A Discovery of Witches
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is $1.99! This is the first book in the All Soul’s Trilogy. Many readers say this is a fantasy novel filled with romance and adventure. However, others didn’t like the characters and found the hype to be overrated. I know some of you loved this book, while others hated it, but I always love the discussion the Bitchery has in the comments.
A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.
Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.
Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.
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A Gathering Storm by Joanna Chambers is 99c! This is the second book in the Porthkennack series. It’s also a gay romance with a scientist hero. Readers loved both heroes and how they tackled differences in class. However, some readers expressed disappointment with the ending. It can be read as a standalone.
When grief-stricken scientist Sir Edward Fitzwilliam provokes public scorn by defending a sham spiritualist, he’s forced to retreat to Porthkennack to lick his wounds. Ward’s reputation is in tatters, but he’s determined to continue the work he began after the death of his beloved brother.
In Porthkennack, Ward meets Nicholas Hearn, land steward to the Roscarrock family. Ward becomes convinced that Nick, whose Romany mother was reportedly clairvoyant, is the perfect man to assist with his work. But Nick — who has reason to distrust the whims of wealthy men — is loath to agree. Until Fate steps in to lend a hand.
Despite Nick’s misgivings, he discovers that Ward is not the high-handed aristocrat he first thought. And when passion ignites between them, Nick learns there’s much more to love than the rushed, clandestine encounters he’s used to. Nevertheless, Nick’s sure that wealthy, educated Ward will never see him as an equal.
A storm is gathering, but with Nick’s self-doubts and Ward’s growing obsession, the fragile bond between the two men may not be strong enough to withstand it.
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Covet by J.R. Ward is 99c at most vendors and $2.99 at Barnes & Noble! This is the first book in the Fallen Angels paranormal romance series. Readers loved the characters’ interactions and were happy to see characters from Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series make an appearance. However, readers say this isn’t exactly a full-on paranormal romance and felt more like an urban fantasy novel.
Seven deadly sins. Seven souls to save. This is the first battle between a savior who doesn’t believe and a demon with nothing to lose!
Redemption isn’t a word Jim Heron knows much about—his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option.
Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he’s good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. And then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart—and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.
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We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!The Virgin and the Viscount
The Virgin and the Viscount by Charis Michaels is 99c! This is a second chance romance between a heroine and a hero who rescued her at a young age. Some people thought the hero was a bit of an ass and since many loved the heroine, they desperately wished he was more deserving of her. It has a 3.9-star rating on Goodreads.
The Virgin
Lady Elisabeth Hamilton-Baythes has a painful secret. At fifteen, she was abducted by highwaymen and sold to a brothel. But two days later, she was rescued by a young lord, a man she’s never forgotten. Now, she’s devoted herself to save other innocents from a similar fate.
The Viscount
Bryson Courtland, Viscount Rainsleigh never breaks the rules. Well, once, but that was a long time ago. He’s finally escaped his unhappy past to become one of the wealthiest nobleman in Britain. The last thing he needs to complete his ideal life? A perfectly proper wife.
The Unraveling
When Bryson and Elisabeth meet, he sees only a flawless candidate for his future wife. But a distant memory calls to him every time he’s with her. Elisabeth knows she’s not the wife Bryson needs, and he is the only person who has the power to reveal her secret. But neither can resist the devastating pull of attraction and as the truth comes to light, they must discover that an improper love is the truest of all.
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The link to A Gathering Storm on Amazon is broken.
@Mel: Fixed! I had a copy & paste mishap.
That “grab her by the elbows” pose on the Michaels cover makes me SO uncomfortable every time I see it. I want to warn the Virgin to run away from the Viscount of Violent Immobilization.
I found A Discovery of Witches rather disappointing and really struggled to finish it. I thought the author was ambitious in alluding to so many significant historical personages, scientific developments etc, (great fun!) and the premise that a witch historian should meet a vampire polymath at the Bodleian was a hoot. But she failed in some of the basics of story-telling. Much of it felt interminable, with no actual progression of the very holey plot.
Playing With Fire by Kate Meader is $1.99
I agree with Hazel. The book might have been good if someone had stepped in and told Harkness to knock it off with the endless, rambling descriptions. The story is approximately 30% of the book – the rest is relentless overwriting. For what it’s worth, I didn’t mind the plot, just the digging it took to find it.
I couldn’t finish A Discovery of Witches. At the time it seemed to have shadings of Twilight (that’s my memory of it). I have read The Viscount and the Virgin and I loved it. The title leaves a little to be desired, but I really like the heroine & thought the hero ended up deserving her by the end.
I thought I would like ‘A Discovery of Witches’. I actually worked with a couple of the Ashmole MSS in the Bodleian, so when I read the description I thought it would be entirely my thing. Unfortunately, I started to sour on it once I got to the bit where vampires were doing yoga in North Oxford (come back, Lestat, all is forgiven) and by the time I realized that heroine was the most Mary Sue that ever Mary Sued, it was too late to quit. I did pick up the second book very briefly and read far enough to discover that our brave heroine had suddenly sprouted waist-length golden princess curls to add to her growing list of attributes. No, thank you.
A Discovery Of Witches is very much a first book. Someone told Harkness “write what you know”, so she did, and it’s all in that first book. Luckily, that decreased as the trilogy continued. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot.
I barely made it through Discovery of Witches alive. There was so much excellent potential–interesting paranormal premise, great world-building, exquisite sense of place–but the hero and heroine were as compelling as limp noodles. It was very paint-by-numbers-Twilight-for-adults–somehow both deeply boring and deeply irritating. The sparkly-special heroine’s brain melts out her ears whenever the hero shows up, and he’s decked out with every perfect attribute imaginable and yet possesses all the emotional nuance of modeling clay.
That book made me really cranky. It’s admittedly unfair that it was so hyped, because I’m sure that contributed to how bitterly disappointed I felt, but I ran away from reading the second volume so fast I sprained something.
+1 for Joanna Chambers! I just read through much of her backlist and fell in love with her writing!
@Rose – “That book made me really cranky” is exactly how I’ve always felt!
I agree with all the disappointment expressed above. I mean, even the title was a letdown in the end – such a cool concept, which is almost immediately dropped from the book. I was so irritated I actually DNF’ed it.
@Leanne H.–glad to hear I’m not alone! I would’ve DNFed it had I not promised a friend I would finish. After that I was cranky with her, too.
I ************************loved*********************** A Discovery of Witches and the other two books in the trilogy. Eager to read Harkness’ next book.
A Discovery of Witches is currently being filmed as a TV series/mini series in the UK. Matthew Goode is starring in it. I’ve never made much headway with the book but I’ll watch the first episode at any rate because even if the source material is so-so, I’m always up fora bit of escapist witch/vampire drama on TV.
I’m with Gloriamarie! Nothing but love for Discovery of Witches & the whole All Souls trilogy!!
I have read A Discovery of Witches and I too loved it! I have not yet read the last to books in the trilogy so I can’t speak to those yet.
I read the first two All Souls books and liked them, even if I found the romance a little frustrating. But it’s been so long, I’d have to reread them to read the third and I don’t know if I’m going to get there.
Picked up the Joanna Chambers! I’m excited, I’ve never read her before!
I’ve read and reread The All Souls trilogy many times. It’s precisely my cup of tea as a historian who works in very similar topics and a forever fangirl who’s game to explore fun new story worlds. Harkness was definitely writing some elements tongue in cheek as she explained at a history conference reading that this clearly was fantasy from the outset given she had Diana get early tenure in the Ivy League.
I’m with a lot of the commenters above on Discovery of Witches (I haven’t read the rest of the trilogy); as a librarian and historian, I expected to love it, but it struck me as Twilighty – the Smartest and Most Beautiful and Everyone Loves Her, Even The Cranky People With A Heart Of Gold Who Don’t Like Anyone heroine plus the Handsomest Handsome That Ever Handsomed, so handsome that our heroine who is known for being intelligent and capable becomes a fluttery damsel in distress around him….I enjoyed reading it but I didn’t think it was that great, if that makes sense – yes, probably due to the overhyping. It would probably be a great TV show though.
@Tam: The vampire yoga. I lost it. Nothing strips the wonder from the supernatural like imagining mythic predators in downward dog.
I am in the FEH camp on Discovery of Witches. Yes, yes, Deborah, you are AN INTELLECTUAL and you want us to know you know who Marlowe is. MAZEL TOV TO YOU. Behind all the endless pages of LOOK AT ALL THE BOOK THINGS I KNOW! and all that FARSHTUNKINER TEA-DRINKING is a laughably basic story about a professorial dimwit (“golly! these mysteries are mysterious!”) and an asshole who is a domineering pushy salivating smoldering alpha-hole. I hate those heroes whether or not they are undead.
@marjorie I love the hell out of your comment. What a perfect summation of all my feelings.
Okay, the sample was not for me, but in defense of vampire yoga, when you live forever, you have a lot of free time and have to do SOMETHING. Who wants to hang out in a crypt for eternity to maintain some antiquated mystique? Lestat would absolutely be going to hot yoga, if only to recruit nubile bodies to populate orgies/buffets. Hell, he’d be teaching it so he could get handsy. Superhuman strength would come in handy for those gravity-defying asanas. Plus, Loupriss would have a fit of the vapors, and that alone is reason enough to do it.
There is not enough money in the world to make me reread A Discovery of Witches. It reads like a first time fanfiction by an author who never heard of using beta readers before hitting upload. Too bad; it has all my historical catnip. But ye gods, Harkness’s writing is tedious and annoying.
However, the concept is great and I’d tune in to a TV series.
I read all 3 All Souls books, but I was more in love with the premise and the world building than the characters and actual story. I have a lower tolerance for Mary Sue characters now than I did at that time. That said, I still recommend it to people who may enjoy it.
I am so happy to realize that I’m not the only person who had problems finishing A Discovery of Witches! My mom got me the first two on audiobook and I get stuck about halfway through the first book. I’m sure part of my issue is everyone telling me I will love it since I like reading about vampires, that didn’t work with Twilight either. I’ve DNF’d both.