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The Witch Hunter #1
The Witch Hunter
The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.
Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.
Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.
Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.
Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.
Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.
Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.
362 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2015
About the author
Virginia Boecker
14 books908 followersVirginia Boecker is the author of The Witch Hunter series and An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason. A graduate of the University of Texas, she had a decade-long career in technology before quitting to become a full-time writer. When she isn't writing, Virginia likes skiing, traveling, cooking, and reading. She has lived all over the world but currently resides in beautiful Lake Oswego, Oregon with her husband and two children.
You can visit Virginia online at virginiaboecker.com or on Instagram @virgboecker.
You can visit Virginia online at virginiaboecker.com or on Instagram @virgboecker.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,733 reviews
June 5, 2015
“I’m not a witch,” I repeat. “I mean, I did have witches’ herbs. And I did take them. But I’m not a witch.” Even to me, this sounds weak.
This book compares itself to Game of Thrones. Don't even. Just don't.I wanted to strangle the main character repeatedly. She is so stupid. Don't get me wrong, I don't like perfect characters.I don't like it when they accomplish everything, but neither do I like it when, by 30% of the book, they have completely fucked up everything they set out to do.
Bumbling is the best word for the main character in the this book. She reminds me of one of those chibi hyper anime girls.
She's perky! She's cute! She talks with a lot of exclamation marks! She needs to be bound, gagged, and knocked out with chloroforn because I can't fucking stand her constant "Aw, shucks! Here I go again fucking up and being adorkable!" attitude. Actually, that did happen, but unfortunately, being chloroformed didn't shut her up for long.
So we have:
1. Fatally stupid main character
2. World building with more holes than a hipster's jeans
3. A LOVE TRIANGLE. Isn't that sweet
Elizabeth Grey is a 16-year old prodigy. She is a witch hunter in a world that hates witches and wizards, therefore she should be revered for killing them, instead she is feared and hated and would be killed if she were discovered, therefore she has to keep herself hidden as a maid within the palace as a normal human. She is, of course, an orphan.
Simple, right? Elizabeth is (from the blurb) "one of the king's best witch hunters," therefore, it is pretty astounding to discover, right from the beginning, that she constantly fucks up.
"And no more mistakes, okay? I can’t keep covering for you.”So this powerful awesome 16-year old witch hunter is off to her next mission as we start the book, and immediately, she fucks up.
I think of all the things I’ve done wrong in the past month. The witch I chased down the alley who nearly got away. The chimney I got stuck in trying to find a hidden cache of spellbooks. The cottage I stormed that didn’t house wizards brewing potions but a pair of aged friars brewing ale. They’re just a few mistakes, true. But I don’t make mistakes.
At least, I didn’t used to.
“What the hell happened?”After a long day of fucking up, she goes with her fellow witch-hunter (and love interest #1) to a pub. As if fucking up wasn't bad enough, love interest #1 revealed that *gasp* he's dating another girl. Heartbroken, Elizabeth buries her sorrows by drinking a horrifying quantity of absinthe. Underaged drinking aside, drinking a type of alcohol that was banned by France for years (come on, FRANCE! This is a country in which children were weaned on red wine. It's pretty bad shit if France bans it), and then going home alone isn't the best idea ever. She runs, or rather, stumbles drunkenly into a few shady men in a dark alley.
“I don’t know,” I say. “I guess I made a mistake.”
“Pretty.” I wave my hands, trying to catch the ribbons of light spiraling in front of me. A chorus of voices fills the room then—they’re coming from the rainbow. “Listen. Can you hear that? The rainbow is singing!” I open my mouth and sing along with it. “Greensleeves, la-la-la who but my Lady Greeeensleeeeves…”Obviously, going with some strange men when you're out of your mind drunk is not the best idea ever.
He picks his pipe off the ground and tucks it inside his cape, then he takes me by the arm and leads me to the door. I take offense to this. He really shouldn’t be touching me, him a pirate and me a young girl and all. And I definitely shouldn’t be letting a strange man lead me outside and to God knows where. But I can’t seem to stop singing long enough to tell him this.But the fun doesn't stop there, because this top-secret witch hunter is so drunk she practically reveals who she is to the strange men.
“No. It’s just… I didn’t know maids were allowed to go to masques.”So she's a highly trained witch hunter who completely loses control of herself. Welp, that's just great. Who the fuck trained her to be so deadly, Celaena Sardothien?Because she allowed herself to get so drunk, she somehoe bumbles into yet another mess that sees her arrested for being a witch.
Damnation. He’s right, of course. Maids can’t go, but I wasn’t going as a maid; I was going as a witch hunter. Not that it matters, since I’ll be wearing a mask and no one will see my face anyway.
“Elizabeth Grey, by the authority of King Malcolm of Anglia, I am commanded to arrest you for the crime of witchcraft. You are hereby ordered to return with us to Fleet prison for detention and to await your trial, presided over by the Inquisitor, Lord Blackwell, Duke of Norwich. If you are found guilty, you will be executed by burning, your land and goods forfeit to the crown.” A pause. “So help you God.”She gets put in jail to be sentenced to die, but luckily, she's rescued by the very people she captures...the wizards! (who don't know she's a witch hunter) And the first thing she does once she's rescued is to...reveal that she's a witch hunter.
“You prowl around the king’s palace like a rat in the rafters.” George holds up a finger. “You crushed a glass in your hand, yet there’s not a scratch on you. You’re all moony over this Caleb, who just happens to be the new Inquisitor.” He holds up three fingers now. “And where’d you learn to throw knives at birds like that? The circus?” He narrows his eyes. “You’re a witch hunter.”Bloody brilliant. Despite all this bumbling, despite all this idiocy, she is still the special girl who holds the key to everything. You expect me to believe that shit?
“Stop.” He sticks his leg out in front of me. “I’ll tell you. You’re here because Nicholas needs to find something. Whatever it is, it’s important. According to Veda, you’re the only one who can get it.”The world building is confusing as fuck. So we have the fictional country of Anglia in which magic is banned. Witches are burned at the stake, because 5 years ago, there was a plague that swept the country...and it was started by wizards! Therefore, all magic is now bad, evil, no good.
What the fuck?
First of all, how the fuck did they discover that wizards started the plague? I mean, a plague is a plague. We had the Black Plague and shit throughout history, tons of people died. To my recollection, nobody knew how it was caused. The main reaction to the plague was: OH CRAP, WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE. It wasn't: OH CRAP, WE ALL HAVE THE PLAGUE, EVERYONE'S DEAD, LET'S KILL ALL THE [ALLEGED WITCHES, JEWS, CATHOLICS, NON-CATHOLICS, ARABS, VEGETARIANS, INSERT NAME OF PERSECUTED GROUP HERE].
If the wizards and witches are so smart and magical, why didn't they disguise it better? Who discovered that it was started by them? Why kill all the witches and wizards when, apparently, magic and non-magical people have coexisted together for all this time?
But now they're killing and burning all the witches and wizards, a wizard has taken over the throne (secretly) and then there are witch hunters (who have magic, too). The end result of this is the wizards and witches (who have magic) hate witch hunters (who have magic) and vice versa. The humans (who don't have magic) hate the witch and wizards (who have magic) as well as the witch hunters who seek out to capture the witch and wizards.
Makes perfect sense -_-
October 23, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! Took me a bit longer to finish then I would've liked but really liked it
May 5, 2015
The Witch Hunter is a historical fantasy set around the time of witch trials and burnings in England. The main character - Elizabeth Grey - is one of the titular witch hunters, going about murdering and capturing those who practice magic, until she is accused of being a witch herself and needs to be rescued by the kingdom's most-wanted wizard - Nicholas Perevil.
Well... kind of. Except here's what really happens.
As with all mediocre fantasy novels, there's an unexplained ban on magic that leads to hatred of all witches/wizards and their subsequent death sentence. Unlike the historical reality, this ban does not seem to be motivated by religion. None of these witches/wizards appear to be doing anything sinister or evil with the magic, but let's kill them anyway.
Elizabeth's stomach flips on page 4 when the first hot guy in this book kisses her hand. From that moment on, she barely stops talking about Caleb - even when he promises to return and help her but doesn't. We are constantly treated to her little anecdotes about the two of them and how wonderful he is.
Elizabeth Grey is, frankly, really annoying. She is a witch hunter, hates witches/wizards, and believes all magic to be wrong; she also delivers the witches/wizards to Blackwell so they can be burned alive. BUT she is rightly accused of witchcraft - she is found to be using contraceptive magic herbs. What a bloody hypocrite.
Then, when she is rescued by Nicholas Perevil and his group of witches/wizards, instead of being grateful that they rescued her from being burned alive, she bides her time until she can turn them over to the guy who sentenced her to death. Because a) she somehow still believes all wizards and witches must be evil, and b) she's selfish, disloyal and OHMYGOD... Caleb.
But, of course, things are not that simple because - wait for it - there's a hot guy #2 amongst Nicholas' group. Yes... John. Even when Elizabeth is passed out from a fever this becomes an opportunity for John to examine herwounds body. Everything that happens in this book feels orchestrated around either Elizabeth's crush on Caleb or her crush on John.
Also: Do you guys all remember the evil sentence? The "I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding" that appeared in almost every single YA novel? Well, I've found another one. It seems like it's in every YA and NA book with a romance (so 99% of them). It goes like this:
“I feel a mixture of _____, _______ and something else that I can’t put my finger on.”
Or
“I feel a mixture of _____, _______ and another feeling I'm not familiar with.”
Jeez, I'll tell you what it is: you have the hots for that guy! It's lust, it's a crush, it's unbelievable that you've made it to this stage in your life without recognizing what that feeling is! In other words, this is the author's way of trying to subtly allude to romantic feelings, whilst actually making the reader feel like they're being smacked around the head with romantic subtext.
Loose fantasy world-building, irritating heroine and two love interests. This only got two stars because there was some funny and entertaining dialogue.
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Well... kind of. Except here's what really happens.
As with all mediocre fantasy novels, there's an unexplained ban on magic that leads to hatred of all witches/wizards and their subsequent death sentence. Unlike the historical reality, this ban does not seem to be motivated by religion. None of these witches/wizards appear to be doing anything sinister or evil with the magic, but let's kill them anyway.
Elizabeth's stomach flips on page 4 when the first hot guy in this book kisses her hand. From that moment on, she barely stops talking about Caleb - even when he promises to return and help her but doesn't. We are constantly treated to her little anecdotes about the two of them and how wonderful he is.
Elizabeth Grey is, frankly, really annoying. She is a witch hunter, hates witches/wizards, and believes all magic to be wrong; she also delivers the witches/wizards to Blackwell so they can be burned alive. BUT she is rightly accused of witchcraft - she is found to be using contraceptive magic herbs. What a bloody hypocrite.
Then, when she is rescued by Nicholas Perevil and his group of witches/wizards, instead of being grateful that they rescued her from being burned alive, she bides her time until she can turn them over to the guy who sentenced her to death. Because a) she somehow still believes all wizards and witches must be evil, and b) she's selfish, disloyal and OHMYGOD... Caleb.
But, of course, things are not that simple because - wait for it - there's a hot guy #2 amongst Nicholas' group. Yes... John. Even when Elizabeth is passed out from a fever this becomes an opportunity for John to examine her
Also: Do you guys all remember the evil sentence? The "I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding" that appeared in almost every single YA novel? Well, I've found another one. It seems like it's in every YA and NA book with a romance (so 99% of them). It goes like this:
“I feel a mixture of _____, _______ and something else that I can’t put my finger on.”
Or
“I feel a mixture of _____, _______ and another feeling I'm not familiar with.”
Jeez, I'll tell you what it is: you have the hots for that guy! It's lust, it's a crush, it's unbelievable that you've made it to this stage in your life without recognizing what that feeling is! In other words, this is the author's way of trying to subtly allude to romantic feelings, whilst actually making the reader feel like they're being smacked around the head with romantic subtext.
Loose fantasy world-building, irritating heroine and two love interests. This only got two stars because there was some funny and entertaining dialogue.
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June 4, 2015
You know you're bored out of your mind reading a particular book if a) you fall asleep in the middle of a chapter, or b) you stop after every five minutes to get a new snack. Unfortunately, both of these were things I ended up doing while reading The Witch Hunter.
I was really surprised by my own reaction to this book. The synopsis promised intrigue, action and a swoon-worthy romance--basically everything I look for in a good fantasy book. Sadly, this book fell short on all accounts.
Most likely, the issue lies with our incredibly flat, boring and annoying main character Elizabeth. This girl has such a weak and barely-there personality. She doesn't fight for anything and basically just lets people push her around and tell her what to do. Her beliefs (if you can even call them that) aren't strong and have no reason behind them.
Her constant pining for Asshole Love Interest and Boring Love Interest (yep--there are two! Whoop-dee-doo) took up almost the whole book. To put it simply, Elizabeth has been in love with Asshole ever since they were kids. You're never really sure about this love interest until at least halfway through the book. And then when a certain something happens to Asshole, Boring comes along to sweep her off her feet. Not me though. I ain't falling for that cheap trick!
Other than Elizabeth, all the other characters were just stereotypical and equally as flat as she was. We have the funny guy (who was, quite frankly, getting on my nerves), the mean-girl-that-is-not-actually-a-bitch, the sweet but lifeless love interest, etc. No one really stood out for me. I honestly can't even remember their names.
The writing was also just okay. It felt a little more modern rather than historical which disappointed me a little. The sentences were choppy, if you're into that kind of thing.
This book has a plot. It does! It's a plot that could makes sense and it's a plot that could be amazing if it was explored fully. Which is why I was terribly disappointed when I finished the book and realized that nothing in this book was talked about to its fullest extent. Nothing was explained. There was more telling than showing. Also, rape was used as a plot device and then was brushed over as if it was nothing.
And twists... What are twists?! This book didn't have them, at least for me. I felt like everything that was supposed to be a twist could've been seen from miles away if you were paying any attention to the book at all. Nothing really surprised me enough for me to deem it a "twist."
Overall, I'm not really sure if The Witch Hunter is a book I'd recommend. I think if you're okay with fantasies that aren't really unique and follow the standard plot formula, then you'll probably find yourself enjoying this more than I did.
I was really surprised by my own reaction to this book. The synopsis promised intrigue, action and a swoon-worthy romance--basically everything I look for in a good fantasy book. Sadly, this book fell short on all accounts.
Most likely, the issue lies with our incredibly flat, boring and annoying main character Elizabeth. This girl has such a weak and barely-there personality. She doesn't fight for anything and basically just lets people push her around and tell her what to do. Her beliefs (if you can even call them that) aren't strong and have no reason behind them.
Her constant pining for Asshole Love Interest and Boring Love Interest (yep--there are two! Whoop-dee-doo) took up almost the whole book. To put it simply, Elizabeth has been in love with Asshole ever since they were kids. You're never really sure about this love interest until at least halfway through the book. And then when a certain something happens to Asshole, Boring comes along to sweep her off her feet. Not me though. I ain't falling for that cheap trick!
Other than Elizabeth, all the other characters were just stereotypical and equally as flat as she was. We have the funny guy (who was, quite frankly, getting on my nerves), the mean-girl-that-is-not-actually-a-bitch, the sweet but lifeless love interest, etc. No one really stood out for me. I honestly can't even remember their names.
The writing was also just okay. It felt a little more modern rather than historical which disappointed me a little. The sentences were choppy, if you're into that kind of thing.
This book has a plot. It does! It's a plot that could makes sense and it's a plot that could be amazing if it was explored fully. Which is why I was terribly disappointed when I finished the book and realized that nothing in this book was talked about to its fullest extent. Nothing was explained. There was more telling than showing. Also, rape was used as a plot device and then was brushed over as if it was nothing.
And twists... What are twists?! This book didn't have them, at least for me. I felt like everything that was supposed to be a twist could've been seen from miles away if you were paying any attention to the book at all. Nothing really surprised me enough for me to deem it a "twist."
Overall, I'm not really sure if The Witch Hunter is a book I'd recommend. I think if you're okay with fantasies that aren't really unique and follow the standard plot formula, then you'll probably find yourself enjoying this more than I did.
December 11, 2018
4,5 Sterne
Definitiv ein Jugendbuch genau nach meinem Geschmack (auch wenn ich ehrlich gesagt etwas komplett anderes von diesem Buch erwartet habe)! Die Geschichte konnte mich von Seite 1 an fesseln und obwohl unsere Protagonistin erst 16 Jahre ist, war sie echt reif und traf erstaunlich vernünftige Entscheidungen. I like! Auch alle anderen Charaktere mochte ich gerne. Den Antagonisten fand ich auch klasse, genauso wie Virginia Boecker mit unserem Empfinden für Gut und Böse spielt. Es ist eben nicht alles wie es scheint. Das Worldbuilding war auch genau meins: 16. Jhd., Hexenverbrennungen und Fantasy - eine geniale Mischung! 👌🏻
Das Ende ist zum Glück kein mega Cliffhanger und dennoch macht es total neugierig darauf wie es in Band 2 weitergehen wird.
Definitiv ein Jugendbuch genau nach meinem Geschmack (auch wenn ich ehrlich gesagt etwas komplett anderes von diesem Buch erwartet habe)! Die Geschichte konnte mich von Seite 1 an fesseln und obwohl unsere Protagonistin erst 16 Jahre ist, war sie echt reif und traf erstaunlich vernünftige Entscheidungen. I like! Auch alle anderen Charaktere mochte ich gerne. Den Antagonisten fand ich auch klasse, genauso wie Virginia Boecker mit unserem Empfinden für Gut und Böse spielt. Es ist eben nicht alles wie es scheint. Das Worldbuilding war auch genau meins: 16. Jhd., Hexenverbrennungen und Fantasy - eine geniale Mischung! 👌🏻
Das Ende ist zum Glück kein mega Cliffhanger und dennoch macht es total neugierig darauf wie es in Band 2 weitergehen wird.
August 2, 2015
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
Why I'm only giving Witch Hunter 1.5 stars:
1. The main character is "one of the best witch hunters in Anglia" MY ASS. If you're telling me that she's one of the best witch hunters why do all we see from the very beginning is Elizabeth make fail after fail? I get that people make mistakes, but honestly, if you're gonna tell me that this chick is the most badass hunter in town you gotta sell it to me. At least once. I DON'T ASK FOR MUCH.
2. The main character is annoying as fuck. Not only is this girl totally not badass, she's as interesting as a blank piece of paper. It's been less than a week and I had to check the blurb for the main character's name because I keep on forgetting it because of her bland personality. She can't do anything to save herself and has no thoughts of her own. Oh apart from her constant obsession that are her two love interests.
3. That's right, there's a love triangle. Great, right? I dislike this book even more now. And of course one of them has to be her childhood best friend.
4. The plot is totally lacking. I found myself wanting to doze off during this one because of how bored I found myself. The plot remains as simplistic throughout and well, under-developed. There are so many plot holes and pretty much zero world building. It's amazing that this book even fails to answer one of the simplest of questions: why is magic banned? I mean, if you're going to write a story based on that it would be smart to explain the history behind it for starters. Just sayin'.
Why I'm only giving Witch Hunter 1.5 stars:
1. The main character is "one of the best witch hunters in Anglia" MY ASS. If you're telling me that she's one of the best witch hunters why do all we see from the very beginning is Elizabeth make fail after fail? I get that people make mistakes, but honestly, if you're gonna tell me that this chick is the most badass hunter in town you gotta sell it to me. At least once. I DON'T ASK FOR MUCH.
2. The main character is annoying as fuck. Not only is this girl totally not badass, she's as interesting as a blank piece of paper. It's been less than a week and I had to check the blurb for the main character's name because I keep on forgetting it because of her bland personality. She can't do anything to save herself and has no thoughts of her own. Oh apart from her constant obsession that are her two love interests.
3. That's right, there's a love triangle. Great, right? I dislike this book even more now. And of course one of them has to be her childhood best friend.
4. The plot is totally lacking. I found myself wanting to doze off during this one because of how bored I found myself. The plot remains as simplistic throughout and well, under-developed. There are so many plot holes and pretty much zero world building. It's amazing that this book even fails to answer one of the simplest of questions: why is magic banned? I mean, if you're going to write a story based on that it would be smart to explain the history behind it for starters. Just sayin'.
June 2, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Hachette Children's Books and NetGalley.)
“She’s a witch,” he says. “I can’t let her go.”
This wasn’t a terrible story, but I did lose interest.
I felt quite sorry for Elizabeth at the start of this book, admittedly she was in the business of getting people killed by outing them as witches, but the way she was labelled a witch through little fault of her own seemed unfair. Although maybe it was just karma.
“A witch?” I shriek the word as if I’ve never heard it before. “I’m not a witch!”
The storyline in this was about Elizabeth working as a witch hunter, and then being accused of being a witch, and the events that led on from there. I thought the story was alright at the beginning, although it did remind me of Monty Python at one point with the ‘burn the witch!’ talk!
“You. Had. Herbs.” His words are a growl; they may as well be a shout. “Witches’ herbs. As far as I’m concerned, that makes you a witch.”
The story just seemed to go downhill from there though, and the slow pace irritated me, I got confused at points, and I ultimately ended up bored.
The ending was okay, although I wasn’t happy with one of the deaths. Overall though, I didn’t really enjoy this one much. I do like Monty Pyton though ☺
6 out of 10
“She’s a witch,” he says. “I can’t let her go.”
This wasn’t a terrible story, but I did lose interest.
I felt quite sorry for Elizabeth at the start of this book, admittedly she was in the business of getting people killed by outing them as witches, but the way she was labelled a witch through little fault of her own seemed unfair. Although maybe it was just karma.
“A witch?” I shriek the word as if I’ve never heard it before. “I’m not a witch!”
The storyline in this was about Elizabeth working as a witch hunter, and then being accused of being a witch, and the events that led on from there. I thought the story was alright at the beginning, although it did remind me of Monty Python at one point with the ‘burn the witch!’ talk!
“You. Had. Herbs.” His words are a growl; they may as well be a shout. “Witches’ herbs. As far as I’m concerned, that makes you a witch.”
The story just seemed to go downhill from there though, and the slow pace irritated me, I got confused at points, and I ultimately ended up bored.
The ending was okay, although I wasn’t happy with one of the deaths. Overall though, I didn’t really enjoy this one much. I do like Monty Pyton though ☺
6 out of 10
June 11, 2015
That awkward moment when you actually like something other people expected you to hate...
Yup, 'tis true, my dear friends: I found myself really liking this one. It's not the best book I've ever read; some factors definitely could have been done better, but it was such a ride reading it from beginning to end - I mean, when you finish something in less than 4 hours, that has got to account for something, yes? Finally, a book with witches and wizards and necromancers that actually show them as they should be - forces not to be reckoned with (off with you, you fluffy witches with your love potions!). Add to that aspecial girl who hunts them down like a bibliophile would hunt a book bargain, what you have is a recipe for an intense plot-driven historical fantasy.
For one, I actually liked Elizabeth Grey, the deemed best Witch Hunter in her time. I may not have liked some of her actions (really, girl? Drinking yourself drunk when you should be alert at all times?) and I could have used for more emotional narration on her part, but she wasn't all that bad as I thought she would be. Did she drone about Caleb? She mentioned him a handful of times, but it wasn't like the story revolved around him. I understood it because 1.) she grew up with him; 2.) she loved him; 3.) hell, they went through hell together! They were partners-in-crime! Even if he kind of abandoned her at her time of need, anyone would cling on to the hope that the person they trusted the most had a reason for doing so (even if it's lousy).
I liked her a lot because she dealt with such a confusing and frustrating situation like a pro. Even though she was told and made to believe that a certain group of people were hell's spawns, she learned to open her mind to other possibilities and explanations and sides. Yes, she didn't believe them at first and she wanted to take them to her former superior in case it would get her a pardon, but wouldn't you want that, too, if all your life you were brainwashed into hating them with every fiber of your being?
That's why I found her reactions and actions believable. There was resistance, hesitance, and eventually, acceptance. The kindness she has seen and experienced from them made her realize that perhaps the world was not so black and white, that maybe she has been lied to all along, and I appreciated seeing the change nurture in her.
I do find it disappointing that the love interest lacked personality, however. John was... pretty bland, in comparison. He's sweet, sure; he's a healer, sure; he supports her through thick and thin, sure; those are cool but he was way too perfect. When he realized something important about Elizabeth, he didn't react as violently or as emotionally as I expected... which would have been understandable given their circumstances, but nooope. He was as dull as before, and the chance to make him a more complex character was lost to the wind.
As for the plot, I really liked it. It was fast-paced and was constantly moving to the next, while also giving us enough internal conflict from Elizabeth's end. There weren't any large and unexpected twists, but hey, it was engaging enough as it was, as I flew through it fast enough to warrant a record. The world-building was pretty vague, though, so I need more from this one. Hopefully in the next book?
I just wish there were spells and witchcraft going on, though. I mean, come on, it's about witches and witch hunters and conspiracies, we need more pew pew over here!
Today, as a bonus content to this review, I'm going to give you a cool game/poll. Just like our Choose Your Own Love Interest, I'll be presenting several profiles of magic users and YOU will choose which profile attracts your attention the most. What spells interest you the most? Which kind of power would you like to have? I'm super interested to know which magic user the majority will pick!
Disclaimer: Some of these can be found in the book, a lot are made-up by me, all the spells are imagination-fueled. Also, all images are from the game Dragon Age: Inquisition and are owned by EA and Bioware.
Have you chosen? Vote here!
Yup, 'tis true, my dear friends: I found myself really liking this one. It's not the best book I've ever read; some factors definitely could have been done better, but it was such a ride reading it from beginning to end - I mean, when you finish something in less than 4 hours, that has got to account for something, yes? Finally, a book with witches and wizards and necromancers that actually show them as they should be - forces not to be reckoned with (off with you, you fluffy witches with your love potions!). Add to that a
For one, I actually liked Elizabeth Grey, the deemed best Witch Hunter in her time. I may not have liked some of her actions (really, girl? Drinking yourself drunk when you should be alert at all times?) and I could have used for more emotional narration on her part, but she wasn't all that bad as I thought she would be. Did she drone about Caleb? She mentioned him a handful of times, but it wasn't like the story revolved around him. I understood it because 1.) she grew up with him; 2.) she loved him; 3.) hell, they went through hell together! They were partners-in-crime! Even if he kind of abandoned her at her time of need, anyone would cling on to the hope that the person they trusted the most had a reason for doing so (even if it's lousy).
I liked her a lot because she dealt with such a confusing and frustrating situation like a pro. Even though she was told and made to believe that a certain group of people were hell's spawns, she learned to open her mind to other possibilities and explanations and sides. Yes, she didn't believe them at first and she wanted to take them to her former superior in case it would get her a pardon, but wouldn't you want that, too, if all your life you were brainwashed into hating them with every fiber of your being?
That's why I found her reactions and actions believable. There was resistance, hesitance, and eventually, acceptance. The kindness she has seen and experienced from them made her realize that perhaps the world was not so black and white, that maybe she has been lied to all along, and I appreciated seeing the change nurture in her.
I do find it disappointing that the love interest lacked personality, however. John was... pretty bland, in comparison. He's sweet, sure; he's a healer, sure; he supports her through thick and thin, sure; those are cool but he was way too perfect. When he realized something important about Elizabeth, he didn't react as violently or as emotionally as I expected... which would have been understandable given their circumstances, but nooope. He was as dull as before, and the chance to make him a more complex character was lost to the wind.
As for the plot, I really liked it. It was fast-paced and was constantly moving to the next, while also giving us enough internal conflict from Elizabeth's end. There weren't any large and unexpected twists, but hey, it was engaging enough as it was, as I flew through it fast enough to warrant a record. The world-building was pretty vague, though, so I need more from this one. Hopefully in the next book?
I just wish there were spells and witchcraft going on, though. I mean, come on, it's about witches and witch hunters and conspiracies, we need more pew pew over here!
What Magic User Are You?
Today, as a bonus content to this review, I'm going to give you a cool game/poll. Just like our Choose Your Own Love Interest, I'll be presenting several profiles of magic users and YOU will choose which profile attracts your attention the most. What spells interest you the most? Which kind of power would you like to have? I'm super interested to know which magic user the majority will pick!
Disclaimer: Some of these can be found in the book, a lot are made-up by me, all the spells are imagination-fueled. Also, all images are from the game Dragon Age: Inquisition and are owned by EA and Bioware.
The Necromancer
Description: A person who uses magic to communicate and summon the dead.
Top 3 Spells:
Call Undead - summons an undead to do the user's bidding
Tap Life - transfers life from target to the user
Ritual of Blood - a complex spell that calls and combines several dead souls to create a ghoul
The Alchemist
Description: a person who uses magic to mix and combine herbs to create potions of varying effects.
Top 3 Potions:
The Flask of Disease - a concoction that makes the body decay and rot
The Flask of Life - a concoction that allows the body to heal itself faster
The Flask of Strength - a concoction that gives the user increased strength for a limited time
The Seer
Description: a person who uses magic to predict/see the future and clairvoyance.
Top 3 Spells:
Epiphany - sees into the future
Brainstep - invades the mind of a target to see and hear what he is seeing and hearing
Brainstun - stuns the target's mind (giving him paranoia is optional and deadly)
The Healer
Description: a person who uses magic to heal others.
Top 3 Spells:
Heal - makes the target's body heal itself faster
Revive - resuscitates targets that are at the edge of death (cannot work on those that are already dead)
Barrier - places an invisible shield on the target, protecting them from spells/curses
The Witch
Description: a woman who uses magic to create a variety of spells.
Top 3 Spells:
Shackle - binds and roots one or more people together by an invisible shackle for a limited time
Hell's Inferno - creates a wall of fire between the user and the target
Crow's Nest - helps cure diseases
The Wizard
Description: a man who uses magic to create a variety of spells
Top 3 Spells:
Heaven's Fire - creates several fire balls to be thrown to an area or target
Transfer - transfer user's life to a target
Teleport - teleports the user to another place (how far depends on wizard's skill)
Have you chosen? Vote here!
May 31, 2015
This book is everything I want when I'm reading. I expected to like this book but I had no idea that I would be reading one of my favorites of 2015.
I started this book during a 3 hour rain delay at a baseball game and I had it half finished by time the game started. I was glued to the pages and I was sorry to put it down. I rarely read a book that pulls me in right from the first few pages and never lets go.
I loved everything about this book. From the plot to the characters to the writing. It was all insanely gripping and well put together.
The main character, Elizabeth, is amazing. She kicks so much butt and takes no crap from anyone. She's very well written and, best of all, she's a character that the Young Adult genre needs right now.
The plot was insane! I was on the edge of my seat 80% of the time. It was fast paced but not rushed. It was so exciting and well written.
Overall, I don't have much of a review because I was so wrapped up in the story and characters that I forgot to think actual thoughts. I have nothing negative to say about this book. By far one of the best books I've read in 2015. I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy of this book so I can stare at it all day long.
March 28, 2015
| ARC kindly provided by Hachette Children's Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you a lot! |
I wish I could give a million stars to this book.
Blurb: Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. When she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to die at the stake. Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can track down the person who laid a deadly curse on him.
As she's thrust into the world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and all-too-handsome healers, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
You know how I felt after reading this book?
When I got approved on NetGalley I was beyond excited. I wanted to read this book since I read the blurb! I loved it and what an amaizing debut novel, Boecker, just wow.
Right, let's get to businesses.
When we first met our lovely heroine, Elizabeth, she's watching a witch burning in a pyre. Everyone's gathered there. Some just watching, some getting ready to protest and Elizabeth is plotting a capture.
As a character, Elizabeth is really interesting. Here we have a little girl who looks way too cute and innocent but she hasn't been innocent in a long time. She's clever, brave, strong and a good person, despite what she does but she's also very afraid of losing the only family she has, of being all alone, of dying alone. I liked her a lot since the beginning of the book and her friendship with Caleb was something quite adorable. You could see she had a crush on him from miles. I think everyone's knew.
There's something I really found interesting and somehow refreshing was the fact that she wasn't that innocent. I hate when virginity is portraited as the most secret and precious thing a woman can have and that, once a girl has sex, she loses all her value and innocence. Pff, what a bunch of crap. So, having the king taking Elizabeth to his bed at nights was a clever bet and even if it's not a big thing to some of you, as a virgin woman, I appreciate this.
So, I liked Elizabeth a lot and she's a darling. She's also really funny and beyond cute. I liked the way she grew in the book. Boecker developed her characters really great in a single novel.
I don't know how predictable the book might be. Why? Maybe I was way too in the story and that didn't let me see most of what was coming. That's a terrific thing since I always spoil myself thinking about what may happen and sometimes getting it right.
So, when some showed their true colors, well, I was quite upset, disappointed and agry. The book succeeded in making me feel betrayed and hopeless. Shit, well done.
Guys, this book was fantastic. I just don't know what else to say.
All the characters were great, even the villains. Elizabeth was pretty cool, I first hated Fifer but then I just loved her, you just like George since he first appeared and Peter was suspicious but utterly funny and John...
John was oh so so so so so sweet and honarable and cute and smart and shy and lovable.
I fell for this guy big time. I was reading in a constant fear of what could happen to him and the rest of the crew, you have no idea.
The last chapter was a bit odd, that I have to admit it. It was constructed in a way that it gives you the feeling this is a standalone novel. Which is not. An epilogue would've made it all better in my opinion. The last chapters went on in a odd pace too: they were rushed and slowed at the same time. No room for grieving and I think that's what it was needed. Come on, Elizabeth had her "I feel sorry for me" fest a few times in this book but this one was the important one and she didn't have it. At least not correctly.
That's the only thing I didn't like about the book and I can easily forget about it. Really.
The writing was quite great, it was effortless and yet beautiful.
I'm looking forward to read the second book and I'm hoping this book gets to be brought to my country. I'm dying for a physical copy of this story.
It was amazing.
I wish I could give a million stars to this book.
Blurb: Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. When she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to die at the stake. Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can track down the person who laid a deadly curse on him.
As she's thrust into the world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and all-too-handsome healers, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
You know how I felt after reading this book?
When I got approved on NetGalley I was beyond excited. I wanted to read this book since I read the blurb! I loved it and what an amaizing debut novel, Boecker, just wow.
Right, let's get to businesses.
When we first met our lovely heroine, Elizabeth, she's watching a witch burning in a pyre. Everyone's gathered there. Some just watching, some getting ready to protest and Elizabeth is plotting a capture.
As a character, Elizabeth is really interesting. Here we have a little girl who looks way too cute and innocent but she hasn't been innocent in a long time. She's clever, brave, strong and a good person, despite what she does but she's also very afraid of losing the only family she has, of being all alone, of dying alone. I liked her a lot since the beginning of the book and her friendship with Caleb was something quite adorable. You could see she had a crush on him from miles. I think everyone's knew.
There's something I really found interesting and somehow refreshing was the fact that she wasn't that innocent. I hate when virginity is portraited as the most secret and precious thing a woman can have and that, once a girl has sex, she loses all her value and innocence. Pff, what a bunch of crap. So, having the king taking Elizabeth to his bed at nights was a clever bet and even if it's not a big thing to some of you, as a virgin woman, I appreciate this.
So, I liked Elizabeth a lot and she's a darling. She's also really funny and beyond cute. I liked the way she grew in the book. Boecker developed her characters really great in a single novel.
I don't know how predictable the book might be. Why? Maybe I was way too in the story and that didn't let me see most of what was coming. That's a terrific thing since I always spoil myself thinking about what may happen and sometimes getting it right.
So, when some showed their true colors, well, I was quite upset, disappointed and agry. The book succeeded in making me feel betrayed and hopeless. Shit, well done.
Guys, this book was fantastic. I just don't know what else to say.
All the characters were great, even the villains. Elizabeth was pretty cool, I first hated Fifer but then I just loved her, you just like George since he first appeared and Peter was suspicious but utterly funny and John...
John was oh so so so so so sweet and honarable and cute and smart and shy and lovable.
I fell for this guy big time. I was reading in a constant fear of what could happen to him and the rest of the crew, you have no idea.
The last chapter was a bit odd, that I have to admit it. It was constructed in a way that it gives you the feeling this is a standalone novel. Which is not. An epilogue would've made it all better in my opinion. The last chapters went on in a odd pace too: they were rushed and slowed at the same time. No room for grieving and I think that's what it was needed. Come on, Elizabeth had her "I feel sorry for me" fest a few times in this book but this one was the important one and she didn't have it. At least not correctly.
That's the only thing I didn't like about the book and I can easily forget about it. Really.
The writing was quite great, it was effortless and yet beautiful.
I'm looking forward to read the second book and I'm hoping this book gets to be brought to my country. I'm dying for a physical copy of this story.
It was amazing.
October 14, 2016
¡Me ha encantado! Ha sido empezar el libro y no soltarlo, puff necesito la segunda parte ya de ya <3 hacía mucho que no leía un libro increíble. Si no lo habéis leído no sé a qué estáis esperando. 5/5
June 21, 2016
2.5-3 stars
I've been bit by the expectation bug again. :/ The Witch Hunter was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and Ipractically totally stalked the Little, Brown booth at ALA to acquire an ARC. I mean, just look at that cover and synopsis! Witches, black magic, betrayal, a handsome healer... all excellent, right? Unfortunately, this book and I never completely clicked.
The first half is almost painfully dull. I had a lot of difficulty connecting to the story from the start. At one point, I set the book down for days and had little desire to pick it up again. I already knew what one of the main twists was going to be ahead of time (I was right) and couldn't for the life of me understand how the main character, Elizabeth, didn't realize it sooner. Instead she's trapped between wanting the life she used to have (as a witch hunter with her friend/crush/childhood savior Caleb) and not knowing if she should trust the witches who need her help. It made the whole plot feel very stagnant and stuck. Instead of a story that is magical and compelling, I felt like the whole thing was generally lackluster, and the first half especially failed to hold my attention. The action does pick up in the second half, when the danger finally turns real, but it was still very up and down for me.
The plot is run-of-the-mill, but I did enjoy the setting. Historical YA books are so few and far between, so I was delighted that it was both that and a fantasy. The earlier time period fit the tone of the story very well, especially considering that Elizabeth's profession is to hunt witches. In this world, a powerful wizard was blamed for the start of a plague years ago, so all magic is forbidden. If you are caught practicing witchcraft, you will be arrested and burned at the stake. There are those who of course oppose the laws - called Reformists - and this is the group Elizabeth finds herself involved with after escaping a sticky and almost fatal situation. While I did enjoy learning about witches' powers and Elizabeth's capabilities as a witch hunter, I can't say the plot had many surprises. I expected more complexity and twists and turns.
Elizabeth and I did not get along, from the very beginning. For one, this girl is like a blank slate. She has little to no personality, and outside of my frustrations with her, I was mostly indifferent. Worse, though, is that she is such a weak-willed and naive character, in a way that made it difficult for me to sympathize with her. Sure, she was physically strong and one of the best witch hunters out there, but she so rarely thought for herself or processed things in a normal fashion. This whole time that she has captured wizards and witches and watched people burn at the stake, she has never questioned their guilt. It's a brutal death sentence and such utter bigotry, but Elizabeth follows along with whatever she is told. Even later on she gives little credence to introspection and has no strong opinions or passionate convictions. Everything remains surface-level with her. Though she eventually "chooses the right side", I still have no idea what she truly believes in.
The supporting cast, thankfully, makes up for her shortcomings. There are quite a few standouts here. Fifer, one of the witches who Elizabeth is forced to work with, is probably the biggest surprise. She's a little nasty at first, even when she doesn't know that Elizabeth is a witch hunter, but as soon as the book spends more time with her I began to love her character. She's fierce and unapologetic and her personality stands out so much in comparison to Elizabeth's. She becomes a great friend, too, and I would not complain at all if we got a novella from her point-of-view. The other highlight is the main love interest, John. He's gentle and patient, which makes sense as a healer, and he blushes. I wish we had gotten more page time with him, but he definitely had my heart aflutter.
I wanted just a little more romance! I think the only times I enjoyed Elizabeth's character was when she was interacting with other people, which is why the romance worked for me. I really liked the development of her and John's relationship; they are tentative with each other at first, but I think it's sweet the way both parties are so obviously smitten with the other. I'm happy with what we are given, but I did expect it to be a bigger plot point. There is somewhat of a love triangle in the beginning, since Elizabeth has a crush on her childhood friend (who is so obviously not right for her) and she later meets her main love interest. I understand its purpose, though I'll admit to being bothered by it at first.
Though The Witch Hunter didn't live up to my expectations, I'll still be keeping the next book on my radar. No cliffhanger, but a big reveal took place and I'd like to find out what happens. Who knows, maybe I'll have an opposite experience and my lowered expectations will be more than surpassed.
Note: I received an ARC of this book at ALAMW 2015, but that did not affect my review in any way.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
I've been bit by the expectation bug again. :/ The Witch Hunter was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and I
The first half is almost painfully dull. I had a lot of difficulty connecting to the story from the start. At one point, I set the book down for days and had little desire to pick it up again. I already knew what one of the main twists was going to be ahead of time (I was right) and couldn't for the life of me understand how the main character, Elizabeth, didn't realize it sooner. Instead she's trapped between wanting the life she used to have (as a witch hunter with her friend/crush/childhood savior Caleb) and not knowing if she should trust the witches who need her help. It made the whole plot feel very stagnant and stuck. Instead of a story that is magical and compelling, I felt like the whole thing was generally lackluster, and the first half especially failed to hold my attention. The action does pick up in the second half, when the danger finally turns real, but it was still very up and down for me.
The plot is run-of-the-mill, but I did enjoy the setting. Historical YA books are so few and far between, so I was delighted that it was both that and a fantasy. The earlier time period fit the tone of the story very well, especially considering that Elizabeth's profession is to hunt witches. In this world, a powerful wizard was blamed for the start of a plague years ago, so all magic is forbidden. If you are caught practicing witchcraft, you will be arrested and burned at the stake. There are those who of course oppose the laws - called Reformists - and this is the group Elizabeth finds herself involved with after escaping a sticky and almost fatal situation. While I did enjoy learning about witches' powers and Elizabeth's capabilities as a witch hunter, I can't say the plot had many surprises. I expected more complexity and twists and turns.
Elizabeth and I did not get along, from the very beginning. For one, this girl is like a blank slate. She has little to no personality, and outside of my frustrations with her, I was mostly indifferent. Worse, though, is that she is such a weak-willed and naive character, in a way that made it difficult for me to sympathize with her. Sure, she was physically strong and one of the best witch hunters out there, but she so rarely thought for herself or processed things in a normal fashion. This whole time that she has captured wizards and witches and watched people burn at the stake, she has never questioned their guilt. It's a brutal death sentence and such utter bigotry, but Elizabeth follows along with whatever she is told. Even later on she gives little credence to introspection and has no strong opinions or passionate convictions. Everything remains surface-level with her. Though she eventually "chooses the right side", I still have no idea what she truly believes in.
The supporting cast, thankfully, makes up for her shortcomings. There are quite a few standouts here. Fifer, one of the witches who Elizabeth is forced to work with, is probably the biggest surprise. She's a little nasty at first, even when she doesn't know that Elizabeth is a witch hunter, but as soon as the book spends more time with her I began to love her character. She's fierce and unapologetic and her personality stands out so much in comparison to Elizabeth's. She becomes a great friend, too, and I would not complain at all if we got a novella from her point-of-view. The other highlight is the main love interest, John. He's gentle and patient, which makes sense as a healer, and he blushes. I wish we had gotten more page time with him, but he definitely had my heart aflutter.
I wanted just a little more romance! I think the only times I enjoyed Elizabeth's character was when she was interacting with other people, which is why the romance worked for me. I really liked the development of her and John's relationship; they are tentative with each other at first, but I think it's sweet the way both parties are so obviously smitten with the other. I'm happy with what we are given, but I did expect it to be a bigger plot point. There is somewhat of a love triangle in the beginning, since Elizabeth has a crush on her childhood friend (who is so obviously not right for her) and she later meets her main love interest. I understand its purpose, though I'll admit to being bothered by it at first.
Though The Witch Hunter didn't live up to my expectations, I'll still be keeping the next book on my radar. No cliffhanger, but a big reveal took place and I'd like to find out what happens. Who knows, maybe I'll have an opposite experience and my lowered expectations will be more than surpassed.
Note: I received an ARC of this book at ALAMW 2015, but that did not affect my review in any way.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
February 27, 2018
Reseña completa -> http://thewordsofbooks.blogspot.com.e...
Terminado! Estaba dudando entre darle 4,5* o 5* pero finalmente creo que se merece las 5 porque no hubo un solo momento del libro que no me gustara: la historia, los personajes de 10. El mundo que ha creado, la misión y como se desarrolla y termina todo me ha encantado. Estoy deseando tener el segundo (y último) libro porque esto solo puede ir a mejor. Sin duda un GRAN lectura.
Terminado! Estaba dudando entre darle 4,5* o 5* pero finalmente creo que se merece las 5 porque no hubo un solo momento del libro que no me gustara: la historia, los personajes de 10. El mundo que ha creado, la misión y como se desarrolla y termina todo me ha encantado. Estoy deseando tener el segundo (y último) libro porque esto solo puede ir a mejor. Sin duda un GRAN lectura.
April 22, 2017
I randomly bought this book in January because it said on the cover "for fans of Sarah J Maas". I usually hate these comparisons but the blurb did sound pretty cool so I randomly decided to buy it (as well as 8 other books that day). I was pretty excited to read it but then I just forgot all about it and it sat on my shelves for months and months. Finally, I decided to pick it up and I had pretty low expectations. All in all, it was a pretty good book. Nothing absolutely amazing or anything but it was still a rather enjoyable read.
We follow Elizabeth who is a witch hunter. However, one day she gets caught with witches herbs (for a totally innocent reason) and she gets thrown in the dungeon. Then, she escapes with the enemy and she basically realises how screwed up things really are. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into but I was pleasantly surprised with a number of aspects of this book. It's one that definitely keeps you on your toes and if it sounds like something you'd be interested in, I'd recommend checking it out! It's pretty stereotypical YA fantasy but for a debut I think it's pretty good!
We follow Elizabeth who is a witch hunter. However, one day she gets caught with witches herbs (for a totally innocent reason) and she gets thrown in the dungeon. Then, she escapes with the enemy and she basically realises how screwed up things really are. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into but I was pleasantly surprised with a number of aspects of this book. It's one that definitely keeps you on your toes and if it sounds like something you'd be interested in, I'd recommend checking it out! It's pretty stereotypical YA fantasy but for a debut I think it's pretty good!
June 14, 2016
4 stars!
"Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear"
Set in a medieval era, where witchcraft is outlawed and witches were sought out and burned. Elizabeth Grey is one of the kings best witch hunters, completely devoted to her job and serving what she thinks to be justice. Until she is accused of being a witch herself, arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake for her supposed crimes.
Salvation comes from Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom ( I'm not going to lie, I kinda pictured Dumbledore during his scenes ). He offers Elizabeth a deal : He will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
The catch is that Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth being a witch hunter. And as Elizabeth is thrust into the magical side of the world that's she's been trained to hate and distrust, she is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, of love and hate.
I absolutely loved Elizabeth. She was strong and confident without being cocky. Her fears and feelings were very much believable and relatable. Honestly, for the most part, I liked all the characters. I honestly don't have anything really negative to say about this book. I will be eagerly awaiting The King Slayer, the next in this series.
"Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear"
Set in a medieval era, where witchcraft is outlawed and witches were sought out and burned. Elizabeth Grey is one of the kings best witch hunters, completely devoted to her job and serving what she thinks to be justice. Until she is accused of being a witch herself, arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake for her supposed crimes.
Salvation comes from Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom ( I'm not going to lie, I kinda pictured Dumbledore during his scenes ). He offers Elizabeth a deal : He will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
The catch is that Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth being a witch hunter. And as Elizabeth is thrust into the magical side of the world that's she's been trained to hate and distrust, she is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, of love and hate.
I absolutely loved Elizabeth. She was strong and confident without being cocky. Her fears and feelings were very much believable and relatable. Honestly, for the most part, I liked all the characters. I honestly don't have anything really negative to say about this book. I will be eagerly awaiting The King Slayer, the next in this series.
July 17, 2015
Actual Rating: 3.8 stars
The Witch Hunter is a mellow debut that promises a strong follow up.
The Witch Hunter follows the story of Elizabeth Grey, one of the finest witch hunter of her time till she is arrested for procuring an herbal medicine that can only be made by witches. For that reason landed her a death sentence. Burning at the stake.
But an aid came her way when the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, Nicholas Perevil agrees to help her in exchange of a great price. She must break his curse.
Every person in Nicholas’s cult does not have any idea of Elizabeth’s former profession. This a deathly game she is playing.
We all have a fair share list of books where we could not quite determine how we will rate it. It is like we are almost at war with ourselves. That is exactly me with The Witch Hunter. This book is not what I was anticipating it to be, and that is not necessarily a bad thing per say. I thought this story would have a strong emphasis on magic, hunting and intense swordplay, but in the end I got a very different outcome.
The Witch Hunter is actually fun. It is not about angst and bloody deaths, but it is filled with humor, romance, a group of characters holding their hands and having an adventure. Similarly to a road trip in contemporary YA. Imagine that picture and one will exactly get what I’m painting.
The characterization is impressive. I adore everyone and I love the lighthearted banter and tension. The only thing that held me back is, sometimes it could be underwhelming. And while I adore this fresh new faces, I was not emotionally attached to them.
I am holding out the sequel will be much more compelling.
The Witch Hunter is an entertaining debut, pack with delightful characters and romance.
Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
The Witch Hunter is a mellow debut that promises a strong follow up.
The Witch Hunter follows the story of Elizabeth Grey, one of the finest witch hunter of her time till she is arrested for procuring an herbal medicine that can only be made by witches. For that reason landed her a death sentence. Burning at the stake.
But an aid came her way when the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, Nicholas Perevil agrees to help her in exchange of a great price. She must break his curse.
Every person in Nicholas’s cult does not have any idea of Elizabeth’s former profession. This a deathly game she is playing.
We all have a fair share list of books where we could not quite determine how we will rate it. It is like we are almost at war with ourselves. That is exactly me with The Witch Hunter. This book is not what I was anticipating it to be, and that is not necessarily a bad thing per say. I thought this story would have a strong emphasis on magic, hunting and intense swordplay, but in the end I got a very different outcome.
The Witch Hunter is actually fun. It is not about angst and bloody deaths, but it is filled with humor, romance, a group of characters holding their hands and having an adventure. Similarly to a road trip in contemporary YA. Imagine that picture and one will exactly get what I’m painting.
The characterization is impressive. I adore everyone and I love the lighthearted banter and tension. The only thing that held me back is, sometimes it could be underwhelming. And while I adore this fresh new faces, I was not emotionally attached to them.
I am holding out the sequel will be much more compelling.
The Witch Hunter is an entertaining debut, pack with delightful characters and romance.
Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
April 26, 2016
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum: http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/08/30/y...
The Witch Hunter is probably one of this summer’s more buzzworthy Young Adult titles, if the amount of coverage I’ve seen for it is any indication. Most of my friends who have read it also enjoyed it, while others were not so keen. If nothing else though, the book did succeed in getting my attention, and I was grateful to receive the audiobook for review, which is actually my preferred format when it comes to reading YA.
The story starts off by introducing us to its protagonist, Elizabeth Grey. She’s sixteen years old and already an accomplished witch hunter, part of the king’s elite group of agents trained to track down and capture sorcerers. But when a nighttime rendezvous goes awry, Elizabeth is accused of being a witch herself and is taken to the dungeons to await burning at the stake.
On the eve of her execution, a strange man pays a visit to her cell. Believing her to be a witch, he helps break her out of prison. As it turns out, her mysterious rescuer is none other than Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful sorcerer in the kingdom as well as leader of a group of young rebel witches and wizards who are unhappy with being persecuted by the king’s laws. By helping her escape though, Nicholas has also turned Elizabeth into public enemy number one, forcing her to accept his terms or be left on her own to deal with the authorities. Reluctantly, Elizabeth agrees to help Nicholas break a deadly curse that has been laid upon him, and the group also takes her in as one of their own.
But of course, Elizabeth knows that it’s all a lie. Not only is she not a witch, she is one of the hunters whom they hate and fear, and there is no telling what Nicholas and his group might do when they find out the truth about her.
Now that I’ve finished the book, I feel I can better understand the different reactions I saw across the board. My own feeling lie somewhere in between. The Witch Hunter is a story peppered with tropes and familiar clichés, making it a very typical middle-of-the-road YA fantasy. As a protagonist, Elizabeth was not exceptional, nor did she really strike me as particularly sharp. Are you really telling me, that in all the years of witnessing countless examples of her mentor using magic as a tool in their witch hunter training sessions, Elizabeth never once suspected he was a magician? The logic is not strong with this one. It was also one of the bigger plot holes I tripped upon. The story itself is rather simplistic too, with the obvious message of “magic itself not being inherently evil, it just depends on how you use it” being presented as the crux of the conflict. Not exactly profound.
For all its flaws though, The Witch Hunter also has plenty of redeeming factors. The novel’s strength is in its light and adventurous tone, which had me chuckling at a couple places in response to some clever lines of dialogue. I especially loved the conversations between Elizabeth and Fifer, the only other female in their group. When Fifer’s character was introduced, I despaired thinking she would be yet another typical “girl rival” whose only purpose in the story is to make the heroine look good. Suffice to say, I was glad to be wrong. I also enjoyed the lack of a full-blown love triangle, and I felt the romance arc was stronger for it.
Most of the time I also prefer to listen to YA novels in audiobook format. I’m less likely to get hung up on world-building (or the lack of it) when I’m experiencing a book in this format, and characters feel richer to me when a narrator gives them a voice. This isn’t the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook narrated by Nicola Barber; in fact it was just a few weeks ago that I listened to her on another title so her performance was still fresh on my mind. I find myself very impressed with her versatility. For The Witch Hunter, Barber sounded younger, giving the protagonist the bubbly, energetic personality which her character called for, and her deftly delivered curses of “Damnation!” made me think, yep, that’s Elizabeth right there.
Simply put, this book was a lot of fun. I may have called the story simple, but that in itself is not necessarily a weakness. In fact, if you enjoy tightly woven plots and are tired of the ostentation and gimmicky shticks cropping up all over the genre these days, this one might very well work for you. It’s mainstream and not looking to break new ground, but it definitely knows what it has to offer.
The Witch Hunter is probably one of this summer’s more buzzworthy Young Adult titles, if the amount of coverage I’ve seen for it is any indication. Most of my friends who have read it also enjoyed it, while others were not so keen. If nothing else though, the book did succeed in getting my attention, and I was grateful to receive the audiobook for review, which is actually my preferred format when it comes to reading YA.
The story starts off by introducing us to its protagonist, Elizabeth Grey. She’s sixteen years old and already an accomplished witch hunter, part of the king’s elite group of agents trained to track down and capture sorcerers. But when a nighttime rendezvous goes awry, Elizabeth is accused of being a witch herself and is taken to the dungeons to await burning at the stake.
On the eve of her execution, a strange man pays a visit to her cell. Believing her to be a witch, he helps break her out of prison. As it turns out, her mysterious rescuer is none other than Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful sorcerer in the kingdom as well as leader of a group of young rebel witches and wizards who are unhappy with being persecuted by the king’s laws. By helping her escape though, Nicholas has also turned Elizabeth into public enemy number one, forcing her to accept his terms or be left on her own to deal with the authorities. Reluctantly, Elizabeth agrees to help Nicholas break a deadly curse that has been laid upon him, and the group also takes her in as one of their own.
But of course, Elizabeth knows that it’s all a lie. Not only is she not a witch, she is one of the hunters whom they hate and fear, and there is no telling what Nicholas and his group might do when they find out the truth about her.
Now that I’ve finished the book, I feel I can better understand the different reactions I saw across the board. My own feeling lie somewhere in between. The Witch Hunter is a story peppered with tropes and familiar clichés, making it a very typical middle-of-the-road YA fantasy. As a protagonist, Elizabeth was not exceptional, nor did she really strike me as particularly sharp. Are you really telling me, that in all the years of witnessing countless examples of her mentor using magic as a tool in their witch hunter training sessions, Elizabeth never once suspected he was a magician? The logic is not strong with this one. It was also one of the bigger plot holes I tripped upon. The story itself is rather simplistic too, with the obvious message of “magic itself not being inherently evil, it just depends on how you use it” being presented as the crux of the conflict. Not exactly profound.
For all its flaws though, The Witch Hunter also has plenty of redeeming factors. The novel’s strength is in its light and adventurous tone, which had me chuckling at a couple places in response to some clever lines of dialogue. I especially loved the conversations between Elizabeth and Fifer, the only other female in their group. When Fifer’s character was introduced, I despaired thinking she would be yet another typical “girl rival” whose only purpose in the story is to make the heroine look good. Suffice to say, I was glad to be wrong. I also enjoyed the lack of a full-blown love triangle, and I felt the romance arc was stronger for it.
Most of the time I also prefer to listen to YA novels in audiobook format. I’m less likely to get hung up on world-building (or the lack of it) when I’m experiencing a book in this format, and characters feel richer to me when a narrator gives them a voice. This isn’t the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook narrated by Nicola Barber; in fact it was just a few weeks ago that I listened to her on another title so her performance was still fresh on my mind. I find myself very impressed with her versatility. For The Witch Hunter, Barber sounded younger, giving the protagonist the bubbly, energetic personality which her character called for, and her deftly delivered curses of “Damnation!” made me think, yep, that’s Elizabeth right there.
Simply put, this book was a lot of fun. I may have called the story simple, but that in itself is not necessarily a weakness. In fact, if you enjoy tightly woven plots and are tired of the ostentation and gimmicky shticks cropping up all over the genre these days, this one might very well work for you. It’s mainstream and not looking to break new ground, but it definitely knows what it has to offer.
November 21, 2016
I really enjoyed this one, but I also haven't been burned out by reading all the witches-in-alternative-England books that seem to be out there at the moment. I'm always a bit touch and go with alternative history, and I tend to prefer ones like this that are more story focused than history focused. Although the setting is supposed to be an alternative England, it really could be set anywhere in the sense that there wasn't anything definitively English about it.
The writing is good and the characters are interesting, although somewhat lacking in diversity. The pace of the story makes this a quick read with quite a bit of action, especially at the end. I appreciated that the story arc closed nicely, without a cliffhanger, but setting the stage for the next book.
The writing is good and the characters are interesting, although somewhat lacking in diversity. The pace of the story makes this a quick read with quite a bit of action, especially at the end. I appreciated that the story arc closed nicely, without a cliffhanger, but setting the stage for the next book.
November 8, 2016
Eine Geschichte ganz nach meinem Geschmack, hat mir supergut gefallen und die Charaktere habe ich sofort ins Herz geschlossen. Auf jeden Fall eins meiner Jahreshighlights.
June 2, 2016
This book has been on my must read list since it first started showing up in reviews when the advanced readers copies were out and everyone was raving about it. I just knew I needed to make time for it. With the second book being released any day I decided now was the time to finally see what all the fuss was about.
Anyone who knows me, knows that it is almost virtually impossible for me to resist a good witchy read and that, more than anything else, is what drew me to pick this up.
I'm so glad that I did because I was immediately drawn right into the story. If there is a second thing that lures me in besides a good tale full of magic and witchcraft, it is a strong heroine who knows how to kick a little butt and stand up and take charge and that is exactly who Elizabeth Grey, our heroine of the story is.
I won't go into to much detail about what happens but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to get caught up in the story line and want to learn more about this world that Elizabeth lived in. And the secondary characters were every bit as fun and interesting as the rest.
No this wasn't some mind blowing read or even anything that maybe hasn't been done before but it still captured my attention and left me turning the pages and wanting more and most of all, I had a great time while doing it.
I really look forward to seeing the conclusion to this story and it will be high on my must read and finish list this summer.
Anyone who knows me, knows that it is almost virtually impossible for me to resist a good witchy read and that, more than anything else, is what drew me to pick this up.
I'm so glad that I did because I was immediately drawn right into the story. If there is a second thing that lures me in besides a good tale full of magic and witchcraft, it is a strong heroine who knows how to kick a little butt and stand up and take charge and that is exactly who Elizabeth Grey, our heroine of the story is.
I won't go into to much detail about what happens but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to get caught up in the story line and want to learn more about this world that Elizabeth lived in. And the secondary characters were every bit as fun and interesting as the rest.
No this wasn't some mind blowing read or even anything that maybe hasn't been done before but it still captured my attention and left me turning the pages and wanting more and most of all, I had a great time while doing it.
I really look forward to seeing the conclusion to this story and it will be high on my must read and finish list this summer.
January 30, 2015
Sassy and smart, this page-turning fantasy is full of action, wit, and magic. I ate it up in one sitting and demand more…now!
September 3, 2020
Elizabeth ha dedicado toda su vida para ser una de las mejores cazadoras de brujas que existen. Junto a su compañero y mejor amigo Caleb, se encuentra en una misión para pararle los pies a un grupo de nigromantes y enviarlos a la hoguera. Sin embargo, no todo va como ella esperaba y termina acusada de brujería en una situación peliaguda de la que quizá no escape con vida.
Lectura amena y ligera que se lee en un suspiro por lo dinámico y entretenido que es. También eso es todo lo que encontré, un libro entretenido y poco más. La verdad que esperaba más sobre los cazadores de brujas, su funcionamiento interno, ver más del propio entrenamiento y más cazas, por algo se llama Caza de brujas ¿no?
Los personajes se me han quedado un poquitín planos. Había momentos en que no sabía distinguir entre uno y otro y en general me habría gustado conocerlos más en profundidad, aunque John sí me ha gustado. También ha habido un par de conflictos entre personajes que no me ha terminado de convencer su resolución porque parece que está hecho de la nada.
La trama, como digo, es entretenida. Desde el principio te sumerge en la acción y se mantiene con bastante dinamismo. Sin embargo me ha parecido bastante predecible y en ocasiones, sobre todo al final, bastante precipitada. La verdad que no sé si seguiré con el siguiente libro o lo dejaré aquí, pero de momento no entra en mis planes continuar.
Lectura amena y ligera que se lee en un suspiro por lo dinámico y entretenido que es. También eso es todo lo que encontré, un libro entretenido y poco más. La verdad que esperaba más sobre los cazadores de brujas, su funcionamiento interno, ver más del propio entrenamiento y más cazas, por algo se llama Caza de brujas ¿no?
Los personajes se me han quedado un poquitín planos. Había momentos en que no sabía distinguir entre uno y otro y en general me habría gustado conocerlos más en profundidad, aunque John sí me ha gustado. También ha habido un par de conflictos entre personajes que no me ha terminado de convencer su resolución porque parece que está hecho de la nada.
La trama, como digo, es entretenida. Desde el principio te sumerge en la acción y se mantiene con bastante dinamismo. Sin embargo me ha parecido bastante predecible y en ocasiones, sobre todo al final, bastante precipitada. La verdad que no sé si seguiré con el siguiente libro o lo dejaré aquí, pero de momento no entra en mis planes continuar.
August 26, 2014
this book is SO FUN. everything about it catches you from the very first page and takes you into a world that's familiar, yet fresh enough to keep you guessing and smiling at every turn.
sure, elizabeth is tough, but she's also smart and damned funny. seriously, this dialogue made me laugh out loud (literally), and the tête-à-tête was so well done that there were times i felt miffed when it ended.
do you want to see what happens when a girl takes on a brace of flying birds with nothing but some kitchen knives? how about a dead guy with a cursed sword and a silver tongue? yeah. that's what i thought.
virginia boecker has written such a richly conceived world, and i can't wait to see what mischief elizabeth gets herself into in the next installment. also? these boys are hot. i like john. a lot.
sure, elizabeth is tough, but she's also smart and damned funny. seriously, this dialogue made me laugh out loud (literally), and the tête-à-tête was so well done that there were times i felt miffed when it ended.
do you want to see what happens when a girl takes on a brace of flying birds with nothing but some kitchen knives? how about a dead guy with a cursed sword and a silver tongue? yeah. that's what i thought.
virginia boecker has written such a richly conceived world, and i can't wait to see what mischief elizabeth gets herself into in the next installment. also? these boys are hot. i like john. a lot.
June 5, 2016
Ich habe echt versucht auf den 3 Sterne - Button zu drücken, aber bei Goodreads steht dann da immer dieses verdammte "liked it" und das wäre nun einmal gelogen. Es war nicht schlecht geschrieben. Aber es war eben auch nicht gut geschrieben. Dafür fehlte hier die Originalität. Und mir persönlich vor allem der Zugang zur Geschichte. Mir waren die Charaktere die meiste Zeit über einfach egal und das ist nie ein gutes Zeichen (kann aber auch bloß an mir liegen). Daher gibt es den Durchschnitt von 2,5 Sternen.
January 19, 2016
This review can also be found at my blog,
There were books involved...
-----------------------------
I'm going to start off this review by saying something that I did not expect I'd be able to say about The Witch Hunter . This book was... fun.
And I say that while acknowledging that "fun" is usually a good thing! But it was the type of "fun" that I wasn't expecting out of this book at all -- it was a fun adventure, with fun characters, quite a bit of humor, a pretty sweet (and light) romance... Do you see where I'm going with this?
The Witch Hunter is a fast-paced read filled with witches, swords, magic, kickass fight scenes, and danger around every corner. But on the whole, I felt like the book was pretty... light? It was a more lighthearted adventure than what I expected, what with the violence and gravity of the book's plot.
And I think that feelings stems from the characters -- they came across as pretty young, to me. Which was definitely not what I was expecting. I expected it to be dark. I expected the characters to be complex and for there to be FEELS and ANGST -- especially with the whole secret-witch-hunter-helping-witches-and-falling-for-a-healer thing. But while The Witch Hunter touched on those things, I feel like it only did so on the surface, and didn't get quite as intense/dark/complex as I expected it to. It was still very entertaining, but it fell short of my expectations, and of what it could have been, which is always a little disappointing.
Elizabeth Grey is 16, a witch hunter who's had years of brutal training to become so. She's a fighter, and fairly dedicated to the witch-hunting cause -- or at least, to Caleb, Elizabeth's best friend and fellow witch-hunter. The head Inquisitor, Blackwell, basically rescued her and Caleb when they had nowhere else to go, and she's super loyal to Caleb -- she loves him, as a friend and possibly something more... So she stays with him, and hunts witches, and everything is badass witch-hunting fun -- for a little while, at least. I liked Elizabeth quite a bit, but for me, she came across as fairly young (she's 16, but I expected her to act a little more mature), and her personality seemed to clash with her mad-witch-hunting-skills and brutal training.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth gets caught with something that results in her being accused of witchcraft, and she gets thrown into prison, awaiting execution.
At this point, I'm going to interject and mention one Elizabeth-related thing that really bothered me. It's slightly spoilery, but you learn it pretty early in the book, so: My problem with this, aside from the obvious? It seemed like that whole scenario was thrown in as an excuse for her to get caught and accused of being a witch. It was touched on a little bit later in the book, but only lightly, and briefly. It doesn't seem like she was greatly affected by it, other than the whole caught-and-accused-of-being-a-witch thing, and to have it be glossed over in such a way really felt... off, and its seeming unimportance made me rather uncomfortable. =/
Anyway, some time after she's thrown into prison, she's saved by the wizard Nicholas Perevil, who's been cursed -- and apparently, only Elizabeth can save him. To say much more would be to give away a lot of the plot of the story, so I'll just say that the book continues at a fast pace as we learn more about Nicholas, his true motives, and the sinister truth of the curse that's been laid on him.
Most importantly, Nicholas brings another group of characters into the story -- Fifer, George, and John; a witch, a Fool, and a healer. From Fifer, I really got the impression of a high-school girl who's on the fringe of the popular clique. She's a bit arrogant and abrasive, but I didn't not like her. George is sweet, sometimes funny, but not terribly well-developed beyond that. John is a healer, and the best-developed of the crew -- probably because he's Elizabeth's love interest. He's got a tragic past, a natural gift at healing, and he's tall and handsome and undeniably good.
Elizabeth and John's romance is sweet -- a slow burn, and admittedly adorable... But it just seemed to happen without much to support it. Unfortunately, I didn't feel any chemistry beyond the "oh that's cute" type. I think this was partly John's fault -- he's so perfect, and the relationship is fairly predictable. So, while I was all "awww they're cute," I also didn't venture anywhere near "holy crap I ship this so hard" territory, if you know what I mean.
I think my main issue with The Witch Hunter was that I didn't think the characters were developed enough for me to appreciate them as individuals, let alone to be impacted hugely by their actions -- their shifts in allegiance, their loyalty, their betrayals... There was a lot of telling regarding those sorts of things -- characters "just knowing" that another character feels a certain way -- which didn't help. I didn't feel the emotions behind it, which led to my lack of investment.
In conclusion...
The Witch Hunter was definitely entertaining, and I'm glad I read it! I just wish the characters had been a little better-developed, and that I'd been able to really become invested in them and their stories. If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced adventure that intertwines fantasy and a cool historical-fiction (think Salem Witch Trials) vibe, I'd still recommend checking this one out.
--
There were books involved...
-----------------------------
I'm going to start off this review by saying something that I did not expect I'd be able to say about The Witch Hunter . This book was... fun.
And I say that while acknowledging that "fun" is usually a good thing! But it was the type of "fun" that I wasn't expecting out of this book at all -- it was a fun adventure, with fun characters, quite a bit of humor, a pretty sweet (and light) romance... Do you see where I'm going with this?
The Witch Hunter is a fast-paced read filled with witches, swords, magic, kickass fight scenes, and danger around every corner. But on the whole, I felt like the book was pretty... light? It was a more lighthearted adventure than what I expected, what with the violence and gravity of the book's plot.
And I think that feelings stems from the characters -- they came across as pretty young, to me. Which was definitely not what I was expecting. I expected it to be dark. I expected the characters to be complex and for there to be FEELS and ANGST -- especially with the whole secret-witch-hunter-helping-witches-and-falling-for-a-healer thing. But while The Witch Hunter touched on those things, I feel like it only did so on the surface, and didn't get quite as intense/dark/complex as I expected it to. It was still very entertaining, but it fell short of my expectations, and of what it could have been, which is always a little disappointing.
Elizabeth Grey is 16, a witch hunter who's had years of brutal training to become so. She's a fighter, and fairly dedicated to the witch-hunting cause -- or at least, to Caleb, Elizabeth's best friend and fellow witch-hunter. The head Inquisitor, Blackwell, basically rescued her and Caleb when they had nowhere else to go, and she's super loyal to Caleb -- she loves him, as a friend and possibly something more... So she stays with him, and hunts witches, and everything is badass witch-hunting fun -- for a little while, at least. I liked Elizabeth quite a bit, but for me, she came across as fairly young (she's 16, but I expected her to act a little more mature), and her personality seemed to clash with her mad-witch-hunting-skills and brutal training.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth gets caught with something that results in her being accused of witchcraft, and she gets thrown into prison, awaiting execution.
At this point, I'm going to interject and mention one Elizabeth-related thing that really bothered me. It's slightly spoilery, but you learn it pretty early in the book, so: My problem with this, aside from the obvious? It seemed like that whole scenario was thrown in as an excuse for her to get caught and accused of being a witch. It was touched on a little bit later in the book, but only lightly, and briefly. It doesn't seem like she was greatly affected by it, other than the whole caught-and-accused-of-being-a-witch thing, and to have it be glossed over in such a way really felt... off, and its seeming unimportance made me rather uncomfortable. =/
Anyway, some time after she's thrown into prison, she's saved by the wizard Nicholas Perevil, who's been cursed -- and apparently, only Elizabeth can save him. To say much more would be to give away a lot of the plot of the story, so I'll just say that the book continues at a fast pace as we learn more about Nicholas, his true motives, and the sinister truth of the curse that's been laid on him.
Most importantly, Nicholas brings another group of characters into the story -- Fifer, George, and John; a witch, a Fool, and a healer. From Fifer, I really got the impression of a high-school girl who's on the fringe of the popular clique. She's a bit arrogant and abrasive, but I didn't not like her. George is sweet, sometimes funny, but not terribly well-developed beyond that. John is a healer, and the best-developed of the crew -- probably because he's Elizabeth's love interest. He's got a tragic past, a natural gift at healing, and he's tall and handsome and undeniably good.
Elizabeth and John's romance is sweet -- a slow burn, and admittedly adorable... But it just seemed to happen without much to support it. Unfortunately, I didn't feel any chemistry beyond the "oh that's cute" type. I think this was partly John's fault -- he's so perfect, and the relationship is fairly predictable. So, while I was all "awww they're cute," I also didn't venture anywhere near "holy crap I ship this so hard" territory, if you know what I mean.
I think my main issue with The Witch Hunter was that I didn't think the characters were developed enough for me to appreciate them as individuals, let alone to be impacted hugely by their actions -- their shifts in allegiance, their loyalty, their betrayals... There was a lot of telling regarding those sorts of things -- characters "just knowing" that another character feels a certain way -- which didn't help. I didn't feel the emotions behind it, which led to my lack of investment.
In conclusion...
The Witch Hunter was definitely entertaining, and I'm glad I read it! I just wish the characters had been a little better-developed, and that I'd been able to really become invested in them and their stories. If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced adventure that intertwines fantasy and a cool historical-fiction (think Salem Witch Trials) vibe, I'd still recommend checking this one out.
--
There were books involved...
June 24, 2016
More like the ex witch hunter! Apparently she was convinced right away that her entire life was a lie. I'm not sure why she was convinced so easily when there was no proof. Maybe because the group of people she ended up meeting were kind and knew what the word "family" meant. I also did not see all the chemistry or love that Elizabeth and John felt. It was more like friendship first, then all of a sudden he forgave her? I wasn't buying it. It was too easy, he was mad for a second and then wasn't! I pretty much loved the fiery Fifer and the sarcastic George. Those two secondary characters had more personality than the two main ones. They were super entertaining when they bickered. Sometimes it's such a shame that the two main characters can be so forgettable when the side characters are brimming with personality.
The overall story was fairly interesting and I liked how the author incorporates magic users versus non-magic users. I just didn't see why it was banned in the first place. Just because it was dangerous? Why was it a danger? There was no explanation.
Maybe the second book will have more answers because I really want to know what happens to their world and to the rest of the characters. It was such a fun ride, but I wanted a bit more awareness. Guess that's just me being nit-picky. Perfect for fans who love the witchy genre :)
RATING 3/5
QUOTES
Maybe if you cared less about the way I look and more about catching witches, you might be half as good as me.
It's funny to hear something so salty coming from someone who looks so sweet.
Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.
We all die. That's not a prophecy, it's a certainty.
It goes against everything I've ever known, a betrayal of everything I've ever been taught. But who betrayed who first?
What you want to do next, who you want to be, where you want to belong, that's entirely up to you. As I always say, nothing is written in stone.
The overall story was fairly interesting and I liked how the author incorporates magic users versus non-magic users. I just didn't see why it was banned in the first place. Just because it was dangerous? Why was it a danger? There was no explanation.
Maybe the second book will have more answers because I really want to know what happens to their world and to the rest of the characters. It was such a fun ride, but I wanted a bit more awareness. Guess that's just me being nit-picky. Perfect for fans who love the witchy genre :)
RATING 3/5
QUOTES
Maybe if you cared less about the way I look and more about catching witches, you might be half as good as me.
It's funny to hear something so salty coming from someone who looks so sweet.
Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.
We all die. That's not a prophecy, it's a certainty.
It goes against everything I've ever known, a betrayal of everything I've ever been taught. But who betrayed who first?
What you want to do next, who you want to be, where you want to belong, that's entirely up to you. As I always say, nothing is written in stone.
November 16, 2016
Elizabeth Grey is a 16-year old girl trained to be an elite magically-enhanced witch hunter in Anglia, an alternate England, and working for this world's version of Oliver Cromwell. In Anglia the various supernatural creatures, witches and wizards are persecuted and to perform magic or even possess herbs is to risk being burned at the stake. Then Elizabeth is accused of witchcraft and has to be rescued by people that she thinks are her enemies.
All reviews are subjective, almost by definition. This review however is extremely subjective because I've now read at least four books with almost the same setting and premise in the last year and this is the second one in just over a month. And this is by far the worst of them.
I generally like YA. However, as with other genres, it has it's overused tropes, and this book overuses every one of them. Dead/absent parents, check. Love triangle, check. Teenage girl with super fighting skills, check. Lonely, rejected, but beautiful girl who just needs to loved, check. Fated love beyond all rational explanation, resounding check. It's formulaic and trite, but unchallenging and mostly fun, at least if you haven't read basically the same book several times in the last year.
All reviews are subjective, almost by definition. This review however is extremely subjective because I've now read at least four books with almost the same setting and premise in the last year and this is the second one in just over a month. And this is by far the worst of them.
I generally like YA. However, as with other genres, it has it's overused tropes, and this book overuses every one of them. Dead/absent parents, check. Love triangle, check. Teenage girl with super fighting skills, check. Lonely, rejected, but beautiful girl who just needs to loved, check. Fated love beyond all rational explanation, resounding check. It's formulaic and trite, but unchallenging and mostly fun, at least if you haven't read basically the same book several times in the last year.
April 26, 2016
4,5 Sterne
Zu Beginn hat es doch ein bisschen gebraucht bis ich in der Geschichte drin war, dann hat es mich aber komplett gefesselt, ich bin schon total gespannt wie es im 2. Teil weitergeht!
Zu Beginn hat es doch ein bisschen gebraucht bis ich in der Geschichte drin war, dann hat es mich aber komplett gefesselt, ich bin schon total gespannt wie es im 2. Teil weitergeht!
March 24, 2018
Gerçekten severek okuduğum bir roman oldu. Bu tarz kitapları zaten çok severim, cadılar, büyücüler, gerçekliğin biraz büküldüğü fantastik bir roman.
Kitabımız 1500'lü yıllarda geçiyor, cadılar yakılıyor, cadı avcıları var. Cadılar, büyücüler gerçek. Kızımız cadı avcısı.
Fakat ufacık bir olayın ardından her şey domino taşı gibi yıkılmaya başlıyor, inandığı gerçeklik balonu patlıyor ve bildiği her şey değişiyor.
Kız karakter 16 yaşlarında, erkek karakterler de genelde 18'inde. O yüzden genç tarzı daha baskın bir romandı. Yani aşna fişne falan yok, daha çok konu odaklı. Ancak konu kesinlikle sıkıcı değil, olayların akışı sistematik bir şekilde tık tık tık ilerliyor, sıkmıyor.
Yazar sanırım kızımızın kiminle gönül ilişkisi yaşayacağına kitabın ortasına kadar karar vermemiş :) Çünkü öyle bir izlenim aldım. Bir puanı kırma sebebimse sonuydu. Bazı şeylerin söylenmesini fazla aceleci buldum. İkinci kitaba saklanabilirmiş.
Onun dışında fantastik roman severlere tavsiye edebilirim.
Kitabımız 1500'lü yıllarda geçiyor, cadılar yakılıyor, cadı avcıları var. Cadılar, büyücüler gerçek. Kızımız cadı avcısı.
Fakat ufacık bir olayın ardından her şey domino taşı gibi yıkılmaya başlıyor, inandığı gerçeklik balonu patlıyor ve bildiği her şey değişiyor.
Kız karakter 16 yaşlarında, erkek karakterler de genelde 18'inde. O yüzden genç tarzı daha baskın bir romandı. Yani aşna fişne falan yok, daha çok konu odaklı. Ancak konu kesinlikle sıkıcı değil, olayların akışı sistematik bir şekilde tık tık tık ilerliyor, sıkmıyor.
Yazar sanırım kızımızın kiminle gönül ilişkisi yaşayacağına kitabın ortasına kadar karar vermemiş :) Çünkü öyle bir izlenim aldım. Bir puanı kırma sebebimse sonuydu. Bazı şeylerin söylenmesini fazla aceleci buldum. İkinci kitaba saklanabilirmiş.
Onun dışında fantastik roman severlere tavsiye edebilirim.
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