spirit tells Aaron “She has the soul of a goddess. Sabrina will not be cheated a second time.”, the spirit talks reason into Aaron asking if he would rather Hester learn from the river nymphs or from him, because either way she would not be denied. Not giving up on the plan of learning about how to heal like her great grandmother, Hester asks about where the mystery man lives, as they still do not know each other’s names at this point in the story. Her brother Reuben tells her and without a second to change her mind she runs to his home, only Aaron has decided he must teach her before the nymphs. Hester entering his home he says “Well, is it too late to start lessons tonight, or do you have to be home for your mama to tuck you in and sing you a lullaby?”

Will Hester succeed in her journey to heal others? Will Aaron teach her all she needs to know, or will he hold back information to protect her? If you enjoy mysterious books that keep you guessing on what is coming next this is the book for you. I couldn’t stop reading as I was hungry for more answers with every page.

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