Helen Baggott

Being a Witch, and Other Things I Didn't Ask for Helen Baggott

Being a Witch, and Other Things I Didn't Ask For is a Young Adult time-slip novel about an emotionally wounded, fourteen-year-old foster girl who runs away not knowing she's a witch. 'It's a rollercoaster plot with gorgeous historical detail and fabulous characters... Magical.' The Sun, London.

Rachel (who prefers the nickname Raya) leaves her bland existence in a small village for the excitement of life on her own in London. But it turns out not only is she a witch, she also has this annoying ability to time travel, by accident. After the other kid at her last foster placement, the eleven-year-old Jake secretly follows her to London, she inadvertently flings herself back to the 1645 English Essex Witch Trials, along with a sarcastic witch's cat, Oscar. They are soon recognised as too different and thrown into prison for 'witchcrafte' by the notorious Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder General, along with other historic victims.

Raya's social worker and witch mentor Bryony goes back to try to save them from the gallows. But returning to present day London remains out of reach. With Raya's powers still out of control they find themselves in 1645 Istanbul/Constantinople. There, life is more amazing than she ever dreamed. Can she stay? And at what cost?