Feast of the Mother

Witch of the Lake #1

by Miranda Honfleur, Nicolette Andrews

Beneath the murky waters of the lake, an ancient being slumbers, and Brygida is its servant. Kept sheltered in the woods by her mothers from the nearby village, Brygida has never had so much as a friend—until the day she meets a charming stranger painting by the lake. He invites her to the village’s harvest feast, but her taste of the forbidden ends with a murder. Called into service for the first time, Brygida must take up her ancestral duty as Reaper of Death and solve the murder within three days. If she brings the murderer to the lake on the third day, the being she serves will be sated. If she fails, Brygida herself will be drawn beneath the murky waters, and the village massacred. There’s only one the main suspect is her charming painter, Kaspian. As Brygida investigates, the dangers are many and answers few. The village and her family stand against her, and with time running short, the lake demands a price. Brygida believes Kaspian is innocent, but can she stake her life on it, when failure means condemning the rest of the village, and being dragged into the deep...? Find out what lurks beneath the lake in FEAST OF THE MOTHER, the first entry in a romantic dark fantasy series inspired by Slavic mythology and folklore, sure to please fans of Juliet Marillier’s Blackthorn & Grim series and Naomi Novik’s Uprooted. Read Feast of the Mother to begin the beautifully haunting adventure today!

Genres: Fantasy, Witches, Young Adult, Mystery, Romance, Magic, Audiobook

308 pages, Paperback

First published July 21, 2019

About the author

Miranda Honfleur is a born-and-raised Chicagoan living in Indianapolis. She grew up on fantasy and science fiction novels, spending nearly as much time in Valdemar, Pern, Tortall, Narnia, and Middle Earth as in reality.

In another life, her J.D. and M.B.A. were meant to serve a career in law, but now she gets to live her dream job: writing speculative fiction starring fierce heroines and daring heroes who make difficult choices along their adventures and intrigues, all with a generous (over)dose of romance.

When she’s not snarking, writing, or reading her Kindle, she hangs out and watches Netflix with her husband, gets constantly tackled by her dogs Gizmo and Luna, and plays board games with her friends.

Her next book release is the fifth volume in the romantic epic fantasy Blade and Rose series, The Dragon King, slated for release (barring any further apocalyptic events and meteors) in Q3 2021.

Blade and Rose, a romantic epic fantasy series (ongoing), includes:
1. Blade & Rose
2. By Dark Deeds
3. Court of Shadows
4. Queen of the Shining Sea
5. The Dragon King – forthcoming
6. Immortelle – forthcoming
+ Winter Wren (A Blade and Rose novelette) – available for free on www.mirandahonfleur.com

The Dark-Elves of Nightbloom, a series of fantasy romance standalones (ongoing), includes:
1. No Man Can Tame
2. Bright of the Moon
3. An Ember in the Dark (forthcoming)
4. Crown to Ashes (forthcoming)

Demon Dropout, an urban fantasy series (ongoing), serialized on Kindle Vella and Patreon every Thursday, includes:
1. Slay Date

The Witch of the Lake, a mythic dark young-adult fantasy series (completed) with Nicolette Andrews, includes:
1. Feast of the Mother
2. Fate of the Demon
3. Fall of the Reaper

For regular updates on her releases, be sure to sign up to her newsletter on www.mirandahonfleur.com.

Reviews

[Ashlee » libraryinthecountry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick, fast paced and fun book that is both murder mystery and fantasy! I did find the whodunnit a little predictable and it ended up being who I suspected, but I was absolutely taken by surprise by one aspect of the story and I appreciate that this book didn’t shy away from the ramifications of terrible actions.

Overall, I feel like this is a good start to a fantasy series and did a fine job of establishing the world! I’m looking forward to continuing the series.

[Mihir · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first title I chose to read because of its blurb matter and the Slavic settings. The story begins with Brygida, a witch who doubles a death’s reaper/detective. Brygida is called upon to investigate a murder of a village girl. She has only three days to complete her task.

Set over such a short time span, this story has a slow-burn effect with its main mystery and while there’s a bit of a romance as well. I enjoyed the main character and her interactions with both her mothers as well as the various villagers. The story is very well written and with this being a collaboration, it appeared seamless. The characterization mainly focuses on Brygida and the remaining characters don’t get that much of a spotlight. This book was a charming but a bit slow paced read. I enjoyed the mystery and magical aspect of the plot and it was definitely a different sort of a read.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Danyelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start to the series and most definitely will continue with the series.
I love the idea I've read book with a similar idea but this is the first one that was written the way I would have done it!

[Linda Romer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Feast of the Mother. A fast paced fantasy about a witch named Brygida who lives in the witchlands with her two mothers. She is the reaper of death and her duty is to find the murderer of a villager. She meets a Painter named Kaspian a future lord of Rubin. I liked the adventure and the characters and I'm looking forward to book #2 Fate of the Demon.

I give Feast of the Mother 4 stars for its interesting read.
I would recommend this book to Fantasy Fans.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but didn't love it. I'll probably continue the series. I would've preferred a bit more of the fantasy elements throughout the story considering it was basically all at the end aside from 2 small instances and talk about the different magical creatures near the lake.

[Anniken Haga · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book really wasn't for me, which is strange, for it sounds like it would be right up my alley! But something about it just didn't work.

I was bored from the get-go, and found great difficulty in concentrating on the story.
The writing felt choppy, and more than once I felt like I'd missed a whole scene or a page of description. It threw me out.
I guessed the villain the moment they were introduced, and felt like the rest of it was just meandering about.

I'm sad I didn't like it, for I love the idea of more Slavic mythology making its way into modern fantasy - it's so dark and gritty! - but it is what it is.

[Jodie- Readthewriteact · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feast of the Mother is a who done its style mystery set in a fantasy world of Witches and folk law. At times it took me a bit to catch up on all the magical nuances but overall the story was a curious one to follow. There is a rape and murder but we don't really know a lot about the characters so it is hard to guess as a reader who would have the motivation to do it. I would have liked to have had the story delve deeper into the village people so that I could understand the dynamics of it better..

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, round up

I picked up Feast of the Mother as an Amazon freebie, and as we all know, Amazon freebies are hit and miss. I'm happy to say this one is a hit. It's a tad on the repetitive side and the plot isn't very deep (essentially being a murder mystery with a smallish pool of suspects). But the characters are likeable and have some depth, the world interesting, the writing quite readable, and conclusion satisfying. I'd have liked the villain to have been more developed and would have enjoyed seeing everyone's contrition (but acknowledge it probably would have been inelegant to include it). All in all, I'll be happy to read another of Honfleur and Andrews' books.

[Jenny (Bookbookowl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the authors for providing me with a copy of Feast of the Mother!



Brygida is facing a lonely life with only her two mothers as company. She has been forbidden to visit the village or speak to any of the villagers, especially the men. Brygida is a witch, and her mothers have made it very clear she will not be accepted or wanted outside of their magical forest. But when Brygida encounters one of the village men by chance, paining by her lake, he doesn’t seem to be as dangerous as her mother’s have led her to believe.

When a girl is murdered, Brygida discovers she must take up her duty as Reaper of Death, and ensure she delivers the killer to the waiting rusalka in the lake, within three days. Although her mothers are sure they know the identity of the murderer, Brygida’s intuition tells her they are wrong, and she will risk everything to solve the mystery.

Feast of the Mother was such an intriguing mystery! I just had to know who the culprit was, so I read it all in one night. The subtly woven magic, and magical creatures, within the mundane setting of an ordinary village was captivating and I loved Brygida as a character. She was strong and independent, but the authors let her nervousness shine through, making her seem more real. I also adored Stefan, one of the sweet and playful side characters! The inclusion of a mystery, especially a murder mystery, in fantasy novels is one of my favourite things! I was so sure I had solved it more than once, but I was still wrong 😄

I can’t wait to read book two!

If you enjoy witches, magic, mysteries and royal families, make sure you add this one to your TBR!

[Spring Runyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was just magical enough with just enough mystery and romance. The way the authors described the setting was beautiful. The characters were flawed just like I like them. There is a bit of instant love, but it works in the context of this story. I absolutely can’t wait for the sequel. I’d love to go into detail about everything I loved about this book, but I’m sick right now so I’ll try to update in a few days. For now I’ll just say if you like witches, folklore, or magic, definitely give this book a shot. It’s a fast read that will leave you dying to know more about this world and characters.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of my favorite authors joined together, definately couldn't pass up reading this! And they didn't disappoint!
Feast of the Mother had me hooked from the first page on with intrigue and mystery that literally kept me reading from start to finish in one day. The characters were so well written I felt everything Brygida did and then some as I was trying to solve the murder along with her. I can't wait to see what comes next!
I recommend this book for anyone who likes reading fantasy, mythology, mystery, and romance. You definately will not regret snatching this gem up!

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully delightful feast of magic and suspense! I thoroughly enjoyed this new tale of murder, greed, mystery and romance. The characters were entrancing and I can’t wait to read more about them.

[Hannah (Hannah, Fully) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review. Feast of the Mother was a mini struggle bus.
I like the world-building and Slavic influences Honfleur and Andrews use throughout the first book in the Witch of the Lake series, but I wanted more. More than likely a personal preference, but I ended up a little disappointed. Things also didn't pick up until around 80% of the book -- the pacing to me felt super slow and much of the focus felt like it was on world-building? Telling through description rather than showing?

Honestly, my curiosity got the better of me because I wanted to know the end and who the murderer is or if everyone dies.
That sounds sinister, but hear me out: Brygida lives a sheltered life with her mothers in the woods near a lake that has something ancient in it. She wants to see the world beyond the woods (because let's face it, being surrounded by trees probably isn't that great) and leaps at the chance to go when she's invited by Kaspian while he's painting to festivities at a local village. Everything seems fine until the next morning... when someone ends up murdered, and she is called to be the Reaper of Death to find out whodunit.

The kicker: she has three days to find out who it is and bring them to the lake, or both her and the village get massacred. In other words, there's really no winning unless the correct murderer is found on time, and the chaotic, evil side of me is secretly delighted. No pressure to Brygida I can't believe she's so fucking calm about this I aspire to be at that level. I had to find out if she finds out the murderer.

If she did nothing, she'd be damned, but if she was wrong, she'd be equally damned.

Some things were repetitive and it got exhausting.
All signs point to Kaspian as the murderer, but Brygida is one of two people other than Stefan (who I absolutely adore and think is a fucking blessing) who believes otherwise. I really liked how she's resistant rather than going with everyone else blindly and insists on looking at all the possibilities, exploring them until it's exhausted.

But her duty to Mokosza -- and to everyone -- wasn't to deliver what they wanted, but what Mokosza, Roksana, and the murderer deserved.

But the whole "I don't think it was Kaspian" can get tiring because it kept getting repeated all the time in Feast of the Mother. I felt like I was seeing those exact words or some variation every few pages if not every page and because not much is going on for most of the book, it dominated. But the repetition isn't there for the sake of being there; there is definitely an intention of showing groupthink in action and how when a few people speak up, there is overwhelming pressure from the majority to conform to the norm and just go with it. It just might be irritating for some.

Feast of the Mother is a decent start to a series.
I'm not sure if I would personally continue with the sequels in Witch of the Lake, but I'm a sucker for mythology so I might decide to take a chance on the sequel. But for those who don't mind the feeling of repetition and the majority of the book spent building up the story, you might enjoy Feast of the Mother.

This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.

[Liliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ rounded up
This book had potential, but it didn't quite work for me.
The world building just isn't quite there, you're thrown into what almost feels like a second book. You don't know much of the back stories or characters motivations, or even the world we were in

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a quick, cute read.

It builds the world so easily, and moves a long seamlessly.

Its very enjoyable and easy to finish in one sitting.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely intriguing fantasy story. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot. Can’t wait for another book.

[Teri Ruscak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miranda Honfleur and Nicolette Andrews
Feast of the Mother (Witch of the Lake Book 1)
Reaper
Fast paced mystery with a slow burn romance. A bunch of Slavic lore as well. These two authors crafted an awesome story, I can't wait for the next book!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brygida lived a very sheltered life. She is an outsider to the village and yet she is the one who must solve the murder. The problem is that her main suspect is someone whom she very much hopes in innocent. This one took me a bit to get into, but I really enjoyed how everything worked in the end.

[Alistair North · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Miranda Honfleur's Novels so far, and was intrigued to have a look at her new series co-authored with Nicolette Andrews (whose books I haven't read as of yet, sorry Nicolette!).

While this is undoubtedly a Fantasy Novel, there are no epic battles or Magical conflicts as you might expect in the 'Blade and Rose' Novels, instead you find yourself reading what is possibly the only Police Procedural Murder Mystery set in Old Pagan Poland. Our rookie Detective, Brygida, has only 3 days to solve the murder of a young girl and her task is complicated by the fact that the main suspect is a young artist that she herself had taken a fancy to...

Actually, the setting is a mythical land where men rule the towns and villages while Witch women still reign over the wilderness and lakes around 'civilisation', a setting that I found reminiscent of 'The White Goddess' by Robert Graves. In the story, Brygida is the youngest of the Mrok Witches who wreak vengeance upon the murderers of women, and this is the first time that she becomes the 'Reaper of Death' who must identify the culprit and ensure that they be sacrificed to a Demon in the Lake.

Nevertheless, Brygida goes about her task as a good detective - she interviews and observes various potential witnesses and suspects, aided by clues found by her mother when examining the corpse(a little like in C.S.I.) . In a reversal of expected roles the Male Lead (the artist) has to be rescued by Brygida who manages to do so just in the nick of time, having also been victorious in a stand up fight against the actual murderer! The real murderer meets a horrible and chilling fate in the lake, and the story ends with Brygida and Kaspian (the artist) finally able to pursue a gentle romance by the waters. Kaspian's last picture (I think he may turn out to have prophetic skills with his painting talents) hints at possible threats in the future, which is not entirely surprising as this is just the first book in a Series, 'Witch of the Lake'.

I was gifted a free copy to Review by the Authors, who I should also thank for the list of names and phonetic spellings at the end of the book - for anyone like myself who is easily confused by additional syllables and extra consonants!

[Kalliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the combination of witches and mystery in this amazing book. It was my first by both of these authors, and definitely won't be my last!

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A witch. A murder. A curse…
Beneath the murky waters of the lake, an ancient being slumbers, and Brygida is its servant. Kept sheltered in the woods by her mothers from the nearby village, Brygida has never had so much as a friend—until the day she meets a charming stranger painting by the lake. He invites her to the village’s harvest feast, but her taste of the forbidden ends with a murder.
Called into service for the first time, Brygida must take up her ancestral duty as Reaper of Death and solve the murder within three days. If she brings the murderer to the lake on the third day, the being she serves will be sated. If she fails, Brygida herself will be drawn beneath the murky waters, and the village massacred. There’s only one problem: the main suspect is her charming painter, Kaspian.
As Brygida investigates, the dangers are many and answers few. The village and her family stand against her, and with time running short, the lake demands a price. Brygida believes Kaspian is innocent, but can she stake her life on it, when failure means condemning the rest of the village, and being dragged into the deep...?
Find out what lurks beneath the lake in FEAST OF THE MOTHER, the first entry in a romantic dark fantasy series inspired by Slavic mythology and folklore, sure to please fans of Juliet Marillier’s Blackthorn & Grim series and Naomi Novik’s Uprooted.

This is a stunning start to what I think will be a wonderful series.
Such a well written plot and story line that is so engaging from the start.
Wonderful well fleshed out characters that were a joy to get to know and look forward to reading more about them.
Great world building and such vivid descriptive writing.
Can't wait to read more.
Recommend reading.

I received this as a free gift and this is my own honest voluntary review.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a village feast ends in murder, Brygida must follow in her ancestors footsteps and take up the the scythe to become Mokosza’s Reaper of Death. She has 3 days to find the young girl’s killer and deliver him to the lake, otherwise she will be dragged to its depths, and the village massacred. The only problem is, the main suspect is Kaspian, a handsome young painter who is kindhearted. Brygida can’t believe he could be a murderer.

Feast of the Mother is a beautifully written tale of witches and magic. And yet it is basically a murder mystery. I don’t think I’ve ever read such a riveting “police procedural” before. I’ve read a lot of murder mysteries and a lot of fantasy, but I loved the combination in this book! I loved the characters, especially Brygida, Kaspian, and Stefan - a stable hand and a true friend to Kaspian. Brygida is particularly remarkable because she refuses to give in to what everyone else believes and is determined to find the truth. And Stefan knows Kaspian better than Kaspian knows himself. He is a true and loyal friend even in the face of so much adversity. I also loved the world that this is set in. It was really cool to learn about Polish mythology! The magical forest sounds like a wonderful and dangerous place. So yes, I loved basically everything about this book! I highly recommend it!

I received an ARC from the authors and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good first start

Even though the male protagonist is a little gormless he kinda steps up to the mark but that's ok because the female main protagonist saves the day - looking forward to the next :)

[Jessica Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who love stories with well-woven mythologies, this is a wonderful tale. It draws from Polish mythology and features a well-crafted eastern European world, complete with a foreboding forest, Mrok witches, and strange denizens of the deep which demand justice for murdered women.

The story itself tells the tale of a young Mrok witch named Brygida and her attendance at a feast, meeting of a gentle and charming artist, and a murder the following day which sets this young man firmly in the sights of Mrok justice. Justice which she must carry out herself.

The romance itself is a slow burn. The story handles some difficult subjects with ease, allowing them to be woven into the story without being gratuitous. It is a standalone story though it is the first in a series, making it easy to finish while also hoping to read more soon.

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miranda Honfleur and Nicolette Andrews are two of my favorite authors, so I was delighted to find that they’ve collaborated on a new series, Witch of the Lake, of which Feast of the Mother is Book 1. And what a amazingly fantastic Book 1 it turned out to be. Brygida is a wonderfully crafted lead (Kaspian is a laugh) and I loved the story in this Slavic mythology inspired romantic dark fantasy. It’s truly wrk-written fun filled with well-crafted characters. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

[mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

i found the pagan slavic setting/world-building interesting, and i liked both the leads/POV characters. i've really been trying to seek out books that have more sensitive or introspective male love interests (or at least less combative/hate-love dynamics between those in central relationships) in fiction lately, and it's not always easy. in fact, they're so thin on the ground that i really treasure them whenever and wherever i find them. luckily, this book has both of those, with an interesting murder mystery and thoughtful messages about rape culture to boot.

there's also some heavy stuff, so cw for on-page death, mention of rape and sexual violence, and attempted castration.

[Deb Barringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brygida, a witch isolated her whole life from the outside world, now tasked with being a reaper to serve justice for a heinous crime. Kaspian, a soft soul accused by all of taking the life of his bride-to-be, knows he will face the reaper if found guilty yet has no memory of the crime. Brygida fights for his innocence, while everyone else has deemed him guilty. But is he? Will she save him or reap him afterall? This was an excellent, good old-fashioned whodunit, with a wonderful supernatural flair, set in a world sure to give you gosebumps while you are reading. Wonderful ending for a series book. Can't wait to see what the next one brings!

[Fiona Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of my favourite authors combining to write a book, I’m in seventh heaven. They didn’t disappoint, form page one I was hooked. I had to find out about the witches and what there magic was all about, then there was the villagers and all there life’s to explore. The characters were beautifully described as well as the world around the woods. Totally enthralled. Grab yourself a cuppa of your favourite beverage, curl up in your favourite reading spot and lose yourself in a fabulous book. Can’t wait for the next one. Highly recommend.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book in the Witch of the Lake series is an interesting read, a mystery filled with magic and Polish folklore. I really enjoyed it, and loved the characters of the playful Stefan, the strong and independent (yet longing for company) Brygida and the noble, artistic Kaspian. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the series, and highly recommend this one to all lovers of paranormal mysteries.
NB I received a complimentary copy of this book, but I always give an HONEST review based wholly on my own opinions