The Northern Witch's Book Blog

Last Time She Died by Niki Kamerzell 2 out of 5 Synopsis A rainy night. A slick road. A car crash. ‘A puff of yellow dust blew from the vent, and the car filled with a strong sulfur smell. Laughter whispered through the speakers, then blared at full volume.’ Everything changes for Alexia Harper the night she leaves late from her waitressing job. When voices threaten her through the radio, she wonders if she’s gone crazy. Then lightning explodes close by, and Alexia crashes. Following the accident, every day is the same. Every night the same nightmare stalks her. It’s like her life is on repeat, but she can’t shake the fearful warning her subconscious is screaming at her. When Leland starts working at the diner, Alexia is drawn to him. He’s kind, funny and handsome, and he’s…familiar. It’s like they’ve spent the past eight lifetimes getting to know each other. Now, the memory-like dreams make sense. She recognizes people she doesn’t know—and they are giving her clues; answers she desper...

Heartless Heirs by MarcyKate Connolly 2 out of 5 Synopsis Now torn between two worlds, Aissa must decide who she can trust. Especially when it comes to her twin. Now without a home and on the run, Aissa has never felt so trapped and alone even with her sister and friend by her side. Zandria—once her other half—has become cold and inflexible after her time in the Technocrat’s dungeon and is bent on revenge Aissa no longer feels. Their friend Remy may still side with his father, a Magi leader who refuses to believe his spy, Darian Azul, has turned traitor. And Aissa herself is now an enemy of her Magi people after falling in love with—and binding her heart to—Aro, a Techno prince who puts all their lives at stake. Using clues her parents and others left behind, Aissa is determined to uncover the secrets of the Alchemist Alliance that helped create her and Zandria’s unique magical powers … as well as learn whether the Alliance’s research holds the key to healing the rift between the Magi ...

The Hand of the Sun King by J.T. Greathouse 5 out of 5 Synopsis My name is Wen Alder. My name is Foolish Cur. All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: that of my father, whose roots trace back to the right hand of the Emperor. That of my mother's family, who reject the oppressive Empire and embrace the resistance. I can choose between them - between protecting my family, or protecting my people - or I can search out a better path . . . a magical path, filled with secrets, unbound by Empire or resistance, which could shake my world to its very foundation. But my search for freedom will entangle me in a war between the gods themselves . . . Review A young boy with two conflicting heritages, gets a chance to follow his passion for magic, in the name of the Emperor. I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The story follows Alder/Foolish Cur. His father is a Sienese merchant, who pours his fortune into Alder's teaching. His ancestors were H...

Dynamicist by Lee Hunt 1 out of 5 Synopsis Would it kill you to create something genuinely new? In Robert's world, it used to. Supernatural vengeance for invention is now a thing of the past. Young, optimistic, quick of mind and quick to act, Robert thinks being invited to the New School is an invitation to change the world. But change is difficult when there is no history of innovation. He is initially successful in his studies, but nothing is as simple as he naively imagines. His classmates confuse and frustrate him. One is a drunk, while another two constantly stalk him. Is it for love or something more sinister? Robert's optimism is further tested by protestors who circle the campus, decrying the newly invented breed of grain. They claim it is poison and that the New School should be punished by Nimrheal, the god who formerly murdered inventors. Robert suspects foreign business influences are behind the protests, but he quickly finds that investigating their cause is danger...

Deep Silence by Jordan Elizabeth 4 out of 5 Synopsis Three years ago, Audra awoke with no memory of who she was. With no one to claim her, she was sent to an orphanage. Audra chooses to stay on as a teacher, until Lord Ronan steals her away from the only home she knows. He claims she is in danger from an enemy who wants the secrets buried in her past. Thrust into a world of intrigue and magic, Audra is told she was once a member of the Black Angel guild, a group of elite assassins. The truth seems forever out of her grasp. And that could get her killed. Review Deep Silence follows an unknown young girl who has lost her memory. Having taken pity on her, the old Duke gives her the name Audra, along with a fine wardrobe, as she is told that her relatives will find her soon. As no family comes forward to claim her, Audra is sent to an orphanage with the other unwanted young girls. Three years pass in which she tries to quietly get by, happy to go unnoticed. With some of the older girls, sh...

The Shadow in the Glass by J.J.A. Harwood 5 out of 5 Synopsis Once upon a time Ella had wished for more than her life as a lowly maid. Now forced to work hard under the unforgiving, lecherous gaze of the man she once called stepfather, Ella’s only refuge is in the books she reads by candlelight, secreted away in the library she isn’t permitted to enter. One night, among her beloved books of far-off lands, Ella’s wishes are answered. At the stroke of midnight, a fairy godmother makes her an offer that will change her life: seven wishes, hers to make as she pleases. But each wish comes at a price and Ella must to decide whether it’s one she’s willing to pay it. A smouldering, terrifying new spin on Cinderella – perfect for fans of Laura Purcell and Erin Morgenstern. Review As a lowly housemaid, Eleanor lives in fear of her employer, Mr Pembroke. One night, when her fears are at their greatest, a mysterious black-eyed woman comes to her aid. I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchan...

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint 3 out of 5 Synopsis A mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS. As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year. When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything. In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for h...

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 5 out of 5 Synopsis From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic. They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip. When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him. But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector ...

Last Time She Died A rainy night. A slick road. A car crash. ‘A puff of yellow dust blew from the vent, and the car filled with a strong sulfur smell. Laughter whispered through the speakers, then blared at full volume.’ Everything changes for Alexia Harper the night she leaves late from her waitressing job. When voices threaten her through the radio, she wonders if she’s gone crazy. Then lightning explodes close by, and Alexia crashes. Following the accident, every day is the same. Every night the same nightmare stalks her. It’s like her life is on repeat, but she can’t shake the fearful warning her subconscious is screaming at her. When Leland starts working at the diner, Alexia is drawn to him. He’s kind, funny and handsome, and he’s…familiar. It’s like they’ve spent the past eight lifetimes getting to know each other. Now, the memory-like dreams make sense. She recognizes people she doesn’t know—and they are giving her clues; answers she desperately needs to stop the thing that’s c...

Lee Hunt has a new fantasy audiobook out in his Dynamicist Trilogy: Herald . And there's a Giveaway! Robert thought becoming a dynamicist would enable him to change the world, starting with saving all his friends from being slaughtered. He was wrong. Acts of genuine creativity used to bring mortal punishment. But now, wizardry is dead and Robert, Koria and Eloise live in a world where change and invention is possible. Robert hopes that mathematically-framed dynamics will enable him to change the new world. But he keeps having prophetic dreams where his friends are all murdered by a mysterious cloaked man, and the grain protestors are more menacing than ever. They declare dynamics is dangerous and that the changes must stop. They are right about one thing: dynamics is dangerous, especially for someone so hopeful, angry and impetuous as Robert. Soon Robert's horrific nightmares come true and a cloaked man appears on campus, stalking and murdering students --his friends are next. ...