Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

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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sarahreadsromance's review

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

1.0

Almost DNF’ed this one.  The resolution falls flat and there are so many triggers that come up with absolutely no warning and are not handled well.
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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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melchncookies's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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? Yes

3.75

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local_hat's review against another edition

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The writing style and characterization really did not work for me.
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ccwray's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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

3.0

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sirissacgluten's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

A Lullaby for Witches is a great new twist on both haunted house stories and split-timeline historical fiction. It follows Augusta, a mild-mannered museum worker yearning for more meaning in her life, as she begins to unravel the secrets of her new workplace and finds herself entangled in a 150-year-old quest for revenge.

In 1870s Tynemouth, the beautiful and tempestuous Margaret Harlowe, the only daughter of a wealthy Massachusetts shipping dynasty, seeks solace in nature and hones her hidden skill for magic. She runs an underground operation distributing herbs, advice, and occasionally spells to local women, but longs for more meaningful companionship. She falls fast and hard for a local shopkeeper, but their love story is doomed from the start.

In the present-day, Augusta Podos finds herself stuck in a dead-end relationship and wasting away at a mind-numbing tour guide job in Salem. When the opportunity to work at a historic house in Tynemouth arises, she jumps at the chance. As she combs through the archives, pages through local history books, and wanders through the creaky house, she begins to glimpse flashes of the past. The longer Augusta spends in the house, the greater Margaret's power grows, and soon the two women are irreversibly intertwined.

4/5: A spooky story about women's agency, legacy, and tenacity. Would appeal to fans of classic witchy stories as well as those looking for a fresh take on the genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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