The Northern Witch's Book Blog

Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon 3 out of 5 Synopsis All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire's shadows. Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire's rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen. Talasyn and Alaric both know th...

The Seawomen by Chloe Timms 5 out of 5 Synopsis Esta has known nothing but Eden's Isle her whole life. Raised by her grandmother, after a fire claimed her parents and scarred her face, she's instructed to piety, to deference, and acquiescence by a religious society that will not suffer anything else. Cut off from the moral iniquity of the mainland, the island believes it can stay free of the Seawomen - creatures from the water that came upon land to corrupt God's creation and Man. The inhabitants fear the water and believe the only way to remain virtuous is to never enter it, and for the women to conceive within 12 months of their appointed motheryear. If they do not conceive, they're cast back into the ocean as a sacrifice in an act called the Untethering. Esta witnesses such an act as a child. Her childhood growing up on the island is fraught with tension as she comes to the terms with the prohibitive malaise of the culture she finds herself in. Before long, she gets ...

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay 1 out of 5 Synopsis:  On the night of London's grandest ball, a bold group of women launches a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society. Mrs. King is no ordinary housekeeper. Born into a world of con artists and thieves, she’s made herself respectable, running the grandest home in Mayfair. The place is packed with treasures, a glittering symbol of wealth and power, but dark secrets lurk in the shadows. When Mrs. King is suddenly dismissed from her position, she recruits an eclectic group of women to join her in revenge: A black-market queen out to settle her scores; an actress desperate for a magnificent part; a seamstress dreaming of a better life; and Mrs. King’s predecessor, with her own desire for vengeance. Review When Mrs King is let go from her housekeeper position, she plans to get revenge with the biggest heist London has ever seen. They plan to strip one of the most expensive houses bare, on the night its owner holds their first ball. I re...

Hidden by Shalini Boland 3 out of 5 Synopsis Falling in love has never been so dangerous... Madison Greene is in foster care until one day she inherits a fortune, she inherits a house, she inherits a cellar full of danger. Alexandre Chevalier lives in 19th century Paris. On an archaeological expedition, he discovers a lost underground city where his life changes forever. A romantic supernatural adventure that spans the centuries. Can a human save a vampire? Review A hidden history binds modern Maddie, with the hundred-year-old vampire, Alexandre. When Maddie inherits a house, she uncovers a locked room, filled with strange statues... I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Our main narrators are Maddie and Alexandre. Maddie is an orphan, living with her brother in London with their foster parents. Life is hard, and people are constantly judging Madiie before they know her. Her relationship with her foster parents is close to breaking, and Maddie is only ...

The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten 3 out of 5 Synopsis When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city. Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die. Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer...

Clandestine Lives by Tony Duxbury 2 out of 5 Synopsis A legendary assassin, the most feared in the land. A beautiful courtesan, famed for her beauty and skill; and a jester, servant to a Duke with a fearsome reputation. Three lives, one story. Their fates are bound together in a way in which none of them could ever have imagined. They are unwittingly tied together by a heinous curse. Each one slowly becomes aware of their strange existence until finally, the horrible truth is revealed. As the Empire slides into civil war, all three must confront the unpalatable truth about themselves. Unfortunately, none will be free to unravel the mystery of their past unless they first embroil themselves in the schemes of others. Review The Empire is slipping closer to civil war, and three unlikely heroes are brought together to set things back in the Duke's favour. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This story is split between three narrators. Jax is the main character. He...