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War Witch
Hustling as a waitress is a far cry from being the most feared witch in the world. But after surviving ten years of war between humans and supernaturals, Lily finds anonymity a relief. Even a request for help from an old coven friend can’t bring Lily out of hiding -- until her friend disappears, along with the entire coven. What’s worse, wolf shifter and Chief Investigator Leif -- the man Lily is secretly in love with -- considers her the only suspect. And to top it all off, the dark witch who was her first love has been resurrected … and wants her back. Lily’s search for the truth could destroy the witch-shifter Alliance and reignite the war with the humans. But if that’s what it takes to help her friends, she’ll do it. Even a retired war witch is very dangerous when provoked.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
April 23, 2017
I find something inherently sexy about a fantasy epic where the primary female is the most dangerous creature in the entire book and she is not afraid to ruthlessly wield that power to protect those that she loves even though sometimes her reasonings are a bit flawed.The book is one frenetic almost seamless piece of action though there are quieter scenes but even in those calm of the storm moments,the author somehow finds a way to elevate your blood pressure.
The book lightly touches on Norse & Irish mythology as its basis for most of the characters names though there are no real indepth origin stories and that maybe revealed in the sequel.There was a war some time ago referred to as the breaking where mankind warred against the werekin ending in a truce where the witches got the short end of the stick.
In battle Lilith was one of the war witches if not the most deadly of them now reduced to hiding in the shadows in the aftermath of the carnage.She was the Morrigan until the title was stolen (The Morrigan was the shape-shifting Celtic Goddess of War, Fate and Death,in addition to being the patroness of revenge, night, magic and witches.)
There is a hint of romance as Lily the War Witch holds a decade long torch for Leif a werewolf,which as is the norm with most fantasy series that has to be drawn out through a series of books and primary focus is given to battles that heroine takes centre stage in.This book has some of the best detailed witch fight scenes I have read in ages.
"Leif’s eyes sparked gold, and his teeth looked too long for a human mouth as he murmured once more, “Tell me everything, witch.”
I struggled to control the memories, though I couldn’t stop them. They were all bad: standing on battlefields littered with bodies, knowing I’d killed many of them. Watching friends disappear in funeral pyres. Standing over the wounded, desperate to heal them despite my own exhaustion. Panic as a cast failed and left colleagues vulnerable. Guilt over the ones I couldn’t save. Almost getting captured, almost getting raped, almost getting killed.
His hands gripped my waist as grief kindled in his gaze. Only one memory of him slipped by, after his best friend was tortured and executed. One of his other friends betrayed us all, but Max and his partner, Kate, paid the price. When the humans dropped Max’s body at the gates, Leif went berserk. Not even Soren, with all his pack magic and alpha dominance, could stop Scary Leif in a full rage."
There is no nail biting cliffhanger though the book holds promise of a second war to come and a mystery that still clings to the warwitch I believe that would tie in with the shape shifting aspect of The Morrigan & Loki the trickster.Aside from Leith there are a slew of other male characters vying for attention as ones to watch in the forthcoming books including Soren and Brandr.So if you want to add to your reading list what looks like to be another exceptional fantasy series than take a look at this novel.
The book lightly touches on Norse & Irish mythology as its basis for most of the characters names though there are no real indepth origin stories and that maybe revealed in the sequel.There was a war some time ago referred to as the breaking where mankind warred against the werekin ending in a truce where the witches got the short end of the stick.
In battle Lilith was one of the war witches if not the most deadly of them now reduced to hiding in the shadows in the aftermath of the carnage.She was the Morrigan until the title was stolen (The Morrigan was the shape-shifting Celtic Goddess of War, Fate and Death,in addition to being the patroness of revenge, night, magic and witches.)
There is a hint of romance as Lily the War Witch holds a decade long torch for Leif a werewolf,which as is the norm with most fantasy series that has to be drawn out through a series of books and primary focus is given to battles that heroine takes centre stage in.This book has some of the best detailed witch fight scenes I have read in ages.
"Leif’s eyes sparked gold, and his teeth looked too long for a human mouth as he murmured once more, “Tell me everything, witch.”
I struggled to control the memories, though I couldn’t stop them. They were all bad: standing on battlefields littered with bodies, knowing I’d killed many of them. Watching friends disappear in funeral pyres. Standing over the wounded, desperate to heal them despite my own exhaustion. Panic as a cast failed and left colleagues vulnerable. Guilt over the ones I couldn’t save. Almost getting captured, almost getting raped, almost getting killed.
His hands gripped my waist as grief kindled in his gaze. Only one memory of him slipped by, after his best friend was tortured and executed. One of his other friends betrayed us all, but Max and his partner, Kate, paid the price. When the humans dropped Max’s body at the gates, Leif went berserk. Not even Soren, with all his pack magic and alpha dominance, could stop Scary Leif in a full rage."
There is no nail biting cliffhanger though the book holds promise of a second war to come and a mystery that still clings to the warwitch I believe that would tie in with the shape shifting aspect of The Morrigan & Loki the trickster.Aside from Leith there are a slew of other male characters vying for attention as ones to watch in the forthcoming books including Soren and Brandr.So if you want to add to your reading list what looks like to be another exceptional fantasy series than take a look at this novel.
May 17, 2019
This is a really good book that I absolutely do not recommend picking up*.
This is an incredibly well-thought Urban Fantasy with a world that has suffered a decade of war with supernaturals. That the supernaturals lost. We're five years after the Truce and several entities are still butting heads for regulating the non-normals. The main character, Lily, was a key warrior for the supernaturals during the war. She's a very powerful War Witch and was designated "Morrigan" during that war—a combination general and key combatant who could sling the widest death and had the authority to back her up, including the right of executing traitors at her word alone. Now, she's keeping a low profile because she can't bring herself to align with those who brokered the truce and isn't willing to comply with all of the regulations on witches post-war (like wearing a ring designating that she's a witch as well as her approximate power). So she's a waitress struggling to make ends meet, which is quite a come down.
More importantly, though, is that it's clear she's still suffering PTSD, some of it enhanced by magic (for reasons that are revealed during the story). The important thing, for the story, is that she's outgunned a lot, and often that's because she's reluctant to drag out the big guns (and almost all she has, really, are big guns). The rest is a twist of dark magic, demon calling, shifter politics and prejudice in a world that they had fought for and lost. It's a compelling story and I enjoyed it very much.
It was headed for a full five stars, but the author pulls . I felt robbed enough I went from "I definitely want more" to "I'll see if this is going to be a pattern before committing any more emotional resources to reading these and drop this one down a star while I'm at it." The thing is, it has dark moments and blood sacrifice and good people die so the emotional investment isn't small.
So a four star story. That I do not recommend you read.
* Why you should not read this excellent story: This is clearly meant to establish a new series. The author even manipulates things so that the story continues in a way that will support a series. And the author claimed, on Jan 11, 2018, that the next book was done and should be out "in May or June". And there's been no communication from her since. That's a year and a half of nothing. She went from publishing five or six books a year to none. Zero. I don't know what happened. My google-fu wasn't able to unearth any news (and my google-fu is outstanding, though I only spent about a half hour digging). I hope it's just burnout. But this seems really, really bad. And my heart breaks for her, even if it's "just burnout". Because this story is really good and the loss of an author of such talent is tragic.
This is an incredibly well-thought Urban Fantasy with a world that has suffered a decade of war with supernaturals. That the supernaturals lost. We're five years after the Truce and several entities are still butting heads for regulating the non-normals. The main character, Lily, was a key warrior for the supernaturals during the war. She's a very powerful War Witch and was designated "Morrigan" during that war—a combination general and key combatant who could sling the widest death and had the authority to back her up, including the right of executing traitors at her word alone. Now, she's keeping a low profile because she can't bring herself to align with those who brokered the truce and isn't willing to comply with all of the regulations on witches post-war (like wearing a ring designating that she's a witch as well as her approximate power). So she's a waitress struggling to make ends meet, which is quite a come down.
More importantly, though, is that it's clear she's still suffering PTSD, some of it enhanced by magic (for reasons that are revealed during the story). The important thing, for the story, is that she's outgunned a lot, and often that's because she's reluctant to drag out the big guns (and almost all she has, really, are big guns). The rest is a twist of dark magic, demon calling, shifter politics and prejudice in a world that they had fought for and lost. It's a compelling story and I enjoyed it very much.
It was headed for a full five stars, but the author pulls . I felt robbed enough I went from "I definitely want more" to "I'll see if this is going to be a pattern before committing any more emotional resources to reading these and drop this one down a star while I'm at it." The thing is, it has dark moments and blood sacrifice and good people die so the emotional investment isn't small.
So a four star story. That I do not recommend you read.
* Why you should not read this excellent story: This is clearly meant to establish a new series. The author even manipulates things so that the story continues in a way that will support a series. And the author claimed, on Jan 11, 2018, that the next book was done and should be out "in May or June". And there's been no communication from her since. That's a year and a half of nothing. She went from publishing five or six books a year to none. Zero. I don't know what happened. My google-fu wasn't able to unearth any news (and my google-fu is outstanding, though I only spent about a half hour digging). I hope it's just burnout. But this seems really, really bad. And my heart breaks for her, even if it's "just burnout". Because this story is really good and the loss of an author of such talent is tragic.
August 4, 2020
Surprisingly and unexpectedly good.
Read again on May 2019. I stand by my rating: it's really an awesome UF.
Read again on May 2019. I stand by my rating: it's really an awesome UF.
August 18, 2021
This book is way too long. it started off good but just kept on going! if i had a dollar for every time
1. someone jumped out of a car- usually the MC
2. Lily was tired and didn't have the energy to do the spell but she gets energy from someone else to do it
3. Lily falls down
I'd have enough to buy 20 more books. I will not be continuing this series. The narrator,Rachel Music, did a great job though. And she didn't have to take anyone's energy or magic to do so! ; )
1. someone jumped out of a car- usually the MC
2. Lily was tired and didn't have the energy to do the spell but she gets energy from someone else to do it
3. Lily falls down
I'd have enough to buy 20 more books. I will not be continuing this series. The narrator,Rachel Music, did a great job though. And she didn't have to take anyone's energy or magic to do so! ; )
April 15, 2020
There is so much I love about this book and just a few things weren't quite up to scratch.
(I don't want to end with the misfires so I'll get those out of the way first.)
1. The Narration: Rachel Music wasn't too bad, but she needs a sound-proof booth. Hearing a truck driving past isn't ideal.
2. The Prose: I loved the measured pace...you could almost hear the metronome ticking away as the author wrote the book. But I think many will struggle with it.
3. The Ending: Nearly every book has a natural place to end. Occasionally authors miss that opportunity and keep going. And IMO that's what happened here.
That being said, everything else about this book is solid gold. The characters, the idea, the story. It's all perfect. I love it and I want to revisit Lily and all the other characters in this book.
(I don't want to end with the misfires so I'll get those out of the way first.)
1. The Narration: Rachel Music wasn't too bad, but she needs a sound-proof booth. Hearing a truck driving past isn't ideal.
2. The Prose: I loved the measured pace...you could almost hear the metronome ticking away as the author wrote the book. But I think many will struggle with it.
3. The Ending: Nearly every book has a natural place to end. Occasionally authors miss that opportunity and keep going. And IMO that's what happened here.
That being said, everything else about this book is solid gold. The characters, the idea, the story. It's all perfect. I love it and I want to revisit Lily and all the other characters in this book.
November 12, 2017
I enjoyed the first half of the book with the interesting characters and a strong protagonist in Lily battling evil and sticking up for her friends.
It was a real struggle to finish the second half of the book though as Lily turns into a super anxious person that doesn't trust anyone and won't accept the help of her friends. On top of this the author starts throwing _everything_ into the mix with a lot of it not making sense - it's all supposed to be "mysterious" and "no one could have seen that coming!!!" but it's just dumb because there is no logical explanation for most of it.
What really pissed me off was the ending were the author did the typical low-effort move and let all the "real" enemies get away so we can go through the same mess in endless sequels.
It was a real struggle to finish the second half of the book though as Lily turns into a super anxious person that doesn't trust anyone and won't accept the help of her friends. On top of this the author starts throwing _everything_ into the mix with a lot of it not making sense - it's all supposed to be "mysterious" and "no one could have seen that coming!!!" but it's just dumb because there is no logical explanation for most of it.
What really pissed me off was the ending were the author did the typical low-effort move and let all the "real" enemies get away so we can go through the same mess in endless sequels.
May 18, 2019
2.5/5; 3 stars
Hovering between 'its ok' and 'I liked it'. I liked a lot of the world building but I didn't really start liking the story until about 60%. Part of this probably comes down to a case of 'its me, not you'. I really can't stand main characters who are so determined to do everything on their own that they create more havoc and hurt more people than they would if they just took a more collaborative approach. That is probably something from my own history where I worked for years with people who were all 'I know best', 'Its secret engineer(witch) business so I can't tell you what I'm doing', 'just shut up and help me when I demand it but don't expect me to explain anything'.
Anyway, Lily rubbed me the wrong way throughout most of the book so that took away alot.
Hovering between 'its ok' and 'I liked it'. I liked a lot of the world building but I didn't really start liking the story until about 60%. Part of this probably comes down to a case of 'its me, not you'. I really can't stand main characters who are so determined to do everything on their own that they create more havoc and hurt more people than they would if they just took a more collaborative approach. That is probably something from my own history where I worked for years with people who were all 'I know best', 'Its secret engineer(witch) business so I can't tell you what I'm doing', 'just shut up and help me when I demand it but don't expect me to explain anything'.
Anyway, Lily rubbed me the wrong way throughout most of the book so that took away alot.
April 29, 2020
The best way for me to describe this story is to say dark. The entire novel essentially takes place at night time with random slivers of light. It features Lily aka Lilith who was a past Morrigan and war witch when the humans, covens and shifters were at war with each other. A truce happened but the shifters were the dominants in the Alliance requiring the witches to wear rings signifying their class.
After the war, Lily became non-aligned because she felt she couldn't trust anyone. She flew mostly under the radar as a waitress but then dark magic started to crop up in areas of the city. She interrupted a dark magic ritual on the way to a friend's party to save an innocent woman and it drops her down a rabbit hole of accusations against her causing her to constantly flee for her life while saving people in the background. She's also trying to figure out who betrayed whom and who she can trust because trusting the wrong person could quite literally cost her her life.
I have to say, I pretty much devoured this book over the course of three days. The world building wasn't vividly detailed, in fact there were a few informational holes, but it still kept me engaged. The side cast of characters were a treat. Moriah was Lily's closest ally even though she was a shifter. The shifters in general were a bunch of intrigue, specifically Leif.
Oh, Leif. This is why my review lost a couple of stars. I felt the story line between Leif and Lily wasn't fleshed out enough and the potential for their story was so completely lost. Lily essentially spent the entire book refusing his, and really everyone's, very much needed help and running away from him. I admit I reveled in this behavior in the first half. There were such poignant moments between them filled with unspoken history that fizzled out into nothing by the end for a reason I simply do not see. The ending is left open ended as if there is more to this story. I really wish there was but since the book came out in 2017 and here I am in 2020, I'm not holding my breath for a continuation, unfortunately.
After the war, Lily became non-aligned because she felt she couldn't trust anyone. She flew mostly under the radar as a waitress but then dark magic started to crop up in areas of the city. She interrupted a dark magic ritual on the way to a friend's party to save an innocent woman and it drops her down a rabbit hole of accusations against her causing her to constantly flee for her life while saving people in the background. She's also trying to figure out who betrayed whom and who she can trust because trusting the wrong person could quite literally cost her her life.
I have to say, I pretty much devoured this book over the course of three days. The world building wasn't vividly detailed, in fact there were a few informational holes, but it still kept me engaged. The side cast of characters were a treat. Moriah was Lily's closest ally even though she was a shifter. The shifters in general were a bunch of intrigue, specifically Leif.
Oh, Leif. This is why my review lost a couple of stars. I felt the story line between Leif and Lily wasn't fleshed out enough and the potential for their story was so completely lost. Lily essentially spent the entire book refusing his, and really everyone's, very much needed help and running away from him. I admit I reveled in this behavior in the first half. There were such poignant moments between them filled with unspoken history that fizzled out into nothing by the end for a reason I simply do not see. The ending is left open ended as if there is more to this story. I really wish there was but since the book came out in 2017 and here I am in 2020, I'm not holding my breath for a continuation, unfortunately.
February 7, 2018
This is a semi finalist in Lynn’s Books grouping, it’s an urban fantasy with shape shifting, witches, covens and demons – a lot of action in this book.
Bingo: Self Published, 2017
Plot:
Lily is living in a post war era Earth after something called The Breaking, which spilled magic into the rest of the world and alerted humans that they were living among Others. A war broke out between the Others and humanity and it was bloody, after the war alliances were crucial to keeping the peace and keeping ones safety.
Living in a post war era, Lilith is on her toes because she’s Unaligned, having no ties to any faction after the Truce. It leaves her vulnerable to attacks with no one to help her, but she finds the price of swearing loyalty too high to pay.
Witches are dying around her, some of them old friends and old coven mates. There’s dark magic being used, but no one is sure by who or to what end. Witches are being arrested and accused of dark magic, but most of it is just power displays with no real criminals apprehended. The main character is skirting around being arrested herself since she’s been in the wrong place at the wrong time, there’s a mysterious person trying to help her but we don’t know if they’re friend or foe.
There’s also unrest between the different factions, many groups unhappy with Sorens leadership and may plan to depose him, which would send everything into a war again.
There’s a lot of mystery going on and you’re never sure who’s trust worthy and who’s not – there’s also a lot of politics. Different wolf packs, bears, cats, humans, witches all having different goals and allegiances.
Characters:
Lily – the main character and a war witch, one of the most powerful witches left after the war, is an old war hero but still despised by many for actions during the war that weren’t made clear until the end of the book. She’s an adult that’s lost both of her parents and an old lover, she doesn’t have many people she can rely on outside of her best friend, Mo.
Mo – a wolf shifter and part of a wolf pack that’s friendly to Lily, she’s kind of sassy and fun and she’s a great friend for Lily being one of the only people she can trust. She’s got her own stuff going on with pack problems and her sisters wedding.
Lief – a complicated love interest, he’s part of law enforcement and since Lily keeps getting into trouble he may end up having to arrest her. This was an interesting take on a romance and it kept things surprising.
It’s a single POV so you get all of this through Lilys eyes, and she’s a bit biased and mistrusting, so you don’t know if people really are that treacherous, or if she’s been hurt so many times she sees back stabbers everywhere. She’s not very trusting and keeps most of her problems, even serious ones to herself rather than asking for help.
World Building:
There are people known as Others who are magical, and before The Breaking no one really knew they existed. Shifters can change into any kind of animal, but only one, and they generally form clans/packs and alliances between different related species – Canines stick together as do large cats etc.
Loki’s are unregulated shifters, they are generally feared both by humans and Others – some cool stuff going on with this once you get halfway through.
Witches have different levels, and they have to wear rings to identify their power ranking. War Witches are the most powerful, but someone like a Mender is considered low ranking.
Witches can be ‘collared’ with an iron ring which cuts them off from their magic, used when people are getting arrested or tortured.
Externals are a group of humans keeping an eye on the Others, looking for people breaking the Truce or dark witches. They have started arresting people whether they are guilty or not, they’re also performing illegal interrogations. They’ve been hounding the MC and she’s running out of time before they send her to jail. And jail in this world is not pretty, it’s full of iron to cut witches off from magic which can have real consequences, magic withdraw can have the same effects as a drug addiction.
There are glamours, and portals to demon realms, scrying, runes, spellcraft, grimoires, summonings, ghosts, demons, undead, and more.
Pacing/Tone/Writing:
The pacing was pretty fast even though it was 455 pages, there was a lot of action going on. The main character had multiple enemies throughout the book all of which were making some kind of attack, or arrest attempts. There were demons and spirits and other fight scenes with wolves that kept things going. There was moderate cursing, 39 fucks were given! The tone was darker-ish, the main character wasn’t exactly happy through most of the book, the world was bleaker since it was post war and there was oppression going on for the magical races, people were dying, and demons were being summoned.
The plot *sort of* wrapped up at the end, but it’s definitely part of a series.
Audience:
For people who like witches
For people looking for female POV
For people looking for female authored
For people looking for demons, ghosts, summons, and dark magic
For people looking for a lot of action
For people looking for a lot of magic
For people who prefer single POV
For people who like a lot of politics
Bingo: Self Published, 2017
Plot:
Lily is living in a post war era Earth after something called The Breaking, which spilled magic into the rest of the world and alerted humans that they were living among Others. A war broke out between the Others and humanity and it was bloody, after the war alliances were crucial to keeping the peace and keeping ones safety.
Living in a post war era, Lilith is on her toes because she’s Unaligned, having no ties to any faction after the Truce. It leaves her vulnerable to attacks with no one to help her, but she finds the price of swearing loyalty too high to pay.
Witches are dying around her, some of them old friends and old coven mates. There’s dark magic being used, but no one is sure by who or to what end. Witches are being arrested and accused of dark magic, but most of it is just power displays with no real criminals apprehended. The main character is skirting around being arrested herself since she’s been in the wrong place at the wrong time, there’s a mysterious person trying to help her but we don’t know if they’re friend or foe.
There’s also unrest between the different factions, many groups unhappy with Sorens leadership and may plan to depose him, which would send everything into a war again.
There’s a lot of mystery going on and you’re never sure who’s trust worthy and who’s not – there’s also a lot of politics. Different wolf packs, bears, cats, humans, witches all having different goals and allegiances.
Characters:
Lily – the main character and a war witch, one of the most powerful witches left after the war, is an old war hero but still despised by many for actions during the war that weren’t made clear until the end of the book. She’s an adult that’s lost both of her parents and an old lover, she doesn’t have many people she can rely on outside of her best friend, Mo.
Mo – a wolf shifter and part of a wolf pack that’s friendly to Lily, she’s kind of sassy and fun and she’s a great friend for Lily being one of the only people she can trust. She’s got her own stuff going on with pack problems and her sisters wedding.
Lief – a complicated love interest, he’s part of law enforcement and since Lily keeps getting into trouble he may end up having to arrest her. This was an interesting take on a romance and it kept things surprising.
It’s a single POV so you get all of this through Lilys eyes, and she’s a bit biased and mistrusting, so you don’t know if people really are that treacherous, or if she’s been hurt so many times she sees back stabbers everywhere. She’s not very trusting and keeps most of her problems, even serious ones to herself rather than asking for help.
World Building:
There are people known as Others who are magical, and before The Breaking no one really knew they existed. Shifters can change into any kind of animal, but only one, and they generally form clans/packs and alliances between different related species – Canines stick together as do large cats etc.
Loki’s are unregulated shifters, they are generally feared both by humans and Others – some cool stuff going on with this once you get halfway through.
Witches have different levels, and they have to wear rings to identify their power ranking. War Witches are the most powerful, but someone like a Mender is considered low ranking.
Witches can be ‘collared’ with an iron ring which cuts them off from their magic, used when people are getting arrested or tortured.
Externals are a group of humans keeping an eye on the Others, looking for people breaking the Truce or dark witches. They have started arresting people whether they are guilty or not, they’re also performing illegal interrogations. They’ve been hounding the MC and she’s running out of time before they send her to jail. And jail in this world is not pretty, it’s full of iron to cut witches off from magic which can have real consequences, magic withdraw can have the same effects as a drug addiction.
There are glamours, and portals to demon realms, scrying, runes, spellcraft, grimoires, summonings, ghosts, demons, undead, and more.
Pacing/Tone/Writing:
The pacing was pretty fast even though it was 455 pages, there was a lot of action going on. The main character had multiple enemies throughout the book all of which were making some kind of attack, or arrest attempts. There were demons and spirits and other fight scenes with wolves that kept things going. There was moderate cursing, 39 fucks were given! The tone was darker-ish, the main character wasn’t exactly happy through most of the book, the world was bleaker since it was post war and there was oppression going on for the magical races, people were dying, and demons were being summoned.
The plot *sort of* wrapped up at the end, but it’s definitely part of a series.
Audience:
For people who like witches
For people looking for female POV
For people looking for female authored
For people looking for demons, ghosts, summons, and dark magic
For people looking for a lot of action
For people looking for a lot of magic
For people who prefer single POV
For people who like a lot of politics
August 17, 2019
In general I found this one to be disappointing.
The biggest problem with this book was that I really felt as if I was reading book 2 of a series... without having read book 1. It was bad enough that I logged on to Goodreads more than once in order to make sure I hadn't missed an earlier book in this series. But no dice.
What do I mean?
...When the book begins, it is a few years after a devastating war between humans versus witches and shape shifters. We are told (but not shown) that the war ended in a kind of stalemate, with an alliance being formed, apparently between humans, witches, and shifters? (This is actually never explained, and I was never clear on whether the initial alliance was between witches and shifters or between those groups and humans.) The main character is a super powerful witch known as a war witch (it actually takes a while before the book even explains this to the reader though, so I was really confused for the first part of the book, since it looked like she was special for being a witch yet there were about a million witches running around town). The main character actually winds up being something else super powerful as well but what this is is never explained beyond saying that she is some special kind of shifter (?). In general the main character keeps referring to things that happened in the war without explaining anything, which means that the reader is TOLD but not SHOWN... pretty much anything and everything. We are told but not shown that she was the Morrigan during the war (what this actually means isn't even explained when it is first brought up, actually, so it was really confusing). We told but not shown that she was involved with some guy (named Sam) who betrayed her during the war (exactly what happened wasn't clear to me). It wasn't until the very end of the book that I was clear on who, other than the main character, was a war witch/really powerful witch. The main character keeps on mentioning events that took place during the war with humans, yet only mentions them in passing such that it is really, really confusing for the reader. We are told but not shown that the main character has a huge amount of magical knowledge and was trained by her parents, who were killed in the 'breaking' (this appears to have been magic coming back into the world or something, and predated the war with humans, but is another thing is is NEVER explained).
Needless to say, I was confused.
Here, have a somewhat confused doggie gif.
All I know is that the main character lurched from one crisis to another for most of the book, and that nothing was ever really explained, and what was explained was very much TOLD and not SHOWN. The end.
I'm giving this one extra star because there were some interesting ideas (which were not fleshed out). So 2 disappointing stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2017
Got from Hidden Gems Romance ARC Club, for an honest review.
First time reading from the author.
When I signed up to read War Witch, I thought it would be like most others witch type books. Totally wrong. The book starts off quickly and keeps at a steady pace through out. The characters were well developed and the story line was different from anything I have read before. I have found that I will be wanting to check out their other books as well.
Thank you for letting me read your story.
First time reading from the author.
When I signed up to read War Witch, I thought it would be like most others witch type books. Totally wrong. The book starts off quickly and keeps at a steady pace through out. The characters were well developed and the story line was different from anything I have read before. I have found that I will be wanting to check out their other books as well.
Thank you for letting me read your story.
February 1, 2020
War Witch is yet another book that sound interesting in the premise, has an interesting world and side characters that draw you in, while featuring an unlikeable main character. She supposed to be scared by her past, tough, independent and capable. Instead I get whining about things in her past incessantly, while at the same time managing only to give over-broad teasing hints and not giving the reader anything to understand her refusal to work with anyone at all ever. As a result all I see is someone who is stubbornly independent when they should be working with others, someone who stands alone when there's no reason for them not to stand with others, and someone who is deliberately putting people in danger by not telling anyone else what she knows is going on.
November 13, 2020
Wrote a long review. Lost it. Kinda pissed. So here’s my sub par substitute.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The urban fantasy genre can get every overcrowded with TSTL and/or bitchy heroines. There are some distinct Kate Daniels vibes throughout the book in a very good way. Lily/Lilith was however very distinct from Kate and one of my favorite aspects was the history of the war. Lily was badass without be obnoxious.
The most obnoxious and angering thing about this book was the fact that there is NO BOOK TWO! I’m so upset. I read this entire thing in one go and was so amp’d to start on book two. It’s tragic and I’m depressed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The urban fantasy genre can get every overcrowded with TSTL and/or bitchy heroines. There are some distinct Kate Daniels vibes throughout the book in a very good way. Lily/Lilith was however very distinct from Kate and one of my favorite aspects was the history of the war. Lily was badass without be obnoxious.
The most obnoxious and angering thing about this book was the fact that there is NO BOOK TWO! I’m so upset. I read this entire thing in one go and was so amp’d to start on book two. It’s tragic and I’m depressed.
March 17, 2025
Re-read March 2025
Re-read August 2022
Re-read June 2020
Awesome!
I had no idea that I was going to enjoy this as much as I did. This was some serious cool world-building.
I'm really looking forward to the day where Layla finishes a sequel.
Re-read August 2022
Re-read June 2020
Awesome!
I had no idea that I was going to enjoy this as much as I did. This was some serious cool world-building.
I'm really looking forward to the day where Layla finishes a sequel.
November 16, 2017
I loved this book. The characters were believable and the plot interesting.
June 13, 2019
This had a very strong start.
And then it fizzled out.
A lot of the back-story was given in little pieces, it felt like a start in the middle of a series. The onset was still interesting and the protag original enough to carry the story for some time.
But after halfway it got tedious. Lilith made bad decisions right and left, recogized it, but continued. She didn't trust anyone and got people killed she tried to safe. For my taste, there was too much ideas/plot items thrown in - e.g. "loki". That didn't serve any great purpose, a hint of it could have carried a second installment, but now it's basically burned as an idea.
The romance part felt not really romantic. Which is a pity, because the one good scene between Leif and Lilith was HOT. But that's not enough.
It is a pity. I would try a second installment probably, but this is not a new favourite UF...
And then it fizzled out.
A lot of the back-story was given in little pieces, it felt like a start in the middle of a series. The onset was still interesting and the protag original enough to carry the story for some time.
But after halfway it got tedious. Lilith made bad decisions right and left, recogized it, but continued. She didn't trust anyone and got people killed she tried to safe. For my taste, there was too much ideas/plot items thrown in - e.g. "loki". That didn't serve any great purpose, a hint of it could have carried a second installment, but now it's basically burned as an idea.
The romance part felt not really romantic. Which is a pity, because the one good scene between Leif and Lilith was HOT. But that's not enough.
It is a pity. I would try a second installment probably, but this is not a new favourite UF...
February 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this book: fast-paced, action packed, a well developed world, with plenty of mystery and interesting characters. The only downside for me personally was the main character. She's well written but I've grown tired of "strong women" being defined as aloof, brash, disgruntled, young, loners. This has become such a standard that I often feel I'm reading about the same woman, different book. This character was a refreshing change 10-15 years ago but now I'd like to see the market redefine and expand "the powerful female lead" to something more feminine and older. In reality, men and women with these characteristics are difficult to love. I'd really like to see the War Witch soften up, become vulnerable and depend more on others in the second book.
tried-couldnt
March 3, 2020I guess witches are not my thing, or at least this witch story. I found it interesting at first, the world building had a lot of potential and it's always good to see a writer who doesnt't mistake spine with stupidity in a heroine.
And yet I couldn't see we were going anywhere. All that secrecy instead of trusting people you've fought with for 10 years, all that running around like a headless chicken, going bachelorette-partying when half the city is after you to execute you... I don't see it plausible. Maybe we should let Darwinism give it a shot.
In a nutshell, not really for me. A pity, I had high expectations for this one.
And yet I couldn't see we were going anywhere. All that secrecy instead of trusting people you've fought with for 10 years, all that running around like a headless chicken, going bachelorette-partying when half the city is after you to execute you... I don't see it plausible. Maybe we should let Darwinism give it a shot.
In a nutshell, not really for me. A pity, I had high expectations for this one.
July 5, 2022
The world itself was pretty interesting, and you could tell that the world building had some thought behind it with the history that is sprinkled in and the ramifications of the war. I also enjoyed some of the intricate details of the MCs PTSD from the war and the tension dynamics between the different races. The plot twist didn't really feel like a plot twist bc literally all of the evidence was pointed towards one person who she never questioned. Her unwillingness to share even a smidge amount of details until it was basically too late was a bit annoying too. Also unclear how I feel about her relationship with the investigator. It felt very forced by the author without any good reason for why she liked him.
April 25, 2021
I thought this was and maybe it is a stand alone book. The ending was open. The bad guys got away. Even before that I had an issue with confusion. In the beginning I kept thinking I was missing something. I look again to see if this was a series and if I'd missed a book. Even with all my gripes I did enjoy it and am disappointed that there is no second book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2021
This story was too dark for me to really enjoy it! I didn't care for Lily but by the end I understood where she was coming from.
October 2, 2017
Fun read
I really enjoyed the story. The characters come to life without being stereo typical in their heroism and bravery. I'm definitely going to read the second in the series.
I really enjoyed the story. The characters come to life without being stereo typical in their heroism and bravery. I'm definitely going to read the second in the series.
January 6, 2021
2.5 DNF stars
Too much going on and kinda boring. She is supposed to be this bad*** witch but I saw none of that. Just a lot of mistrust, lying, and running away.
DNF at 40%
Too much going on and kinda boring. She is supposed to be this bad*** witch but I saw none of that. Just a lot of mistrust, lying, and running away.
DNF at 40%
October 26, 2019
War witch paranormal book
War witch. Good paranormal book. Fast read. Looking for sequel as ends like should be one.
Would definitely like to read follow-up to story
War witch. Good paranormal book. Fast read. Looking for sequel as ends like should be one.
Would definitely like to read follow-up to story
April 26, 2017
a willingly obtuse"heroine", a long winded story. reading this was a mixture of frustration and urging. i was urging the author to get to the point barely halfway through. i was urging the author to remember the line between confusion a mystery. i was frustrated that despite the obvious promise the author held, she relied on cheap hollywood tricks that defied believability. the act of dumbing down a character that seems to be otherwise smart is an overused mistake. i have not even finishing the book and it seems like the author is trying to bludgeon me with clues. yes, i get it. i get that you think your reader is so stupid that you need to drag instead of lead her to a eureka moment. i hope to god the reveal is not what i think because i would be very annoyed. kudos on trying to bring something interesting on board. with a different execution, i would have loved this story.
UPDATE- firstly, i resent all the obviously fake/paid for reviews on this book. i can't believe i'm saying this but the book was TOO LONG. it also took itself waaay too seriously without merit. it was also a f***ing cliche (an imitation harry potter/wannabe super hero with megalomania). all these words that amounted to nothing, not even a plot. less would have been way more (and yes i understand the irony in that statement). there was a suspense of belief and a lack of suspense when it counted. hazy details that confused what was actually happening yet was missing when it was needed to preserve the suspicion of whodunnit. worst of all, it had the audacity to end on a cliffhanger.
UPDATE- firstly, i resent all the obviously fake/paid for reviews on this book. i can't believe i'm saying this but the book was TOO LONG. it also took itself waaay too seriously without merit. it was also a f***ing cliche (an imitation harry potter/wannabe super hero with megalomania). all these words that amounted to nothing, not even a plot. less would have been way more (and yes i understand the irony in that statement). there was a suspense of belief and a lack of suspense when it counted. hazy details that confused what was actually happening yet was missing when it was needed to preserve the suspicion of whodunnit. worst of all, it had the audacity to end on a cliffhanger.
November 2, 2017
I can see it getting better... probably
So it has great bones, but it lacks editing. I felt like there were ten different climaxes, and that Lily nearly died almost every chapter. I don't really understand most of her logic- every time she'd try and go do something by herself, she'd need help anyway, but she'd always refuse the help in the first place. Lief seemed cool, but we don't really know much about him either other than he's obviously her mate and everyone can see that except for Lily. Her magic is pretty BA, but she's got major PTSD that makes her act like a depressed, TSTL Mary Sue at times.
So it has great bones, but it lacks editing. I felt like there were ten different climaxes, and that Lily nearly died almost every chapter. I don't really understand most of her logic- every time she'd try and go do something by herself, she'd need help anyway, but she'd always refuse the help in the first place. Lief seemed cool, but we don't really know much about him either other than he's obviously her mate and everyone can see that except for Lily. Her magic is pretty BA, but she's got major PTSD that makes her act like a depressed, TSTL Mary Sue at times.
July 27, 2021
DNF. It started off so well but just grew more self- sabotaging the more it went on. Almost like it went in circles for me...maybe cause i listened instead of read. The story had so much potential but felt so depressing and the dropped lilly/laif love story didn't help either. Felt myself getting angrier at the heroine the more i went on. Decided i needed a break from this book maybe I'll revisit to actually finish some day maybe not.
July 26, 2017
Mixed Feelings
I liked the story, although the world building was seriously lacking. I liked about half of Lily and was totally turned off by her weaknesses rather than rooting for her to overcome them. The twist was great but there was no closure. I'm honestly not sure if I'll read anything else in this series, but I'll probably read something else by this author.
I liked the story, although the world building was seriously lacking. I liked about half of Lily and was totally turned off by her weaknesses rather than rooting for her to overcome them. The twist was great but there was no closure. I'm honestly not sure if I'll read anything else in this series, but I'll probably read something else by this author.
May 14, 2020
insane, one of the strongest UF I've read in a long time
January 3, 2021
This was an incredible story. I loved it. I have been waiting for book 2 and it still has yet to be released.
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