The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

 

 

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Translation for my romanian readers:

Vrajitoarea din Near este doar o poveste veche, spusa pentru a speria copiii.
Daca vantul te cheama in miezul noptii, nu trebuie sa-l asculti. Vantul este singuratic, si-si cauta mereu companie.
Si nu exista straini in orasul Near.
Acestea sunt adevarurile pe care Lexi le-a ascultat toata viata ei. Dar cand un strain autentic - un baiat care pare sa dispara ca fumul - apare in fata casei ei, noaptea, ea stie ca macar una din aceste zicale nu mai este adevarata.
In noaptea urmatoare, copiii din Near incep sa dispara din paturi, iar baiatul misterios devine suspect. Totusi, el insista in a o ajuta pe Lexi sa-i gaseasca. Ceva ii spune ca poate avea incredere in el.
In timp ce urmarirea copiilor se intensifica, creste si nevoia lui Lexi de a afla - despre vrajitoarea care s-ar putea sa nu fie doar o poveste de adormit copiii, despre vantul care pare sa vorbeasca noaptea prin pereti si despre istoria baiatului fara nume.
Parte poveste cu zane, parte poveste de dragoste, romanul de debut a Victoriei Schwab este in intregime original si deopotriva familiar: un cantec pe care l-ai auzit demult, o soapta purtata de vant si un vis pe care nu-l vei uita curand.