Author: Virginia Boecker
Series: The Witch Hunter #1
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: ebook
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Source: egalley received from publisher via Netgalley
Rating: 4 Stars
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***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.***
Synopsis
from Goodreads:
Your greatest enemy
isn't what you fight, but what you fear.
Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.
Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.
Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.
Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.
My
Review:
The
Witch Hunter is about a girl named Elizabeth who is
a witch hunter. She works for, ultimately the king, but directly reports to a
man named Blackwell, hunting down witches for him to burn at the stake.
Witchcraft and magic used to be accepted throughout the kingdom, but then it
became feared and eventually it was banned. But then Elizabeth is accused of
being a witch and is thrown in prison. In a whirlwind of events she’s rescued
by the greatest and most wanted wizard, Nicholas Perevil, and his group of
followers. Secrets and intrigue ensue and the pages will lock you into this
unique story.
I loved the fact that
our main character wasn’t actually a witch. It gave this story such a unique
and different perspective from any other witch books I’ve read. Elizabeth is
almost an antihero in a way. She’s the bad guy, the one who roots out “evil”
witches, wizards and necromancers. I loved watching her internal struggle throughout
the book as she works to readjust her mind. Everything she’s ever known is
backwards and it wasn’t easy for her to accept her new truths or to admit that
perhaps Blackwell is wrong.
The supporting characters
were great as well. George’s character was definitely my favorite. I loved how
open he was. He didn’t care what anyone thought of him and I loved the banter
between him and Elizabeth. Nicholas himself was an interesting character,
though to be honest he doesn’t really do much throughout the book. I’m looking
forward to seeing what he’s capable of in the next book. And then there’s
Fifer, your typical girl of the group who hates Elizabeth the minute she sets
eyes on her. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little tired of this trope. Why is it
that the girl in the group always hates the new one? And always goes out her
way to make her feel unwelcome? However, by the end, Fifer had grown on me and
I ended up really liking her.
My favorite part of
this book was all the twists and turns. The political intrigue definitely kept
me glued to the pages and my jaw found the floor several times. If you like
politics and magic, I think you’ll really enjoy this book. And the best part?
No cliffhanger. There are definitely places the book can go, but I’m not DYING
for the next one.
Have you read this one yet? What did you think?
I skipped this one, but people seem to be liking it so much, I might circle back and read it. I am always up for storied involving witches.....
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
Yes! I think you should! Really unique witch book.
DeleteI've read a lot of mixed reviews, but like you, I really liked this one. Yes, Elizabeth was totally in the wrong, but that seemed to be the point, for her to slowly realize that she is the bad guy in this story. Definitely am looking forward to the next one! ~Pam
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's what i loved so much about it. That she was the bad guy at the start and then slowly was able to see how wrong she was. It was such an interesting POV.
DeleteYay, I'm with you! I thought the intrigue was really interesting and I actually quite enjoyed it! I had seen a lot of mixed things before I went in but I'm glad you enjoyed it too! :)
ReplyDeleteYay! Glad to hear you liked it. Same here as far as mixed things go. I was a little nervous, but then ended up really enjoying it. I really liked that it was a flip on the usual witch book.
Delete