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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
It is just a little too hokey for me. The premise is good, but the details that there is a conspiracy to get everyone to live in virtual reality, ancient Egyptian artifacts in North America, a founding fathers secret mystery, and then there are also witches (or so I was promised witches!) just seems like a lot. It isn't working for me. The scenes change like a puzzle role play video game.
Are the witches moving everyone to VR? Is she a witch because she is a natural red head and Black? is she royalty? No clear witches yet.
Are the witches moving everyone to VR? Is she a witch because she is a natural red head and Black? is she royalty? No clear witches yet.
I'm a sucker for a North Carolina novel from a North Carolina author. Even more so if there's witches and puzzles.
I struggled massively with the pacing, but that might be a "me" problem.
I struggled massively with the pacing, but that might be a "me" problem.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
No
Interesting but I felt it dragged a bit
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Interesting premise but typos, inconsistencies in timelines and narrative marred my enjoyment.
Masterful and imaginative blend of a witch's cauldron of genres. Take a witchy cozy mystery, add a heaping cup of history tempered with legends, stir well and add some sci-fi seasoning. Voila! You've got An Intrigue of Witches, a book with arguably the most gorgeous cover so far in 2024.
Suddenly furloughed from her position at the Smithsonian, Sidney Taylor returns home to her grandmother's house and college town. For many years, she worked as a history reenactor at a local museum. And now the museum director offers a huge sum of money to look for a missing artifact, enough to get her out of debt. But why does he insist this artifact has to be uncovered within the next two weeks? And what are the dire consequences hanging in the balance?
Addison bases enough of the story in actual history and legends to make you believe it all could be true. (Make sure to read the author's notes at the end explaining her sources.) And it's a fascinating and fun dive into the solving of all the clues in this letter, including cryptography and symbols. If you loved the Nic Cage movie, National Treasure, don't miss this book!
Suddenly furloughed from her position at the Smithsonian, Sidney Taylor returns home to her grandmother's house and college town. For many years, she worked as a history reenactor at a local museum. And now the museum director offers a huge sum of money to look for a missing artifact, enough to get her out of debt. But why does he insist this artifact has to be uncovered within the next two weeks? And what are the dire consequences hanging in the balance?
Addison bases enough of the story in actual history and legends to make you believe it all could be true. (Make sure to read the author's notes at the end explaining her sources.) And it's a fascinating and fun dive into the solving of all the clues in this letter, including cryptography and symbols. If you loved the Nic Cage movie, National Treasure, don't miss this book!
mysterious
medium-paced
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
This was fine! I kind of struggled in the beginning. The main character felt quite flat to me. I couldn’t really connect with her, didn’t really feel in her head.
And while the plot was fun, and maybe slightly too fast moving, I think the writing really let it down.
It’s just so much of “I did this, and then I did this and I thought about this and then I did this-,” It was All Tell, no Show. And that made this really hard to read.
It’s a quick read though, and I think the plot was definitely intriguing! I definitely recommend making up your own mind about this one.
2.5⭐️
This was fine! I kind of struggled in the beginning. The main character felt quite flat to me. I couldn’t really connect with her, didn’t really feel in her head.
And while the plot was fun, and maybe slightly too fast moving, I think the writing really let it down.
It’s just so much of “I did this, and then I did this and I thought about this and then I did this-,” It was All Tell, no Show. And that made this really hard to read.
It’s a quick read though, and I think the plot was definitely intriguing! I definitely recommend making up your own mind about this one.
2.5⭐️
The concept was so farfetched I had a really hard time suspending disbelief. And though it was very much of the National Treasure/DaVinci Code sort of genre, the protagonist was not the type to be quick on the uptake. It took her a long time to make connections. I really think this type of story flows much better when the protagonist is ostensibly smarter than the reader. Finally, the multi-culti genealogy of witches in the line of David from the Bible just took me way out of the story. Completely implausible.
The actual secret phrase is literally laughable and it just makes everything way less believable.
I wanted to like this. I thought I *would* like this. But I just couldn’t.
The actual secret phrase is literally laughable and it just makes everything way less believable.
I wanted to like this. I thought I *would* like this. But I just couldn’t.
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
“An Intrigue of Witches” by Esme Addison the first instalment in A Secret Society Mystery. What a great start to a new paranormal adventure mystery series. Introducing the Secret Society mystery series, and kick-ass red-headed heroine Sidney, a Black historian poised on the brink of discovering her true past . . . and her hidden witchy powers!
I loved Esme Addisons other series An Enchanted Bay Mystery series and am saddened it’s not continuing. Which in turn made me excited to read Intrigue of Witches , at first I was iffy until I hit the 25% mark in the book. It seemed to political, lots of black history, and conspiracy theories that float around today, but I really got into it in the end. I loved learning about early American history etc.
It felt like Dan Browns Di Vinci code type of adventure thriller full of conspiracy, intrigue, history, lost treasure, magic and did I mention time travel. I tried to stay awake to finish but kept falling asleep then I would wake up read another few chapters fall asleep but at 4am I made a cup of tea and had to see how it ended.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters. I’m sure we will learn more about the characters in further books and I look forward to Sidney’s next adventure. I can see these books as a movie too!
I highly recommend this series to all my mystery loving friends. I am looking forward to book two.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Severn House and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
I loved Esme Addisons other series An Enchanted Bay Mystery series and am saddened it’s not continuing. Which in turn made me excited to read Intrigue of Witches , at first I was iffy until I hit the 25% mark in the book. It seemed to political, lots of black history, and conspiracy theories that float around today, but I really got into it in the end. I loved learning about early American history etc.
It felt like Dan Browns Di Vinci code type of adventure thriller full of conspiracy, intrigue, history, lost treasure, magic and did I mention time travel. I tried to stay awake to finish but kept falling asleep then I would wake up read another few chapters fall asleep but at 4am I made a cup of tea and had to see how it ended.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters. I’m sure we will learn more about the characters in further books and I look forward to Sidney’s next adventure. I can see these books as a movie too!
I highly recommend this series to all my mystery loving friends. I am looking forward to book two.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Severn House and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.