What do you think?
Rate this book
Witches #1
Tea Party
In Salem, 1692, Marie-Anne witnessed the death of her friend and confidant, Sarah Good. Charged with being a witch, Sarah goes to the gallows to protect Marie-Anne, a true witch.
Three hundred years later, Marie-Anne, under the name Mary Anson, vows to put things right.
With a new coven - Dina, Excalibur, and Lady - Mary puts in motion the steps to right what went wrong...and what followers is a chase across the country, a chase against time, pursued by monsters and darkness...
...will Mary put things right?
...or will she die trying?
Three hundred years later, Marie-Anne, under the name Mary Anson, vows to put things right.
With a new coven - Dina, Excalibur, and Lady - Mary puts in motion the steps to right what went wrong...and what followers is a chase across the country, a chase against time, pursued by monsters and darkness...
...will Mary put things right?
...or will she die trying?
67 pages, ebook
First published January 11, 2016
About the author
Mark Taylor
23 books27 followersMark Taylor’s debut novel, Shutter Speed, crash landed on planet earth in 2013. Its dark brooding style benchmarked his writing and has led to further releases of novel and short story collection alike.
While most of Mark’s work is macabre, occasion has it that he will write about kittens and daisies. Just not very often.
Some say he is a product of his environment, others, a product of his own imagination.
Whichever it is he works happily, portraying dark existences on this planet and others. He relays his fears and doubts on his characters, so always has a smile. If Mark is real, as some say he is, you might find him in England.
Perhaps.
You can find him at his website: www.authormarktaylor.com, or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMarkTaylor
"A fresh burn of imagination!" - Variety Reviews
"Mark Taylor drags you down into the darkest and most twisted pits of human nature." - Darren Gallagher, author of Strings
"In The Human Condition, Mark Taylor blends American horror with an English elegance." - Eden Royce, author of Containment
"[Shutter Speed] worms its way into your psyche and latches on as you watch the events unfold." - The Bibliophilic Book Blog
While most of Mark’s work is macabre, occasion has it that he will write about kittens and daisies. Just not very often.
Some say he is a product of his environment, others, a product of his own imagination.
Whichever it is he works happily, portraying dark existences on this planet and others. He relays his fears and doubts on his characters, so always has a smile. If Mark is real, as some say he is, you might find him in England.
Perhaps.
You can find him at his website: www.authormarktaylor.com, or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMarkTaylor
"A fresh burn of imagination!" - Variety Reviews
"Mark Taylor drags you down into the darkest and most twisted pits of human nature." - Darren Gallagher, author of Strings
"In The Human Condition, Mark Taylor blends American horror with an English elegance." - Eden Royce, author of Containment
"[Shutter Speed] worms its way into your psyche and latches on as you watch the events unfold." - The Bibliophilic Book Blog
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 17, 2017
Mysterious and intriguing
I wished the story was longer, but it was one of those you don't put down, not because it's not a long read, but because you are so into the story. I liked the characters, and there was a great chemistry between them. I think if the story were longer, there could be more of details and backstory behind the story. There were a lot of secrets, and twists, and the mysteriousness of the witches, which I loved. I look forward to a continuation of this one.
I wished the story was longer, but it was one of those you don't put down, not because it's not a long read, but because you are so into the story. I liked the characters, and there was a great chemistry between them. I think if the story were longer, there could be more of details and backstory behind the story. There were a lot of secrets, and twists, and the mysteriousness of the witches, which I loved. I look forward to a continuation of this one.
January 22, 2016
I decided to read Witches: Tea Party by Mark Taylor for three reasons: it’s about witches and I’m drawn to everything that mentions them, it’s a novella (I don’t have much time on my hand so since this was short, it was perfect), and the cover is simply stunning.
The cover really attracts the eye with this gorgeous witch clad all in black and those colours that fit together harmoniously, and the splotchy font used that reminds me of a cauldron’s stains (I don’t know why, sincerely). It is mysterious and really conveys what the story is about while being a marvel to the eye. Another fun note is that the chapters’ titles were written in a creepy font – quite fitting, if you ask me. This is the second novella I’ve read and so far, I’m loving it, however, I don’t know if this should be a positive point since I was left wanting more of the Witches! I quickly grew fond of the characters as they seemed real through Taylor’s light writing. It’s a very entertaining story with many characters and a touch of humour despite the dark of the topic. Speaking of the topic, witches and the devil are hard ones, but he manages to weave it wonderfully. He made the scenes of judgment and gallows real for the readers and his use of Latin is well-chosen and interesting. What I loved the most was how well the suspense was kept throughout the pages. Although there wasn’t much intrigue, the eerie feeling of urgency was present all the way. Next was how well-researched the ways of magic were - I’m well-versed in that area, so I was surprised to see a story where the witches’ methods (old and new) stuck to reality. For that I do a thumbs up to the author, Mark Taylor! Plus, there was an author biography ; I think those are important, so I’m always happy to see a book with one. Lastly (and ironically), the story starts right into the matter with the judgment of Sarah – I like it when stories start right away instead of delaying it.
Now, onto the bad sides. I know, it’s lame, but we all have to go through it at some point… The most crucial point is that there was NO disclaimer or warning (like a sentence in the summary) that the Devil would be an important character in the story or there at all! Some people are uncomfortable with the very thought of him… I have my own problems concerning him that I wished I could have avoided, but it was too late as I was already reviewing the book when I encountered him (theoretically). If I had known he was in it, I’d have thought twice before reading Witches because of my problems. Although, I must admit he was fun and a good addition to the story! Then, the thoughts are written normally, without any indication besides the use of ‘’I’’ that they are thoughts. So, I’d suggest the use of [i]italic[/i] to differentiate them from the normal writing or perhaps the author should write ‘’she thought’’ at the end of the sentences. Otherwise, it’s very confusing and I had to re-read them twice to understand what they were. The next main point was the excessive use of ‘’…’’ (that one can already notice in the summary). It was rather unpleasant. I used to do write them into my stories all the time, but many people pointed it out. So, I am criticizing only because I learned from it myself. A lesser use the them would be interesting to read. Also, there were typos and missing words, such as ‘’one that hadn’t there a second ago’’. Where’s ‘’been’’ ? It happens a few times, although not enough to be really bad. But as a proofreader, I couldn’t help but notice. Lastly, there is no table of contents. Okay, I understand this is a novella, hence it’s short, but it’s no reason not to have one for even short stories have a table of contents.
I was plunged into the novella without even knowing what was happening to me, and [i]that[/i] is what’s a good book! I was transported into Salem with the characters. Overall, it was one of the best reads I’ve had in a long time! I give it a rating of 3 out of 4. I would have loved to give this story a 4, but the small flaws made it impossible despite the amusement I’ve had. Once fixed, this novella totally deserves the highest mark (it was creepy, but oh so great!) I shall gladly recommend this novella to everyone I know and to other witches and dark stories aficionados (or anyone who wants a good suspense). Let me tell you that this story will leave you wanting more!
The cover really attracts the eye with this gorgeous witch clad all in black and those colours that fit together harmoniously, and the splotchy font used that reminds me of a cauldron’s stains (I don’t know why, sincerely). It is mysterious and really conveys what the story is about while being a marvel to the eye. Another fun note is that the chapters’ titles were written in a creepy font – quite fitting, if you ask me. This is the second novella I’ve read and so far, I’m loving it, however, I don’t know if this should be a positive point since I was left wanting more of the Witches! I quickly grew fond of the characters as they seemed real through Taylor’s light writing. It’s a very entertaining story with many characters and a touch of humour despite the dark of the topic. Speaking of the topic, witches and the devil are hard ones, but he manages to weave it wonderfully. He made the scenes of judgment and gallows real for the readers and his use of Latin is well-chosen and interesting. What I loved the most was how well the suspense was kept throughout the pages. Although there wasn’t much intrigue, the eerie feeling of urgency was present all the way. Next was how well-researched the ways of magic were - I’m well-versed in that area, so I was surprised to see a story where the witches’ methods (old and new) stuck to reality. For that I do a thumbs up to the author, Mark Taylor! Plus, there was an author biography ; I think those are important, so I’m always happy to see a book with one. Lastly (and ironically), the story starts right into the matter with the judgment of Sarah – I like it when stories start right away instead of delaying it.
Now, onto the bad sides. I know, it’s lame, but we all have to go through it at some point… The most crucial point is that there was NO disclaimer or warning (like a sentence in the summary) that the Devil would be an important character in the story or there at all! Some people are uncomfortable with the very thought of him… I have my own problems concerning him that I wished I could have avoided, but it was too late as I was already reviewing the book when I encountered him (theoretically). If I had known he was in it, I’d have thought twice before reading Witches because of my problems. Although, I must admit he was fun and a good addition to the story! Then, the thoughts are written normally, without any indication besides the use of ‘’I’’ that they are thoughts. So, I’d suggest the use of [i]italic[/i] to differentiate them from the normal writing or perhaps the author should write ‘’she thought’’ at the end of the sentences. Otherwise, it’s very confusing and I had to re-read them twice to understand what they were. The next main point was the excessive use of ‘’…’’ (that one can already notice in the summary). It was rather unpleasant. I used to do write them into my stories all the time, but many people pointed it out. So, I am criticizing only because I learned from it myself. A lesser use the them would be interesting to read. Also, there were typos and missing words, such as ‘’one that hadn’t there a second ago’’. Where’s ‘’been’’ ? It happens a few times, although not enough to be really bad. But as a proofreader, I couldn’t help but notice. Lastly, there is no table of contents. Okay, I understand this is a novella, hence it’s short, but it’s no reason not to have one for even short stories have a table of contents.
I was plunged into the novella without even knowing what was happening to me, and [i]that[/i] is what’s a good book! I was transported into Salem with the characters. Overall, it was one of the best reads I’ve had in a long time! I give it a rating of 3 out of 4. I would have loved to give this story a 4, but the small flaws made it impossible despite the amusement I’ve had. Once fixed, this novella totally deserves the highest mark (it was creepy, but oh so great!) I shall gladly recommend this novella to everyone I know and to other witches and dark stories aficionados (or anyone who wants a good suspense). Let me tell you that this story will leave you wanting more!
March 29, 2016
A cool short story with an interesting new take on witches, the mystery and secrets of the story kept me intrigued until the very end. I liked all the characters, Excalibur being my favourite, and how despite Mary being a powerful witch, she still had a lot to learn. The story kept me guessing until the end, and I genuinely enjoyed the steady pace. The only complaints I have are that I wanted to know more– about the characters, their powers, and what would happen next, since there is definitely a cliffhanger and some unanswered questions about the characters. Hopefully this will be the start of a great series!
February 28, 2016
Although this first book of a new series is only short, Mark Taylor packs an awful lot of story into it.
This dark and suspenseful story had me on tenterhooks, wondering whether Mary and the witches coven she joined, could achieve their goals.
Despite the darkness of the story, there were moments of lightness and humour.
The characters were well-developed, and I became quite attached to the witches. I hope it won't be too long before the next book is ready and I can catch up them again.
I was gifted an Ecopy of Witches: Tea Party from the publisher - no review required.
This dark and suspenseful story had me on tenterhooks, wondering whether Mary and the witches coven she joined, could achieve their goals.
Despite the darkness of the story, there were moments of lightness and humour.
The characters were well-developed, and I became quite attached to the witches. I hope it won't be too long before the next book is ready and I can catch up them again.
I was gifted an Ecopy of Witches: Tea Party from the publisher - no review required.
January 18, 2016
Witches
Loved this book, I just wish it was longer. The characters grew on me quickly and I want more from them. This is not your typical witch novel. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing what is next.
Loved this book, I just wish it was longer. The characters grew on me quickly and I want more from them. This is not your typical witch novel. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing what is next.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews