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Sanctuary
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
29 days and 11:37:23
100 copies available
U.S. only
Para la investigadora de policía Maggie Knight, la muerte del quarterback estrella de Sanctuary parece un trágico accidente. Pero entonces surgen los rumores. Todo el mundo sabe que su exnovia es hija de una bruja… y que estaba con él cuando murió. Nada detendrá a la afligida madre, Abigail, hasta que se haga justicia con su hijo muerto. Y su mejor amiga, Sarah, hará todo lo que esté en su mano para proteger a su hija de las acusaciones.
Pero las dos mujeres comparten un secreto que podría destruir sus vidas. Las acusaciones se suceden y Maggie tendrá que descubrir la verdad antes de que la investigación se le vaya de las manos. Y la ciudad pierda su condición de refugio...
Pero las dos mujeres comparten un secreto que podría destruir sus vidas. Las acusaciones se suceden y Maggie tendrá que descubrir la verdad antes de que la investigación se le vaya de las manos. Y la ciudad pierda su condición de refugio...
448 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 2019
398 people are currently reading
9623 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 511 reviews
October 15, 2020
unpopular opinion alert!
pitched as big little lies meets practical magic with feminist witchy undertones, what could go wrong?
apparently, a lot. Sanctuary took elements of so many of my favourite things, from a murder mystery, to social commentary to a twisty plot. The potential was definitely there for an amazing story, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.
second unpopular opinion: I don't love modern day witch stories. I tend to find them cheesy and jarring, for some reason it is difficult for me to turn off my analytical brain. However, that actually wasn't an issue for me in this one! The witches were incorporated in a nuanced way. It wasn't just our world + witches, but rather how our world would be if witches like these ones existed. I found it really interesting to see this author's take on the history, slurs and discrimination against witches that would be present. The fear of the different, and the persecution that would arise from it. The out-dated policies and legislation. Unfortunately, it felt entirely realistic.
"If there's one thing that works even better than anger, it's fear"
The writing style was by no means bad, but it wasn't good either. It felt bland and uninteresting- a stark contrast to the plot and world. It made things that could have felt exciting or magical instead feeling boring and lifeless. There were short chapters that made it easy to get through, but I didn't feel the pull to keep reading, or the need to pick it back up whenever I closed it.
The book only started getting interesting for me towards the end when we really get to see the witch hunt get going. It definitely felt reminiscent of the Salem witch trials, and it was alarming how history so easily repeated itself. I found the scenes with Abigail (that parallel surely couldn't be unintentional right?) and her fight for 'justice' to be some of the most compelling in the entire book.
I enjoyed the ending overall, but didn't love the final plot twist. I am not sure exactly what it was, but it left a strange taste in my mouth and was a bit anticlimactic. I can't full explain why I didn't love it, but it made the entire book almost feel redundant.
Overall, this definitely wasn't a bad book, but I was left disappointed after all of the glowing reviews and clear potential. I won't be left thinking about these characters or the mystery, and I didn't particularly love my experience reading it. However, take my review with a grain of salt because I am definitely in the minority.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC
Release Date: 7 September 2020
pitched as big little lies meets practical magic with feminist witchy undertones, what could go wrong?
apparently, a lot. Sanctuary took elements of so many of my favourite things, from a murder mystery, to social commentary to a twisty plot. The potential was definitely there for an amazing story, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.
second unpopular opinion: I don't love modern day witch stories. I tend to find them cheesy and jarring, for some reason it is difficult for me to turn off my analytical brain. However, that actually wasn't an issue for me in this one! The witches were incorporated in a nuanced way. It wasn't just our world + witches, but rather how our world would be if witches like these ones existed. I found it really interesting to see this author's take on the history, slurs and discrimination against witches that would be present. The fear of the different, and the persecution that would arise from it. The out-dated policies and legislation. Unfortunately, it felt entirely realistic.
"If there's one thing that works even better than anger, it's fear"
The writing style was by no means bad, but it wasn't good either. It felt bland and uninteresting- a stark contrast to the plot and world. It made things that could have felt exciting or magical instead feeling boring and lifeless. There were short chapters that made it easy to get through, but I didn't feel the pull to keep reading, or the need to pick it back up whenever I closed it.
The book only started getting interesting for me towards the end when we really get to see the witch hunt get going. It definitely felt reminiscent of the Salem witch trials, and it was alarming how history so easily repeated itself. I found the scenes with Abigail (that parallel surely couldn't be unintentional right?) and her fight for 'justice' to be some of the most compelling in the entire book.
I enjoyed the ending overall, but didn't love the final plot twist. I am not sure exactly what it was, but it left a strange taste in my mouth and was a bit anticlimactic. I can't full explain why I didn't love it, but it made the entire book almost feel redundant.
Overall, this definitely wasn't a bad book, but I was left disappointed after all of the glowing reviews and clear potential. I won't be left thinking about these characters or the mystery, and I didn't particularly love my experience reading it. However, take my review with a grain of salt because I am definitely in the minority.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC
Release Date: 7 September 2020
September 13, 2019
Netgalley, mostly because I couldn’t wait. I also bought the limited hardback edition, just so it’s 100% clear that I love this. A lot. And my other half listened to the audio-book and declared she'd read anything by James. This household loves V.V. James.
Sanctuary: Big Little Lies meets witches is probably the most accurate tagline.
My reading experience went like this: I swallowed Sanctuary whole. Just like that. I couldn't put it down. It's gripping from the very first page. Just like with Big Little Lies, I had to know what happens next, and I did not stop until the very end.
And the author got me as well. I thought I'd figured it all out. The secret, the culprit, the motive and for one hot minute I felt incredibly smug, but of course, I was wrong.
Sanctuary is filled with twists and turns, but it's the characters that make it. The cast is diverse, and everyone is complex, filled with a drive to do what they think is right. And this is what James is so very good at: showing us people whose actions we disagree with, people we loathe, people we think are utterly wrong, and making us see why they do it.
They're not bad people. They truly believe they and their families are in grave danger, and that they're the only ones doing something about it.
A small, peaceful community can unravel in a matter of days...and James takes it all the way to the terrifying end.
As usual, nothing is black and nothing is white. Most of these people are grey, and I believe we're all grey, and the author is a master at portraying that emotional baggage we carry with us. Those mistakes we've all made, and how they sometimes haunt us.
But we're still good people, right?
The element of magic and witches is cleverly folded into the world building, and it feels entirely plausible that if witches were real, this is how they'd operate. You're feeling tired? You can either visit your GP or you can go to your local witch. Both will be able to help you.
I can't discuss the themes too much without spoiling the plot, but they're incredibly interesting: Innocent until proven guilty is a cornerstone of our society, but what happens when a mob thinks the justice system is failing them? What if a small community decides the police aren't handling things as they should?
From mass hysteria to mob mentality and vigilante justice, this book has it all.
It's human not to trust what we can't understand, but accusing someone of murder just because of who they are is wrong...and, of course, the president is tweeting.
I recommend Sanctuary to everyone who is looking for an interesting mystery filled with twists and turns and witches.
Target audience: all mystery fans who like magic, and all fantasy fans who enjoy a good mystery.
Sanctuary: Big Little Lies meets witches is probably the most accurate tagline.
My reading experience went like this: I swallowed Sanctuary whole. Just like that. I couldn't put it down. It's gripping from the very first page. Just like with Big Little Lies, I had to know what happens next, and I did not stop until the very end.
And the author got me as well. I thought I'd figured it all out. The secret, the culprit, the motive and for one hot minute I felt incredibly smug, but of course, I was wrong.
Sanctuary is filled with twists and turns, but it's the characters that make it. The cast is diverse, and everyone is complex, filled with a drive to do what they think is right. And this is what James is so very good at: showing us people whose actions we disagree with, people we loathe, people we think are utterly wrong, and making us see why they do it.
They're not bad people. They truly believe they and their families are in grave danger, and that they're the only ones doing something about it.
A small, peaceful community can unravel in a matter of days...and James takes it all the way to the terrifying end.
As usual, nothing is black and nothing is white. Most of these people are grey, and I believe we're all grey, and the author is a master at portraying that emotional baggage we carry with us. Those mistakes we've all made, and how they sometimes haunt us.
But we're still good people, right?
The element of magic and witches is cleverly folded into the world building, and it feels entirely plausible that if witches were real, this is how they'd operate. You're feeling tired? You can either visit your GP or you can go to your local witch. Both will be able to help you.
I can't discuss the themes too much without spoiling the plot, but they're incredibly interesting: Innocent until proven guilty is a cornerstone of our society, but what happens when a mob thinks the justice system is failing them? What if a small community decides the police aren't handling things as they should?
From mass hysteria to mob mentality and vigilante justice, this book has it all.
It's human not to trust what we can't understand, but accusing someone of murder just because of who they are is wrong...and, of course, the president is tweeting.
I recommend Sanctuary to everyone who is looking for an interesting mystery filled with twists and turns and witches.
Target audience: all mystery fans who like magic, and all fantasy fans who enjoy a good mystery.
December 24, 2020
Although this book had its moments, for me it was all over the place. Too much included, and too much to follow, made it seem ridiculous at times. Just my opinion, many have rated this much higher.
November 26, 2020
Definitivamente este libro no es para mí. Me ha costado bastante terminarlo.
De todas formas, la historia es atractiva y el misterio en torno a la muerte del adolescente te hace a llegar al final.
Se resume en una caza de brujas moderna.
De todas formas, la historia es atractiva y el misterio en torno a la muerte del adolescente te hace a llegar al final.
Se resume en una caza de brujas moderna.
August 6, 2019
The first thing I did after I finished Sanctuary was preorder a signed, limited edition copy from Goldsboro Books and that, in itself, tells you everything you need to know about how much fun I had reading this book. My review could end here but, because I love chatting about books so much, it won’t.
The cover image caught my eye when I first saw it in a Goldsboro newsletter (bookish emails are so dangerous for me!) and after being enticed by the blurb I investigated further. NetGalley had review copies available and I managed to snag one! Woohoo! Now I’ve come full circle, back to Goldsboro, but wanting this book has now morphed into needing it.
Daniel died at a party a few weeks before the senior class graduates. He was a quarterback for the Sanctuary Spartans and had a football scholarship lined up. Harper, Daniel’s ex-girlfriend and the daughter of Sanctuary’s only witch, is suspected of having killed Sanctuary’s golden boy. A police investigation begins to determine the cause of Daniel’s death. Friendships are tested and loyalties are divided as the facade of this picture perfect small town cracks, spiralling into a witch hunt as long held secrets and lies are revealed.
“Our moms were drinking champagne when Daniel died. Sipping on bubbles as Beatriz screamed outside the burning party house and I was loaded into an ambulance.” (Harper, daughter of Sarah)
“I always felt proud to be the mom of a boy - they’re so much more straightforward and honest. Girls can be sly, slinking things.” (Abigail, mother of Daniel)
“To those who don’t need me, I’m an irrelevance. To those who do, I’m a help, a friend, a guide.” (Sarah, witch)
“I don’t want to let down another girl by not being a good enough cop.” (Maggie, out-of-town state investigator)
I always get a tad anxious when a book begins with a list of characters. Are there so many people that I won’t be able to tell them apart? Do I need to make copious notes to remember who everyone is in relation to everyone else? I’ll admit that as soon as I saw that list I put this book down and picked up another, delaying my read for several days. I needn’t have worried though. After the first couple of chapters I didn’t need to look at it again.
I loved learning about this world’s magic system, with its rules, restrictions and fascinating powers. I enjoyed learning the rituals and watching Sarah’s preparations. Having consent as its foundational principle and it working by exchanging one thing for another made sense to me both generally and .
Having said that (and this is not spoilery), as I read I kept thinking that this is exactly how I’d imagine a story unfolding for the residents of Wisteria Lane if witchcraft was a part of their world. They both involve a group of female friends and their children whose lives look picture perfect, but beneath the surface there are secrets that have the power to change the dynamics of their friendship if they were to come to light.
Was this a perfect book? No. I had unanswered questions, like if Tad and Mary-Anne truly believed , and I would have liked more information about what happened to some of the characters after I finished the last page. But did I have so much fun reading it that ultimately I didn’t care about any of my quibbles? Absolutely!
Content warnings include .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gollancz, an imprint of Orion Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this book.
The cover image caught my eye when I first saw it in a Goldsboro newsletter (bookish emails are so dangerous for me!) and after being enticed by the blurb I investigated further. NetGalley had review copies available and I managed to snag one! Woohoo! Now I’ve come full circle, back to Goldsboro, but wanting this book has now morphed into needing it.
Daniel died at a party a few weeks before the senior class graduates. He was a quarterback for the Sanctuary Spartans and had a football scholarship lined up. Harper, Daniel’s ex-girlfriend and the daughter of Sanctuary’s only witch, is suspected of having killed Sanctuary’s golden boy. A police investigation begins to determine the cause of Daniel’s death. Friendships are tested and loyalties are divided as the facade of this picture perfect small town cracks, spiralling into a witch hunt as long held secrets and lies are revealed.
#JusticeforDanielThis story is told by Sarah, Abigail, Harper and Maggie, and also includes various transcripts, newspaper articles, emails and police documentation. I enjoyed the different perspectives and although I didn’t feel the four voices were distinct, I didn’t really mind as I was so occupied watching the chaos unfold.
“Our moms were drinking champagne when Daniel died. Sipping on bubbles as Beatriz screamed outside the burning party house and I was loaded into an ambulance.” (Harper, daughter of Sarah)
“I always felt proud to be the mom of a boy - they’re so much more straightforward and honest. Girls can be sly, slinking things.” (Abigail, mother of Daniel)
“To those who don’t need me, I’m an irrelevance. To those who do, I’m a help, a friend, a guide.” (Sarah, witch)
“I don’t want to let down another girl by not being a good enough cop.” (Maggie, out-of-town state investigator)
I always get a tad anxious when a book begins with a list of characters. Are there so many people that I won’t be able to tell them apart? Do I need to make copious notes to remember who everyone is in relation to everyone else? I’ll admit that as soon as I saw that list I put this book down and picked up another, delaying my read for several days. I needn’t have worried though. After the first couple of chapters I didn’t need to look at it again.
The four of us were friends, despite our obvious differences. And we became a true coven. Bridget grounds me, Abigail fires me up, and Julia reminds me of the beauty of my craft.I enjoyed getting to know the various kids, coven members and their partners, and the police investigating Daniel’s death. I appreciated that Maggie’s perspective was coloured by a previous investigation, giving her character more depth. I wanted to give Sergeant Chester Greenstreet, A.K.A., Helpful Cop, a bear hug for some reason, and I really wanted to get to know Rowan Andrews, independent magical investigator (them/they/their), more. Rowan’s character intrigued me but they weren’t as involved in the story as I’d hoped.
I loved learning about this world’s magic system, with its rules, restrictions and fascinating powers. I enjoyed learning the rituals and watching Sarah’s preparations. Having consent as its foundational principle and it working by exchanging one thing for another made sense to me both generally and .
Something given for something gotten.Witchcraft aside, I could see this story playing out in reality. The issues it raises about consent, xenophobia, discrimination and mob mentality could have been pulled from any number of new stories. The exploration of how our past influences our decisions in similar situations interested me and seeing how grief affects different people played out in believable ways. The escalation I saw in this book typifies how the fear of what we don’t understand can explode into witch hunts, literally and figuratively.
Magic is the art of choosing the best path to where you wish to be. And, as with life, where you end up is the result of the choices you’ve made.I predicted some of the reveals from fairly early on but didn’t mind as they were what I wanted to happen anyway. If you don’t want the answers to be too obvious please try to avoid comparisons between this book and certain others.
Having said that (and this is not spoilery), as I read I kept thinking that this is exactly how I’d imagine a story unfolding for the residents of Wisteria Lane if witchcraft was a part of their world. They both involve a group of female friends and their children whose lives look picture perfect, but beneath the surface there are secrets that have the power to change the dynamics of their friendship if they were to come to light.
Was this a perfect book? No. I had unanswered questions, like if Tad and Mary-Anne truly believed , and I would have liked more information about what happened to some of the characters after I finished the last page. But did I have so much fun reading it that ultimately I didn’t care about any of my quibbles? Absolutely!
Content warnings include .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gollancz, an imprint of Orion Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this book.
Read
September 6, 2020Publication Date: 9/11/20
Think Big Little Lies with a witchy twist, that’s Sanctuary!! I loved it!!
Sanctuary is about a town in Connecticut shocked by the tragic death of their most popular high school football player. How did he die? How did he break his neck? Some say he was killed by witchcraft….could that be possible? Detective Maggie Knight must solve this mystery.
The book has a lot of suspense and includes enough twist and turns to keep you turning the page. The character building is what makes this book so wonderful. You become very involved with each character and due to the description writing of V. V. James, you feel like you know and understand what the characters are thinking.
I don’t usually read stories about witches and magic because I don’t really understand reading something that can’t be real. I guess I am not much of a fantasy/paranormal kind of gal, but this book is written in a way that makes it feel believable and I believe every type of reader would enjoy the story.
I was glad I gave this book a chance and would recommend it to anyone that likes mysteries with some witchiness thrown in!!
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.
Think Big Little Lies with a witchy twist, that’s Sanctuary!! I loved it!!
Sanctuary is about a town in Connecticut shocked by the tragic death of their most popular high school football player. How did he die? How did he break his neck? Some say he was killed by witchcraft….could that be possible? Detective Maggie Knight must solve this mystery.
The book has a lot of suspense and includes enough twist and turns to keep you turning the page. The character building is what makes this book so wonderful. You become very involved with each character and due to the description writing of V. V. James, you feel like you know and understand what the characters are thinking.
I don’t usually read stories about witches and magic because I don’t really understand reading something that can’t be real. I guess I am not much of a fantasy/paranormal kind of gal, but this book is written in a way that makes it feel believable and I believe every type of reader would enjoy the story.
I was glad I gave this book a chance and would recommend it to anyone that likes mysteries with some witchiness thrown in!!
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.
December 4, 2019
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Sanctuary by V. V. James. (2019).
Sanctuary is the perfect town...to hide a secret. Detective Maggie is in town to finalise the tragic accidental death of a star quarterback, Daniel. Then the rumours start; his ex girlfriend Harper is the daughter of a witch, Sarah. And Harper was there when Dan died. Dan's mother Abigail will stop at nothing until she has justice. Her best friend Sarah will do everything in her power to protect Harper. The two women share a secret that could shatter their lives. As accusations begin to fly, it falls to Maggie to find the truth.
This book is set in a society where witchcraft is real and powerful, albeit uncommon. As you can imagine when something unexpected happens and people are upset, the town quickly lays the blame on the local witch and her daughter. It was almost horrifying to read just how quickly the town turns on someone that has spent years helping them all, purely because she has a power they can't understand. And yet it was so damn believable and I could picture how easily that could happen in the context of heartbreak and secrets. The story is told from a few different perspectives: primarily Sarah, Abigail and Maggie with a small section from Harper. It also includes transcripts, newspaper articles, emails and police documentation etc which ties the narrative together nicely.
I really liked this book, it felt like it really hit the spot and was something different to get stuck into. Happily recommend.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Sanctuary by V. V. James. (2019).
Sanctuary is the perfect town...to hide a secret. Detective Maggie is in town to finalise the tragic accidental death of a star quarterback, Daniel. Then the rumours start; his ex girlfriend Harper is the daughter of a witch, Sarah. And Harper was there when Dan died. Dan's mother Abigail will stop at nothing until she has justice. Her best friend Sarah will do everything in her power to protect Harper. The two women share a secret that could shatter their lives. As accusations begin to fly, it falls to Maggie to find the truth.
This book is set in a society where witchcraft is real and powerful, albeit uncommon. As you can imagine when something unexpected happens and people are upset, the town quickly lays the blame on the local witch and her daughter. It was almost horrifying to read just how quickly the town turns on someone that has spent years helping them all, purely because she has a power they can't understand. And yet it was so damn believable and I could picture how easily that could happen in the context of heartbreak and secrets. The story is told from a few different perspectives: primarily Sarah, Abigail and Maggie with a small section from Harper. It also includes transcripts, newspaper articles, emails and police documentation etc which ties the narrative together nicely.
I really liked this book, it felt like it really hit the spot and was something different to get stuck into. Happily recommend.
March 22, 2022
Hafif fantastik soslu akıcı bir polisiyeydi. Beklediğimden daha çok beğendim 👍
March 9, 2021
Ich weiß nicht, warum, aber mit einer Kleinstadt voller Intrigen und einer stadtbekannten Hexe hab ich mir irgendwie etwas skurril witziges erwartet - dabei taucht man hier immer mehr in bittere Wahrheiten ein, sobald man hinter die schönen Fassade blickt und die bunt schillernde Seifenblase der Kleinstadt-Idylle beginnt zu platzen.
Der Tod des beliebten Footballstars Daniel Whitman scheint kein Unfall gewesen zu sein, da seine Ex-Freundin, die Tochter der stadtbekannten Hexe Sarah, kurz vor seinem Tod mit ihm in Streit geriet.
Das ganze Szenario scheint anfangs gar nicht so viel herzugeben, aber es fesselt von Anfang an und entwickelt eine Sogwirkung, die mich das Buch nicht mehr aus der Hand legen ließ!
Das ganze spielt ja in unserer Welt, mit der Variante, dass nach der Hexenverfolgung der frühen Neuzeit eine Wende eintrat und die Hexen nach und nach von der Gesellschaft akzeptiert wurden, allerdings mit gesetzlichen Regelungen. Sie dürfen ihrem Handwerk nachgehen und Magie einsetzen, jedoch - natürlich - nur im positiven Sinn. Sarah Fenn ist die einzige Hexe in Sanctuary und hat einen kleinen Laden, der auch sehr gerne besucht wird. Sie wirkt auf mich sehr liebenswürdig und hilft mit ihren Zaubern gerne allen, die sie um Rat bitten.
"Die moderne Gesellschaft glaubt, sie habe bessere Möglichkeiten als die Zauberei gefunden, um uns den Weg durchs Leben zu erleichtern: Medikamente gegen die Trauer, Apps für die Liebe, Versicherungen gegen Krankheit, Lotterien für den Wohlstand."
Zitat Seite 39
Dass ihre 17jährige Tochter Harper keine Magie in sich trägt hat sie sehr erschüttert, doch sie arrangieren sich damit. Deshalb ist es auch für Sarah unmöglich zu glauben, ihre Tochter hätte etwas mit dem Tod von Daniel zu tun, bei dem anscheinend nicht alles mit rechten Dingen zuging.
Als sich plötzlich ein Zeuge meldet, der Harper sehr belastet, ziehen die Gerüchte ihre Kreise und es beginnt eine Hexenjagd, die mit Angst, Verzweiflung und Trauer geschürt wird. Wie sehr manche hier von Hass getrieben werden und welche Konsequenzen sich daraus ergeben ist wirklich unglaublich und hat mich immer tiefer in diesen Sumpf der hinterhältigen Verleumdungen gezogen. Ein sehr anschauliches Beispiel, wie ein Verdacht sich plötzlich verselbständigt und immer weitere Kreise zieht und die ganzen Einwohner der kleinen Stadt in einen mörderischen Mob verwandelt.
Was hinter den ganzen Ereignissen steckt wird nach und nach aufgedeckt und hat eine sehr bittere Ursache, die mich an eine bekannte Serie erinnert hat. Ich möchte sie jetzt nicht nennen, da das wahrscheinlich spoilern würde, aber das ganze enthält wichtige Themen, die leider immer noch viel zu oft unter den Teppich gekehrt werden. Man erfährt jeden Schachzug aus erster Hand, da die Kapitel aus der Sichtweise der verschiedenen Personen erzählt werden, hauptsächlich von Sarah, Maggie und Abigail.
Sarah steht jedenfalls sehr alleine da, denn selbst ihre Freundinnen aus ihrem Hexenzirkel ziehen sich von ihr zurück - nur die Polizistin Maggie, die zu den Ermittlungen hinzu gezogen wurde, ist von der Unschuld ihrer Tochter überzeugt. Was immer dringender wird zu beweisen, denn obwohl es im Staate Connecticut keine Todesstrafe mehr gibt, gilt als einzige Ausnahme eine schadenswirksame Ausübung der Magie.
"Magie ist ein Austausch. Etwas wird gegeben, etwas wird genommen, ..."
Zitat Seite 90
Viele der zwischenmenschlichen Aspekte sind hier deutlich zutage getreten was Vertrauen und Freundschaften betreffen. Vor allem auch der Glaube vieler Eltern, ihre Kinder in- und auswendig zu kennen, doch das tut man nie ... eigentlich kann man froh sein, wenn man sich selbst durchschaut, denn meist in man nicht mal zu sich selber ehrlich.
Aber auch Vorurteile sind hier natürlich ein wichtiger Bestandteil, denn selbst Maggie, die hinter der Hexe und ihrer Tochter steht und sie zu schützen versucht, glaubt eine listige Frage auf die "Listigkeit der Hexen" zurückzuführen. Ich denke mal, listig kann so ziemlich jeder Mensch sein ... aber daran sieht man, wie sehr solche Denkweisen prägen, die die Generationen überdauern.
Den Aufbau fand ich, wie gesagt, äußerst spannend, denn es tut sich immer wieder neues auf und man weiß nicht, wohin die nächsten Erkenntnisse führen werden. Aber auch die modellierte Welt der Gesellschaft, in der die Hexen hier Tür an Tür mit den anderen wohnen, ist gut und glaubwürdig konstruiert. Es gibt eine Organisation, die sich um Hexen-Belange kümmert, Hexen, die sich auch in Ermittlungen einbringen dürfen und einige Einblicke in die Zauber und Rituale, die ausgeübt werden.
Die Autorin weist im Anhang darauf hin, dass sie dabei auf verschiedene historische Quellen zurückgegriffen hat und alle Praktiken fiktiv und keiner magischen Bewegung zuzuordnen sind.
Der Schluss war auch nochmal überraschend und hat das ganze für mich perfekt abgerundet!
Weltenwanderer
Der Tod des beliebten Footballstars Daniel Whitman scheint kein Unfall gewesen zu sein, da seine Ex-Freundin, die Tochter der stadtbekannten Hexe Sarah, kurz vor seinem Tod mit ihm in Streit geriet.
Das ganze Szenario scheint anfangs gar nicht so viel herzugeben, aber es fesselt von Anfang an und entwickelt eine Sogwirkung, die mich das Buch nicht mehr aus der Hand legen ließ!
Das ganze spielt ja in unserer Welt, mit der Variante, dass nach der Hexenverfolgung der frühen Neuzeit eine Wende eintrat und die Hexen nach und nach von der Gesellschaft akzeptiert wurden, allerdings mit gesetzlichen Regelungen. Sie dürfen ihrem Handwerk nachgehen und Magie einsetzen, jedoch - natürlich - nur im positiven Sinn. Sarah Fenn ist die einzige Hexe in Sanctuary und hat einen kleinen Laden, der auch sehr gerne besucht wird. Sie wirkt auf mich sehr liebenswürdig und hilft mit ihren Zaubern gerne allen, die sie um Rat bitten.
"Die moderne Gesellschaft glaubt, sie habe bessere Möglichkeiten als die Zauberei gefunden, um uns den Weg durchs Leben zu erleichtern: Medikamente gegen die Trauer, Apps für die Liebe, Versicherungen gegen Krankheit, Lotterien für den Wohlstand."
Zitat Seite 39
Dass ihre 17jährige Tochter Harper keine Magie in sich trägt hat sie sehr erschüttert, doch sie arrangieren sich damit. Deshalb ist es auch für Sarah unmöglich zu glauben, ihre Tochter hätte etwas mit dem Tod von Daniel zu tun, bei dem anscheinend nicht alles mit rechten Dingen zuging.
Als sich plötzlich ein Zeuge meldet, der Harper sehr belastet, ziehen die Gerüchte ihre Kreise und es beginnt eine Hexenjagd, die mit Angst, Verzweiflung und Trauer geschürt wird. Wie sehr manche hier von Hass getrieben werden und welche Konsequenzen sich daraus ergeben ist wirklich unglaublich und hat mich immer tiefer in diesen Sumpf der hinterhältigen Verleumdungen gezogen. Ein sehr anschauliches Beispiel, wie ein Verdacht sich plötzlich verselbständigt und immer weitere Kreise zieht und die ganzen Einwohner der kleinen Stadt in einen mörderischen Mob verwandelt.
Was hinter den ganzen Ereignissen steckt wird nach und nach aufgedeckt und hat eine sehr bittere Ursache, die mich an eine bekannte Serie erinnert hat. Ich möchte sie jetzt nicht nennen, da das wahrscheinlich spoilern würde, aber das ganze enthält wichtige Themen, die leider immer noch viel zu oft unter den Teppich gekehrt werden. Man erfährt jeden Schachzug aus erster Hand, da die Kapitel aus der Sichtweise der verschiedenen Personen erzählt werden, hauptsächlich von Sarah, Maggie und Abigail.
Sarah steht jedenfalls sehr alleine da, denn selbst ihre Freundinnen aus ihrem Hexenzirkel ziehen sich von ihr zurück - nur die Polizistin Maggie, die zu den Ermittlungen hinzu gezogen wurde, ist von der Unschuld ihrer Tochter überzeugt. Was immer dringender wird zu beweisen, denn obwohl es im Staate Connecticut keine Todesstrafe mehr gibt, gilt als einzige Ausnahme eine schadenswirksame Ausübung der Magie.
"Magie ist ein Austausch. Etwas wird gegeben, etwas wird genommen, ..."
Zitat Seite 90
Viele der zwischenmenschlichen Aspekte sind hier deutlich zutage getreten was Vertrauen und Freundschaften betreffen. Vor allem auch der Glaube vieler Eltern, ihre Kinder in- und auswendig zu kennen, doch das tut man nie ... eigentlich kann man froh sein, wenn man sich selbst durchschaut, denn meist in man nicht mal zu sich selber ehrlich.
Aber auch Vorurteile sind hier natürlich ein wichtiger Bestandteil, denn selbst Maggie, die hinter der Hexe und ihrer Tochter steht und sie zu schützen versucht, glaubt eine listige Frage auf die "Listigkeit der Hexen" zurückzuführen. Ich denke mal, listig kann so ziemlich jeder Mensch sein ... aber daran sieht man, wie sehr solche Denkweisen prägen, die die Generationen überdauern.
Den Aufbau fand ich, wie gesagt, äußerst spannend, denn es tut sich immer wieder neues auf und man weiß nicht, wohin die nächsten Erkenntnisse führen werden. Aber auch die modellierte Welt der Gesellschaft, in der die Hexen hier Tür an Tür mit den anderen wohnen, ist gut und glaubwürdig konstruiert. Es gibt eine Organisation, die sich um Hexen-Belange kümmert, Hexen, die sich auch in Ermittlungen einbringen dürfen und einige Einblicke in die Zauber und Rituale, die ausgeübt werden.
Die Autorin weist im Anhang darauf hin, dass sie dabei auf verschiedene historische Quellen zurückgegriffen hat und alle Praktiken fiktiv und keiner magischen Bewegung zuzuordnen sind.
Der Schluss war auch nochmal überraschend und hat das ganze für mich perfekt abgerundet!
Weltenwanderer
October 5, 2020
4,5 ⭐️ Ich hatte bei diesem Buch direkt das Gefühl, dass die Geschichte mir gefallen wird. Und was soll ich sagen, genau so war es auch! 👏🏻😍 Es war super unterhaltsam & spritzig geschrieben in kurzen, knackigen Kapiteln. Ich bin nur so durch die Geschichte gerauscht & hatte das Gefühl, direkt vor Ort dabei zu sein. Was ich ganz besonders spannend und faszinierend fand, war die Mischung aus Thriller und Fantasy, was der Autorin meiner Meinung nach hervorragend gelungen ist. Es hatte tatsächlich was vom Desperate Housewive-Flair & hat mir definitiv ein paar fesselnde Lesestunden beschert! 🖤
October 29, 2020
No está mal y tiene un buen final, pero es una americanada total, lleno de los topicazos de siempre. Mejor espérate a la serie.
October 2, 2022
Un libro leído para una conjunta, me ha gustado bastante, no es un libro de esos de los que no puedes parar, pero si de los que la historia va de menos a más y los personajes cambian. Historia muy entretenida con brujas en la actualidad, entretenido.
September 29, 2023
Esta novela la leí para una lectura conjunta, en la cual tenía que haber algún personaje que fuera brujo/a. La verdad es que ha sido una grata sorpresa para mí, ya que me ha gustado bastante.
La novela comienza con la muerte de Dan Whitman en una fiesta, supuestamente un accidente. Entonces aparece un testigo, un amigo de Dan que dice que grabo a la novia de Dan, Harper que es la hija de la bruja de Sanctuary, y que lo mató con brujería....
El ambiente en Sanctuary se va enrareciendo y Abigail hace todo lo posible para ponerles las cosas difíciles a las Fenn, Harper y su madre Sarah...
Me ha gustado mucho como está tratado el tema de la brujería en esta novela, como la gente cambia cuando se les alecciona contra algo que no entienden, como la autora poco a poco va enrareciendo el ambiente, casi he podido palpar esas sensaciones y entender cómo se produjeron las cazas de brujas hace siglos.
Los personajes me han gustado bastante y están muy bien perfilados, entre los más odiosos destaco a Abigail que hace verdaderas barbaridades en nombre del dolor por su hijo muerto.
La novela comienza con la muerte de Dan Whitman en una fiesta, supuestamente un accidente. Entonces aparece un testigo, un amigo de Dan que dice que grabo a la novia de Dan, Harper que es la hija de la bruja de Sanctuary, y que lo mató con brujería....
El ambiente en Sanctuary se va enrareciendo y Abigail hace todo lo posible para ponerles las cosas difíciles a las Fenn, Harper y su madre Sarah...
Me ha gustado mucho como está tratado el tema de la brujería en esta novela, como la gente cambia cuando se les alecciona contra algo que no entienden, como la autora poco a poco va enrareciendo el ambiente, casi he podido palpar esas sensaciones y entender cómo se produjeron las cazas de brujas hace siglos.
Los personajes me han gustado bastante y están muy bien perfilados, entre los más odiosos destaco a Abigail que hace verdaderas barbaridades en nombre del dolor por su hijo muerto.
October 22, 2021
I was surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did. The swedish cover did nothing to lure me in but the title (witch hunt) and the blurb luckily did. It's a thriller but with a witchy twist, a modern witch hunt. Secrets and blaming filling a small town and it was hard to put down. Very engaging and perfect for this time of year!
October 31, 2020
4,5
En Sanctuary, un pueblo perdido de la mano de Dios, no suele ocurrir grandes cosas. Allí, la vida es bastante normal: la gente sale a trabajar temprano, los perros y sus dueños salen a pasear por los jardines, y los jóvenes del pueblo se reúnen después de las clases. Sin embargo, lo que parece una vida idílica pronto se verá trastocada por un oscuro y misterioso accidente que se llevará la vida del quarterback estrella de Sanctuary. Maggie Knight, la investigadora de policía que llega para estudiar el caso, piensa que todo es producto de un trágico accidente. Pero cuando la principal acusada de asesinar a Daniel Whitman es su ex novia, Harper, hija de la bruja local, tal vez el caso ya no sea un accidente. Lo que la inspectora no sabe es que nadie dará su brazo a torcer con tal de mantener la verdad a flote, ni siquiera aquellos que harán lo que sean para taparla e instalar un manto de apariencia que podría costarle la vida a cualquiera. Nada detendrá a la afligida madre, Abigail, hasta que se haga justicia con su hijo muerto. Y su mejor amiga, Sarah, hará todo lo que esté en su mano para proteger a su hija de las acusaciones. Las dos mujeres comparten un secreto que podría destruir sus vidas y, mientras las acusaciones se suceden, Maggie tendrá que resolver el caso antes de que la investigación se le vaya de las manos... Y la ciudad pierda su condición de refugio.
¿Alguien ha pedido un buen thriller paranormal con un sistema mágico de por medio? Sanctuary es de esos libros que desconoces completamente hasta que la editorial lo anuncia y que, una vez que lo lees, te deja con la boca completamente abierta y preguntándote cómo es posible que sea un libro que no se conozca mucho. Quizás la autora sí te suene, en España llegó hace unos años con la trilogía incompleta de La jaula dorada, pero fueron unos libros que no leí en ningún momento. Y ahora me arrepiento. Ya sabéis que no suelo traer mucho thriller por el blog ya que me cuesta bastante dar con una historia que realmente me enganche y llame la atención pero, ¿un accidente mortal donde la acusada es una bruja? ¡Dámelo todo! No sabía qué esperar del libro ya que, además, no creo que sea correcto decir que este libro es young adult ya que las narradoras principales son mujeres que rondarán los cuarenta años y que, además, son madres. Pero os aseguro que eso no ha influido, en absoluto, en la montaña rusa que ha sido esta historia.
Usando una narración en primera persona, el libro se va a ir desarrollando alrededor de diferentes puntos de vista, teniendo a tres narradoras principales, perfectas para ir metiéndonos en los dos mundos que en esta sociedad colisionan. El libro empieza de manera directa: ha ocurrido un accidente donde ha muerto uno de los chicos más queridos y populares del pueblo, y la acusada es hija de la bruja local. A partir de ahí, la trama va a ir avanzando poco a poco en intentar descubrir qué es lo que ha pasado realmente pero, hasta llegar a la conclusión y esa revelación final, van a ir sucediendo otras disputas que, sin dudarlo, van a complicar mucho más un caso que, de por sí, no es fácil de resolver. Sanctuary es un libro que engancha desde el primer momento sin poder remediarlo, una historia que sabe cómo darte lo necesario para que siempre tengas las ganas de seguir con la historia, descubrir nuevas pistas y, a su vez, una historia que te va metiendo por recovecos mucho más oscuros de los que un principio podrías esperar. Siempre digo que usar una narración, en este caso, a través de tres puntos de vista, ayuda mucho a que la lectura esté en constante movimiento y no sea pausada, pero es que es verdad. Estoy segura que, si Sanctuary hubiera estado contado desde una sola perspectiva, el libro no hubiera sido lo mismo, no hubiera tenido ni tantas emociones, ni tantas sorpresas ni unos giros alucinantes que me dejaban patidifusa, con las teorías por el suelo y teniendo que volver al punto de partida para ver qué es lo que se me ha escapado por el camino. Además, que cada una de estas mujeres que nos van a contar la historia sean diferentes, con sus propias vidas, pensamientos y mundos, ha sido otro acierto por parte de la autora para dejarnos en todo momento en vilo. Por un lado, la trama va a estar caminando en el mundo que nos rodea, el que conocemos. Una sociedad muy actual llena de redes sociales, comentarios hirientes, familias destrozadas, alianzas inesperadas, y donde el tema del instituto va a estar muy presente. Por otro lado, y como he dicho al comienzo, en Sanctuary se nos presenta un segundo mundo donde las brujas existen y, no solo eso, sino que también son un pilar fundamental en la sociedad, con sus propios Consejos, su propia jerarquía y su propio funcionamiento. Tener a una bruja como narradora nos da un soplo de aire fresco cada dos por tres, arrancando de raíz una posible monotonía o falta de originalidad que, afortunadamente, no existe en ningún momento. Es agradable, o al menos a mí me ha gustado mucho, el tener delante dos vertientes que van a dejar momentazos por los que querer seguir con esta lectura, teniendo por un lado traiciones, desconfianzas, planes ocultos y, por otro, hechizos, rituales o un acercamiento a diferentes elementos mágicos que darán a Sanctuary un peso mucho más mayor de cuando se empezó.
De verdad que todavía me quedo anonadada al pensar en esos tramos de lectura en los que parecía que nada más podría salir mal y, de repente, aparecía en escena un nuevo personaje secundario, o una nueva acción, que lo ponía todo patas arriba, lo revolucionaba todo aún más y te dejaba a ti, descolocada, sin saber hacia dónde tirar ahora. Yo he alucinado un montón, no me esperaba dar con una historia tan adictiva que, además, nos da la oportunidad de ser los ojos de la agente que lleva el caso y poder tener en primer plano todos los avances que se van dando a medida que pasa el tiempo, consiguiendo un thriller paranormal interesante y que volvería a leer de nuevo si quisiera reencontrarme con una historia así. Es un libro rápido de leer, que no aburre, que consigue ser innovador, y que da partes de un conjunto que lo hace sobresalir o destacar de entre otros thrillers similares. La relación que existe entre todas las narradoras y su círculo de amigos o amigas es brutal, siendo otro tablero en un juego donde las reglas ya no existen, donde la venganza y la furia harán que sólo la reina más fuerte quede en pie. Son personajes que ayudan a que Sanctuary sea un libro alucinante, donde el pasado se une a este presente tan desgarrador, donde los secretos ya no estarán tan a salvo, y donde la estrategia será la única arma que necesitarán para limpiar o acusar a una persona. Y, aunque es cierto que su final es un poco anticlimático para toda la tensión, el drama, y la vorágine de emociones que se van a vivir hasta llegar ahí, yo me he quedado con un buen sabor de boca y con muchas ganas de seguir leyendo a la autora en este registro.
Para mí, Sanctuary destaca por tres cosas. La primera, el misterio tan retorcido y tan enrevesado que vamos a tener por delante, un misterio que, hasta el final, no va a dar ningún haz de luz con el que se hace predecible. Es un misterio muy bien formulado e hilado, que incluso te deja pistas ocultas que parecen no ser la gran cosa pero que luego, cuando empiezas a unirlo todo, realmente te das cuenta que todo, absolutamente todo, tiene su importancia. ¡La de veces que me he quedado con los ojos abiertos de la impresión! ¡El montón de giros inesperados que nos vamos a encontrar y que me han puesto los pelos de punta en más de una ocasión! Un misterio muy envolvente que te hacía sentir cada cosa que estaba pasando, como si tu misma estuvieras ahí dentro y formaras parte de este pueblo tan peculiar.
Lo segundo, el sistema o sociedad mágica que se nos presenta. Yo llevo ya una buena temporada en la que me apetece retornar a mi yo de hace diez años, cuando las historias de vampiros, fantasmas, brujas u otros seres sobrenaturales estaban a la orden del día. Decidí leer este libro por una sola palabra: magia. Y vaya decisión más acertada. No solo porque, como ya he dicho, el thriller que tenemos en Sanctuary es muy bueno, sino porque el sistema mágico que hay aquí resulta igual de interesante. Con su propia historia, una que parte desde los famosos juicios de Salem, la realidad se vuelve ficción en este libro cuando sabemos, desde el primer momento, que estas brujas existen y que, además, conviven sin aparentes problemas a nuestro alrededor. Y digo aparentes porque, a la hora de la convivencia, no todo es tan fácil como se intenta hacer ver. Es cierto que este mundo no se muestra muy extenso, tan solo conocemos pate de él gracias a una de las protagonistas del libro, pero lo que nos cuenta a mí me ha convencido sin problemas. Me gusta que se haya creado un Consejo que protege a las brujas de acusaciones falsas, algo que sucede muy a menudo y que deja a estos seres sin ninguna oportunidad de defensa. Es un tanto cruel el hacer que la vida de las brujas tenga que ser con pasos cuidadosos ya que el miedo del resto de la sociedad puede hacer que sea una bruja quién se lleve la culpa de algo que tú has hecho. Que no te crean o no te traten de manera igualitaria solo porque eres capaz de realizar un hechizo o formular un conjuro. Es una pena verlas tan limitadas, pero lo que se nos enseña mola mucho. Me ha gustado conocer su manera de aplicar las leyes, de leer incluso parte de sus estatutos, de interactuar mínimamente con el Consejo, saber su punto de vista y, sobre todo, estar presente en las costumbres que tienen las brujas. En sus rituales, su manera de realizar un conjuro u otro, de intentar invocar algo. Además, existen otras figuras dentro del mundo mágico que también van a estar algo presentes y todo ello hace que incluso diga que no me importaría leer solo un libro enfocado a todo esto. Me parecería muy guay.
Por último, la tercera y última cosa por la que destaca Sanctuary es por un tema bastante actual y muy crudo, como es la defensa y credibilidad de una víctima, especialmente cuando esa víctima es mujer. Sanctuary puede parecer un libro que parte de un accidente o asesinato, eso se va viendo a medida que se avanza en la historia, pero este hecho abre puertas hacia situaciones que generan mucha impotencia y que no esperaba en absoluto ver. No puedo decir qué es porque rompería con parte del misterio, eso os lo dejo a vuestro descubrimiento, pero cuando se desvela un asunto grave en cierto punto de la lectura, que además significa un desequilibrio en el caso que podría cambiarlo todo, mi sangre se heló. Es muy duro ver cómo juzgan y culpan a alguien por el simple hecho de ser mujer, sin darle la oportunidad de que se explique, tachándola de mentirosa por las apariencias; cómo los estereotipos conllevan a crear unos prejuicios con los que es difícil luchar. Como digo, no esperaba hallar, a la hora de leer este libro, una subtrama tan adulta y profunda, que trata temas muy serios y que están hechos para dar visibilidad y concienciar sobre algo que sucede cada día a nuestro alrededor.
En conclusión, Sanctuary es un thriller paranormal apasionante y adictivo que recomiendo encarecidamente a todo el mundo. Con unos personajes reales y bien formulados, con un misterio que crece por momento gracias a su buena manera de estar hilado, y con un sistema mágico que también guarda sus propios secretos, es un libro que te engancha nada más abrirlo y que, sin dudarlo, te dejará con ganas de leer algo más.
October 9, 2021
Review to come.
June 30, 2019
Thank you to Gollancz and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved the Dark Gifts trilogy so when I heard about this book I so excited to read it! And I really loved this book too!
This book had me hooked from the beginning and on the edge of my seat. I was up reading late into the night because I just needed to read one more chapter. It has a dark and foreboding atmosphere and it only gets darker as the story progresses. By the end it was pretty terrifying. Not in the horror sense but what happens in the story and just how eerily close it was to reality. I could see this happening in real life.
The story focuses on the lives of Sarah and Abigail, whose point of view we read, and their friends and children. We also get the point of view of Maggie who is the detective assigned to the case of Abigail’s son, Daniel, death. Sarah is a witch, in fact the only witch in her town, her daughter Harper, not having inherited her abilities. Abigail is one of Sarah’s closest friends and part of her coven. Yet when they find out about Daniel’s death, friendships are tested and nothing will ever be the same again between them.
Things quickly unravel and escalate and soon it has become a witch hunt and reading how things escalated so quickly was absolutely terrifying yet I couldn’t look away.
As the story progresses we realise that nothing is as black and white as it seems, everyone has secrets and these secrets threaten to turn all their lives upside down. The characters are complex and the more we learn about them the more we see how they aren’t entirely good. How they betray each other to save their own selves and the effect that grief has on each of them and how it changes them.
This book shows what can happen when people fear what they don’t understand. There’s mass hysteria, mob mentality which leads to hate crimes and violence. From Sarah’s point of view we see what it feels like to be different from everyone around you and never truly fit in but that people tolerate your presence as it also benefits them yet when something happens people instantly turn on you. We also see how it affects Harper, Sarah’s daughter, in school and how she resorts to going to a different town to feel safe and be around people who accept her.
Throughout the story we also see the characters teenage children and how their lives all intertwine, through them we see how awful victim blaming is, how when a woman is sexually assaulted it is so traumatic, yet the people who should protect her and support her blame her for what happens. Consent is also discussed and how prejudice and discrimination can affect those subjected to it. The fact that Daniel is a jock and popular means he is blameless and excuses are made for him despite evidence of his crimes being shown to Abigail. She still manages to blame someone else for it. I really loved how all of this was woven into the story, we see the effects of all of this and by the end the result is frightening.
I really loved this book, and if you love dark suspenseful stories then you will love this. The story is captivating and will keep you reading late into the night.
I really loved the Dark Gifts trilogy so when I heard about this book I so excited to read it! And I really loved this book too!
This book had me hooked from the beginning and on the edge of my seat. I was up reading late into the night because I just needed to read one more chapter. It has a dark and foreboding atmosphere and it only gets darker as the story progresses. By the end it was pretty terrifying. Not in the horror sense but what happens in the story and just how eerily close it was to reality. I could see this happening in real life.
The story focuses on the lives of Sarah and Abigail, whose point of view we read, and their friends and children. We also get the point of view of Maggie who is the detective assigned to the case of Abigail’s son, Daniel, death. Sarah is a witch, in fact the only witch in her town, her daughter Harper, not having inherited her abilities. Abigail is one of Sarah’s closest friends and part of her coven. Yet when they find out about Daniel’s death, friendships are tested and nothing will ever be the same again between them.
Things quickly unravel and escalate and soon it has become a witch hunt and reading how things escalated so quickly was absolutely terrifying yet I couldn’t look away.
As the story progresses we realise that nothing is as black and white as it seems, everyone has secrets and these secrets threaten to turn all their lives upside down. The characters are complex and the more we learn about them the more we see how they aren’t entirely good. How they betray each other to save their own selves and the effect that grief has on each of them and how it changes them.
This book shows what can happen when people fear what they don’t understand. There’s mass hysteria, mob mentality which leads to hate crimes and violence. From Sarah’s point of view we see what it feels like to be different from everyone around you and never truly fit in but that people tolerate your presence as it also benefits them yet when something happens people instantly turn on you. We also see how it affects Harper, Sarah’s daughter, in school and how she resorts to going to a different town to feel safe and be around people who accept her.
Throughout the story we also see the characters teenage children and how their lives all intertwine, through them we see how awful victim blaming is, how when a woman is sexually assaulted it is so traumatic, yet the people who should protect her and support her blame her for what happens. Consent is also discussed and how prejudice and discrimination can affect those subjected to it. The fact that Daniel is a jock and popular means he is blameless and excuses are made for him despite evidence of his crimes being shown to Abigail. She still manages to blame someone else for it. I really loved how all of this was woven into the story, we see the effects of all of this and by the end the result is frightening.
I really loved this book, and if you love dark suspenseful stories then you will love this. The story is captivating and will keep you reading late into the night.
March 26, 2020
Sanctuary was a highly involving drama set in a world where Witches are a part of society, much regulated and oft viewed with suspicion.
A terrible accident and an accusation of witchcraft sets a group of long term friends at odds - with the death penalty ingrained for anyone who murders by witchcraft the stakes are high.
Sanctuary is in effect an allegorical tale of prejudice and outsiders. Happy to use their local witch when it suits them, now the community turns on them with one mother's grief fuelling the fire all the way.
The author manages to twist and turn the mystery element beautifully whilst also keeping one eye on the prize - making us take a long hard look at ourselves, our ingrained assumptions and prejudices
This was a stellar piece of storytelling and I thoroughly enjoyed it, the ending hits home with all the elements coming together in one explosive finale
Recommended.
A terrible accident and an accusation of witchcraft sets a group of long term friends at odds - with the death penalty ingrained for anyone who murders by witchcraft the stakes are high.
Sanctuary is in effect an allegorical tale of prejudice and outsiders. Happy to use their local witch when it suits them, now the community turns on them with one mother's grief fuelling the fire all the way.
The author manages to twist and turn the mystery element beautifully whilst also keeping one eye on the prize - making us take a long hard look at ourselves, our ingrained assumptions and prejudices
This was a stellar piece of storytelling and I thoroughly enjoyed it, the ending hits home with all the elements coming together in one explosive finale
Recommended.
June 14, 2020
The first of a couple of books I've read recently that I thought were ok but everyone else seems to love. I couldn't really take to the characters and there wee so many points of view I kept losing track of who was who. It's an interesting mix of whodunnit with supernatural thrown in and didn't quite work for me. It's not bad and does have a good twisty ending but this one wasn't for me.
May 6, 2024
A modern-day witch story brought to life by incredible character development and a perfect pace! I didn't want to finish this, but couldn't wait to know how it all went down! SUCH a great read!
May 31, 2019
Review taken from The Pewter Wolf which will be going up in early May 2019.
***eProof gifted by UK Publisher, Gollancz via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review/reaction.***
The small town of Sanctuary, Connecticut is a perfect little town where everyone gets along. But behind the perfect face of the town hides some dark secrets as Detective Maggie Knight is about to find out. She has been asked to go to Sanctuary to investigate the tragic death of Sanctuary’s star quarterback. It was accident, a terrible accident.
But the rumours start. Rumours that his ex-girlfriend killed him using witchcraft. She’s the daughter of a town’s witch and, even though she doesn’t have magical abilities, is that the truth?
Bereaved mother Abigail will stop at nothing until she has justice for her dead son. Sarah, Abigail’s best friend, will do whatever she can to protect her daughter. And both women share a secret that could shatter the fragile peace of the town and their lives.
Maggie must find out the truth and prevent the town from spiralling dangerously out of control. But mob mentality is slowing being to take its grip the town… Sanctuary no longer feels safe.
I had a blast reading this. I got a little bit addicted to this as I wanted to know what happened next. I get why the publisher is saying this is a mix of Big Little Lies and The Craft or The Power.
I liked that this book had characters who were very morally grey and, at times, were quite unpleasant and nasty. I liked that we saw characters unravel and do and say things were awful in the situation, but you understood why they said or did that. I liked that the chapters switched between Sarah, Maggie and Abigail so you understood what all of them were thinking when certain truths/events revealed themselves and I liked that we had transcripts of police interviews, TV interviews, newspaper articles showing how the truth is getting more and more twisted, and that this book tackled triggers issues (mob mentality, death, grief, sexual assault and consent, breakdown of friendships and safe spaces (though at times, I did wish one or two of the issues were tackled a bit darker, though I do admit that I might be thinking this as I read this quite fast).
I do admit that the ending is a tad rushed. There’s a gap between the last chapter and the epilogue and, due to this gap, several issues aren’t expected resolved. I want to see the fallout of the last chapter, I want to see the consequences to everyone what happened to the town and what led them to the final chapters, but we don’t. But, I get why this was the way to go as we need the epilogue to explain the truth of what happened that night. But it would have been nice to have an extra chapter to two, just to give me some closure as there was a few chapters I wanted to suffer ever so slightly for their actions.
I am surprised how much I enjoyed myself reading Sanctuary and I do think this would make a really interesting TV drama (again, very similar to Big Little Lies or A Discovery of Witches) and, while I admit this might be a marmite read from some people, I am intrigued to see what V.V. James writes next…
***eProof gifted by UK Publisher, Gollancz via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review/reaction.***
The small town of Sanctuary, Connecticut is a perfect little town where everyone gets along. But behind the perfect face of the town hides some dark secrets as Detective Maggie Knight is about to find out. She has been asked to go to Sanctuary to investigate the tragic death of Sanctuary’s star quarterback. It was accident, a terrible accident.
But the rumours start. Rumours that his ex-girlfriend killed him using witchcraft. She’s the daughter of a town’s witch and, even though she doesn’t have magical abilities, is that the truth?
Bereaved mother Abigail will stop at nothing until she has justice for her dead son. Sarah, Abigail’s best friend, will do whatever she can to protect her daughter. And both women share a secret that could shatter the fragile peace of the town and their lives.
Maggie must find out the truth and prevent the town from spiralling dangerously out of control. But mob mentality is slowing being to take its grip the town… Sanctuary no longer feels safe.
I had a blast reading this. I got a little bit addicted to this as I wanted to know what happened next. I get why the publisher is saying this is a mix of Big Little Lies and The Craft or The Power.
I liked that this book had characters who were very morally grey and, at times, were quite unpleasant and nasty. I liked that we saw characters unravel and do and say things were awful in the situation, but you understood why they said or did that. I liked that the chapters switched between Sarah, Maggie and Abigail so you understood what all of them were thinking when certain truths/events revealed themselves and I liked that we had transcripts of police interviews, TV interviews, newspaper articles showing how the truth is getting more and more twisted, and that this book tackled triggers issues (mob mentality, death, grief, sexual assault and consent, breakdown of friendships and safe spaces (though at times, I did wish one or two of the issues were tackled a bit darker, though I do admit that I might be thinking this as I read this quite fast).
I do admit that the ending is a tad rushed. There’s a gap between the last chapter and the epilogue and, due to this gap, several issues aren’t expected resolved. I want to see the fallout of the last chapter, I want to see the consequences to everyone what happened to the town and what led them to the final chapters, but we don’t. But, I get why this was the way to go as we need the epilogue to explain the truth of what happened that night. But it would have been nice to have an extra chapter to two, just to give me some closure as there was a few chapters I wanted to suffer ever so slightly for their actions.
I am surprised how much I enjoyed myself reading Sanctuary and I do think this would make a really interesting TV drama (again, very similar to Big Little Lies or A Discovery of Witches) and, while I admit this might be a marmite read from some people, I am intrigued to see what V.V. James writes next…
April 25, 2019
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a massive fan of Vic James so of course I was desperate to get my hands on her new book as soon as she hinted about it on twitter. Anything she writes is bound to have me hooked and her description of the new witchy thriller meant I couldn't wait to read it.
To start with, I found it just slightly confusing as it involves a lot of characters and the chapters are from different characters' points of view. I'm not usually a fan of this type of book. However, I do like knowing the various characters' thoughts and it didn't take me very long to get completely stuck into the story.
Maggie is a detective brought in to investigate a case in Sanctuary, the small town she used to live in. Her boss and the local sheriff both encourage her to make the investigation quick. A fire at a house party and an accidental death. But the more she investigates, the less simple it all seems. Could it be murder, and could magic have been involved?
In Sanctuary, everyone has secrets. Only Sarah Fenn, the town witch, seems to know most of them. But she doesn't know everything, even some secrets right under her nose. On top of this there are so many misunderstandings. Though the families had been friends for years, the mothers had no idea what was going on now that their children were teenagers. The relationship between the mothers did not mirror their kids' friendships at all. The situation gets more and more complicated and when things get out of hand it is terrifying, like mass hysteria and mob mentality and the worst parts of everyone all rolled into one.
Vic's writing itself is like magic. She just leads you where she wants you to go and you follow along thinking you're cleverly working it all out yourself. Then the twists come and you realise you only thought what she wanted you to think! It's a beautiful cover too, in a way describing how isolated and apart the town is, as well as possibly hinting at something to come.
To start with, I found it just slightly confusing as it involves a lot of characters and the chapters are from different characters' points of view. I'm not usually a fan of this type of book. However, I do like knowing the various characters' thoughts and it didn't take me very long to get completely stuck into the story.
Maggie is a detective brought in to investigate a case in Sanctuary, the small town she used to live in. Her boss and the local sheriff both encourage her to make the investigation quick. A fire at a house party and an accidental death. But the more she investigates, the less simple it all seems. Could it be murder, and could magic have been involved?
In Sanctuary, everyone has secrets. Only Sarah Fenn, the town witch, seems to know most of them. But she doesn't know everything, even some secrets right under her nose. On top of this there are so many misunderstandings. Though the families had been friends for years, the mothers had no idea what was going on now that their children were teenagers. The relationship between the mothers did not mirror their kids' friendships at all. The situation gets more and more complicated and when things get out of hand it is terrifying, like mass hysteria and mob mentality and the worst parts of everyone all rolled into one.
Vic's writing itself is like magic. She just leads you where she wants you to go and you follow along thinking you're cleverly working it all out yourself. Then the twists come and you realise you only thought what she wanted you to think! It's a beautiful cover too, in a way describing how isolated and apart the town is, as well as possibly hinting at something to come.
May 24, 2020
A fire broke the party of the teens where one fell and died, and best friend alleged that the witch's daughter has killed him through witchcraft.
My first book by the author, I was quite taken in when witchcraft was used as a MO. Complex characters set in small town with secrets and lies, the book was narrated in multiple POV.
The story was a fast read where wanting to know the truth compelled me to read faster, witchcraft being the fun addition to the world building.
My first book by the author, I was quite taken in when witchcraft was used as a MO. Complex characters set in small town with secrets and lies, the book was narrated in multiple POV.
The story was a fast read where wanting to know the truth compelled me to read faster, witchcraft being the fun addition to the world building.
August 13, 2019
I picked up Sanctuary to read the first few chapters just to see what it was like, and I didn’t look up again until I was 150 pages in! It’s safe to say I was hooked from the beginning.
When the star quarterback of the Sanctuary football team dies in what appears to be a tragic accident, Detective Maggie Knight is called into a seemingly open and shut case. What she discovers though, is that there is much more going on in Sanctuary than meets the eye.
Sanctuary has been likened to Big Little Lies, and I can totally see why. This small town is full of secrets and lies, and those involved will do whatever it takes to keep them hidden.
I loved Sanctuary. It reminded me a lot of Practical Magic, mixed with a really gripping murder mystery. I powered through this book, unable to put it down.
The characters were really interesting, I thought the premise was great and the witchcraft element added a whole other dimension to this story. It definitely elevated it to more than your average mystery thriller.
Sanctuary is compelling, dark and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily, and highly, recommend it!
When the star quarterback of the Sanctuary football team dies in what appears to be a tragic accident, Detective Maggie Knight is called into a seemingly open and shut case. What she discovers though, is that there is much more going on in Sanctuary than meets the eye.
Sanctuary has been likened to Big Little Lies, and I can totally see why. This small town is full of secrets and lies, and those involved will do whatever it takes to keep them hidden.
I loved Sanctuary. It reminded me a lot of Practical Magic, mixed with a really gripping murder mystery. I powered through this book, unable to put it down.
The characters were really interesting, I thought the premise was great and the witchcraft element added a whole other dimension to this story. It definitely elevated it to more than your average mystery thriller.
Sanctuary is compelling, dark and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily, and highly, recommend it!
November 9, 2020
No long review because this book is 2 and one half again longer than it needed to be. And time is too short to give it any further shrift.
Terrible plotting pace. Doesn't know what its own focus is or becomes. Nor which identity of genre in which it presently or ultimately dwells. Schizophrenia of fiction form and subject matter. Fantasy that is not any location named for parody. Horror? Occult? Small little lies town psychodrama? Kids/teenagers gone lethal a la' Carrie? Neurotic or jealous marriage infidelity hook up fare?? Who dun it? Or what is the "it" being done?
All of the above but contains only ridiculous parcel pieces of each. And even those are cheesy counterfeits.
Seriously, if you are a adult human, do not waste your time as I did. 2 stars only because the first 75 pages had nuance and possibility.
Terrible plotting pace. Doesn't know what its own focus is or becomes. Nor which identity of genre in which it presently or ultimately dwells. Schizophrenia of fiction form and subject matter. Fantasy that is not any location named for parody. Horror? Occult? Small little lies town psychodrama? Kids/teenagers gone lethal a la' Carrie? Neurotic or jealous marriage infidelity hook up fare?? Who dun it? Or what is the "it" being done?
All of the above but contains only ridiculous parcel pieces of each. And even those are cheesy counterfeits.
Seriously, if you are a adult human, do not waste your time as I did. 2 stars only because the first 75 pages had nuance and possibility.
September 23, 2019
WELL.
I can't wait to annotate this book to death.
Review to come. I annotated it to death. I have many thoughts and swears.
Review to come. I annotated it to death. I have many thoughts and swears.
August 28, 2019
Hi and welcome to my review of Sanctuary, a book that I requested on a whim, an urban fantasy / thriller that broke me in a million pieces and will definitely end up on my list of fave books this year.
Sanctuary, Connecticut, the typical East Coast small town where everyone knows everyone and their dog. Nothing special, one would think. Except that Sanctuary has a resident witch, Sarah Fenn. This is not a secret at all: witches are established all over the US, their craft acknowledged, and happily made good use of. The witch in question has a coven: Abigail, Julia, Bridget, three friends without magic who give her strength, who feed her power. The problems start when Abigail’s son Dan has a nasty fall and dies at a party and his best friend points the finger at Harper, Sarah’s daughter, saying she did an incantation, making him fall, exacting vengeance because of the sex tape he made of them. Rumours fly, Sanctuary is rife with suspicion and starts coming apart at the seams. The coven falls apart: Abigail wants her son back and if threatening Harper is the only way to Dan then she’ll gladly take things a step or two too far. The town falls apart: people are shocked that their star quarterback is dead, they’re looking for a scapegoat and who better than the daughter of a witch, even though Harper hasn’t inherited her mother’s powers. Maggie, a detective from outside Sanctuary, tries to sort out this whole hot mess, but who can she trust in this little town full of secrets? Did Dan stumble and fall, or was he murdered, and if so, by whom? And then other people start getting sick. Mass hysteria, a witch’s revenge, or are there other, far more mundane, powers at work?
Sanctuary put a spell on me from the very first page. Everything I’d hoped to find in The Furies but didn’t, I found in the pages of Sanctuary.
I love the urban fantasy side to it, the fact that everything is as we know it (up to and including a BS tweeting president), except there are witches.
I love how the witches and their craft are depicted, very down-to-earth, and the whole world-building behind it. The author has created a whole history, a culture, a magical system, and woven them flawlessly into life and history as we know them, like how capital punishment was abolished in Connecticut in 2012, except for witches who kill by means of witchcraft. All that makes it very realistic, especially when you’re from another part of the world. With very little effort I could imagine there being actual witches in the US.
What got to me most was the witch hunt, literally and figuratively, that ensued from Dan’s death. The way people reacted to the Fenns, blaming them, calling them names, defiling their home, threatening them, wishing them to burn, Harper is ducked in a fountain at school “to test whether or not it’s true that she doesn’t have magic”. In a blink of an eye, the Dark Ages are back and people are ready to burn the witches at the stake. There is just so much hatred there and it made me so incredibly sad. Not like I was bawling out my eyes at every turn of a page, but like this heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach because it just could not digest that much hatred, that degree of vileness that mob mentality seems to bring out in people when fear of the unknown and ignorance turn to rage. Again, it was so realistic. It’s what made people turn against their Jewish neighbours and friends in WWII, it’s what generates gay-bashing and racism and sexism and all the other -isms and it hurt me and it scared me but it’s what makes Sanctuary one helluva lot more than a run-of-the-mill urban fantasy.
Still, there is also a huge amount of love in Sanctuary. The love of mothers willing to do whatever for their kids, the love of good friends, the love of a cop for the people she’s sworn to protect, urging her to do the right thing, even if it might not be the legal thing.
I loved everything about this book. I had to force myself to put it down at night to get some sleep. As a chronically ill and therefore chronically tired person, nothing matters more to me than sleep, but I was extremely tempted to make an exception for this one and I had to tear myself away. (Such a pity that falling asleep at my desk at work is frowned upon by the management 😉)
Whether you have an interest in the arcane, or you’re just looking for a great story, take a look at Sanctuary. From the cover to the final paragraph, it’s a hell yaaaasssss golden buzzer from me!
Many thanks to Gollancz (Orion Publishing Group) and NetGalley for the free eARC. All opinions are my own and I was not paid to give them.
Sanctuary, Connecticut, the typical East Coast small town where everyone knows everyone and their dog. Nothing special, one would think. Except that Sanctuary has a resident witch, Sarah Fenn. This is not a secret at all: witches are established all over the US, their craft acknowledged, and happily made good use of. The witch in question has a coven: Abigail, Julia, Bridget, three friends without magic who give her strength, who feed her power. The problems start when Abigail’s son Dan has a nasty fall and dies at a party and his best friend points the finger at Harper, Sarah’s daughter, saying she did an incantation, making him fall, exacting vengeance because of the sex tape he made of them. Rumours fly, Sanctuary is rife with suspicion and starts coming apart at the seams. The coven falls apart: Abigail wants her son back and if threatening Harper is the only way to Dan then she’ll gladly take things a step or two too far. The town falls apart: people are shocked that their star quarterback is dead, they’re looking for a scapegoat and who better than the daughter of a witch, even though Harper hasn’t inherited her mother’s powers. Maggie, a detective from outside Sanctuary, tries to sort out this whole hot mess, but who can she trust in this little town full of secrets? Did Dan stumble and fall, or was he murdered, and if so, by whom? And then other people start getting sick. Mass hysteria, a witch’s revenge, or are there other, far more mundane, powers at work?
Sanctuary put a spell on me from the very first page. Everything I’d hoped to find in The Furies but didn’t, I found in the pages of Sanctuary.
I love the urban fantasy side to it, the fact that everything is as we know it (up to and including a BS tweeting president), except there are witches.
I love how the witches and their craft are depicted, very down-to-earth, and the whole world-building behind it. The author has created a whole history, a culture, a magical system, and woven them flawlessly into life and history as we know them, like how capital punishment was abolished in Connecticut in 2012, except for witches who kill by means of witchcraft. All that makes it very realistic, especially when you’re from another part of the world. With very little effort I could imagine there being actual witches in the US.
What got to me most was the witch hunt, literally and figuratively, that ensued from Dan’s death. The way people reacted to the Fenns, blaming them, calling them names, defiling their home, threatening them, wishing them to burn, Harper is ducked in a fountain at school “to test whether or not it’s true that she doesn’t have magic”. In a blink of an eye, the Dark Ages are back and people are ready to burn the witches at the stake. There is just so much hatred there and it made me so incredibly sad. Not like I was bawling out my eyes at every turn of a page, but like this heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach because it just could not digest that much hatred, that degree of vileness that mob mentality seems to bring out in people when fear of the unknown and ignorance turn to rage. Again, it was so realistic. It’s what made people turn against their Jewish neighbours and friends in WWII, it’s what generates gay-bashing and racism and sexism and all the other -isms and it hurt me and it scared me but it’s what makes Sanctuary one helluva lot more than a run-of-the-mill urban fantasy.
Still, there is also a huge amount of love in Sanctuary. The love of mothers willing to do whatever for their kids, the love of good friends, the love of a cop for the people she’s sworn to protect, urging her to do the right thing, even if it might not be the legal thing.
I loved everything about this book. I had to force myself to put it down at night to get some sleep. As a chronically ill and therefore chronically tired person, nothing matters more to me than sleep, but I was extremely tempted to make an exception for this one and I had to tear myself away. (Such a pity that falling asleep at my desk at work is frowned upon by the management 😉)
Whether you have an interest in the arcane, or you’re just looking for a great story, take a look at Sanctuary. From the cover to the final paragraph, it’s a hell yaaaasssss golden buzzer from me!
Many thanks to Gollancz (Orion Publishing Group) and NetGalley for the free eARC. All opinions are my own and I was not paid to give them.
October 28, 2021
İlk olarak beni reading slumptan kurtardığı için bu kitabı öpüyorum. Tam bir kasaba ortamı olması, geçmişte yaşanmış gizemle şu anki cinayeti çözmeye çalışmak, cadıların var olması ve herkesce bilinmesi hoşuma gitti. Polisiye okuduğum tek bir seri var o da genel olarak kendi türünden biraz farklı yani bu türe fazla hakim olmadığım halde okurken keyif aldım hatta merakımdan elimden bırakamadım. En başından itibaren kadınların yaşadığı haksızlıklara dikkat çekmesini sevdim ama Harper'ın yaşadıkları üzerinde daha fazla durulmasını isterdim.
Dostlukların düşmanlığa evrilmesini okumak da güzeldi tabii bu kadar keskin olmasa daha fazla ikna olurdum. Olayları karakterlerin gözlerinden okuduğum halde duyguları bana nedense fazla geçmedi sadece dedektifi sevdim. Harper'ı merak ediyordum ve asıl gizemimiz o olduğu için yazar istediğimi son ana kadar vermedi Sarah ile ilişkisinin de yüzeysel olması hikayeye bağlanmayı zorlaştırıyor. Yani kızı o kadar şey yaşıyor ve annesi benim kızım özgür uçsun rengini bulsun diye dolaşıyor?? Biraz düzgünce kızına ulaşmaya mı çalışsan Sarah'cıgım acaba ya bir psikologa götürmeyi bile düşünmedi??
Neyse kısaca cadı temalı olduğu için bu ay okuduğuma cok seviniyorumm tam zamanına denk geldi yasasınn spooky season!!
Dostlukların düşmanlığa evrilmesini okumak da güzeldi tabii bu kadar keskin olmasa daha fazla ikna olurdum. Olayları karakterlerin gözlerinden okuduğum halde duyguları bana nedense fazla geçmedi sadece dedektifi sevdim. Harper'ı merak ediyordum ve asıl gizemimiz o olduğu için yazar istediğimi son ana kadar vermedi Sarah ile ilişkisinin de yüzeysel olması hikayeye bağlanmayı zorlaştırıyor. Yani kızı o kadar şey yaşıyor ve annesi benim kızım özgür uçsun rengini bulsun diye dolaşıyor?? Biraz düzgünce kızına ulaşmaya mı çalışsan Sarah'cıgım acaba ya bir psikologa götürmeyi bile düşünmedi??
Neyse kısaca cadı temalı olduğu için bu ay okuduğuma cok seviniyorumm tam zamanına denk geldi yasasınn spooky season!!
September 15, 2020
I wasn't sure if I liked this book when I first started reading it. It seemed really slow and characters I wasn't sure I would remember - I was soooo wrong!
Once this book really started I didn't want to put it down. It has witchcraft, suspicion, mystery, death. It even has a resurrection. This book covered so much in such an intense, intriguing way!
I hated Abigail. I could find no sympathy for her. She was weird and spiteful, along with her husband Michael and Todd (the chief). Hated Daniel too - especially when all his secrets came out!!
Honestly this book shows how easy hysteria can start, it's crazy! I really liked Sarah and Harper, how they had to learn to defend themselves and ended stronger than they started. Maggie was a really great character, she didn't just settle for what people were saying, she really looked into the stories to find the truth. Pierre was a true friend to Sarah throughout and I think their friendship just made the story so much better. To have someone she could rely on.
I hope to read more by this author!
Once this book really started I didn't want to put it down. It has witchcraft, suspicion, mystery, death. It even has a resurrection. This book covered so much in such an intense, intriguing way!
I hated Abigail. I could find no sympathy for her. She was weird and spiteful, along with her husband Michael and Todd (the chief). Hated Daniel too - especially when all his secrets came out!!
Honestly this book shows how easy hysteria can start, it's crazy! I really liked Sarah and Harper, how they had to learn to defend themselves and ended stronger than they started. Maggie was a really great character, she didn't just settle for what people were saying, she really looked into the stories to find the truth. Pierre was a true friend to Sarah throughout and I think their friendship just made the story so much better. To have someone she could rely on.
I hope to read more by this author!
January 25, 2023
Nawet się wciągnęłam. Całkiem ciekawa koncepcja i świat.
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