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Palace of Fires #1
Palace of Fires
She turned and saw them. Three black shapes in a crowd of colour, moving slowly like scuttling roaches.
Three women, dressed in leathers, carrying biker helmets.
They laughed and joked as they walked through the market, yet they radiated a palpable evil.
Lily knew it was all a hideous charade. They had come here to find someone.
They had come here to hunt.
For as long as Lily remembers, she and her mother have been on the move, but she does not know why.
Then she discovers the terrifying truth.
Three hundred years ago, her ancestor broke a solemn promise signed in blood. And now Lily is thrust into a shadow world where Satan is real, witches exist and evil is an ancient living thing that seeks to wreak havoc and rule.
The dark is coming, and only she can stop it.
Three women, dressed in leathers, carrying biker helmets.
They laughed and joked as they walked through the market, yet they radiated a palpable evil.
Lily knew it was all a hideous charade. They had come here to find someone.
They had come here to hunt.
For as long as Lily remembers, she and her mother have been on the move, but she does not know why.
Then she discovers the terrifying truth.
Three hundred years ago, her ancestor broke a solemn promise signed in blood. And now Lily is thrust into a shadow world where Satan is real, witches exist and evil is an ancient living thing that seeks to wreak havoc and rule.
The dark is coming, and only she can stop it.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published January 29, 2018
29 people are currently reading
651 people want to read
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January 31, 2018
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for honest review
DNF @ 120 pages
ALSO FIND THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG
R E V I E W
Palace of Fires is one of the first physical ARC’s I’ve been sent. Which made me pretty excited, obviously. Unfortunately, it fell really flat despite the exciting premise that had me requesting the book. From the writing to the characters everything felt incredibly flat and wasn’t enjoyable as a whole or even as a segment.
Since I didn’t actually finish Palace of Fires, I will only be commenting on the part I did read and my thoughts and feelings on it.
The book begins with a girl struggling to support her family in a historical era (I’m not sure on the year). Her little sister died, her mother and father are on their deathbeds and no doubt her younger brother will follow from starvation. It’s pretty damn sad. That is until she makes a deal with the devil, that her family and ancestors will have bountiful crops that will sustain them and provide them with an income. It’s an opportunity too hard to pass up and this girl jumps at it. The only catch is that she has sold her soul. Yes, the big cliché in these deals. However, this girl breaks her deal. Then we get a time jump to her ancestors who are on their way to a farmers market to sell produce they grew. Blah, blah, blah this mum and daughter duo eventually end up on the run from something evil chasing them – don’t be worried, you’ll get the perspective of these evil people so the mystery and suspense are destroyed.
I really was invested in the prologue that told the historical girls story. I feel like it would have been a better story as a whole as we learn why she broke her promise and, ultimately, see her punishment. What we got though was a mess, at least in this uncorrected proof. The main character, Lily, was also pretty unbearable. She came across as the classic special snowflake main character, which I personally have nothing against. My problem was how easy everything was coming to her. She barely had to try and everyone was willing to risk his or her lives for her. Why? No idea, she really didn’t seem that special on the part of the book I read. It also seemed that she had some sort of magic that she was going to master before the end of the book so within 300 pages.
Another issue I had with Palace of Fires was the number of points of view throughout. I am usually not too bothered by the changes in perspective when I feel they add to the plot. In the case where I felt they really took away from the mystery of the book, which feels like the main point of it. We get two of the villain’s perspectives, along with a boy that Lily’s thinks is cute. This is obviously on top of Lily’s POV. It just really took away from what the book was saying in my opinion and didn’t aid in what was happening at all.
The writing style of the book also was disconnected. The flow and transitions between chapters were inconsistent and it lacked a severe depth of the characters or world-building – hence, why I put it down.
Overall, Palace of Fires had a lot of promise but was very poorly executed. I know this is just an ARC so maybe these issues have been fixed in the final copy. However, I can’t ignore these issues in the copy I received since I was, unfortunately, let down by my too high expectations.
Also, if you're looking to buy any books over at Book Depository, feel free to use my affiliate link! I gain a small 5% commission at no extra cost to you.
DNF @ 120 pages
ALSO FIND THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG
R E V I E W
Palace of Fires is one of the first physical ARC’s I’ve been sent. Which made me pretty excited, obviously. Unfortunately, it fell really flat despite the exciting premise that had me requesting the book. From the writing to the characters everything felt incredibly flat and wasn’t enjoyable as a whole or even as a segment.
Since I didn’t actually finish Palace of Fires, I will only be commenting on the part I did read and my thoughts and feelings on it.
The book begins with a girl struggling to support her family in a historical era (I’m not sure on the year). Her little sister died, her mother and father are on their deathbeds and no doubt her younger brother will follow from starvation. It’s pretty damn sad. That is until she makes a deal with the devil, that her family and ancestors will have bountiful crops that will sustain them and provide them with an income. It’s an opportunity too hard to pass up and this girl jumps at it. The only catch is that she has sold her soul. Yes, the big cliché in these deals. However, this girl breaks her deal. Then we get a time jump to her ancestors who are on their way to a farmers market to sell produce they grew. Blah, blah, blah this mum and daughter duo eventually end up on the run from something evil chasing them – don’t be worried, you’ll get the perspective of these evil people so the mystery and suspense are destroyed.
I really was invested in the prologue that told the historical girls story. I feel like it would have been a better story as a whole as we learn why she broke her promise and, ultimately, see her punishment. What we got though was a mess, at least in this uncorrected proof. The main character, Lily, was also pretty unbearable. She came across as the classic special snowflake main character, which I personally have nothing against. My problem was how easy everything was coming to her. She barely had to try and everyone was willing to risk his or her lives for her. Why? No idea, she really didn’t seem that special on the part of the book I read. It also seemed that she had some sort of magic that she was going to master before the end of the book so within 300 pages.
Another issue I had with Palace of Fires was the number of points of view throughout. I am usually not too bothered by the changes in perspective when I feel they add to the plot. In the case where I felt they really took away from the mystery of the book, which feels like the main point of it. We get two of the villain’s perspectives, along with a boy that Lily’s thinks is cute. This is obviously on top of Lily’s POV. It just really took away from what the book was saying in my opinion and didn’t aid in what was happening at all.
The writing style of the book also was disconnected. The flow and transitions between chapters were inconsistent and it lacked a severe depth of the characters or world-building – hence, why I put it down.
Overall, Palace of Fires had a lot of promise but was very poorly executed. I know this is just an ARC so maybe these issues have been fixed in the final copy. However, I can’t ignore these issues in the copy I received since I was, unfortunately, let down by my too high expectations.
Also, if you're looking to buy any books over at Book Depository, feel free to use my affiliate link! I gain a small 5% commission at no extra cost to you.
August 18, 2019
My reviews can also be found here on my blog: https://brooklynthebookworm.wordpress...
I recieved a copy of Initiate, along with book two (Unholy), and the forthcoming (September 3rd release) Beast from Penguin Books Australia in exchange for honest reviews, all thoughts are my own.
Initially, I wasn’t too sure about this book, but by halfway I was well and truly hooked! I loved the changing points of view and I must admit I instantly adored Lily, our main character, who finds herself having to come to terms with some very shocking and not at all welcoming news!
All Lily wants is her Mother back with her safely, so my heart instantly went out to her! I loved the mystery surrounding Angela’s disappearance and learning how a specifically dark sect of witches were after both Angela and Lily’s soul! It was so chilling reading about the supposed priest character, who would stop at nothing to ensure that he would deliver both girls to his Satanic master.
However, the priest definitely isn’t the only ruthless player in this cast of white witches and dark witches, Kritta, a pint sized young lady with murder and malice on her mind, with ferocity at every turn and two familiars who she can wield at any point, she equally terrified and irritated me! I say irritated because I feel like I don’t quite understand why she longs to deliver both Mother and Daughter to her Master? I feel like I just wanted to shake her and be like “girl, chill!” – but she honestly had such a fierce and steel resolve and wouldn’t stop at anything to see that she would capture Lily, I must admit I did get a bit of a kick out of her determination and I do feel that she relied on her familiars, Andi and Bess (who I must admit had some fabulous banter, the two being jealous of one another and how both wanted to vie for Kritta’s attention).
Do not get me wrong though, I’m definitely team Lily here! There was a scene where she is being guided by elder witch Luna, who warns her that in order to fulfill her destiny, Lily will need to face demons most deadly, forsake all her worldly goods, but she’ll have the potential to be one of the strongest witches in her lineage! I was loving it! I also utterly adored their worship ties to the Goddess Artemis and how they drew on her wisdom and guidance for strength and power too!
Lily’s character growth was utterly magical! *pun intended* – this was just so much fun to read and so addictive throughout! At the start, Lily feels alone in the world, I mean, she loves her mum but she’s a bit weary of her mother’s constant packing up and moving around as soon as they got settled somewhere, but as the plot and mystery unfolds, I just felt like it was so satisfying learning about Lily’s magical heritage and about her fierce fight against the dark witches that would see her family lineage obliterated!
This book is presented in third person narration, told from manga different points of view and as the story unfolded I just think it worked so brilliantly and vividly! Of course, we have Lily’s, Kritta’s and The Priest, but also there was Kevin, a school mate of Lily’s and someone who finds himself drawn in by her quiet mystery, but also finds himself deeply excited by Kritta’s wicked ways and after a specific scene where Lily has a vision of Kevin in the cave during a rather integral part of the story…well, let’s just say I’m very intrigued to see how their paths intersect! There was also a POV from a character appropriately titled The Hag, a witch who hates children with a passion and adopts stray cats with a rapid streak. I really enjoyed her chapters too, especially her utter lack of tolerance of Kritta and her familiars, something which definitely worked both ways, that’s for sure!
Overall, a very exciting first installment in a very unique trilogy all about witchcraft, with a very unique mystery hidden below the depths! I know I’ll be getting into the second book in this series before long too!
I recieved a copy of Initiate, along with book two (Unholy), and the forthcoming (September 3rd release) Beast from Penguin Books Australia in exchange for honest reviews, all thoughts are my own.
Initially, I wasn’t too sure about this book, but by halfway I was well and truly hooked! I loved the changing points of view and I must admit I instantly adored Lily, our main character, who finds herself having to come to terms with some very shocking and not at all welcoming news!
All Lily wants is her Mother back with her safely, so my heart instantly went out to her! I loved the mystery surrounding Angela’s disappearance and learning how a specifically dark sect of witches were after both Angela and Lily’s soul! It was so chilling reading about the supposed priest character, who would stop at nothing to ensure that he would deliver both girls to his Satanic master.
However, the priest definitely isn’t the only ruthless player in this cast of white witches and dark witches, Kritta, a pint sized young lady with murder and malice on her mind, with ferocity at every turn and two familiars who she can wield at any point, she equally terrified and irritated me! I say irritated because I feel like I don’t quite understand why she longs to deliver both Mother and Daughter to her Master? I feel like I just wanted to shake her and be like “girl, chill!” – but she honestly had such a fierce and steel resolve and wouldn’t stop at anything to see that she would capture Lily, I must admit I did get a bit of a kick out of her determination and I do feel that she relied on her familiars, Andi and Bess (who I must admit had some fabulous banter, the two being jealous of one another and how both wanted to vie for Kritta’s attention).
Do not get me wrong though, I’m definitely team Lily here! There was a scene where she is being guided by elder witch Luna, who warns her that in order to fulfill her destiny, Lily will need to face demons most deadly, forsake all her worldly goods, but she’ll have the potential to be one of the strongest witches in her lineage! I was loving it! I also utterly adored their worship ties to the Goddess Artemis and how they drew on her wisdom and guidance for strength and power too!
Lily’s character growth was utterly magical! *pun intended* – this was just so much fun to read and so addictive throughout! At the start, Lily feels alone in the world, I mean, she loves her mum but she’s a bit weary of her mother’s constant packing up and moving around as soon as they got settled somewhere, but as the plot and mystery unfolds, I just felt like it was so satisfying learning about Lily’s magical heritage and about her fierce fight against the dark witches that would see her family lineage obliterated!
This book is presented in third person narration, told from manga different points of view and as the story unfolded I just think it worked so brilliantly and vividly! Of course, we have Lily’s, Kritta’s and The Priest, but also there was Kevin, a school mate of Lily’s and someone who finds himself drawn in by her quiet mystery, but also finds himself deeply excited by Kritta’s wicked ways and after a specific scene where Lily has a vision of Kevin in the cave during a rather integral part of the story…well, let’s just say I’m very intrigued to see how their paths intersect! There was also a POV from a character appropriately titled The Hag, a witch who hates children with a passion and adopts stray cats with a rapid streak. I really enjoyed her chapters too, especially her utter lack of tolerance of Kritta and her familiars, something which definitely worked both ways, that’s for sure!
Overall, a very exciting first installment in a very unique trilogy all about witchcraft, with a very unique mystery hidden below the depths! I know I’ll be getting into the second book in this series before long too!
September 25, 2018
I bought this book on a whim in a book store in Australia, as I was intrigued by the cover and the concept really got my attention. It all sounded so good, and it's got some excellent moments and some seriously twisted images and visuals, but the actual story and characters were a little awkward at times.
The world building is very interesting, and I like the idea of white and black witches. The lore kept my interest for the most part (except for the interpretation of Artemis, which completely blew a hole in my love for the GODDESS OF THE HUNT), and when the action happened, it was fairly solid.
That said, it took a while to get to the action of the plot. There were a lot of characters and many of the backstories were introduced early and left nothing to be explored by the reader. It was hard of me to keep track of all the names and characters, especially when it came to the villains, but it was also a bit of a challenge to like the heroes. I will say upfront that Angela is AWESOME. She's tough and smart and I want to know everything about her. I feel that Lily was trying a little too hard to be too many things. She also made some AWFUL decisions near the end of the book, and it truly makes me wonder where this series could possibly go.
I have another book to read in this series, so I'm not sure where it will go, but I'm still going to give it a chance!
The world building is very interesting, and I like the idea of white and black witches. The lore kept my interest for the most part (except for the interpretation of Artemis, which completely blew a hole in my love for the GODDESS OF THE HUNT), and when the action happened, it was fairly solid.
That said, it took a while to get to the action of the plot. There were a lot of characters and many of the backstories were introduced early and left nothing to be explored by the reader. It was hard of me to keep track of all the names and characters, especially when it came to the villains, but it was also a bit of a challenge to like the heroes. I will say upfront that Angela is AWESOME. She's tough and smart and I want to know everything about her. I feel that Lily was trying a little too hard to be too many things. She also made some AWFUL decisions near the end of the book, and it truly makes me wonder where this series could possibly go.
I have another book to read in this series, so I'm not sure where it will go, but I'm still going to give it a chance!
March 9, 2018
Satanic witches vs. hippie white witches - the story is executed very very poorly. Low grade writing and little to no world building. The main character is useless and whiny. There are a few good elements but they are strung together poorly. The story is non cohesive, they switch to perspectives of random unknown characters without warning and the descriptions are tedious and lend nothing to the world building. I wasted money on this book. A very poor satanic-worship centered story; blasphemous and truly boring.
March 31, 2019
Clunky throughout but the story was pretty good and paid off towards the end. Not baaaaad kinda want to read the next one now.
When will I do that?
Who knows
When will I do that?
Who knows
April 8, 2019
Meh. I finished this but skipped through huge chunks of it
December 25, 2025
YA. Horror. Witches.
A young girl Lily Maguire, suddenly discovers she is descended from a long line of white witches ever since her distant relative (1600). Made a pact with Satan, offering up her soul to save her family during the Irish Potato Famine.
However!
She never held up her end of the bargain so, the direct line of females, right up to the present day , are pursued by a sinister group of Dark Witches called “The Golden Order of Baphomet” Lead by the Fallen Priest ( aka The Collector, aka, Father Michael O’Leary ) collecting souls for his Dark Master and Mistress.
He is the inner sanctum s most important emissary. Sent to bring back prized acquisitions .
And nobody is more prized than Angela Maguire, Lily’s mother.
They want to claim the soul they were denied
After spending years on the run, both Angela and Lily have been found.
With the help of an up and coming young dark witch hoping to advance to the next level, Kritta
Along with her two familiars, a shape shifting couple. Bess, a pit bull, and Andi, a large golden eagle, she hunts down the Maguire’s relentlessly,
She eventually kidnaps Angela. leaving Lily, at sixteen, on the verge of coming into her witchy powers, to try and cope in a world where she doesn’t know which way to turn. Or who to trust .
This was a cool start to a three book series.
Just by happenstance, i came upon the first book in a secondhand store.
I am completely invested in the confused, scared Lily’s plight as she desperately searches for ways to get her mother back from the clutches of evil.
For this, she needed to place trust in her wealthy retired surgeon Uncle, and a young indigenous park ranger as they race against time to stop the ritualistic ceremony where her mother is to be the sacrifice.
I like this book, and was invested enough, to buy the next two to complete the series ,
It was evenly paced, and the dark witchy world was interesting and compelling.
A young girl Lily Maguire, suddenly discovers she is descended from a long line of white witches ever since her distant relative (1600). Made a pact with Satan, offering up her soul to save her family during the Irish Potato Famine.
However!
She never held up her end of the bargain so, the direct line of females, right up to the present day , are pursued by a sinister group of Dark Witches called “The Golden Order of Baphomet” Lead by the Fallen Priest ( aka The Collector, aka, Father Michael O’Leary ) collecting souls for his Dark Master and Mistress.
He is the inner sanctum s most important emissary. Sent to bring back prized acquisitions .
And nobody is more prized than Angela Maguire, Lily’s mother.
They want to claim the soul they were denied
After spending years on the run, both Angela and Lily have been found.
With the help of an up and coming young dark witch hoping to advance to the next level, Kritta
Along with her two familiars, a shape shifting couple. Bess, a pit bull, and Andi, a large golden eagle, she hunts down the Maguire’s relentlessly,
She eventually kidnaps Angela. leaving Lily, at sixteen, on the verge of coming into her witchy powers, to try and cope in a world where she doesn’t know which way to turn. Or who to trust .
This was a cool start to a three book series.
Just by happenstance, i came upon the first book in a secondhand store.
I am completely invested in the confused, scared Lily’s plight as she desperately searches for ways to get her mother back from the clutches of evil.
For this, she needed to place trust in her wealthy retired surgeon Uncle, and a young indigenous park ranger as they race against time to stop the ritualistic ceremony where her mother is to be the sacrifice.
I like this book, and was invested enough, to buy the next two to complete the series ,
It was evenly paced, and the dark witchy world was interesting and compelling.
February 4, 2018
Bill Bennett's new series kicks off with Palace of Fires: Initiate, where Lily Lennox and her mother move around a lot after her father's death. What Lily doesn't know is that they're being hunted by Satanic witches from the Golden Order, who are seeking payment after her ancestor broke a contract with the Prince of Darkness 300 years ago. When her mother is kidnapped, Lily has to face the dark forces pursuing them, and decide whether to fight or flee. The fantasy concepts are great in this story, although the writing is really repetitive (how many times do you need to say that Kritta likes slicing things with knives?! We get it!). I also got a bit sick of the short sentences, particularly at the beginning, but I found the story compelling and easy to read. One for those who liked The Hazel Wood.
June 13, 2020
Palace of Fires follows Lily as her world turns upside down when her mother is snatched by forces of evil and it becomes clear there is much more to the world and the Maguire family than she ever knew.
I really liked the concept for the book. I have been enjoying book lately that are set in our world but with fantasy or magic elements. In Lily's world Satan and black witches and white witches exist. Centuries ago Lily's ancestor reneged on a deal with Satan and he, and his minions have been hunting down the Maguire line desperate to get the soul he was cheated out of.
In this world Satan is both male and female, encompassing the evil in both the masculine and feminine, His Lord and Lady, Master and Mistress, The Two Evil. I liked the witchcraft elements and the idea of the Golden Order of Baphomet vs Cygnet. It was definitely full of the more creepy elements of witches, particularly in terms of the black witches and was darker than I was expecting but I did like that.
That said there were times when I found the dialogue a bit clunky and repetitive. Sometimes the characters seemed a little one dimensional, which combined with the dialogue kept me from being able to enjoy it and sink into the story. Some of the characters (Kritta and Kevin for example) did annoy me. I feel like it was a little stuck between being an young-adult and adult novel.
I have to say I really love the covers for this series, it is what drew me to the book in the first place. There's a small excerpt of book two which shows its cover and I love the creepy vibes from the both of them.
Whilst it wasn't always the most gripping novel it was a solid start to the trilogy. I am keen to read book two because I did enjoy the concept and it has the capacity to expand the world and up the action now that the introduction to this universe is down and there was a cliff hanger that means I really want to know what will happen next.
★★
This review and more can be found at https://wildheartreads.wordpress.com/
I really liked the concept for the book. I have been enjoying book lately that are set in our world but with fantasy or magic elements. In Lily's world Satan and black witches and white witches exist. Centuries ago Lily's ancestor reneged on a deal with Satan and he, and his minions have been hunting down the Maguire line desperate to get the soul he was cheated out of.
"There were only three people who really scared her, who had the power to hurt her. He was one. The second had no skin, and the third wasn't human."
In this world Satan is both male and female, encompassing the evil in both the masculine and feminine, His Lord and Lady, Master and Mistress, The Two Evil. I liked the witchcraft elements and the idea of the Golden Order of Baphomet vs Cygnet. It was definitely full of the more creepy elements of witches, particularly in terms of the black witches and was darker than I was expecting but I did like that.
That said there were times when I found the dialogue a bit clunky and repetitive. Sometimes the characters seemed a little one dimensional, which combined with the dialogue kept me from being able to enjoy it and sink into the story. Some of the characters (Kritta and Kevin for example) did annoy me. I feel like it was a little stuck between being an young-adult and adult novel.
I have to say I really love the covers for this series, it is what drew me to the book in the first place. There's a small excerpt of book two which shows its cover and I love the creepy vibes from the both of them.
"Artemis wore a crown made of animal horns, and in one hand she carried a bloodied sword, in the other the severed head of a snarling demon. Behind her was a field of carnage."
Whilst it wasn't always the most gripping novel it was a solid start to the trilogy. I am keen to read book two because I did enjoy the concept and it has the capacity to expand the world and up the action now that the introduction to this universe is down and there was a cliff hanger that means I really want to know what will happen next.
★★
This review and more can be found at https://wildheartreads.wordpress.com/
September 9, 2018
A modern take on a very versed subject matter. Witches, devils, ghost-lambs, priests with concerning mental health issues. Initiate has the works.
While I’m not usually a huge fan of these kinds of novels. Leather-clad-female-leads-whose-parents-hide-their-witchy-heritage-from-them-and-inevitably-have-to-save-the-world, I finished and enjoyed this novel quicker, and more than I expected. Sure, it has a lot of cliches with the whole white-light vs. dark energy thing, and the whole wacky-mother-with-an-energy-thing thing, but it also brings a lot of new ideas as well.
For example, the whole Satan being a two-‘person’ (for lack of a better word) entity that explores both a feminine and masculine side was a new twist that I enjoyed. As was the idea that Hell and Heaven aren’t fiery pits and fluffy white clouds. Not that that’s really a ‘new’ idea, but you get what I mean. Bennett played with these ideas in a way that drew me in, is what I’m trying to say.
I do wish we could have learnt more about her ancestor who is the reason for Lily’s unfortunate ‘destiny’, but I’m sure that we as readers will come to know more about her and her story in the novels to come (Bennett if you’re reading this, a novel based on Jennett could be an interesting idea too).
I liked the way that Bennett focused more on the actual lives and culture of the witches than the actual spells. It was refreshing, to say the least. I do wish we could have had a little more explanation about Artemis, and potentially more to do with her, but I wasn’t dissatisfied with the way that aspect was handled.
The purification part of the novel, I thought, was quite wonderful. As was the initiation. There was witchcraft, and spells, but it wasn’t the focus, and it wasn’t too folky or mythical either. It was very much like that of New Age witchcraft. As was the prayer to Artemis and other forces, which I quite liked. It was done in a way that those who commit to such ideals would not be offended by the way Bennett explained and wrote them.
I didn’t much enjoy the way that the protagonist, Lily, just accepted and initiated herself into the witchy lifestyle without all that much questioning, but I also understand that there was something of a tight schedule she had to adhere to as well.
Additionally, the consistent changing of POV was somewhat irritating, and at times, disjointed. While it was interesting to see parts of the lives of the villains, I felt it also took away some of the suspense and wonder to do with these characters. Kritta, a biker lady with a bone to pick for no explained reason, and her two familiars, I felt were a little plain. Kritta was often going on about predator vs. prey and how she liked to invoke a lot of nature’s natural hunting instincts and that’s why she is such an advanced killer. Sure, I get that as the baddies they need to act the part, but she didn’t seem to have much emotion outside of her ambition to rise through the ranks of the evil witches. Their biker-gang-look left me somewhat unimpressed, and so did their hack -first-ask-questions-never attitude. But there is always room for her to grow, I suppose.
All in all, however, I did enjoy this novel, and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the supernatural witch-type genre, and would also recommend it to those interested in getting into this genre as a good starting point. Those looking for a strong female character might be left looking for something more, but I urge you to remember that this is the origin book for a character who has much more room to grow, and likely will flower in the novels to come. I’ll be reading the next one to see how it goes, anyway.
Take care and happy reading, fellow bookworms!
While I’m not usually a huge fan of these kinds of novels. Leather-clad-female-leads-whose-parents-hide-their-witchy-heritage-from-them-and-inevitably-have-to-save-the-world, I finished and enjoyed this novel quicker, and more than I expected. Sure, it has a lot of cliches with the whole white-light vs. dark energy thing, and the whole wacky-mother-with-an-energy-thing thing, but it also brings a lot of new ideas as well.
For example, the whole Satan being a two-‘person’ (for lack of a better word) entity that explores both a feminine and masculine side was a new twist that I enjoyed. As was the idea that Hell and Heaven aren’t fiery pits and fluffy white clouds. Not that that’s really a ‘new’ idea, but you get what I mean. Bennett played with these ideas in a way that drew me in, is what I’m trying to say.
I do wish we could have learnt more about her ancestor who is the reason for Lily’s unfortunate ‘destiny’, but I’m sure that we as readers will come to know more about her and her story in the novels to come (Bennett if you’re reading this, a novel based on Jennett could be an interesting idea too).
I liked the way that Bennett focused more on the actual lives and culture of the witches than the actual spells. It was refreshing, to say the least. I do wish we could have had a little more explanation about Artemis, and potentially more to do with her, but I wasn’t dissatisfied with the way that aspect was handled.
The purification part of the novel, I thought, was quite wonderful. As was the initiation. There was witchcraft, and spells, but it wasn’t the focus, and it wasn’t too folky or mythical either. It was very much like that of New Age witchcraft. As was the prayer to Artemis and other forces, which I quite liked. It was done in a way that those who commit to such ideals would not be offended by the way Bennett explained and wrote them.
I didn’t much enjoy the way that the protagonist, Lily, just accepted and initiated herself into the witchy lifestyle without all that much questioning, but I also understand that there was something of a tight schedule she had to adhere to as well.
Additionally, the consistent changing of POV was somewhat irritating, and at times, disjointed. While it was interesting to see parts of the lives of the villains, I felt it also took away some of the suspense and wonder to do with these characters. Kritta, a biker lady with a bone to pick for no explained reason, and her two familiars, I felt were a little plain. Kritta was often going on about predator vs. prey and how she liked to invoke a lot of nature’s natural hunting instincts and that’s why she is such an advanced killer. Sure, I get that as the baddies they need to act the part, but she didn’t seem to have much emotion outside of her ambition to rise through the ranks of the evil witches. Their biker-gang-look left me somewhat unimpressed, and so did their hack -first-ask-questions-never attitude. But there is always room for her to grow, I suppose.
All in all, however, I did enjoy this novel, and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the supernatural witch-type genre, and would also recommend it to those interested in getting into this genre as a good starting point. Those looking for a strong female character might be left looking for something more, but I urge you to remember that this is the origin book for a character who has much more room to grow, and likely will flower in the novels to come. I’ll be reading the next one to see how it goes, anyway.
Take care and happy reading, fellow bookworms!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 21, 2018This book brings a new twist on the world of witches and the macabre.
This concept has a lot of potential and I'm excited for the release of the second book. Although simplistic at times, and a bit cliche, the book creates a world that is slowly developed throughout. The blend of the spiritual and satantic is gripping and fascinating.
However, the book lacks focus on the main storyline, dragging out the scenes between the actions and revelations of the main character with sometimes unnecessary perspectives from characters that feel like they have little relevance to the overall development of the book. Or, more often, these interludes take away the air of mystery that already had a faint presence.
Furthermore, repetition of certain things such as the feelings and personality traits of characters are often repeated again and again, which makes it hard to focus and loses my attention.
Transitions between scenes, characters and even chapters at times feels disjointed and often breaks the immersion and flow of the story.
Often the explanation and reasoning behind events or characters thoughts, feelings and actions remain a mystery but they come instantaneously with a description possibly to detailed for the brief seconds the encounters took.
Characters are often cardboard cutouts of cliches and written about as in depth as one, making the target audience of 12-13 year olds very clear.
The underlying problem I believe to be, comes down to something a lot of writers should follow; show not tell.
In saying all of this, I realise that this is a three part series and there is wriggle room to expand and develop storylines, characters and much more throughout, which I hope it does.
Bill Bennet has incorporated his knowledge of the spiritual from his PGS: The Way film into the underlying themes of the book in a way that peaks the audiences interest in the world he is creating.
In conclusion, it creates the basis for an exciting yet dark world that is twisted in a refreshing way. I hold high hopes for the second book and hope the series potential isn't wasted.
This concept has a lot of potential and I'm excited for the release of the second book. Although simplistic at times, and a bit cliche, the book creates a world that is slowly developed throughout. The blend of the spiritual and satantic is gripping and fascinating.
However, the book lacks focus on the main storyline, dragging out the scenes between the actions and revelations of the main character with sometimes unnecessary perspectives from characters that feel like they have little relevance to the overall development of the book. Or, more often, these interludes take away the air of mystery that already had a faint presence.
Furthermore, repetition of certain things such as the feelings and personality traits of characters are often repeated again and again, which makes it hard to focus and loses my attention.
Transitions between scenes, characters and even chapters at times feels disjointed and often breaks the immersion and flow of the story.
Often the explanation and reasoning behind events or characters thoughts, feelings and actions remain a mystery but they come instantaneously with a description possibly to detailed for the brief seconds the encounters took.
Characters are often cardboard cutouts of cliches and written about as in depth as one, making the target audience of 12-13 year olds very clear.
The underlying problem I believe to be, comes down to something a lot of writers should follow; show not tell.
In saying all of this, I realise that this is a three part series and there is wriggle room to expand and develop storylines, characters and much more throughout, which I hope it does.
Bill Bennet has incorporated his knowledge of the spiritual from his PGS: The Way film into the underlying themes of the book in a way that peaks the audiences interest in the world he is creating.
In conclusion, it creates the basis for an exciting yet dark world that is twisted in a refreshing way. I hold high hopes for the second book and hope the series potential isn't wasted.
December 20, 2024
This book was SO close to being a DNF. I only made it past the halfway mark with thanks to the sunk cost fallacy. I have three major gripes with this book.
1) the main character. Despite the authors claims she has a personality, her whole personality is that she is "not like other girls" the first four chapters in her POV, are essentially there to state again that she's different and doesn't fit in, like, I get it! The first time you described her I understood! It was unessasary to keep pushing in the point how different from other girls she it, it grated on me painfully. even as someone myself who strays from societal norms.
2) the writing itself. The authors way of describing things is... Cringe inducing. I had to put the book down after he describes someone as having, directly quoting, "Bench Press Thighs". This upset me for many reasons, first of all, a bench press works your pecs, delts, and triceps. These are all upper body muscles!! A bench press does not engage ANY leg related muscles. This is a recurring theme for his descriptions. He writes as if he's only heard of things in passing and uses this information as if it were fact. This leads me to the third major gripe;
3) The whole structure of magic in this book seems to be based entirely on the fact the author had an aunt who dabbles in holistic medicine and crystal meditation, but he himself has no actual knowledge on such things, the whole order of baphomet seems to be based on a Christianity perspective of the satanic panic, yet the two main magic systems are functionally the same? They both (white and black magic) have the same hierarchical system which reeks of supremacy.
And I'll give this a whole section of its own, the plot! The whole book is just one Event happening after the other, the goal that is set out in the beginning is never accomplished, and there is barely any set up for the following books other than the fact this book appears unfinished.
1.5/10. I physically cannot recommend this book under any circumstances. I wish I had given up reading it after the first time the author told us Lily was not like other girls.
1) the main character. Despite the authors claims she has a personality, her whole personality is that she is "not like other girls" the first four chapters in her POV, are essentially there to state again that she's different and doesn't fit in, like, I get it! The first time you described her I understood! It was unessasary to keep pushing in the point how different from other girls she it, it grated on me painfully. even as someone myself who strays from societal norms.
2) the writing itself. The authors way of describing things is... Cringe inducing. I had to put the book down after he describes someone as having, directly quoting, "Bench Press Thighs". This upset me for many reasons, first of all, a bench press works your pecs, delts, and triceps. These are all upper body muscles!! A bench press does not engage ANY leg related muscles. This is a recurring theme for his descriptions. He writes as if he's only heard of things in passing and uses this information as if it were fact. This leads me to the third major gripe;
3) The whole structure of magic in this book seems to be based entirely on the fact the author had an aunt who dabbles in holistic medicine and crystal meditation, but he himself has no actual knowledge on such things, the whole order of baphomet seems to be based on a Christianity perspective of the satanic panic, yet the two main magic systems are functionally the same? They both (white and black magic) have the same hierarchical system which reeks of supremacy.
And I'll give this a whole section of its own, the plot! The whole book is just one Event happening after the other, the goal that is set out in the beginning is never accomplished, and there is barely any set up for the following books other than the fact this book appears unfinished.
1.5/10. I physically cannot recommend this book under any circumstances. I wish I had given up reading it after the first time the author told us Lily was not like other girls.
August 12, 2020
Lily and her mom have been on the run since Lily’s dad was killed in a hit-and-run four years ago. Lily has enjoyed living on the farm, and gentle gardening with her mom. But then a regular trip to the Farmer’s Market ends with tragedy – Lily’s mom is missing, and Lily thinks a scary biker is at fault.
I was initially sent the second book in this trilogy to review (Unholy) back in 2018. I hadn’t read the first book, so I put it on my shelf to be read when I could get it from the library. Then this month Penguin generously sent me all three books to read! Sadly, I couldn’t get past the first one.
The most promising part of this novel was the prologue! Lily’s ancestor is trying to keep her family alive, but the potato fields are blighted so she signs her name in blood with Satan. Then the book segues awkwardly into an elite hunter witch and her two familiars that feed on toe-nipples (no, you didn’t read that incorrectly!).
Details that should have simply been implied are spelled out and then spelled out again. The book jumps between perspectives of the witches, the hunter, the hag, Lily, Lily’s love interest etc etc. to the point that you don’t actually know which character you should care about. Of course we should care the most about Lily, but honestly I found her irritating and all too predictable. She really works hard to make herself different from everyone else, and she doesn’t even bother trying to do social niceties when they might benefit her.
I haven’t read a book that I detested as much as this one for quite a while! I mean, I hated I Always Find You, but I at least finished it. Bill Bennett’s Unholy wasn’t even tolerable for 100 pages. 1 star. I’d give 0 stars if I could.
Did you enjoy this goodreads review? If so you may find it useful to visit my blog The Cosy Dragon . I regularly post new reviews on a variety of genres.
I was initially sent the second book in this trilogy to review (Unholy) back in 2018. I hadn’t read the first book, so I put it on my shelf to be read when I could get it from the library. Then this month Penguin generously sent me all three books to read! Sadly, I couldn’t get past the first one.
The most promising part of this novel was the prologue! Lily’s ancestor is trying to keep her family alive, but the potato fields are blighted so she signs her name in blood with Satan. Then the book segues awkwardly into an elite hunter witch and her two familiars that feed on toe-nipples (no, you didn’t read that incorrectly!).
Details that should have simply been implied are spelled out and then spelled out again. The book jumps between perspectives of the witches, the hunter, the hag, Lily, Lily’s love interest etc etc. to the point that you don’t actually know which character you should care about. Of course we should care the most about Lily, but honestly I found her irritating and all too predictable. She really works hard to make herself different from everyone else, and she doesn’t even bother trying to do social niceties when they might benefit her.
I haven’t read a book that I detested as much as this one for quite a while! I mean, I hated I Always Find You, but I at least finished it. Bill Bennett’s Unholy wasn’t even tolerable for 100 pages. 1 star. I’d give 0 stars if I could.
Did you enjoy this goodreads review? If so you may find it useful to visit my blog The Cosy Dragon . I regularly post new reviews on a variety of genres.
August 3, 2018
I'm not sure how a book about all my favourite things manages to be so dull.
The premise is intriguing: an urban fantasy that follows young Lily into a world of witchcraft and dark magic and satan (see cover)…. and that's about it. The execution is very plain and the worldbuilding just isn't there. It was the classic good witches that like flowers and nature (they mention Wicca but if Wicca is involved it's a VERY basic version of it) versus the evil satan-worshipping witches that murder people and do blood sacrifice.
Keeping the premise like this simple would have worked if the story itself was executed well, but the plot hits a standstill about halfway and not much really happens.
I had two main problems with this book. The first being Lily as a character. She was vapid rude to other characters for no particular reason other to be a pain in the ass. Not a lot of depth was added other than the most basic dot points, and things that could have been potentially interesting, such as her distrust in authority, were added completely out of left field and made it rather unbelievable. The second was the fact that Lily wasn't telling much of the story at all.
I don't have a problem with multiple perspectives in stories - they add details that readers need to know to understand the story better and allow for depth in characters, setting and plot that can be difficult to establish with just one character alone. The problem I had was that it was done too well here. The reader knows all the details before the main character, making her questioning and decision making at times frustrating, and for a story trying to add that horror element, most of the suspense and mystery of what was going on was lost only a few chapters in, which may have contributed to the stagnation of the second act. Otherwise it was bland, cliched and rather forgettable.
The premise is intriguing: an urban fantasy that follows young Lily into a world of witchcraft and dark magic and satan (see cover)…. and that's about it. The execution is very plain and the worldbuilding just isn't there. It was the classic good witches that like flowers and nature (they mention Wicca but if Wicca is involved it's a VERY basic version of it) versus the evil satan-worshipping witches that murder people and do blood sacrifice.
Keeping the premise like this simple would have worked if the story itself was executed well, but the plot hits a standstill about halfway and not much really happens.
I had two main problems with this book. The first being Lily as a character. She was vapid rude to other characters for no particular reason other to be a pain in the ass. Not a lot of depth was added other than the most basic dot points, and things that could have been potentially interesting, such as her distrust in authority, were added completely out of left field and made it rather unbelievable. The second was the fact that Lily wasn't telling much of the story at all.
I don't have a problem with multiple perspectives in stories - they add details that readers need to know to understand the story better and allow for depth in characters, setting and plot that can be difficult to establish with just one character alone. The problem I had was that it was done too well here. The reader knows all the details before the main character, making her questioning and decision making at times frustrating, and for a story trying to add that horror element, most of the suspense and mystery of what was going on was lost only a few chapters in, which may have contributed to the stagnation of the second act. Otherwise it was bland, cliched and rather forgettable.
May 21, 2018
First off. This is not my average Saturday afternoon read. Full of references to the occult and alot of downright nastiness, I felt this was a welcome departure from the 'usual' YA publication.
The story revolves around Lily a teenager who hasn't had the chance to settle down anywhere since get Dad passed away. This is due to her mother's insistence on moving regularly. little does Lily know her mother had good reason to be scared as someone welched on a deal with the Devil and now he wants to collect.
I found Bennett's use of alternative depictions of cults to be an interesting read with least characters still having relevance to the story (most of the time). I did however feel that he could have better developed the world ub which it was set as not all people have travelled to USA.
Utilisation of Kritta as one of the villains turned out to be one of the high points of my readthrough. Ordinarily a villain is dark and mysterious. Kritta is just downright mean. As a result of her malevolence, she just felt right for the story.
The Johnston's are a down point for me. Dr Johnston's plight was poorly thought out and Kevin's backstory seemed to simply be 'my dad's mean'. I would have loved to like them but unfortunately both characters were shallow.
overall I thought this was a great read especially since it is Australian filmmaker Bill Bennett's first foray into the literary world. 4.25/5 stars.
Read my full review at someonetookit.wordpress.com
The story revolves around Lily a teenager who hasn't had the chance to settle down anywhere since get Dad passed away. This is due to her mother's insistence on moving regularly. little does Lily know her mother had good reason to be scared as someone welched on a deal with the Devil and now he wants to collect.
I found Bennett's use of alternative depictions of cults to be an interesting read with least characters still having relevance to the story (most of the time). I did however feel that he could have better developed the world ub which it was set as not all people have travelled to USA.
Utilisation of Kritta as one of the villains turned out to be one of the high points of my readthrough. Ordinarily a villain is dark and mysterious. Kritta is just downright mean. As a result of her malevolence, she just felt right for the story.
The Johnston's are a down point for me. Dr Johnston's plight was poorly thought out and Kevin's backstory seemed to simply be 'my dad's mean'. I would have loved to like them but unfortunately both characters were shallow.
overall I thought this was a great read especially since it is Australian filmmaker Bill Bennett's first foray into the literary world. 4.25/5 stars.
Read my full review at someonetookit.wordpress.com
May 21, 2018
Honestly I didn't enjoy this book at all. I had to force my self to complete the enduring task of finishing the book and even then I don't finish the book.
I genuinely disliked the main character "Lily". When offered help she would simply deny it no matter who it's from and not politely either she would do it in a rude way. Like honestly if my mother were kidnapped I'd want all the help I could get, not go around yelling at everyone who offers assistance. With most books I read I can relate to at least one of the characters but with this book I found it hard to connect with any of them. I found that I actually favoured the "villain" side more than the "hero" side.
The story line was all over the place jumping from one point of view to the other. Switching from the protagonists point of view to one of the several antagonists then to some random character that is suddenly introduced. It didn't make much sense. I mean pick one point of view and keep it like that. I've only read one other book with changes in point of view and that book however was well executed. This book is the opposite of that. Overall the flow of the story wasn't nice and it was unpleasant to read. I didn't enjoy it at all.
I genuinely disliked the main character "Lily". When offered help she would simply deny it no matter who it's from and not politely either she would do it in a rude way. Like honestly if my mother were kidnapped I'd want all the help I could get, not go around yelling at everyone who offers assistance. With most books I read I can relate to at least one of the characters but with this book I found it hard to connect with any of them. I found that I actually favoured the "villain" side more than the "hero" side.
The story line was all over the place jumping from one point of view to the other. Switching from the protagonists point of view to one of the several antagonists then to some random character that is suddenly introduced. It didn't make much sense. I mean pick one point of view and keep it like that. I've only read one other book with changes in point of view and that book however was well executed. This book is the opposite of that. Overall the flow of the story wasn't nice and it was unpleasant to read. I didn't enjoy it at all.
April 2, 2018
Lily, the protagonist, is a regular current day young girl who lives with her widowed, slightly hippy Mum (crystals, energies and vibrations), or is she?
As the story unfolds – be sure to read the Prologue, set in 1693; we discover that Lily is the main player in an adventure of witchcraft, both good and evil.
I enjoyed the style of writing and descriptive language “ Olivier screamed, a heart-wrenching shriek of pain, and clutched at his face as the huge eagle suddenly flew off, with one of his bloodied eyeballs skewered on a talon like a red cherry on a toothpick”
We meet many characters, including two potential romantic interests for Lily – the good and the bad, and there is plenty of ugly in the evil members of Baphomet.
To me the outstanding theme is that of taking responsibility for the choices we make in life. “ But we know instinctively we’re going the wrong way, just like we know when it feels right.” The book offers some life philosophy and plenty of gruesome fight scenes, effective scaling of tension as Lily and others take risks, which all result in “initiate” being a page turner… and then we are left suspended – waiting for “unholy”. The next book in the “Palace of Fire” series.
As the story unfolds – be sure to read the Prologue, set in 1693; we discover that Lily is the main player in an adventure of witchcraft, both good and evil.
I enjoyed the style of writing and descriptive language “ Olivier screamed, a heart-wrenching shriek of pain, and clutched at his face as the huge eagle suddenly flew off, with one of his bloodied eyeballs skewered on a talon like a red cherry on a toothpick”
We meet many characters, including two potential romantic interests for Lily – the good and the bad, and there is plenty of ugly in the evil members of Baphomet.
To me the outstanding theme is that of taking responsibility for the choices we make in life. “ But we know instinctively we’re going the wrong way, just like we know when it feels right.” The book offers some life philosophy and plenty of gruesome fight scenes, effective scaling of tension as Lily and others take risks, which all result in “initiate” being a page turner… and then we are left suspended – waiting for “unholy”. The next book in the “Palace of Fire” series.
May 28, 2018
This year I read an amazing book called " Palace of Fires- initiate", by Bill Bennett. I randomly selected this book, hoping for it to be good, and judging it by its cover. I found it at Whitcolls at Teen Fiction section. As soon as I started reading it I couldn't put it down because of the amazing hook of it. This is the first book, and the second one is coming out in 2019.
Palace of Fires initiate is a book about a girl Lily Lennox who lives an unsettled life with her flighty mother. Since her fathers death in a car accident, Lily and her mum moved from place to place, often because her mum felt bad energies and had bad feelings about the place they were living in. Because they moved houses and cities very often Lily adapted to the lonely, nomadic lifestyle, and knows how it feels to always be the one that doesn't fit in. When Angela (Lily's mum) is kidnapped by three bikers, Lily goes to her Uncle Freddie who tells her the truth behind her mum's odd behaviour and her father's death.
http://readingtime.com.au/initiate-pa...
Palace of Fires initiate is a book about a girl Lily Lennox who lives an unsettled life with her flighty mother. Since her fathers death in a car accident, Lily and her mum moved from place to place, often because her mum felt bad energies and had bad feelings about the place they were living in. Because they moved houses and cities very often Lily adapted to the lonely, nomadic lifestyle, and knows how it feels to always be the one that doesn't fit in. When Angela (Lily's mum) is kidnapped by three bikers, Lily goes to her Uncle Freddie who tells her the truth behind her mum's odd behaviour and her father's death.
http://readingtime.com.au/initiate-pa...
July 11, 2019
Okay y’all, based on the Goodreads ratings I went into this expecting a dumpster fire. But it was actually kinda fun! If you go into this expecting a YA novel drawing from the 2007-2011 paranormal phase, you’re in for a good time.
Palace of Fires: Initiate is filled with witches, familiars, black magic, crazy leather outfits, a Chosen One trope, evil priests, assassins, and some truly gross and shocking horror - which was giving me life! It's fun, deliciously trashy, dark, and action packed.
But it’s far from perfect.
The writing in general is a bit messy. The author overexplains everything and the reader is never given enough credit for their ability to connect the dots. At the same time, the characters just accept things at face value and surmount their obstacles quickly, which thereby affects the pacing and tension of the narrative.
One of my major issues with this story is that it can never decide if it wants to be an American or Australian book. It’s set in America and I don’t recall the protag being Australian, but the author connnnnnnstantly spoofs with Aussie slang like “servo” and “speedo”. Make up your mind, sir.
Additionally, I didn’t love how the three people of colour in this book are portrayed. They’re all simply bodyguards or cannon fodder, and the Native American representation feels a little stereotypical and tokenistic. I hope to see that improve in later novels.
All that being said, it was a quick and fun read for fans of the horror genre. If you’re in the market for a YA horror that’s equal parts tacky and fun, this is well worth a read. I’m definitely going to give the sequel a go!
Palace of Fires: Initiate is filled with witches, familiars, black magic, crazy leather outfits, a Chosen One trope, evil priests, assassins, and some truly gross and shocking horror - which was giving me life! It's fun, deliciously trashy, dark, and action packed.
But it’s far from perfect.
The writing in general is a bit messy. The author overexplains everything and the reader is never given enough credit for their ability to connect the dots. At the same time, the characters just accept things at face value and surmount their obstacles quickly, which thereby affects the pacing and tension of the narrative.
One of my major issues with this story is that it can never decide if it wants to be an American or Australian book. It’s set in America and I don’t recall the protag being Australian, but the author connnnnnnstantly spoofs with Aussie slang like “servo” and “speedo”. Make up your mind, sir.
Additionally, I didn’t love how the three people of colour in this book are portrayed. They’re all simply bodyguards or cannon fodder, and the Native American representation feels a little stereotypical and tokenistic. I hope to see that improve in later novels.
All that being said, it was a quick and fun read for fans of the horror genre. If you’re in the market for a YA horror that’s equal parts tacky and fun, this is well worth a read. I’m definitely going to give the sequel a go!
March 24, 2020
3.5 stars - It has an ok concept, not the newest but interesting. Unfortunately the execution could have been better. The timing/spacing feels off and overall definitely feels like an intro, with the arc of the book leaning more to the overall series than a book of its own within a series. The character writing/motivation/mindset feels lacking at times, repetitive and unrealistic, and other times it feels like it touches right on the core of the character. Maybe I put too high expectations on this book and series as I waited to start this book until after the last book in the series was out so I vould binge (and I got this first book in the series when it was first released). I'm hoping the next book develops the story more and some of the writing is more consistent. I'm not usually overly bothered by basic, non-flourishy writing, but something to do with the level of writing contrasting with the topic and content just doesn't work for me.
December 19, 2019
I'm very torn over how I feel about this book. The first 200-odd pages were probably the worst I've read in my entire life, with a horrible, cliché story line and dialogue. The scenery descriptions and world building were atrocious. And the introduction to the main character was SO BAD, it was clearly written by a middle aged man who didn't even ATTEMPT to understand both how female bodies work and how a teenage girl would act and think.
Yet, with all this said, I somehow managed to push through, and the last hundred pages were actually somewhat good? There was action, there was character development, and there was more action. Although there was still the more-than-occasional dialogue that was so cringe, it was still enjoyable. To be honest, I probably will read the next book, I'll just loathe it the whole time.
Yet, with all this said, I somehow managed to push through, and the last hundred pages were actually somewhat good? There was action, there was character development, and there was more action. Although there was still the more-than-occasional dialogue that was so cringe, it was still enjoyable. To be honest, I probably will read the next book, I'll just loathe it the whole time.
August 27, 2025
As Bills debut novel this was a decent novel. Some small descriptions and such were repeated unnecessarily at the beginning and the writing felt a bit stiff, but after about 1/4 of the novel it felt like he sort of sunk into his story and I quite enjoyed it. The ideas and premise of the novel was really good and quite unique regarding his take on witches and satan, etc. My main issue was the ending of the novel. Although it ended at a post climax point which fit well, it ended before we even get close to a resolution but its not on a cliffhanger either. I feel that there is a lot more that could have been explored and many of the other characters pov's and locations needed to be covered again to really build the story. I know it is a series but the aforementioned still stands in my point of view.
March 24, 2018
I would have finished this book in two days if there weren't other things I had to get done in my life - a page turner, no doubt! How would I describe it? Think darker version, for slightly older readers, of Harry Potter....with a girl witch as our hero! In fact, strong female characters, both good and evil, abound. The three dark witches (or is it one witch and her two 'familiars'?) pursuing our heroine Lily are particularly intriguing. Perhaps it is the fact that Bill Bennett is an accomplished film director that makes it so easy to imagine this translating to the big screen; the visual imagery is very strong. Let's hope we see it there in the future. The first of a trilogy, readers will be keen for book two...
June 16, 2018
I absolutely enjoyed reading this book! It was engaging, entertaining, and thought-provoking. It's a wonderful fable, full of deeper lessons, that is a wonderful blend of metaphysical mystery, historical action thriller, and a spiritual coming-of-age story served with a touch of horror on a solid foundation of compassion and love. What more could I ask for? I would have loved to read it all in one sitting, kicked back on my couch on a rainy day, with the fireplace going. But, I had to sneak it in piecemeal whenever I could during my loaded daily schedule. The author wrote the book in a way that made reading it more like watching a good cliff-hanger TV series. I had to tear myself away from it every time I had to get some work done or some sleep! It's THAT good.
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June 6, 2021DNF at Page 163. The writing was distinctly Australian despite being set in America, with many Australian phrases and stylings used. Not really a big deal but it threw the pacing of the book off.
‘Palace of Fires’ suffers from the annoying trope of the MC being thrown into an unknown magical world and yet multiple characters used the cliche ‘There’s no time to explain this but I promise I will’, then go into pages worth of dialogue that could’ve been used to explain what was going on. This was obviously used as a plot device but when it happened more than once I grew frustrated.
The dialogue was clunky and ill-fitting, and I quickly lost interest in the story.
‘Palace of Fires’ suffers from the annoying trope of the MC being thrown into an unknown magical world and yet multiple characters used the cliche ‘There’s no time to explain this but I promise I will’, then go into pages worth of dialogue that could’ve been used to explain what was going on. This was obviously used as a plot device but when it happened more than once I grew frustrated.
The dialogue was clunky and ill-fitting, and I quickly lost interest in the story.
April 21, 2018
The storyline may be Fiction, But the subject is Fact.
There are dark powers in our world, and Bill Bennett has written a true reflection of this. We can no longer be naïve and think that evil, orchestrated chaos and willing destruction is a coincidence.
We need more than ever to surround ourselves with White Light and Love, and fight for The Good in this world. This book is a well written testimony to that. Go forth, and buy!
P.S. You'll spend 2 days reading it back to back; an unputdownable read. It's thought provoking.
There are dark powers in our world, and Bill Bennett has written a true reflection of this. We can no longer be naïve and think that evil, orchestrated chaos and willing destruction is a coincidence.
We need more than ever to surround ourselves with White Light and Love, and fight for The Good in this world. This book is a well written testimony to that. Go forth, and buy!
P.S. You'll spend 2 days reading it back to back; an unputdownable read. It's thought provoking.
November 5, 2018
Easy bath-time read. Nothing particularly heavy or deep to it. Definitely an interesting take on the idea of magic and witches, much more natural and it fits into today's world quite well.
Main character definitely improved toward the end, found her to be quite annoying at first, but her growth and development at the end is quite good, hopefully it continues in the sequel.
All in all, not something I'd put great effort into following as a series, but would happily pick it up if I came across it.
Main character definitely improved toward the end, found her to be quite annoying at first, but her growth and development at the end is quite good, hopefully it continues in the sequel.
All in all, not something I'd put great effort into following as a series, but would happily pick it up if I came across it.
March 19, 2018
I adored this. I devoured this book in a matter of hours. It sucked me into this world of witchcraft and I was happy it wasn't fluffy or immature, but steeped in historical relevance.
This book sucks you in and you have to keep reading. Told from multiple points of view, it definitely keeps you on your toes, wondering what will happen next.
I can't wait for the next installment.
This book sucks you in and you have to keep reading. Told from multiple points of view, it definitely keeps you on your toes, wondering what will happen next.
I can't wait for the next installment.
August 30, 2018
I liked the idea- witches of different kinds infiltrating our society- most are evil- and really evil but some are fighting back. But I didn't quite finish- it didn't engage me enough. I'm not sure whether the character development was strong enough. Maybe it could have done with more editing. It has the potential to be movie.
November 30, 2021
Truly awful writing combined with a detestable “I’m not like other girls” main character made this book unbearable to say the least.
The concept has promise and the covers are amazing but the pace and flow of Bills writing is unreadable. There is 0 discernible structure to what is happening and simple concepts are over-explained to the point of boredom.
The concept has promise and the covers are amazing but the pace and flow of Bills writing is unreadable. There is 0 discernible structure to what is happening and simple concepts are over-explained to the point of boredom.
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