Tag Archives: Paula Brackston

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Review: The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston

Title: The Midnight Witch
Author: Paula Brackston
Rating: ★★★★

Brackston is no stranger to writing witch novels. She’s set one in the 17th and 19th century, and now she tackles the time around World War I. I think Brackston’s writing style is one that you definitely have to like, but she can write an amazing novel. The Midnight Witch took a little while to get going, but once it did, I couldn’t put it down.

Lilith is the daughter of the 6th Duke of Radnor. Her father is also the Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven. When he dies, Lilith’s brother becomes the 7th Duke of Radnor, and she becomes the Head Witch. From the beginning, her reign in challenged. People aren’t sure if a young female can truly lead the coven. But she has support and eventually gains the respect of the other witches. At the same time she’s learning how to lead, a group of sorcerers are trying to get the Elixir, the secret the Lazarus coven protects. She’s also learning what it’s like to fall in love for the first time. With the threat of war looming, Lilith must learn how to balance all areas of her life before everything she works to protect is gone.

I like Lilith. She knew what she wanted, and even though she had moments of self-doubt, she never backed down when she knew her choice was right. She’s up against great odds, in all areas of her life, but she tries to keep that from overwhelming her. She learns to balance her duties and her desires well. She’s not the typical woman of the time and she knows what it’s time to adjust her ways of thinking to fit the times.

Bram, the love interest, wasn’t my favorite, but he wasn’t horrible. He was devoted and hopelessly in love, even if it felt like it happened a little fast. This might be because we don’t get to see all of their interactions before they declare love, so it didn’t bother me too much. Louis, the man Lilith is engaged to, isn’t too bad either. It’s easy to see how much he loves and cares for her. They’ve grown up together and that’s given him the time to develop feelings for her. It’s clear to see both men will help Lilith in whatever way they can, whenever she needs them.

The storyline was interesting. It started a little slow, with a lot of set-up taking place. I can appreciate it, but it still felt a little slow. Once things began happening, however, I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen next and there was never an easy time to stop. There was always a reason for me to keep reading.

Brackston has another great book on her hands with The Midnight Witch. It might take a little while to get into it, but once you get drawn in, it’s hard to break away. The Midnight Witch takes on a different tone than her other novels, but it’s still just as wonderful.

If The Midnight Witch sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston

Title: The Winter Witch
Author: Paula Brackston
Rating: ★★★★

The Winter Witch is a bit different than The Witch’s Daughter. The storyline doesn’t span as many decades, nor does it travel the world. It’s not set in modern times, but instead a couple centuries ago. It is just as wonderful, if not more so, than The Witch’s Daughter.

The village Morgana grew up in knows she’s a little different. She doesn’t speak, not because she can’t, but because she just doesn’t. She has powers that she hasn’t been taught to control and that show themselves when the time is wrong. Her mother arranges for her to be married to Cai, a marriage that will take Morgana from home and hopefully away from the whispers. While she falls in love with the land immediately, it takes some time before she can admit her feelings for Cai. There’s a force in town working against her that will stop at nothing to get what it wants.

Morgana is a fantastic character. She may not speak, but she finds ways to communicate as best she can. She doesn’t know how to handle the magic inside of her and she’s smart enough to know that’s a problem. She might have been impulsive as a child, but she has a little more control over herself now. Strong emotions are what bring out her magic. Even though the story takes place in the 19th century, Morgana does not fall into that submissive female role. She fights for herself and those she loves, doing what is necessary and right to save the people around her.

Cai is not the strong, dominate male you’d expect from a period novel. He has a great respect for Morgana and views her more as his equal than his property. He wants to do right by her, something that he doesn’t have to do according to the standards of the time. He’s sweet and loving, and even though he misses his first wife, he is able to understand that she is gone, but Morgana is right in front of him. He’s also willing to act however he needs to in order to provide a wonderful life for Morgana.

Mrs. Jones is one of my favorite characters of the novel. Her personality is perfect and exactly what Morgana and Cai need in order to find a happy life together. Mrs. Jones fills in as Morgana’s mother figure and gives her the love she needs to make the transition into married life as smooth as possible.

The story itself was simple, yet beautifully done. It all centers around the love that Cai and Morgana have for each other, and how they will each stop at nothing to protect their life together. Morgana must fight the magical forces trying to separate them and Cai must fight the physical threats. They work fantastically as a team, both in the relationship and defending it.

The Winter Witch is a wonderful, beautiful novel that will both tug at your heartstrings and have you sitting on the edge of your seat. It leaves a content feeling as the last page closes, one that lets you take a breath and relax. It’s a lovely novel and Brackston is working her way onto my must-read author shelf. This is definitely a good book to read if you enjoy historical fiction with some magic and romance thrown in, this is the book for you.

If The Winter Witch sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston

Title: The Witch’s Daughter
Author: Paula Brackston
Pages: 305 pages hardcover, 387 paperback, 416 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

The Witch’s Daughter isn’t some epic fairy tale told over many lifetimes. It’s not a drama-filled, romance story that will twist your heart in knots. But it will still leave you a little bit breathless.

Elizabeth is just a girl when she loses her father, brother, and little sister to the plague. When she becomes sick, her mother does what any mother in her situation would do; save her last remaining child’s life through any means necessary. She goes to Gideon and it is his teaching ways and power that saves Elizabeth’s life, but at a huge cost. It is this action that starts Elizabeth on her journey through time, always looking over her shoulder for the one who wants to own her, yet trying to build a life wherever she can.

The book is told through two perspectives: the journal entries in The Book of Shadows and as Elizabeth telling Teagan stories. This isn’t distracting at all and only makes the story more inviting, in my opinion. The Book of Shadows is written in the present time. It talks of Elizabeth’s life now and her interactions with Teagan. She is teaching Teagan the ways of the hedge witch and in doing so, allows herself to feel for another person; something she hasn’t done in many, many years.

The rest of the novel is about Elizabeth’s many lives, from treating prostitutes in Jack the Ripper’s London to the war front of World War I. She is helping as many people as she can wherever she lives, trying to stay out of Gideon’s path, trying to save herself from becoming his. She tries to avoid magic whenever she can, as using her magic calls Gideon to her.

It is a special kind of heartbreaking to see Elizabeth go through so many lives, trying to not form attachments, yet yearning to find someone to love her. She knows any bonds she forms will be broken when the other person dies, but solitary life isn’t good for anyone and Elizabeth’s heartbreak hurt to read.

The ending of the novel is exactly what I wanted, and yet I wish there was just a little bit more. Not because the novel needed more, but because I wanted to know more.

The Witch’s Daughter isn’t a romance. It isn’t an action novel. It isn’t a drama. It’s a historical fiction novel that has a little bit of everything. I’m glad I decided to pick this book up and look forward to reading more from Brackston.

If The Witch’s Daughter sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Indiebound
Audible