The Winter Witch: A Novel

This is a very well-written book, a talented author with a flair for words. The non-stop encounters with bad luck are relentlessly depressing. If you suffer from clinical depression as I do, do not read this book, for your own mental health. Only the last 1% is uplifting.However if you enjoy relentless suffering, despair, evil, and hopelessness ..... Well not hopelessness. I have to admit the main couple do seem more willing than most to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

It is really good BUT geeesch there is a non stop onslaught of animal deaths. The first one (i wont give it away) made me instantly cry and ruined my night. I didnt see that coming from this book and it just did not stop, so it was pretty depressing. Other than the authors seemingly morbid obsession with animals deaths, and actually death of all kinds lol, it was a really good and interesting read. Unique. I just wish a review or 10 had mentioned how many animals were killed or hurt in this thing, I might have skipped it bc I cant deal with it..kill 20 people for all I care but not animals 😂 so if you're like me, brace yourself or skip it. Otherwise very good!

The Winter Witch is a bit different than The Witch's Daughter. The storyline doesn't span as many decades, nor does it travel the world. It's not set in modern times, but instead a couple centuries ago. It is just as wonderful, if not more so, than The Witch's Daughter.The village Morgana grew up in knows she's a little different. She doesn't speak, not because she can't, but because she just doesn't. She has powers that she hasn't been taught to control and that show themselves when the time is wrong. Her mother arranges for her to be married to Cai, a marriage that will take Morgana from home and hopefully away from the whispers. While she falls in love with the land immediately, it takes some time before she can admit her feelings for Cai. There's a force in town working against her that will stop at nothing to get what it wants.Morgana is a fantastic character. She may not speak, but she finds ways to communicate as best she can. She doesn't know how to handle the magic inside of her and she's smart enough to know that's a problem. She might have been impulsive as a child, but she has a little more control over herself now. Strong emotions are what bring out her magic. Even though the story takes place in the 19th century, Morgana does not fall into that submissive female role. She fights for herself and those she loves, doing what is necessary and right to save the people around her.Cai is not the strong, dominate male you'd expect from a period novel. He has a great respect for Morgana and views her more as his equal than his property. He wants to do right by her, something that he doesn't have to do according to the standards of the time. He's sweet and loving, and even though he misses his first wife, he is able to understand that she is gone, but Morgana is right in front of him. He's also willing to act however he needs to in order to provide a wonderful life for Morgana.Mrs. Jones is one of my favorite characters of the novel. Her personality is perfect and exactly what Morgana and Cai need in order to find a happy life together. Mrs. Jones fills in as Morgana's mother figure and gives her the love she needs to make the transition into married life as smooth as possible.The story itself was simple, yet beautifully done. It all centers around the love that Cai and Morgana have for each other, and how they will each stop at nothing to protect their life together. Morgana must fight the magical forces trying to separate them and Cai must fight the physical threats. They work fantastically as a team, both in the relationship and defending it.The Winter Witch is a wonderful, beautiful novel that will both tug at your heartstrings and have you sitting on the edge of your seat. It leaves a content feeling as the last page closes, one that lets you take a breath and relax. It's a lovely novel and Brackston is working her way onto my must-read author shelf. This is definitely a good book to read if you enjoy historical fiction with some magic and romance thrown in, this is the book for you.

The storyline was fine and I get that the author is very descriptive, which I do appreciate. However, I found myself skimming pages numerous times as characters thought about things in their heads over and over. The story dragged on because of it, and I found myself reading it just to get it finished. Really a shame though, because the story itself would have been great with about fifty less pages.

This book had just the right amount of witchiness without seeming too far-fetched, along with just enough romance without getting bogged down in too steamy sex scenes. I like a good story that makes things like witches seem like they could be real, especially historical romances. But I can't stand gratuitous sex scenes. This book hit the mark on both counts.

I have a new favorite author now! Paula Brackston's writing is so much fun and easy to read. She is descriptive to the point you feel as if you are there without yawning of boredom when you read some stories that are TOO descriptive, over and over. While I wanted to push Morgana to get the nerve to speak and to move a bit faster, that was part of the plan was it not? I am now reading the Witch's Daughter, and this book is not letting me down either. I already have a couple of other books of Paula's waiting on my Kindle :) I gave my rating 4 stars, only because the ending, I felt, was kind of left hanging. Other than that, I couldn't put this book down!

The first half was very well crafted, and very well written, but the quality of writing dropped away as the writer hurried through her gloriously baroque plot. It felt as if the era was the 1820/30s yet says her favourite book was Treasure Island 1880s.I would read more by this writer and hope she becomes more accepting of "less is more" .

I downloaded a free sample and almost didn’t get to the end of the sample before wanting to read more. I loved the language and the opening chapter is wonderful - reflective, very visual and entirely appropriate for a narrative for a character who can’t speak.I could have done with a bit more preparation of the character for the final denouement which would have made what followed more believable, but even so, this was an excellent read. I loved the use of the Welsh language too.I really enjoyed it, and will look for more by this author.

I was under the impression that this was a continuing story across the series, but in fact it is a standalone novel. All the same, I thoroughly enjoyed it, characters and world are well developed and pulls in some interesting historical agricultural practices in Wales. The main storyline for the majority of the book is a love story, and the magic is low key, but this didn't detract at all from the beautiful prose, and the character development, you'll find you are quickly invested in Morgana's future and her relationship with her new husband. Characters are all distinct and bring something to the narrative. Would definitely recommend.

This novel goes on and on and on and on.......and with no real interest, not enough to propel so many words anyway.Also, what is a drove? Drovers do not drove. They do not go on a drove. Aaargh!

It’s an ok read I got all three books. I guess to be fair I haven’t read this author before. They are ok but they weren’t what I was expecting ; some lack of fluidity in story. They are not connected stories as I thought they would be.