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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher has Persephone May searching for where she belongs. She has always felt lost. When her one friend invites her Wile Isle, North Carolina, Persephone accepts the invitation. She can tell right away that Wile Isle is different. Persephone can feel the power on the island. This may be the place Persephone has been searching for, but all is not as it seems. The description of The Orphan Witch captured my attention, and I was eager to read it. I began the book and I found myself reading long, drawn out chapters. The writing felt awkward, and the pacing is slow. The first couple of chapters felt like an information dump as we are told Persephone’s history. I had a hard time wading through this story because of the writing. The multiple point-of-views did not help matters and there was little action. I also found certain elements to be confusing. I wish I could have connected with the characters and become invested in this tale. This paranormal novel was just not the right fit for me. The Orphan Witch is a story about family curses, spells, witches, and Persephone finding her where she belongs.
cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
This was great mix of thriller, magical, and romance.
Overall, the plot hits all the marks: great protagonist and it is fast-paced.I had a great time reading this book. I'm pretty sure it took me so long to finish because I didn't want it to end.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Overall, the plot hits all the marks: great protagonist and it is fast-paced.I had a great time reading this book. I'm pretty sure it took me so long to finish because I didn't want it to end.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
treblemakeranna's review against another edition
I was in the mood for something a bit more fast-paced, but maybe I'll pick it up again later.
lynguy1's review against another edition
4.0
Paige Crutcher brings suspense, heartbreak, magic, and hope to her debut novel The Orphan Witch. Persephone May has been lonely all of her life. She was abandoned at six weeks and grew up in group and foster homes. Baffling things happen around her so she doesn’t stay long anywhere. At thirty-two, she is still frequently moving from place to place. When she displays power accidentally, Persephone knows it’s time to travel again. On her way to somewhere, she gets an email from a person she met a year ago inviting her to Wile Isle, North Carolina. That’s where she heads. But things aren’t as they seem. Who can be trusted? Has she found a place to belong or is this just another nightmare visit?
Persephone is definitely someone you want to find happiness, friends, and a sense of belonging. But much stands in her way, including a 100-year-old curse, a family feud, and much more. She has a lot of character depth and shows significant growth over the course of the novel. The secondary characters have varying goals that keep the story fresh and provide some surprises. It was easy to connect with multiple characters.
The author did a great job of transporting me to this community with believable, but complicated world-building. The setting is largely contemporary, with one chapter set 100 years earlier and a few visits to other worlds, times, or dimensions. I did want the contemporary town to be better described. Other than that, the imagery was extraordinary. Persephone’s odd powers are unique and lend another dimension to the well-written story. Time walking and the Library for the Lost provided unique avenues for the story to unfold.
Despite being somewhat slow in a couple of places, it kept my interest. After about halfway, the action picks up and the suspense and danger builds. Close attention to the detail is important to understanding everything that is occurring. Themes include loneliness, family, family history, sisterhood, feuds, curses, power, greed, subterfuge, love, heartbreak, death, sacrifice, epic clashes, strength of character, and finding one’s place in the world.
Overall, I enjoyed this original and atmospheric novel. It was an entertaining book that was emotionally intense and pulled at this reader’s heartstrings and had a few twists along the way. If you are a fan of suspenseful stories about witches with a fight between good and evil, then you may want to check out this novel. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Griffin and Paige Crutcher provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for September 28, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
Persephone is definitely someone you want to find happiness, friends, and a sense of belonging. But much stands in her way, including a 100-year-old curse, a family feud, and much more. She has a lot of character depth and shows significant growth over the course of the novel. The secondary characters have varying goals that keep the story fresh and provide some surprises. It was easy to connect with multiple characters.
The author did a great job of transporting me to this community with believable, but complicated world-building. The setting is largely contemporary, with one chapter set 100 years earlier and a few visits to other worlds, times, or dimensions. I did want the contemporary town to be better described. Other than that, the imagery was extraordinary. Persephone’s odd powers are unique and lend another dimension to the well-written story. Time walking and the Library for the Lost provided unique avenues for the story to unfold.
Despite being somewhat slow in a couple of places, it kept my interest. After about halfway, the action picks up and the suspense and danger builds. Close attention to the detail is important to understanding everything that is occurring. Themes include loneliness, family, family history, sisterhood, feuds, curses, power, greed, subterfuge, love, heartbreak, death, sacrifice, epic clashes, strength of character, and finding one’s place in the world.
Overall, I enjoyed this original and atmospheric novel. It was an entertaining book that was emotionally intense and pulled at this reader’s heartstrings and had a few twists along the way. If you are a fan of suspenseful stories about witches with a fight between good and evil, then you may want to check out this novel. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Griffin and Paige Crutcher provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for September 28, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
spicy_kat's review against another edition
3.0
Liked it. Lost one whole star for the NUMEROUS typos and errors in the book. Seriously, did anyone other than microsoft word even edit this book??
gkelch's review against another edition
3.0
I was really intrigued by title and cover of this book and once I got started I enjoyed the present day storyline. The narrator did a good job but I think found myself getting a little confused by the characters and think this one would have benefited from a cast of narrators.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
literary_steph's review against another edition
3.0
Words have power. These words would weigh the heaviest in their promise. "I will accept the cost."
The Orphan Witch follows 32 year old Persephone May on a spellbinding journey filled with love, sacrifice, family, curses, some swoon worthy moments and an atmosphere that lives and breathes magic. The writing is incredibly bewitching. Although not a page-turner, I found the witches, curses, complicated history, and the fact that magic always comes at a cost to be tricky, layered, and intriguing. If you're looking to curl up with a book about witches this fall season, look no further. This debut adult fantasy novel by Paige Crutcher made me feel like I was wrapped in a warm blanket and sipping chamomile tea by the fire.
"A lost thing is always waiting to be found."
Read if you like:
» adult standalone fantasy
» prophesied chosen one
» love & sacrifice
» lost & found family
» witchcraft, secrets, & curses
» a cursed island, think Storybrooke from Once Upon a Time
» a world within a world, think Inception
» enchanting writing & unhurried pacing
» broody, bad mannered librarian & a few passionate kisses
What I didn't like:
I don't mind lengthy chapters, but when they cause the story to lose some its momentum or cohesiveness, I notice. It has a tendency to feel drawn out or wordy, which led to my lack of enjoyment.
The Orphan Witch follows 32 year old Persephone May on a spellbinding journey filled with love, sacrifice, family, curses, some swoon worthy moments and an atmosphere that lives and breathes magic. The writing is incredibly bewitching. Although not a page-turner, I found the witches, curses, complicated history, and the fact that magic always comes at a cost to be tricky, layered, and intriguing. If you're looking to curl up with a book about witches this fall season, look no further. This debut adult fantasy novel by Paige Crutcher made me feel like I was wrapped in a warm blanket and sipping chamomile tea by the fire.
"A lost thing is always waiting to be found."
Read if you like:
» adult standalone fantasy
» prophesied chosen one
» love & sacrifice
» lost & found family
» witchcraft, secrets, & curses
» a cursed island, think Storybrooke from Once Upon a Time
» a world within a world, think Inception
» enchanting writing & unhurried pacing
» broody, bad mannered librarian & a few passionate kisses
What I didn't like:
I don't mind lengthy chapters, but when they cause the story to lose some its momentum or cohesiveness, I notice. It has a tendency to feel drawn out or wordy, which led to my lack of enjoyment.
runandread's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
shimauchiha's review against another edition
3.0
Read this if/when you want stories with:
-Families, sisters, bonds between women.
-LGBT representation.
-Witches.
-A soft magical system.
Don't read this if the followings are deal-breakers:
-Slower pacing.
-A lot of "Telling" writing.
-A somewhat derivative plot.
-Chosen one narrative.
My thoughts:
Honestly, I just found it utterly unremarkable.
-Families, sisters, bonds between women.
-LGBT representation.
-Witches.
-A soft magical system.
Don't read this if the followings are deal-breakers:
-Slower pacing.
-A lot of "Telling" writing.
-A somewhat derivative plot.
-Chosen one narrative.
My thoughts:
Honestly, I just found it utterly unremarkable.