Reviews tagging 'Death'

A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox

9 reviews

kbio's review

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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aseel_reads's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

the writing was quite beautiful and i liked the witchy elements but i felt that the plot was quite slow and got tedious towards the end. i also felt margaret's character was done dirty by the end. 
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kirohm's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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msradiosilence's review

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

TLDR; 2 rating, I’m just…upset.
Content warnings at the bottom. :)

I got this book on Indie Bookstore Day, and I was so excited to read it. I should’ve known that since it had a pretty cover, I was gonna be disappointed. Tsk tsk!

I liked….not a whole lot. The atmosphere felt true to Massachusetts, or at least Salem (where I have visited, mind). The writing wasn’t terrible (when it wasn’t dialogue). And I loved the interest in history/historical buildings. That was nice. 

But there was a lot I didn’t like. The dialogue was HELLA clunky. There were moments where it felt like Fox had never talked to another person before? Like…real people having conversations don’t sound like that. It just completely took me out of the story (which, to be honest, wasn’t hard). 

The back blurb promises “something sinister unfurl[ing] from its sleep” and “everything [Augusta] knows and loves — including her very life — could be lost forever.” You wanna know when THAT starts? Pages 232-233. The book is only 311 pages long! And Fox took 74.6% (check my math, I dare you) of it setting up for her back blurb! At that point, just vaguely mention sinister happenings, but for most of this book, it’s a romance with a historical mystery subplot.

Speaking of subplots, JESUS CHRIST.
What the fuck happened to Chris? He shoved Augusta, ran into her and Leo at the fair, and then just ceased existing, I guess?
TW for eating disorders for this next spoiler.
Augusta’s very obvious eating disorder is just…never actually addressed? There’s one comment Leo makes to Margaret in Augusta’s body, but no one else says ANYTHING. For the love of GOD.
Maybe I just missed it, but HOW THE FUCK is Augusta related to Margaret? She fucking DIED before she had her baby??? How? HOW??
Margaret (as Augusta) FULLY robbed and desecrated a grave. Augusta acknowledges that she’s gonna have to deal with those consequences. AND THEN DOESN’T??
Augusta and Leo just don’t address where Margaret has gone? Augusta’s apparent magical abilities? Augusta basically answers Leo’s “where’d she go?” question with a shrug and y’all are OKAY with that?? She tried to KILL YOU BOTH. WHAT THE FUCK.
Also Jack was just…concussed out of Leo??
And on and on. I just want answers, please. PLEASE.

I found all of the characters incredibly annoying. Phebe and Claudia were just background fodder to pull in a line of social commentary on racism (and subsequently after the commentary, being pushed aside in favor of the white ghost witch), Henry and George were flat, Jack and Margaret annoyed the fuck out of me, and Augusta and Leo were living out their romcom fantasies in my ghost witch book. Dead Romantics did it better and I didn’t even like that one much either!

I just…I read it. It’s for sure a book. I’m sure this book will find the people that enjoy it, but that sure as hell wasn’t me.

Rating: 2
Would I recommend? Not really.

Content warnings: <b>Graphic:</b> Toxic relationship(s), Emotional abuse (in the form of manipulation, in a relationship), Manipulation (verbal, physical), Death, Eating disorder, Murder (by stabbing). <b>Moderate:</b> Pregnancy, Death of a child (fetus, not miscarriage). <b>Minor:</b> Cancer, Death of a parent (father, mother), Suicide (possible), Drug use (mentioned), Drug overdose (mentioned). 
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kelisabeth's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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ellensbookishcollection's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝; 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Two Timelines. Two Women. One Hundred and Fifty Years. 

✔️ Magic 
✔️ Witches
✔️ Romance 
✔️ Revenge

This book was full of gothic atmosphere and magic, that sent chills down my spine more than once. I devoured the whole book as fast as I could! This is the first story I've read by this author, but it won't be my last.

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐢𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐢𝐭.

This book is lovely. The changing from Augusta's present day POV, and Margaret's past POV was done smoothly. I could really tell the difference between the two characters, when we were getting different POVs. I have to say, I enjoyed both timelines  immensely. The twists were cleverly woven, and it felt very fresh!

The character growth with Augusta was great to follow. I enjoyed seeing the historical building from a museum workers perspective, and all the behind the scene things. 

𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭. 𝐎𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭.

This is a wonderfully engaging novel brimming with love, betrayal, revenge and obsession. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5
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foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this one, although less of a thriller than I was expecting and more of just a historical fiction read with some magical elements imbued. It was good, maybe not my favourite ever, but a solid 4 stars, and definitely scratched my witchy itch for the season. 

Things I liked:
  • The dual POVs and timelines between Margaret and Augusta
  • The curatorial vision and eye at Harlow House
  • New England setting
  • Gothic vibes

Things I didn’t like:
  • Augusta’s character felt underdeveloped 
  • The repetition in Margaret’s chapters 
  • How everything wrapped up
  • Could’ve gone further with the magic and thriller elements 
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tamara_joy's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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sunflower_soph's review

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dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

Two dimensional poorly developed characters and foreshadowing that has all the subtlety of a slap to the face makes this book a flat predictable read. Points give for an interesting setting and context but there are undoubtedly books that do this blend of historical fiction and witchcraft better. 
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