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The Physick Book #2
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs
New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe returns to the world of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane with a bewitching story of a New England history professor who must race against time to free her family from a curse
Connie Goodwin is an expert on America's fractured past with witchcraft. A young, tenure-track professor in Boston, she's earned career success by studying the history of magic in colonial America--especially women's home recipes and medicines--and by exposing society's threats against women fluent in those skills. But beyond her studies, Connie harbors a She is the direct descendant of a woman tried as a witch in Salem, an ancestor whose abilities were far more magical than the historical record shows. When a hint from her mother and clues from her research lead Connie to the shocking realization that her partner's life is in danger, she must race to solve the mystery behind a hundreds'-years-long deadly curse. Flashing back through American history to the lives of certain supernaturally gifted women, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs affectingly reveals not only the special bond that unites one particular matriarchal line, but also explores the many challenges to women's survival across the decades--and the risks some women are forced to take to protect what they love most.
Connie Goodwin is an expert on America's fractured past with witchcraft. A young, tenure-track professor in Boston, she's earned career success by studying the history of magic in colonial America--especially women's home recipes and medicines--and by exposing society's threats against women fluent in those skills. But beyond her studies, Connie harbors a She is the direct descendant of a woman tried as a witch in Salem, an ancestor whose abilities were far more magical than the historical record shows. When a hint from her mother and clues from her research lead Connie to the shocking realization that her partner's life is in danger, she must race to solve the mystery behind a hundreds'-years-long deadly curse. Flashing back through American history to the lives of certain supernaturally gifted women, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs affectingly reveals not only the special bond that unites one particular matriarchal line, but also explores the many challenges to women's survival across the decades--and the risks some women are forced to take to protect what they love most.
338 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2019
666 people are currently reading
14620 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Howe
17 books2,532 followersKatherine Howe is a #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer of historical fiction and nonfiction. Her best known books are The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, which debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2009 and was named one of USA Today's top ten books of the year, and Conversion, which received the 2015 Massachusetts Book Award in young adult literature. In 2014 she edited The Penguin Book of Witches for Penguin Classics, a primary source reader on the history of witchcraft in England and North America. She co-authored the #1 bestselling Vanderbilt: the Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty with CNN's Anderson Cooper, which came out in September 2021. Their next bestselling collaboration, Astor: the Rise and Fall of an American Fortune released September 19, 2023. And her next novel, A True Account: Hannah Masury's Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself came out November 21. 2023, and her edited volume The Penguin Book of Pirates came out April 30, 2024. She holds a BA in art history and philosophy from Columbia and an MA in American and New England studies from Boston University, and is completing her doctorate in American studies at the University of East Anglia, A native Houstonian, she lives in New England with her family. She also puts hot sauce on everything.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 836 reviews
September 13, 2018
I mean. I'm biased.
February 8, 2019
The daughters or Temperance Hobbs picks up several years after the book The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane ends. Connie and Sam are still together and living in Boston while Connie is a young tenure track professor writing a book. Her area of expertise - the history of magic in Colonial America, focusing on home medicines and recipes and the threats against women who had these skills. Connie is also the descendant of a woman who was tried as a witch in Salem. Through her studies and research, Connie learns that Sam's life may be in danger and she undertakes a quest, if you will, to solve her family's deadly curse.
The plus for me in this book was the look back in time to the female members of Connie's family. Learning about their lives, their fate, and what life was like for them was magical. These sections really set the ground work for the novel.
I mentioned that this book picks up after the previous book, but this book will also serve as a stand-alone novel. But, if you have read the first, you may find that it is nice to see where these characters picked up. Speaking of characters, I found that I liked Connie more in the previous book than in this book. I can't quite put my finger on why.
Another plus for this book is the amount of research the Author did. She knows her history! She also knows plants and their Latin names. Both of which were very nice touches to this book. So why three stars? BTW- 3 stars means I enjoyed the book. But for me, there was just something missing in the story. I wanted more oomph. I never felt as if anyone was in danger nor did I feel magic between Connie and Sam - not like I felt in The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. For me, I wished there was more drama and less of the academic stuff. The academic stuff really slowed the book down for me.
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The plus for me in this book was the look back in time to the female members of Connie's family. Learning about their lives, their fate, and what life was like for them was magical. These sections really set the ground work for the novel.
I mentioned that this book picks up after the previous book, but this book will also serve as a stand-alone novel. But, if you have read the first, you may find that it is nice to see where these characters picked up. Speaking of characters, I found that I liked Connie more in the previous book than in this book. I can't quite put my finger on why.
Another plus for this book is the amount of research the Author did. She knows her history! She also knows plants and their Latin names. Both of which were very nice touches to this book. So why three stars? BTW- 3 stars means I enjoyed the book. But for me, there was just something missing in the story. I wanted more oomph. I never felt as if anyone was in danger nor did I feel magic between Connie and Sam - not like I felt in The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. For me, I wished there was more drama and less of the academic stuff. The academic stuff really slowed the book down for me.
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 18, 2019
This was a surprisingly good book, with plenty for scholars, historians, and academics alike. I took my time with The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, savored every page.
This is not necessarily a story about witchcraft per se, it is a story about a professor who has family ties to those who made a study of weather work, a particular kind of witchcraft. Mostly it is a book about esoteric academia, and family ties. It is about the things we are willing to do to preserve family lineages, and help those we love.
There are precious friendships discussed, mother/ daughter relationships delved into, and the work that women do both for their families and in the workforce that are present front and center.
This was a very bright and wise read. It was not meant to be gobbled up in a single sitting, but contemplated, mulled over, really considered. Four bright stars!
This is not necessarily a story about witchcraft per se, it is a story about a professor who has family ties to those who made a study of weather work, a particular kind of witchcraft. Mostly it is a book about esoteric academia, and family ties. It is about the things we are willing to do to preserve family lineages, and help those we love.
There are precious friendships discussed, mother/ daughter relationships delved into, and the work that women do both for their families and in the workforce that are present front and center.
This was a very bright and wise read. It was not meant to be gobbled up in a single sitting, but contemplated, mulled over, really considered. Four bright stars!
January 8, 2019
Katherine Howe writes the exact type of book I like to read. It’s a bit historical with elements of romance, mystery, and the supernatural all rolled into one beautiful, witchy story. As a fan of the Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, I was excited to jump back into the world of Connie Goodwin. I love that Howe wrote this is as a self-contained novel instead of an outright sequel to the first book. She does a good job of summarizing events here and there so new readers won’t be lost but also answers some of the burning questions that were left to mystery in the first novel.
Even though this story has action, history, and magic, at its core this is a story about family and relationships. I love the strong female friendships presented in this book, as well as the generational history of Connie’s family. The final act is beautifully executed and I learned quite a few things from history that I didn’t know before. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane is still my favorite book from Katherine Howe, but this one didn’t disappoint.
Even though this story has action, history, and magic, at its core this is a story about family and relationships. I love the strong female friendships presented in this book, as well as the generational history of Connie’s family. The final act is beautifully executed and I learned quite a few things from history that I didn’t know before. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane is still my favorite book from Katherine Howe, but this one didn’t disappoint.
February 4, 2019
4 Stars. Review to follow. This one was so good; almost the perfect witchy read.
January 10, 2019
It’s really hard for me to corral all my thoughts into a sensible review this time. I liked some things about this book but hated others. A few parts would get 4 stars from me, but several would get 1 star, so I guess I’ll settle for 2.75 stars, rounded up. Somewhere between it was okay and I liked it.
I was beyond excited to read this when I first got it. I loved The Physick Book of Deliverance Danewhen it first came out a decade ago—witches, lots of cool history, a compelling plot with love and murder, all good stuff—and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the characters. But this book didn’t do anything new with that format. Much of it felt replicated so it feels more like I’m re-reading Physick than reading a new book.
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs was okay, I guess, but there were so many little things that kept me from truly enjoying it. First off, the story is super predictable. If you read Physick then sat down and though to yourself, “What would be the most likely plot of a sequel with these characters?” This is the book you would end up with. And that’s not the worst thing in the world. Predictable books can be calming, a retreat from the ever-changing world around us, but I would have liked at least one thing that surprised me in the plot. When I started to get a feel for where story arc was going, I said to my husband that I really hoped it wasn’t going to be what I thought. But that’s exactly what it was. The same predictable sequel plot issue that I had with A Discovery of Witches.
Secondly, I ended this book with so many questions. And not important, mind-bending, “meaning of life” type questions. More like, “Um, so was that guy at the end really there or was he . . . like a wraith . . . or literally a piece of cardboard? If he wasn’t corporeal, how did his car get there?” I was confused a lot. When a character is making a potion, and two different times gets splashed in the eye with potent liquid, shouldn’t that mean something? Like that they’re going to go blind or have visions or get some cool super power? Instead, it’s just . . . for no reason. When someone says, “Oh no, did you pick this poisonous flower with your bare hands?” I think to myself, “Cool, something is finally going to happen.” But then . . . it doesn’t. It was all purposeless. If the poisonous plant wasn’t going to burn the glove-less picker, why mention it? Sometimes I wondered if things were actually getting answered and I was just missing them because of how choppy the whole book felt.
More than anything, I was bothered by the writing. You know how you can write a sentence, like this one, and you can interject things by putting commas, dashes, or conjunctions like “but” or “and”? Well. In this book. She just uses periods. For. Everything. When someone is speaking and they can’t figure out the right words, the dialogue reads like “Well. That’s.” And that’s the whole sentence! Can’t you use an ellipses occasionally to show that someone is trailing off? (I couldn’t help using lots of ellipses in this review.) Something other than ending these sentences so abruptly? I get it. Short sentences are cool. They make the pacing feel faster. But they also read like a homework assignment written by a second grader. The writing should be seamless, it shouldn’t constantly pull you out of the story to wonder why an author would choose to write something in such a distracting way.
Just to be clear, none of these are direct quotes, only examples I have made up. I may add quotes from the book after publication, but I don’t want to post anything as a negative that gets changed before publication. I did read an “uncorrected proof” after all. Maybe the copy I got had all the ellipses removed by accident.
There were a few things to like in this book, with snippets of interesting history and occasional humor. I love the look into the world of academia and the scenes where spells were cast, but I was left, more than anything, with the feeling that this was just Physick, repackaged for a new round of sales. It’s possible this author is going downhill with every novel. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane was the peak. The House of Velvet and Glass was decent, as was Conversion, but The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs and The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen are both not quite mediocre. I’d recommend re-reading Physick instead of reading this, unless you are obsessed with old-fashioned magic and recycled plots.
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine and mine alone.
I was beyond excited to read this when I first got it. I loved The Physick Book of Deliverance Danewhen it first came out a decade ago—witches, lots of cool history, a compelling plot with love and murder, all good stuff—and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the characters. But this book didn’t do anything new with that format. Much of it felt replicated so it feels more like I’m re-reading Physick than reading a new book.
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs was okay, I guess, but there were so many little things that kept me from truly enjoying it. First off, the story is super predictable. If you read Physick then sat down and though to yourself, “What would be the most likely plot of a sequel with these characters?” This is the book you would end up with. And that’s not the worst thing in the world. Predictable books can be calming, a retreat from the ever-changing world around us, but I would have liked at least one thing that surprised me in the plot. When I started to get a feel for where story arc was going, I said to my husband that I really hoped it wasn’t going to be what I thought. But that’s exactly what it was. The same predictable sequel plot issue that I had with A Discovery of Witches.
Secondly, I ended this book with so many questions. And not important, mind-bending, “meaning of life” type questions. More like, “Um, so was that guy at the end really there or was he . . . like a wraith . . . or literally a piece of cardboard? If he wasn’t corporeal, how did his car get there?” I was confused a lot. When a character is making a potion, and two different times gets splashed in the eye with potent liquid, shouldn’t that mean something? Like that they’re going to go blind or have visions or get some cool super power? Instead, it’s just . . . for no reason. When someone says, “Oh no, did you pick this poisonous flower with your bare hands?” I think to myself, “Cool, something is finally going to happen.” But then . . . it doesn’t. It was all purposeless. If the poisonous plant wasn’t going to burn the glove-less picker, why mention it? Sometimes I wondered if things were actually getting answered and I was just missing them because of how choppy the whole book felt.
More than anything, I was bothered by the writing. You know how you can write a sentence, like this one, and you can interject things by putting commas, dashes, or conjunctions like “but” or “and”? Well. In this book. She just uses periods. For. Everything. When someone is speaking and they can’t figure out the right words, the dialogue reads like “Well. That’s.” And that’s the whole sentence! Can’t you use an ellipses occasionally to show that someone is trailing off? (I couldn’t help using lots of ellipses in this review.) Something other than ending these sentences so abruptly? I get it. Short sentences are cool. They make the pacing feel faster. But they also read like a homework assignment written by a second grader. The writing should be seamless, it shouldn’t constantly pull you out of the story to wonder why an author would choose to write something in such a distracting way.
Just to be clear, none of these are direct quotes, only examples I have made up. I may add quotes from the book after publication, but I don’t want to post anything as a negative that gets changed before publication. I did read an “uncorrected proof” after all. Maybe the copy I got had all the ellipses removed by accident.
There were a few things to like in this book, with snippets of interesting history and occasional humor. I love the look into the world of academia and the scenes where spells were cast, but I was left, more than anything, with the feeling that this was just Physick, repackaged for a new round of sales. It’s possible this author is going downhill with every novel. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane was the peak. The House of Velvet and Glass was decent, as was Conversion, but The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs and The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen are both not quite mediocre. I’d recommend re-reading Physick instead of reading this, unless you are obsessed with old-fashioned magic and recycled plots.
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine and mine alone.
June 7, 2022
(going to attempt to communicate my emotions with a New Girl gif set)
I've lost my mind.
*sob-laughing* I'm so sorry.
I've lost my mind.
*sob-laughing* I'm so sorry.
June 25, 2019
Rating: 3.0 Witchy Stars
This is the second installment of Katherine Howe’s ‘Physick Book’ series. The first book in the series is The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane which is on my reading list, but I have not actually read it yet. After finishing her new book, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, I'm here to let you know that you don’t have to read the first book in order to follow along with the new plot and storyline in this book. Reading the first book probably adds some color and background, and I understand that the second book answers some mysteries that had been left hanging in the first book.
Connie Goodwin is an only daughter of a hippie Mom who also was an only daughter. Connie is a full- fledged career academic. She is a college professor in Boston. She seems more interested in furthering her career and finishing her book, than paying much attention to her long-suffering partner, Sam. Then Connie’s mother warns her that Sam may not be long for this world if he continues to stay with Connie. It seems that the husbands of her ancestors mysteriously die after the women have the next daughter in the line.
From there the hunt is on to find a magic spell that will free Sam from his fate, without letting on to Sam that he is in danger. This was an unexpected mix of a deep dive into the inner workings of post-graduate academia and mystical legends and spells. The story is told in multiple timelines. Connie narrates most of this, but there are often flashbacks to the prior generations of descendants of Deliverance Dane.
I rated this book a 3 solid stars. I am not sure if I could have used less of the academic angst, or less of the witchcraft stuff, but something just felt out of balance to me. In addition, Sam seemed like such a nice guy. I often got frustrated with how he was on Connie’s priority list. The book was entertaining and educational. I now know more about doctoral panels than I probably ever needed to know. I’m still intrigued enough in the backstory that I’ll probably go back and read the first book in the series to see how it all started.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Henry Holt & Company; and the author, Katherine Howe, for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second installment of Katherine Howe’s ‘Physick Book’ series. The first book in the series is The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane which is on my reading list, but I have not actually read it yet. After finishing her new book, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, I'm here to let you know that you don’t have to read the first book in order to follow along with the new plot and storyline in this book. Reading the first book probably adds some color and background, and I understand that the second book answers some mysteries that had been left hanging in the first book.
Connie Goodwin is an only daughter of a hippie Mom who also was an only daughter. Connie is a full- fledged career academic. She is a college professor in Boston. She seems more interested in furthering her career and finishing her book, than paying much attention to her long-suffering partner, Sam. Then Connie’s mother warns her that Sam may not be long for this world if he continues to stay with Connie. It seems that the husbands of her ancestors mysteriously die after the women have the next daughter in the line.
From there the hunt is on to find a magic spell that will free Sam from his fate, without letting on to Sam that he is in danger. This was an unexpected mix of a deep dive into the inner workings of post-graduate academia and mystical legends and spells. The story is told in multiple timelines. Connie narrates most of this, but there are often flashbacks to the prior generations of descendants of Deliverance Dane.
I rated this book a 3 solid stars. I am not sure if I could have used less of the academic angst, or less of the witchcraft stuff, but something just felt out of balance to me. In addition, Sam seemed like such a nice guy. I often got frustrated with how he was on Connie’s priority list. The book was entertaining and educational. I now know more about doctoral panels than I probably ever needed to know. I’m still intrigued enough in the backstory that I’ll probably go back and read the first book in the series to see how it all started.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Henry Holt & Company; and the author, Katherine Howe, for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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May 24, 2020
June 29, 2019
I was very excited to see there was a new book by Katherine Howe featuring Constance Goodwin once again! The second book in the series is set in the year 2000 and Connie is now an assistant professor at Northeastern University. She is super busy working towards tenure while writing a book, grading papers and mentoring grad students. She is under so much stress and it doesn't help that her personal life is in a bit of disarray. Her mother Grace keeps warning her to end her affair with Sam if she really loves him: the men who love the women in her family usually die young. Did her ancestor Temperance Hobbs discover a way to avoid this curse? Can Connie attempt to use the same folk magic if she can figure it out or is it much too dangerous?
I'd have to say I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the first as Connie works out what she must do to save Sam's life. Some of the action scenes are extremely well depicted.
I also enjoyed the flashbacks to the stories of her ancestors--from England onward. Temperance Hobbs herself is especially interesting.
An historical tidbit the author shares is that shortly after the Salem witch trials, the crime of witchcraft ceased to be prosecuted. Instead, laws focused more on 'the pretense of witchcraft' and the crime of conning the gullible by selling charms and such. And there actually WAS a year with no summer in 1816 which affected how America came to be settled.
I received an arc of this new book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity!
I'd have to say I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the first as Connie works out what she must do to save Sam's life. Some of the action scenes are extremely well depicted.
I also enjoyed the flashbacks to the stories of her ancestors--from England onward. Temperance Hobbs herself is especially interesting.
An historical tidbit the author shares is that shortly after the Salem witch trials, the crime of witchcraft ceased to be prosecuted. Instead, laws focused more on 'the pretense of witchcraft' and the crime of conning the gullible by selling charms and such. And there actually WAS a year with no summer in 1816 which affected how America came to be settled.
I received an arc of this new book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity!
June 5, 2021
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe is the second book in the paranormal historical fantasy The Physick Book series. At the time of picking this one up I did not realize the book belonged to a series so I definitely had not read the first book. I’m guessing that it probably would have been better to have done so in the fact that I just could not connect to this one at all when reading it.
The story followed a young woman, Connie Goodwin, who is studying the women of the past during the Salem Witch Trials. The same character seemed to be in the first book so I probably missed some things there that might have helped bring my one and half star rating up or perhaps it was just the style of the back and forth story and I may not have liked the first. Other’s have enjoyed this so I’m chalking this one up to being the wrong reader for the story and would suggest giving it a chance if this series sounds like one you’d enjoy.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
The story followed a young woman, Connie Goodwin, who is studying the women of the past during the Salem Witch Trials. The same character seemed to be in the first book so I probably missed some things there that might have helped bring my one and half star rating up or perhaps it was just the style of the back and forth story and I may not have liked the first. Other’s have enjoyed this so I’m chalking this one up to being the wrong reader for the story and would suggest giving it a chance if this series sounds like one you’d enjoy.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 14, 2019
Well, okay then. That sums up how I feel.
I loved The Physick Book of Delivery Dane, which came out a decade ago, and so I was excited to get an early copy of this followup. And then I started reading, and my excitement turned to annoyance.
What we have with this book is a mind-numbing journey into academia. Connie is stressed going for tenure. This is drilled into us, over and over. Connie is grading papers. Connie is talking to students, helping them navigate their doctoral program or whatever else. Connie is again stressing about tenure. The tone is pretentious and the content is repetitive.
The characters have no personality. I didn't feel any sparks between Connie and Sam. I didn't feel... anything.
At the 25% mark on my Kindle, I was still waiting for something, anything, to happen. We'd finally work up to a point where it felt like we'd have a moment, and then we'd just move on to something else. Back to academia. Back to Connie's incessant self-involvement.
And so I started skimming, because, yeah, I was bored. At the 35% mark, I gave up.
The author definitely knows her subject, but nothing about this book worked for me.
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*
I loved The Physick Book of Delivery Dane, which came out a decade ago, and so I was excited to get an early copy of this followup. And then I started reading, and my excitement turned to annoyance.
What we have with this book is a mind-numbing journey into academia. Connie is stressed going for tenure. This is drilled into us, over and over. Connie is grading papers. Connie is talking to students, helping them navigate their doctoral program or whatever else. Connie is again stressing about tenure. The tone is pretentious and the content is repetitive.
The characters have no personality. I didn't feel any sparks between Connie and Sam. I didn't feel... anything.
At the 25% mark on my Kindle, I was still waiting for something, anything, to happen. We'd finally work up to a point where it felt like we'd have a moment, and then we'd just move on to something else. Back to academia. Back to Connie's incessant self-involvement.
And so I started skimming, because, yeah, I was bored. At the 35% mark, I gave up.
The author definitely knows her subject, but nothing about this book worked for me.
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*
July 4, 2019
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs is a sequel ten years in the making, following the author's 2009 debut novel The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, and the story itself picks up 10 years later too. Former graduate student Connie Goodwin is now a history professor at Northeastern University, under consideration for tenure and living happily with her boyfriend Sam Hartley, whom she met during the events of the first book.
Sam's feelings are hurt by Connie's continuing refusal to discuss marriage. What he doesn't know is that Connie is descended from a line of witches going all the way back to 17th century Salem, and that the male partners of the women in the family all seem to die young, in tragic circumstances. As their relationship becomes complicated in new ways, Connie is determined to find out the truth about the curse, and discovers a startling secret: there is actually one woman in the family's history who managed to break the curse for her own husband.
Armed with this knowledge, Connie races against time to crack the mystery of the "weather work", the elusive and seemingly highly dangerous spell that once upon a time saved her ancestor's mate. Connie applies her scholarly skills as she unearths manuscripts and deciphers centuries old clues, this time enlisting friends, colleagues, and her own mother in a desperate attempt to get it all right.
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs is a great second chapter in Connie's world. It's quite fun to see her 10 years after the original book, now established and respected as a professor, mentoring up and coming grad students of her own. And it's wonderful to see the enduring love between her and Sam, who is a lovely, kind, and sexy man. The interludes in which we see episodes from Connie's family's past are really engaging in their own way as well, although it's definitely sad to see the persecution of these women who were considered different from the norm.
I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the research, and the historical elements, and the magical aspects are presented in a matter-of-fact way that still manages to have an eerie, otherworldly feel.
I suppose you could read The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs as a stand-alone, but you'd be missing out on big chunks of Connie's personal history as well as all that family history. I'd strongly recommend starting with The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, and continuing on from there. Well worth it!
Spoilers ahoy!
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
Sam's feelings are hurt by Connie's continuing refusal to discuss marriage. What he doesn't know is that Connie is descended from a line of witches going all the way back to 17th century Salem, and that the male partners of the women in the family all seem to die young, in tragic circumstances. As their relationship becomes complicated in new ways, Connie is determined to find out the truth about the curse, and discovers a startling secret: there is actually one woman in the family's history who managed to break the curse for her own husband.
Armed with this knowledge, Connie races against time to crack the mystery of the "weather work", the elusive and seemingly highly dangerous spell that once upon a time saved her ancestor's mate. Connie applies her scholarly skills as she unearths manuscripts and deciphers centuries old clues, this time enlisting friends, colleagues, and her own mother in a desperate attempt to get it all right.
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs is a great second chapter in Connie's world. It's quite fun to see her 10 years after the original book, now established and respected as a professor, mentoring up and coming grad students of her own. And it's wonderful to see the enduring love between her and Sam, who is a lovely, kind, and sexy man. The interludes in which we see episodes from Connie's family's past are really engaging in their own way as well, although it's definitely sad to see the persecution of these women who were considered different from the norm.
I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the research, and the historical elements, and the magical aspects are presented in a matter-of-fact way that still manages to have an eerie, otherworldly feel.
I suppose you could read The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs as a stand-alone, but you'd be missing out on big chunks of Connie's personal history as well as all that family history. I'd strongly recommend starting with The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, and continuing on from there. Well worth it!
Spoilers ahoy!
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
May 15, 2022
I loved this. It is the second book in a series, and I liked it better than I did the first one. The main character, Connie-who is from a long line of magical women-has matured, though she is still a bit ditzy. The problem is that the men who marry into this long line of women die young, except one, and Connie is determined to find out how to keep her partner safe. What I loved in this book is the same thing I loved in the first book-it takes place in coastal New England, which is where I was born and raised. Salem, Marblehead, Boston, Cambridge-and Connie now is a professor at Northeastern, which is my alma mater. I love the history, the plant and herb information, and the strong female characters. There are some interesting facts that I had never heard about-the summer that did not happen in 1816….who knew?
4.5 stars. I hope this is not the last of this series! Lots of fun.
4.5 stars. I hope this is not the last of this series! Lots of fun.
September 24, 2019
I am always leery when I am told that I don't have to start off with the first book in a series since they can be both read as standalones. I ended up being a little bit lost since there are references to events that happened before. Also, I had a hard time feeling engaged with the protagonist, Connie Goodwin. I thought she was selfish and her not telling her long term boyfriend Sam about what was going on was confusing as anything to me. The ending felt like a bit of a letdown actually. There didn't seem to be much real stakes in the book and I was more interested in learning about witches in the U.S. Southwest and other locations that was brought up via another character.
"The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs" is a sequel to "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane". This book takes place about 10 years later (2000) and follows Connie Goodwin who is trying to get her book ready for publication and is seeking tenure. She's happy with her long-term boyfriend. We quickly find out that Sam wants to marry, and Connie is reluctant. When she goes back to her family home (that is located near Salem) she finds that there is more to her history than she knows and she is faced with giving up Sam or finding a way to break a curse.
Connie takes some time to warm up to. For me I had a hard time with her ignoring her mother and her boyfriend's pleas to get a cellphone finally and also to just call if she will be late. She's focused on her work and book and just takes Sam for granted. I wish that these two had at least one real conversation about their relationship. Instead we hear about a prior event and then they both dance around knowing that some things in their lives are about to change. It was exhausting.
A secondary character who is one of Connie's students, Zazi is more interesting, at least she was to me. She's applying for a position at Harvard and is dealing with some prejudices about her subject matter, being a woman, and also a woman of color too. She ends up helping Connie with her research into her own family.
There's another character that I guess was in the first book, Thomas, who just didn't fit. I don't want to have spoilers, but he was just kind of blah.
Connie's boyfriend Sam and her best friend Liz are given very little to do. Sam keeps pushing Connie for more than she wants to give and Liz is pushing her to stop looking into things.
The writing was good, Howe definitely did research into England, Salem during the witch trials and after. Howe shows Connie in 2000 and jumps back to show different ancestors of her traveling from England and then settling in Salem, Massachusetts. The one we stay most focused on in this one though is Temperance Hobbs and get to see how it links to what Connie needs to do in her present timeline. The flow was fine and I didn't get distracted by showing Connie in the present and the different women in her family in the past. I was actually really interested in seeing how life was back in the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s.
The setting as I already mentioned changes. We start off in winter in 2000 and go back and forth to previous ancestors of Connie's. We focus on the Milk Street House which is near the woods where something special is located. It takes us until the end of the book to figure out what and I was a little bit disappointed by that reveal.
The ending was nice and all, but it didn't feel wholly satisfying.
"The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs" is a sequel to "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane". This book takes place about 10 years later (2000) and follows Connie Goodwin who is trying to get her book ready for publication and is seeking tenure. She's happy with her long-term boyfriend. We quickly find out that Sam wants to marry, and Connie is reluctant. When she goes back to her family home (that is located near Salem) she finds that there is more to her history than she knows and she is faced with giving up Sam or finding a way to break a curse.
Connie takes some time to warm up to. For me I had a hard time with her ignoring her mother and her boyfriend's pleas to get a cellphone finally and also to just call if she will be late. She's focused on her work and book and just takes Sam for granted. I wish that these two had at least one real conversation about their relationship. Instead we hear about a prior event and then they both dance around knowing that some things in their lives are about to change. It was exhausting.
A secondary character who is one of Connie's students, Zazi is more interesting, at least she was to me. She's applying for a position at Harvard and is dealing with some prejudices about her subject matter, being a woman, and also a woman of color too. She ends up helping Connie with her research into her own family.
There's another character that I guess was in the first book, Thomas, who just didn't fit. I don't want to have spoilers, but he was just kind of blah.
Connie's boyfriend Sam and her best friend Liz are given very little to do. Sam keeps pushing Connie for more than she wants to give and Liz is pushing her to stop looking into things.
The writing was good, Howe definitely did research into England, Salem during the witch trials and after. Howe shows Connie in 2000 and jumps back to show different ancestors of her traveling from England and then settling in Salem, Massachusetts. The one we stay most focused on in this one though is Temperance Hobbs and get to see how it links to what Connie needs to do in her present timeline. The flow was fine and I didn't get distracted by showing Connie in the present and the different women in her family in the past. I was actually really interested in seeing how life was back in the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s.
The setting as I already mentioned changes. We start off in winter in 2000 and go back and forth to previous ancestors of Connie's. We focus on the Milk Street House which is near the woods where something special is located. It takes us until the end of the book to figure out what and I was a little bit disappointed by that reveal.
The ending was nice and all, but it didn't feel wholly satisfying.
December 7, 2019
“The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs” by Katherine Howe is the newest witchcraft novel by the author of The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen and The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane.
Connie Goodwin is a professor in Boston, and a self-proclaimed witchcraft expert. Having been raised by a “hippie” mother with secret talents of her own, Connie has become successful studying herbs, recipes and other medicines that were once popular in the “healing arts”. However, as Connie delves into her past, she soon discovers a horrible truth- the women in her family all die alone, as the men they love perish in tragic ways. This secret has kept Connie from committing to her long-time partner, Sam but soon, she is faced with a desperate choice, and she takes it upon herself to investigate her relative, Temperance Hobbs, as the only woman in her clan to “break the curse” and have a long and fulfilling relationship. The method, however, is dangerous, and Connie must enlist the help of her mother and her colleague in order to take on the life-altering curse and its dangerous methods.
This story is told primarily from Connie’s perspective, although there are snippets of stories told from the witches in Connie’s past. These stories fascinated me the most (I loved Lizzie and Temperance and the great lengths they went to to fight for what they believed in and whom they loved) , and I was disappointed in the short and too infrequent nature of them. I did not connect to Connie, finding her exceptionally pretentious and boring, and really just read her portions of the novel so that I could move through to the stories of Lizzie and Temperance.
There are many references to “Deliverance Dane” in this novel, and maybe the fact that I haven’t read that novel yet was a detriment. However, they were not closely related enough to make reading one a requirement before reading the other.
I also noticed a great comparison to Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, in the whole “men can’t love us or they die” curse that plagues the Goodman family. Although it’s likely related to historical witchcraft plagues, it was still a little repetitive. And of course, there’s always one person who is able to break it and one person who is able to have a happy and successful romantic life.
Full of pretension (Throughout the entire novel, Connie calls her dog a “dog shaped creature” or “the animal”, and at other points in the story Howe identifies a dog as “the ratter”. Although toward the end you get a small glimpse as to the reason why, it makes the entirety of the novel sound utterly pretentious) , with academic language that did not contribute to the story, it seemed more of Howe boasting about her knowledge and level of education and research than an actual fiction novel.
The last one-third of the novel was fascinating, where the focus was on witchcraft and breaking the curse and magical herbs. But it took me awhile to get to this point, and I was worried that this one would end up in my DNF pile.
Although I have enjoyed Howe’s previous novels, this one fell flat for me. Perhaps if I ever read “Deliverance Dane” (I must admit, I have pushed it a little farther down the TBR list now) I will have to come back and change the rating on this one. But for now, “Temperance” scores a mediocre three-stars.
Connie Goodwin is a professor in Boston, and a self-proclaimed witchcraft expert. Having been raised by a “hippie” mother with secret talents of her own, Connie has become successful studying herbs, recipes and other medicines that were once popular in the “healing arts”. However, as Connie delves into her past, she soon discovers a horrible truth- the women in her family all die alone, as the men they love perish in tragic ways. This secret has kept Connie from committing to her long-time partner, Sam but soon, she is faced with a desperate choice, and she takes it upon herself to investigate her relative, Temperance Hobbs, as the only woman in her clan to “break the curse” and have a long and fulfilling relationship. The method, however, is dangerous, and Connie must enlist the help of her mother and her colleague in order to take on the life-altering curse and its dangerous methods.
This story is told primarily from Connie’s perspective, although there are snippets of stories told from the witches in Connie’s past. These stories fascinated me the most (I loved Lizzie and Temperance and the great lengths they went to to fight for what they believed in and whom they loved) , and I was disappointed in the short and too infrequent nature of them. I did not connect to Connie, finding her exceptionally pretentious and boring, and really just read her portions of the novel so that I could move through to the stories of Lizzie and Temperance.
There are many references to “Deliverance Dane” in this novel, and maybe the fact that I haven’t read that novel yet was a detriment. However, they were not closely related enough to make reading one a requirement before reading the other.
I also noticed a great comparison to Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, in the whole “men can’t love us or they die” curse that plagues the Goodman family. Although it’s likely related to historical witchcraft plagues, it was still a little repetitive. And of course, there’s always one person who is able to break it and one person who is able to have a happy and successful romantic life.
Full of pretension (Throughout the entire novel, Connie calls her dog a “dog shaped creature” or “the animal”, and at other points in the story Howe identifies a dog as “the ratter”. Although toward the end you get a small glimpse as to the reason why, it makes the entirety of the novel sound utterly pretentious) , with academic language that did not contribute to the story, it seemed more of Howe boasting about her knowledge and level of education and research than an actual fiction novel.
The last one-third of the novel was fascinating, where the focus was on witchcraft and breaking the curse and magical herbs. But it took me awhile to get to this point, and I was worried that this one would end up in my DNF pile.
Although I have enjoyed Howe’s previous novels, this one fell flat for me. Perhaps if I ever read “Deliverance Dane” (I must admit, I have pushed it a little farther down the TBR list now) I will have to come back and change the rating on this one. But for now, “Temperance” scores a mediocre three-stars.
July 31, 2021
This one was half Historical Fiction and half current day. This one was a solid 2 stars for me. It was just okay. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I didn't feel connected to the characters and I didn't feel pulled in by the story line. I need one of those things. So 2 stars.
September 15, 2019
So good! I was on pins and needles anxious, 200 years apart at the same time! I really must re-read Deliverance Dane followed by Temperance Hobbs soon. I really wish Katherine Howe would put in an ancestry chart, I would like to follow all the Daughters with dates. I sure hope there will be a book 3, please with less time in between.
June 29, 2019
This one was ok for me. I found Connie drove me nuts with how self involved she was. I hated how she treated Sam for most of the book. It wasn't until she realized she could do something to "keep" him that she started to actually talk to him and let him know what was going on.
August 31, 2019
4 stars
Katherine Howe can certainly write good books featuring witches. That's why I feel compelled to read her works. This book picks up 10 years after the book Deliverance Dane and features Connie and Sam living together in Boston. Connie is working to achieve tenure at her university position. Sam is working on restoration of historical buildings. Connie makes a discovery and with the help of her mother, Grace, realizes the Dane women carry a curse. Together, these women need to find a way to break the curse by finding out more about their ancestors. Very much Deliverance Dane part 2.
Katherine Howe can certainly write good books featuring witches. That's why I feel compelled to read her works. This book picks up 10 years after the book Deliverance Dane and features Connie and Sam living together in Boston. Connie is working to achieve tenure at her university position. Sam is working on restoration of historical buildings. Connie makes a discovery and with the help of her mother, Grace, realizes the Dane women carry a curse. Together, these women need to find a way to break the curse by finding out more about their ancestors. Very much Deliverance Dane part 2.
Want to read
January 16, 2019The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs is my first book by Katherine Howe. Some things were a bit confusing, but some backstory was provided here and there, so I wasn't completely lost. I liked Connie. She's a strong intelligent character. I learned so much about witches from this book. The story is lively and engaging. It's a good read, and it's informative. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2020
Unfamiliar with this author, I spotted this book at the library on an All the Buzz shelf. I haven't read many books whose theme is driven by witchcraft but this one seemed unique. Toggling back and forth between the 1600s in Salem and the present, we are immersed into two connected worlds. And like all well written stories, we grow eager to learn the connection.. Katherine is a good storyteller there's no doubt. Thoroughly enjoyable, it's engaging and well paced. I felt the end was somewhat weak but not enough to destroy the story. I'm intrigued by witchcraft now and will be reading another book she wrote with a similar theme.
February 16, 2019
For lack of a better term this book was magical. This book was filled with incredible fantasy and vivid scenery. Perhaps what I loved the most was that you can visit some of the places mentioned most aptly Salem. It may be just me but when fantasy books are placed in real locations you can visit it makes the world come alive a little bit more.
dnf
May 31, 2019I rarely DNF a book, but I had to with this one. I tried, but it’s 36% and NOTHING and I mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING has happened. This reads like a journal of post grad students complaining about how hard post grad is, fighting for primary sources and living on ramen noodles. I am very disappointed - I really enjoyed the previous book but this one, it’s repeating what we already know from book one 10 years later - that is it.
July 3, 2019
Oh boy, the follow up to The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane was terrific!! I didn’t even realize I was waiting for it until I started reading it. A wonderful book.
September 3, 2020
oh my god i really and truly did not understand any of this
February 17, 2020
2.5 stars rounded up.
I think that I really missed something not having read the first book in this series. It felt like I was coming into a story midway and although I could follow it, I felt a step behind.
I loved the parts about research into the ancestors, and how everything was connected to the past. I didn't care for the tedious minutiae about academia, I found myself skimming through the talk of tenure ad nauseum. It's probably interesting to those in that field, but to me it drew me out of the core story, which is the part I actually really liked. Codes, puzzles, hidden boxes--I'm all over that, I wish there were more of that and less of the other.
Read this for Book Hive book group, I'm happy I read it because it is definitely out of my genre comfort zone and I like to have my mind stretched.
I think that I really missed something not having read the first book in this series. It felt like I was coming into a story midway and although I could follow it, I felt a step behind.
I loved the parts about research into the ancestors, and how everything was connected to the past. I didn't care for the tedious minutiae about academia, I found myself skimming through the talk of tenure ad nauseum. It's probably interesting to those in that field, but to me it drew me out of the core story, which is the part I actually really liked. Codes, puzzles, hidden boxes--I'm all over that, I wish there were more of that and less of the other.
Read this for Book Hive book group, I'm happy I read it because it is definitely out of my genre comfort zone and I like to have my mind stretched.
February 14, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of
The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs.
I recalled enjoying The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane when I read it years ago, but the second book in the series was anything but 'bewitching.'
What it was was BOOO-RRRING.
Ohmygawd, a story about cunning women through the centuries and magical powers and rituals and magic was anything but exciting or thrilling.
I was BORED. To death. I am now a zombie because I am dead of boredom.
There is SO MUCH FILLER in here I have no idea where to start.
1. Okay, let's start here:
The academia filler and ball busting politics and stab-in-your-back rivalry that would make Julius Caesar and his cronies laugh.
Professor Connie Goodwin spends most of her time hanging out in libraries, instructing her protege student, hanging out in more dusty libraries and seesawing back and forth about her loyal, but not so bright future baby daddy.
2. Your friendly, typical archetypes:
Connie as the absent minded professor
Her intuitive mother who knows stuff about everything and everyone before they know themselves
Connie's spunky protege, who is eager, peppy and not white
The dopey boyfriend who can't even tell his girlfriend is pregnant, not even past the five month mark...hmmm.
The scheming, conniving, not very slick, entitled villain who tries to get what he does not deserve
3. Pregnancy
This plot device was unnecessary, added only to heighten the drama, and provide a catalyst for Connie to act on her intentions with her boyfriend, Sam.
4. Repetitive description
How many times can you use the word 'pale?'
Apparently, in this book, many times.
The word is used to describe stains on a sheet, the eyes of animals and Connie's, the mist, the atmosphere, you get it.
Where's the editor? Better yet, a thesaurus is cheaper.
5. Speaking of an editor, he or she could have lopped of 50 pages and no one would be the wiser.
I did like the flashbacks into Connie's female ancestors and the ritual Connie sought to protect her boyfriend but the hunt was drawn out and repetitive.
And the ritual itself? Meh. I ended up speed reading the last dozen chapters just to get to the end.
I recalled enjoying The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane when I read it years ago, but the second book in the series was anything but 'bewitching.'
What it was was BOOO-RRRING.
Ohmygawd, a story about cunning women through the centuries and magical powers and rituals and magic was anything but exciting or thrilling.
I was BORED. To death. I am now a zombie because I am dead of boredom.
There is SO MUCH FILLER in here I have no idea where to start.
1. Okay, let's start here:
The academia filler and ball busting politics and stab-in-your-back rivalry that would make Julius Caesar and his cronies laugh.
Professor Connie Goodwin spends most of her time hanging out in libraries, instructing her protege student, hanging out in more dusty libraries and seesawing back and forth about her loyal, but not so bright future baby daddy.
2. Your friendly, typical archetypes:
Connie as the absent minded professor
Her intuitive mother who knows stuff about everything and everyone before they know themselves
Connie's spunky protege, who is eager, peppy and not white
The dopey boyfriend who can't even tell his girlfriend is pregnant, not even past the five month mark...hmmm.
The scheming, conniving, not very slick, entitled villain who tries to get what he does not deserve
3. Pregnancy
This plot device was unnecessary, added only to heighten the drama, and provide a catalyst for Connie to act on her intentions with her boyfriend, Sam.
4. Repetitive description
How many times can you use the word 'pale?'
Apparently, in this book, many times.
The word is used to describe stains on a sheet, the eyes of animals and Connie's, the mist, the atmosphere, you get it.
Where's the editor? Better yet, a thesaurus is cheaper.
5. Speaking of an editor, he or she could have lopped of 50 pages and no one would be the wiser.
I did like the flashbacks into Connie's female ancestors and the ritual Connie sought to protect her boyfriend but the hunt was drawn out and repetitive.
And the ritual itself? Meh. I ended up speed reading the last dozen chapters just to get to the end.
December 18, 2018
Fans of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane will surely love slipping back into the world of Connie Goodwin. Since the book is not set to be released until next year I wont comment on the storyline but, again, its nice to be back among the fictional world of my many times great grandmother.
March 4, 2019
I am, without pause, a fan of Katherine Howe. I’ve read her adult and young adult novels, and enjoyed each of them. As such, it will come as little surprise that I also quite liked The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, her latest endeavor, a book featuring many of the same characters as The Physick book of Deliverance Dane. This book, like Physick is a story about women taking power for themselves, presented in the form of a family saga which features a number of different women among Constance Goodwin’s ancestry and their struggles to survive in a world that both venerates and condemns a cunning woman.
In this book as in her others, Howe crafts a story that offers its readers history and mystery in equal measure. Through interludes, the book shows the daily lives and struggles of Connie’s female ancestors. These moments both acts as a reminder of the difficult, wonderful lives we live and also offer a nod to the general strife women have lived through to present day. It also gives us a good dose of romance, two measures of female friendship, and spoonful of mother-daughter love. In short, it was a delicious read, good enough to prompt me to set my alarm an hour early so that I could finish the book before I dressed for work. Read it.
In this book as in her others, Howe crafts a story that offers its readers history and mystery in equal measure. Through interludes, the book shows the daily lives and struggles of Connie’s female ancestors. These moments both acts as a reminder of the difficult, wonderful lives we live and also offer a nod to the general strife women have lived through to present day. It also gives us a good dose of romance, two measures of female friendship, and spoonful of mother-daughter love. In short, it was a delicious read, good enough to prompt me to set my alarm an hour early so that I could finish the book before I dressed for work. Read it.
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