Review - The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Title: The Witch of Willow Hall

Author: Hester Fox

Publication Date: October 02, 2018

Synopsis:

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall.

The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…

My Thoughts:

Let me start with stating how very lucky I feel for being part of this book tour. I wanted to receive an early copy of The Witch of Willow Hall badly because I was convinced by its synopsis it will please me to no end.

I was not a least bit wrong. This is such a deliciously dark gothic romance, I haven't read anything so powerful in the genre in ages. 

Lydia's, family – her parents and two sisters – move to the countryside from Boston to run away from a scandal that could become the ruin of all three girl's prospects. However, the house they choose as their new home is half-alive with memories and tragedies of another family, and the nights are rarely peaceful there.

When two gentlemen from the neighbourhood start to make visits to the house, Lydia finds herself in bigger animosity with her sister Catherine than ever before, which is all the worse because thanks to that neither of them foresee the calamity that would change both their lives forever.

After disaster strikes Lydia's anger and helplessness makes her realize she is somehow different form the rest of the world; she is in for a journey of self discovery.

The novel seriously had everything I enjoy: regency era, haunted house, romance done well(!), witchery, creepy ghosts, a nasty scandal, a mysterious family tree... and some other things I can't mention here because I don't want to spoil your experience.

This would be the perfect read for all Jane Austen-lovers who also enjoy thriller/horror. I swear I haven't read anything this good on the gothic side since The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and that must say something, because I LOVED The Thirteenth Tale.

Don't miss out on Hester Fox's amazing debut novel, it is quite a ride believe me.

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

Hester comes to writing from a background in museum work and historical archaeology. She loves the Gothic, the lurid, the dark...so long as the ending is a happy one. She has never seen a ghost, though she remains hopeful. Hester lives outside of Boston with her husband. THE WITCH OF WILLOW HALL is her first novel.

The blog tour was organized by:

Review - Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Title: Bring Me Their Hearts

Author: Sara Wolf

Publication Date: June 5th, 2018

Synopsis:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Literally.

My Thoughts: 

Zera is missing her heart because it holds her humanity, at least that's what she thinks. It's not easy to walk with an empty hole in your chest in a world where a missing heart marks you as a monster. 

She cannot even walk around at her leisure to start with: she is bound to Nightsinger the witch; the very one who took her heart. She doesn't hate her, no. Nightsinger practically saved Zera's life by turning her into the creature she is today. But ohh, how much she yearns to be whole again with the organ that beats in a jar on the mantelpiece... Getting back the heart would mean freedom for her.

However, like everything, the heart has a price. The witches would like to prevent another war between them and the humans, and to do so the Prince Lucien has to become what Zera is: a heartless. No one is better fitting for the job than Zera. Take a heart to own yours again – the only thing she doesn't know is that the bloody and dangerous game will have a pitfall that she may just not be able to avoid.

This YA fantasy novel was fun. I usually enjoy stories that involve witches, that's why I requested this title in the first place (and because of the Snow White vibes of course). The witches here can turn into white ravens and those parts when they appeared in flocks on the sky or on the barks of a tree were very sinister, despite the fact that witches are not bad creatures in this novel. 

Actually there is no evil and good side in the war that is about to break out either. Humans and witches simply cannot live with each other; humans are terrified of witches because a hysteria is created by Gavik, the evil duke and witches still hold grudges against humans for the purifications they do (a consequence of the hysteria).

Even though the plot is a bit predictable the story flows well, it's easy to understand the motivations of the characters and to sympathize with them because of their hardships. Lucien is a headstrong prince, I think they are a good match with Zera, who is determined but, despite her heartlessness, suddenly gets attacked by unwanted feelings that she has yet to understand. 

The newly found family relationships and friendships warmed my heart. I especially liked two side characters: Y'shennria and Malachite, Zera's 'aunt' and the bodyguard of prince Lucien. The letter was utterly adorable and would have been a better love interest in my opinion than the prince (ooops, I'm giving away my preferences...).

Going into this book I didn't know this is only the first instalment in a series, but as it turned out, it is. If you generally like YA fantasies, give this one a try. It's a sweet classic story with a twist.

 Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things. When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as Lovely Vicious. She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.

Author Links: 

Website: http://sarawolfbooks.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sara_Wolf1
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/authorsaraw/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsarawolf/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sara-Wolf-476490705731978/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6862831.Sara_Wolf
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sara-Wolf/e/B00BVOVP08/

Blog Tour Organized by:

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway - Hiding by Jenny Morton Potts

Title: Hiding

Author: Jenny Morton Potts

Synopsis:

A gripping psychological thriller with chilling twists, from a unique new voice.
 
Keller Baye and Rebecca Brown live on different sides of the Atlantic. Until she falls in love with him, Rebecca knows nothing of Keller. But he’s known about her for a very long time, and now he wants to destroy her.

This is the story of two families. One living under the threat of execution in North Carolina. The other caught up in a dark mystery in the Scottish Highlands. The families’ paths are destined to cross. But why? And can anything save them when that happens?

My Thoughts:

This was my first psychological thriller in a while and I enjoyed it immensely.

Keller and Rebecca should be total strangers to each other, since he lives in America and she in a remote mansion in Scotland. They have never visited the other's country and neither of them has ever laid eyes on the other. Yet there is a deadly connection between them that only one of them knows about. Keller is out for revenge and it seems no one is capable to keep him from doing his 'duty'.

I can't really give much away to keep this one interesting for future readers. Obviously, the invisible thread that stretches between Keller and Rebecca has a root in the past. Something had happened long ago that jumbled up the life of two families; an event that left children without their parents and created secrets that are whispered in passageways of a crumbling house. However, as always, the truth will out and both sides need to face the consequences in the end.

There are two POVs throughout the book: Keller's and Rebecca's. We get glimpses of them from their childhood onwards, and this helps to get to know both characters; their motivations and their feelings. I enjoyed Rebecca's side of the story more, but perhaps this had to do with the Scottish setting which I was in love with. Keller's chapters are interesting because we get more information about the event that messed up everything and his disturbed thoughts build tension in the reader, they make you anticipate what will happen next.

Eventually the two characters meet and that's when the situation becomes really worrying. By that time the reader knows Rebecca's whole family and I personally feared for them, because I grew to like them a lot. Eccentric Primmy, the grandmother, caring Tilly, the sister, Juliet and Neil, the ones I'm not supposed to write about unless I want to spoil everything for you... By the end of the story everyone is in grave danger and the only questions are: who will live and who will die?

The writing was very enjoyable, the characters were well-developed. Sometimes I didn't agree with Rebecca's actions (dating a stalker fan??), but she wasn't an annoying heroine altogether. Her childhood memories fascinated me and I also liked to read about her bonding with her grandfather.

I was on the edge of my seat while reading the last third of the novel and I rooted for Rebecca and her folks like crazy.

Keller was a complex male protagonist. The ending added yet another layer to his character and I feel I should have hated the last page but I didn't.

I recommend this book to lovers of the thriller genre, though be warned that there are some 18+ scenes in it that are not for the faint-hearted. If you're not bothered by that, pick it up by all means!

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

Jenny Morton Potts was born in a smart, dull suburb of Glasgow where the only regular excitement was burglary. Attended a smart, dull school where the only regular excitement was the strap. Worked in smart, dull sales and marketing jobs until realising she was living someone else’s life.

Escaped to Gascony to make gîtes. Knee deep in cement and pregnant, Jenny was happy. Then autism and a distracted spine surgeon who wanted to talk about The Da Vinci Code, wiped out the order. Returned to wonderful England – and unlikely ever to leave again – Jenny, with assistance from loyal hound, walked and swam her way back to manageable health.

Jenny would like to see the Northern Lights but worries that’s the best bit and should be saved till last. Very happily, and gratefully, partnered for 28 years, she ought to mention, and living with inspirational child in Thaxted, Essex.

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Giveaway:

Two digital copies of Hiding by Jenny Morton Potts. Open internationally.

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Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway – Girl in Disguise by Greer Macallister

Title: Girl in Disguise

Author: Greer Macallister

Publication Date: March 22, 2017

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

ISBN: 9781492635222 

Summary: Inspired by the real story of investigator Kate Warne, this spirited novel follows the detective's rise during one of the nation's times of crisis, bringing to life a fiercely independent woman whose forgotten triumphs helped sway the fate of the country.

With no money and no husband, Kate Warne finds herself with few choices. The streets of 1856 Chicago offer a desperate widow mostly trouble and ruin―unless that widow has a knack for manipulation and an unusually quick mind. In a bold move that no other woman has tried, Kate convinces the legendary Allan Pinkerton to hire her as a detective.

Battling criminals and coworkers alike, Kate immerses herself in the dangerous life of an operative, winning the right to tackle some of the agency's toughest investigations. But is the woman she's becoming―capable of any and all lies, swapping identities like dresses―the true Kate? Or has the real disguise been the good girl she always thought she was?

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free ebook copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Girl in Disguise was a positive surprise for me. It exceeded my expectations, because I confess I thought it would be no more than a well-written, enjoyable but all-in-all average detective novel. That’s what I believed I’d get after having read Greer Macallister’s previous novel, The Magician’s Lie. I was mistaken. Greer Macallister did a very good job with her second novel.

There isn’t much data left for us that would give information about Kate Warne’s – the first female Pinkerton detective’s – activities and when I googled her name looking for pictures of her, I only found one or two photographs of a young man. The captions suggest the person on these pictures might be her, but I’m not convinced (was she that masculine? Well, who knows...).

Given the lack of information, Greer Macallister had an awful lot of freedom with this book, which she took advantage of and wrote something that can capture the attention of those who are interested in 19th century American history and also easily captivates the ones who like reading about female pioneers.

The first thing Kate Warne – our heroine – had to do after getting the job at the Pinkerton Detective Agency was to get herself accepted, that’s for sure. In the story most of the men don’t think it was a the greatest idea of Pinkerton to hire a woman and I have the feeling this wasn’t any different in reality.

Kate had to show she had skills that were needed for the job and she had to hammer some generalizations out of the male detectives’ head; for example, that women are too fragile or that they break down in every situation that generates emotions in them. The writer handled Kate’s early difficulties very well, these problems were interlaced with the earlier cases, through which Kate proved her professionalism to her peers.

The story isn’t told in one tight narrative; a period of Kate’s life is shown to us through the cases she dealt with. To tell the truth, for a while I didn’t believe it would build up to anything, but in the end I got a whole picture and I was satisfied.

The biggest cohesive chunk in the book was the Civil War part and that was the one I enjoyed the most (other than the parts with Lincoln in it. Did you know Kate Warne helped prevent an earlier assassination attempt against Lincoln? She practically smuggled the soon-to-be president from Baltimore to Washington D.C., so he could be inaugurated. Yeah, she was that cool).

During the Civil War the Pinkertons gathered intelligence and that was the most dangerous thing they ever had to do. Kate fought in her own way in the salons and dining rooms of suspected enemy spies, pretending, knowing if she got caught she would be in real trouble.

The romance that evolved between two agents in the story was unexpected, but welcomed from my part. A well-inserted and cleverly executed romance can never ruin a book.

There were only two things I wasn’t happy about. One was how Kate reacted when she found out that one of the detectives was gay. Could it really be that some adult people were that naïve and ignorant in that time they didn’t know gay people existed? Maybe, unfortunately I can imagine that. For her it seemed unnatural and she didn’t understand why the guy ‘did it’, which is a shame, but let’s attribute it to ignorance, shall we?

However, what I couldn’t tolerate for the life of me was when she decided to involve the same guy in a case in which he had to seduce a woman and she deliberately asked Pinkerton to send him. He was the best looking agent and therefore fit for the job, although I can’t help but think she wanted to ‘cure’ him somehow with this little affair and that was unsettling to say the least.

If I don’t count the character’s above mentioned flaw, I would say I liked Kate. However, for some reason with Macallister’s novels I always feel there is a transparent wall between me and her characters. I see them, I like what they do, I can even take a liking to their person, but I can never get close enough. If she writes another book, I’d like to see that wall shatter.

Overall, there was a lot of action, fascinating detective work, a good amount of travelling... it was a thrilling adventure from start to finish.

The Author’s note says this novel is a love story between a woman and her work and I couldn’t agree more. Kate Warne is a historical character that can inspire people, especially women and I’m glad I was introduced to her through this book.

Praise for Girl in Disguise

"The best book I read in 2016 hasn't been published yet. Historical fiction at its best... a rollocking tale." – Publishers Weekly

"Electrifying... a rollocking nineteenth-century thrill ride." – Amy Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of Girl Waits with Gun

"An exciting, well-crafted historical novel. Loaded with suspense and action, this a well-told, superb story." – Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

"You're going to devour GIRL IN DISGUISE." – Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue

"A celebration of a singual woman's life that's guided by facts but features some inviting imaginings". – Kirkus

"Macallister's story is a rip-roaring, fast-paced treat to read, with compelling characters, twisted villains, and mounds of historical details adeptly woven into the tale of a courageous woman who loves her job more than anything or anyone else." - Booklist

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kWSZD8

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2kZhRXu

Target: http://bit.ly/2k0LE1j

Books a Million: http://bit.ly/2kxpkzn

Indiebound: http://bit.ly/2kxs001

About the Author:

Raised in the Midwest, Greer Macallister is a poet, short story writer, playwright and novelist whose work has appeared in publications such as The North American Review, The Missouri Review, and The Messenger. Her plays have been performed at American University, where she earned her MFA in Creative Writing. She lives with her family in Brooklyn. 

Social Media Links:

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lbRLUH

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kFpk0y

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