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allivenger's review against another edition
4.0
I did not realize when I picked this up that there was an entire book prior to this one. But you don't really need the previous book to understand what's happening here. The author gives enough details of the previous book that carries over into this one seamlessly. It gave A Discovery of Witches vibes in both it's storytelling and it's integration into American History involving witchcraft. Though this is not as wordy as A Discovery of Witches.
We pick up with Connie struggling to finish her book, trying to achieve tenure, and keeping her relationship afloat. But when she finds herself pregnant her mother gives her a dire warning. Break up with Sam, or lose the baby, because no woman in the family has had both. Or have they? Connie is in a race against the clock to break this ancient curse and figure out if she really believes in magic and if she can truly have both. Or break her heart in the process.
The deep dive into the past with some of the chapters interwoven with the present was a wonderful addition to the story. It gave you a background to the curse itself and why the curse came about in the first place. Figuring out how to fix the curse was it's own mystery and Connie struggled throughout with the choices she was making. It was a wonderful story overall.
We pick up with Connie struggling to finish her book, trying to achieve tenure, and keeping her relationship afloat. But when she finds herself pregnant her mother gives her a dire warning. Break up with Sam, or lose the baby, because no woman in the family has had both. Or have they? Connie is in a race against the clock to break this ancient curse and figure out if she really believes in magic and if she can truly have both. Or break her heart in the process.
The deep dive into the past with some of the chapters interwoven with the present was a wonderful addition to the story. It gave you a background to the curse itself and why the curse came about in the first place. Figuring out how to fix the curse was it's own mystery and Connie struggled throughout with the choices she was making. It was a wonderful story overall.
njbrit's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
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
3.25
Story interesting but not enough Detail on why she was searching
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe has readers traveling to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2000. Professor Connie Goodwin is up for tenure and working on a book which leaves little time to spend with Sam. Things have been tense between Sam and Connie since he mentioned marriage and Connie told him that she does not believe it is the right time. After a visit to her mother and a chat with Liz, Connie is gobsmacked with unexpected news. When Connie’s research reveals that Sam’s life is in danger, she teams up with Zazi to save him from a deadly curse that has affected her family for centuries. The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs begins ten years after The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane ended. While The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs can be read alone, I believe it would have been beneficial if I had read The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (it is in one of my TBR piles). Katherine Howe is a detail oriented writer. Her comprehensive descriptions allowed me to visualize the people, places and items. I especially enjoyed the depictions of Granna’s cottage and the libraries. I could tell that the author did thorough research for this book especially with the inclusion of the Latin names for plants. There was also a cipher in Latin. We learn about the world of academia as Connie teaches her classes, helps doctoral students with their dissertations and navigate the doctoral program, deals with students who need extensions (there are always a few) on assignments, grades papers, talks with fellow faculty members and prepares her tenure packet. While Connie is the narrator for most of the novel, there are chapters that take us back in time. Those flashbacks allow us to learn about Connie’s ancestors and their magical abilities. The pacing is slow in the beginning with it increasing later in the story. There was a section or two that I found a little confusing and would have liked more clarity. Those who wanted more of Connie’s story after reading The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, will enjoy delving into The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs. I appreciated the epilogue at the end with the surprising reveal. The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs has a fatal curse, a concealed spell, an antique skeleton key, a spellbinding tome, a magical lineage, and daring witches.
pam2375's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book but did not love it. I wanted to love it, but, the alternating timelines was a bit of a distraction for me. I wanted more of Temperance and less of Connie.
Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for this advanced readers copy. Release date for this book is set for June 2019.
Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for this advanced readers copy. Release date for this book is set for June 2019.
theblondpanda's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
tracyksmith_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Katherine Howe does it again! I loved the first book in this series, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, and this continuation of that story did not disappoint me. The characters are well developed and the story is compelling. Her description of Marblehead creates such a vivid image in my head that it makes me want to visit the area. Thank you to the author for writing such an interesting series!
pennyrosereads87's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
kleonard's review against another edition
1.0
The first book in this series annoyed me for the author's apparent need to mix up both accurate and totally fantastical things about academia and present them as if they somehow represented real life. She does it again here, and in this case it's much more irritating because it plays into her plot, which is, even on its own, totally non-sensical, even in a setting where witchcraft is real and people are magic. In addition, the characters are all cardboard and stereotypical, from the witchy mom who knows her daughter is pregnant before the daughter knows; to the daughter, who is a disorganized academia; and to the daughter's her sassy black friend, er, graduate student. There's also The Man Who Does Not Understand Academia, despite having had an academic partner for a long time, and the Madman/Old Professor. Also, apparently everything the work of this book is pale: people have pal skin, pale eyes, and there are pale stains on a table. Please hire a copyeditor who knows about academia, can read for sensitivity regarding the Black Sassy Friend, and knows synonyms for "pale."
greenmachine31's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting storyline, liked the history and the main character