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Wrath of the Winter Witch
Eight hundred years ago there was harmony in the world and no such thing as light and dark witches. The people were one. Enticed by the seductive powers of dark, some strayed down the twisted path, breaking the balance causing a rift. Eventually starting the Unholy Witch Wars.
Now, war is brewing again and Nthanda, a child of the dark, unknowingly, is at the center of it all. Well loved by many in her homeland, there are those who grow jealous and tired of the witchling and the long time rule of her family. Betrayed and kidnapped by rivals, she’s sold to her blood enemies across the seas.
With the help of an unexpected ally, Nthanda, risks her life and tries to escape the horrid clutches of her captors. Full of rage, fueled by hate, Nthanda and her companions, forge a path through the realms unleashing wrath and havoc on the deserving all the while trying to stay a step ahead of her enemies. With the fate of the world in her hands, can she stop the impending war and find a way to bring balance back to the lands?
Or will everything be lost...
Now, war is brewing again and Nthanda, a child of the dark, unknowingly, is at the center of it all. Well loved by many in her homeland, there are those who grow jealous and tired of the witchling and the long time rule of her family. Betrayed and kidnapped by rivals, she’s sold to her blood enemies across the seas.
With the help of an unexpected ally, Nthanda, risks her life and tries to escape the horrid clutches of her captors. Full of rage, fueled by hate, Nthanda and her companions, forge a path through the realms unleashing wrath and havoc on the deserving all the while trying to stay a step ahead of her enemies. With the fate of the world in her hands, can she stop the impending war and find a way to bring balance back to the lands?
Or will everything be lost...
- GenresFantasy
386 pages, Paperback
Published February 7, 2020
13 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 13, 2020
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a little while to get into this story, but once I did I enjoyed it! The main character is Nthanda. She is a young witch and the daughter of a high priestess, but the story is told from various character perspectives. I was most interested in the chapters from Nthanda’s perspective because I liked her character a lot. She was a spunky, innocent little girl caught in the middle of politics and magic. Nthanda is taken away from everything she has ever known, from her wintery coven to a sunny land called Namanssi. I will say this author is great at writing battle and action scenes. Usually in novels I skim over them, but here I read them, and they were gripping.
There were some punctuation and grammar inconsistencies, which was really my main critique as they became distracting. The writing and world was vivid and descriptive, with great characters.
The story has a unique fantasy world and cool creatures. I enjoyed her little pet, Kai, that communicates with her telepathically. I don’t know if you have ever played Skyrim, but there is a talking demon dog that Kai reminds me of lol. I don’t read much epic high fantasy, but Nthanda was a lovable character. The ending of this book makes me think there might be a part two. I look forward to what this writer creates next.
It took me a little while to get into this story, but once I did I enjoyed it! The main character is Nthanda. She is a young witch and the daughter of a high priestess, but the story is told from various character perspectives. I was most interested in the chapters from Nthanda’s perspective because I liked her character a lot. She was a spunky, innocent little girl caught in the middle of politics and magic. Nthanda is taken away from everything she has ever known, from her wintery coven to a sunny land called Namanssi. I will say this author is great at writing battle and action scenes. Usually in novels I skim over them, but here I read them, and they were gripping.
There were some punctuation and grammar inconsistencies, which was really my main critique as they became distracting. The writing and world was vivid and descriptive, with great characters.
The story has a unique fantasy world and cool creatures. I enjoyed her little pet, Kai, that communicates with her telepathically. I don’t know if you have ever played Skyrim, but there is a talking demon dog that Kai reminds me of lol. I don’t read much epic high fantasy, but Nthanda was a lovable character. The ending of this book makes me think there might be a part two. I look forward to what this writer creates next.
March 4, 2021
Link to my philosophy on reviewing books.
Overview:
Overall, this book is an excellent read for plot focused readers, especially those who love quest fantasy.
This book was an exciting story set in an enthralling world. The settings and descriptions in this book are where it shines. Each new setting comes to life and sucks the reader in. There is also a great diversity in settings as the characters travel to vastly different locations. The world is well built. Despite one group clearly being the 'bad guys' no culture was portrayed as universally good or evil. There were two magic systems and both had particularly brutal characteristics to them.
Reader be warned, this book is third person omniscient, and it is very omniscient! Head hopping happens with abandon. This isn't a device I see used very often in fantasy, and it took me a little while to get used to it. Once I did get used to it, I didn't mind it, but I know a lot of readers have strong feelings about head hopping! If you can't stand that style of writing, do not read this book!
Deep Dive:
The biggest weakness for this book was the prose and technical writing. There were a lot of places where verb tense confusion pulled me out of the story as I had to read a paragraph over a few times to figure out what was going on. There were also places where stilted writing made it difficult to enjoy the story.
I also felt the characters were under developed. There are a lot of big time jumps in the story, and I think these made it difficult to follow the characters' growth. It's hard to be invested in or care about character relationships, because they developed off screen. The reader is told the characters bonded, but didn't get to see any moments when the characters became close. Near the end, we spend a big chunk of time with the characters, and relationships that develop there feel interesting and organic.
The plot was the focus of the book. Time jumps and head hopping are employed to focus the story on the plot. Character focused readers and readers who want strong prose aren't as likely to enjoy the books, but readers who want strong plot and adventure through a rich and diverse world will love this story.
Overview:
Overall, this book is an excellent read for plot focused readers, especially those who love quest fantasy.
This book was an exciting story set in an enthralling world. The settings and descriptions in this book are where it shines. Each new setting comes to life and sucks the reader in. There is also a great diversity in settings as the characters travel to vastly different locations. The world is well built. Despite one group clearly being the 'bad guys' no culture was portrayed as universally good or evil. There were two magic systems and both had particularly brutal characteristics to them.
Reader be warned, this book is third person omniscient, and it is very omniscient! Head hopping happens with abandon. This isn't a device I see used very often in fantasy, and it took me a little while to get used to it. Once I did get used to it, I didn't mind it, but I know a lot of readers have strong feelings about head hopping! If you can't stand that style of writing, do not read this book!
Deep Dive:
The biggest weakness for this book was the prose and technical writing. There were a lot of places where verb tense confusion pulled me out of the story as I had to read a paragraph over a few times to figure out what was going on. There were also places where stilted writing made it difficult to enjoy the story.
I also felt the characters were under developed. There are a lot of big time jumps in the story, and I think these made it difficult to follow the characters' growth. It's hard to be invested in or care about character relationships, because they developed off screen. The reader is told the characters bonded, but didn't get to see any moments when the characters became close. Near the end, we spend a big chunk of time with the characters, and relationships that develop there feel interesting and organic.
The plot was the focus of the book. Time jumps and head hopping are employed to focus the story on the plot. Character focused readers and readers who want strong prose aren't as likely to enjoy the books, but readers who want strong plot and adventure through a rich and diverse world will love this story.
November 9, 2020
Great story
It took some time for the story to grab me but when it did it did not let go! The author brings the characters to life and you can see and feel the angst each goes through. The only negative would be with some grammar and spelling errors, an editor could clean this up a bit and the book would be epic. Even so, it’s really good and I enjoyed it.
It took some time for the story to grab me but when it did it did not let go! The author brings the characters to life and you can see and feel the angst each goes through. The only negative would be with some grammar and spelling errors, an editor could clean this up a bit and the book would be epic. Even so, it’s really good and I enjoyed it.
April 4, 2020
I was first taken in by this book's beautiful cover and intriguing description. Next, the prose and worldbuilding hooked me. The story is about Nthanda, a young witch with a powerful mother and an unknown father who finds out she wields great power of her own. Battles between witches form much of the drama in this fantasy novel. Very much a recommended read for fans of fantasy and all things witches.
February 10, 2021
I NEED THE SEQUEL!! There’s a sequel right?? When does it come out?
We got dark magic. Strong female characters. Strong Black female witches at that. Love to see it. We got revenge. We got a snow leopard familiar. What else do you need?!? And it’s a polar fantasy. Yes please. Where’s the sequel release date?
We got dark magic. Strong female characters. Strong Black female witches at that. Love to see it. We got revenge. We got a snow leopard familiar. What else do you need?!? And it’s a polar fantasy. Yes please. Where’s the sequel release date?
March 21, 2024
The story just took a long time for me to get interested. It definitely dragged a lot in the beginning and finally getting somewhere in the last portion of the book. There were a few scenes in the book that felt not needed in my opinion and the pov switching mid paragraph was slightly confusing. Might just pick up the other book to get answers on a few things.
January 22, 2020
This book is so good! It hooks you in and really makes you care for the characters. My heart dropped at least twice because the author did such a good job describing the world and the characters. I can't wait for book 2!
September 6, 2020
Incredible! I loved every second of this bo nook, despite the many grammar and spelling mistakes. I wondered if the author studied English as a second language and perhaps that was why. However, i loved the book but i wish it had ended on a cliffhanger. Yet i am desperately hoping for a sequel!
December 31, 2020
Awesome and Amazing
Once I started I could not put it down. This story weaves a trail of magic on each page. The characters leave you captivated from the time you meet them... looking forward to a lot more from this author
Once I started I could not put it down. This story weaves a trail of magic on each page. The characters leave you captivated from the time you meet them... looking forward to a lot more from this author
February 25, 2020
Wrath of the Winter Witch is a fantasy story about Nthanda reclaiming her heritage as a stolen witch from her wintery home. This story envelopes you in the culture of witches, political turmoil, and societal complexity. Nthanda is a prophesized powerful witch but her world is colored in loss, wrath, and vengeance. This is the story of a young witch coming to claim everything.
It’s been a good while since I really devoured an excellent story. This fantasy novel has a fantastic world-building. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the world with Nthanda and her companions. The history of witches took me from a wintery culture to a sun basked domain. Everything is woven together intricately but once you start to grasp it, the story unfolds beautifully. I recommend this book to any person of color who grew up away from their culture or a secure connection to culture and heritage. This story kindles communion and compassion about finding what was lost. Its a fantastic fantasy story, and I can’t wait to see the journey continue; you’ll find yourself rooting for all the characters. Any dreamers will love this book the most! This is a fantasy story to inspire a fighting spirit.
It’s been a good while since I really devoured an excellent story. This fantasy novel has a fantastic world-building. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the world with Nthanda and her companions. The history of witches took me from a wintery culture to a sun basked domain. Everything is woven together intricately but once you start to grasp it, the story unfolds beautifully. I recommend this book to any person of color who grew up away from their culture or a secure connection to culture and heritage. This story kindles communion and compassion about finding what was lost. Its a fantastic fantasy story, and I can’t wait to see the journey continue; you’ll find yourself rooting for all the characters. Any dreamers will love this book the most! This is a fantasy story to inspire a fighting spirit.
July 19, 2020
This is a good book. The world building was fantastic. I look forward to the more works in this series.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews