What do you think?
Rate this book
Witch's Child #1
Julia Vanishes
Julia has the unusual ability to be…unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people’s senses.
It’s a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it’s a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned—crime pays.
Her latest job is paying very well indeed. Julia is posing as a housemaid in the grand house of Mrs. Och, where an odd assortment of characters live and work: A disgraced professor who keeps forbidden books and sends her to fetch parcels containing bullets, spiders, and poison. An aristocratic houseguest who is locked in the basement each night. And a mysterious young woman with an infant son who is clearly hiding—though from what or whom?
Worse, Julia has a creeping suspicion that there’s a connection between these people and the killer leaving a trail of bodies across the frozen city.
The more she learns, the more she wants to be done with this unnatural job. To go back to the safety of her friends and fellow thieves. But Julia is entangled in a struggle between forces more powerful than she’d ever imagined. Escape will come at a terrible price.
And even a girl who can vanish can’t walk away from her own worst deeds.
It’s a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it’s a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned—crime pays.
Her latest job is paying very well indeed. Julia is posing as a housemaid in the grand house of Mrs. Och, where an odd assortment of characters live and work: A disgraced professor who keeps forbidden books and sends her to fetch parcels containing bullets, spiders, and poison. An aristocratic houseguest who is locked in the basement each night. And a mysterious young woman with an infant son who is clearly hiding—though from what or whom?
Worse, Julia has a creeping suspicion that there’s a connection between these people and the killer leaving a trail of bodies across the frozen city.
The more she learns, the more she wants to be done with this unnatural job. To go back to the safety of her friends and fellow thieves. But Julia is entangled in a struggle between forces more powerful than she’d ever imagined. Escape will come at a terrible price.
And even a girl who can vanish can’t walk away from her own worst deeds.
375 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2016
101 people are currently reading
6106 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Egan
12 books209 followersMy superpowers: forward momentum, list-making, simultaneously holding two opposing opinions
My weaknesses: overthinking, excessive list-making, simultaneously holding two opposing opinions
My allies: My made-for-walking-in black boots, Mick, the English Language
My enemies: decaf, low blood sugar, the passage of time
My mission: the coexistence of ambivalence and joy.
My weaknesses: overthinking, excessive list-making, simultaneously holding two opposing opinions
My allies: My made-for-walking-in black boots, Mick, the English Language
My enemies: decaf, low blood sugar, the passage of time
My mission: the coexistence of ambivalence and joy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
July 3, 2016
(3.5)
I'm going to do a full video review on this book, but know that I really liked this book! It isn't perfect by any means, but I see it's potential & I'm looking forward to seeing this trilogy play out.
I'm going to do a full video review on this book, but know that I really liked this book! It isn't perfect by any means, but I see it's potential & I'm looking forward to seeing this trilogy play out.
September 23, 2016
This is really close to four stars like 3.89. It was just hard to get into initially so I feel like I can't give it the full four stars, but it was definitely a really interesting, different take on witches and I enjoyed that aspect of it alot. Here's my full review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRXrM...
August 22, 2016
It is not in my nature to turn away. Not I - I look my nightmares in the eye. And if my nightmares should look back, they see nothing but shadow. I am not there.4.5 stars! Fantastic!
Julia Vanishes plays in a world much like our own in the early 20th century, except that magic is deeply rooted in the world's history and violently persecuted in the present. Witches wield power by writing out their wishes in ink; if discovered they are publicly drowned for witchcraft. Julia's mother suffered that fate:
The young witch holds herself tight and falls. Like all of them, she sinks like a stone. The crowd roars, a deafening sound.Since then, Julia lives among swindlers and criminals, using her unusual talent for escaping the sight of others to her advantage at every turn. Her latest job involves posing as a housemaid in a rich household while spying on its occupants; things get more complicated than expected when witches and magic get tangled in her life.
Nine years ago, I watched my mother die like this. I cheer myself hoarse.
The plot evolves into a heist story reminiscent of Six of Crows; a group of outlaws and misfits in a magical world trying to beat impossible odds. However, Julia Vanishes was far more serious in tone and altogether more realistically imaginable than Six of Crows. I loved both books.
Julia makes for an interesting MC. The gruesome execution of her mother early in her life leaves her with an emptiness that she desperately tries to fill with love for her boyfriend and brother or dedication to her. However, Julia's ability to remove herself from the world and walk unseen among others makes her into a strange, private young girl. As a reader, I loved seeing into her mind while she kept herself so shuttered away from every other character in the book.
Moral struggles are the big underlying issue of Julia Vanishes. Questions like -
Can someone be born naturally evil?
How far can you go for money before you've crossed a line?
Is it okay to commit crimes for survival?
Do criminals and sinners deserve forgiveness?
Should the past be buried in the name of progress?
I mulled these over while reading and am still thinking about it days after finishing.
An entertaining, thought-provoking, and immersing read. Would definitely recommend to Adult Fantasy lovers.
May 28, 2017
“I look my nightmares in the eye. And if my nightmares should look back, they see nothing but shadow.”
This book was wonderful and sadly it looks like it is going to be an underrated gem.
You can find this review and all of my other reviews at Novel Descent Thanks for the support!
How does this book have under 500 ratings on Goodreads?!?!?!?! Seriously? Where is the hype on this one!!!! I remember hearing about this book earlier this year on most-anticipated lists on bloggers sites and by Booktubers but then when it was released the hype just went away for some reason. It's a shame really because this is a SOLID start to a fantastic fantasy series. Yes, it is a bit of a slow burn at first. I think that was necessary though, I appreciate an author who takes the time to let us know the characters and builds the world around them. I wasn't bored through-out it at all and that says a lot because I was going through a major reading slump at the time.
Julia, the main protagonist is awesome. I loved that they didn't treat her as a special little snowflake that everyone wanted and made her so high above the rest. No, she had a talent, and other people she was around had talents too and they were all showcased and all needed. It worked well. I also loved that although there was a romance present, she has a boyfriend at the beginning and another love interest is introduced to us in a small way, it is far from the focus. Julia's boyfriend is not the most amazing man in the world, it's not all mushy and lovey-dovey. I wanted to kick him in the head most of the time. It was actually kind of refreshing to see the boyfriend not taking on the typical bland, boring boyfriend role. He was mostly just a jerk. I thought the chemistry between the main character and her brother was great, they leaned on each other for the right things at the right time (well usually). Loved that Julia didn't do everything alone always and the side characters weren't just there as props for her. They actually were needed and helpful.
I don't have really anything to say about this book but good things. One of my fave reads of this year and I will be continuing happily with the series. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it was a first book in the series and they can take a bit to get going. Catherine Egan is an author to watch in the future I think!
This book was wonderful and sadly it looks like it is going to be an underrated gem.
You can find this review and all of my other reviews at Novel Descent Thanks for the support!
How does this book have under 500 ratings on Goodreads?!?!?!?! Seriously? Where is the hype on this one!!!! I remember hearing about this book earlier this year on most-anticipated lists on bloggers sites and by Booktubers but then when it was released the hype just went away for some reason. It's a shame really because this is a SOLID start to a fantastic fantasy series. Yes, it is a bit of a slow burn at first. I think that was necessary though, I appreciate an author who takes the time to let us know the characters and builds the world around them. I wasn't bored through-out it at all and that says a lot because I was going through a major reading slump at the time.
Julia, the main protagonist is awesome. I loved that they didn't treat her as a special little snowflake that everyone wanted and made her so high above the rest. No, she had a talent, and other people she was around had talents too and they were all showcased and all needed. It worked well. I also loved that although there was a romance present, she has a boyfriend at the beginning and another love interest is introduced to us in a small way, it is far from the focus. Julia's boyfriend is not the most amazing man in the world, it's not all mushy and lovey-dovey. I wanted to kick him in the head most of the time. It was actually kind of refreshing to see the boyfriend not taking on the typical bland, boring boyfriend role. He was mostly just a jerk. I thought the chemistry between the main character and her brother was great, they leaned on each other for the right things at the right time (well usually). Loved that Julia didn't do everything alone always and the side characters weren't just there as props for her. They actually were needed and helpful.
I don't have really anything to say about this book but good things. One of my fave reads of this year and I will be continuing happily with the series. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it was a first book in the series and they can take a bit to get going. Catherine Egan is an author to watch in the future I think!
August 29, 2016
What an intriguing fantasy world, and a great main character, too. In a world different and yet not so terribly different than our 19th century world (where the witch trials remain, because there really are witches) a merry little gang of thieves and con artists become involved in something much, much bigger.
February 25, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
4.5 Stars
Julia Vanishes is one of the most epic books I've read in a while. This fantasy novel has everything--witches, a spy, thievery, and a main character who can vanish. What I especially enjoyed was the original way that the witchcraft was incorporated. I adored this book and would definitely recommend it.
Julia Vanishes is such a unique novel! This book is all about a girl who pretends to be a maid so she can spy on the people in the house. This book contains witches, magic, and thievery, three things that I absolutely adore in books. This is truly the ultimate fantasy novel!
I really enjoyed Julia as a character in Julia Vanishes. She has the ability to be unseen, which made me really jealous of her. Julia can use her ability to spy and steal with ease, and even though she didn't really disappear to help the greater good, I was still intrigued. Julia is also very smart and pretty much fearless. I really admired her ability to keep her head when faced with terrifying situations.
The use of witchcraft in Julia Vanishes is very original. The witches in this book don't cast spells with wands, but with a pen and paper. What is really interesting is the fact that witchcraft is illegal in the book and pretty much anyone with a pen will be drowned. I loved the way the magic in the story was explained, and I definitely want to see more!
Julia Vanishes is a unique fantasy novel with a brave main character who can be invisible. The use of witchcraft in the novel is like no other and very well developed. I can't wait for the story to continue in book two!
4.5 Stars
Julia Vanishes is one of the most epic books I've read in a while. This fantasy novel has everything--witches, a spy, thievery, and a main character who can vanish. What I especially enjoyed was the original way that the witchcraft was incorporated. I adored this book and would definitely recommend it.
Julia Vanishes is such a unique novel! This book is all about a girl who pretends to be a maid so she can spy on the people in the house. This book contains witches, magic, and thievery, three things that I absolutely adore in books. This is truly the ultimate fantasy novel!
I really enjoyed Julia as a character in Julia Vanishes. She has the ability to be unseen, which made me really jealous of her. Julia can use her ability to spy and steal with ease, and even though she didn't really disappear to help the greater good, I was still intrigued. Julia is also very smart and pretty much fearless. I really admired her ability to keep her head when faced with terrifying situations.
The use of witchcraft in Julia Vanishes is very original. The witches in this book don't cast spells with wands, but with a pen and paper. What is really interesting is the fact that witchcraft is illegal in the book and pretty much anyone with a pen will be drowned. I loved the way the magic in the story was explained, and I definitely want to see more!
Julia Vanishes is a unique fantasy novel with a brave main character who can be invisible. The use of witchcraft in the novel is like no other and very well developed. I can't wait for the story to continue in book two!
July 6, 2016
Julia Vanishes is best labeled as historical fantasy with a distinct Victorian feel. Julia lives in Spira City, where servants are generally illiterate, witches are killed publicly and regularly, and propriety is the highest priority for everyone. Egan provides wonderful descriptions of Julia’s surroundings, without them being a burden for the narrative. While not exactly atmospheric, Julia Vanishes is deeply dependent upon its detailed setting.
Julia has the marvelous ability to remain unseen. She can choose to make herself extremely difficult to notice, which makes her career as a thief and a spy somewhat easier. Even though she’s only sixteen, she’s a very skilled actress and mole, known for her ability to discover even the best hidden secrets.
As a character, Julia remains mostly hidden during the first half of the book. Perhaps there’s just too much going on and we have to struggle to keep track of the rapidly expanding world, but it’s not until a major emotional event that we understand more about our invisible spy. Once Julia becomes clear in our heads, we can’t help but admire her fearlessness and strength. We also can’t seem to forget that she’s only 16 years old, and so very capable of taking care of herself.
It is not in my nature to turn away. Not I – I look my nightmares in the eye. And if my nightmares should look back, they see nothing but shadow. I am not there.
Julia struggles with her ever-changing circumstances. Witches are a known enemy in her world, hunted and drowned by the hundreds. But Julia, whose mother was a kindhearted witch, knows that the world is not black and white. Once she begins uncovering other secrets of the world and finding other paranormal creatures, her perspective changes rapidly. Through it all, Julia is so accepting, so difficult to surprise and scare, and even when she is scared, she handles her fear well. There is a big journey for her in this book, a road of mistakes and redemption and it would have been easy to judge her along the way. But Julia quickly lands on her feet and works toward forgiveness.
There is very little actual romance in Julia Vanishes, but there is plenty of growing up and learning to handle disappointments. Some things, although left unacknowledged, might develop into something more in the future. If it does go that way, Julia might end up with someone worthy and wonderful, intelligent and honest.
This book isn’t part of the Thriller Thursday feature for nothing. It is very exciting at tense at certain times. The monster that cuts its victims’ heads open is truly terrifying, but no monster can be worse than humans. Julia faces danger from several sides, and the action that takes place will keep you at the edge of your seats.
Several things were left wide open in the end, with only one thing abundantly clear: Julia’s future will be vastly different from her life in Esme’s gang. Better things might be ahead of her, but her strange ability and her connections pretty much guarantee dangerous and exciting times. The next book can’t come soon enough!
Julia has the marvelous ability to remain unseen. She can choose to make herself extremely difficult to notice, which makes her career as a thief and a spy somewhat easier. Even though she’s only sixteen, she’s a very skilled actress and mole, known for her ability to discover even the best hidden secrets.
As a character, Julia remains mostly hidden during the first half of the book. Perhaps there’s just too much going on and we have to struggle to keep track of the rapidly expanding world, but it’s not until a major emotional event that we understand more about our invisible spy. Once Julia becomes clear in our heads, we can’t help but admire her fearlessness and strength. We also can’t seem to forget that she’s only 16 years old, and so very capable of taking care of herself.
It is not in my nature to turn away. Not I – I look my nightmares in the eye. And if my nightmares should look back, they see nothing but shadow. I am not there.
Julia struggles with her ever-changing circumstances. Witches are a known enemy in her world, hunted and drowned by the hundreds. But Julia, whose mother was a kindhearted witch, knows that the world is not black and white. Once she begins uncovering other secrets of the world and finding other paranormal creatures, her perspective changes rapidly. Through it all, Julia is so accepting, so difficult to surprise and scare, and even when she is scared, she handles her fear well. There is a big journey for her in this book, a road of mistakes and redemption and it would have been easy to judge her along the way. But Julia quickly lands on her feet and works toward forgiveness.
There is very little actual romance in Julia Vanishes, but there is plenty of growing up and learning to handle disappointments. Some things, although left unacknowledged, might develop into something more in the future. If it does go that way, Julia might end up with someone worthy and wonderful, intelligent and honest.
This book isn’t part of the Thriller Thursday feature for nothing. It is very exciting at tense at certain times. The monster that cuts its victims’ heads open is truly terrifying, but no monster can be worse than humans. Julia faces danger from several sides, and the action that takes place will keep you at the edge of your seats.
Several things were left wide open in the end, with only one thing abundantly clear: Julia’s future will be vastly different from her life in Esme’s gang. Better things might be ahead of her, but her strange ability and her connections pretty much guarantee dangerous and exciting times. The next book can’t come soon enough!
June 3, 2016
When Julia was a small child her mother was torn away from her. Living in a city that had banned all forms of magic Julia's mother was drowned in a public cleansing when it was found out that she was a witch. Julia discovers that she is not like her mother but she does have her own ability, she can be what she thinks of as unseen, not invisible exactly but outside of other's senses.
As Julia got older she decides to use her ability to become a thief and a spy as she's found out that crime pays and pays well. Her latest job is posing as a housemaid in the home of Mrs. Och. Mrs. Och's home is full of odd characters but what disturbs Julia the most is there seems to be a connection to the killer in the city leaving a trail of bodies.
Julia Vanishes is one of those reads that got off to a rather slow start but once it got going it really turned into a great start to what promises to be a fun series. With a murder mystery, magic and a cast of crazy characters it drew me in once the story really started moving along.
The world of magic in this story was certainly interesting to read about. Witches can cast spells simply by using a pen and paper and writing their wishes. But then we have Julia who has her own unique ability to hide in plain sight but is not a witch. There are other interesting things added to the story but to avoid spoilers I'll just say it was fun to discover everything and everyone.
Overall, a bit slow in the beginning but definitely a good start to this series by the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
As Julia got older she decides to use her ability to become a thief and a spy as she's found out that crime pays and pays well. Her latest job is posing as a housemaid in the home of Mrs. Och. Mrs. Och's home is full of odd characters but what disturbs Julia the most is there seems to be a connection to the killer in the city leaving a trail of bodies.
Julia Vanishes is one of those reads that got off to a rather slow start but once it got going it really turned into a great start to what promises to be a fun series. With a murder mystery, magic and a cast of crazy characters it drew me in once the story really started moving along.
The world of magic in this story was certainly interesting to read about. Witches can cast spells simply by using a pen and paper and writing their wishes. But then we have Julia who has her own unique ability to hide in plain sight but is not a witch. There are other interesting things added to the story but to avoid spoilers I'll just say it was fun to discover everything and everyone.
Overall, a bit slow in the beginning but definitely a good start to this series by the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
January 15, 2018
Let's start by saying that Spira City, a world with witches and peculiar creatures did not seem real at all to me. It seemed like a joke.
The city is described as if it came out from the Middle Age, a time where the fear of witches was "real". This is okay. But then these witches turn out to be real witches (at least most of them), and wolf-men and other weird creepy creatures are real too and they seem so modern that I could't quite picture them in a city like that. It didn't all blend well together.
The story never got seriously interesting, maybe in the last 50 pages or so but otherwise it was almost dead boring to me. (I may be exaggerating a bit.)
The characters were awful too.
I think this was the first time where I didn't like the main character. She seems to be surrounded by jerks almost every time! The only people I liked were Theo, Dek and Esme.
I still have hopes for the rest of the series though, if not for the mere reason that I'm intrigued by Ella's powers (I like this name better). I will wait quite some time to read the sequel though.
Favorite quotes in Julia Vanishes:
"When you have an enemy, you must never let them know what matters to you the most. Or who."
[...] "I can feel another infinity there, another eternity, but anything seems safer than stars that don't care [...]"
"Memory can only hold so much, and mine is not what it used to be."
The city is described as if it came out from the Middle Age, a time where the fear of witches was "real". This is okay. But then these witches turn out to be real witches (at least most of them), and wolf-men and other weird creepy creatures are real too and they seem so modern that I could't quite picture them in a city like that. It didn't all blend well together.
The story never got seriously interesting, maybe in the last 50 pages or so but otherwise it was almost dead boring to me. (I may be exaggerating a bit.)
The characters were awful too.
I think this was the first time where I didn't like the main character. She seems to be surrounded by jerks almost every time! The only people I liked were Theo, Dek and Esme.
I still have hopes for the rest of the series though, if not for the mere reason that I'm intrigued by Ella's powers (I like this name better). I will wait quite some time to read the sequel though.
Favorite quotes in Julia Vanishes:
"When you have an enemy, you must never let them know what matters to you the most. Or who."
[...] "I can feel another infinity there, another eternity, but anything seems safer than stars that don't care [...]"
"Memory can only hold so much, and mine is not what it used to be."
June 10, 2016
I really enjoyed this one. It had a bit of a steampunk feel to it. The story sucked me in and kept me interested all the way through. The characters were interesting and well developed. The magical element and World building was unique and done well. It doesn't end on a cliffy, but it is left in such a way as I'm sure we'll be seeing a book two eventually.
Overall, a really delightful read.
Overall, a really delightful read.
January 15, 2017
Eine sehr facettenreiche Geschichte, es passieren viele spannende Dinge!
August 24, 2025
Julia lives in a seedy boardinghouse with a bunch of crooks, and she spies and steals for important clients. The gang lives hand to mouth in a rundown neighborhood in a rundown city called Spira, where witchcraft is illegal and witches are publicly drowned by the local strongman, Augustine "Witchfinder General" Horsky. Julia's mother was a witch, so Julia hates the government. But she puts her own survival ahead of everything else.
Julia's new assignment is to work undercover as a chambermaid at Madame Oak's Exclusive Boarding House. Madame Oak is seemingly some kind of super witch. Mysterious visitors come and go at all hours, many of them able to transform themselves into wolves, owls, or whatever is convenient. Julia is supposed to dig up dirt on Madame Oak but she starts to really like and admire the wise and worldly eccentrics who come around day and night.
It's hard to explain how off and on this book is. When it works, it really works -- Julia's gang back at the clubhouse practically jump off the page. Good old crippled Dek, (always in the lab) Gregor and Csilla, the sexy young couple who run glamorous scams as husband and wife, Mother Esme, the den mother of the crazy gang, are all people I wanted to know more about. Some of the boarders were nice too, like Frederick the professor. And so was Bianca, the exotic, dark-skinned, sensual witch who's trying to hide from some terrible evil that wants to harm her baby boy Theo.
The problem is, Catherine Egan doesn't know when to quit. The magic keeps getting bigger and bigger, more and more villains get introduced, the plot gets more and more tangled, and by the end Julia and her scruffy gang are journeying to magical kingdoms and battling shapeshifting super witches with sleep-gas cannons. And meanwhile, Julia does some pretty shabby things. Yet the bigger and more important characters forgive her and invite her whole scruffy gang along for the ride because -- hey, Julia is a girl and girls are awesome!
Julia's new assignment is to work undercover as a chambermaid at Madame Oak's Exclusive Boarding House. Madame Oak is seemingly some kind of super witch. Mysterious visitors come and go at all hours, many of them able to transform themselves into wolves, owls, or whatever is convenient. Julia is supposed to dig up dirt on Madame Oak but she starts to really like and admire the wise and worldly eccentrics who come around day and night.
It's hard to explain how off and on this book is. When it works, it really works -- Julia's gang back at the clubhouse practically jump off the page. Good old crippled Dek, (always in the lab) Gregor and Csilla, the sexy young couple who run glamorous scams as husband and wife, Mother Esme, the den mother of the crazy gang, are all people I wanted to know more about. Some of the boarders were nice too, like Frederick the professor. And so was Bianca, the exotic, dark-skinned, sensual witch who's trying to hide from some terrible evil that wants to harm her baby boy Theo.
The problem is, Catherine Egan doesn't know when to quit. The magic keeps getting bigger and bigger, more and more villains get introduced, the plot gets more and more tangled, and by the end Julia and her scruffy gang are journeying to magical kingdoms and battling shapeshifting super witches with sleep-gas cannons. And meanwhile, Julia does some pretty shabby things. Yet the bigger and more important characters forgive her and invite her whole scruffy gang along for the ride because -- hey, Julia is a girl and girls are awesome!
August 27, 2016
Would have been 5 stars except for the COMPLETELY POINTLESS and INFURIATING attempted rape. PLEASE, authors, can we stop with this?! You can't think of any other situation that would show a heroine in danger? You are normalizing a very serious issue and turning it into a trope. It's plain old bad writing.
Other than that, I really loved this book!! Like, really loved it! Had some slow spots but I loved the characters and loved Julia. A great start to a great series. That's why I'm still upset about the attempted rape. Gang rape at that. Just stop, authors. Unless you're going to address it in a real way with real feelings and consequences, just stop. It is not a plot device and not something to be tossed into a book just to build suspense and a sense of peril for the MC.
Other than that, I really loved this book!! Like, really loved it! Had some slow spots but I loved the characters and loved Julia. A great start to a great series. That's why I'm still upset about the attempted rape. Gang rape at that. Just stop, authors. Unless you're going to address it in a real way with real feelings and consequences, just stop. It is not a plot device and not something to be tossed into a book just to build suspense and a sense of peril for the MC.
August 22, 2016
I'd put off reading this repeatedly and now I can't decide why I did so! It was great.
Initially the first person, present felt odd but you quickly settle in and become inexplicably stuck, unable to leave. Dishes remain unwashed. TV remained almost unwatched. Fret not, I ate :)
Julia is undercover, not knowing who she's working for or what she's looking for. The job just seems to get more mysterious too. And dangerous. It feels as though danger surrounds and threatens from all sides.
This is the first part of a series but has a satisfying ending. I can't wait for book two.
Initially the first person, present felt odd but you quickly settle in and become inexplicably stuck, unable to leave. Dishes remain unwashed. TV remained almost unwatched. Fret not, I ate :)
Julia is undercover, not knowing who she's working for or what she's looking for. The job just seems to get more mysterious too. And dangerous. It feels as though danger surrounds and threatens from all sides.
This is the first part of a series but has a satisfying ending. I can't wait for book two.
July 19, 2020
Re-Read: auch beim zweiten Lesen immer noch toll! Spannende Story, schöne Details, gelungenes Worldbuilding und interessante Charaktere. Freue mich auf Band 2!
May 30, 2019
Was für eine schaurig-schöne Geschichte🎀 Das Buch lässt sich einfach weglesen, die Welt und die Charaktere sind nicht unbedingt sehr detailliert beschrieben, aber Protagonistin Julia dafür umso mehr.
Ich mochte Julia, sie verändert sich und wird erwachsen während die Geschichte ihren Schwerpunkt immer mehr verlagert. Teilweise bin ich atemlos durch die Seiten geflogen bin, wenn es um den kleinen Theo ging...💘
Bin gespannt wie es weitergeht😊
Ich mochte Julia, sie verändert sich und wird erwachsen während die Geschichte ihren Schwerpunkt immer mehr verlagert. Teilweise bin ich atemlos durch die Seiten geflogen bin, wenn es um den kleinen Theo ging...💘
Bin gespannt wie es weitergeht😊
April 3, 2019
DNF@33%
I tried. I really did, but I was so damn bored. After reading a third of the book, nothing that was going on mattered to me. I was reading this at work and decided to do actual work instead because that sounded more interesting. That was when I realized this is not the book for me.
Julia was posing as a maid to get info on the people at the house. Clearly whatever was going on involved witches and werewolves. Julia hated witches. They were evil. She was in complete denial about the fact that she was a witch. To this point in the book her vanishing trick wasn't interesting at all although it was clear she was going to learn more about what she could do.
Up to this point there was barely a plot. Julia had a relationship issue that I didn't care about. The guy she likes is a douchebag. The side characters weren't interesting. Julia had some sad stuff happen in her life, but I didn't feel bad for her because she was cold and distant emotionally. It's possible this was building up to something interesting, but I can't bear to read anymore of it to find out. I'm not saying other people shouldn't read this. It didn't suit me.
I tried. I really did, but I was so damn bored. After reading a third of the book, nothing that was going on mattered to me. I was reading this at work and decided to do actual work instead because that sounded more interesting. That was when I realized this is not the book for me.
Julia was posing as a maid to get info on the people at the house. Clearly whatever was going on involved witches and werewolves. Julia hated witches. They were evil. She was in complete denial about the fact that she was a witch. To this point in the book her vanishing trick wasn't interesting at all although it was clear she was going to learn more about what she could do.
Up to this point there was barely a plot. Julia had a relationship issue that I didn't care about. The guy she likes is a douchebag. The side characters weren't interesting. Julia had some sad stuff happen in her life, but I didn't feel bad for her because she was cold and distant emotionally. It's possible this was building up to something interesting, but I can't bear to read anymore of it to find out. I'm not saying other people shouldn't read this. It didn't suit me.
April 8, 2018
Un roman très addictif, qui met en scène des personnages badass et attachants. L’intrigue est bourrée d’action et de mystères et j’ai hâte d’avoir le t2 pour en apprendre plus sur Julia et ses origines. L’univers est aussi super original et mega prenant : par bien des côtés, ce roman m’a fait penser à Six of Crows, et ça, pour moi, c’est un ÉNORME compliment ! Bref, une bonne lecture ! (Pas un coup de cœur, mais un premier tome de saga prometteur !)
July 4, 2016
I should've just DNFed it earlier :/ My problem with this book is that it was extremely boring for me. It had a promising premise and ideas of great potential, but everything ended up in ruins.
July 12, 2016
3.5 rounded up. After a somewhat slow start this really takes off and I'm excited to see where the trilogy is going to go.
July 27, 2016
I don't feel that this book got enough hype after it was released so please allow me to hype you!!!!
This book is SOOOOOOOO good. It is mysterious, plot driven, still has good character development, non-cheesy "romance" that doesn't take over the character, strong female lead, thievery, a dystopian feel, witches, magic, high fantasy, and so on. If any of these is something you enjoy reading READ THIS.
Some people who have read this feel that the author didn't go into Julia's vanishing as much as they'd hoped. I have to disagree with that. It is still a large part of the story but it isn't overwhelming. There is still more to the story than her vanishing.
The story flows really nicely and is in depth while not too much that you have to re-read what's going on several times. The world is set up nicely and you really start to feel for the characters. I would compare the story progression and writing style to Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.
WHY WHY WHY do I have to wait until 2017 for the sequel!!
GO READ THIS YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!
This book is SOOOOOOOO good. It is mysterious, plot driven, still has good character development, non-cheesy "romance" that doesn't take over the character, strong female lead, thievery, a dystopian feel, witches, magic, high fantasy, and so on. If any of these is something you enjoy reading READ THIS.
Some people who have read this feel that the author didn't go into Julia's vanishing as much as they'd hoped. I have to disagree with that. It is still a large part of the story but it isn't overwhelming. There is still more to the story than her vanishing.
The story flows really nicely and is in depth while not too much that you have to re-read what's going on several times. The world is set up nicely and you really start to feel for the characters. I would compare the story progression and writing style to Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.
WHY WHY WHY do I have to wait until 2017 for the sequel!!
GO READ THIS YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!
July 19, 2015
4.5/5
What a fabulously witchy start to a new trilogy! I'm deep into my obsession with YA novels about witches (Engelsfors, Lovegrove, the Witch Hunter) and this is a great addition to my list of favorites.
Julia is an imperfectly tough and take-no-shit narrator. She's refreshingly cynical and not afraid to make the hard romantic decisions so many YA protagonists seem to have difficulty with. The supporting cast (other criminals, ancient entities, and lots of WITCHES :D), magic system, and world-building are also top-notch, with plenty of hints at world expansion to come in book 2. The alternate-Earth setting (well-done here, even though it's not my favorite type) reminded me a bit of Daniel Polansky's Low Town, but obviously with a much softer, though still gritty, touch.
Enough murder, magic, and mayhem here for fans of all kinds of fantasy, but Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series comes to mind as the most immediate comparison. With YA so awash in dystopian fiction and urban fantasy, it was lovely to read such a wonderful and refreshingly traditional fantasy YA novel.
What a fabulously witchy start to a new trilogy! I'm deep into my obsession with YA novels about witches (Engelsfors, Lovegrove, the Witch Hunter) and this is a great addition to my list of favorites.
Julia is an imperfectly tough and take-no-shit narrator. She's refreshingly cynical and not afraid to make the hard romantic decisions so many YA protagonists seem to have difficulty with. The supporting cast (other criminals, ancient entities, and lots of WITCHES :D), magic system, and world-building are also top-notch, with plenty of hints at world expansion to come in book 2. The alternate-Earth setting (well-done here, even though it's not my favorite type) reminded me a bit of Daniel Polansky's Low Town, but obviously with a much softer, though still gritty, touch.
Enough murder, magic, and mayhem here for fans of all kinds of fantasy, but Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series comes to mind as the most immediate comparison. With YA so awash in dystopian fiction and urban fantasy, it was lovely to read such a wonderful and refreshingly traditional fantasy YA novel.
June 17, 2016
Everyone here is unpleasant and likeable. It's fantastic.
June 16, 2017
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
I have been totally loving reading books in a series back to back. This is the summer of the binge read for me. So I decided to do that with books one and two in the Witch's Child series. So this is a combined review for books one and two in the Witch's Child series by Catherine Egan.
The first two books in the Witch's Child Series by Catherine Egan are Julia Vanishes and Julia Defiant. The books got a beautiful new cover change for the release of the second book. While I really liked the original covers, I love the new covers. I am a big fan of the cover change and now I want to get both books with matching new covers. #BookBloggerProblems lol The Witch's Child series is a really interesting one for me, because it is one of the few series that I ended up liking the second book way, way more than I liked the first book.
I found the first book, Julia Vanishes to be an interesting read, but I found it to be kind of confusing in a lot of places and kind of slow at the beginning. The book picked up a bit as it went on, but it was only an ok read for me. That was not the case at all with the second book. I really enjoyed Julia Defiant. The book takes place in a different location than the first book, which I thought was really interesting. I don't know of too many series that do that, but because of the new location, and some new characters, the whole book felt different to me. Even the writing felt fresh and different.
To be honest, I think Catherine Egan stepped up her game with Julia Defiant...big time. I liked everything about Julia Defiant so much more than the first book. I liked the writing, the setting, and it was less confusing for me because I already had some concept of the world and what kind of witches they were. But there is still so much mystery surrounding the characters that I was continually interested in their adventure. The plot and pacing also felt faster and more exciting in Julia Defiant. You do need to read these books in order, and in Julia Defiant our group of characters sets out to find someone. (I don't want to give too much away.) I really enjoyed the world in created in the witch's child series. You aren't told much, you have to piece together the magic system and who all the players are. That was the tricky, and fun, part of the first book. In this world, most witches cast their spells by writing them down, which I thought was a really cool take on a witch's powers. And witch's are persecuted heavily in this world, so they are all in hiding.
Fans of stories featuring witches and fans of European adventure stories that have a historical feel to them will really enjoy these atmospheric books. They are plot driven novels, and I have to say the second book was really really great. If you read Julia Vanishes, and you didn't fall in love with it, I would really urge you to continue on in the series because I found Julia Defiant to be a better overall story than the first book. I enjoyed it a lot!
blue3.5
Note on the rating: I gave Julia Vanishes 3 stars and Julia defiant 4 stars, which combined is a series rating of 3.5, so far. :)
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
I have been totally loving reading books in a series back to back. This is the summer of the binge read for me. So I decided to do that with books one and two in the Witch's Child series. So this is a combined review for books one and two in the Witch's Child series by Catherine Egan.
The first two books in the Witch's Child Series by Catherine Egan are Julia Vanishes and Julia Defiant. The books got a beautiful new cover change for the release of the second book. While I really liked the original covers, I love the new covers. I am a big fan of the cover change and now I want to get both books with matching new covers. #BookBloggerProblems lol The Witch's Child series is a really interesting one for me, because it is one of the few series that I ended up liking the second book way, way more than I liked the first book.
I found the first book, Julia Vanishes to be an interesting read, but I found it to be kind of confusing in a lot of places and kind of slow at the beginning. The book picked up a bit as it went on, but it was only an ok read for me. That was not the case at all with the second book. I really enjoyed Julia Defiant. The book takes place in a different location than the first book, which I thought was really interesting. I don't know of too many series that do that, but because of the new location, and some new characters, the whole book felt different to me. Even the writing felt fresh and different.
To be honest, I think Catherine Egan stepped up her game with Julia Defiant...big time. I liked everything about Julia Defiant so much more than the first book. I liked the writing, the setting, and it was less confusing for me because I already had some concept of the world and what kind of witches they were. But there is still so much mystery surrounding the characters that I was continually interested in their adventure. The plot and pacing also felt faster and more exciting in Julia Defiant. You do need to read these books in order, and in Julia Defiant our group of characters sets out to find someone. (I don't want to give too much away.) I really enjoyed the world in created in the witch's child series. You aren't told much, you have to piece together the magic system and who all the players are. That was the tricky, and fun, part of the first book. In this world, most witches cast their spells by writing them down, which I thought was a really cool take on a witch's powers. And witch's are persecuted heavily in this world, so they are all in hiding.
Fans of stories featuring witches and fans of European adventure stories that have a historical feel to them will really enjoy these atmospheric books. They are plot driven novels, and I have to say the second book was really really great. If you read Julia Vanishes, and you didn't fall in love with it, I would really urge you to continue on in the series because I found Julia Defiant to be a better overall story than the first book. I enjoyed it a lot!
blue3.5
Note on the rating: I gave Julia Vanishes 3 stars and Julia defiant 4 stars, which combined is a series rating of 3.5, so far. :)
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
September 1, 2018
4 stars
When Julia Vanishes was first published, I had no interest in reading it because of 2 reasons.
1) The plot didn't catch my attention.
2) The Hardcover version had a cover that didn't draw me in.
Weird reasons, I know. But last week, I saw the paperback version of Julia Defiant and the recently released Julia Unbound. After some thought (and by 'some though' I mean 30 seconds because I was in a bookstore and didn't want people to look at me), I bought them and ordered the paperback version of Julia Vanishes.
And my thoughts? I liked it more than I thought I would. It's by no means perfect, but I had a good time reading it. I would say Julia Vanishes is not a complex fantasy story, but a decent fantasy story with a good enough story.
The basic premise is that Julia can vanish. She can turn invisible but not completely invisible. She uses her power to act as a spy collecting information. She's currently serving as a maid to a wealthy old woman whose house is full of secrets. Secrets full of magic and mystery. Secrets that could alter Julia's life and the game she is playing.
I meant by what I said earlier about this not being a complex fantasy novel, but the world of the Witch's Child sure is an interesting one surrounded by lore, persecution of witches, magic, and a lot more than what we initially know. Plus, I love the subgenre of gaslamp fantasy. It's one of my favorite subgenres, mixing Victorian/Edwardian era with electricity. It's such a unique subgenre.
Then we have our main girl, Julia who can vanish as the title says. I have to say, she's quite the protagonist with her set of beliefs and morals. She is by no means a good person but she isn't a bad one either. While I won't say she's my favorite character I have come across in the last few weeks, I do give her props for sticking with what she knows while also questioning her morality as the story goes along.
And though this was a good enough first start to a trilogy, like most beginnings, there are flaws. Namely, I do wish a little bit of the lore was explored. Don't get me wrong, we do get to hear more about the lore as the story goes, but I wish there was more. I do know we will get more information about the world and lore in the next two books so it isn't that big of an issue, but sometimes I do wish the first book to a series could at least tell us some things without leaving too much.
Verdict
Before giving this series a chance, I didn't pay much attention to it. But now, I'm glad I decided to start this trilogy. I'm looking forward to more from the rest.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
When Julia Vanishes was first published, I had no interest in reading it because of 2 reasons.
1) The plot didn't catch my attention.
2) The Hardcover version had a cover that didn't draw me in.
Weird reasons, I know. But last week, I saw the paperback version of Julia Defiant and the recently released Julia Unbound. After some thought (and by 'some though' I mean 30 seconds because I was in a bookstore and didn't want people to look at me), I bought them and ordered the paperback version of Julia Vanishes.
And my thoughts? I liked it more than I thought I would. It's by no means perfect, but I had a good time reading it. I would say Julia Vanishes is not a complex fantasy story, but a decent fantasy story with a good enough story.
The basic premise is that Julia can vanish. She can turn invisible but not completely invisible. She uses her power to act as a spy collecting information. She's currently serving as a maid to a wealthy old woman whose house is full of secrets. Secrets full of magic and mystery. Secrets that could alter Julia's life and the game she is playing.
I meant by what I said earlier about this not being a complex fantasy novel, but the world of the Witch's Child sure is an interesting one surrounded by lore, persecution of witches, magic, and a lot more than what we initially know. Plus, I love the subgenre of gaslamp fantasy. It's one of my favorite subgenres, mixing Victorian/Edwardian era with electricity. It's such a unique subgenre.
Then we have our main girl, Julia who can vanish as the title says. I have to say, she's quite the protagonist with her set of beliefs and morals. She is by no means a good person but she isn't a bad one either. While I won't say she's my favorite character I have come across in the last few weeks, I do give her props for sticking with what she knows while also questioning her morality as the story goes along.
And though this was a good enough first start to a trilogy, like most beginnings, there are flaws. Namely, I do wish a little bit of the lore was explored. Don't get me wrong, we do get to hear more about the lore as the story goes, but I wish there was more. I do know we will get more information about the world and lore in the next two books so it isn't that big of an issue, but sometimes I do wish the first book to a series could at least tell us some things without leaving too much.
Verdict
Before giving this series a chance, I didn't pay much attention to it. But now, I'm glad I decided to start this trilogy. I'm looking forward to more from the rest.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
July 18, 2017
Julia spies. Julia steals. Julia vanishes.
I adored this book. Julia reminded me of a grown up Lyra Belacqua, stubborn, with a hundred faults, but brave and willing to own up to and fix her mistakes.
A professional spy and thief, Julia poses as a housemaid to spy on the mysterious Mrs. Och and her strange houseguests, including a disgraced professor with a collection of forbidden books, a man who locks himself in the basement at night, and a woman and child who are being hunted by a sinister being.
It's set against Victorian-esque setting where magic is real and witches are murdered in public drownings. In a very cool magic system, witches wield their power through pen and paper (they have to write down their spells). Therefore women found with writing instruments are suspect.
The unique setting, magic system and characters come together to create a fascinating read. Highly recommend!
I adored this book. Julia reminded me of a grown up Lyra Belacqua, stubborn, with a hundred faults, but brave and willing to own up to and fix her mistakes.
A professional spy and thief, Julia poses as a housemaid to spy on the mysterious Mrs. Och and her strange houseguests, including a disgraced professor with a collection of forbidden books, a man who locks himself in the basement at night, and a woman and child who are being hunted by a sinister being.
It's set against Victorian-esque setting where magic is real and witches are murdered in public drownings. In a very cool magic system, witches wield their power through pen and paper (they have to write down their spells). Therefore women found with writing instruments are suspect.
The unique setting, magic system and characters come together to create a fascinating read. Highly recommend!
November 19, 2024
Καλό ως προς την σύλληψη της ιδέας, ωστόσο, πολύ κακή αξιοποίησή της, με μια κεντρική ηρωίδα κουραστική και σπαστική πολλές φορές, με την πλοκή να έχει πολλές τρύπες, χωρίς να καταφέρνει να διατηρήσει το ενδιαφέρον μας μέχρι τέλους. Προσωπικά δεν βλέπω πως μπορεί να εξελιχτεί σε τριλογία το όλο story, αλλά αναμένω...
(Αναλυτικό review αν τελικά κυκλοφορήσει...)
(Αναλυτικό review αν τελικά κυκλοφορήσει...)
March 24, 2017
another time maybe - this is not the right kind of book to get out of a reading slump
November 13, 2021
Da ich dieses Wochenende leider flach liege und nicht viel machen kann, habe ich beschlossen, endlich mal meinen SUB aufzuräumen. Dieses Buch hatte ich sogar im Dezember schon mal angelesen (bis ca. S. 100 war ich gekommen), aber nie zu Ende gebracht, weil es mich nicht so gefesselt hatte.
Der zweite Anlauf lief zumindest besser als der erste. Dieses Mal kam ich besser in die Geschichte rein - ich erinnere mich noch, wie ich letztes Jahr alle 20 Seiten Lesepausen eingelegt hatte.
Zum Inhalt: "Die verborgene Gabe" erzählt die Geschichte der Diebin Julia, die über die ungewöhnliche Gabe verfügt, sich für den Betrachter unsichtbar machen zu können. Julia hat eine Stelle als Spionin im Haushalt von Frau Och angenommen und stolpert in ihrer Tarnidentität als Haushaltsmädchen Ella bald darauf über ein Geheimnis nach dem nächsten, während im Land ein Massenmörder sein Unwesen treibt und ihrer Heimat immer näher kommt. Doch auch ihr mysteriöser Auftraggeber verbirgt ein überaus gefährliches Geheimnis und irgendwann muss sich Julia fragen, wem sie eigentlich noch trauen kann ...
Klingt doch spannend, nicht? Leider kommt das Jugendbuch jedoch auch nicht ohne die obligatorische Liebesgeschichte aus und Julias Jugendliebe Wyn ist eine verwöhnte arme Künstlerseele, die mir dermaßen auf den Keks ging, dass ich damals im ersten Durchgang keine Lust mehr auf das Buch hatte. Zwar spielt er nach den etwa ersten hundert Seiten eine immer kleinere Rolle in der Geschichte, aber die Grundgereiztheit von mir blieb, auch wenn ich die Story beim 2. Versuch mehr genießen konnte. Ganz ist der Funke bei mir zwar dennoch nicht übergesprungen, weil ich ein paar Details nicht ganz verstanden habe (das kann auch an meinem Brummschädel liegen, der mich zurzeit plagt), aber das Buch liest sich flüssig weg und ich kann es Fans von phantastischen Jugendbüchern auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
Der zweite Anlauf lief zumindest besser als der erste. Dieses Mal kam ich besser in die Geschichte rein - ich erinnere mich noch, wie ich letztes Jahr alle 20 Seiten Lesepausen eingelegt hatte.
Zum Inhalt: "Die verborgene Gabe" erzählt die Geschichte der Diebin Julia, die über die ungewöhnliche Gabe verfügt, sich für den Betrachter unsichtbar machen zu können. Julia hat eine Stelle als Spionin im Haushalt von Frau Och angenommen und stolpert in ihrer Tarnidentität als Haushaltsmädchen Ella bald darauf über ein Geheimnis nach dem nächsten, während im Land ein Massenmörder sein Unwesen treibt und ihrer Heimat immer näher kommt. Doch auch ihr mysteriöser Auftraggeber verbirgt ein überaus gefährliches Geheimnis und irgendwann muss sich Julia fragen, wem sie eigentlich noch trauen kann ...
Klingt doch spannend, nicht? Leider kommt das Jugendbuch jedoch auch nicht ohne die obligatorische Liebesgeschichte aus und Julias Jugendliebe Wyn ist eine verwöhnte arme Künstlerseele, die mir dermaßen auf den Keks ging, dass ich damals im ersten Durchgang keine Lust mehr auf das Buch hatte. Zwar spielt er nach den etwa ersten hundert Seiten eine immer kleinere Rolle in der Geschichte, aber die Grundgereiztheit von mir blieb, auch wenn ich die Story beim 2. Versuch mehr genießen konnte. Ganz ist der Funke bei mir zwar dennoch nicht übergesprungen, weil ich ein paar Details nicht ganz verstanden habe (das kann auch an meinem Brummschädel liegen, der mich zurzeit plagt), aber das Buch liest sich flüssig weg und ich kann es Fans von phantastischen Jugendbüchern auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
won-t-read
March 31, 2017Eine Julia aus Spira... Sorry, ich bin beim besten Willen nicht objektiv genug für dieses Buch xD
Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews