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spookyaz's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Body horror, Drug use, Cancer, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Torture
chopspy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A mystery horror thriller with themes of witch trials and family. As well as the inescapable passage of time.
The mystery itself had me hooked and I only understood it when the story wanted to.
It blends multiple character perspectives really well and overall is well paced.
The characters themselves feel human, especially those that make mistakes and grow from it. Talking about you Liv
The mystery itself had me hooked and I only understood it when the story wanted to.
It blends multiple character perspectives really well and overall is well paced.
The characters themselves feel human, especially those that make mistakes and grow from it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
lea_fox's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
I absolutely devoured this book. Spooky, creepy, and thrilling atmospheric writing. Characters are flawed but real; they feel authentic and brutally honest. I loved every moment of the plot. Also — that ending was a little shocking but I enjoyed it along with everything else. A beautifully written story. Multi POVs and timeline jumps did not get bogged down with facts, it felt smooth and cohesive in the most puzzle like way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Sexism, Torture, Abandonment, Cancer, Kidnapping, and Terminal illness
pollyhall's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The atomsphere was done well, at times it had me wanting to visit the Scottish Highlands and other times I didn't want to have anything to do with it. I picked up the book and didn't put it down till I was finished. I loved the character of Basil and his interactions with the girls and the fisherman. Emotionally this book will have you all over the place there are funny sweet parts and other parts that will have you scratching your head in disbelief that people can do things like this to each other.
At the being it was a little confusing with all the points of views. I had to go back and look at the heading of the sections do see who was speaking.
At the being it was a little confusing with all the points of views. I had to go back and look at the heading of the sections do see who was speaking.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Deportation, Gore, Infertility, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Abandonment, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
_teoeo's review against another edition
challenging
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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Murder, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Child death
Minor: Miscarriage
tigerlilliereads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review
Honestly, I put this book off for way too long because I am in love! I picked up the book based off of the cover (I know!) and the fact it had witches in the title. Little did I know this book would have so many more levels than I could ever imagine. I’m not one to read a thriller book, and I loved it.
This story tells of some characters narrating from different time zones about their time on a Scottish island called Lòn haven. I’m trying to not give too much away as the story is very cleverly written with lots of interlinking. The story features Liv and her three daughters, Saff, Luna and Clover as they arrive on the island and Liv is tasked with painting a mutual in the lighthouse. Whilst there the family learns about the dark secrets and mysteries, witches and wildings that haunt the suspicious and cruel towns people.
I love a witchy story but this one had so many more levels and so much more grounding in reality. The poignant message the story brings is still relevant now as it was back in the 1600s. The focus on the Scottish witch killings that are barely known about is, not only interesting, but also vital for those stories to be given a voice. I recently read A kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll and it also features this topic too.
Honestly, this book is great and mirroring and interlinking of past and present and that ending! I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
Honestly, I put this book off for way too long because I am in love! I picked up the book based off of the cover (I know!) and the fact it had witches in the title. Little did I know this book would have so many more levels than I could ever imagine. I’m not one to read a thriller book, and I loved it.
This story tells of some characters narrating from different time zones about their time on a Scottish island called Lòn haven. I’m trying to not give too much away as the story is very cleverly written with lots of interlinking. The story features Liv and her three daughters, Saff, Luna and Clover as they arrive on the island and Liv is tasked with painting a mutual in the lighthouse. Whilst there the family learns about the dark secrets and mysteries, witches and wildings that haunt the suspicious and cruel towns people.
I love a witchy story but this one had so many more levels and so much more grounding in reality. The poignant message the story brings is still relevant now as it was back in the 1600s. The focus on the Scottish witch killings that are barely known about is, not only interesting, but also vital for those stories to be given a voice. I recently read A kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll and it also features this topic too.
Honestly, this book is great and mirroring and interlinking of past and present and that ending! I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Terminal illness
wordsandnocturnes's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The Lighthouse Witches follows three narratives and three different timelines. The first is Liv in the past when she brings her three daughters to a secluded island for a painting job; the second is a book Liv's oldest daughter Sapphire reads about the witch burning past of the island; the third is Liv's second daughter Luna in the present, where she finds her younger sister who went missing many years ago but still maintains the body of a child.
While there are three different points-of-view, the voices are clear and distinct, and even the time jumps between the narratives are not jarring. Instead, they slip into each other to build an overall seamless narrative. The points-of-view build on each other, revealing more and more as it goes on, which I found refreshing (for I am one of those guilty readers who skips forward to read certain characters' points-of-view before begrudgingly returning to read the rest).
The prose is simple and straightforward, free of flowery descriptions, but still capable of establishing personality, setting, and most importantly, atmosphere. The simplicity of the prose makes it easy to focus on the story - what is happening, who is speaking, without detracting from the surroundings. It doesn't sound dry either, as it is clear what the characters are seeing and what they feel.
It can be easy to distance ourselves from the cast of supporting characters, mainly because the heavy atmosphere thick with mystery and doubt makes one wonder "what happens next? Who can I trust?", becomes an overarching question that occupies most of the book. This is no big deal, because these questions are naturally part of what makes a thriller or mystery exciting to read. The main cast, namely Liv and her daughters, have reasonable issues, which make them interesting to read about and gradually easy to root for. The more we root for certain characters, the more invested we are in their stories, and the more we want them to triumph. However, it isn't that simple in Gothic fiction, where elements of horror can run rampant.
The author mentioned taking inspiration from Scottish witch trials, which is grisly piece of history, but I believe information about witch hunts and witch trials should be more well-known as it reflects some issues still present in these days. Back then, women weren't allowed to speak up for themselves when being accused as a witch, and they were tortured until their mind is exhausted and any legible, practical thought is shattered. ( Trigger warning: this book contains non-graphic mentions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, of which the subject, mood and tone may be triggering for some. )
I enjoyed this book greatly, and it brought me immense satisfaction upon finishing it, which is an experience I haven't had for quite some time (due to an unexpected reading slump). Best of all, this book lingered in my mind and made me think and marvel over its many details as many good books often do (though perhaps bad books have a tendency to linger as well, but not for the same reasons). I kept thinking of the different characters, how love and loneliness can affect a person, how the narration links together wonderfully...
If you like mystery, intrigue and a little heartbreak, perhaps you should give this book a try.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and C.J. Cooke for the chance to read this delightful ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
While there are three different points-of-view, the voices are clear and distinct, and even the time jumps between the narratives are not jarring. Instead, they slip into each other to build an overall seamless narrative. The points-of-view build on each other, revealing more and more as it goes on, which I found refreshing (for I am one of those guilty readers who skips forward to read certain characters' points-of-view before begrudgingly returning to read the rest).
The prose is simple and straightforward, free of flowery descriptions, but still capable of establishing personality, setting, and most importantly, atmosphere. The simplicity of the prose makes it easy to focus on the story - what is happening, who is speaking, without detracting from the surroundings. It doesn't sound dry either, as it is clear what the characters are seeing and what they feel.
It can be easy to distance ourselves from the cast of supporting characters, mainly because the heavy atmosphere thick with mystery and doubt makes one wonder "what happens next? Who can I trust?", becomes an overarching question that occupies most of the book. This is no big deal, because these questions are naturally part of what makes a thriller or mystery exciting to read. The main cast, namely Liv and her daughters, have reasonable issues, which make them interesting to read about and gradually easy to root for. The more we root for certain characters, the more invested we are in their stories, and the more we want them to triumph. However, it isn't that simple in Gothic fiction, where elements of horror can run rampant.
The author mentioned taking inspiration from Scottish witch trials, which is grisly piece of history, but I believe information about witch hunts and witch trials should be more well-known as it reflects some issues still present in these days. Back then, women weren't allowed to speak up for themselves when being accused as a witch, and they were tortured until their mind is exhausted and any legible, practical thought is shattered. ( Trigger warning: this book contains non-graphic mentions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, of which the subject, mood and tone may be triggering for some. )
I enjoyed this book greatly, and it brought me immense satisfaction upon finishing it, which is an experience I haven't had for quite some time (due to an unexpected reading slump). Best of all, this book lingered in my mind and made me think and marvel over its many details as many good books often do (though perhaps bad books have a tendency to linger as well, but not for the same reasons). I kept thinking of the different characters, how love and loneliness can affect a person, how the narration links together wonderfully...
If you like mystery, intrigue and a little heartbreak, perhaps you should give this book a try.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and C.J. Cooke for the chance to read this delightful ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
More...