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rants_n_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
liinley's review against another edition
DNF at 22%
Only 10 chapters in and the story is going in too many different directions to follow. Way too much of an info. dump and not focused enough on the main character. Also some major editing flaws like when she turns off her phone because of low battery but then a few pages later she turns it off, again?
I was really excited for a book marketed as National Treasure meets A Discovery of Witches, but this is not it. The politics and threat of AI in this book is weird and also so many modern references to YouTube, TikTok, and even Black Mirror which took me out of the fantasy element.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
nerdbrarian's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nikkisbooknook's review
informative
mysterious
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
4.5
Sidney is an academic, a Historian, she deals in facts and certainties. So how will she react when she is introduced to the world of magic, secret societies and conspiracy theories?
Being a red-headed Black historian Sidney used to being seen as minority but when she is essentially ousted from her job, she is left to lick her wounds until a visit to her Grandma's gives her a new opportunity and the possibility of earning a million bucks!
This is a slow burner of a book, there are no big action scenes but there are episodes of peril where Sidney and other are in danger. I felt that she handled herself with aplomb even though she had zero training. She is a great FMC in spite of being a rich girl. She doesn't have access to her mum and dad's fortunes, she made her own way in life after college. I felt her frustration when instead of a raise or promotion, she gets "furloughed".
There was plenty of politics, history and conspiracy theories to chomp on, some I knew and others I didn't. I loved learning more about black history and even history about my own country (Scotland) and where they intersected.
There are the faint glimmerings of a romance but that is very much on the side-lines, the main themes of the story is definitely the magical mystery and secret societies.
I would very happily read book 2!
Being a red-headed Black historian Sidney used to being seen as minority but when she is essentially ousted from her job, she is left to lick her wounds until a visit to her Grandma's gives her a new opportunity and the possibility of earning a million bucks!
This is a slow burner of a book, there are no big action scenes but there are episodes of peril where Sidney and other are in danger. I felt that she handled herself with aplomb even though she had zero training. She is a great FMC in spite of being a rich girl. She doesn't have access to her mum and dad's fortunes, she made her own way in life after college. I felt her frustration when instead of a raise or promotion, she gets "furloughed".
There was plenty of politics, history and conspiracy theories to chomp on, some I knew and others I didn't. I loved learning more about black history and even history about my own country (Scotland) and where they intersected.
There are the faint glimmerings of a romance but that is very much on the side-lines, the main themes of the story is definitely the magical mystery and secret societies.
I would very happily read book 2!
t_barnett207's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.0
confessions_of_a_bookaholic's review against another edition
5.0
American history professor Sidney Taylor is on furlough from her job in Washington DC when she gets asked to return to her hometown Robbinsville to search for a historical artefact. If visiting her grandma isn't enough of a reason to go, there's a million dollars on offer if she succeeds. It doesn't take long for Sidney to realise there is more to the story of the artefact than she first thought, and before she knows it she is in the middle of a huge consipracy revolving around ancient bloodlines and secret societies, with the fate of the world at stake.
It took me a while to decompress after reading this and to try and pull together my thoughts and feelings, and settle on a rating. In the end I went with 5 stars, purely and simply because I really enjoyed reading and found it hard to put down. Yes it's a bit of an odd mix of sci-fi, history and fantasy, but it works and the story is engrossing.
I must admit when the story started and the concept of virtual reality was broached I was worried, that wasn't something I was expecting to come across given the blurb. It poses a scary prospect when framed like it is here though, and certainly added a different tone to the book. The history and magic side of things was much more along the lines of what I had expected, and I thought Addison did a good job of weaving the fantasy elements in to the story in what felt like a natural way.
I really liked Sidney, she was a great protagonist and easy to read about. I liked that she wasn't cowed by fear and didn't let others dictate her actions. A lot of the supporting cast were likeable too, even some of the villains early on, which made it hard to pinpoint a suspect. I had suspicions on a lot of characters at stages throughout the book and really wasn't sure who Sidney should trust, which always adds to the tension.
Although there's aspects of this that reminded me of Dan Brown's books, it also felt like something new and different, unusual. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a while to decompress after reading this and to try and pull together my thoughts and feelings, and settle on a rating. In the end I went with 5 stars, purely and simply because I really enjoyed reading and found it hard to put down. Yes it's a bit of an odd mix of sci-fi, history and fantasy, but it works and the story is engrossing.
I must admit when the story started and the concept of virtual reality was broached I was worried, that wasn't something I was expecting to come across given the blurb. It poses a scary prospect when framed like it is here though, and certainly added a different tone to the book. The history and magic side of things was much more along the lines of what I had expected, and I thought Addison did a good job of weaving the fantasy elements in to the story in what felt like a natural way.
I really liked Sidney, she was a great protagonist and easy to read about. I liked that she wasn't cowed by fear and didn't let others dictate her actions. A lot of the supporting cast were likeable too, even some of the villains early on, which made it hard to pinpoint a suspect. I had suspicions on a lot of characters at stages throughout the book and really wasn't sure who Sidney should trust, which always adds to the tension.
Although there's aspects of this that reminded me of Dan Brown's books, it also felt like something new and different, unusual. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
booksnapsandcatnaps's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"An Intrigue of Witches" had me hooked from the start with its promise of a secret witch society, but it quickly spiraled into a whirlwind of witches, secret societies, conspiracy theories, AI, and more. The fast-paced story gave me serious National Treasure vibes, and I couldn't help but be intrigued.
However, as the mysteries started unraveling, I found myself getting lost. The plot moved at breakneck speed, and by the time I was a quarter of the way through, I felt like the mystery was already wrapping up, even though there was so much more book left to go. From there, it was a constant stream of reveals, akin to a Scooby Doo episode where they just kept unmasking one person after another with more secrets.
One of the main issues I had with the book was its attempt to cram what felt like a series worth of material into one book. It was overwhelming and confusing, and I struggled to keep up with the various bloodlines, societies, and conspiracies introduced.
Another problem was the storytelling style. Instead of showing us the clues and letting us piece things together, the book often resorted to characters monologuing about their secrets, which made the plot feel more like a series of info dumps rather than a cohesive narrative.
Despite these issues, "An Intrigue of Witches" had potential. The concept was intriguing, and I saw how all the elements and reveals could work in a series. However, in this book, everything felt jammed together, resulting in a messy and overwhelming plot that took effort to fully enjoy.
nightwing's review
Stopped at 20% of the way through. I wish the book had a different title because I was expecting actual witches and magic stuff--this is more of a historical treasure hunt with tons of info dumping.
trish_beautifulchaosreviews's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
3.5
3.5 (rounded up to 4) 🌟
0 🌟
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It seemed a bit choppy at times, but the story was quite good overall, and I liked the premise. The story dragged a bit at times but then would pick back up and keep the action flowing. I believe much of what we learned in this book sets up a grander conflict in upcoming books in the series. I would like to see more development of the side characters if they are part of her team and assist her in the future. I particularly would like her to be less wishy-washy about Gabe. One minute she really likes him, and the next, she's rather dismissive. She needs to at least let him know if he's to be her hero. As I said it was an enjoyable read, there were some rocky parts, but overall I enjoyed it and would read the next in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley and Severn House, for an advanced copy. These opinions are my own.
0 🌟
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It seemed a bit choppy at times, but the story was quite good overall, and I liked the premise. The story dragged a bit at times but then would pick back up and keep the action flowing. I believe much of what we learned in this book sets up a grander conflict in upcoming books in the series. I would like to see more development of the side characters if they are part of her team and assist her in the future. I particularly would like her to be less wishy-washy about Gabe. One minute she really likes him, and the next, she's rather dismissive. She needs to at least let him know if he's to be her hero. As I said it was an enjoyable read, there were some rocky parts, but overall I enjoyed it and would read the next in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley and Severn House, for an advanced copy. These opinions are my own.
jessawilson's review
This book was not for me. It's got a flare for history, puzzles, conspiracy theories, fantasy, and sci-fi. It's like National Treasure with fantasy and sci-fi take.
I loved the FMC. Her confidence and intelligence shined through. You could really feel for her. The small town felt like being in like Rosewood or Stars Hollow.
I struggled with how the history was told rather than shown as was a lot of the details. I felt like there was a lot thrown at you and it was hard to keep up for me. I don't know if it's because my brain was tired after work or this just wasn't the book for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Severn House Publishers, and Esme Addison for providing an e-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the FMC. Her confidence and intelligence shined through. You could really feel for her. The small town felt like being in like Rosewood or Stars Hollow.
I struggled with how the history was told rather than shown as was a lot of the details. I felt like there was a lot thrown at you and it was hard to keep up for me. I don't know if it's because my brain was tired after work or this just wasn't the book for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Severn House Publishers, and Esme Addison for providing an e-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.