Run, Witch, Run (The Mountain Witch Saga) A Review

Normally my choice of books to read would not be about witches. It's not that I don't like witches...not that I know any, that I know of...well, over a lifetime I suspect I've met at least a couple who would fit that category. But this post is not about the women I've met over a lifetime. It's a review of Jonathan Grimm's novel "Run, Witch, Run."
The title caught my eye so I looked at chapter 1, and then looked at chapter 2, and saw that it jumped back two months. No matter. I already liked main character Rachel so I bought the book and read it--no, not in one sitting, but in one day, while mixing in the other chores and activities necessary to run a homestead, finished by 10:30 pm, just in time to watch Jay Leno's standup comedy. (The next day I discovered that "Run, Witch, Run" very likely is part of a series, but it also did very well standing alone.
Witches have always been an oppressed lot, even today with more and more groups obtaining equal rights. But of course there are always those who will never give equal rights to a group they don't approve of.
In my neck of the woods (the Outback of eastern North Dakota) I have twice in the summertime seen a sign pointing to where a witches' meeting was being held. No, I didn't go. My reason was not from perceived fear of them but quite the opposite. Because I'm always looking for new interests I would have liked to visit and observe. Unfortunately, observing would not have been enough. I would have wanted to learn more and study with them, and not necessarily become a witch, but at least learn some of their magic.
And after reading "Run, Witch, Run" the next time I see that sign I might just go.
To get back to the novel, the main character, Rachel, had me immediately. I liked her because she was socially shy (like me) an orphan (an abused orphan) very smart (smarter than most adults about the ways of the world) and her youth. She was a junior in high school, and I liked that she was in love with learning, especially what she evidently liked best: Physics. But then, physics were helping her in her quest to learn how to be a witch.
Little Katie (the other main character) was a great help there, although Katie wasn't a true witch and used Rachel's true (but undeveloped) powers to take Rachel to unbelievably stunning places of beauty.
Another thing I really liked about Rachel was her planning and then determination to leave her safe and warm (though not necessarily emotionally warm) home and go live in the wilderness, where she will eventually find...well, I'll let you, the next reader, find that out on your own. Personally, I really liked what she found and then I liked her choice to keep going and learning more and more.
The first part of the story shortly becomes a true thriller, as Rachel has to run and hide, and run some more. Then the middle slows down a bit (as many novels do, but remains very intriguing) as she gets herself oriented with the Mountain Witches, and then the end speeds up again.
I found the story to be believable from the start--if I "don't" believe, I close the book and move on. This one caught me and held me. Without destroying the plot I believe I can tell of two scenes that truly affected me emotionally. The hallucinatory rattlesnake in the tent: I nearly died until the snake changed back into being part of the sleeping bag's zipper. The other was when the lady detective following Rachel's case involuntarily "crossed over." Every square inch of my body turned into a goosepimple, and, sorry, folks, that's all I'm going to tell you.
In the end, a really good read! Here is Jonathan Grimm's Amazon author's page: http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Grimm/e/B007LEDV4U/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1364927656&sr=1-2-ent

Thanks for reading

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