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3.18 AVERAGE
3.18 AVERAGE
I won an advanced readers edition via a goodreads giveaway.
The Orphan Witch provides an entertaining take on the familiar themes of family and witchcraft. The book starts strong and holds pace throughout. The author did a lovely job at keeping the fast pace without leaving the reader behind. The magic and world can seem complex but it's broken down in ways to make it easy to digest which makes the book incredibly readable.
The language used by some of the witches reads a bit odd but it fits the characters extremely well. It makes you desire a single cup of tea and a short conversation with them on their porch.
The Orphan Witch provides an entertaining take on the familiar themes of family and witchcraft. The book starts strong and holds pace throughout. The author did a lovely job at keeping the fast pace without leaving the reader behind. The magic and world can seem complex but it's broken down in ways to make it easy to digest which makes the book incredibly readable.
The language used by some of the witches reads a bit odd but it fits the characters extremely well. It makes you desire a single cup of tea and a short conversation with them on their porch.
I read around 40 pages but I couldn't get into the story at all. I felt like everything is rushed on how Persephone gets to the Isle of Wile and the story so far didn't get me curious enough to continue to read to see what Persephone will decide to do about the curse.
I tried really hard to like this book. The concept was interesting but the chapters and book itself felt drawn out. Alot was said but nothing ever really happened. Alot of words spent on describing places and items and then the actual action parts were rushed and confusing. Even with the over description for places it was messy and not put together. I could not clearly picture what the space was supposed to look like. The development in her magic was never really explained. She just all the sudden could control it and it was only alluded that she practiced to make it so. All in all the book was hard to get through. I feel like 300 pages of the book were spent describing surroundings that didn't even come together to make sense.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted it love this book. The plot was very interesting but the authors writing style was not for me. It was choppy at times or very drawn out. The chapters are very, very long which made the story seem more drawn out then it was. Persephone was a very interesting character and her development with her cousins was interesting. Her and the librarian seem kind of forced. It had an interesting curse and way of breaking it but overall decent.
The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher has Persephone May searching for where she belongs. She has always felt lost. When her one friend invites her Wile Isle, North Carolina, Persephone accepts the invitation. She can tell right away that Wile Isle is different. Persephone can feel the power on the island. This may be the place Persephone has been searching for, but all is not as it seems. The description of The Orphan Witch captured my attention, and I was eager to read it. I began the book and I found myself reading long, drawn out chapters. The writing felt awkward, and the pacing is slow. The first couple of chapters felt like an information dump as we are told Persephone’s history. I had a hard time wading through this story because of the writing. The multiple point-of-views did not help matters and there was little action. I also found certain elements to be confusing. I wish I could have connected with the characters and become invested in this tale. This paranormal novel was just not the right fit for me. The Orphan Witch is a story about family curses, spells, witches, and Persephone finding her where she belongs.
I was in the mood for something a bit more fast-paced, but maybe I'll pick it up again later.
Paige Crutcher brings suspense, heartbreak, magic, and hope to her debut novel The Orphan Witch. Persephone May has been lonely all of her life. She was abandoned at six weeks and grew up in group and foster homes. Baffling things happen around her so she doesn’t stay long anywhere. At thirty-two, she is still frequently moving from place to place. When she displays power accidentally, Persephone knows it’s time to travel again. On her way to somewhere, she gets an email from a person she met a year ago inviting her to Wile Isle, North Carolina. That’s where she heads. But things aren’t as they seem. Who can be trusted? Has she found a place to belong or is this just another nightmare visit?
Persephone is definitely someone you want to find happiness, friends, and a sense of belonging. But much stands in her way, including a 100-year-old curse, a family feud, and much more. She has a lot of character depth and shows significant growth over the course of the novel. The secondary characters have varying goals that keep the story fresh and provide some surprises. It was easy to connect with multiple characters.
The author did a great job of transporting me to this community with believable, but complicated world-building. The setting is largely contemporary, with one chapter set 100 years earlier and a few visits to other worlds, times, or dimensions. I did want the contemporary town to be better described. Other than that, the imagery was extraordinary. Persephone’s odd powers are unique and lend another dimension to the well-written story. Time walking and the Library for the Lost provided unique avenues for the story to unfold.
Despite being somewhat slow in a couple of places, it kept my interest. After about halfway, the action picks up and the suspense and danger builds. Close attention to the detail is important to understanding everything that is occurring. Themes include loneliness, family, family history, sisterhood, feuds, curses, power, greed, subterfuge, love, heartbreak, death, sacrifice, epic clashes, strength of character, and finding one’s place in the world.
Overall, I enjoyed this original and atmospheric novel. It was an entertaining book that was emotionally intense and pulled at this reader’s heartstrings and had a few twists along the way. If you are a fan of suspenseful stories about witches with a fight between good and evil, then you may want to check out this novel. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Griffin and Paige Crutcher provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for September 28, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
Persephone is definitely someone you want to find happiness, friends, and a sense of belonging. But much stands in her way, including a 100-year-old curse, a family feud, and much more. She has a lot of character depth and shows significant growth over the course of the novel. The secondary characters have varying goals that keep the story fresh and provide some surprises. It was easy to connect with multiple characters.
The author did a great job of transporting me to this community with believable, but complicated world-building. The setting is largely contemporary, with one chapter set 100 years earlier and a few visits to other worlds, times, or dimensions. I did want the contemporary town to be better described. Other than that, the imagery was extraordinary. Persephone’s odd powers are unique and lend another dimension to the well-written story. Time walking and the Library for the Lost provided unique avenues for the story to unfold.
Despite being somewhat slow in a couple of places, it kept my interest. After about halfway, the action picks up and the suspense and danger builds. Close attention to the detail is important to understanding everything that is occurring. Themes include loneliness, family, family history, sisterhood, feuds, curses, power, greed, subterfuge, love, heartbreak, death, sacrifice, epic clashes, strength of character, and finding one’s place in the world.
Overall, I enjoyed this original and atmospheric novel. It was an entertaining book that was emotionally intense and pulled at this reader’s heartstrings and had a few twists along the way. If you are a fan of suspenseful stories about witches with a fight between good and evil, then you may want to check out this novel. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Griffin and Paige Crutcher provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for September 28, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
Liked it. Lost one whole star for the NUMEROUS typos and errors in the book. Seriously, did anyone other than microsoft word even edit this book??
I was really intrigued by title and cover of this book and once I got started I enjoyed the present day storyline. The narrator did a good job but I think found myself getting a little confused by the characters and think this one would have benefited from a cast of narrators.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.