Early Review: Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: Fun YA Paranormal that is brimming with magic, betrayal and action that is all intertwined with sweet romance. It was a really fast read with an intriguing story line.
Opening Sentence: When the power falls on me, it buzzes in the warm, dark spaces of my skull.
The Review:
Meg Lytton is not your normal young serving girl. While growing up her aunt taught her to use witchcraft. She steers clear of any kind of dark magic, but the light magic is harmless to her soul. Meg lives during a time where magic is considered very evil and anyone accused of witchcraft is sentenced to death. So she has to be very careful to never be caught using her powers. She is the maid servant to the exiled Princess Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. Elizabeth also has the gift of magic, and together they try to learn all that they can without exposing themselves.
Witchcraft isn’t Meg’s only problem, she also is trying to avoid the dangerous Marcus Dent. Marcus is the current Witch Hunter and he has been vying for Meg’s hand in marriage for years now. He is much older than Meg and he scares her. She would rather die as a witch than marry him, but her life is not the only one at stake. Meg’s aunt is also a witch and if Meg ever gets accused of witchcraft, suspicions will fall on her aunt as well. To add to her problems, Queen Mary has sent a couple of Spanish priests to teach Elizabeth the Catholic religion. Now Meg has even more inquiring eyes watching her, especially the young priest Alejandro de Castillo. Meg doesn’t know who she can trust but when things start to unravel around her she turns to an unlikely source for help.
Meg is a very independent young girl that has a lot to learn about life. She grows immensely throughout the book. At first she is shy and afraid of her abilities, but as the story progresses she becomes more confident with herself and her powers. She is a very loyal friend and really cares about her family. She is very brave and is willing to risk everything for those she cares about. When she makes mistakes she owns up to them and tries to right any wrongs she has committed. I found her very easy to connect with and I can’t wait to read more of her story.
Alejandro is the gorgeous Spanish priest. He is so sweet and a very loyal person. I couldn’t help but totally fall for him. At first he is a little standoffish but as you get to know him he transforms into an amazing man. Meg has never really had much experience with boys so her romance with Alejandro is a new and exciting experience. They have great chemistry and so many adorable moments together. The more I got to know Alejandro the more I liked him.
The first few chapters of this book were a little slow but once I got through them, I completely devoured the rest of the book. The characters were engaging and easy to like. The romance was so cute and developed perfectly. There were a few twists in the story line that surprised me. I loved the setting, it was intriguing and the way it tied in some historical points was very unique. The ending was satisfying, but it left me eager for the next book in the series. Overall, this was a really great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone that likes magic or a book with a historical setting, it will not disappoint.
Notable Scene:
The sturdy man with the whip made room for her, his weather beaten face crinkling into a half-smile, half-grimace, though Mistress Parry barely acknowledged his presence, pulling her skirts tight about herself as though she did not wish to brush against him.
Alejandro de Castillo lifted Elizabeth up onto the high stallion’s back, then wheeled the animal in a careful circle. He glanced back at me over his shoulder, an odd little frown on his face, then the small procession started off across the sunlit park towards the woodlands, beyond which stood the ancient Palace of Woodstock and the lodge.
I followed on foot, my feet squelching at every step in the river-clogged shoes, my sodden gown clinging to my body. The dizzy, tingling sensation I had experienced under his gaze seemed to have spread all over my body now. Had the Spaniard put some kind of foreign spell on me? If so, he would soon taste plain English magick, and be sorry for it.
Yet I was uneasy.
Beware a traveler who comes over water, over land.
Perhaps it was the arrival of Alejandro de Castillo that my aunt had seen in the lamb’s entrails
FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Witchstruck. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.