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La berceuse des sorcières
Deux femmes. Une histoire de sorcellerie. Et un pouvoir féminin profondément enraciné qui résonne à travers les siècles.
Deuxième moitié du XIXe siècle.
Plus attirée par les bois et les falaises sauvages entourant la propriété familiale que par la société bien-pensante, Margaret Harlowe est une jeune femme issue d’une famille aisée de Nouvelle-Angleterre, mais elle ne correspond pas tout à fait à ce qu’on attend d’elle à l’époque. Elle devient de plus en plus étrange et de plus en plus belle, alors qu’elle cultive un étrange pouvoir.
Bientôt, on chuchote autour d’elle et le nom de « sorcière » émerge. Et la puissance de Margaret commence à tisser une toile bien sombre autour de la ville.
Cent cinquante ans plus tard, Augusta Podos prend un emploi de rêve à Harlowe House, la maison historique d’une riche famille qui a été transformée en un petit musée à Tynemouth, dans le Massachusetts. Quand Augusta tombe sur une référence étrange d'une fille des Harlowe qui a presque été effacée des archives historiques, le mystère est trop intrigant pour être ignoré.
Mais alors qu’elle creuse plus profondément, quelque chose de sinistre jaillit de son sommeil, une puissance obscure qui lie une femme à l’autre à travers les lignes de sang et de temps. Si Augusta ne peut résister à son charme, tout ce qu’elle sait et aime, y compris sa vie même, pourrait être perdu à jamais.
Deuxième moitié du XIXe siècle.
Plus attirée par les bois et les falaises sauvages entourant la propriété familiale que par la société bien-pensante, Margaret Harlowe est une jeune femme issue d’une famille aisée de Nouvelle-Angleterre, mais elle ne correspond pas tout à fait à ce qu’on attend d’elle à l’époque. Elle devient de plus en plus étrange et de plus en plus belle, alors qu’elle cultive un étrange pouvoir.
Bientôt, on chuchote autour d’elle et le nom de « sorcière » émerge. Et la puissance de Margaret commence à tisser une toile bien sombre autour de la ville.
Cent cinquante ans plus tard, Augusta Podos prend un emploi de rêve à Harlowe House, la maison historique d’une riche famille qui a été transformée en un petit musée à Tynemouth, dans le Massachusetts. Quand Augusta tombe sur une référence étrange d'une fille des Harlowe qui a presque été effacée des archives historiques, le mystère est trop intrigant pour être ignoré.
Mais alors qu’elle creuse plus profondément, quelque chose de sinistre jaillit de son sommeil, une puissance obscure qui lie une femme à l’autre à travers les lignes de sang et de temps. Si Augusta ne peut résister à son charme, tout ce qu’elle sait et aime, y compris sa vie même, pourrait être perdu à jamais.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2022
430 people are currently reading
22444 people want to read
About the author
Hester Fox
10 books2,102 followersHester Fox is a full-time writer and mother, with a background in museum work and historical archaeology. She is the author of such novels as The Witch of Willow Hall, A Lullaby for Witches, and The Last Heir to Blackwood Library. She lives in a small mill town in Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,079 reviews
April 6, 2025
Hester Fox is back and she brought her signature gothic atmosphere with her, but this time with a twist!
Fox's previous works are all set in historic New England and this book is no exception, however, this time, we have a present day perspective as well.
I was pleasantly surprised by this change of pace and loved the alternating perspectives between past and present.
Augusta Podos grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, and as our story begins, she finds herself leading tours through the old jail there. While working in a museum is her dream, this isn't exactly what she had in mind.
When she happens upon a job listing at Harlowe House in nearby Tynemouth, she jumps at the opportunity. Augusta can't believe her luck when the position is offered to her. She is finally going to have the museum job of her dreams.
From the moment she sets foot at Harlowe House, Augusta feels a connection with the property. In particular, she is drawn to a portrait of a young woman that hangs in the dining room.
The portrait is said to be the mysterious, Margaret Harlowe, whose life has been lost to the sands of time. Nothing much is known about Margaret and many question if she actually existed at all. There's no true record of her.
Augusta takes it upon herself to learn all she can about Margaret. She wants to honor her memory and keep it alive.
The past perspective follows Margaret Harlowe as she lives at Harlowe House with her family. Margaret was different and not really accepted in the town of Tynemouth. There were whisperings that she was a witch; a dangerous rumor.
It was true that Margaret dappled in herbalism and healing. In fact, many of the women who shunned her in the streets during the day would visit her under the cover of darkness, seeking help for their problems.
Margaret also had a secret relationship with a young man, Jack, that seemed doomed to end tragically. You can see it a mile away, but Margaret was blinded by love.
As Augusta digs deeper into Margaret's story she begins to have disturbingly vivid hallucinations. Could Margaret be trying to communicate with her?
Augusta begins to lose control and as past and present come crashing together, it seems some history really should be left well enough alone. Along with her new friend, Leo, will Augusta be able to make it out of Harlowe House unscathed!?
I really enjoyed my time reading A Lullaby for Witches. It was fun to have both the present and the past timelines in this one. Learning about the two women, 150-years apart, but nonetheless connected.
Fox's ability to bring historical settings to life is so strong. She seems to have a real passion for history; it is evident in the care with which she writes historical perspectives.
There were some subtle nods to Fox's earlier works, family names and places, that were fun little Easter Eggs for me to discover along the way.
It was also fun to go along with Augusta on her investigation into the past. I appreciated how much Augusta grew over the course of the story. She starts out a little timid, but in the end I was so proud of her new found strength.
Overall, this is a fun and engaging historical mystery with a paranormal twist. I definitely recommend this to Readers who enjoy a lush Gothic atmosphere and New England-based stories.
I am such a fan of Hester Fox. I have read all of her novels and this one did not disappoint. In rankings, it may actually be my second favorite, just behind The Witch of Willow Hall.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was really looking forward to this one and had a blast with it!
Fox's previous works are all set in historic New England and this book is no exception, however, this time, we have a present day perspective as well.
I was pleasantly surprised by this change of pace and loved the alternating perspectives between past and present.
Augusta Podos grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, and as our story begins, she finds herself leading tours through the old jail there. While working in a museum is her dream, this isn't exactly what she had in mind.
When she happens upon a job listing at Harlowe House in nearby Tynemouth, she jumps at the opportunity. Augusta can't believe her luck when the position is offered to her. She is finally going to have the museum job of her dreams.
From the moment she sets foot at Harlowe House, Augusta feels a connection with the property. In particular, she is drawn to a portrait of a young woman that hangs in the dining room.
The portrait is said to be the mysterious, Margaret Harlowe, whose life has been lost to the sands of time. Nothing much is known about Margaret and many question if she actually existed at all. There's no true record of her.
Augusta takes it upon herself to learn all she can about Margaret. She wants to honor her memory and keep it alive.
The past perspective follows Margaret Harlowe as she lives at Harlowe House with her family. Margaret was different and not really accepted in the town of Tynemouth. There were whisperings that she was a witch; a dangerous rumor.
It was true that Margaret dappled in herbalism and healing. In fact, many of the women who shunned her in the streets during the day would visit her under the cover of darkness, seeking help for their problems.
Margaret also had a secret relationship with a young man, Jack, that seemed doomed to end tragically. You can see it a mile away, but Margaret was blinded by love.
As Augusta digs deeper into Margaret's story she begins to have disturbingly vivid hallucinations. Could Margaret be trying to communicate with her?
Augusta begins to lose control and as past and present come crashing together, it seems some history really should be left well enough alone. Along with her new friend, Leo, will Augusta be able to make it out of Harlowe House unscathed!?
I really enjoyed my time reading A Lullaby for Witches. It was fun to have both the present and the past timelines in this one. Learning about the two women, 150-years apart, but nonetheless connected.
Fox's ability to bring historical settings to life is so strong. She seems to have a real passion for history; it is evident in the care with which she writes historical perspectives.
There were some subtle nods to Fox's earlier works, family names and places, that were fun little Easter Eggs for me to discover along the way.
It was also fun to go along with Augusta on her investigation into the past. I appreciated how much Augusta grew over the course of the story. She starts out a little timid, but in the end I was so proud of her new found strength.
Overall, this is a fun and engaging historical mystery with a paranormal twist. I definitely recommend this to Readers who enjoy a lush Gothic atmosphere and New England-based stories.
I am such a fan of Hester Fox. I have read all of her novels and this one did not disappoint. In rankings, it may actually be my second favorite, just behind The Witch of Willow Hall.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was really looking forward to this one and had a blast with it!
January 31, 2022
"Being a witch means living in this world consciously, powerfully, and unapologetically." - Gabriela Herstik
Two Women. Two timelines. Pure Magic!
Hester Fox knows how to write a chilling, atmospheric and engaging tale!
Margaret Harlowe is from a wealthy family. She is the youngest and only daughter. Her brothers are successful and have made their way in the world, but Margaret has never fit in with her family. She enjoys being in nature, she knows things, she can do things, women who shun her in the day, come to her at night. She is talked about, she is strange, she is powerful, she is beautiful, she is a witch!
"You say witch like it's a bad thing..." - Unknown
Augusta Podos has found her dream job at Harlowe House! It is the historic home of the Harlowe's which has been turned into a museum. She can't believe her good fortune! She is doing what she loves. While working one day she comes across a reference to a daughter (Margaret) of the Harlowe's. Augusta is intrigued. She wants to learn more about his young woman who history forgot.
"The moon has awoken with the sleep of the sun. The light has been broken; the spell has begun."-Midgard Morningstar
As Augusta begins to search for more information, she begins to have 'hallucinations' about Margaret. But are they hallucinations or are they the work of magic?????
Hester Fox has bewitched me with this tale. Usually with two timelines, I enjoy one more than the other. But in this book, both timelines were intriguing and magical. I love when I pick up a book and I am compelled to keep reading. I read most of this book in one day. I did not want to put it down. I love all things witch related and this book left me spellbound.
"The first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my life."- Margot Adler
So, pick up this book if you believe in magic! Pick it up if you are a fan of witch tales, historical fiction/romance, atmospheric reads with gothic vibes!
***There are some triggers in this book. The author mentions them in her review. If you leave a comment under her review, she states she will do her best to tell you where they are in the book.
4.5 stars
Highly Recommend.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House 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
Two Women. Two timelines. Pure Magic!
Hester Fox knows how to write a chilling, atmospheric and engaging tale!
Margaret Harlowe is from a wealthy family. She is the youngest and only daughter. Her brothers are successful and have made their way in the world, but Margaret has never fit in with her family. She enjoys being in nature, she knows things, she can do things, women who shun her in the day, come to her at night. She is talked about, she is strange, she is powerful, she is beautiful, she is a witch!
"You say witch like it's a bad thing..." - Unknown
Augusta Podos has found her dream job at Harlowe House! It is the historic home of the Harlowe's which has been turned into a museum. She can't believe her good fortune! She is doing what she loves. While working one day she comes across a reference to a daughter (Margaret) of the Harlowe's. Augusta is intrigued. She wants to learn more about his young woman who history forgot.
"The moon has awoken with the sleep of the sun. The light has been broken; the spell has begun."-Midgard Morningstar
As Augusta begins to search for more information, she begins to have 'hallucinations' about Margaret. But are they hallucinations or are they the work of magic?????
Hester Fox has bewitched me with this tale. Usually with two timelines, I enjoy one more than the other. But in this book, both timelines were intriguing and magical. I love when I pick up a book and I am compelled to keep reading. I read most of this book in one day. I did not want to put it down. I love all things witch related and this book left me spellbound.
"The first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my life."- Margot Adler
So, pick up this book if you believe in magic! Pick it up if you are a fan of witch tales, historical fiction/romance, atmospheric reads with gothic vibes!
***There are some triggers in this book. The author mentions them in her review. If you leave a comment under her review, she states she will do her best to tell you where they are in the book.
4.5 stars
Highly Recommend.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House 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
February 2, 2022
A Lullaby for Witches is a wonderfully atmospheric and magical novel.
Augusta Podos is tired of her job as a tour guide for a historic jail in Massachusetts. When she sees a job posting for Harlowe House, a once historic house turned into a museum, she leaps at applying.
One hundred and fifty years ago, Harlowe House belonged to a wealthy family in Tynemouth. Margaret Harlowe has always felt like the odd one out in her family. As Margaret grows older, she also grows into her power. However, it is not long before people become suspicious of Margaret’s power, which seems darker than initially supposed.
When Augusta begins work at Harlowe House, she soon becomes fascinated with Margaret. The historical record doesn’t have much information on Margaret, nor does it seem to know if she ever really existed. Augusta makes it her mission to uncover the truth about this mysterious woman. The more research Augusta does, the more she feels a strong connection to the past. Strange occurrences begin to happen, which spurs Augusta even more.
Is Margaret trying to tell Augusta something, or is it something darker?
A Lullaby for Witches uses alternating perspectives across two timelines. Both POVs have very distinct voices. Margaret’s POV has a lyrical writing style, while Augusta’s is contemporary and less flowery, but no less engaging.
Initially, I preferred Augusta’s timeline, but I quickly became invested in Margaret’s as well.
I loved the details of working behind the scenes in a museum. It reminded me of my short stint working/volunteering as a university student in an art gallery. I also appreciated the author’s acknowledgment of the need for museums and galleries to begin the process of decolonizing these spaces.
If you like witchy novels, I would highly recommend giving this one a try.
CW: disordered eating.
Thank you to Graydon House for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
Augusta Podos is tired of her job as a tour guide for a historic jail in Massachusetts. When she sees a job posting for Harlowe House, a once historic house turned into a museum, she leaps at applying.
One hundred and fifty years ago, Harlowe House belonged to a wealthy family in Tynemouth. Margaret Harlowe has always felt like the odd one out in her family. As Margaret grows older, she also grows into her power. However, it is not long before people become suspicious of Margaret’s power, which seems darker than initially supposed.
When Augusta begins work at Harlowe House, she soon becomes fascinated with Margaret. The historical record doesn’t have much information on Margaret, nor does it seem to know if she ever really existed. Augusta makes it her mission to uncover the truth about this mysterious woman. The more research Augusta does, the more she feels a strong connection to the past. Strange occurrences begin to happen, which spurs Augusta even more.
Is Margaret trying to tell Augusta something, or is it something darker?
A Lullaby for Witches uses alternating perspectives across two timelines. Both POVs have very distinct voices. Margaret’s POV has a lyrical writing style, while Augusta’s is contemporary and less flowery, but no less engaging.
Initially, I preferred Augusta’s timeline, but I quickly became invested in Margaret’s as well.
I loved the details of working behind the scenes in a museum. It reminded me of my short stint working/volunteering as a university student in an art gallery. I also appreciated the author’s acknowledgment of the need for museums and galleries to begin the process of decolonizing these spaces.
If you like witchy novels, I would highly recommend giving this one a try.
CW: disordered eating.
Thank you to Graydon House for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
February 13, 2022
I love me a good historical witches tale. Especially when the mention of the Salem Witch Trials has something loosely do with the background story. It is told in two timelines, Margaret a witch in the 1800s and her descendant Augusta in the present day.
Margaret Harlowe, the only daughter from a well off family, has always been different. Different from her family and the townspeople. She has the power of witchcraft and uses it to help women in secret. She falls in love with a pretty boy with pretty words who breaks her heart. So what do you do when your heart is broken and the need for revenge takes you over? Apparently, you spend 150 years waiting around for your blood relative, so you can steal their soul.
Augusta in the present day has settled for a "safe" life. She is never one to make a fuss and just goes with the flow. Until she gets a new job at the historical Harlowe House. Strange things began happening to her. She is haunted by a spirit named Margaret and her story. Little does she know, Maraget as a plan for her descendant.
It is a story of love, betrayal, obsession and revenge. Definitely a great witching book. Recommend reading within a salt circle.
Margaret Harlowe, the only daughter from a well off family, has always been different. Different from her family and the townspeople. She has the power of witchcraft and uses it to help women in secret. She falls in love with a pretty boy with pretty words who breaks her heart. So what do you do when your heart is broken and the need for revenge takes you over? Apparently, you spend 150 years waiting around for your blood relative, so you can steal their soul.
Augusta in the present day has settled for a "safe" life. She is never one to make a fuss and just goes with the flow. Until she gets a new job at the historical Harlowe House. Strange things began happening to her. She is haunted by a spirit named Margaret and her story. Little does she know, Maraget as a plan for her descendant.
It is a story of love, betrayal, obsession and revenge. Definitely a great witching book. Recommend reading within a salt circle.
February 1, 2022
Check out this review and more on The Quill to Live!
I don’t remember when or how A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox came into my life, but I am happy to turn the final page on this adventure. This story had a rocky start, and although I gave it a fighting chance, it, unfortunately, did not get much better.
The first point of view comes from Margaret Harlowe in 1876. She is the only daughter of a well-to-do family and has three older, successful brothers. Margaret is left to her own devices, and she spends her time collecting ingredients to secretly assist the townsfolk that visit her at night. In the present day, Augusta is an insecure twenty-something working at a dead-end job giving tours at an old jailhouse in Salem. Her relationship with her boyfriend has become one of convenience, and she dreams of using her museum studies degree for something better. That is how Augusta ends up at the historic Harlowe House for an interview to become the site’s collections manager. Here, Augusta finds that the once prominent house may have ghosts, and the original family’s mysterious daughter still has a story to tell.
Now listen, I don’t think this book was about witches. And if it was, there was maybe one witch named Margaret who ultimately did not do that much witchy stuff. And if she did? Well, I did not read about it on the pages in this ARC I received. Upon reflection, the title of this story is confusing as well. There were snippets of a folksong that appeared before Margaret’s chapters, but I would argue it was not a main staple of the story. I was incredibly annoyed at one point when Augusta seemingly pulled said folksong out of nowhere and claimed it sounded familiar. However, when asked how she knows the song, Augusta cannot back it up. The reader is left to accept the song’s apparent significance even though it is never mentioned again. And here begins my bottomless frustration and confusion with this story.
My biggest issue with the book is how underdeveloped everything is. The ideas, characters, and dialogue are stunted and never hold any weight. It’s like the story was half-baked, and while I do love raw cookie dough, Lullaby would have done much better if it had been cooked to its full potential. For instance, there are many references to Margaret using dark magic, yet we never see her use it. It is hard to buy into her being a powerful witch when she spends more time looking for ingredients than actually using them. The book tried hard to convince me that it was a lot more dark and mysterious than it actually was, and it failed to back up its daring claims.
I was also frustrated by the shallow and careless approach given to major issues and conflicts. This occurred most notably around a character’s eating disorder, another’s incestuous infatuation, and a physical abuse incident. The issues our characters face seem to be created out of thin air in an attempt to matter at that moment but are quickly forgotten by the next paragraph. Truthfully, I felt icky while I read these passages. These issues and other points of contention are thrown out there to be used and discarded as needed. They felt like token shock value moments to heighten the stakes, but without the weight and implications behind them, everything fell flat. The book lacked meaningful context around these incidents, and it did not sit well with me.
I feel like an outsider because the reviews I see for A Lullaby for Witches are high. And if you pick up this book and enjoy it like the rest of these readers then I am happy for you. However, I am firmly rooted in my experience and can confidently say I did not enjoy this odd, misplaced tale.
Rating: A Lullaby for Witches - 3.0/10
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.
I don’t remember when or how A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox came into my life, but I am happy to turn the final page on this adventure. This story had a rocky start, and although I gave it a fighting chance, it, unfortunately, did not get much better.
The first point of view comes from Margaret Harlowe in 1876. She is the only daughter of a well-to-do family and has three older, successful brothers. Margaret is left to her own devices, and she spends her time collecting ingredients to secretly assist the townsfolk that visit her at night. In the present day, Augusta is an insecure twenty-something working at a dead-end job giving tours at an old jailhouse in Salem. Her relationship with her boyfriend has become one of convenience, and she dreams of using her museum studies degree for something better. That is how Augusta ends up at the historic Harlowe House for an interview to become the site’s collections manager. Here, Augusta finds that the once prominent house may have ghosts, and the original family’s mysterious daughter still has a story to tell.
Now listen, I don’t think this book was about witches. And if it was, there was maybe one witch named Margaret who ultimately did not do that much witchy stuff. And if she did? Well, I did not read about it on the pages in this ARC I received. Upon reflection, the title of this story is confusing as well. There were snippets of a folksong that appeared before Margaret’s chapters, but I would argue it was not a main staple of the story. I was incredibly annoyed at one point when Augusta seemingly pulled said folksong out of nowhere and claimed it sounded familiar. However, when asked how she knows the song, Augusta cannot back it up. The reader is left to accept the song’s apparent significance even though it is never mentioned again. And here begins my bottomless frustration and confusion with this story.
My biggest issue with the book is how underdeveloped everything is. The ideas, characters, and dialogue are stunted and never hold any weight. It’s like the story was half-baked, and while I do love raw cookie dough, Lullaby would have done much better if it had been cooked to its full potential. For instance, there are many references to Margaret using dark magic, yet we never see her use it. It is hard to buy into her being a powerful witch when she spends more time looking for ingredients than actually using them. The book tried hard to convince me that it was a lot more dark and mysterious than it actually was, and it failed to back up its daring claims.
I was also frustrated by the shallow and careless approach given to major issues and conflicts. This occurred most notably around a character’s eating disorder, another’s incestuous infatuation, and a physical abuse incident. The issues our characters face seem to be created out of thin air in an attempt to matter at that moment but are quickly forgotten by the next paragraph. Truthfully, I felt icky while I read these passages. These issues and other points of contention are thrown out there to be used and discarded as needed. They felt like token shock value moments to heighten the stakes, but without the weight and implications behind them, everything fell flat. The book lacked meaningful context around these incidents, and it did not sit well with me.
I feel like an outsider because the reviews I see for A Lullaby for Witches are high. And if you pick up this book and enjoy it like the rest of these readers then I am happy for you. However, I am firmly rooted in my experience and can confidently say I did not enjoy this odd, misplaced tale.
Rating: A Lullaby for Witches - 3.0/10
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.
August 31, 2023
Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4 stars
My rounding to 4 stars was due to the Epilogue.
My rounding to 4 stars was due to the Epilogue.
February 3, 2022
A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox is a historical paranormal fantasy novel. The story is A Lullaby for Witches is told in two different timelines with differing points of view in each timeline.
Augusta Podos always dreamed of working in collections at a museum and now she has landed her dream job at Harlowe House in Tynemouth, Massachussetts. As Augusta begins to research the past she finds mention of a mysterious woman, Margaret, who seemed to be a part of the Harlowe family but it was hard to find facts about Margaret. Deep in her research Augusta begins to see vision of Margaret and her life.
Margaret Harlowe was the daughter of a wealthy family living in Tynemouth in 1872 where she was expected to find a husband from the many prospects her family sought out. Margaret however was more fascinated with herbs to promote healing with her interested being called witchcraft making Margaret a pariah of her time.
A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox was such an engaging read with two very different sides to the story. The historical and the modern timelines were so distinct with the characters in each having their own voices and identities which I thought the author did a wonderful job with. Each side of the story kept the pages turning as I waited for how it would all come together and what would happen in the end. Definitely will read more from this author again in the future after finishing A Lullaby for Witches.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Augusta Podos always dreamed of working in collections at a museum and now she has landed her dream job at Harlowe House in Tynemouth, Massachussetts. As Augusta begins to research the past she finds mention of a mysterious woman, Margaret, who seemed to be a part of the Harlowe family but it was hard to find facts about Margaret. Deep in her research Augusta begins to see vision of Margaret and her life.
Margaret Harlowe was the daughter of a wealthy family living in Tynemouth in 1872 where she was expected to find a husband from the many prospects her family sought out. Margaret however was more fascinated with herbs to promote healing with her interested being called witchcraft making Margaret a pariah of her time.
A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox was such an engaging read with two very different sides to the story. The historical and the modern timelines were so distinct with the characters in each having their own voices and identities which I thought the author did a wonderful job with. Each side of the story kept the pages turning as I waited for how it would all come together and what would happen in the end. Definitely will read more from this author again in the future after finishing A Lullaby for Witches.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
May 3, 2022
DNF! I have around 2 hours left to listen to but I just can't bring myself to continue. Not a single character that I liked, mostly because they are awfully flat and annoying. The story is so boring...
February 1, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and HARLEQUIN Trade Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hester Fox and her witchy tales are not to be overlooked or missed. In The Lullaby of Witches, she gives her readers two strong willed protagonists- Margaret and Augusta. Augusta is living with a boyfriend that she is struggling to maintain a relationship with but finds herself with an interesting new job. Exploring the mysterious Margaret and her connection to the historical house where Augusta works. But what Augusta does not realize is that Margaret is an unsettled spirit and she has her eyes on Augusta.
Although not on bookstore shelves until February, I was eager to get reading my ARC as soon as I could. Once you open a Hester Fox novel, you cannot help but feel that the spirit world is all around. That’s certainly the atmosphere that I find time and time again and I cannot wait until the next read!
Publication Date 01/02/22
Goodreads review published 08/01/22
Hester Fox and her witchy tales are not to be overlooked or missed. In The Lullaby of Witches, she gives her readers two strong willed protagonists- Margaret and Augusta. Augusta is living with a boyfriend that she is struggling to maintain a relationship with but finds herself with an interesting new job. Exploring the mysterious Margaret and her connection to the historical house where Augusta works. But what Augusta does not realize is that Margaret is an unsettled spirit and she has her eyes on Augusta.
Although not on bookstore shelves until February, I was eager to get reading my ARC as soon as I could. Once you open a Hester Fox novel, you cannot help but feel that the spirit world is all around. That’s certainly the atmosphere that I find time and time again and I cannot wait until the next read!
Publication Date 01/02/22
Goodreads review published 08/01/22
August 3, 2025
Unfocused story, bad “historical fiction,” meh characters
I would like to thank Hester Fox, Harlequin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Justine Sha for inviting me to participate in the blog tour.
This is a long one, so grab a snack and settle in.
Spoilers
I tried to convince myself I liked this book, because in theory it had everything I typically like, but truth is reading it was a chore. It wasn’t so bad that I had to resort to a DNF, but I don’t know if I’d have finished it if I wasn’t obligated to review it for the tour.
Foremost, this story wanted to be and do too much at once. It’s classified by the publisher as historical fiction—more on that in a moment—but it was far more focused on present day. There were also elements of women’s fiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, and sometimes there was a gothic flavor, but ultimately it failed to settle into any of those. Not that a story has to tunnel vision on one genre, but it can be tricky to balance tone and elements of different genres and form a cohesive narrative. When there are too many genres, there’s too much story, and that means not all story threads will receive the attention they deserve, and the story will end up feeling unfocused, unsatisfying, and perhaps even unresolved, as this one did.
The historical fiction plot was lame. Forget delving into the time period or exploring known notable figures, forget casting spells or brandishing power or anything magicky and fantastical and interesting, no, it consisted of a vain and selfish witch-girl whining about the fact that she got involved with the village player and, oh damn, he done played her. The shock. The horror. You have a witch near Salem, Massachusetts, and you give her the pitiful plot you could give any teenage girl in any century? Didn’t even set it in the right century to best utilize the witch aspect. Lamented a woman’s limited power over her own life, which is hardly news or unique of that time, and that was about it.
I despised both Margaret and Jack (the witch-girl and her player) and had no sympathy for either of them. Additionally, Margaret’s thoughts didn’t make much sense to me: She was a cat in heat for Jack and wanted a baby; marriage didn’t seem to enter her mind in the beginning, so I assumed that wasn’t part of her goals. Then suddenly she’s pregnant and like, um, where’s my ring, Jack? Maybe I’m supposed to assume she simply expected him to marry her, but she definitely came off as the type to not care about formalities. It didn’t quite add up. And sure Jack claimed in the end that he truly loved Margaret but boo-hoo his hands were tied—don’t even. All his problems were caused by his inability to keep it in his pants. He was as selfish, arrogant, and entitled as Margaret.
But you want to know what really didn’t make sense about Margaret? She knew all the dirt on everyone. She literally had a ledger in which she wrote down the gossip and secrets she received as barter for her witchery. Yet she didn’t know Jack was betrothed? Had been for YEARS? Am I supposed to believe she never asked anyone what they knew about him? Margaret just thought that because he was forking her that she knew all she needed to know? What a stupid dillweed. Never considered anything but what she wanted in any given moment. If that was Fox’s way of making the villain sympathetic—yikes.
The fates of Margaret and Jack weren’t satisfactorily concluded. We didn’t find out what happened to their spirits. They were just conveniently POOF gone. Poorly written all the way around. And don’t get me started on how unnecessary Henry was.
As for present day, Augusta wasn’t nearly as grating a character as Margaret, but I can’t say I liked her much. She was at the center of the genre mess; Fox wanted her to have a huge personal empowerment journey, a conflict with her parents, a romance, solve a few mysteries, be haunted, and discover latent witch powers, and none of those arcs or threads were well developed. Because it was TOO MUCH. Her witch powers were only vaguely present at a couple ex-machina moments, she didn’t really seem to grow much as a person—except precisely when she needed a boost of inner strength *eye roll*. She and Leo had chemistry but were lazily ascribed insta-love, especially on his part, and her research into the mysteries just wasn’t thorough or intriguing enough to be satisfying. Actually she cheated; instead of discovering new information for herself, she learned almost everything from visions Margaret’s spirit induced. Margaret literally put all the clues in front of Augusta. Lame, lame, lame.
And all that business with Chris felt shoe-horned in—did the narrative really need the conflict of an abusive boyfriend? He really didn’t seem all that bad. I mean, obviously his showing up half drunk at her work was inappropriate, even after hours, and shoving her was definitely assault, but before that he was just kinda sulky and moody and self-involved; not a great person, and one I wouldn’t tolerate as a boyfriend, but he was hardly manipulative and abusive and horrible. I didn’t buy what Fox was trying to sell regarding him. To me it felt like he knew he wasn’t a great boyfriend and was trying to do better but not really succeeding.
Edit 8/2/25: While honest, my opinion of Chris was perhaps ignorant to the more subtle forms of abuse. I do still feel the narrative didn't need an abusive boyfriend thread.
Some random things that either didn’t make sense to me or irritated me:
The narrative hinted at Augusta having an eating disorder but I don’t think it was ever actually acknowledged, much less battled and conquered, which I found strange. Speaking of, what sealed my disinterest, if not dislike, for Augusta was the fact that she not only refused to eat chocolate cake but planned to throw it away. That is not a character I could root for or care about. Not joking. If you can’t get over yourself long enough to enjoy the occasional piece of chocolate cake, bought for you by your concerned crush to lift your spirits no less, then I don’t like you. Also you need help. If not for the blog tour, that would have been the moment at which I stopped reading.
The title was very forcibly made relevant. I hate when books do that. I’d rather have a silly or cheesy title that knows exactly what it is than a seemingly tasteful, intriguing one that’s misleading. The only thing worse is when the title literally has no meaning, nothing to do with the story whatsoever, purely for marketability.
The use of “CV” instead of “resume.” It’s possible a job in a museum, even a little historical house museum, is one of the few jobs in America that requires a comprehensive account of all your education, achievements, certificates, and publications—god, it sounds horribly pretentious—but you can’t just throw an uncommon term out there without explanation or acknowledgment and expect it to not distract readers. It confused the hell out of me, for one—I was just reading along, then see “CV” and immediately wondered what the hell I missed—is the character from the UK? Did the setting switch to the UK and I wasn’t paying attention? Why the hell is a term pretty much exclusive to the UK in use? Oh, the copyeditor just failed to do their job. Gotcha. I suppose I can hope it was edited for the final.
So Augusta doesn’t have a car to begin with, doesn’t need one, then she gets a job that’s farther away and Chris gifts her a used one to save her time (the narrative tried to twist his intention as manipulating her into having more time to spend with him *eye roll*. Giving her a car to make her life easier really didn’t seem all that evil to me). And she just starts driving. But hold on a second—does she even know how to drive? Does she have a driver’s education, license? I don’t remember the story saying (apologies if it did); she just POOF starts driving one day, and I was like, Um . . . There’s a little more to it than that.
One thing that really drove me nuts—why in the world would Ida have her own letters? That’s not how letters work. Perhaps she asked for them back from George to keep as keepsakes, provided he saved her letters, but then where are the ones he wrote to her in response? Wouldn’t she have kept those, too? It made absolutely zero sense.
So at one point Leo suggests Augusta check out the Boston site to see if she could find any information there in the archives. Good idea, except he offers to drive her. His office is at the Boston site, he only travels to Harlowe House in Tynemouth a couple days a week. So . . . he drove the hour—maybe it was only a half hour each way, wasn’t clear—to Tynemouth on a day he didn’t have to, picked her up, drove back to Boston, then drove her back to Tynemouth and drove himself back home to Boston? Holy Jesus, WHY? This was after she had a car, so she could have just met him in Boston. What a horrible waste of time and gas on his part. Maybe it was a day he needed to do some work in Tynemouth anyway, the story didn’t say, but that would have been no less impractical.
Lastly, there was a point where Augusta “hallucinated” a scene with George as if she were Margaret. I have no idea why it was included. It accomplished nothing new and confused the timeline, because it occurred after Margaret had gone to Boston and supposedly seen George for the last time. If the scene took place before that, like if it was just one of Margaret’s memories, it didn’t say.
All right, I’m done tearing this book a new one. Overall, it was a hot mess of genres and un- or poorly developed characters and plots. What’s extra frustrating is that Fox could probably write a damn good book if her story wasn’t a mess. As I said, in theory I should like what she tried to do here; I’m curious enough that I plan to check out some of her other work and see if this was just anomalously horrible execution.
I would like to thank Hester Fox, Harlequin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Justine Sha for inviting me to participate in the blog tour.
This is a long one, so grab a snack and settle in.
Spoilers
I tried to convince myself I liked this book, because in theory it had everything I typically like, but truth is reading it was a chore. It wasn’t so bad that I had to resort to a DNF, but I don’t know if I’d have finished it if I wasn’t obligated to review it for the tour.
Foremost, this story wanted to be and do too much at once. It’s classified by the publisher as historical fiction—more on that in a moment—but it was far more focused on present day. There were also elements of women’s fiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, and sometimes there was a gothic flavor, but ultimately it failed to settle into any of those. Not that a story has to tunnel vision on one genre, but it can be tricky to balance tone and elements of different genres and form a cohesive narrative. When there are too many genres, there’s too much story, and that means not all story threads will receive the attention they deserve, and the story will end up feeling unfocused, unsatisfying, and perhaps even unresolved, as this one did.
The historical fiction plot was lame. Forget delving into the time period or exploring known notable figures, forget casting spells or brandishing power or anything magicky and fantastical and interesting, no, it consisted of a vain and selfish witch-girl whining about the fact that she got involved with the village player and, oh damn, he done played her. The shock. The horror. You have a witch near Salem, Massachusetts, and you give her the pitiful plot you could give any teenage girl in any century? Didn’t even set it in the right century to best utilize the witch aspect. Lamented a woman’s limited power over her own life, which is hardly news or unique of that time, and that was about it.
I despised both Margaret and Jack (the witch-girl and her player) and had no sympathy for either of them. Additionally, Margaret’s thoughts didn’t make much sense to me: She was a cat in heat for Jack and wanted a baby; marriage didn’t seem to enter her mind in the beginning, so I assumed that wasn’t part of her goals. Then suddenly she’s pregnant and like, um, where’s my ring, Jack? Maybe I’m supposed to assume she simply expected him to marry her, but she definitely came off as the type to not care about formalities. It didn’t quite add up. And sure Jack claimed in the end that he truly loved Margaret but boo-hoo his hands were tied—don’t even. All his problems were caused by his inability to keep it in his pants. He was as selfish, arrogant, and entitled as Margaret.
But you want to know what really didn’t make sense about Margaret? She knew all the dirt on everyone. She literally had a ledger in which she wrote down the gossip and secrets she received as barter for her witchery. Yet she didn’t know Jack was betrothed? Had been for YEARS? Am I supposed to believe she never asked anyone what they knew about him? Margaret just thought that because he was forking her that she knew all she needed to know? What a stupid dillweed. Never considered anything but what she wanted in any given moment. If that was Fox’s way of making the villain sympathetic—yikes.
The fates of Margaret and Jack weren’t satisfactorily concluded. We didn’t find out what happened to their spirits. They were just conveniently POOF gone. Poorly written all the way around. And don’t get me started on how unnecessary Henry was.
As for present day, Augusta wasn’t nearly as grating a character as Margaret, but I can’t say I liked her much. She was at the center of the genre mess; Fox wanted her to have a huge personal empowerment journey, a conflict with her parents, a romance, solve a few mysteries, be haunted, and discover latent witch powers, and none of those arcs or threads were well developed. Because it was TOO MUCH. Her witch powers were only vaguely present at a couple ex-machina moments, she didn’t really seem to grow much as a person—except precisely when she needed a boost of inner strength *eye roll*. She and Leo had chemistry but were lazily ascribed insta-love, especially on his part, and her research into the mysteries just wasn’t thorough or intriguing enough to be satisfying. Actually she cheated; instead of discovering new information for herself, she learned almost everything from visions Margaret’s spirit induced. Margaret literally put all the clues in front of Augusta. Lame, lame, lame.
Edit 8/2/25: While honest, my opinion of Chris was perhaps ignorant to the more subtle forms of abuse. I do still feel the narrative didn't need an abusive boyfriend thread.
Some random things that either didn’t make sense to me or irritated me:
The narrative hinted at Augusta having an eating disorder but I don’t think it was ever actually acknowledged, much less battled and conquered, which I found strange. Speaking of, what sealed my disinterest, if not dislike, for Augusta was the fact that she not only refused to eat chocolate cake but planned to throw it away. That is not a character I could root for or care about. Not joking. If you can’t get over yourself long enough to enjoy the occasional piece of chocolate cake, bought for you by your concerned crush to lift your spirits no less, then I don’t like you. Also you need help. If not for the blog tour, that would have been the moment at which I stopped reading.
The title was very forcibly made relevant. I hate when books do that. I’d rather have a silly or cheesy title that knows exactly what it is than a seemingly tasteful, intriguing one that’s misleading. The only thing worse is when the title literally has no meaning, nothing to do with the story whatsoever, purely for marketability.
The use of “CV” instead of “resume.” It’s possible a job in a museum, even a little historical house museum, is one of the few jobs in America that requires a comprehensive account of all your education, achievements, certificates, and publications—god, it sounds horribly pretentious—but you can’t just throw an uncommon term out there without explanation or acknowledgment and expect it to not distract readers. It confused the hell out of me, for one—I was just reading along, then see “CV” and immediately wondered what the hell I missed—is the character from the UK? Did the setting switch to the UK and I wasn’t paying attention? Why the hell is a term pretty much exclusive to the UK in use? Oh, the copyeditor just failed to do their job. Gotcha. I suppose I can hope it was edited for the final.
So Augusta doesn’t have a car to begin with, doesn’t need one, then she gets a job that’s farther away and Chris gifts her a used one to save her time (the narrative tried to twist his intention as manipulating her into having more time to spend with him *eye roll*. Giving her a car to make her life easier really didn’t seem all that evil to me). And she just starts driving. But hold on a second—does she even know how to drive? Does she have a driver’s education, license? I don’t remember the story saying (apologies if it did); she just POOF starts driving one day, and I was like, Um . . . There’s a little more to it than that.
One thing that really drove me nuts—why in the world would Ida have her own letters? That’s not how letters work. Perhaps she asked for them back from George to keep as keepsakes, provided he saved her letters, but then where are the ones he wrote to her in response? Wouldn’t she have kept those, too? It made absolutely zero sense.
So at one point Leo suggests Augusta check out the Boston site to see if she could find any information there in the archives. Good idea, except he offers to drive her. His office is at the Boston site, he only travels to Harlowe House in Tynemouth a couple days a week. So . . . he drove the hour—maybe it was only a half hour each way, wasn’t clear—to Tynemouth on a day he didn’t have to, picked her up, drove back to Boston, then drove her back to Tynemouth and drove himself back home to Boston? Holy Jesus, WHY? This was after she had a car, so she could have just met him in Boston. What a horrible waste of time and gas on his part. Maybe it was a day he needed to do some work in Tynemouth anyway, the story didn’t say, but that would have been no less impractical.
Lastly, there was a point where Augusta “hallucinated” a scene with George as if she were Margaret. I have no idea why it was included. It accomplished nothing new and confused the timeline, because it occurred after Margaret had gone to Boston and supposedly seen George for the last time. If the scene took place before that, like if it was just one of Margaret’s memories, it didn’t say.
All right, I’m done tearing this book a new one. Overall, it was a hot mess of genres and un- or poorly developed characters and plots. What’s extra frustrating is that Fox could probably write a damn good book if her story wasn’t a mess. As I said, in theory I should like what she tried to do here; I’m curious enough that I plan to check out some of her other work and see if this was just anomalously horrible execution.
February 2, 2022
Review to come 🖤
April 10, 2021
~more info coming soon~
Content warnings for A LULLABY FOR WITCHES (may contain spoilers):
If you would like locations/page numbers in the book for any of these possible triggers, please just leave me a comment and I will do my best to let you know where they occur.
-eating disorders and dieting
-violence against women
-pregnancy and pregnancy loss
-mention of drug use and overdosing
Content warnings for A LULLABY FOR WITCHES (may contain spoilers):
If you would like locations/page numbers in the book for any of these possible triggers, please just leave me a comment and I will do my best to let you know where they occur.
-eating disorders and dieting
-violence against women
-pregnancy and pregnancy loss
-mention of drug use and overdosing
July 5, 2022
4/5
Viena tų istorijų, kur dvi laiko linijos kažkaip susipina ir persipina, o paaiškėja, kad likimai, kuriuos skiria keli šimtai metų, šiaip nėra tokie jau skirtingi. Ir nors gali atrodyti, kad viskas čia iš pirmo žvilgsnio aišku, mane nustebino – ne tik tai, kad tikrai labai įsitraukiau, bet ir tai, kad abi istorijos man buvo vienodai įdomios – senoji savo atmosferiškumu priminė filmą Praktinė magija, o šiuolaikinė neerzino nei meilės linija, nei visokiais psichologiniais iššūkiais – permatomi iš toli, bet gerai, tvarkingai apžaisti. Galvoju, kad knyga tobulai patiks DINGUSIOS VAISTININKĖS gerbėjams – man šioji visais aspektais nudžiugino labai labai – ji ir tamsesnė, ir geriau susukta, ir tiesiog įdomesnė. O jei jus traukia raganos, bet netraukia kraujai, žarnos ir baisumai, tikrai šioji knyga – tinkamas pasirinkimas, ji tokia švelni ir mandagi Kent knygos versija, primenanti ir čiut Hamnetą, ir čiut Šeimynykščius.
Jeigu jau galvojant, ko trūksta iki 5, tai mano skoniui buvo truputį viskas per patogiai ir per nuspėjamai – čiut per maloniai, per šviesiai. Bet tikrai buvo gerų kalimų į klyną, feministinė žinutė subtili ir tvarkinga, veikėjai – įsimintini, o ir kai kurie pabaigos niuansai maloniai nustebino. Vietomis rodėsi suskubėta, ypač paskutinis posūkis, bet knyga nė akimirkai neprailgo, nudžiugino geru vertimu (o padaryti jį tokį, kad kaitaliotųsi šiuolaikinis ir senovinis balsas – tikrai nelengva) ir siužetu, nuo kurio atsitraukti nesinorėjo – pasimėgavau tokiu čiut aštresnio skonio desertu ir esu laiminga gavusi net daugiau, nei tikėjausi.
Viena tų istorijų, kur dvi laiko linijos kažkaip susipina ir persipina, o paaiškėja, kad likimai, kuriuos skiria keli šimtai metų, šiaip nėra tokie jau skirtingi. Ir nors gali atrodyti, kad viskas čia iš pirmo žvilgsnio aišku, mane nustebino – ne tik tai, kad tikrai labai įsitraukiau, bet ir tai, kad abi istorijos man buvo vienodai įdomios – senoji savo atmosferiškumu priminė filmą Praktinė magija, o šiuolaikinė neerzino nei meilės linija, nei visokiais psichologiniais iššūkiais – permatomi iš toli, bet gerai, tvarkingai apžaisti. Galvoju, kad knyga tobulai patiks DINGUSIOS VAISTININKĖS gerbėjams – man šioji visais aspektais nudžiugino labai labai – ji ir tamsesnė, ir geriau susukta, ir tiesiog įdomesnė. O jei jus traukia raganos, bet netraukia kraujai, žarnos ir baisumai, tikrai šioji knyga – tinkamas pasirinkimas, ji tokia švelni ir mandagi Kent knygos versija, primenanti ir čiut Hamnetą, ir čiut Šeimynykščius.
Jeigu jau galvojant, ko trūksta iki 5, tai mano skoniui buvo truputį viskas per patogiai ir per nuspėjamai – čiut per maloniai, per šviesiai. Bet tikrai buvo gerų kalimų į klyną, feministinė žinutė subtili ir tvarkinga, veikėjai – įsimintini, o ir kai kurie pabaigos niuansai maloniai nustebino. Vietomis rodėsi suskubėta, ypač paskutinis posūkis, bet knyga nė akimirkai neprailgo, nudžiugino geru vertimu (o padaryti jį tokį, kad kaitaliotųsi šiuolaikinis ir senovinis balsas – tikrai nelengva) ir siužetu, nuo kurio atsitraukti nesinorėjo – pasimėgavau tokiu čiut aštresnio skonio desertu ir esu laiminga gavusi net daugiau, nei tikėjausi.
May 13, 2023
This was my first Hester Fox book, but it sounds like she excels at gothic historical fiction, so I will check out her other works at some point.
This is a dual timeline/narration book, and I think it worked overall. The most extensive weird feels were back-to-back Margaret chapters with her bridging past and present timelines. Augusta in the present and Margaret in both the past and present. Sometimes, it would take reading for a bit of context to see if it was past or current Margaret. I went with the audio on this, so maybe this was clearer with a title heading in a physical format.
I liked Augusta more for the first half of the book, but I weirdly found her narration less entertaining as the book went on. Margaret was a slow narrator initially, but as the story unfurled, I liked her more and more. Other than Margaret being so bent on vengeance, she may have been a stronger player in Augusta's life.
It was an exciting introspection of witches and women who must claim power even if it makes men uncomfortable. I was a bit weirded out by Margaret's whole weird brother issue. I thought that Augusta's heritage was such a massive point of the book and was rushed and never brought out in any detail. A lot is still missing about her dad, and it felt weird to have a ton of build-up that went nowhere with that.
I enjoyed the curative research but was unsure of the realistic ease of access that Augusta seemed to encounter. Even with Margaret's help, it seemed a bit too convenient of a subplot point.
3 Stars
This is a dual timeline/narration book, and I think it worked overall. The most extensive weird feels were back-to-back Margaret chapters with her bridging past and present timelines. Augusta in the present and Margaret in both the past and present. Sometimes, it would take reading for a bit of context to see if it was past or current Margaret. I went with the audio on this, so maybe this was clearer with a title heading in a physical format.
I liked Augusta more for the first half of the book, but I weirdly found her narration less entertaining as the book went on. Margaret was a slow narrator initially, but as the story unfurled, I liked her more and more. Other than Margaret being so bent on vengeance, she may have been a stronger player in Augusta's life.
It was an exciting introspection of witches and women who must claim power even if it makes men uncomfortable. I was a bit weirded out by Margaret's whole weird brother issue. I thought that Augusta's heritage was such a massive point of the book and was rushed and never brought out in any detail. A lot is still missing about her dad, and it felt weird to have a ton of build-up that went nowhere with that.
I enjoyed the curative research but was unsure of the realistic ease of access that Augusta seemed to encounter. Even with Margaret's help, it seemed a bit too convenient of a subplot point.
3 Stars
Want to read
February 1, 2022this book looks so cool and the vibes seem gorgeous. can't wait to read it!
June 13, 2023
3.4 stars
March 8, 2023
/ „Meilė yra pati galingiausia magija. Ji pajėgi nugalėti bet ką.“ /
Kad knyga man patiktų, reikia nedaug – gražaus, akį traukiančio viršelio, nenuobodžių veikėjų ir intriguojančio, jaudinančio, nenuspėjamo siužeto. Rodos, taip lengva man įtikti, bet dažniausiai vis tiek kažkas būna ne taip, ne iki galo, dėl ko lieku nusivylusi. „Lopšinė raganoms“, nors ir nebuvo tobula, nepriekaištinga istorija, visgi galiu drąsiai sakyti, kad jos magija suveikė!
Jau nuo pat pradžių žinojau, kad istorija nebus paprasta, kad manęs laukia kažkas užburiančio ir paslaptingo, kažkas su žiupsneliu mistikos prieskonio. Ir nors nesu fantastikos žanro mėgėja, kad svaigčiau, kaip man patinka tokios knygos, čia tos fantastikos, magijos, mistikos (ar kaip tai pavadinsi) mano skoniui buvo pats tas! Nenuginčysiu, kad būtent šis magijos prieskonis turbūt ir buvo tai, kas labiausiai intrigavo, viliojo ir kurstė smalsumą versti puslapius tolyn.
Kad ir kaip mėgčiau dviejų skirtingų laikų istorijas, dažnu atveju jos mane jau daugiau nuvilia nei sužavi – nerandu nieko išskirtinio, originalaus, neskaityto. Visgi čia tiek viena, tiek kita linija man paliko gerą įspūdį, o tai – geras ženklas! Nepasakyčiau, kad tiek praeities, tiek dabarties įvykiai man patiko vienodai, kad abi veikėjos man patiko lygiai tiek pat, bet nebuvo ir to didelio nusivylimo, kur akivaizdu, kad jėgos nelygios, kad kažkuriam siužetui dėmesio ir laiko skirta kur kas mažiau.
Jei reiktų rinktis, Augusta ar Margarita mane sužavėjo labiau, visgi turbūt būčiau tos nepopuliarios nuomonės ir rinkčiausi Augustą, kurios charakteris, gyvenimas ir būdo savybės man pasirodė su šiek tiek daugiau gylio, jausmų ir savos, dar nepapasakotos, kupinos paslapčių istorijos.
Į rekomendaciją ant knygos viršelio, kad patiks „Dingusi vaistininkė“ gerbėjams, žiūrėjau skeptiškai, bet, užvertusi paskutinį knygos puslapį, supratau, kad tikrai to paneigti man niekaip nepavyks! Abi istorijos panardina į mistišką atmosferą, abi sykiu ir panašios, bet ir labai skirtingos! Bet svarbiausia – dovanoja magišką jausmą skaitant!
Kad knyga man patiktų, reikia nedaug – gražaus, akį traukiančio viršelio, nenuobodžių veikėjų ir intriguojančio, jaudinančio, nenuspėjamo siužeto. Rodos, taip lengva man įtikti, bet dažniausiai vis tiek kažkas būna ne taip, ne iki galo, dėl ko lieku nusivylusi. „Lopšinė raganoms“, nors ir nebuvo tobula, nepriekaištinga istorija, visgi galiu drąsiai sakyti, kad jos magija suveikė!
Jau nuo pat pradžių žinojau, kad istorija nebus paprasta, kad manęs laukia kažkas užburiančio ir paslaptingo, kažkas su žiupsneliu mistikos prieskonio. Ir nors nesu fantastikos žanro mėgėja, kad svaigčiau, kaip man patinka tokios knygos, čia tos fantastikos, magijos, mistikos (ar kaip tai pavadinsi) mano skoniui buvo pats tas! Nenuginčysiu, kad būtent šis magijos prieskonis turbūt ir buvo tai, kas labiausiai intrigavo, viliojo ir kurstė smalsumą versti puslapius tolyn.
Kad ir kaip mėgčiau dviejų skirtingų laikų istorijas, dažnu atveju jos mane jau daugiau nuvilia nei sužavi – nerandu nieko išskirtinio, originalaus, neskaityto. Visgi čia tiek viena, tiek kita linija man paliko gerą įspūdį, o tai – geras ženklas! Nepasakyčiau, kad tiek praeities, tiek dabarties įvykiai man patiko vienodai, kad abi veikėjos man patiko lygiai tiek pat, bet nebuvo ir to didelio nusivylimo, kur akivaizdu, kad jėgos nelygios, kad kažkuriam siužetui dėmesio ir laiko skirta kur kas mažiau.
Jei reiktų rinktis, Augusta ar Margarita mane sužavėjo labiau, visgi turbūt būčiau tos nepopuliarios nuomonės ir rinkčiausi Augustą, kurios charakteris, gyvenimas ir būdo savybės man pasirodė su šiek tiek daugiau gylio, jausmų ir savos, dar nepapasakotos, kupinos paslapčių istorijos.
Į rekomendaciją ant knygos viršelio, kad patiks „Dingusi vaistininkė“ gerbėjams, žiūrėjau skeptiškai, bet, užvertusi paskutinį knygos puslapį, supratau, kad tikrai to paneigti man niekaip nepavyks! Abi istorijos panardina į mistišką atmosferą, abi sykiu ir panašios, bet ir labai skirtingos! Bet svarbiausia – dovanoja magišką jausmą skaitant!
February 2, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
A LULLABY FOR WITCHES by Hester Fox is an atmospheric gothic novel with romance and supernatural elements.
Augusta Podos has landed her dream job in a historic home turned museum, the Harlow House in Tynemouth, MA. The home was owned by a wealthy New England family for centuries. As Augusta researches the family, she is drawn to a mystery. A daughter of the Harlowe family from over a century ago has almost been completely expunged from the family history.
Margaret Harlowe is always drawn to the wilderness of the forest and coast by her family’s home. The women in town come to her for potions and aid in the dark, but never by day. The people whisper “witch”. When Margaret learns some buried truths, her power takes a darker turn.
As Augusta digs deeper, can she resist the power that Margaret unfurls between the two across the lines of blood and time to save and keep her own life?
This story pulled me in with both women and both timelines. The author is great at setting a sinister atmosphere with plenty of twists and surprises. The two intertwining timelines with alternating perspectives come together at the climax with a twist that is foreshadowed and though easily resolved, it was still entertaining. Augusta and Margaret are great characters, but there are trigger issues with an eating disorder and abuse. I would have liked a little more from the secondary characters, who for me, seemed two dimensional. I did enjoy all the family research and felt the historical information was very accurate.
Overall, an entertaining atmospheric gothic read.
A LULLABY FOR WITCHES by Hester Fox is an atmospheric gothic novel with romance and supernatural elements.
Augusta Podos has landed her dream job in a historic home turned museum, the Harlow House in Tynemouth, MA. The home was owned by a wealthy New England family for centuries. As Augusta researches the family, she is drawn to a mystery. A daughter of the Harlowe family from over a century ago has almost been completely expunged from the family history.
Margaret Harlowe is always drawn to the wilderness of the forest and coast by her family’s home. The women in town come to her for potions and aid in the dark, but never by day. The people whisper “witch”. When Margaret learns some buried truths, her power takes a darker turn.
As Augusta digs deeper, can she resist the power that Margaret unfurls between the two across the lines of blood and time to save and keep her own life?
This story pulled me in with both women and both timelines. The author is great at setting a sinister atmosphere with plenty of twists and surprises. The two intertwining timelines with alternating perspectives come together at the climax with a twist that is foreshadowed and though easily resolved, it was still entertaining. Augusta and Margaret are great characters, but there are trigger issues with an eating disorder and abuse. I would have liked a little more from the secondary characters, who for me, seemed two dimensional. I did enjoy all the family research and felt the historical information was very accurate.
Overall, an entertaining atmospheric gothic read.
August 15, 2021
Hester Fox's voice continues to grow and strengthen with each book she writes! A Lullaby for Witches really felt like the culmination of her first four novels. Told from the perspective of two women- one a young woman living in modern day (Augusta) and the other a woman (Margaret) living in the second half of the nineteenth century- A Lullaby for Witches builds upon and adds to the best points of Fox's previous work. The characters (main and supporting) felt extremely well-developed and engaging. As a former museum employee, I really enjoyed the relatability of Augusta's storyline. It was really interesting to see how these two stories interconnected and there were a lot of great twists and surprises throughout the story. For fans of Hester Fox's previous work, gothic fiction, or historical romance this is an absolutely must-read!
December 12, 2022
4 stars
My first book by Hester Fox, but hopefully not my last. Fox brings to life gothic, atmospheric witchcraft and a supernatural tragedy that casts a spell over her readers. Her characters are strong females who carry their parts well. Written in alternating worlds and eras, her story line is solid and crashes towards the ending.
Margaret was from the 1800's and thought to be a witch. She led her life in secret - from not only her family but from the world. Augusta was only finding her footing and strength in the current day, until she started to read about Margaret. Then came the day that they merged - Margaret was free and Augusta was trapped.
One of the best paranormal fantasy's I have read in a long time. A good book to start with if you don't know this genre, or a great book if this genre is one you like.
My first book by Hester Fox, but hopefully not my last. Fox brings to life gothic, atmospheric witchcraft and a supernatural tragedy that casts a spell over her readers. Her characters are strong females who carry their parts well. Written in alternating worlds and eras, her story line is solid and crashes towards the ending.
Margaret was from the 1800's and thought to be a witch. She led her life in secret - from not only her family but from the world. Augusta was only finding her footing and strength in the current day, until she started to read about Margaret. Then came the day that they merged - Margaret was free and Augusta was trapped.
One of the best paranormal fantasy's I have read in a long time. A good book to start with if you don't know this genre, or a great book if this genre is one you like.
November 15, 2021
A LULLABY FOR WITCHES is a messy stew of a book. It has the framework for a great story and about half of the necessary elements; unfortunately it is missing big pieces of information and has characters engaged in behavior that make no sense for them or their time. So, it’s a mixed bag. I read it avidly, but was often disappointed and frustrated. Rather than hash out the details in this review, let me just say, the tale has some glaring holes that aren’t well explained. Author Hester Fox has a keen sense of place and describes settings well. She tends to put too much into the story rather than develop her points well and the book suffers for it. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 21, 2023
Knygą siūloma skaityti "Dingusi vaistininkė" gerbėjams, na ir panašumo jos tikrai turi. Tik gal visgi vaistininkė man patiko labiau.
Pasakojimas apimantis du laikus, praeitį ir dabartį. Praeitis šiek tiek niūroka, tamsoka. Margarita Harlou, turtingos šeimos atžala, drąsi, begalo graži, šiek tiek keistoka, įžūloka. Žodžiu kaip ne to lizdo paukštis. Ją labai traukia miškai ir laukinės uolos, kaip tik tos vietos, kuriose ji netrugdoma gali ugdyti savo raganiškas galias. Tik ar tamsos jėgos jos per daug neįtrauks? Kodėl apie likusius šeimos narius istoriniai šaltiniai išlikę, o Margarita tarsi ištrinta iš istorijos?
Po šimto penkiasdešimties metų Augusta imasi tyrinėti Harlou namo ir jo gyventojų istoriją. Ir aišku ją labiausiai sudomina Harlou dukters istorija, kuri kaip kokia paslaptis, lyg ir buvo, bet tuo pačiu ir nebuvo. Tik tos Augustos paieškos išjudina kai ką tamsaus, kai ką, kas sieja abi šias moteris. Ar pavyks atsispirti tai tamsai? O gal dėl istorijos teks paaukoti savo gyvybę?
Romanas tikrai įtraukiantis, taip ir kviečia pasinerti į knygos puslapius. Tik mane gal labiau žavėjo Margarita, ta bebaimė, nepamirštama, likimo gerokai aplamdyta veikėja. Augusta prieš ją nublanko, ir tas jos valgymo sutrikimas, kurį kaip ir norėjo pabrėžti, gavosi toks, kaip lyg tarp kitko, jeigu galima pasakyti visai "niftiemu".
Žodžiu knyga patiko, labai gražiai išaukštinta ta moteriška galia, gražiai persipina tokia niūruma ir amžina meilė, tamsios paslaptys ir švelni romantika. Šiek tiek gąsdinanti istorija, pagardinta lengvos fantastikos prieskoniu. Jaučiu visai būčiau galėjusi gyventi tais gūdžiais laikais, nes kažkodėl jie mane baisiai traukia.
Pasakojimas apimantis du laikus, praeitį ir dabartį. Praeitis šiek tiek niūroka, tamsoka. Margarita Harlou, turtingos šeimos atžala, drąsi, begalo graži, šiek tiek keistoka, įžūloka. Žodžiu kaip ne to lizdo paukštis. Ją labai traukia miškai ir laukinės uolos, kaip tik tos vietos, kuriose ji netrugdoma gali ugdyti savo raganiškas galias. Tik ar tamsos jėgos jos per daug neįtrauks? Kodėl apie likusius šeimos narius istoriniai šaltiniai išlikę, o Margarita tarsi ištrinta iš istorijos?
Po šimto penkiasdešimties metų Augusta imasi tyrinėti Harlou namo ir jo gyventojų istoriją. Ir aišku ją labiausiai sudomina Harlou dukters istorija, kuri kaip kokia paslaptis, lyg ir buvo, bet tuo pačiu ir nebuvo. Tik tos Augustos paieškos išjudina kai ką tamsaus, kai ką, kas sieja abi šias moteris. Ar pavyks atsispirti tai tamsai? O gal dėl istorijos teks paaukoti savo gyvybę?
Romanas tikrai įtraukiantis, taip ir kviečia pasinerti į knygos puslapius. Tik mane gal labiau žavėjo Margarita, ta bebaimė, nepamirštama, likimo gerokai aplamdyta veikėja. Augusta prieš ją nublanko, ir tas jos valgymo sutrikimas, kurį kaip ir norėjo pabrėžti, gavosi toks, kaip lyg tarp kitko, jeigu galima pasakyti visai "niftiemu".
Žodžiu knyga patiko, labai gražiai išaukštinta ta moteriška galia, gražiai persipina tokia niūruma ir amžina meilė, tamsios paslaptys ir švelni romantika. Šiek tiek gąsdinanti istorija, pagardinta lengvos fantastikos prieskoniu. Jaučiu visai būčiau galėjusi gyventi tais gūdžiais laikais, nes kažkodėl jie mane baisiai traukia.
March 10, 2024
Nuostabus viršelis! O bet tačiau-pati istorija ne mano. Įdomesnė šių laikų linija-Augusta ir jos gyvenimas. O praeities siužetinė linija-Margarita, jos kilmė, veikla, jausmai, ambicijos-perspausta ir nepatikėjau.
Kandau lyg raudonskruostį obuoliuką, o paliko prėskoką skonį...
Kandau lyg raudonskruostį obuoliuką, o paliko prėskoką skonį...
June 16, 2022
Chilled to the core…. Hester Fox has done it again!
For the first 50% of the story, I wasn’t feeling any raptures. I had read two of her previous works and knew the author’s impressive storytelling capability, so I did start A Lullaby of Witches with a fair amount of expectation. And the plot of course was compelling for someone who is a HUGE fan of dual time storylines and gimme some badass witches into the mix, and I would be overjoyed. BUT Hester Fox surprised me with the OH MY GOD twist just after the middle part of the story and from then on, it was an exhilarating ride to the finish line.
Parallel stories of two women, both facing questions about their worth and value and sharing similarities in their characteristics have been kind of used repeatedly by authors but Hester Fox does take it a step further by adding layers of witchcraft and ghostly menace into the story. Margaret Harlowe is not an endearing character, one can see a streak of cruelty and selfishness in her actions, but the reader is also made to sympathize with her. In spite of her being born with golden spoon status, she’s aware of her outsider status in the family which makes her suffer pangs of loneliness, and having unexplained powers to do things adds to her turmoil. Centuries later, Augusta’s arrival at the Harlowe House brings about changes in the dormant status quo and as Augusta explores the story of a young woman called Margaret, things begin to happen, and NO, not the kind that goes bump into the night, this is more insidious; hallucinations that give Augusta a walk-thru experience of Margaret’s love and loss causing fainting spells and such.
The mystery surrounding Margaret's death was brilliant, even though the 'who' and the 'why' is easily guessable, the 'How' of it was intriguing. The climax of the story surprised me no end, as I was eagerly waiting to know how everything would tie up at the end. Hester Fox has definitely written a brooding gothic thriller but the underlying story of both Augusta and Margaret trying to find their place in society and fighting for themselves was equally fascinating.
Powerful!
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
For the first 50% of the story, I wasn’t feeling any raptures. I had read two of her previous works and knew the author’s impressive storytelling capability, so I did start A Lullaby of Witches with a fair amount of expectation. And the plot of course was compelling for someone who is a HUGE fan of dual time storylines and gimme some badass witches into the mix, and I would be overjoyed. BUT Hester Fox surprised me with the OH MY GOD twist just after the middle part of the story and from then on, it was an exhilarating ride to the finish line.
Parallel stories of two women, both facing questions about their worth and value and sharing similarities in their characteristics have been kind of used repeatedly by authors but Hester Fox does take it a step further by adding layers of witchcraft and ghostly menace into the story. Margaret Harlowe is not an endearing character, one can see a streak of cruelty and selfishness in her actions, but the reader is also made to sympathize with her. In spite of her being born with golden spoon status, she’s aware of her outsider status in the family which makes her suffer pangs of loneliness, and having unexplained powers to do things adds to her turmoil. Centuries later, Augusta’s arrival at the Harlowe House brings about changes in the dormant status quo and as Augusta explores the story of a young woman called Margaret, things begin to happen, and NO, not the kind that goes bump into the night, this is more insidious; hallucinations that give Augusta a walk-thru experience of Margaret’s love and loss causing fainting spells and such.
The mystery surrounding Margaret's death was brilliant, even though the 'who' and the 'why' is easily guessable, the 'How' of it was intriguing. The climax of the story surprised me no end, as I was eagerly waiting to know how everything would tie up at the end. Hester Fox has definitely written a brooding gothic thriller but the underlying story of both Augusta and Margaret trying to find their place in society and fighting for themselves was equally fascinating.
Powerful!
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
January 16, 2024
For some reason my original view review went away, so I will rewrite it.
The author doesn't address the main character's issues with starvation and eating disorders. Her main character clearly has ED, and it's never addressed. It's like it's something that's normal.
Heavy trigger warnings due to this, so I don't recommend- it's not worth the storyline anyway.
The author doesn't address the main character's issues with starvation and eating disorders. Her main character clearly has ED, and it's never addressed. It's like it's something that's normal.
Heavy trigger warnings due to this, so I don't recommend- it's not worth the storyline anyway.
January 24, 2022
A taboo ghostly flickering between the present and the past in this supernatural story.
November 9, 2023
Koks dailus bei tiesiog dvelkte magija dvelkiantis šios knygos viršelis! 😍 Būtent tokia ir buvo ši istorija.
Margarita Harlou - tikras gamtos vaikas. Ją tiesiog traukia laukinė gamta bei jos teikiamas prieglobstis. Žmonės ją nejučia pradėjo vadinti ragana.
Prabėgus kiek daugiau nei šimtui penkiasdešimt metų, Augusta Podos pradeda dirbti Harlou name, kuris dabar yra nedidelis muziejus. Visai netyčia Augusta aptinka Margaritos pėdsakus, kurią buvo stengtąsi paprasčiausiai ištrinti iš istorijos.
Augusta net nenumano, jog bus prižadintos tamsios jėgos, kurios turi ir ne tokių gerų bei gražių tikslų..
Knygos anotacija pasirodė dvelkianti mistika bei magija ir likau tikrai sudominta, tad kibau į šią knygą su nekantrumu. Nemaniau, jog man taip patiks ši knyga! 😍 Puslapiai tarsi vertėsi patys, o istorija žadino smalsumą.
Pačioje kūrinio pradžioje Augusta šiek tiek mane erzino savo naivumu, o Margaritai jaučiau kiek didesnį prielankumą. Tačiau istorijai vystantis toliau, pakeičiau nuomonę. Kodėl? Turėsite perskaityti ir sužinoti patys 🤭
Mano nuomone ši knyga patiks tiems, kuriems nėra svetimas magiškas pasaulis bei išskirtinės bei stiprios moterys. Tačiau ši istorija gali nepatikti, jeigu tikitės žemiško pasakojimo.
Likau tikrai maloniai nustebinta šios knygos! 🤍
Margarita Harlou - tikras gamtos vaikas. Ją tiesiog traukia laukinė gamta bei jos teikiamas prieglobstis. Žmonės ją nejučia pradėjo vadinti ragana.
Prabėgus kiek daugiau nei šimtui penkiasdešimt metų, Augusta Podos pradeda dirbti Harlou name, kuris dabar yra nedidelis muziejus. Visai netyčia Augusta aptinka Margaritos pėdsakus, kurią buvo stengtąsi paprasčiausiai ištrinti iš istorijos.
Augusta net nenumano, jog bus prižadintos tamsios jėgos, kurios turi ir ne tokių gerų bei gražių tikslų..
Knygos anotacija pasirodė dvelkianti mistika bei magija ir likau tikrai sudominta, tad kibau į šią knygą su nekantrumu. Nemaniau, jog man taip patiks ši knyga! 😍 Puslapiai tarsi vertėsi patys, o istorija žadino smalsumą.
Pačioje kūrinio pradžioje Augusta šiek tiek mane erzino savo naivumu, o Margaritai jaučiau kiek didesnį prielankumą. Tačiau istorijai vystantis toliau, pakeičiau nuomonę. Kodėl? Turėsite perskaityti ir sužinoti patys 🤭
Mano nuomone ši knyga patiks tiems, kuriems nėra svetimas magiškas pasaulis bei išskirtinės bei stiprios moterys. Tačiau ši istorija gali nepatikti, jeigu tikitės žemiško pasakojimo.
Likau tikrai maloniai nustebinta šios knygos! 🤍
October 13, 2022
Picked this up in my library's featured Halloween book selections and it was everything I was looking for, romance, mystery, suspense and a historical fiction storyline about the spirit of a young witch long dead who returns to gain back her life. I missed this when it was released earlier this year but so glad that I came across it, especially now with the Halloween season. Recommended.
September 28, 2021
This was just what I was expecting in a witchy novel by Fox. Augusta takes a job at an old house in Massachusetts that has been turned into a museum. While researching the family she starts to have these odd encounters and visions. She has also discovered one of the previous family members, Margaret Harlow, has no record on file. This really gets her digging deeper. Augusta ends up getting to know Margaret then she would have liked.
This was really fun! Fox has a way of writing that is just the right amount of spooky for me! Highly recommend this one!! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.
This was really fun! Fox has a way of writing that is just the right amount of spooky for me! Highly recommend this one!! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.
March 28, 2022
I hope it was intentional that Margaret was supposed to sound like the stupidest, most undeservedly over-confident person to walk the earth. Also the author doesn't know what the word "craven" means.
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