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Monday, May 25, 2015

ARC Review: The Witch Hunter - Virginia Boecker

with 7 comments
Title: The Witch Hunter
Author: Virginia Boecker
Pub Date: June 2nd, 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown
Page Count: 368

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.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18190208-the-witch-hunter

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Under what seems like a typical "middles ages" fantasy, The Witch Hunter features so much more than what the summary says. - Nova @ Out of Time

I'd heard all the hype about The Witch Hunter but I didn't get on it sooner because I wrote it off as "just another middle ages fantasy" and it isn't. Sure, there are the basic elements - witches, witch hunters and demons but the writing and the story. Gosh, that was so fantastic.

The first thing that struck me was the characterization. Sometimes, I'll be alright with the characters. If I'm lucky, I'll feel a connection to the main character or a character. This book really struck me because I found interest in all of the characters. They were well written and multifaceted so I could distinguish them and even enjoy their presences.
The main character, Elizabeth, didn't actually feel like a main character in some instances. In a lot of book, there's this unwritten rule where the main character has to do everything that involves the plot. In this book, I'm certain that if one character was absent, the entire plan would've failed.

In terms of plot, this one wasn't necessarily fast paced. It started off steady, introducing the reader to the world and what Elizabeth's job was. Then, it started to move towards the supernatural stuff. What I found interesting was that the beginning was in the perspective of a "Witch Hunter," claiming that all witches are evil and bad. However, as the novel progressed, the perspective switched and we were able to see all sides of the story.

It remained steady for a long time. There was never really a lag in the story but around 75%, it started to build up and exploded. I was turning pages rapidly, desperate to know what happened next. What I loved was how easy it was to get sucked into the story. However, the odds were completely against them and the ending seemed a little unrealistic for me. It wasn't without casualties but I felt as though there should've been... more. It felt way too HEA, especially since there will be a sequel.

My favorite part has to be the writing, by far. It carried this novel into directions that some books can't hope to achieve. I loved the dialogue, especially. This was by no means a contemporary novel but there were a few lines that were funny and made things more exciting. Plus the emotions conveyed in a simple sentence. That was WOW! Really, that's all I can say, you would have to experience it for yourself.

The Witch Hunter was freaking awesome. I loved the characters, the plotline and how everything tied together. The plot twists, although somewhat predictable, were executed really well and I still loved seeing everything fall into place!


Virginia's Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website

Virginia Boecker recently spent four years in London obsessing over English medieval history, which formed the basis of her debut novel, The Witch Hunter. She now lives in the Bay Area, California with her husband and spends her days writing, reading, running, and chasing around her two children and a dog named George.

In addition to English kings, nine-day queens, and Protestant princesses, her other obsessions include The Smiths, art museums, champagne, and Chapstick. You can visit Virginia online at virginiaboecker.com or on Twitter @virgboecker.

 
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Labels: ARC, Book Review, Four and a Half Stars
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 25, 2015 at 3:18 AM

    OMG OMG!!! I loved your review and I'm so glad you enjoyed the book since I'll be reading it this weekend :P
    I usually don't have problems with not so fast-paced books, as long as the story is enticing and the characterization is well done. And I loved what you said about the dialogues among the characters! ^.^ I'm curious about that line, now :P
    I wonder what you meant with the ending. It wasn't cliffhanger, I guess? Fingers crossed :3

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  2. AnonymousMay 26, 2015 at 4:04 AM

    SO excited for this one. I love these sorts of storylines, so I think this one has the potential for me to become an absolute favourite. That and I keep hearing quite good things about. Not entirely sold on the whole HEA thing though. I like messy, gut-wrenching endings--especially if there's a sequel ;)

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  3. The Waffle KittenMay 26, 2015 at 4:49 AM

    That's great, Nova! I haven't come down from my fantasy high yet and I can definitely see the appeal of this book. Why have I never heard of it before? Lovely review!

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  4. PreethiMay 27, 2015 at 3:51 PM

    This review makes me so happy, because I'd written off this book a while ago and decided I wasn't extremely excited to read it. Now I'm rethinking that, because going off of you, the book sounds amazing! I hope I love it as much as you did when/if I pick it up :)

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  5. BeenaMay 27, 2015 at 5:07 PM

    Aaaah, I actually rated this novel 2 stars :/ I wasn't the biggest fan of the plot and at times I wasn't sure what was going on. Atleast you enjoyed it more than me though, I agree about the ending. That was fantastic. Lovely review <3 Benish | Feminist Reflections

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  6. Lyn KayeMay 31, 2015 at 1:18 AM

    I think I totally just missed out on this book. I am so happy you liked it!

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  7. Jess @myreadingdressMay 31, 2015 at 3:24 AM

    HMmHHHMM this gives me motivation to tackle that arc of mine. SOON. I WANT GOOOOOD DIALOGUE! Fab review love, thanks for motivating yours trulyyyyy

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