When a stranger appears one night on the edge of town, Lexi can't help but be surprised. After all, Near is an incredibly small town and as such, strangers are practically unheard of. But to make matters worse, the following night the children from Near begin to disappear. Everyone believes that the stranger is responsible for their disappearance, except Lexi. Together, with the help of the stranger, she'll discover things about Near that seem to be more myth than fact. 
 I think it's going to be impossible for me to explain or capture just how gorgeously written The Near Witch is. The best two word phrase that I can use to describe it would be: hauntingly beautiful. Honestly, I could almost just summarize my review at that. As promised, it was part fairytale and part romance. In no way, shape, or form does the romance dominate or trample on the storyline--just in case you were worried about that. And the magic? It's definitely present, but it's subtle in a sneaky sort of way. 
 You've got Lexi, our main character, who goes hunting for answers in an effort to keep her younger sister, Wren, safe. The Council, which is hiding secrets from the townspeople. Cole, the boy with an extremely mysterious past. And of course, witches. Or perhaps more importantly, the Near Witch. The children's tale plays a very large part in The Near Witch and oh my goodness is the witch creepy! 
 If you like books with a fairytale feel to them, definitely read The Near Witch if you haven't already!