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The Order of the Seven Stars #1
The Witch's Lens
As World War I rages, there are evils—both living and dead—that only a witch can see in a spellbinding novel by the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Raven Spell.
With her husband off fighting at World War I’s eastern front, Petra Kurková embraces her fleeting freedom, roaming the city at night with her camera. A born witch, she’s discovered that she can capture the souls of the dead on film. Her supernatural skills don’t go unnoticed by the enigmatic Josef Svoboda. He’s recruiting a team of sorcerers to infiltrate the front lines, where the bloodshed of combat has resurrected foul creatures. Petra’s unique abilities will be needed against the most dangerous enemies of all—those ever present, undead, and unseen.
Deep in the cursed Carpathian Mountains, the ragtag team meets with an emissary of an ancient organization founded to maintain balance between worlds. Photographing the escalating horrors is beyond anything Petra imagined. So are the secrets among her fellow witches. But Petra can’t turn back. Not before she discovers her husband’s fate and the myriad ways her magic is manifesting. To defeat an occult foe, Petra must release the power she’s been concealing for so long, or risk damning a war-torn world to ashes.
With her husband off fighting at World War I’s eastern front, Petra Kurková embraces her fleeting freedom, roaming the city at night with her camera. A born witch, she’s discovered that she can capture the souls of the dead on film. Her supernatural skills don’t go unnoticed by the enigmatic Josef Svoboda. He’s recruiting a team of sorcerers to infiltrate the front lines, where the bloodshed of combat has resurrected foul creatures. Petra’s unique abilities will be needed against the most dangerous enemies of all—those ever present, undead, and unseen.
Deep in the cursed Carpathian Mountains, the ragtag team meets with an emissary of an ancient organization founded to maintain balance between worlds. Photographing the escalating horrors is beyond anything Petra imagined. So are the secrets among her fellow witches. But Petra can’t turn back. Not before she discovers her husband’s fate and the myriad ways her magic is manifesting. To defeat an occult foe, Petra must release the power she’s been concealing for so long, or risk damning a war-torn world to ashes.
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First published October 1, 2023
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About the author
Luanne G. Smith
11 books1,699 followersLuanne G. Smith is the Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Vine Witch series, The Raven Spell books, The Witch's Lens, The Wolf's Eye, and The Golden Age of Magic coming July 1, 2025.
(*Scam Alert* SHE IS NOT ON FACEBOOK and she does not sell marketing or writing advice online. It is a scam.)
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(*Scam Alert* SHE IS NOT ON FACEBOOK and she does not sell marketing or writing advice online. It is a scam.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 506 reviews
September 7, 2023
I started zoning out and losing interest at the 67% mark but forced myself to finish.
I'm not sure why, but I found this to be one of the most boring (but unique) book I have ever read. Sad because I saw a lot of potential at first, but it kinda flickered out.
I'm not sure why, but I found this to be one of the most boring (but unique) book I have ever read. Sad because I saw a lot of potential at first, but it kinda flickered out.
October 26, 2023
I didn't read the blurb before starting this book and for some reason I had it in my mind that it would be a cozy, it wasn't, the story plops you right in the middle of a war complete with frozen miserable trenches and the undead. The main character is rather compelling and the group she finds herself with oddly endearing. The magic system and the world is complex and it really seems like this was a promising start to a series.
September 25, 2023
I chose this book as my September 2023 Kindle First Books read. What drew me to it was the promised mix of history (WWI) and witchcraft. Interesting blend, no?
I have no complaints about Smith's writing. She has a certain flair with words, which I liked. The plot, however, was mostly about witchcraft, and little about the actual war. In fact, vague terms like "the empire" and "the tsar" were used. While I have some knowledge around WWI, it would have helped to have more detail in order to follow a little bit better. The characters were vaguely Austrian, Russian, and from various other Slavic countries. Words from a variety of languages are used to name and talk about both magical and everyday things. I understand that the goal was to present a mysterious backdrop, nothing too distinct. However, a little more context would have helped me.
I did like the descriptions of spells, and the various talents the characters had. I wish we could have used Petra's photography more. Everything is just a bit vague, hinted at, misty. What this meant for me was that I did lose track of where the characters were, as well as who each character was. Which one was Yanis again?
So, only 3 stars. Not a loss, but not particularly memorable either.
I have no complaints about Smith's writing. She has a certain flair with words, which I liked. The plot, however, was mostly about witchcraft, and little about the actual war. In fact, vague terms like "the empire" and "the tsar" were used. While I have some knowledge around WWI, it would have helped to have more detail in order to follow a little bit better. The characters were vaguely Austrian, Russian, and from various other Slavic countries. Words from a variety of languages are used to name and talk about both magical and everyday things. I understand that the goal was to present a mysterious backdrop, nothing too distinct. However, a little more context would have helped me.
I did like the descriptions of spells, and the various talents the characters had. I wish we could have used Petra's photography more. Everything is just a bit vague, hinted at, misty. What this meant for me was that I did lose track of where the characters were, as well as who each character was. Which one was Yanis again?
So, only 3 stars. Not a loss, but not particularly memorable either.
November 13, 2023
Never in my life have I been so conflicted with a book. As much as I wanted to quit reading, the more I kept going because I had to know what was going on and how this book would end!!
The historical aspect is what kept me locked in. WW1, zombies and witches! I can’t look away!!
The historical aspect is what kept me locked in. WW1, zombies and witches! I can’t look away!!
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December 5, 2024This was just not my thing I guess. I really couldn't get myself to reading this. Dnf'd it.
February 20, 2024
In The Witch's Lens, Luanne G. Smith tells a tale of mystery and magic set against the grim backdrop of World War I. We follow Petra Kurkova, a witch with the unique ability to capture the souls of the dead on film. She wanders the city with her camera at night, alone, as her husband has left to fight in the war. One night she is approached Josef Svoboda, who offers her a proposal: use her skills and talents to help her country on the front lines. There are more dangers than just enemy soldiers out there, and they are in desperate need of her skills. She reluctantly agrees, knowing that traveling to the front lines with Svoboda's band of witches may be her only way to track down her husband and discover his fate.
My rating for this book is 3 stars, which means I don't feel like I wasted my time, but I'm also not likely to remember it a year from now. The novel's premise initially caught my attention, but the execution falters. It's a very slow start, and it was difficult to maintain interest. The plot often feels ephemeral, lacking in any real development and failing to establish high stakes until late in the narrative. Petra's ability with the camera is introduced as a central element of her character but feels underutilized.
Despite these shortcomings, Smith's descriptions are vivid and really immerses the reader in the settings. The book also effectively sets the stage for a sequel, laying down threads that did leave me curious about what comes next. I'll probably pick up the second book when it comes out to see if it delivers on the tentative promise this ending offers, or if it falls flat.
My rating for this book is 3 stars, which means I don't feel like I wasted my time, but I'm also not likely to remember it a year from now. The novel's premise initially caught my attention, but the execution falters. It's a very slow start, and it was difficult to maintain interest. The plot often feels ephemeral, lacking in any real development and failing to establish high stakes until late in the narrative. Petra's ability with the camera is introduced as a central element of her character but feels underutilized.
Despite these shortcomings, Smith's descriptions are vivid and really immerses the reader in the settings. The book also effectively sets the stage for a sequel, laying down threads that did leave me curious about what comes next. I'll probably pick up the second book when it comes out to see if it delivers on the tentative promise this ending offers, or if it falls flat.
September 3, 2023
Warfare, Witches, and the Walking Dead...oh, my!
As with any new fantasy series, I struggled at first to understand the complexity of the world-building. It's a tantalizing blend of World War I history and magic with a splash of The Walking Dead for good measure. I now look forward to the next book so I can read more of Petra's magical gifts and possibly a liaison with Josef, as long as Rasputin is held at bay. Yes, Rasputin!
As with any new fantasy series, I struggled at first to understand the complexity of the world-building. It's a tantalizing blend of World War I history and magic with a splash of The Walking Dead for good measure. I now look forward to the next book so I can read more of Petra's magical gifts and possibly a liaison with Josef, as long as Rasputin is held at bay. Yes, Rasputin!
September 21, 2023
I feel a tad disappointed but also like I loved this book, which is a weird feeling when you’re someone who usually knows very strongly how they feel about a read.
One thing I will say, is that as much as I did enjoy reading this book overall, I could not imagine a second book following it. This story, I feel, would’ve done much better just slightly longer with a solid resolution. Hence where my disappointment may be formed.
Petra’s magic is strong, you do eventually get a backstory to her but I feel as though she’s supposed to be this badass fmc and she’s just simply not because of the form of her magic. While I applaud the idea of her magic not being meant for killing, it does of course hinder her in this particular war setting.
I don’t think I will be continuing with this series, as I feel like I would have to drag myself through the next book. Which is unfortunate. Decent for a short read, but don’t expect the ending to leave you craving more.
One thing I will say, is that as much as I did enjoy reading this book overall, I could not imagine a second book following it. This story, I feel, would’ve done much better just slightly longer with a solid resolution. Hence where my disappointment may be formed.
Petra’s magic is strong, you do eventually get a backstory to her but I feel as though she’s supposed to be this badass fmc and she’s just simply not because of the form of her magic. While I applaud the idea of her magic not being meant for killing, it does of course hinder her in this particular war setting.
I don’t think I will be continuing with this series, as I feel like I would have to drag myself through the next book. Which is unfortunate. Decent for a short read, but don’t expect the ending to leave you craving more.
September 9, 2023
Avery dangerous war
This book was a combination of magic, and mankind both fighting in a war, against each others ruthless kingdoms Since no one was winning fast enough they rounded up witches, and wizards of all types to join the battles. One mystic could bring the dead back to a cross between a vampire, and a rotting goul. Others controlled weather, or bred illness with curses, and hexes. There was a group who came at the front lines, but not to harm, but to try and defeat the evil being done.Joseph Petra, and four others took on the task. This is book one, and it was filled with constant threats, and a terrible loss of life. Many soldiers were being killed by both bombs, and guns of war. Others by supernatural occurrences. The fighting will go on in other books, but this one gave the battle on the pass through the mountain a conclusion. It had a story behind, all the fighting though, and I liked some of the team. Plus the idea of taking pictures of the dead, or undead was new, and proved useful in protecting some of the soldiers. I gave it a four.
This book was a combination of magic, and mankind both fighting in a war, against each others ruthless kingdoms Since no one was winning fast enough they rounded up witches, and wizards of all types to join the battles. One mystic could bring the dead back to a cross between a vampire, and a rotting goul. Others controlled weather, or bred illness with curses, and hexes. There was a group who came at the front lines, but not to harm, but to try and defeat the evil being done.Joseph Petra, and four others took on the task. This is book one, and it was filled with constant threats, and a terrible loss of life. Many soldiers were being killed by both bombs, and guns of war. Others by supernatural occurrences. The fighting will go on in other books, but this one gave the battle on the pass through the mountain a conclusion. It had a story behind, all the fighting though, and I liked some of the team. Plus the idea of taking pictures of the dead, or undead was new, and proved useful in protecting some of the soldiers. I gave it a four.
September 12, 2025
I loved the uniqueness of the story. We have a blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal all mixed into one. Set during World War 1, the war is being fought by humans, but added into the mix are undead creatures such as zombies and vampires. Witches have also been thrown into the mix and are causing chaos and death on both sides with no end in sight. Our MC, Petra is recruited onto a team of witches to help put a stop to the bloodshed caused by the creatures of the night. This author is on my radar now and I will be checking out more of her work.
September 28, 2023
This book had a lot of potential but it fell flat
November 6, 2023
While Petra waits for her husband to return from the war (somewhere on the Eastern Front of WWI, I assume) she slips out at night to take photographs. But her pictures don't just show the city but the dead as well. Soon she is recruited as part of a special group of witches to assist in the fighting with their magical abilities.
Yeah, well... it's not an uninteresting storyline. And it's got a lot of what should be interesting elements - witches, ghosts, and... more. It's just... hard to explain. The story creeps slowly along and then suddenly jumps into high gear. Nothing happens until suddenly a lot happens. And Petra's not what you think at first - sure, little hints here and there, and then suddenly she's incredibly powerful. A romantic subplot limps along unconvincingly. A number of preachy little comments are sprinkled around. And all of this surrounded with a deliberate vagueness, never really making much of anything clear (you even have to assume that it's WWI and the Eastern Front, stuff like that) plus a whole bunch of foreign words that you have to guess at the meaning. I nearly quit reading it a dozen times (and it took me a couple weeks to finish) but I kept on... I'm not really sure why. Yeah, kind of interesting, but... (2.5 stars)
Yeah, well... it's not an uninteresting storyline. And it's got a lot of what should be interesting elements - witches, ghosts, and... more. It's just... hard to explain. The story creeps slowly along and then suddenly jumps into high gear. Nothing happens until suddenly a lot happens. And Petra's not what you think at first - sure, little hints here and there, and then suddenly she's incredibly powerful. A romantic subplot limps along unconvincingly. A number of preachy little comments are sprinkled around. And all of this surrounded with a deliberate vagueness, never really making much of anything clear (you even have to assume that it's WWI and the Eastern Front, stuff like that) plus a whole bunch of foreign words that you have to guess at the meaning. I nearly quit reading it a dozen times (and it took me a couple weeks to finish) but I kept on... I'm not really sure why. Yeah, kind of interesting, but... (2.5 stars)
October 24, 2023
The plot was very original, which I did enjoy. I just wish there was more magic, tension, diving more into the ghosts on camera, mystery building and more of what Petra was capable of, instead of only being shown for a few minutes at the very end. I wanted to know more about those ghosts on camera. Her gifts were so unique and powerful and she didn’t really evolve / grow or “step into her power” the way she should. If Petra had done more of this then this would’ve felt more interesting.
September 18, 2023
A witch is recruited to help her country's army deal with soldiers that rise from the dead. It's exactly the kind of book I wanted to read as I look forward to Halloween, which is why I picked it as one of my Amazon First Read books for September. Stories of magic combined with history don't get combined enough in my opinion.
It was a fun and satisfying read. From the main characters' first encounter with the undead, the story of these poor re-animated corpses is both compellingly tragic and deliciously creepy. I was surprised to find the witchcraft using herbs in a nominally authentic way, and Luanne G. Smith built an entire world that had me feeling the cold desperation of a mountain pass in winter during wartime with some well-placed details.
My complaints about the book include a slow ending that seemed like it would work better in a movie than it does in a book. Petra's past, which ultimately is very important to the story, isn't even hinted at until several chapters in. The book would have benefited from some foreshadowing too; when a villain is finally introduced, the reader's lack of knowledge of him outside makes him far less frightening than he could have been.
I would still recommend this to a friend if they were looking for an entertaining autumn read, though.
It was a fun and satisfying read. From the main characters' first encounter with the undead, the story of these poor re-animated corpses is both compellingly tragic and deliciously creepy. I was surprised to find the witchcraft using herbs in a nominally authentic way, and Luanne G. Smith built an entire world that had me feeling the cold desperation of a mountain pass in winter during wartime with some well-placed details.
My complaints about the book include a slow ending that seemed like it would work better in a movie than it does in a book. Petra's past, which ultimately is very important to the story, isn't even hinted at until several chapters in. The book would have benefited from some foreshadowing too; when a villain is finally introduced, the reader's lack of knowledge of him outside makes him far less frightening than he could have been.
I would still recommend this to a friend if they were looking for an entertaining autumn read, though.
July 26, 2025
3.25/5 ⭐ The premise of this was great and I've loved everything I've read by Luanne Smith, but this didn't quite live up to the potential for me. While I understand the vagueness was probably intentional with references to the empire, it was confusing to me as who was from where. Translating the words helped some and I usually love phrases and words in other languages, but when it wasn't clear from which country and changed frequently, it made the whole story just harder to get through. I wish that Petra's relationship with her husband was more than just a weird plot device and that her relationship with Josef was more developed before becoming another plot device. Still, I did enjoy the story. It's a unique magic system and the first half or so was paced quite well. The ending wrapped up enough to not have a terrible cliffhanger but also make a good sequel. Nice mix of local myth and history. I'll eventually read the sequel, but I'm not in a rush.
June 11, 2024
This is my first dip into historical fiction and I enjoyed the ride! I liked how the writer alluded to things (not too obviously) for a keen reader to pick up on and realize when things were amiss. I feel that I would have rated it higher, except the ending almost got too fairytale-ish for me and I felt it lost some of its wit. Great read overall, I’d definitely recommend ◡̈
September 20, 2025
I didn’t expect to enjoy this story as much as I did. It has everything I like a little paranormal, a little witchcraft, a little cryptic/creature, a dash of blood and gore and just some gold old timer magic. What sets this book apart is the use of Eastern European and more Slavic/Russian type mythology which I don’t know nearly enough about. I honestly couldn’t even tell you if that mythology is based on real legend or was created for the book but it doesn’t matter. It made it different and interesting and I so thoroughly enjoyed the development of the characters. The last 5-6 chapters I couldn’t put down. It wasn’t overly complicated but still had unexpected developments in the story and I enjoyed it immensely looking forward to reading the second in the series
November 17, 2024
Love the front cover of the book 📖 story was easy to follow, but for a short book, it has taken me forever finish, not gonna lie. I felt the story was a bit hit and miss at times. But that's my opinion. ❤️
April 18, 2024
Picked this book as my free Amazon First Reads choice awhile back & just now read it in preparation for the second in the series hitting NetGalley - solid start to the saga, I’m interested to see how the various forms of magic play out in the continuation of the war.
October 18, 2023
DNF, couldn’t get into it by the first quarter of it. some things provoked my interest but overall i just cringed at a lot of scenes and explanations of the magic, etc.
April 13, 2025
I feel like I was quite confused for a good part of this book
August 18, 2025
Lackluster and boring.
October 10, 2023
I’m not sure how to feel? I was super intrigued, but felt bored at some parts. I wanted more history, but also enjoyed all of the witchcraft. I felt like the plot wrapped up really quick and then the book ended very soon after all the secrets spilled out.
I think I’ll plan to read the second book though because I want more from the side characters and to see what else Petra can do with her powers.
Overall a quick and interesting read!
I think I’ll plan to read the second book though because I want more from the side characters and to see what else Petra can do with her powers.
Overall a quick and interesting read!
February 10, 2024
An ok Amazon First read. I was a bit disappointed in how the story unfolded and I was hoping for more of the ghostly photography. Also, Petra seemed to be so concerned about Josef without even knowing him. Like she would barter for his safety if it meant her own danger? That didn’t make much sense to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2024
Quite easily one of my most favourite witchy books I've ever read, I loved everything about it, had me gripped from the start. Loved the story about the FMC. I was skeptical about the WW1 element at first but wow it was written in a way that wasn't brutal like I know that war was. Stunning, loved it and would recommend to anybody even if they don't ask lol
September 23, 2023
Luanne G. Smith has done it again, and created another excellent and spellbinding series.
Set during World War 1, the Eastern front, and the events that ultimately lead to the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a band of misfit witches are trying to rid the war front in the Carpathian Mountains of evil hexes and curses, all of which are obliterating the troops.
Petra Kurková, a witch with a talent for capturing ghosts on film, is recruited by the enigmatic, intense Josef Svoboda to join the group fighting magical evil on the front. As danger looms, and destruction is imminent, will Petra choose to fight, or will she continue to hide her power?
I really liked that the novel jumped right into action with characters moving forward, and allowing the world-building and character development to unfold organically with the story. I also really liked that there are still lots of secrets, and characters to explore for the rest of the series.
Petra is a great character, and I'm sure more will be revealed about her in subsequent books. She is strong, but also not overtly so. Her life experience and reluctance to use her power make her very human. And yet she doesn't flinch when duty calls.
Josef is also a fascinating character, and I'm curious to see what will eventually happen with him as well. He makes for a very charismatic leader, and I also appreciated the whole band of misfits portrayal, and how they work together.
The villain was particularly villainous. It's hard to say more without spoiling things, but with all the characters, including the heroes, there is plenty of interesting grey morality, and complexity to make things interesting.
I'm really excited for the rest of the series. The book comes out really soon, so I encourage you to pre-order it. You can also purchase it early as part of Amazon's First Look programme.
Thank you to Luanne G. Smith for this gorgeous ARC I received, in exchange for an unbiased review. I love the cover so much! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Set during World War 1, the Eastern front, and the events that ultimately lead to the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a band of misfit witches are trying to rid the war front in the Carpathian Mountains of evil hexes and curses, all of which are obliterating the troops.
Petra Kurková, a witch with a talent for capturing ghosts on film, is recruited by the enigmatic, intense Josef Svoboda to join the group fighting magical evil on the front. As danger looms, and destruction is imminent, will Petra choose to fight, or will she continue to hide her power?
I really liked that the novel jumped right into action with characters moving forward, and allowing the world-building and character development to unfold organically with the story. I also really liked that there are still lots of secrets, and characters to explore for the rest of the series.
Petra is a great character, and I'm sure more will be revealed about her in subsequent books. She is strong, but also not overtly so. Her life experience and reluctance to use her power make her very human. And yet she doesn't flinch when duty calls.
Josef is also a fascinating character, and I'm curious to see what will eventually happen with him as well. He makes for a very charismatic leader, and I also appreciated the whole band of misfits portrayal, and how they work together.
The villain was particularly villainous. It's hard to say more without spoiling things, but with all the characters, including the heroes, there is plenty of interesting grey morality, and complexity to make things interesting.
I'm really excited for the rest of the series. The book comes out really soon, so I encourage you to pre-order it. You can also purchase it early as part of Amazon's First Look programme.
Thank you to Luanne G. Smith for this gorgeous ARC I received, in exchange for an unbiased review. I love the cover so much! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 7, 2024
The Witch's Lens was a mix of witchcraft magical realism in WWII period. Was that a good combination? Well, I am still quite unsure about it even now that the last page has been long past read. Do I love to read witchcraft, the answer is yes and if asked if WWII era the best historical fiction to indulged? Again, the answer is YES.
Petra Kulkova was a young witch that was married to a soldier sent fighting in the fronts. She has fled and hidden her talents from the people she is with today but in reality, she has the great talent of capturing the spirits of the dead by feeling their presence and manifesting in the photos she took. One night, she was approached by a certain Josef Svovoda and convinced her to join the forces in fighting the war using her art. Desperate for a place to live, a purpose in life and belongingness in general, Petra accepted the offer on hand and embarked in on a journey and adventure that she has never imagined to encounter in her life.
I rated this book three stars. Luanne Smith has a good skill of writing about witchcraft that takes me a step up to feeling extra magical. Paired with the action, grimness and thrill of the heartbreaking events of WWII, this plot makes a good historical fiction. I enjoyed the ride reading this book but I must admit that it did not captivate me like I expected it would. It was all worth of the time I dedicated to its every page but I feel like Luanne has not poured the secret potion to take this story to its full greatness.
Special Thank You to Netgalley and Amazon First Reads for the advance e-copy in exchage of my honest review.
Petra Kulkova was a young witch that was married to a soldier sent fighting in the fronts. She has fled and hidden her talents from the people she is with today but in reality, she has the great talent of capturing the spirits of the dead by feeling their presence and manifesting in the photos she took. One night, she was approached by a certain Josef Svovoda and convinced her to join the forces in fighting the war using her art. Desperate for a place to live, a purpose in life and belongingness in general, Petra accepted the offer on hand and embarked in on a journey and adventure that she has never imagined to encounter in her life.
I rated this book three stars. Luanne Smith has a good skill of writing about witchcraft that takes me a step up to feeling extra magical. Paired with the action, grimness and thrill of the heartbreaking events of WWII, this plot makes a good historical fiction. I enjoyed the ride reading this book but I must admit that it did not captivate me like I expected it would. It was all worth of the time I dedicated to its every page but I feel like Luanne has not poured the secret potion to take this story to its full greatness.
Special Thank You to Netgalley and Amazon First Reads for the advance e-copy in exchage of my honest review.
February 26, 2024
The Witch’s Lens
Luanne G. Smith
• ASIN: B0BT5XBY5C
• Publisher: 47North (October 1, 2023)
• Publication date: October 1, 2023
Petra is a young witch in denial of her powers. After a horrific event where she witnessed her mother being burned at the stake Petra used her powers seeking revenge. Believing she has actually killed another human being Petra refuses to let herself use the magic she was born with.
But it is for her power that a soldier in the Russian army convinces Petra to come with him and several other witches to the war front to fight. Something not of the mortal realm is killing hundreds of soldiers and the recruiting soldier, Josef, hopes that his small band of witches can discover not only what it is, but figure out how to destroy it.
It’s a tall order to be sure, and author Luanne G. Smith takes us on a mental and physical journey that reveals in vivid detail all that Petra must face before allowing herself to claim her birthright.
The Witch’s Lens was a slow go in the beginning but there was enough to peak my curiosity to find out what was going to happen next that it kept me turning the pages.
While I probably wouldn’t read it again, I did enjoy it.
Luanne G. Smith
• ASIN: B0BT5XBY5C
• Publisher: 47North (October 1, 2023)
• Publication date: October 1, 2023
Petra is a young witch in denial of her powers. After a horrific event where she witnessed her mother being burned at the stake Petra used her powers seeking revenge. Believing she has actually killed another human being Petra refuses to let herself use the magic she was born with.
But it is for her power that a soldier in the Russian army convinces Petra to come with him and several other witches to the war front to fight. Something not of the mortal realm is killing hundreds of soldiers and the recruiting soldier, Josef, hopes that his small band of witches can discover not only what it is, but figure out how to destroy it.
It’s a tall order to be sure, and author Luanne G. Smith takes us on a mental and physical journey that reveals in vivid detail all that Petra must face before allowing herself to claim her birthright.
The Witch’s Lens was a slow go in the beginning but there was enough to peak my curiosity to find out what was going to happen next that it kept me turning the pages.
While I probably wouldn’t read it again, I did enjoy it.
September 10, 2023
The Witch's Lens by Luanne G. Smith was my Kindle First Reads selection for September 2023...
A World War I novel featuring witches, walking corpses, dark magic and cursed Carpathian mountain passes!?Hell yes! The Witch's Lens combines history with dark fantasy and that's something I'm 100% on board with as both a history buff and a sucker for all things witchy.
The main character, a young woman named Petra, is struggling to make ends meet at home while her husband is off fighting in the war. At night, she dresses in her husband's clothing and walks around the city streets capturing spirits in photographs. Outside of her seemingly innocuous spirit photography, Petra tries to suppress the magic flowing through her veins and live life unnoticed; however, she is noticed one night by a man named Josef, who is tasked with rounding up all remaining sorcerers and forming a team to take to the front lines. He explains that a curse in the mountains is plaguing the soldiers and that this team, which is crucial to the war effort, is in dire need of Petra's abilities. At first Petra seems to have no interest in going, but a series of events makes it clear that joining the team is part of her destiny, so she joins the ragtag team of misfit sorcerers and heads to the front. What the team finds there is absolutely horrific: soldiers rising from the dead and preying upon the living--and they have to find a way to stop them before all is lost.
I eagerly await the release of the next book in the series. There's just so many different directions The Order of the Seven Stars can take. I would love to read more books with the whole element of sorcery clashing with mortal warfare along the fronts of World War I and I think that's exactly what we will get. In The Witch's Lens , there are witches/wizards/sorcerers (whatever you want to call them) working on all different sides of The Great War and they all have intense interest in Petra's magical talents (which are not fully revealed until close to the end of the book). I hope that this series lives up to its potential and lives long and prospers... With one of Petra's magical talents being the ability to capture spirits in photographs, I think it could easily extend into the time period between the world wars when there was such a resurgence of spiritualism, seances, and fascination with communicating with the dead. The sky is the limit and I'm all for it.
A World War I novel featuring witches, walking corpses, dark magic and cursed Carpathian mountain passes!?Hell yes! The Witch's Lens combines history with dark fantasy and that's something I'm 100% on board with as both a history buff and a sucker for all things witchy.
The main character, a young woman named Petra, is struggling to make ends meet at home while her husband is off fighting in the war. At night, she dresses in her husband's clothing and walks around the city streets capturing spirits in photographs. Outside of her seemingly innocuous spirit photography, Petra tries to suppress the magic flowing through her veins and live life unnoticed; however, she is noticed one night by a man named Josef, who is tasked with rounding up all remaining sorcerers and forming a team to take to the front lines. He explains that a curse in the mountains is plaguing the soldiers and that this team, which is crucial to the war effort, is in dire need of Petra's abilities. At first Petra seems to have no interest in going, but a series of events makes it clear that joining the team is part of her destiny, so she joins the ragtag team of misfit sorcerers and heads to the front. What the team finds there is absolutely horrific: soldiers rising from the dead and preying upon the living--and they have to find a way to stop them before all is lost.
I eagerly await the release of the next book in the series. There's just so many different directions The Order of the Seven Stars can take. I would love to read more books with the whole element of sorcery clashing with mortal warfare along the fronts of World War I and I think that's exactly what we will get. In The Witch's Lens , there are witches/wizards/sorcerers (whatever you want to call them) working on all different sides of The Great War and they all have intense interest in Petra's magical talents (which are not fully revealed until close to the end of the book). I hope that this series lives up to its potential and lives long and prospers... With one of Petra's magical talents being the ability to capture spirits in photographs, I think it could easily extend into the time period between the world wars when there was such a resurgence of spiritualism, seances, and fascination with communicating with the dead. The sky is the limit and I'm all for it.
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