Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

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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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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midnightgremlin's review

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

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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spookyemily's review

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

3.0

Not a fan of the use of disordered eating as a plot device. I won’t divulge further for fear of giving away spoilers. I wish the author would have used something else in its place but otherwise it was a fine enough story. I especially liked the spot on representation of museum work, especially when it comes to collections and inclusivity of who’s stories are told. 
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bethsiekierawalker's review

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

3.25

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amandasbookreview's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

 
Thank you, NetGalley, Hester Fox, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. This book will hit shelves everywhere on February 1st, 2022.

“Love is the centre of all we see, Love is the jewel that guides us true, No matter what, love, you’ll stay with me, No matter what, my love, I’ll stay with you.”

A LULLABY FOR WITCHES
I will always and forever read anything that Hester Fox writes. She always delivers with Gothic vibes. In previous books, she took inspiration from classic authors like Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley. A Lullaby for Witches brings in the lore of witches from the North-Eastern part of the United States, including Salem, Massachusetts. Augusta has been working tours in Salem and comes home to a dwindling relationship. So things begin to look up when she gets a job at a small museum in Tynemouth called Harlowe House. She immediately connects with the house and the woman who possibly lived there centuries before. Her name is Margaret Harlowe and she is known for being a wild one in a wealthy family. But soon, rumors begin that she practices witchcraft. She finds herself in trouble and then betrayed by those she loves and vengeance and a hunger for all that she has lost will span time itself.

Trigger Warnings: emotional and physical abuse, murder

I can honestly say I had no idea where this book was going in the beginning. The beginning gives the impression of time travel. Boy, was I wrong! I loved Augusta and I think many women and men can relate to her. She finds herself in a relationship and a job that puts her down and makes her invisible. She loses her self-confidence. When people show true concern and care, she doesn’t know how to respond. Those of us who have been in her shoes, know the emotional toll that takes on a person. Then add a ghost that is up to no good.

The pace does drag a bit. There is a lot of time spent on Augusta’s research about the Harlowe family and her search for Margaret. –But I actually enjoyed that part. It was one of my favorite things to do in college, so I may have a little bias there. Then there are the time-jumps and the switching of points-of-view which didn’t come together all that smoothly. But the tie to history is everything. The ghosts of the past and the people trying to study them are just fascinating, even if it is fiction. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars! 

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