Reviews tagging 'Death'

The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton

10 reviews

dmrains's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was exactly the right level of "spice" for me: not too explicit with descriptions for my ace brain & didn't feel like porn. Very sweet couple
the way they both save each other and have complementary childhood trauma
. Felt very late bloomer coming-of-age to me which I loved. I really identified with Charlotte 💙

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samchase112's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

What an absolute delight! This was so much more fun now that I’m actually familiar with the world and series style — there’s no plot, it’s just action. And I’m here for it! I adored the characters, the quirky little details, and the swoon-worthy romance. It all somehow comes together into one non-stop romantic adventure. A perfect way to jump start my fall reading!

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lovely_fantasy's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-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? No

4.0

I had a good time reading this! Victorian England with some added magic, the lives of ladies. I read it as a stand-alone even though it’s the second book in a series, so I was a little confused about the intracies of magic and witches vs pirates, but I never had to guess who was who, so it didn’t really matter. It was fun and very lighthearted, and the writing was probably my favorite part. I’m hoping to read the first book soon.

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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

3.0

Thank you, Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing, for sending this book in exchange for an honest review. 

This book is based on Charlotte Pettifer and she belongs to a secret society skilled in a very particular art. That is to say, although she can’t say it too loudly, witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely the pirates in the Wisteria Society. When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the words scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex’s not careful, he might just steal something else – like Charlotte’s heart. This book is a romance historical fiction. 
 
Okay, if you are wanting a pirate, action-packed feminist book, don’t read this book. It’s a romance book with a bit of action. Not saying that I didn’t enjoy this book, I just didn’t expect it to be all romance and a bit of action. I wanted it the other way around. After I read the new book in the series, I knew what I was getting into, but I still really wanted a more action-packed novel. I liked Charlotte and Alex’s relationship. I loved Alex in the first book so seeing him as the main character in this book was funny as. He sort of reminds of Damon Salvatore as a private. I think this book would have been better if it was a slow burn as both books sort of have an insta love trope in it which I'm not really enjoying in this series. It could have been 100 more pages for the slow burn and I would have liked it more. I liked the multiple POVs during this book. 
 
I just was expecting more and wanting more from this book and it just never happened. Hopefully the next book in this series is better. 

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kshertz's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Yep I’m totally sold on this series and this author. The first book was hilarious and so is this one. I loved this pirate witch love story. The banter is just amazing. I can’t get over the hilarious jokes. The way that they fall in love is glorious. It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever read in the best way.  I can’t wait to read more. 

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sydapel's review against another edition

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

4.0

The quirky and whimsical style isn't for everyone, but all I could think about was how much Jane Austen would have loved this. 

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aromarrie's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

the author quotes jane austen at the end in her vision for charlotte pettifer’s story and it was this: “I’m going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” which just absolutely baffled me because what do you mean “no one but myself” will like her?? i love her, i loved charlotte’s pov and seeing her embrace her magic in a way that made her fellow witches gasp in horror at such lack of decorum and yet—she was so free & buoyant with the energy that flowed through her that it made this story all the more thrilling.

even more so was seeing her make as many leaps as she did falling, sometimes letting her insecurities wrap around her in her worries that she’s too different; that no one could possibly stand to be near her without her trying to diminish herself.  seeing the way that alex made her literally feel like she could fly just from their first meeting alone, and then in all the soft & chaotic moments they share afterward, to see charlotte express herself with such fervor and bare nakedness as she & alex spark an intimacy with each other like no other, it was romantic as hell. it was everything to see how charlotte made alex feel like he could let his own barriers down due to his own traumatic history with a witch from his past; to have that history not be swept away amongst all the chaos that does reign in this story (it’s absolute madness) but rather actually get explored as he & charlotte grow closer to each other, charlotte’s own fears being shed in light—it added such unmistakable depth to both of these characters and made their relationship one to be written in the stars and stretches across water. 

for the author to be able to write such an achingly sweet romance and balance it so well with cheeky humor & explosive action between pirates & witches—it’s an adventure i should’ve expected from my positive reading experience with the first book and yet in this one, it just felt like it was on a whole other level. there were just as many new characters as there were old, and the ones i was already familiar with fueled the heart of this story even more, making me feel so swept up in all this drama that at its core, was exploring a love story between a pirate & witch, two people who should strictly be known as enemies and yet they can’t seem to let go of their grip onto each other’s hands at any moment.
 
i adore charlotte & alex so much, and i adore how much excitement this story gave me; it was really fun, and i’ll always remember this for that. 

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amberinpieces's review against another edition

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

3.0


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fromjuliereads's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book so much 😭 mostly for the characters, let's be real. A badass witch subverting what is expected of her as the "good and proper girl"? Oof I feel that. Annnddd an Irish rogue pirate with a heart!? I CAN'T. The adventures were fantastic, I loved having characters from Wisteria show up. And there were SO MANY quotes from Austen and Shakespeare that I adored! 
This is NOT an Austen retelling for anyone who thinks this BUT there are so many Austen lines reworked to fit this story and it is amazing and so much fun to keep an eye out for them! Plus Charlotte references Austen characters and books throughout which was so much fun! 

I'm excited to see if there will be another spinoff!


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purplepenning's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

"I beg your pardon," [Bixby] said without the least hint of apology in his voice, "but is this a romance or is it an adventure? For I will remind you, we are missing the ongoing action." 
Charlotte and Alex exchanged a smiling glance.
"I think what this is defies definition," Charlotte said.

India Holton is back with another definition-defying historical fantasy romance farce — now with more magic! more derring-do! more iron-spined maiden aunts! more innuendo! more rogues and rakes! more petticoats and pilfering! and (to my great enjoyment) more skillfully bastardized classic prose (mostly Austen, with a bit of the Bard thrown in)!

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