Review by Darcey, Year 8, Beaconsfield High School
I loved this book. It was exciting, interesting, thought-provoking & it taught me lots on plague outbreaks and the rise of witch-hunters in the mid-1600s. The book is set in a dangerous, high-stakes environment where the main character, Ann Storer, must hide her special abilities only known to her late grandma. Ann’s tinctures, sold in the apothecary shop, are described in the book as the best cures around. Instead of following the normal recipes, Ann concocts her own variants, using ingredients gathered under a full moon, and bottles engraved with an unusual left-swirling spiral. This book features young Isaac Newton boarding above the Storer’s apothecary shop. Ann and Isaac work together to make an elixir to heal any injuries and make you live longer. In the book Ann becomes accused of witchcraft and the historical context teaches the reader about the witch trials held and the tense atmosphere around witch-hunters. I would really recommend this enlightening book as it is an easy way to understand the mid-1600s while being engrossed in a plot throughout. I would advise the book for 9–13-year-olds.

Review by Riham, Year 6, Netley Primary School
This amazing book was about a girl and her brother. She had to work and make her grandmother's medicine recipes that can heal people who are ill. They sell the elixir and other people can give it to whoever is sick. I really liked this book because it's such a caring magical book. I guess the family in the book also likes to help and heal. My favourite part of the book is when they were making their magical mysterious recipe! It's like I dived into a spellbinding adventure featuring witchfinders! The story is fictional, but it features Isaac Newton who was a real man. Don’t miss this book, it’s well worth reading!