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Witch's Ambitions Trilogy #1
The Council
In Lilith Lace’s home of the Land of Five, witches are divided into five Covens based on their abilities. For those born without magic, like Lilith, the Arcane Ceremony, where witches are evaluated by the Council, it’s a waste of time. When Lilith somehow develops powers she shouldn’t have, her entire life is turned upside down with the possibility that she may have to leave her home coven of Ignis.
At the Arcane Ceremony, an attack from a rogue witch forces Lilith to use her newfound ability to save another witch. Intrigued, the Council recruits her. Fearing the consequences of saying no, Lilith accepts. Under their wing, Lilith is gradually let in on the truth—everything she’s learned about the Land of Five, herself included, have been nothing but lies.
**Winner of the 2019 Fiction - Fantasy Pencraft Award of Literary Excellence**
At the Arcane Ceremony, an attack from a rogue witch forces Lilith to use her newfound ability to save another witch. Intrigued, the Council recruits her. Fearing the consequences of saying no, Lilith accepts. Under their wing, Lilith is gradually let in on the truth—everything she’s learned about the Land of Five, herself included, have been nothing but lies.
**Winner of the 2019 Fiction - Fantasy Pencraft Award of Literary Excellence**
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2017
72 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
About the author
Kayla Krantz
45 books740 followersKayla Krantz is an international bestselling author of dark fantasy, psychological horror, and supernatural thrillers. She is fascinated by the dark and macabre. Stephen King is her all-time inspiration, mixed in with some faint remnants of the works of Edgar Allen Poe. When she began writing, she started in horror, but somehow drifted into thriller and fantasy. She loves the 1988 movie, “Heathers.” Kayla was born and raised in Michigan, but traveled across the country to where she currently resides, in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
March 13, 2021
We start at 5 stars:
Plus:
+ 1 star. Witches, Fairies, Covens, Magic, unusual abilities.
+ 1 star. Original world, plucky heroine.
+ 1 star. Worldbuilding actually happened and had quite a result.
+ 1 star. Nice cover.
Minus:
- 1 star. Divergent vibes.
- 1 star. Some stupid decisions being done all the time. Appointing people to Council by force, by tricking people into it. What for? Would people really do a good job of it this way?
- 1 star. Nonsensical dialogues. Like, all the parents interaction was a bit (a lot!) hamfisted.
- 1 star. Witches burning witches for the hell of witch-burning, it seems.
- 1 star. Simplistic much? Character development didn't feel to have happened enough. A lot of 'mwa-ha-ha' factor. All the Elemental Coven and all the elements covens. A lot of stuff not explained enough, including the Alchemy secrecy (or whatever that was) thing that they are obliged to swear.
Q:
“There are things in this life that you must face alone. Birth is one of them—death is another. Sometimes, things won’t appear to you until it is the right time for you to know.” (c)
Q:
FOR THE REST of the conversation with The Sage, I nod along but don’t hear a single word she says. From what I can tell, she’s offering me more cryptic phrases with a depth to them that even the top-ranked philosophers would have a difficult time decoding. After her confession, I can’t imagine a universe where I should even care what she has to say.(c)
Q:
“Courage is what really matters...” (c)
Q:
The treaty made the Covens weaker—my travels with Crowe have proved that.
Aens, Ignis, and Mentis face a drought that causes them to have a dependence on The Council for water. Aquais is unable to plant crops and must depend on The Council for food while Alchemy is forced to split from their family and friends to never return for the purpose of confidentiality though it’s a well-known fact that many of them do anyway. (c)
Plus:
+ 1 star. Witches, Fairies, Covens, Magic, unusual abilities.
+ 1 star. Original world, plucky heroine.
+ 1 star. Worldbuilding actually happened and had quite a result.
+ 1 star. Nice cover.
Minus:
- 1 star. Divergent vibes.
- 1 star. Some stupid decisions being done all the time. Appointing people to Council by force, by tricking people into it. What for? Would people really do a good job of it this way?
- 1 star. Nonsensical dialogues. Like, all the parents interaction was a bit (a lot!) hamfisted.
- 1 star. Witches burning witches for the hell of witch-burning, it seems.
- 1 star. Simplistic much? Character development didn't feel to have happened enough. A lot of 'mwa-ha-ha' factor. All the Elemental Coven and all the elements covens. A lot of stuff not explained enough, including the Alchemy secrecy (or whatever that was) thing that they are obliged to swear.
Q:
“There are things in this life that you must face alone. Birth is one of them—death is another. Sometimes, things won’t appear to you until it is the right time for you to know.” (c)
Q:
FOR THE REST of the conversation with The Sage, I nod along but don’t hear a single word she says. From what I can tell, she’s offering me more cryptic phrases with a depth to them that even the top-ranked philosophers would have a difficult time decoding. After her confession, I can’t imagine a universe where I should even care what she has to say.(c)
Q:
“Courage is what really matters...” (c)
Q:
The treaty made the Covens weaker—my travels with Crowe have proved that.
Aens, Ignis, and Mentis face a drought that causes them to have a dependence on The Council for water. Aquais is unable to plant crops and must depend on The Council for food while Alchemy is forced to split from their family and friends to never return for the purpose of confidentiality though it’s a well-known fact that many of them do anyway. (c)
March 25, 2017
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love witches, so I was excited to start reading this book. I got sucked right into the story and found Lilith to be a very passionate character. Definitely a good book, some little things that made me give the book 4 stars.
Pros
Worldbuilding: The first pro is definitely the worldbuilding. It's unique in it's genre and I really feel like everything is thought through. I would've loved a more detailed description of the Five different Covens! I also feel that's it's so cool that the Covens are not your standard, Fire, Wind, Earth, Water stuff. Like I said, some unique worldbuilding.
No insta love: YES! FINALLY. A fantasy book without the INSTA LOVE. Sometimes it just drives me crazy to read a great book and then taste the sourness of insta love. Don't get me wrong, insta love is not something I despise, but it's just used too much and too often in my opinion. Ofcourse there is romance in this book and enough feelings, but I'm so glad that there is no insta love. THANK YOU KAYLA.
A lot of questions: I love the feeling that you go on a trip with Lilith to find the answers to her questions. And I also felt the rage and despair of no one giving her the answers she (and you with her) wants. Made the book a great set-up for a sequel though!
Cliffhanger: Are you kidding me? This final chapter.. Makes me NEED the next book. I can't wait to read about Lilith and the Land of Five again. About the Covens and the Council. The cliffhanger at the end of this book is promising, strong and a great set-up.
Cons
Not much tension: While you search for the answers in this book and learn more about the Land of Five and the dangers, I never felt real tension. Lilith was never in grave or real danger, to my opinion and it lacked tension at some points. I really hope that if there comes a sequel, there will be more tension, more WTH-parts.
More humor: I loved the rare parts where there is humor and jokes between the characters. That's something promising and I would love to see more of it. It could be used to give some characters more personality. The book had me laughing out loud at some points, would've liked more of it.
Okay, I gotta be honest with you, you want that, right? I thought this book wasn't gonna be this good. This book surprised me and I have to give Kayla Krantz a little applause. The worldbuilding and depth in Lilith's character are the strong parts in this book. Looking forward to the next part.
This review was first posted on BiteIntoBooks Blog
I love witches, so I was excited to start reading this book. I got sucked right into the story and found Lilith to be a very passionate character. Definitely a good book, some little things that made me give the book 4 stars.
Pros
Worldbuilding: The first pro is definitely the worldbuilding. It's unique in it's genre and I really feel like everything is thought through. I would've loved a more detailed description of the Five different Covens! I also feel that's it's so cool that the Covens are not your standard, Fire, Wind, Earth, Water stuff. Like I said, some unique worldbuilding.
No insta love: YES! FINALLY. A fantasy book without the INSTA LOVE. Sometimes it just drives me crazy to read a great book and then taste the sourness of insta love. Don't get me wrong, insta love is not something I despise, but it's just used too much and too often in my opinion. Ofcourse there is romance in this book and enough feelings, but I'm so glad that there is no insta love. THANK YOU KAYLA.
A lot of questions: I love the feeling that you go on a trip with Lilith to find the answers to her questions. And I also felt the rage and despair of no one giving her the answers she (and you with her) wants. Made the book a great set-up for a sequel though!
Cliffhanger: Are you kidding me? This final chapter.. Makes me NEED the next book. I can't wait to read about Lilith and the Land of Five again. About the Covens and the Council. The cliffhanger at the end of this book is promising, strong and a great set-up.
Cons
Not much tension: While you search for the answers in this book and learn more about the Land of Five and the dangers, I never felt real tension. Lilith was never in grave or real danger, to my opinion and it lacked tension at some points. I really hope that if there comes a sequel, there will be more tension, more WTH-parts.
More humor: I loved the rare parts where there is humor and jokes between the characters. That's something promising and I would love to see more of it. It could be used to give some characters more personality. The book had me laughing out loud at some points, would've liked more of it.
Okay, I gotta be honest with you, you want that, right? I thought this book wasn't gonna be this good. This book surprised me and I have to give Kayla Krantz a little applause. The worldbuilding and depth in Lilith's character are the strong parts in this book. Looking forward to the next part.
This review was first posted on BiteIntoBooks Blog
October 13, 2018
4.5
Am I glad to have read this!
This is the story of Lilith, a crippled witch living in Ignis, one of the Five Covens. Five Covens inhabiting witches with 5 different kinds of powers ruled by The Council consisting of 5 members, one from each Coven and The Sage. As Li develops powers, strange things start to happen to her which make her question her past and might not only have her ripped away from the ones she love but also have her killed.
I really enjoyed the writing and all the characters. We have good character development and lots of mystery and confusion. I don't think I was able to guess most things right, which made it even more enjoyable for me. For me, almost everyone was not trust-worthy until we saw more of them.
I highly recommend it!
**The ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. **
My Thoughts as I read:
Pg 46
Eight Chapters in:
Pg 73
At Chapter 14 now. 13 Chapters in.
Pg 94
Pg 128
On Chapter 25. 24 Chapters read.
Pg 147
Am I glad to have read this!
This is the story of Lilith, a crippled witch living in Ignis, one of the Five Covens. Five Covens inhabiting witches with 5 different kinds of powers ruled by The Council consisting of 5 members, one from each Coven and The Sage. As Li develops powers, strange things start to happen to her which make her question her past and might not only have her ripped away from the ones she love but also have her killed.
I really enjoyed the writing and all the characters. We have good character development and lots of mystery and confusion. I don't think I was able to guess most things right, which made it even more enjoyable for me. For me, almost everyone was not trust-worthy until we saw more of them.
I highly recommend it!
**The ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. **
My Thoughts as I read:
Pg 46
Eight Chapters in:
Pg 73
At Chapter 14 now. 13 Chapters in.
Pg 94
Pg 128
On Chapter 25. 24 Chapters read.
Pg 147
December 8, 2017
A novel, full of mystery and suspense.
I am not an avid reader of fantasy or YA but I would say I loved Lilith, the main character.
The best part is that Kayla focused on character building rather than creation of hot, steamy sex scenes.
I am not an avid reader of fantasy or YA but I would say I loved Lilith, the main character.
The best part is that Kayla focused on character building rather than creation of hot, steamy sex scenes.
August 23, 2017
What an amazing young adult fantasy novel! I pretty much LOVE witches and magic and toss that story line together with a Divergent series vibe and a Council with shady intentions and it's one wild ride. One of the best parts of the book is the slow build and constant uncertainty of the main character Lilith. She feisty, smart, and even when she's afraid she tries to do the right thing.
For a young adult novel, there's a lot of deep characterization and a focus on plot rather than romance. I applaud the author's ability to develop an intricate web of lies, deceit, and betrayal while also adding so many other interesting details into the story. The Council has secrets and the Sage was as interesting as Lilith. Side characters like Clio and Helena are fully developed and add to the journey Lilith must undertake to learn the truth about her origin and powers. I like the fact that she has a physical handicap. A great addition to the story that proves we don't have to be perfect to accomplish great things. In fact, that theme is prevalent in the book and a huge reason why I liked it so much.
Lots of magic and conflicting personalities, a secretive Council, a shady Matriarch, and witch covens who are not what they seem make this novel so much more than just another ya story. If you enjoy magical adventures, strong heroines, and intriguing plots - this book is for you! 5 stars!
For a young adult novel, there's a lot of deep characterization and a focus on plot rather than romance. I applaud the author's ability to develop an intricate web of lies, deceit, and betrayal while also adding so many other interesting details into the story. The Council has secrets and the Sage was as interesting as Lilith. Side characters like Clio and Helena are fully developed and add to the journey Lilith must undertake to learn the truth about her origin and powers. I like the fact that she has a physical handicap. A great addition to the story that proves we don't have to be perfect to accomplish great things. In fact, that theme is prevalent in the book and a huge reason why I liked it so much.
Lots of magic and conflicting personalities, a secretive Council, a shady Matriarch, and witch covens who are not what they seem make this novel so much more than just another ya story. If you enjoy magical adventures, strong heroines, and intriguing plots - this book is for you! 5 stars!
October 9, 2018
I love a good witch story and was eager to listen to this when I read the blurb, and while I thoroughly enjoyed it, there was a few things that bothered me, which is why it's not a five star read.
The plot was slow to build. It's centered on Lilith Lace who lives in Ignis, they are the coven of Fire. When she was young, she was horribly burned in an accident with fire and it's affected her leg, and her life ever since. She believed her parents and didn't questions things. Lilith wasn't showing any signs of having magic and thought she would be one of the powerless, that is until she suddenly develops Telekinesis. But that ability is usually only seen in people who are part of the Mentis Coven, the coven of the mind. How can a girl from Ignis, have power that only people in Mentis can have? But it doesn't stop there, Lilith has more questions when she seems to be targeted by a rogue group of witches and is recruited to be one of the Council.
The main thing that bothered me with this book was the fact that we don't get a lot of information on the Land of Five and the breakdown of the covens. I wanted to know more about each coven and their abilities. It also lacks tenseness, when they are trying to find the answers, I felt like there should have been more about it. They seemed to spend no time in each coven before they went on their way. There was no real sense of danger, when there should have been. Other than that, I loved the plot. It was entertaining and kept my attention till the end!
I pretty much loved all the characters. The author spent a lot of time on character development, which showed because they were all well written. We find out bit by bit about Lilith and who she is. She is so uncertain of herself, what with her disability and the fact that her powers seem unreliable, yet she is also feisty and brave, which we see when she is taken and made art of the Council against her will! She was such an easy to like character and was probably why I liked the book as much as I did.
The council, of course, are a shady bunch of witches. All Lilith knows is what she has grown up listening to, but now that she is to become one of them, she starts to see that they aren't what she thought. I loved the idea of the Sage and what she is. I'm actually really looking forward to the next one to get more information on the council and the rogue group, I feel that now the world building is done in this book, we can concentrate on the nitty gritty details!!
In all, this was a great read. I was delighted that the author chose to focus on the world and character building and not on romance! It was a pleasant change from some of the other YA books I've read. I feel like I like Lilith more for the fact she is so intent on getting answers and doesn't swoon at the first sight of a boy!! Filled with some awesome characters, great word building, lies, deceit and betrayal, it's one I can recommend to all.
This is my first time listening to this narrator, and it definitely won't be my last! Lynn Norris was brilliant. She had plenty of tones and voices for the characters and really put her all into bringing them alive. Her inflections were spot on and the world came alive under her narration. I will have to check out more from her.
I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
The plot was slow to build. It's centered on Lilith Lace who lives in Ignis, they are the coven of Fire. When she was young, she was horribly burned in an accident with fire and it's affected her leg, and her life ever since. She believed her parents and didn't questions things. Lilith wasn't showing any signs of having magic and thought she would be one of the powerless, that is until she suddenly develops Telekinesis. But that ability is usually only seen in people who are part of the Mentis Coven, the coven of the mind. How can a girl from Ignis, have power that only people in Mentis can have? But it doesn't stop there, Lilith has more questions when she seems to be targeted by a rogue group of witches and is recruited to be one of the Council.
The main thing that bothered me with this book was the fact that we don't get a lot of information on the Land of Five and the breakdown of the covens. I wanted to know more about each coven and their abilities. It also lacks tenseness, when they are trying to find the answers, I felt like there should have been more about it. They seemed to spend no time in each coven before they went on their way. There was no real sense of danger, when there should have been. Other than that, I loved the plot. It was entertaining and kept my attention till the end!
I pretty much loved all the characters. The author spent a lot of time on character development, which showed because they were all well written. We find out bit by bit about Lilith and who she is. She is so uncertain of herself, what with her disability and the fact that her powers seem unreliable, yet she is also feisty and brave, which we see when she is taken and made art of the Council against her will! She was such an easy to like character and was probably why I liked the book as much as I did.
The council, of course, are a shady bunch of witches. All Lilith knows is what she has grown up listening to, but now that she is to become one of them, she starts to see that they aren't what she thought. I loved the idea of the Sage and what she is. I'm actually really looking forward to the next one to get more information on the council and the rogue group, I feel that now the world building is done in this book, we can concentrate on the nitty gritty details!!
In all, this was a great read. I was delighted that the author chose to focus on the world and character building and not on romance! It was a pleasant change from some of the other YA books I've read. I feel like I like Lilith more for the fact she is so intent on getting answers and doesn't swoon at the first sight of a boy!! Filled with some awesome characters, great word building, lies, deceit and betrayal, it's one I can recommend to all.
This is my first time listening to this narrator, and it definitely won't be my last! Lynn Norris was brilliant. She had plenty of tones and voices for the characters and really put her all into bringing them alive. Her inflections were spot on and the world came alive under her narration. I will have to check out more from her.
I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
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October 16, 2016
I was given a copy of The Council by Kayla Krantz in return for a honest review on the book. The author has successfully woven you into a world of magic where nothing is what it appears to be. This gripping page turner novel does great job of keeping the reader in suspense.
The story begins with our main character Lilith and her friend Helena on the last day of schooling. They are part of the "unequipped" or those whom show no signs of having magical abilities. There is an upcoming test that they will have to take part in to show if they show signs of being equipped which we soon find out Lilith has started to show signs of using telekinesis. The story in set in the world of five. There are five individual covens who tend to exhibit a range of powers linked to one main ability ruled over by the council. Lilith comes from Ignis which is predisposed to fire abilities, but instead her powers quickly seem to better match that of Mentis a coven that has abilities attached to such powers as reading the mind, controlling people, and telekinesis.
Despite having a badly burned leg Lilith quickly shows promise beyond her means after saving Tarij Ingis's councilman during the ceremony. From there she will go on a fast paced path of realizing everything she thought she knew was a lie. Her family, powers, and knowledge of the council and the covens will come crashing around her while she struggles to make sense of it all and decide where to place her loyalties.
The Council is a great book for those seeking a magical read without the smut. I have become huge fan of Kayla Krantz because she provides you with a quality read every time with a minimum amount of sex. In a world where every where you turn it is pushed on you it is always nice to read and enticing story line without being bombarded.
December 30, 2017
The Council by Kayla Krantz is a coming-of-age YA novel with strong characters and a plot filled with intriguing mysteries that kept me turning the pages. It includes a variety of types of characters—witches, faeries, shapeshifters, as well as UnEquipped persons—which adds to the fascinating nature of this book.
Lilith Lace is a young woman who’s grown up in Ignis, the Coven of Fire, in the Land of Five. Her parents are UnEquipped, meaning they have no magical powers. The same is true of her best friend, Helena. When Lilith begins developing telekinetic powers, she keeps that to herself. Telekinesis is the power innate to witches from Mentis, the Coven of the Mind, not those from Ignis.
As Lilith struggles to understand and control her emerging powers, she also seeks answers about how her leg was burned so badly as a young child, she’s now crippled and in constant pain. She has no memory of the incident and her parents refuse to tell her how the “accident” happened.
As the story progresses, Lilith realizes that much of what she’s been told her entire life is not true. She can no longer trust most of the people around her, including her parents. As she leaves home and sets out to begin training under the guidance of a mentor, she finds herself targeted by those who seem to have a deeper understanding of who she really is than she does herself. This puts her at a great disadvantage. She’s brave and feisty and determined to rise above her circumstances and survive, however, and this serves her well.
This is a fascinating coming-of-age novel set in the fantastical world of the Land of Five.
Lilith Lace is a young woman who’s grown up in Ignis, the Coven of Fire, in the Land of Five. Her parents are UnEquipped, meaning they have no magical powers. The same is true of her best friend, Helena. When Lilith begins developing telekinetic powers, she keeps that to herself. Telekinesis is the power innate to witches from Mentis, the Coven of the Mind, not those from Ignis.
As Lilith struggles to understand and control her emerging powers, she also seeks answers about how her leg was burned so badly as a young child, she’s now crippled and in constant pain. She has no memory of the incident and her parents refuse to tell her how the “accident” happened.
As the story progresses, Lilith realizes that much of what she’s been told her entire life is not true. She can no longer trust most of the people around her, including her parents. As she leaves home and sets out to begin training under the guidance of a mentor, she finds herself targeted by those who seem to have a deeper understanding of who she really is than she does herself. This puts her at a great disadvantage. She’s brave and feisty and determined to rise above her circumstances and survive, however, and this serves her well.
This is a fascinating coming-of-age novel set in the fantastical world of the Land of Five.
March 8, 2017
The Council is filled with magic and adventure. A story that is riveting from the very first few pages and when we are introduced to the very strong-willed and persevering character of Lilith Lace. I love the fact that Miss Krantz has written a not-so-normal heroine and it certainly did her justice. You were routing for her throughout the twists and turns and downfalls that she faced. With romance that really leapt from the page and the magic that sizzled in a world that was mightily descriptive and truly engrossing, I cannot wait for the second instalment. And behind it all, I love the message that is sent, to push on through adversary even though it may push you back down. Kayla Krantz is definitely an author to keep an eye out for in the future, she has a real flair with words and a magic of story-telling. Keep up the great work, I cannot wait for the sequel. I highly recommend this as a great fantasy book with some real crackers of characters that you can't help but love, or hate.
April 6, 2017
***I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review***
I’m not (or should I now say ‘was’ not?) a big fan of YA genre. One of my friends had given this book 5 Stars, so I decided to give this book a try. And I am glad that the book didn’t disappoint me!
The one thing I know for sure after reading this wonderful book is that Kayla Krantz is a gifted Author. The world she built for this novel is nothing short of amazing. The characters are strong and grow more and more powerful as we dive deeper into the story.
In short: I’m glad that I chose to read this novel, and I can’t wait for the next one in the series!
I’m not (or should I now say ‘was’ not?) a big fan of YA genre. One of my friends had given this book 5 Stars, so I decided to give this book a try. And I am glad that the book didn’t disappoint me!
The one thing I know for sure after reading this wonderful book is that Kayla Krantz is a gifted Author. The world she built for this novel is nothing short of amazing. The characters are strong and grow more and more powerful as we dive deeper into the story.
In short: I’m glad that I chose to read this novel, and I can’t wait for the next one in the series!
November 23, 2018
Ugh...I’m kind of mad about this book. I actually started it long before November and gave up on finishing it because I had to return it. I was ok with that. Then I got it back, so I figured I’d give it another shot. All throughout I thought it was promising, but I wasn’t that into it. I finished it to finish. BUT then it ended! And it sucked me in just enough to consider reading the next one. We’ll see. It was just enough to go from two stars to 3. But I did like the end!
October 23, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There is a secret everybody is keeping from Lilith, even her parents don't want to talk about it. The secret of how she became a cripple, but things don't add up. When the Arcane ceremony lights all the goblets, Lilith is in for a surprise.
Lilith thinks the whole coven is conspiring against her, except for her two best friends. Then she is forced to join the council and must leave everything behind. Even though Lilith won’t admit, but she is afraid of what is yet to come, and her new council mentor isn’t making it easy. Especially she doesn’t have a hand on her powers. Now some unexpected things are happening, not only with her powers, the Council is under attack from the elementals. It seems they aiming for her, but why?
I love that the story is slowly building, a lot of action scenes and then it dies down and flares up again at the end with a major plot twist. Love the different landscapes for the different powers. But overall, I found the story credible and packed with action, magic and romance with a pinch of weirdness and terror.
There is a secret everybody is keeping from Lilith, even her parents don't want to talk about it. The secret of how she became a cripple, but things don't add up. When the Arcane ceremony lights all the goblets, Lilith is in for a surprise.
Lilith thinks the whole coven is conspiring against her, except for her two best friends. Then she is forced to join the council and must leave everything behind. Even though Lilith won’t admit, but she is afraid of what is yet to come, and her new council mentor isn’t making it easy. Especially she doesn’t have a hand on her powers. Now some unexpected things are happening, not only with her powers, the Council is under attack from the elementals. It seems they aiming for her, but why?
I love that the story is slowly building, a lot of action scenes and then it dies down and flares up again at the end with a major plot twist. Love the different landscapes for the different powers. But overall, I found the story credible and packed with action, magic and romance with a pinch of weirdness and terror.
May 9, 2017
The Council, by Kayla Kratz immediately drew me in with its complex world-building and loveable characters. Lilith's past has always been a bit of a mystery, but on the day of a special ceremony, the pieces begin to fall into place.
Lilith was a wonderfully crafted character. I grew to love her sarcastic and rather blunt way of interacting with others and was grateful for those brief moments where I got to see how vulnerable she truly is.
Clio, best friend to Lilith is a quirky and humorous young flame adept. Their close friendship which bordered on romantic made for a charming change from the full on romances that seem to dominate most modern young adult titles.
The author has crafted an intricate plot that will keep you guessing as Lilith navigates her growing powers and sense of responsibility. I read through with wild abandon, never wanting to set this book down for a moment. There was some beautiful imagery in this novel and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Rated 5 stars.
Lilith was a wonderfully crafted character. I grew to love her sarcastic and rather blunt way of interacting with others and was grateful for those brief moments where I got to see how vulnerable she truly is.
Clio, best friend to Lilith is a quirky and humorous young flame adept. Their close friendship which bordered on romantic made for a charming change from the full on romances that seem to dominate most modern young adult titles.
The author has crafted an intricate plot that will keep you guessing as Lilith navigates her growing powers and sense of responsibility. I read through with wild abandon, never wanting to set this book down for a moment. There was some beautiful imagery in this novel and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Rated 5 stars.
July 12, 2017
Just finished this book and what an excellent page turning read! Part of the book reminded me of the Harry Potter sorting hat but with goblets mixed with Divergent. I
Loved the fact that the main character was not only female but wasn't "perfect" and had a disability which is lovely and unique showing that a hero doesn't have to be "perfect". I also thought Lilith's character was great, very stubborn, very sarcastic, again not the typical main character / heroine. Fantastic descriptions although would have liked to discover the other "world's" more. Lots of mystery and adventure as Lilith wants answer's she hunts down for them. The other characters were also strong with excellent personalities.
Not your typical "witch" book. Recommend to fans of fantasy, dystopia, mythical creatures, adventure, Harry Potter, divergent and other young adult books. Looking forward to seeing more from this author :) xx
FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED
Loved the fact that the main character was not only female but wasn't "perfect" and had a disability which is lovely and unique showing that a hero doesn't have to be "perfect". I also thought Lilith's character was great, very stubborn, very sarcastic, again not the typical main character / heroine. Fantastic descriptions although would have liked to discover the other "world's" more. Lots of mystery and adventure as Lilith wants answer's she hunts down for them. The other characters were also strong with excellent personalities.
Not your typical "witch" book. Recommend to fans of fantasy, dystopia, mythical creatures, adventure, Harry Potter, divergent and other young adult books. Looking forward to seeing more from this author :) xx
FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED
April 14, 2017
“The Council” is the first book in The Witch’s Ambitions Trilogy. This book is filled with intriguing mystery, action, and what maybe the start of a romance. The council will leave you guessing, whose best interest do they have in mind? Magic and adventure, I didn’t lose interest while reading this book. Lilith is a strong character even when she struggles to balance her new duties and her personal problems.
There is a nice cast of other characters that help move the story along. Two of these characters leave me wondering if there might be a love triangle in book two, but that is just me appraising some of their actions from book one.
My only complaint is this book needs some editing, admittedly that is a pet peeve of mine, but the story did keep me entertained. Over all I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading book two.
There is a nice cast of other characters that help move the story along. Two of these characters leave me wondering if there might be a love triangle in book two, but that is just me appraising some of their actions from book one.
My only complaint is this book needs some editing, admittedly that is a pet peeve of mine, but the story did keep me entertained. Over all I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading book two.
March 28, 2017
This genre is a new take (to me) for the author, as I'm used to reading her thriller series. I was excited to give her a chance at writing fantasy and she did not disappoint. The characters are realistic and interesting, and each are placed in impossible situations where they are forced to grow. I'm eager to see where the story goes from here, and I recommend this book if you like supernatural dystopian novels with a bit of mystery and suspense mixed in.
November 14, 2017
Great read
I was hooked on this story at the very start. This book is a coming-of-age story about a young witch and the challenges she faces when dealing with multiple covens, fae and other magical influences that surround her. It is an adventure with loads of mystery, and each page will keep you craving more. I highly recommend this book for fans of witches, mystery, and books about self-discovery.
I was hooked on this story at the very start. This book is a coming-of-age story about a young witch and the challenges she faces when dealing with multiple covens, fae and other magical influences that surround her. It is an adventure with loads of mystery, and each page will keep you craving more. I highly recommend this book for fans of witches, mystery, and books about self-discovery.
November 3, 2019
I found this quite a good read although perhaps overly simplistic at points. It takes a while to get going but I actually enjoyed the earlier aspects of the book more than the latter; within the first half of the book you get most of the character set-ups, a good proportion of world-building and some interesting mysteries and excitement. The use of a school system works well for the young adult age range this is aiming at and gives an opportunity for aspects of the world to be explored in a seemingly natural manner.
Lilith is an interesting lead character and has a sharp and fiery nature, seemingly suitable to her Coven in Ignis. Being the daughter of two UnEquipped parents, no one anticipates her showing signs of magic and when she does it is even further still from expected. Personally, I felt the novel lost some of its depth and charm here as Lilith is dragged off by force to be a member of the Council. Supposedly, this is where she gets answers but answers are very thin on the ground and instead you are hustled around the various Covens on a thin excuse for a quest quickly and everything feels rushed.
Instead of spending time on actually developing characters, relationships and skills at this critical juncture, it all becomes rather ham-fisted and hurried. It's a shame because the set up for an detailed and well crafted world is here but there is a failure to deliver once the focus moves to the Council and the Elementals. Unfortunately, this shows in just about everything from Lilith's sudden change of heart to inane decisions make for the sake of moving things to the crunch point. There could have been a huge amount of depth put into the other Covens but they are whizzed through in a couple of paragraphs before we move onto the next. I found the ending particularly rushed and disappointing, particularly in relation to her parents.
So. Started well. A pity the author rushed events so that they had little to no emotional impact in the latter half.
Many thanks to booksirens and the publishers for my free review copy of this novel.
Lilith is an interesting lead character and has a sharp and fiery nature, seemingly suitable to her Coven in Ignis. Being the daughter of two UnEquipped parents, no one anticipates her showing signs of magic and when she does it is even further still from expected. Personally, I felt the novel lost some of its depth and charm here as Lilith is dragged off by force to be a member of the Council. Supposedly, this is where she gets answers but answers are very thin on the ground and instead you are hustled around the various Covens on a thin excuse for a quest quickly and everything feels rushed.
Instead of spending time on actually developing characters, relationships and skills at this critical juncture, it all becomes rather ham-fisted and hurried. It's a shame because the set up for an detailed and well crafted world is here but there is a failure to deliver once the focus moves to the Council and the Elementals. Unfortunately, this shows in just about everything from Lilith's sudden change of heart to inane decisions make for the sake of moving things to the crunch point. There could have been a huge amount of depth put into the other Covens but they are whizzed through in a couple of paragraphs before we move onto the next. I found the ending particularly rushed and disappointing, particularly in relation to her parents.
So. Started well. A pity the author rushed events so that they had little to no emotional impact in the latter half.
Many thanks to booksirens and the publishers for my free review copy of this novel.
October 5, 2019
I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens in exchange of an honest review.
While I mostly enjoyed this book I found that the writing style was a little simplistic in some areas (possibly written for a younger audience so this may not be a valid complaint) and it would probably benefit from another proof read as there were a few mistakes that I spotted (not a massive issue but just pointing out that they were there).
The story itself, as I said, is enjoyable enough but I felt that the pacing was a bit slow and ploddy, everything seemed to happen right at the end of the book to try and get you to want to read the next one - which worked because I do 😂 and it seemed that everything that was supposed to be a massive turning point or reveal was completely obvious, I seemed to guess what was going to happen looooong before it happened and the only person surprised seemed to be the main protagonist.
All that being said, if I happen to see the next book somewhere I’ll probably pick it up to see what happens - solid three stars from me!
While I mostly enjoyed this book I found that the writing style was a little simplistic in some areas (possibly written for a younger audience so this may not be a valid complaint) and it would probably benefit from another proof read as there were a few mistakes that I spotted (not a massive issue but just pointing out that they were there).
The story itself, as I said, is enjoyable enough but I felt that the pacing was a bit slow and ploddy, everything seemed to happen right at the end of the book to try and get you to want to read the next one - which worked because I do 😂 and it seemed that everything that was supposed to be a massive turning point or reveal was completely obvious, I seemed to guess what was going to happen looooong before it happened and the only person surprised seemed to be the main protagonist.
All that being said, if I happen to see the next book somewhere I’ll probably pick it up to see what happens - solid three stars from me!
November 20, 2022
Fantastic Start to the Series
Tension builds from page one. Wonderful and well rounded characters. Fantastic world building and a ton of magic, The Council is definitely a book you need to read. The first installment in the series dives into the world of magic, competing covens, and the mysterious development of powers by main character Lillith, as she seeks to discover the mysteries of her past to understand the present. If you enjoy fantasy novels, The Council is a must read!
Tension builds from page one. Wonderful and well rounded characters. Fantastic world building and a ton of magic, The Council is definitely a book you need to read. The first installment in the series dives into the world of magic, competing covens, and the mysterious development of powers by main character Lillith, as she seeks to discover the mysteries of her past to understand the present. If you enjoy fantasy novels, The Council is a must read!
August 2, 2022
Release of my favorite series by this author.
Release of my favorite series by this author. Grab book one today
Great world buiding, very descriptive, and easy to envision, something essential to fantasy. The Council is based on wonderful plot dynamic, and well rounded characters, perfect for anyone who loves magic and intrigue, no matter their age!
Lilith, being raised by UnEquipped parents, believes herself UnEquipped like her best friend. That's how it normally goes. So when she developes powers shortly before time to be marked as an adult member of Ignis, the fire coven, as Equipped or UnEquipped, she's afraid to let anyone know. Who does she tell first, her best friend or parents? Will her friend be jealous, hurt? How will her UnEquipped parents feel? If she tells no one, where can she find help training her new ability?
Her relationship with her parents is already troubled. Lilith is physically disabled. One leg was severely injured when she was three, and even the coven's healer was unable to facilitate a full recovery. She is always in pain, walks with a limp, and runs only at great expense of energy and pain levels no magic has been able to cure. No matter how many times Lilith asks her parents to tell her about her accident, the explanaitions always fall short, leaving her suspicious and untrusting. She loves her parents, but feels there are too many things they keep from her, perhaps even lie about.
To make matters worse Lilith's new power isn't even one associated with Ignis. Instead she has telekenisis normally associated with the Mentis coven. This is the beginning of the trouble, and a great adventure in Lilith's life that will eventually lead her to all five covens of her world, as well as to The Council, the coven that rules them all, seeking her own origins.
Release of my favorite series by this author. Grab book one today
Great world buiding, very descriptive, and easy to envision, something essential to fantasy. The Council is based on wonderful plot dynamic, and well rounded characters, perfect for anyone who loves magic and intrigue, no matter their age!
Lilith, being raised by UnEquipped parents, believes herself UnEquipped like her best friend. That's how it normally goes. So when she developes powers shortly before time to be marked as an adult member of Ignis, the fire coven, as Equipped or UnEquipped, she's afraid to let anyone know. Who does she tell first, her best friend or parents? Will her friend be jealous, hurt? How will her UnEquipped parents feel? If she tells no one, where can she find help training her new ability?
Her relationship with her parents is already troubled. Lilith is physically disabled. One leg was severely injured when she was three, and even the coven's healer was unable to facilitate a full recovery. She is always in pain, walks with a limp, and runs only at great expense of energy and pain levels no magic has been able to cure. No matter how many times Lilith asks her parents to tell her about her accident, the explanaitions always fall short, leaving her suspicious and untrusting. She loves her parents, but feels there are too many things they keep from her, perhaps even lie about.
To make matters worse Lilith's new power isn't even one associated with Ignis. Instead she has telekenisis normally associated with the Mentis coven. This is the beginning of the trouble, and a great adventure in Lilith's life that will eventually lead her to all five covens of her world, as well as to The Council, the coven that rules them all, seeking her own origins.
December 31, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I had high hopes for this book. Perhaps that’s where I went wrong.
The Council is about Lilith (nicknamed “Li” and I’m not exactly sure where that came from. I never really understand nicknames that are just shortened versions of your name with a different vowel sound unless she’s literally just called “Lih”) who lives in a place called “the 5 realms”, one for each type of witch: mind powers, water, air, fire, and healing. She lives in the fire realm and is just finishing up her schooling, where she will be “sorted” into a coven and given her job. Unfortunately! Our protagonist was born to “UnEquipped” parents, which means they don’t have powers, so she won’t have them either. Or it’s highly unlikely that she will get them. Or there’s a small chance. Depends on the page you’re reading in the book. It’s all over the place. Lilith and her similarly UnEquipped friend Helena along with their friend Clio who is the class leader (despite the fact that Lilith is suuper smart and has no powers, she thinks she ought to be the class leader… I don’t get that one) all talk about the UnEquippeds’ chances of getting powers in vastly different ways. One moment it seems totally possible! You just have to study! Next minute, Lilith is SUPER SPECIAL for being born to UnEquipped parents and getting powers. Then! During her ceremony that reveals the telekinetic powers that she has been hiding from everyone (it’s okay, she did a couple of dramatic reveals before the ceremony) she is actually revealed to hold powers from EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE REALMS. IT’S AMAZING. Chaos ensues.
“it’s okay…” I whisper to myself. Lots of books have super speshul characters. “It’ll be okay”. Reader, it was certainly not okay.
To summarize the spoiler free version of this review, Lilith continues to be super special, but like her chances of developing powers, her degree of super specialness seems to vary page to page. One minute she’s incredibly rare and powerful. The next minute, all of her abilities seem to be a totally possible thing to happen. Maybe this was the author’s way of tempering the “oh my god she’s the chosen one! She has all the powers! She’s so SPESHUL.” It wasn’t very successful.
Lilith is also disabled from a magical related accident that seriously injured her leg as a child. This causes her constant pain and difficulty moving around. From her POV, it’s a life ending injury that causes literally everyone around her to doubt her ability to do literally anything. If she was destined to a non-magical job anyways (if all/most magical jobs are protecting the coven) are there NO jobs were she could just sit down? Besides, this injury didn’t happen yesterday and she seems to function basically fine and is stubborn and accomplished. Why is this still such a major factor? Why is everyone handing her new pain medicine all the time? They’re just like leaves. Is everyone discovering new leaves constantly? I need to know!!
Wholesale, I don’t think this book is terrible, but it needs a lot of work and a very, very good editor. There’s still typos and awkward sentences, not to mention a lot of the inconsistencies I mentioned earlier. The overall idea, I would rate as good. The book could definitely be marketable and a whole lot better if it was heavily revised and edited. Despite my own stubbornness, I just can’t push through to the second book because I know my likelihood of DNFing is like 85%.
SPOILERS BELOW. DO NOT KEEP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED.
May 5, 2018
Welcome to the land of where you are split up by your abilities as a witch, and The Council governs all and keeps everything in check. Except now, there is a shake-up coming and it's in the form of one girl who believed that she was powerless. Lilith has suddenly come into powers that she didn't think she had. She lives in the area of Ignis, so you can imagine her surprise when she develops telekinesis powers. She doesn't know what to make of it, but she's glad to at least have some powers and no longer be one of the UnEquipped, like her friend Helena. Lilith is reluctant to tell those around her of her newfound abilities but it won't be long before her secret is out. Something is coming though. During the ceremony for the Equipped to go before the Goblets her moment is slightly interrupted when an attack ensues. Lilith is given hints that secrets are being kept from her. She's confused and upset by this revelation. The Council, of course, takes an immediate interest in her and decides to take her in. They say that they see great things in her. But do they really see more? Lilith is about to discover many things as the days and weeks progress. Her life will never be the same as the truth is revealed.
The Council by Kayla Krantz is book one in her The Witch's Ambition Trilogy. The author, overall, does a good job setting the stage for this book. We are introduced to Lilith from the beginning, and we begin to read her story. This book is told in the first person so we get to experience the moments from her perspective. Lilith has believed that since she comes from two UnEquipped parents that the odds of her developing her powers are slim to none. But when she develops the powers suddenly she's surprised but keeps it a secret. She's worried about the reaction her parents will have. As we read this story we learn that something bad happened to Lilith at a young age. She was hurt badly by magic and so she has a physical disability because of this. She makes the best of it, but she resents the fact that people will tend to take pity on her and try to help her out. Lilith is an overall interesting character. I can understand her frustrations at times, but then there are moments of where I think that she's overreacting and just being petulant. The author weaves a lot of mystery into this story. Lilith's story, Willow's story, Iris's story, and so many others. There are so many questions that are raised to pique the readers' interest in the book. Believe me, it works. You'll pursue the story in search of these answers, but the author loves to give just teasing bits and pieces here and there. Normally I'd have a fit and say give me something other than tidbits, but you'll have to thing of the author as The Sage...she'll give you pieces when she's ready.
Overall I enjoyed this book's storyline. I will say that there are quite a few editorial/proofreading issues of misspelled words, but none of them are major distractions. I feel that at times Lilith's attitude is bad, and that she definitely says the wrong thing at the wrong times. I applaud the author for just having this as a character flaw at times and not a dominating part of her character. I say this because the author has Lilith quickly see that she has made a mistake when she wrongfully comes at someone for no reason. I will say that I find the make-up of The Council to be curious. I would expect The Council to be made up of older characters who are more stable in their powers, and to only bring in new members to train them to be replacements. But how the author has orchestrated it overall is curious to me. I say this, but it does not detract from my enjoyment of the story. I would like some clarification about their world though. The author throws in Lilith learning about the ill-fated witch trials years ago. So I wonder is this a different world or is this a world of where magic became the norm and everything else faded away.
Overall, I'm rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series. The author has raised a lot of questions and I'm eager to learn the answers behind them. This is a pretty good start to an interesting series. I look forward to reading the next book when the author has it ready.
The Council by Kayla Krantz is book one in her The Witch's Ambition Trilogy. The author, overall, does a good job setting the stage for this book. We are introduced to Lilith from the beginning, and we begin to read her story. This book is told in the first person so we get to experience the moments from her perspective. Lilith has believed that since she comes from two UnEquipped parents that the odds of her developing her powers are slim to none. But when she develops the powers suddenly she's surprised but keeps it a secret. She's worried about the reaction her parents will have. As we read this story we learn that something bad happened to Lilith at a young age. She was hurt badly by magic and so she has a physical disability because of this. She makes the best of it, but she resents the fact that people will tend to take pity on her and try to help her out. Lilith is an overall interesting character. I can understand her frustrations at times, but then there are moments of where I think that she's overreacting and just being petulant. The author weaves a lot of mystery into this story. Lilith's story, Willow's story, Iris's story, and so many others. There are so many questions that are raised to pique the readers' interest in the book. Believe me, it works. You'll pursue the story in search of these answers, but the author loves to give just teasing bits and pieces here and there. Normally I'd have a fit and say give me something other than tidbits, but you'll have to thing of the author as The Sage...she'll give you pieces when she's ready.
Overall I enjoyed this book's storyline. I will say that there are quite a few editorial/proofreading issues of misspelled words, but none of them are major distractions. I feel that at times Lilith's attitude is bad, and that she definitely says the wrong thing at the wrong times. I applaud the author for just having this as a character flaw at times and not a dominating part of her character. I say this because the author has Lilith quickly see that she has made a mistake when she wrongfully comes at someone for no reason. I will say that I find the make-up of The Council to be curious. I would expect The Council to be made up of older characters who are more stable in their powers, and to only bring in new members to train them to be replacements. But how the author has orchestrated it overall is curious to me. I say this, but it does not detract from my enjoyment of the story. I would like some clarification about their world though. The author throws in Lilith learning about the ill-fated witch trials years ago. So I wonder is this a different world or is this a world of where magic became the norm and everything else faded away.
Overall, I'm rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series. The author has raised a lot of questions and I'm eager to learn the answers behind them. This is a pretty good start to an interesting series. I look forward to reading the next book when the author has it ready.
July 24, 2018
This was a great read (though there were a few things that irked me). I loved the author's ability to draw you right into the story, and I enjoyed the main character's plight. Lilith, the main character, is disabled but strong-willed. She's also very quick to anger. She trusts very few people, and she has reason to be cautious - everyone has lied to her about who she is. Other characters, like Clio and Crowe, are well-defined and helped to make this book a fun read. And then there are other characters who stay a mystery, which is fine, but one character does a complete flip-flop toward the end, which doesn't mesh well with the rest of that character's actions.
The plot starts off really strong. Lilith and her friends are being sorted into classes - Equipped and Unequipped - based on their magical abilities. Lilith should technically have no powers, but the ceremony reveals otherwise, and then all hell breaks loose. The author does a great job of allowing the reader to feel the intensity of the action scenes. Unfortunately, between the action scenes, it's a bit slow and then too quick in the fast-forward department. Without giving away too much, when Lilith has to visit the different covens, it feels somewhat slow. I feel like there could have been either more of a connection made between her and the covens or more actions could have been introduced. Also, one minute Lilith is a trainee, and the next she's in charge - there were very few training sessions or opportunities for growth. I think that could have been flushed out better. I get that the author was most likely trying to make sure the book didn't get too long, but that part felt very rushed.
The book ends in a cliff-hanger, which I love! I enjoy being left on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next book. Unfortunately, I felt that this cliff-hanger came too quickly, had too many consequences, and felt unrealistic. I don't like spoilers, so I'll try to make sense without giving anything away. One minute, Lilith is given a whole bunch of information to process, and the next minute, she's thrown into the lion's den, even though she was just a trainee. Certain people were killed in the battle, which made his/her whole character seem pointless. And it makes absolutely no sense to me that all of the covens are being protected by witches who don't have full control of their powers!
Still, even with those flaws, I REALLY enjoyed the story, which is why I still gave it four stars. It kept my interest, even through the somewhat slow parts. And I'm really tempted to read book two, once it's published. I just hope the author strengthens some areas of the story. :-)
The plot starts off really strong. Lilith and her friends are being sorted into classes - Equipped and Unequipped - based on their magical abilities. Lilith should technically have no powers, but the ceremony reveals otherwise, and then all hell breaks loose. The author does a great job of allowing the reader to feel the intensity of the action scenes. Unfortunately, between the action scenes, it's a bit slow and then too quick in the fast-forward department. Without giving away too much, when Lilith has to visit the different covens, it feels somewhat slow. I feel like there could have been either more of a connection made between her and the covens or more actions could have been introduced. Also, one minute Lilith is a trainee, and the next she's in charge - there were very few training sessions or opportunities for growth. I think that could have been flushed out better. I get that the author was most likely trying to make sure the book didn't get too long, but that part felt very rushed.
The book ends in a cliff-hanger, which I love! I enjoy being left on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next book. Unfortunately, I felt that this cliff-hanger came too quickly, had too many consequences, and felt unrealistic. I don't like spoilers, so I'll try to make sense without giving anything away. One minute, Lilith is given a whole bunch of information to process, and the next minute, she's thrown into the lion's den, even though she was just a trainee. Certain people were killed in the battle, which made his/her whole character seem pointless. And it makes absolutely no sense to me that all of the covens are being protected by witches who don't have full control of their powers!
Still, even with those flaws, I REALLY enjoyed the story, which is why I still gave it four stars. It kept my interest, even through the somewhat slow parts. And I'm really tempted to read book two, once it's published. I just hope the author strengthens some areas of the story. :-)
June 12, 2017
Amazing amazing amazing! Oh, have I said it’s amazing yet? :)
Lilith lives in a Coven of witches with pyrokinetic powers (throwing fire). She has always been UnEquipped (magicless), but recently she has been developing powers. But they are powers she shouldn’t have, namely telekinetic and as a result she might have to switch Covens. She doesn’t want to leave behind everything and everyone she holds dear. But she might have to.
Lilith is fiery, but also a cripple (she has a bad limp) and she struggles with that. She is proud; she doesn’t want to have to depend on others. She thinks everyone sees her as pathetic and doesn’t think highly of herself. BTW: ever think of a walking cane or a crutch? I know she’s proud, but she’s also smart and it seems silly not to use such a simple aid.
How is she going to deal with everything?
And then there is an unexpected turn of events…
Lilith wants, no needs, to find out who she is and what she is capable of. And is everything she has learned true or has the truth been hidden by her parents and the governing Coven? Are the people that she trusts to be trusted?
Wow. Such an exciting story! I just looooooooooved it. A real gem. A page-turner! Lilith is very young (just turned 18), but there is some real wisdom in her words. When you think you know what’s going to happen, there is an unexpected twist. I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing her fantastic journey.
Only thing: The story stops very abruptly. VERY open. Most definitely not a standalone book. But that just means that I’ll HAVE to read the next book!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves suspenseful fantasy!!! It’s a thick book that will keep you entertained for a good while.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review. My opinion is entirely my own and I am not compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review.
Lilith lives in a Coven of witches with pyrokinetic powers (throwing fire). She has always been UnEquipped (magicless), but recently she has been developing powers. But they are powers she shouldn’t have, namely telekinetic and as a result she might have to switch Covens. She doesn’t want to leave behind everything and everyone she holds dear. But she might have to.
Lilith is fiery, but also a cripple (she has a bad limp) and she struggles with that. She is proud; she doesn’t want to have to depend on others. She thinks everyone sees her as pathetic and doesn’t think highly of herself. BTW: ever think of a walking cane or a crutch? I know she’s proud, but she’s also smart and it seems silly not to use such a simple aid.
How is she going to deal with everything?
And then there is an unexpected turn of events…
Lilith wants, no needs, to find out who she is and what she is capable of. And is everything she has learned true or has the truth been hidden by her parents and the governing Coven? Are the people that she trusts to be trusted?
Wow. Such an exciting story! I just looooooooooved it. A real gem. A page-turner! Lilith is very young (just turned 18), but there is some real wisdom in her words. When you think you know what’s going to happen, there is an unexpected twist. I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing her fantastic journey.
Only thing: The story stops very abruptly. VERY open. Most definitely not a standalone book. But that just means that I’ll HAVE to read the next book!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves suspenseful fantasy!!! It’s a thick book that will keep you entertained for a good while.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review. My opinion is entirely my own and I am not compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review.
November 22, 2018
The Council (The Witch's Ambitions Trilogy Book 1) by Kayla Krantz is a fantasy that introduces us to Lilith Lace, an 18-year-old witch who is unsure of place in life and in her coven, Ignis. Crippled as a small child, Lilith faces challenges that make her transition into an adult in the coven of pyrokinetic witches tough and rather confusing. This book is the first in a series, and a great introduction into what to expect in the following books. As a first, this book did it’s job properly, and did it well. We were introduced to important characters, and conflicts that gave away enough, but not too much. This story focuses on the truth behind Lilith’s past, including her mysterious injury. While reading, I found myself anxious to know the truth. Between Lilith’s conversations with her parents, and the Sage (Leader of the Council) the author did a good job of keeping us hanging.
I liked the relationship between Lilith and Clio, a close male friend from her coven. Their romance had a slow build up, and they began to feel more like a couple as the book progressed. The ending in particular, seemed to be a good indication of what’s in store for these love birds. As someone who enjoys a good love story, I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the next installment.
The writing in this story was well done, and the story flowed very smoothly. The use of unique names for characters and covens was very creative. (Although I could see the obvious reasons for naming a water coven “Aquias”) the author still gets a thumbs up from me for her effort. Speaking of characters, one of the healers shared the same name as my mother Lavina. Considering I’ve never met another Lavina, seeing her name used was pretty cool. If you love fantasy, witches, and fairies, I highly recommend this book!
I liked the relationship between Lilith and Clio, a close male friend from her coven. Their romance had a slow build up, and they began to feel more like a couple as the book progressed. The ending in particular, seemed to be a good indication of what’s in store for these love birds. As someone who enjoys a good love story, I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the next installment.
The writing in this story was well done, and the story flowed very smoothly. The use of unique names for characters and covens was very creative. (Although I could see the obvious reasons for naming a water coven “Aquias”) the author still gets a thumbs up from me for her effort. Speaking of characters, one of the healers shared the same name as my mother Lavina. Considering I’ve never met another Lavina, seeing her name used was pretty cool. If you love fantasy, witches, and fairies, I highly recommend this book!
October 5, 2019
3.5
Lilith is an eighteen year old who grew up believing she was unequipped (had no magic), injured as a child by magic causing her to be labeled a cripple. Lilith's inner dialogue makes it sound like she needs all this help because of her injury but it's clear that while she has some limitations she's ambulatory all by herself, so this was weird to read.
As Lilith's class nears the time for their Arcane Ceremony Lilith discovers she has telekentic powers. She doesn't have a lot of control over her powers, and her testing on animals really made me dislike her initially, and it took some time before I began to warm up to her.
She grew up on Ignus and should have pyrokentic powers not telekentic and she's freaked out how her friends, family and coven will react to her power not being the same as her covens.
Lilith's Arcane Ceremony reveals more about her than she expected at the same time a rival Coven wishing to take down the current ruling Coven attacks one of the Council. This event is the start of Lilith's journey down the rabbit hole. It will lead to her finding out more about her world, the fairies and her past.
This first book in the trilogy will leave you with more questions than answers, There's some suspension of belief items for me that kept pulling me out of the story but it does have some interesting characters. This story will leave you hanging so if you don't like that sort of thing you may want to wait until the next installment has been released so you can have it ready to read as soon as you finished this one.
I received a free copy of this book through Booksirens, am voluntarily leaving a review. More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/
Lilith is an eighteen year old who grew up believing she was unequipped (had no magic), injured as a child by magic causing her to be labeled a cripple. Lilith's inner dialogue makes it sound like she needs all this help because of her injury but it's clear that while she has some limitations she's ambulatory all by herself, so this was weird to read.
As Lilith's class nears the time for their Arcane Ceremony Lilith discovers she has telekentic powers. She doesn't have a lot of control over her powers, and her testing on animals really made me dislike her initially, and it took some time before I began to warm up to her.
She grew up on Ignus and should have pyrokentic powers not telekentic and she's freaked out how her friends, family and coven will react to her power not being the same as her covens.
Lilith's Arcane Ceremony reveals more about her than she expected at the same time a rival Coven wishing to take down the current ruling Coven attacks one of the Council. This event is the start of Lilith's journey down the rabbit hole. It will lead to her finding out more about her world, the fairies and her past.
This first book in the trilogy will leave you with more questions than answers, There's some suspension of belief items for me that kept pulling me out of the story but it does have some interesting characters. This story will leave you hanging so if you don't like that sort of thing you may want to wait until the next installment has been released so you can have it ready to read as soon as you finished this one.
I received a free copy of this book through Booksirens, am voluntarily leaving a review. More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2017
The Council follows in a similar vein to the Divergent series. There are separate covens and each coven has a primary ability in which they can do magic. There is a also a ruling group (the Council) and a rebel group. The main character, Lillith, is a strong character, just discovering her own unique and unexpected abilities.
LIillith is a witch who is powerful enough to overcome her disability, a childhood injury to her leg that had been caused by magic. The daughter of Unequipped parents, she is not expected to have any magical abilities That all changes at the Arcane Ceremony, where she and everyone around her are shocked when five goblets light up, each relating to a different power.
Mysteries about why she has these magical powers when she comes from Unequipped (non-magical) parents, her parents refusal to give her information on her injury, and the strange witch that shows up at the ceremony lead the reader into wanting to know more.
I love the idea of witches living in this dystopian world of separate covens being able to harness separate powers related to their individual element. I found Kayla Krantz’s writing drew me in and I found it hard to put down. I was dying to find out what was really going on and what was going to happen next!
I would have like to have seen more development between the characters Clio and Helena. I am excited to read Book 2 when it comes out
I received The Council as an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I’d like to thank Kayla for the opportunity to read this awesome book
LIillith is a witch who is powerful enough to overcome her disability, a childhood injury to her leg that had been caused by magic. The daughter of Unequipped parents, she is not expected to have any magical abilities That all changes at the Arcane Ceremony, where she and everyone around her are shocked when five goblets light up, each relating to a different power.
Mysteries about why she has these magical powers when she comes from Unequipped (non-magical) parents, her parents refusal to give her information on her injury, and the strange witch that shows up at the ceremony lead the reader into wanting to know more.
I love the idea of witches living in this dystopian world of separate covens being able to harness separate powers related to their individual element. I found Kayla Krantz’s writing drew me in and I found it hard to put down. I was dying to find out what was really going on and what was going to happen next!
I would have like to have seen more development between the characters Clio and Helena. I am excited to read Book 2 when it comes out
I received The Council as an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I’d like to thank Kayla for the opportunity to read this awesome book
November 11, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The ARC I received was full of spelling and grammatical errors, but I'm not sure if the published edition has this issue. This isn't' the author's first book, so I'm surprised it has come out like this. Beta readers would pick most of these out. It's such a shame because the premise sounds great. Divergent, but with witches! Sign me up.
The world-building reminds me of avatar -- society divided by an element/ability. There's a central entity that controls everything, and some of what they do is questionable. Every coven has a different landscape and is populated with citizens.
The writing isn't great. That's the biggest drawback for me. Lots of repetition in actions (crossing arms, pressing lips together, licking lips/teeth). The MC is made of glass in the beginning -- she bleeds every five minutes from every bump -- she should have bled to death. Then she learns to duel in five minutes and wins against the town's best (?). The story is fairly attractive though. What's up with her accident? Why are her parents so cagey about it? Why do the rogue witches want her? What kind of powers does she have? And there's no insta-love!
I may pick up the next one, I'm not sure. The story certainly is there.
Bonus: Easily the best mistake in this was: "Papra passes him breakfast and he begins to eat his foot..." (FOOD, not FOOT, but dang, the imagery was priceless).
The ARC I received was full of spelling and grammatical errors, but I'm not sure if the published edition has this issue. This isn't' the author's first book, so I'm surprised it has come out like this. Beta readers would pick most of these out. It's such a shame because the premise sounds great. Divergent, but with witches! Sign me up.
The world-building reminds me of avatar -- society divided by an element/ability. There's a central entity that controls everything, and some of what they do is questionable. Every coven has a different landscape and is populated with citizens.
The writing isn't great. That's the biggest drawback for me. Lots of repetition in actions (crossing arms, pressing lips together, licking lips/teeth). The MC is made of glass in the beginning -- she bleeds every five minutes from every bump -- she should have bled to death. Then she learns to duel in five minutes and wins against the town's best (?). The story is fairly attractive though. What's up with her accident? Why are her parents so cagey about it? Why do the rogue witches want her? What kind of powers does she have? And there's no insta-love!
I may pick up the next one, I'm not sure. The story certainly is there.
Bonus: Easily the best mistake in this was: "Papra passes him breakfast and he begins to eat his foot..." (FOOD, not FOOT, but dang, the imagery was priceless).
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