Thursday, September 26, 2013

Review: Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

Witchstruck
(The Tudor Witch Trilogy #1)
by Victoria Lamb
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Publication Date: September 24th 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780373210978
Genre: Young Adult / Historical
Source: Netgalley

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If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.

Meg Lytton has always known she is different;that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practice witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice. The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck ,the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy. (Goodreads)
I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading Witchstruck. All I knew was that it was a novel about a young witch, set in the Tudor period in England.  Both of these subjects interest me, especially the setting, as I’ve not been able to read much about this period. I found this book to be quite a fascinating read!

The main character in the story is a young girl named Meg Lytton. Meg is a maid and companion to the banished Princess Elizabeth during her time as prisoner at Woodstock Palace.  But Meg is not your average servant girl; she’s also a witch in training. I found Meg to be an interesting and loyal character. There were a few times that she frustrated me to no end with some poor decisions that she made, but she was interesting nonetheless. Meg’s love interest in the story is a young Spanish priest, Alejandro. I must say that I love how fierce and dedicated this young gentleman was. Not only to Meg, but to the country he serves as well. I really enjoyed Meg and Alejandro together, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.

I love the setting for this novel.  I’ve always been curious about the Tudor period, and books that were written on the subject, but I’ve never really read any books on it. Now that I’ve got a little taste, I want to read more! I found the descriptions of the time period absolutely fascinating, and I want to know more about some of the people in history that were mentioned in this book.  (Such as Anne Boleyn, Queen Mary I and Princess Elizabeth, just to name a few.)

Victoria Lamb doesn’t hold much back in the book when she describes the punishments that were made to witches during this time. I cannot even imagine the horrors and brutality that people faced during this time when they were accused of witchcraft. It’s very disturbing to know what these people went through!

Overall, I found this to be quite an enjoyable read! I’m thrilled to know that it’s going to be a series. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!  Check it out and see what you think.

Happy Reading!


4 comments:

  1. Meg definitely sounds like an interesting character and I love that time period. You have to admit, as brutal as they were, those people had a knack for creative (and horrible) ways to torture and kill other folks. *shudder*

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  2. This novel sounds interesting. I've not often come across books set in this time period and specifically around the witch trials (at least...I haven't seen many!) so I'll have to check it out. I studied the witch trials during a university course and they sure were brutal...but horribly fascinating at the same time :/

    And on a totally shallow note, the cover is so pretty and colourful!

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  3. I'll have to pick this one up! Harlequin Teen does tend to have good books.

    (Also, I love when I recognize a stock photo! I think that girl was also used on The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block.)

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  4. I am so interested in this book for the fact that it's about a witch during the time period when it was dangerous to be one. I hope everything works out for Meg! Great review!
    Megan @ Books i View

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