I received a copy of The Witch of Little Italy by Suzanne Palmieri in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
In Suzanne Palmieri’s charming debut, The Witch of Little Italy, you will be bewitched by the Amore women. When young Eleanor Amore finds herself pregnant, she returns home to her estranged family in the Bronx, called by “The Sight” they share now growing strong within her. She has only been back once before when she was ten years old during a wonder-filled summer of sun-drenched beaches, laughter and cartwheels. But everyone remembers that summer except her. Eleanor can’t remember anything from before she left the house on her last day there. With her past now coming back to her in flashes, she becomes obsessed with recapturing those memories. Aided by her childhood sweetheart, she learns the secrets still haunting her magical family, secrets buried so deep they no longer know how they began. And, in the process, unlocks a mystery over fifty years old—The Day the Amores Died—and reveals, once and for all, a truth that will either heal or shatter the Amore clan.
Review:
Ooh, a good magic story – right up my alley! I’ll admit that it took me a few chapters to ease into the Amore women and their history, but just short of halfway through the book I really started to become hooked. The mystery aspect of the Day the Amores Died was interesting, and a bit of a heartbreak to read about once it was finally time for that to be revealed. Sometimes I felt that the scenes were a bit over my head and I struggled to connect, but overall this was a really fun story filled with shaky family dynamics, the bond between mother and daughter, and the power of magic. An intriguing debut from Palmieri¸ and I hope to read more from her!
