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3.24 AVERAGE
3.24 AVERAGE
I didn't think I'd like this one as much as I did. The characters and the plot were very interesting! I'm not too familiar with this time period, but I like how it spanned pre- and post- WWI England. The necromancer angle was interesting too - but not too dark/scary as I thought. Lilith was a bit of a flake, but she got her act together. The love triangle was another interesting aspect. I'm glad she picked who she did, and how she finally went about it.
After reading the heavy brick that was "Gone to Soldiers" I wanted something light and easy. I got exactly that from this. It was honestly like if Lady Mary from Downton was a witch and Matthew was an artist. That's honestly how it felt. Like it was Downton Abbey lite, but with witches.
What I would call a beach read and then some.
What I would call a beach read and then some.
True rating 3.5
What I loved about this book – Freddie, Brom, conflict with the Sentinels
What I disliked about this book – Lilith, the love triangle and the book is a bit too long
This book follows a young witch, Lady Lilith Montgomery, whom with the death of her father, Duke of Radnor, an addict for a brother and her mother grieving the loss of her husband (Lilith's father) she becomes the defacto head of her family as well as the head witch of the Lazarus Coven and protector of Elixir by birth right. The Elixir, reanimates the dead, was originally the Sentinels, but it was taken away by the Lazarus Coven centuries earlier due to their abuse of the Elixir. The Sentinels have been trying to get it back ever since, by any means necessary. These witches are necromancers and the Elixir will raise the dead, both body and soul. As part of the coven but especially as the head witch, Lilith must guard the coven and the Elixir above all else, no matter the cost. And with that our journey begins.
The story was good but way too long. There were two (2) plots, the Sentinels quest to obtain the Elixir, and Lilith’s love triangle, which felt like both plots were competing for top billing. I believe the story would have been better served to have resolved the love triangle situation early on and focus more on the conflict with the Sentinels. With the love triangle plot carried on through the story it made me not like Lilith as much due to her lack of responsibility, honesty, and continual betrayal to Freddie, her fiancé and fellow witch, with Brom, a non-witch and her other love interest. It was disheartening especially since Freddie was loyal to her even after she finally breaks off their engagement. I really enjoyed the opposing and supporting characters and their backstory. All the story lines and conflicts wrap and conclude nicely.
What I loved about this book – Freddie, Brom, conflict with the Sentinels
What I disliked about this book – Lilith, the love triangle and the book is a bit too long
This book follows a young witch, Lady Lilith Montgomery, whom with the death of her father, Duke of Radnor, an addict for a brother and her mother grieving the loss of her husband (Lilith's father) she becomes the defacto head of her family as well as the head witch of the Lazarus Coven and protector of Elixir by birth right. The Elixir, reanimates the dead, was originally the Sentinels, but it was taken away by the Lazarus Coven centuries earlier due to their abuse of the Elixir. The Sentinels have been trying to get it back ever since, by any means necessary. These witches are necromancers and the Elixir will raise the dead, both body and soul. As part of the coven but especially as the head witch, Lilith must guard the coven and the Elixir above all else, no matter the cost. And with that our journey begins.
The story was good but way too long. There were two (2) plots, the Sentinels quest to obtain the Elixir, and Lilith’s love triangle, which felt like both plots were competing for top billing. I believe the story would have been better served to have resolved the love triangle situation early on and focus more on the conflict with the Sentinels. With the love triangle plot carried on through the story it made me not like Lilith as much due to her lack of responsibility, honesty, and continual betrayal to Freddie, her fiancé and fellow witch, with Brom, a non-witch and her other love interest. It was disheartening especially since Freddie was loyal to her even after she finally breaks off their engagement. I really enjoyed the opposing and supporting characters and their backstory. All the story lines and conflicts wrap and conclude nicely.
3.5 stars "The Midnight Witch" is the story of Lilith. She is just really coming into her own with her powers when she inherits the leadership position of her coven. She is not really sure what to do with this new found power and has a lot to contend with in order to make sure that the coven continues the way that it is supposed to. Add to that she falls in love with someone that is not from her world and does not really understand where she is coming from and you have an interesting tale that kept me reading.
I really enjoyed the blend of historical fiction with an element of the mystic and the magical. I don't often read books with such an overt magical element but I really enjoyed this book for that factor. It definitely made for an interesting read. I really thought that the author brought Lilith's witch world to life for me. I liked how fact and fiction were blended in this book. This book is set in London, which is one of my very favorite places to read about and I really liked reading about historic London alongside magic. It was really neat!
Overall, I thought this was a good read. The book had a couple of slow sections interspersed between some of the really exciting sections of the book. It felt a little uneven. The action in the book was good though. I really liked reading about what Lilith's coven was all about. This book would be a good pick for historical fiction lovers who are looking for a bit of the fantastic with their reading!
I really enjoyed the blend of historical fiction with an element of the mystic and the magical. I don't often read books with such an overt magical element but I really enjoyed this book for that factor. It definitely made for an interesting read. I really thought that the author brought Lilith's witch world to life for me. I liked how fact and fiction were blended in this book. This book is set in London, which is one of my very favorite places to read about and I really liked reading about historic London alongside magic. It was really neat!
Overall, I thought this was a good read. The book had a couple of slow sections interspersed between some of the really exciting sections of the book. It felt a little uneven. The action in the book was good though. I really liked reading about what Lilith's coven was all about. This book would be a good pick for historical fiction lovers who are looking for a bit of the fantastic with their reading!
I actually started this a while back but I read it so slowly. The narrator is so boring that it colors everything else as dull. I’m sick of pretty lady narrators who just observe everything and don’t take any action.
2.5/5
Although it picked up in the last quarter of the book, I felt like I was being dragged through the whole story
Although it picked up in the last quarter of the book, I felt like I was being dragged through the whole story
I really wanted to love this book...it's so pretty...and the cover has a cool feel to it.
But the author/MC has this need to explain every little detail to me...at NAUSEUM. I get it...I have an imagination, let me work some shit out.
The first half was difficult to get through...but the second half...now that was significantly better. When the author was done hand holding me through the entirety of civilization at that time period, shit was finally happening.
The love story portions was actually rather sweet, there wasn't a real love triangle...it was more of a hint of one.
So if you are anti-love triangles this shouldn't set your radars off.
Having said that...the "other guy" gets the total shaft! He was awesome! Hell, I would have gone out with him!!!
All in all...meh
But the author/MC has this need to explain every little detail to me...at NAUSEUM. I get it...I have an imagination, let me work some shit out.
The first half was difficult to get through...but the second half...now that was significantly better. When the author was done hand holding me through the entirety of civilization at that time period, shit was finally happening.
The love story portions was actually rather sweet, there wasn't a real love triangle...it was more of a hint of one.
So if you are anti-love triangles this shouldn't set your radars off.
Having said that...the "other guy" gets the total shaft! He was awesome! Hell, I would have gone out with him!!!
All in all...meh
A while ago I received an ARC copy of Midnight Witch. Now, all things witchy is a reminder of my early teenhood so I was really looking forward to revisiting that type of fantasy. However, I was disappointed.
First, a few positive comments. The plot follows a necromancer-witch who gathers spirits at midnight to divine the future. She is part of a larger council of witches which is supposed to be a governing body over something called the Elixir (a potion that can bring a person back to life). This was an interesting plot line, and quite original compared to other witch books.
Brackston also did a good job with fleshing out the characters. They were all interesting and lovable, contrasting and complimenting each other in a pleasant way. Lilith was a particularly strong female lead.
The historical bits were included in the story wonderfully, but the book would have fared better if it was a historical romance not a paranormal one.
Now, for the critique.
The writing was lacking. Dialogue often fell into the trap of cliches - for example, when characters say "darling" all the time or each other's names every few lines (people don't actually talk that way to one another, even in 1913). There was too much tell and not enough show.
Opportunities to create narrative tension were missed. The "challenges" the Sentinels made for Lilith were too easily overcome. It almost didn't matter that they were included at all. Besides the scene with the demon during Lilith's inauguration, I felt no urgency during "action" scenes.
World development was also neglected. While the reader got a good idea of the upper class society and the artisan way of life (right down to who was wearing what at which party) I did not understand the necromancer world. Some back story was given for the struggle between Lilith's coven and the Sentinels but I did not feel that I could have imagined what the witches looked like or what their magic was like to see.
My last qualm with the book lies with the last 150 pages. They were completely unnecessary. It seemed that everything that could have happened, should have happened already. The events after the war left me disinterested, they held no impact anymore. The last few chapters resembled a forced epilogue, the goal of which was to create a happy ending.
Whereas I could have maybe given a 3 star rating during the first half of the book, the quality of my experience continued to decline during the second half and I was unable to enjoy it.
First, a few positive comments. The plot follows a necromancer-witch who gathers spirits at midnight to divine the future. She is part of a larger council of witches which is supposed to be a governing body over something called the Elixir (a potion that can bring a person back to life). This was an interesting plot line, and quite original compared to other witch books.
Brackston also did a good job with fleshing out the characters. They were all interesting and lovable, contrasting and complimenting each other in a pleasant way. Lilith was a particularly strong female lead.
The historical bits were included in the story wonderfully, but the book would have fared better if it was a historical romance not a paranormal one.
Now, for the critique.
The writing was lacking. Dialogue often fell into the trap of cliches - for example, when characters say "darling" all the time or each other's names every few lines (people don't actually talk that way to one another, even in 1913). There was too much tell and not enough show.
Opportunities to create narrative tension were missed. The "challenges" the Sentinels made for Lilith were too easily overcome. It almost didn't matter that they were included at all. Besides the scene with the demon during Lilith's inauguration, I felt no urgency during "action" scenes.
World development was also neglected. While the reader got a good idea of the upper class society and the artisan way of life (right down to who was wearing what at which party) I did not understand the necromancer world. Some back story was given for the struggle between Lilith's coven and the Sentinels but I did not feel that I could have imagined what the witches looked like or what their magic was like to see.
My last qualm with the book lies with the last 150 pages. They were completely unnecessary. It seemed that everything that could have happened, should have happened already. The events after the war left me disinterested, they held no impact anymore. The last few chapters resembled a forced epilogue, the goal of which was to create a happy ending.
Whereas I could have maybe given a 3 star rating during the first half of the book, the quality of my experience continued to decline during the second half and I was unable to enjoy it.