Hello, reader!
Our finalists for 2024’s Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award are on tour and I’m joining in! Today, I’ll be bringing you my thoughts on our 7th place finalist, a fun and funny witchy fantasy called Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson!
But, before I go on, let me tell you more about this award. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with, typically, 15 finalists (though we had 16 in 2024) and one overall winner. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
And, now, let’s talk about Glunda the Veg Witch!
- Title: Glunda the Veg Witch
- Author: Keith W. Dickinson
- Publisher: Hammersmyth Press
- Publication date: October 31st, 2023
- Length: 149 pages
- Genre: Fantasy
- Age group: New Adult
Book Links
“A witch’s boots told the story of her life. They showed you where she’d been, where she was going, and what kind of a witch she would be when she got there. And, most importantly, they were proof that said witch was not someone to be trifled with. She was to be listened to, and obeyed, and yes sometimes even feared, because her wisdom was hard earned and her wrath swift and mighty. They would have to be, for her to have lived in such boots for so many a year. No one trusted a witch in brand new boots, and rightly so as far as Glunda was concerned.”
Glunda Ashwillow is on top of the world. About to become head witch, and the youngest ever Guardian of the Golden Key, the only thing standing in her way is her old enemy, the Drupe Mages. They have the key, and they’re not willing to give it up without a fight.
With a coven of quarrelsome witches to contend with, and a fief full of farmers on the verge of revolt, can Glunda beat the mages and get the key before she runs out of veg? Or is there a cold, hard, carrot-less winter ahead for all concerned?
A tale of heroism and hotpots, Glunda The Veg Witch is a fun fantasy adventure everyone can enjoy.
Author Links
Website::BlueSky::Twitter::Instagram::Goodreads
Born a stone’s throw from the Lake District, Keith studied film making at university before moving to London to work in film and TV. After twenty years of doing other people’s bidding he went around the world, trained as a yoga teacher, rode a camel, got a tattoo he doesn’t regret, and was finally able to publish his first novel, DEXTER & SINISTER: DETECTING AGENTS, something he has dreamed of since he was eight years old and asked for a typewriter for Christmas.
Currently residing in Leeds, when he’s not up a mountain Keith can be found trying to get his foot behind his head. He hasn’t managed it yet, but he’ll get there one day.
Keith has four books out, THE HAMMERSMYTH TALES, a steampunk series that includes two novels and a collection of short stories, and GLUNDA THE VEG WITCH, his first foray into cosy fantasy.
Thank you to BBNYA, The Write Reads, and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.
Sometimes, when I’m feeling in a reading rut and have no idea what to do about it, I like to pick up a low-stakes novel that promises a good time. Glunda the Veg Witch is the type of book that scratches that itch! It’s short, sweet, and a delightfully good time. I’m so glad I got a chance to read this as a panelists for last year’s BBNYA competition!
This novel follows our titular veg witch, Glunda, as she prepares to become head witch and take the Golden Key back from the mages at the beginning of the fall season. Except, this year, the mages have a new invention and new ideas about who should be the Keeper of the Golden Key. Glunda must work with her fellow witches to bring her life (and those of the villagers around her) back into balance.
Though I love a low-stakes novel sometimes, I still need a plot, and this wonderful little book delivered! I was enraptured by the world that the author created. The magic system could have been very surface level, but Dickinson dives in a little deeper to give this world a bit more substance and I truly appreciated it! I also enjoyed the humorous tone that runs throughout this novel. The writing has a great flow and I found myself chuckling more than once.
I think my favorite aspect of this novel has to be Glunda herself. She was such a wonderful character to follow and I loved watching her work through her trials. I wish we could have spent more time with some of the other characters that ended up playing a bigger role in the story, but I still think the author did a good job of making them distinct and interesting.
Overall, this was funny, compelling, and just a great time. This is prime material for busting a reading slump if I ever saw it!
Star rating:
Kerri McBookNerd 