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The Water Witch
The man smiles at the water witch as he opens the city gates and unleashes the wild sea. All will be destroyed. With her last breath the water witch curses him, her lover who has betrayed her and her people. ‘The sea will take all your menfolk. Until the day you save my city, I curse you and yours to drown’.
Present day, France. Archaeologist Ariadne Walker has always loved Brittany’s steep cliffs, crashing waves and endless shifting skies. But she’s left devastated when her fiancé Simon drowns on a dig searching underwater for the lost city of Ys. Local legend says it was destroyed centuries ago: and that the water witch, once the princess of Ys, still drowns the men of this region in revenge…
Escaping the old myths and stories, grieving Ariadne is walking on the heather-strewn cliffs on a stormy night when she’s approached by a mysterious masked figure. As he removes the mask Ariadne’s heart almost stops beating. She sees a glimpse of Simon’s face before he disappears, laughing, into the waves below.
Only Rafael – a local whose family have lived here for centuries – has answers. He says the water witch has doomed Simon’s soul to become her servant, forever wandering the rugged shoreline. She will soon claim Rafael too. The only way to save them both is to find the lost city, where the secret to breaking the curse is hidden…
Thrown into a magical underwater world of lost treasures, ancient promises, and dangerous betrayals, will Ariadne find a way to finally break the curse? Or will the water witch demand another sacrifice?
Present day, France. Archaeologist Ariadne Walker has always loved Brittany’s steep cliffs, crashing waves and endless shifting skies. But she’s left devastated when her fiancé Simon drowns on a dig searching underwater for the lost city of Ys. Local legend says it was destroyed centuries ago: and that the water witch, once the princess of Ys, still drowns the men of this region in revenge…
Escaping the old myths and stories, grieving Ariadne is walking on the heather-strewn cliffs on a stormy night when she’s approached by a mysterious masked figure. As he removes the mask Ariadne’s heart almost stops beating. She sees a glimpse of Simon’s face before he disappears, laughing, into the waves below.
Only Rafael – a local whose family have lived here for centuries – has answers. He says the water witch has doomed Simon’s soul to become her servant, forever wandering the rugged shoreline. She will soon claim Rafael too. The only way to save them both is to find the lost city, where the secret to breaking the curse is hidden…
Thrown into a magical underwater world of lost treasures, ancient promises, and dangerous betrayals, will Ariadne find a way to finally break the curse? Or will the water witch demand another sacrifice?
343 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2022
939 people are currently reading
1404 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Thorne
12 books248 followersJessica Thorne watched far too much sci-fi and read far too much fantasy at an impressionable age. And it was awesome. She writes fantasy and sci-fi romance with a steampunk edge and just refuses to face reality.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
August 6, 2022
‘The water witch is real.’
Amazing, full of tall tales, folklore, local legends, magic, and a curse! Plus, that beginning!!!!! The Water Witch bewitched me from page one, and I didn't want to stop reading. I wanted, no needed, to know if the whispers and talk of the villagers about the water witch and the lost city of Ys were real.
Imagine searching for something. Something you believe to be out there (or under there). You spend all your time and resources searching for it, following you intuition, and found cluse. That is what Ariadne (Ari) Walker’s fiancé Simon did. He drowned in Brittany, France searching for the lost city Ys. He was a true believer.
Now Simon is gone, leaving Ari betrayed, heartbroken and full of grief. She has returned to Brittany where she meets Raphael who informs her that the legends are real and that his family has been cursed - that he himself, is cursed.
When Ari finds a map and the mask of a woman's face, she can't stop looking, she needs to find the truth! She needs to know how to break the curse!
This book was full of so many elements that I enjoy in books. It's part mystery, part romance, part legend, involves a curse, talk of a witch, etc. So juicy and fun! I enjoyed how the author built the story. She intricately wove parts of the past into the present as things unfolded. The search for clues was ladened with tension. Would the diving crew find clues? And if so, what would those clues hold? The central mystery concerning the lost city and the witch, was intriguing. I just had to know more!
There is more, so much more. There are twists, turns and revelations! The mystery is the main star in the book with the romance being a supporting player. But what a supporting player it is! It will break your heart, then help you grow a new one!
This was my first book by Jessica Thorne, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!
#TheWaterWitch #NetGalley
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Amazing, full of tall tales, folklore, local legends, magic, and a curse! Plus, that beginning!!!!! The Water Witch bewitched me from page one, and I didn't want to stop reading. I wanted, no needed, to know if the whispers and talk of the villagers about the water witch and the lost city of Ys were real.
Imagine searching for something. Something you believe to be out there (or under there). You spend all your time and resources searching for it, following you intuition, and found cluse. That is what Ariadne (Ari) Walker’s fiancé Simon did. He drowned in Brittany, France searching for the lost city Ys. He was a true believer.
Now Simon is gone, leaving Ari betrayed, heartbroken and full of grief. She has returned to Brittany where she meets Raphael who informs her that the legends are real and that his family has been cursed - that he himself, is cursed.
When Ari finds a map and the mask of a woman's face, she can't stop looking, she needs to find the truth! She needs to know how to break the curse!
This book was full of so many elements that I enjoy in books. It's part mystery, part romance, part legend, involves a curse, talk of a witch, etc. So juicy and fun! I enjoyed how the author built the story. She intricately wove parts of the past into the present as things unfolded. The search for clues was ladened with tension. Would the diving crew find clues? And if so, what would those clues hold? The central mystery concerning the lost city and the witch, was intriguing. I just had to know more!
There is more, so much more. There are twists, turns and revelations! The mystery is the main star in the book with the romance being a supporting player. But what a supporting player it is! It will break your heart, then help you grow a new one!
This was my first book by Jessica Thorne, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!
#TheWaterWitch #NetGalley
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
July 13, 2022
Publication Date: 05th August 2022
4 Stars
One Liner: Engaging read with some great description
Ari Walker’s fiancé drowned in the stormy Atlantic Ocean two years ago. His words about the water witch, the lost city of Ys, and the curse continue to hound her. Ari wants nothing more than to bury herself in her university work. But when Jason asks her to visit him in Simon’s town, she has no choice but to go.
As a non-believer in fantasy tales, Ari is confused and unsure when she finds a mask during her archeological dive into the sea. Her interaction with Rafael gets complicated as she is torn between accepting the strange happenings in the town and dismissing them.
But Rafael has everything at stake. After all, every man in his family got killed before their thirty-fifth birthday. With less than a month away from his own thirty-fifth birthday, Rafael is desperate and determined to get Ari’s help.
Can they break the curse by finding the lost city of Ys before it is too late? Will Ari and Rafael acknowledge their feelings for each other?
The story comes from the limited third-person POV of Ari and Rafael.
What I Like:
The book starts slow but picks up pace once the basics are established. I love the seamless blending of reality and fantasy.
The descriptions are beautiful and vivid. I could visualize the settings with ease. It adds to the atmosphere and elevates the storyline.
I remember how the FMC in The Bookbinder's Daughter didn’t feel capable of carrying the story. Here, Ari does a great job of taking the story forward.
Ari and Rafael are well-etched. They are confident yet vulnerable. Capable but doubtful. They work well together in the book, even if the love track didn’t get enough depth to double the impact.
While it is a mystery at its core, I could guess most of it. Luckily, I didn’t read it as a mystery book but more as a fantasy read.
The storyline is based on local folklore in the region (in Brittany, France). I love the way the author wove her plotline around it.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
My only grouse with the book is that some aspects were left without explanation. A certain character seemed to be created for the sake of it. There just isn’t enough backstory. I wanted more about Ari and Rafael’s past.
It’s not common for me to wish a book to have more pages (I prefer smaller books), but this one needed another 15-20 pages to provide more depth to the main characters and use the side characters to their full potential.
To sum up, The Water Witch is an engaging and entertaining read if you like contemporary fantasy with some mystery and romance thrown in.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheWaterWitch
4 Stars
One Liner: Engaging read with some great description
Ari Walker’s fiancé drowned in the stormy Atlantic Ocean two years ago. His words about the water witch, the lost city of Ys, and the curse continue to hound her. Ari wants nothing more than to bury herself in her university work. But when Jason asks her to visit him in Simon’s town, she has no choice but to go.
As a non-believer in fantasy tales, Ari is confused and unsure when she finds a mask during her archeological dive into the sea. Her interaction with Rafael gets complicated as she is torn between accepting the strange happenings in the town and dismissing them.
But Rafael has everything at stake. After all, every man in his family got killed before their thirty-fifth birthday. With less than a month away from his own thirty-fifth birthday, Rafael is desperate and determined to get Ari’s help.
Can they break the curse by finding the lost city of Ys before it is too late? Will Ari and Rafael acknowledge their feelings for each other?
The story comes from the limited third-person POV of Ari and Rafael.
What I Like:
The book starts slow but picks up pace once the basics are established. I love the seamless blending of reality and fantasy.
The descriptions are beautiful and vivid. I could visualize the settings with ease. It adds to the atmosphere and elevates the storyline.
I remember how the FMC in The Bookbinder's Daughter didn’t feel capable of carrying the story. Here, Ari does a great job of taking the story forward.
Ari and Rafael are well-etched. They are confident yet vulnerable. Capable but doubtful. They work well together in the book, even if the love track didn’t get enough depth to double the impact.
While it is a mystery at its core, I could guess most of it. Luckily, I didn’t read it as a mystery book but more as a fantasy read.
The storyline is based on local folklore in the region (in Brittany, France). I love the way the author wove her plotline around it.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
My only grouse with the book is that some aspects were left without explanation. A certain character seemed to be created for the sake of it. There just isn’t enough backstory. I wanted more about Ari and Rafael’s past.
It’s not common for me to wish a book to have more pages (I prefer smaller books), but this one needed another 15-20 pages to provide more depth to the main characters and use the side characters to their full potential.
To sum up, The Water Witch is an engaging and entertaining read if you like contemporary fantasy with some mystery and romance thrown in.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheWaterWitch
August 17, 2022
Ari’s fiancée drowned near Brittany searching the Atlantic Ocean for the legendary lost city of Ys, a place that Ari doesn’t believe ever existed. When she is summoned back to Brittany by her brother who is continuing the search, Ari stumbles across a handsome stranger who believes the legends to be true. As she begins to find clues and artifacts that suggest the legend is indeed fact, she uncovers information regarding a curse that could threaten the lives of those she loves.
I enjoyed this work of magical realism overall. The author incorporated elements of archaeology, artifacts, legends, lore, and archival research into a fascinating story that maintained my interest throughout. The ending was a surprise for me and left me with some unanswered questions. I honestly would have rated the book higher, but the last couple of chapters just got…weird, unsatisfying, and made me wonder “why?”.
The characters were well written. I enjoyed Ari as a main character; she did have her flaws, but they were balanced well with strengths and made her feel well-rounded and realistic. While the secondary characters lacked some of her depth, they were well written and relatable overall, making an excellent cast of characters. I wouldn’t necessarily consider this work one of romance though – it was a very slow burn that picked up speed a little at the end, but the romance was not front and center.
The biggest thing I disliked about this work was that there were several instances where people just did things with no explanation of motive, which was very unsatisfying. Several of these things were plot points, so to have no reason provided for people acting this way other than to move the plot forward felt cheap. Also, the fantasy-aspect of the story didn’t meld very well with the rest of the work. It felt a little clunky and unbelievable, which was unfortunate. I wanted more details concerning the fantastical elements and its atmosphere to be included for it to fit together better and be more immersive.
This was a solid read that I enjoyed, but there were a few things that I didn’t personally prefer. I still recommend it to lovers of magical realism, treasure hunts, and very slow burn romance. My thanks to NetGalley and Bookoutoure Audio for allowing me to review this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I enjoyed this work of magical realism overall. The author incorporated elements of archaeology, artifacts, legends, lore, and archival research into a fascinating story that maintained my interest throughout. The ending was a surprise for me and left me with some unanswered questions. I honestly would have rated the book higher, but the last couple of chapters just got…weird, unsatisfying, and made me wonder “why?”.
The characters were well written. I enjoyed Ari as a main character; she did have her flaws, but they were balanced well with strengths and made her feel well-rounded and realistic. While the secondary characters lacked some of her depth, they were well written and relatable overall, making an excellent cast of characters. I wouldn’t necessarily consider this work one of romance though – it was a very slow burn that picked up speed a little at the end, but the romance was not front and center.
The biggest thing I disliked about this work was that there were several instances where people just did things with no explanation of motive, which was very unsatisfying. Several of these things were plot points, so to have no reason provided for people acting this way other than to move the plot forward felt cheap. Also, the fantasy-aspect of the story didn’t meld very well with the rest of the work. It felt a little clunky and unbelievable, which was unfortunate. I wanted more details concerning the fantastical elements and its atmosphere to be included for it to fit together better and be more immersive.
This was a solid read that I enjoyed, but there were a few things that I didn’t personally prefer. I still recommend it to lovers of magical realism, treasure hunts, and very slow burn romance. My thanks to NetGalley and Bookoutoure Audio for allowing me to review this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 3, 2022
"The water witch is real"
"Sure. A psycho mermaid. Got it"
This is my second Jessica Thorne book and like her previous book I opted to listen to it as an audiobook which once again proved to be a good decision. This time around the author tackles the legend of the lost island of Ys and the water witch who has cursed the men of a particular family line to an early death.
I had a great time listening to this audiobook and the narrator Helen Keeley did a superb job of bringing the writing and story to life visually in my mind. I have to say I did figure out who the water witch was halfway through the book but definitely not the climax.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture Audio and author Jessica Thorne for the audio Arc of the book.
"Sure. A psycho mermaid. Got it"
This is my second Jessica Thorne book and like her previous book I opted to listen to it as an audiobook which once again proved to be a good decision. This time around the author tackles the legend of the lost island of Ys and the water witch who has cursed the men of a particular family line to an early death.
I had a great time listening to this audiobook and the narrator Helen Keeley did a superb job of bringing the writing and story to life visually in my mind. I have to say I did figure out who the water witch was halfway through the book but definitely not the climax.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture Audio and author Jessica Thorne for the audio Arc of the book.
August 2, 2022
4.5
Folklore, Fantasy, treasures, curses oh my!
My favorite Disney movie of all time is Little Mermaid and this book had all the elements of the movie.
" Brittany, France. Ariadne Walker’s fiancé Simon drowned in the stormy Atlantic Ocean doing what he loved: searching for the lost underwater city of Ys. Local legend says it was destroyed centuries ago when the princess of Ys became a water witch, cursing the name of the man who betrayed her.
This book had many layers of betrayal, coming out and new love.
I devoured this book in one day. I really enjoyed the different POV and the water witch was very of reminiscent Ursula. (RIP)2022.
Pick this book up. You wont be disappointed!
Folklore, Fantasy, treasures, curses oh my!
My favorite Disney movie of all time is Little Mermaid and this book had all the elements of the movie.
" Brittany, France. Ariadne Walker’s fiancé Simon drowned in the stormy Atlantic Ocean doing what he loved: searching for the lost underwater city of Ys. Local legend says it was destroyed centuries ago when the princess of Ys became a water witch, cursing the name of the man who betrayed her.
This book had many layers of betrayal, coming out and new love.
I devoured this book in one day. I really enjoyed the different POV and the water witch was very of reminiscent Ursula. (RIP)2022.
Pick this book up. You wont be disappointed!
February 14, 2025
3,5
Całkiem spoko książka, sporo aspektów historycznych i archeologicznych.
Całkiem spoko książka, sporo aspektów historycznych i archeologicznych.
August 15, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a DRC and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This book was unexpected. The story started with a bit of lore: A magical island named Ys, the water witch, Dahut, her former lover and the right hand of death, Ankou, and a mask that would kill any man who was untrue to her about his feelings.
Then we're dropped back to earth and meet sibling archaeologists Ariadne (Ari) and Jason Walker. They're searching for proof of Ys, the last project of Ari's fiance, Simon, before he was found drowned in the treacherous waters off the coast of Brittany. Enter into the picture Raphael Du Lac, a very wealthy man with a vested interest in Ys since all male members of his family have drowned or in some way been killed by water before age 35 due to a curse from Dahut.
This turns into a story steeped in lore, mystery, and treasure hunting, which was wholly unexpected for me. There were parts that I wish were fleshed out more, particularly the last quarter of the book felt rushed to me and left some unanswered questions. However, I enjoyed the characters, particularly Ari and Jason's sibling dynamic. And at the end of the book, I was left with an enjoyable feeling (half my books get thrown against the wall, so this is very good).
Regarding the narration: I think the narrator did an excellent job. The voices and accents were particularly pleasant to the ear.
This book was unexpected. The story started with a bit of lore: A magical island named Ys, the water witch, Dahut, her former lover and the right hand of death, Ankou, and a mask that would kill any man who was untrue to her about his feelings.
Then we're dropped back to earth and meet sibling archaeologists Ariadne (Ari) and Jason Walker. They're searching for proof of Ys, the last project of Ari's fiance, Simon, before he was found drowned in the treacherous waters off the coast of Brittany. Enter into the picture Raphael Du Lac, a very wealthy man with a vested interest in Ys since all male members of his family have drowned or in some way been killed by water before age 35 due to a curse from Dahut.
This turns into a story steeped in lore, mystery, and treasure hunting, which was wholly unexpected for me. There were parts that I wish were fleshed out more, particularly the last quarter of the book felt rushed to me and left some unanswered questions. However, I enjoyed the characters, particularly Ari and Jason's sibling dynamic. And at the end of the book, I was left with an enjoyable feeling (half my books get thrown against the wall, so this is very good).
Regarding the narration: I think the narrator did an excellent job. The voices and accents were particularly pleasant to the ear.
July 25, 2022
The Water Witch was one of those slow burn adventure novels, splashed with magic. Thorne sets her story around Ari who lost her fiancé Simon trying to prove the existence of the lost city of Y’s. Ari still grieving his loss, finds herself back in the city of Brittany, France at her brother’s behest.
There is a curse that happens to haunt the males of the Du Lac family, where they die prior to their 35th birthday, enter Raphael into Ari’s life.
Ari meets Raphael Du Lac who needs her help in breaking this curse, but Raphael is not the nicest person for kind and generous Ari. (Neither was Simon if we think about it) It seems like Thorne portrayed Ari to have these men with unscrupulous qualities.
Simon was cheating with Gwen Dulat in the first place, which ultimately ended up getting him killed. Because if he had been with Ari in Oxford, he would still have been alive.
The crux that killed the entire story was, you are built up to believe that the book surrounds the magical, folklore curse. When in reality, it is just some manipulating lunatic.
Then! You are stuck holding the bag, wondering why? Why did the person turn psycho in the story? The book could have been fantastic if not all over the place with the Du Lacs/Dulats, the chauvinistic, misogynistic, cheating. The not explaining how and why the person did what they did. Just too much and not enough clarification. Too many questions left unanswered.
Thorne started out with a great premise as far as plots go, the delivery however just fell short.
However! Like I always say “Ones cup of Green Tea is another’s Earl Grey”
Never any offense to the author at all. Kudos to Thorne for having Bookouture Publishing her book in the first place.
This particular work just was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Thorne and Bookouture for this free eARC. My opinions are of my own volition.
There is a curse that happens to haunt the males of the Du Lac family, where they die prior to their 35th birthday, enter Raphael into Ari’s life.
Ari meets Raphael Du Lac who needs her help in breaking this curse, but Raphael is not the nicest person for kind and generous Ari. (Neither was Simon if we think about it) It seems like Thorne portrayed Ari to have these men with unscrupulous qualities.
Simon was cheating with Gwen Dulat in the first place, which ultimately ended up getting him killed. Because if he had been with Ari in Oxford, he would still have been alive.
The crux that killed the entire story was, you are built up to believe that the book surrounds the magical, folklore curse. When in reality, it is just some manipulating lunatic.
Then! You are stuck holding the bag, wondering why? Why did the person turn psycho in the story? The book could have been fantastic if not all over the place with the Du Lacs/Dulats, the chauvinistic, misogynistic, cheating. The not explaining how and why the person did what they did. Just too much and not enough clarification. Too many questions left unanswered.
Thorne started out with a great premise as far as plots go, the delivery however just fell short.
However! Like I always say “Ones cup of Green Tea is another’s Earl Grey”
Never any offense to the author at all. Kudos to Thorne for having Bookouture Publishing her book in the first place.
This particular work just was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Thorne and Bookouture for this free eARC. My opinions are of my own volition.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2022
Honestly more of a 4.5! I absolutely adored this book. It is the first book by Jessica Thorne I've read and I will definitely be checking out her other books. This was filled with fantasy, folklore, curses, witches, treasures, strong female leads absolutely incredible descriptions, A SETTING ON THE NORTHEN COAST OF FRANCE, Atlantis vibes. Just absolutely incredible, I finished it within 24 hours, I couldn't put it down, when I wasn't reading it all I could think about was when I would get to read more! I thought the different POVs were very well done and actually made a lot of sense in this book (the only reason it's not 5 stars is that I wish the POVs had headings with whose POV it was but it wasn't confusing to work out or anything, just personal preference). I thought the pacing was fantastic, where it was slow paced at the start so you had time to absorb all the information and familiarise yourself with the setting, characters and legend/curse/backstory, but once it picked up it kept GOING ALL THE WAY. I think the characters are very well written and enjoyable to read about and read their interactions.
The book is also apparently based on local folklore in Brittany France (where it's set) which I absolutely love!
If you love fantasy, folklore with a sprinkle of romance and mystery I would be picking this book up ASAP!
Thank you to Netgallery and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for a voluntary, honest review. #netgallery
The book is also apparently based on local folklore in Brittany France (where it's set) which I absolutely love!
If you love fantasy, folklore with a sprinkle of romance and mystery I would be picking this book up ASAP!
Thank you to Netgallery and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for a voluntary, honest review. #netgallery
July 7, 2022
| The Water Witch |
By Jessica Thorne
Arc Review
If adventure, treasure hunts, paranormal legends, and lore, set on the coast of Northern France peak your interest, then The Water Witch is a book for you. It’s a riveting and fantastical “who done it” with intriguing characters and an adorable romantic subplot.
The story follows Dr. Ariadne Walker as she copes with the trauma of losing her fiancé, Simon, while trying to unravel his secrets and the secrets of the lost city, Ys. Little does she know, she’s about to unveil much more than she bargained for.
The story is based on true lore of the Brittany region in France, which I found absolutely fascinating, and pulls in a decadent treasure hunt, along with some spooky paranormal legends. It’s a tangled web, but I loved every second of trying to unravel it. The love story/romance is more of a subplot in my opinion, as solving the mystery is front and center. But I loved the cast of characters, each of them endearing but battling with their own demons, and some real life demons. The love story reads a bit like insta-love which isn’t my favorite, but I think it works with the lore and outlandish circumstances. Oh and did I mention that the MMC is a hot French billionaire? He was a fun character and it was nice to see how he helped Ari work through her trust issues.
Overall, the romance left me wanting a little more and I found one “twist” to be extremely obvious, but the book as a whole was fantastic. Highly recommend for a quick exciting read!
Thank you Jessica, Bookoture, and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
By Jessica Thorne
Arc Review
If adventure, treasure hunts, paranormal legends, and lore, set on the coast of Northern France peak your interest, then The Water Witch is a book for you. It’s a riveting and fantastical “who done it” with intriguing characters and an adorable romantic subplot.
The story follows Dr. Ariadne Walker as she copes with the trauma of losing her fiancé, Simon, while trying to unravel his secrets and the secrets of the lost city, Ys. Little does she know, she’s about to unveil much more than she bargained for.
The story is based on true lore of the Brittany region in France, which I found absolutely fascinating, and pulls in a decadent treasure hunt, along with some spooky paranormal legends. It’s a tangled web, but I loved every second of trying to unravel it. The love story/romance is more of a subplot in my opinion, as solving the mystery is front and center. But I loved the cast of characters, each of them endearing but battling with their own demons, and some real life demons. The love story reads a bit like insta-love which isn’t my favorite, but I think it works with the lore and outlandish circumstances. Oh and did I mention that the MMC is a hot French billionaire? He was a fun character and it was nice to see how he helped Ari work through her trust issues.
Overall, the romance left me wanting a little more and I found one “twist” to be extremely obvious, but the book as a whole was fantastic. Highly recommend for a quick exciting read!
Thank you Jessica, Bookoture, and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
February 24, 2023
ARC provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This took a little getting into for me which I put down to the main character holding the reader at arm's length at the beginning of the book. It appears to be a deliberate stylistic choice attributable to the MC's gut wrenching sense of ongoing grief and denial, and in that respect works very well. On the surface, The Water Witch is a simple novel about a lost kingdom and an ancient curse, but once Thorne combined it with a nuanced portrayal of woman grieving over choices - her own and her dead fiancée's - as well as mourning his loss, it becomes a subtle, beautiful recreation of a folk tale with a strong sense of place and dynamic characterisation. I don't want to stray into spoiler territory but in many ways this is a love story or at least a story about love and how it can both tear things down and mend wounds. It was clever and quiet, with clear perfect prose. By the end of the book I was in love with the story. Highly recommend for anyone who loves fantasy that clashes with the real world and savours strongly of folklore.
This took a little getting into for me which I put down to the main character holding the reader at arm's length at the beginning of the book. It appears to be a deliberate stylistic choice attributable to the MC's gut wrenching sense of ongoing grief and denial, and in that respect works very well. On the surface, The Water Witch is a simple novel about a lost kingdom and an ancient curse, but once Thorne combined it with a nuanced portrayal of woman grieving over choices - her own and her dead fiancée's - as well as mourning his loss, it becomes a subtle, beautiful recreation of a folk tale with a strong sense of place and dynamic characterisation. I don't want to stray into spoiler territory but in many ways this is a love story or at least a story about love and how it can both tear things down and mend wounds. It was clever and quiet, with clear perfect prose. By the end of the book I was in love with the story. Highly recommend for anyone who loves fantasy that clashes with the real world and savours strongly of folklore.
October 25, 2022
This is a wonderful romantic/fantasy/paranormal/mystery story which is set in France, and I really enjoyed it!
Ari is heartbroken as her boyfriend Simon died a few years previously, after breaking up with her in a letter. Now she is in France, and there she meets Rafael, who is the great nephew of Madame du Lac. Madame du Lac thinks that there is a water witch in the region, who has placed a curse there. Ari and Rafael set out to find out as much as they can about this, so that they can try to break the curse. Ari is an archeologist of the oceans, and she is in her glory as she investigates the water witch and the goings on in the area. Her and Rafael get close, and they make a great team.
I found this book really fascinating and enjoyable, and I also loved the audiobook narrator. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author, narrator, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Ari is heartbroken as her boyfriend Simon died a few years previously, after breaking up with her in a letter. Now she is in France, and there she meets Rafael, who is the great nephew of Madame du Lac. Madame du Lac thinks that there is a water witch in the region, who has placed a curse there. Ari and Rafael set out to find out as much as they can about this, so that they can try to break the curse. Ari is an archeologist of the oceans, and she is in her glory as she investigates the water witch and the goings on in the area. Her and Rafael get close, and they make a great team.
I found this book really fascinating and enjoyable, and I also loved the audiobook narrator. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author, narrator, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
July 25, 2022
I enjoyed this book right up to the last two chapters and then it fell apart for me in tangled ball of confusion.
The author did a great job of sucking me into the story with vivid descriptions of the setting, the wild Breton coastline, the long lost city and the haunting tales of a mythical long lost kingdom. There was a very creepy element which was well done. The curse that haunts the male of the Du Lac family was well laid out and Rafael's reaction compelling and believable.
The romance was meh, with Ari mourning her dead fiancé at while at the same time she's falling for Raphael, but I went along with it. It was only at the end when things got a bit too confusing for me. Still, I really enjoyed reading it, maybe others will have an easier time understanding what happened.
Well worth reading.
The author did a great job of sucking me into the story with vivid descriptions of the setting, the wild Breton coastline, the long lost city and the haunting tales of a mythical long lost kingdom. There was a very creepy element which was well done. The curse that haunts the male of the Du Lac family was well laid out and Rafael's reaction compelling and believable.
The romance was meh, with Ari mourning her dead fiancé at while at the same time she's falling for Raphael, but I went along with it. It was only at the end when things got a bit too confusing for me. Still, I really enjoyed reading it, maybe others will have an easier time understanding what happened.
Well worth reading.
August 3, 2022
I enjoyed this fantasy story and the love story within it; however, it did fall a little flat for me. I found it hard to follow all the details with the audio and it took me a little while to warm to the narrator. The story itself was enjoyable and the characters were likable. The ending had a nice twist that I wasn’t expecting, and I loved the happy ending. I think this might be one book that I would have liked better reading instead of listening, as I would have been able to follow it a little easier and been able to soak up all the details. 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounding up to 4 on goodreads!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Jessica Thorne for the gifted audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Jessica Thorne for the gifted audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 24, 2022
Fantasy and Sci-Fi author Jessica Thorne brings us a stunning France-based, folkloric tale with her new novel The Water Witch, which will be published on August 5th, 2022.
Prior to reading this, I didn't have any set expectations. I have never read any of Thorne's other novels (though I hope to now), and I had no knowledge of her writing style. This book absolutely shocked me with how much I loved it. To start off, I was immediately captivated by the language Thorne incorporated. There are so many quotes I could share, and believe me when I tell you I highlighted and marked all my favorites while I was reading. However, I'll choose to share this one that caught my eye in Chapter 1 that captures the beauty and essence of Sainte Siréne: "Bright overhead, darkening as it swept towards the far western horizon, where it deepened to indigo and blended with the endless sea." The scenery in this novel is stunning and the detail used to describe the colors and other intricate details is exquisite.
I found the characters in this novel to be quite interesting, and their development was so well written. Ariadne is a character I instantly loved. Her passion for studying and intelligence is personally quite relatable and her loyalty to her family (blood or not) is admirable. I truly enjoyed reading about how she worked through her grief of losing Simon, and how this subsequently led to her growth as an individual and as a partner in a relationship. I found Rafael to be quite mysterious and handsome, and the history of the Du Lac family of course drew me in. I loved the detailing of the legend of Dahut and the Mac'htiern, and how it applied to the Walker, Du Lac, and Poullain families. Jason and Nico were good supporting characters, as they added exactly what was needed at the perfect times. I can't go into too much detail about Laure without including spoilers, but suffice it to say that I disliked her from the beginning and my opinion never changed.
All around, I just adored this book. I hope that this novel reaches the hands of fantasy lovers everywhere because this story deserves to be read.
Prior to reading this, I didn't have any set expectations. I have never read any of Thorne's other novels (though I hope to now), and I had no knowledge of her writing style. This book absolutely shocked me with how much I loved it. To start off, I was immediately captivated by the language Thorne incorporated. There are so many quotes I could share, and believe me when I tell you I highlighted and marked all my favorites while I was reading. However, I'll choose to share this one that caught my eye in Chapter 1 that captures the beauty and essence of Sainte Siréne: "Bright overhead, darkening as it swept towards the far western horizon, where it deepened to indigo and blended with the endless sea." The scenery in this novel is stunning and the detail used to describe the colors and other intricate details is exquisite.
I found the characters in this novel to be quite interesting, and their development was so well written. Ariadne is a character I instantly loved. Her passion for studying and intelligence is personally quite relatable and her loyalty to her family (blood or not) is admirable. I truly enjoyed reading about how she worked through her grief of losing Simon, and how this subsequently led to her growth as an individual and as a partner in a relationship. I found Rafael to be quite mysterious and handsome, and the history of the Du Lac family of course drew me in. I loved the detailing of the legend of Dahut and the Mac'htiern, and how it applied to the Walker, Du Lac, and Poullain families. Jason and Nico were good supporting characters, as they added exactly what was needed at the perfect times. I can't go into too much detail about Laure without including spoilers, but suffice it to say that I disliked her from the beginning and my opinion never changed.
All around, I just adored this book. I hope that this novel reaches the hands of fantasy lovers everywhere because this story deserves to be read.
August 6, 2022
I read Jessica Thorne's Hollow King books and enjoyed them, so when I saw the blurb for The Water Witch I knew I had to read it.
Ari lost her fiance Simon several years earlier, looking for the place he was obsessed with, the missing underwater city of Ys. Her brother calls her back to Saint Sirene, convinced that he might have found proof of the city's existence, but he needs her help. Once there she meets Rafael Du Lac. The water witch has cursed all the men of his family to die young and he's desperate to end it. Together, they set out to find Ys and break the curse once and for all.
The Water Witch is an action-packed romance with an air of mystery and a dash of the fantastical.
There's great description and some vivid imagery that draws you into the story and gives you a genuine sense of place.
The mythology and folklore of Brittany is weaved expertly through the book. From the missing city of Ys, the power hungry princess who later becomes the water witch, along with a guest appearance from the servant of death, I just loved every minute of it!
Ari and Rafael are great characters. Their banter and chemistry was fun to read. Ari is still deeply scarred by Simon's death, even quitting a career she loves because it reminds her too much of him. Rafael is headstrong, used to getting what he wants by throwing money at it. The romance between them was nicely done, slow burn and didn't feel too rushed.
I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but it made sense once I put the book down and thought about it.
If you love romance with a sprinkle of adventure and splash of fantasy, then I'd highly recommend The Water Witch to you!
Ari lost her fiance Simon several years earlier, looking for the place he was obsessed with, the missing underwater city of Ys. Her brother calls her back to Saint Sirene, convinced that he might have found proof of the city's existence, but he needs her help. Once there she meets Rafael Du Lac. The water witch has cursed all the men of his family to die young and he's desperate to end it. Together, they set out to find Ys and break the curse once and for all.
The Water Witch is an action-packed romance with an air of mystery and a dash of the fantastical.
There's great description and some vivid imagery that draws you into the story and gives you a genuine sense of place.
The mythology and folklore of Brittany is weaved expertly through the book. From the missing city of Ys, the power hungry princess who later becomes the water witch, along with a guest appearance from the servant of death, I just loved every minute of it!
Ari and Rafael are great characters. Their banter and chemistry was fun to read. Ari is still deeply scarred by Simon's death, even quitting a career she loves because it reminds her too much of him. Rafael is headstrong, used to getting what he wants by throwing money at it. The romance between them was nicely done, slow burn and didn't feel too rushed.
I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but it made sense once I put the book down and thought about it.
If you love romance with a sprinkle of adventure and splash of fantasy, then I'd highly recommend The Water Witch to you!
October 23, 2022
Oh the book lover's joy of discovering that underrated gem of a read and then letting others in on the secret. This fantasy romance sprinkled with elements of mystery and a dash of fairy tale will take you on such an enjoyable reading journey if you let it.
Ari is still grieving the loss of her fiance Simon who died in a tragic accident. The last thing she wants to is to go back to Brittany, France - the place where Simon died and focus of his obsessive search for the lost underwater city of Ys. But her brother needs her help so despite her grief and the secret of Simon's last letter to her, Ari goes to help him. The last thing she expects is to cross paths with a handsome, mysterious Rafael whose family seems to be connected to the lost through an ancient curse of the water witch. What lays ahead might bring more questions than answers
This is the kind of book I love to take with me on vacation - so that I could read it uninterrupted. I am a big fan of mixed genre stories, especially in beautiful settings. I loved the chemistry between the main characters and the whole book kept unfolding like a movie in my mind. I felt myself transported to the little village and I felt its dark but seductive vibe throughout the book. If you are a fan of the genre and love discovering new authors, this one is a win win and I highly recommend it as the best kind of mind escape.
Grateful to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am also grateful that Jessica Thorne has 6 more books just waiting for me to discover.
Ari is still grieving the loss of her fiance Simon who died in a tragic accident. The last thing she wants to is to go back to Brittany, France - the place where Simon died and focus of his obsessive search for the lost underwater city of Ys. But her brother needs her help so despite her grief and the secret of Simon's last letter to her, Ari goes to help him. The last thing she expects is to cross paths with a handsome, mysterious Rafael whose family seems to be connected to the lost through an ancient curse of the water witch. What lays ahead might bring more questions than answers
This is the kind of book I love to take with me on vacation - so that I could read it uninterrupted. I am a big fan of mixed genre stories, especially in beautiful settings. I loved the chemistry between the main characters and the whole book kept unfolding like a movie in my mind. I felt myself transported to the little village and I felt its dark but seductive vibe throughout the book. If you are a fan of the genre and love discovering new authors, this one is a win win and I highly recommend it as the best kind of mind escape.
Grateful to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am also grateful that Jessica Thorne has 6 more books just waiting for me to discover.
August 16, 2022
I was provided with a copy of The Water Witch by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF'd at 65%. The Water Witch just isn't for me.
I'm not a fan of romantic relationships developing during grief periods and quite a lot of this book is focused on that. The book reads as a contemporary fiction, rather than a fantasy. The contemporary aspect itself is well written, particularly since the location was so well chosen for the story and characters.
It's the fantasy portion of the story that let me down and caused the book to feel muddled for me. It felt tacked on. Which feels terrible to say as it also seems like the author did a ton of work researching.
Maybe if the fantasy/supernatural element wasn't set and it was more about an archeological dig that appeared fantastical...
DNF'd at 65%. The Water Witch just isn't for me.
I'm not a fan of romantic relationships developing during grief periods and quite a lot of this book is focused on that. The book reads as a contemporary fiction, rather than a fantasy. The contemporary aspect itself is well written, particularly since the location was so well chosen for the story and characters.
It's the fantasy portion of the story that let me down and caused the book to feel muddled for me. It felt tacked on. Which feels terrible to say as it also seems like the author did a ton of work researching.
Maybe if the fantasy/supernatural element wasn't set and it was more about an archeological dig that appeared fantastical...
July 26, 2022
I love how Jessica Thorne weaves the supernatural and folkloric elements into a contemporary love story. I also like how a lot of the folklore in this story is based on actual folk tales.
Ari Walker is roped in, by her brother, to carry on the search for the City of Ys. A search that probably led to her late fiance's death.
Raphael Du Lac is haunted by his family curse - which means that all men in his family die at the age of 35. And Raphael has a month left.
This book starts quietly and builds to a crescendo. It's full of spookiness and adventure. The characters are well rounded and the descriptions of the settings are so vivid, I could taste the salt.
I loved it.
I received an ARC from Netgalley. This is my honest review.
Ari Walker is roped in, by her brother, to carry on the search for the City of Ys. A search that probably led to her late fiance's death.
Raphael Du Lac is haunted by his family curse - which means that all men in his family die at the age of 35. And Raphael has a month left.
This book starts quietly and builds to a crescendo. It's full of spookiness and adventure. The characters are well rounded and the descriptions of the settings are so vivid, I could taste the salt.
I loved it.
I received an ARC from Netgalley. This is my honest review.
September 9, 2022
Folklore and tall tales, a slow burn adventure that absolutely dripped magic. A curse that haunts the Du Lac family, a fiance that drowns searching for the lost city Y’s and a water witch that lurks.
The beginning of this book was absolutely magical, but I have to say from there on it just went a bit bizarre. I enjoyed however how the author wove past and present as things started to unfold. The central mystery kept me intrigued enough to continue, only to chop all this magical folklore and curses into pieces being controlled by a manipulative lunatic. I was so bummed! So many questions where I get no answers too, yet again bummed out.
I loved the premise, enjoyed the writing style and the narrator, the plot just fell extremely flat for me.
The beginning of this book was absolutely magical, but I have to say from there on it just went a bit bizarre. I enjoyed however how the author wove past and present as things started to unfold. The central mystery kept me intrigued enough to continue, only to chop all this magical folklore and curses into pieces being controlled by a manipulative lunatic. I was so bummed! So many questions where I get no answers too, yet again bummed out.
I loved the premise, enjoyed the writing style and the narrator, the plot just fell extremely flat for me.
August 3, 2022
This book looked right up my alley and I was pumped to dive into it. However, it turns out this wasn’t for me.
There was far to much emphasis placed on the love interests for me to really enjoy this. I do see that’s it’s labeled as a fantasy romance which would imply the romance is front and center but I just didn’t care for the way this one was done.
I absolutely believe that I will be a minority here. I can see the merits in it. It’s just not my cup of tea.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audio copy!
There was far to much emphasis placed on the love interests for me to really enjoy this. I do see that’s it’s labeled as a fantasy romance which would imply the romance is front and center but I just didn’t care for the way this one was done.
I absolutely believe that I will be a minority here. I can see the merits in it. It’s just not my cup of tea.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audio copy!
September 14, 2023
This book was advertised on BookTok and it sounded really interesting. Whilst there was no hype around it I can't help but feel a bit disappointed with this though.
I think my main issue can be summarised as a lack of developed relationships. Beware spoilers ahead.
I really enjoyed the concept of this book, the idea behind it was really interesting but I also found some of the ideas to be PRETTY LOUDLY TELEGRAPHED. So whilst I enjoyed this and was definitely intrigued enough to binge read it to some extent, this isn't an author I will necessarily be returning to.
I think my main issue can be summarised as a lack of developed relationships. Beware spoilers ahead.
I really enjoyed the concept of this book, the idea behind it was really interesting but I also found some of the ideas to be PRETTY LOUDLY TELEGRAPHED. So whilst I enjoyed this and was definitely intrigued enough to binge read it to some extent, this isn't an author I will necessarily be returning to.
February 25, 2024
i came across this randomly and i am so glad i ended up reading it because i absolutely adored this book from the fantasy and lore of it all to the underlying romances and characters. i feel like it had just the right amount of mystery and the entire plot line to me made sense.
i highly highly highly recommend reading this if you are a big fan of like . indiana jones atlantis archeology mystery (dare i say night at the museum) type plots
i would’ve liked a little more depth on laure to be honest but i still really liked everything else about the book <3
also nico is so me! fruity and likes to bake! yeah!
i highly highly highly recommend reading this if you are a big fan of like . indiana jones atlantis archeology mystery (dare i say night at the museum) type plots
i would’ve liked a little more depth on laure to be honest but i still really liked everything else about the book <3
also nico is so me! fruity and likes to bake! yeah!
Read
July 23, 2023DNF 30% too much generic romance & lifeless character building. I just wanted to dive right in to the treasure finding/archaeological dream part. Tried to power through in hopes the rest of the book would be action packed and full of myth and lore. Just couldn’t continue. Stupid romance. Ruins everything good.
May 9, 2024
A little cheezie at times and I often got annoyed with the FMC but overall an enjoyable read
July 28, 2022
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐜’𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐧, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡. 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦.
‘𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮,’ 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫. ‘𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐨. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐘𝐬, 𝐈 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧.’
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐤𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞.
“𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐫 𝐝’𝐈𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞. 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐫è𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫. 𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝.”
_________________________
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This book was nothing like what I expected and yet extremely good!! A treasure hunting thriller romance based off the coast of France, it is full of ancient curses, a lost city, the right hand of Death haunting people, suspense, and one deadly mask.
Dr. Ariadne Walker is NOT happy with her brother. Still grieving the sudden death of her fiancé mere hours after receiving a letter from him that changed her life forever, she has lost her dream job and is still trying to find a future without the love of her life when her brother unceremoniously lures her back to the coast where her lover died…and to the expedition that cost him his life. Searching for the lost city of Ys, Ari’s brother Jason coaxes her into staying for a short while in an effort to help them pick up where her fiancé’s trail left off. While she is there more deaths begin to plague the town and after a chance encounter with Rafael du Lac and his great aunt whose ancestors died defending Ys, the dark history, legend, and lore begin to come to the surface. After recovering a strange mask from the sea events take a dark turn and soon Ari and Rafael find themselves in a race against time to break the curse before it claims it’s next victim…Rafael himself.
Reading this book felt like taking a haunted European holiday during the dying days of summer. The history and visuals in this book were absolutely perfect and just beautiful and I’ve never wanted to visit the coast of France more than I do now!!
The story itself was a bit difficult to follow at times, but the structure of it was fantastic. Being given the true events straight away in the prologue and then slowly peeling back the layers of the tragedies that have befallen the du Lac family since then hooked you in and kept you in place until the very end. There were more than one instance of hair raising, creepy, edge of your seat afraid to turn the next page, suspenseful vibes, and juxtaposed against something so beautiful as the location and something so “innocent”, fun, and carefree as treasure hunting overall gave the book an absolutely perfect aesthetic.
The characters were wonderful, and I won’t go into TOO much about them so as to avoid spoilers, but I can say that where some will steal your heart and some will immediately turn you off, you will find that slowly begin to morph over time and I ended the book with some of the most unlikely characters being my absolute favorite.
All in all I enjoyed this book SO MUCH. Thank you very much to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!!
‘𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮,’ 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫. ‘𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐨. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐘𝐬, 𝐈 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧.’
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐤𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞.
“𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐫 𝐝’𝐈𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞. 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐫è𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫. 𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝.”
_________________________
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This book was nothing like what I expected and yet extremely good!! A treasure hunting thriller romance based off the coast of France, it is full of ancient curses, a lost city, the right hand of Death haunting people, suspense, and one deadly mask.
Dr. Ariadne Walker is NOT happy with her brother. Still grieving the sudden death of her fiancé mere hours after receiving a letter from him that changed her life forever, she has lost her dream job and is still trying to find a future without the love of her life when her brother unceremoniously lures her back to the coast where her lover died…and to the expedition that cost him his life. Searching for the lost city of Ys, Ari’s brother Jason coaxes her into staying for a short while in an effort to help them pick up where her fiancé’s trail left off. While she is there more deaths begin to plague the town and after a chance encounter with Rafael du Lac and his great aunt whose ancestors died defending Ys, the dark history, legend, and lore begin to come to the surface. After recovering a strange mask from the sea events take a dark turn and soon Ari and Rafael find themselves in a race against time to break the curse before it claims it’s next victim…Rafael himself.
Reading this book felt like taking a haunted European holiday during the dying days of summer. The history and visuals in this book were absolutely perfect and just beautiful and I’ve never wanted to visit the coast of France more than I do now!!
The story itself was a bit difficult to follow at times, but the structure of it was fantastic. Being given the true events straight away in the prologue and then slowly peeling back the layers of the tragedies that have befallen the du Lac family since then hooked you in and kept you in place until the very end. There were more than one instance of hair raising, creepy, edge of your seat afraid to turn the next page, suspenseful vibes, and juxtaposed against something so beautiful as the location and something so “innocent”, fun, and carefree as treasure hunting overall gave the book an absolutely perfect aesthetic.
The characters were wonderful, and I won’t go into TOO much about them so as to avoid spoilers, but I can say that where some will steal your heart and some will immediately turn you off, you will find that slowly begin to morph over time and I ended the book with some of the most unlikely characters being my absolute favorite.
All in all I enjoyed this book SO MUCH. Thank you very much to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!!
August 10, 2022
I liked The Bookbinder’s Daughter, another of Jessica Thorne’s books. So I jumped at the chance to read and review this one. While I think I like The Bookbinder’s Daughter better, this is an enjoyable story!
Bad enough that Ariadne (Ari) Walker’s fiancé Simon broke things off with her. But shortly after the breakup, he died. Drowned in his pursuit of the legendary lost city of Ys. Ari has sworn never to return to Brittany, and while she grieves Simon’s death, she sees it as a tragic accident. She puts little stock in local lore that says the princess of Ys was horribly betrayed by one she loved, and as a result, cursed the man who betrayed her and his descendants.
When her brother Jason asks her to come to Brittany to help bolster his case that his team has, in fact, located Ys, she plans to stay a couple of days. She has no intentions of staying in a place that brings her so much pain. But Rafael du Lac, charming and ridiculously wealthy and next of the du Lac men to die if the water witch has her way, convinces her otherwise. Soon things are happening that she can’t explain, and she finds herself drawn tighter and tighter into the search for Ys. Finding the city and breaking the curse may be the only way she – or any of them – survive.
The romance felt a little too rushed, too insta-romance for me. I mean, Ari is still heartbroken over both Simon’s dumping her and his unexpected death. But she’s now developing feelings for the new guy, who may be dying soon, too, if the curse has its way. I know, liberties must be taken for the book. That’s just a trope that bothers me a little.
And bless Rafael’s heart. He’s got so much money, he thinks it fixes everything. Ari says she needs to get back to her job? He sets up a foundation for the school where she teaches and covers all of her expenses to boot. There’s a problem with an artifact they found and the university whose help they may need authenticating everything says it’s a fake? He dumps a load of cash on them and suddenly they’re irrelevant. I almost felt sorry for Rafael, because clearly no amount of money can keep the water witch from coming for him.
But the lore, based on actual legends of Brittany, is fascinating. Characters are not always what they seem, and I found plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Thorne’s writing style is both beautiful and easy to read, and Ari is an easy character to care about.
So this wasn’t quite up to the level of The Bookbinder’s Daughter for me, but it’s a solid four-star read. Very enjoyable if you’re a fan of a good paranormal tale with a dash of fantasy, romance, and adventure.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.
Bad enough that Ariadne (Ari) Walker’s fiancé Simon broke things off with her. But shortly after the breakup, he died. Drowned in his pursuit of the legendary lost city of Ys. Ari has sworn never to return to Brittany, and while she grieves Simon’s death, she sees it as a tragic accident. She puts little stock in local lore that says the princess of Ys was horribly betrayed by one she loved, and as a result, cursed the man who betrayed her and his descendants.
When her brother Jason asks her to come to Brittany to help bolster his case that his team has, in fact, located Ys, she plans to stay a couple of days. She has no intentions of staying in a place that brings her so much pain. But Rafael du Lac, charming and ridiculously wealthy and next of the du Lac men to die if the water witch has her way, convinces her otherwise. Soon things are happening that she can’t explain, and she finds herself drawn tighter and tighter into the search for Ys. Finding the city and breaking the curse may be the only way she – or any of them – survive.
The romance felt a little too rushed, too insta-romance for me. I mean, Ari is still heartbroken over both Simon’s dumping her and his unexpected death. But she’s now developing feelings for the new guy, who may be dying soon, too, if the curse has its way. I know, liberties must be taken for the book. That’s just a trope that bothers me a little.
And bless Rafael’s heart. He’s got so much money, he thinks it fixes everything. Ari says she needs to get back to her job? He sets up a foundation for the school where she teaches and covers all of her expenses to boot. There’s a problem with an artifact they found and the university whose help they may need authenticating everything says it’s a fake? He dumps a load of cash on them and suddenly they’re irrelevant. I almost felt sorry for Rafael, because clearly no amount of money can keep the water witch from coming for him.
But the lore, based on actual legends of Brittany, is fascinating. Characters are not always what they seem, and I found plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Thorne’s writing style is both beautiful and easy to read, and Ari is an easy character to care about.
So this wasn’t quite up to the level of The Bookbinder’s Daughter for me, but it’s a solid four-star read. Very enjoyable if you’re a fan of a good paranormal tale with a dash of fantasy, romance, and adventure.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.
July 5, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As a French major and speaker, I've always been fascinated by French folklore, and Brittany in particular is a region that has always interested me due to the mishmash of cultures and history. I also read The Daughters of Ys by M. T. Anderson a couple years ago and absolutely fell down a mythical rabbit hole. So when I saw that this was based on the myth of Ys, I jumped—and I was not disappointed.
The story is basically one giant paranormal treasure hunt, which in itself is a fantastic premise, but the relationships between the protagonists and secondary characters have so many deep and painful layers the reader must sift through, so many clues, all amidst a setting so cruel and yet beautiful... The depths both literally and figuratively are what kept me engaged till the very end.
I've come away very satisfied with the story, but there are still some things to note that I don't necessarily love... The relationship between Ari and Rafael was sweet, but painfully unrealistic and insta-lovey (lmao, it's a paranormal romance though, don't take this too seriously). And while I didn't see the "who done it" twist at the end coming, the foreshadowing for the OTHER person was almost painfully obvious. Like, the second we met them I immediately knew who they were?? I'm not too upset by it, but I wish it had been a tiny bit more subtle? Anyone who reads mysteries/thrillers will pick up on it immediately; I hope it doesn't ruin anything for you. And lastly, the convenience of money cannot be understated here. Rafael and Ari certainly joke about it by the end, but at what point does him being a millionaire become *too* convenient? It just felt kind of like a cop out after a while...
All that said, I had a lot of fun reading this! It was my first foray into the treasure hunting genre (which I've been seeing a lot of lately? I'm on board) and I am definitely planning to pick up more from this author. Solid 4 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
As a French major and speaker, I've always been fascinated by French folklore, and Brittany in particular is a region that has always interested me due to the mishmash of cultures and history. I also read The Daughters of Ys by M. T. Anderson a couple years ago and absolutely fell down a mythical rabbit hole. So when I saw that this was based on the myth of Ys, I jumped—and I was not disappointed.
The story is basically one giant paranormal treasure hunt, which in itself is a fantastic premise, but the relationships between the protagonists and secondary characters have so many deep and painful layers the reader must sift through, so many clues, all amidst a setting so cruel and yet beautiful... The depths both literally and figuratively are what kept me engaged till the very end.
I've come away very satisfied with the story, but there are still some things to note that I don't necessarily love... The relationship between Ari and Rafael was sweet, but painfully unrealistic and insta-lovey (lmao, it's a paranormal romance though, don't take this too seriously). And while I didn't see the "who done it" twist at the end coming, the foreshadowing for the OTHER person was almost painfully obvious. Like, the second we met them I immediately knew who they were?? I'm not too upset by it, but I wish it had been a tiny bit more subtle? Anyone who reads mysteries/thrillers will pick up on it immediately; I hope it doesn't ruin anything for you. And lastly, the convenience of money cannot be understated here. Rafael and Ari certainly joke about it by the end, but at what point does him being a millionaire become *too* convenient? It just felt kind of like a cop out after a while...
All that said, I had a lot of fun reading this! It was my first foray into the treasure hunting genre (which I've been seeing a lot of lately? I'm on board) and I am definitely planning to pick up more from this author. Solid 4 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
August 20, 2022
** 4 Stars **
At the half way point, I wasn't quite sure where I was going to land on a rating for this book. However the last third really made up for some of the slower parts.
The story starts in the past about how the water witch and curse came to be, then jumps to present day with our two main protagonists Rafael and Ari. The story then is told in their two perspectives.
Rafael is a rich playboy who just broke up with his model girlfriend. Ari is a teacher working with her brother to find the lost city of Ys. Prior to meet Rafael, Ari lost her fiancé Simon when he died looking for the Ys.
The majority of the story is learning of the curse and the fate that meets men of a certain family line. We also follow Ari, Rafael, and Aris brother/crew as they look for proof. While we follow the budding romance of Rafael and Ari.
I really loved the very first part of the book that followed the water witch timeline. I thought this was so fascinating I'd love to read a prequel of just that. After that the first half of the book is slow burn and I was struggling a bit to get thru.
It did though really pick up in the second half. I really loved the ending. I thought it was really great and I did not see any of it coming. The romance honestly could have been left out of the story for me. I just couldn't get into that part and didn't feel the chemistry. However at the same time I understand why it was there, but the story was strong enough to stand without it.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy tropes of old curses and hidden cities like Atlantis.
Thank you to netgalley and bookouture for the opportunity to read this E Arc. My review is voluntary.
At the half way point, I wasn't quite sure where I was going to land on a rating for this book. However the last third really made up for some of the slower parts.
The story starts in the past about how the water witch and curse came to be, then jumps to present day with our two main protagonists Rafael and Ari. The story then is told in their two perspectives.
Rafael is a rich playboy who just broke up with his model girlfriend. Ari is a teacher working with her brother to find the lost city of Ys. Prior to meet Rafael, Ari lost her fiancé Simon when he died looking for the Ys.
The majority of the story is learning of the curse and the fate that meets men of a certain family line. We also follow Ari, Rafael, and Aris brother/crew as they look for proof. While we follow the budding romance of Rafael and Ari.
I really loved the very first part of the book that followed the water witch timeline. I thought this was so fascinating I'd love to read a prequel of just that. After that the first half of the book is slow burn and I was struggling a bit to get thru.
It did though really pick up in the second half. I really loved the ending. I thought it was really great and I did not see any of it coming. The romance honestly could have been left out of the story for me. I just couldn't get into that part and didn't feel the chemistry. However at the same time I understand why it was there, but the story was strong enough to stand without it.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy tropes of old curses and hidden cities like Atlantis.
Thank you to netgalley and bookouture for the opportunity to read this E Arc. My review is voluntary.
September 14, 2022
Brittany, France is a magical and mystical place, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and various underwater caverns and caves; it is a land of mystery, tradition, and ancient lore. Many generations ago, this was said to have been the location of the great city of Ys. The city was beautiful and intriguing, the city had a princess who was known for her beauty, power, and she wielded ancient magic. When the princess was betrayed by a man, the city's protection was lifted, it quickly flooded and was lost to the ocean; as was the princess and she cursed his name with her last breath. As generations passed, it became lore and myth.
Present day: Ariadne Walker lost her fiance, Simon, during a diving expedition to uncover Ys; she is still mourning the loss years later and reluctantly agrees to return to Brittany to sort through Simon's belongings at camp. On one last dive with the team, Ari discovers an artifact that might be the clue needed to find Ys, or at the very least to prove its existence. The artifact is surrounded by mystery, misfortune, and magic. Ari meets a handsome stranger in town, who believes that the curse is real and asks for her help to find answers.
The Water Witch is an intriguing tale that successfully entwines mystery, treasure hunting, romance, and history. Thorne creates such endearing and engaging characters that stay with you well after you've finished the story. I enjoyed how the story unfolded through parallel storylines of the past and present.
A digital copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for this review. This does not impact the integrity of my review and rating.
Present day: Ariadne Walker lost her fiance, Simon, during a diving expedition to uncover Ys; she is still mourning the loss years later and reluctantly agrees to return to Brittany to sort through Simon's belongings at camp. On one last dive with the team, Ari discovers an artifact that might be the clue needed to find Ys, or at the very least to prove its existence. The artifact is surrounded by mystery, misfortune, and magic. Ari meets a handsome stranger in town, who believes that the curse is real and asks for her help to find answers.
The Water Witch is an intriguing tale that successfully entwines mystery, treasure hunting, romance, and history. Thorne creates such endearing and engaging characters that stay with you well after you've finished the story. I enjoyed how the story unfolded through parallel storylines of the past and present.
A digital copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for this review. This does not impact the integrity of my review and rating.
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