Review: The Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter #1) by Virginia Boecker

I received this book for free via Netgalley however this in no way affects the opinions expressed in this review

The Witch Hunter

by Virginia Boecker

Release: 2nd June 2015
Publisher: Orchard Books
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Historical
Other books by Virginia Boecker:
None
Goodreads Description:
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.




My Review


The Witch Hunter is a low fantasy set in an alternate Middle Ages. There's a ban on witchcraft derived from fear and witch hunters traverse the country catching anyone practising any form of magic to be burned. Elizabeth is a witch hunter, although it's made pretty damn clear that she wasn't right to be a witch hunter and she only did it for Caleb.

I feel like I'm going to repeat what everyone else's said but with a few more positive points inbetween but whatever...
ELIZABETH HE'S OBVIOUSLY GOT NO INTEREST IN ANYONE OTHER THAN HIMSELF AND IT MAKES YOU AN INCONCEIVABLY THICK CHARACTER TO NOT SEE THAT!

I did find that Elizabeth seemed ridiculously oblivious to some obvious points at times, which was only to direct the plot. It got a little annoying and I came out of reading this with the only character I liked being Schuyler. Who, may I say, is conveyed as being British but has a specifically Dutch name. In the Middle Ages. Other than that though, he was pretty entertaining. And the only character who didn't seem to be dumb as they come.

The majority of this book was about Elizabeth's love life. Sure, that ain't a problem to have a bit of romance, but you either focus on advancing Elizabeth and John's relationship or advancing the plot. Attempting both obviously didn't work out and, although the book was written as if the plot was meant to take centre stage, the character relationships messed it up quite a lot.

Over all though, I did enjoy the book, even if it annoyed me multiple times throughout, and I will definitely be picking up the next in the series. Just to see where Elizabeth and John go to be honest. And hopefully the plot will have been fixed up a bit.


Links
Goodreads
Amazon UK
Amazon US


Abi Ainley

Review (MUST READ): Half Wild by Sally Green

So, another must read: I'm having a great booklife at the moment ;D

Half Wild

by Sally Green

Release: 24th March 2015
Publisher: Puffin
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Action, Romance, Awesome, Bloody amazing
Other books by Sally Green:
Half Bad
Goodreads Description:
"You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad."

In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he's on the run--but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.




My Review


Being a huge fan of Half Bad, I was expecting to love this book. I was expecting to finish reading it and write a lovely positive review about how good it was. Turns out I more than loved this book. I've loved books before but never as much as this one. And this ain't going to be a lovely positive review about how good it is. I'm pretty certain this is just going to be me babbling on about how god damn amazing and awesome and ridiculously super it was!

Everything just got turned up a notch when I opened the first page of this book. The setting was vivid and exciting, the characters were awesome and way too lifelike, and the emotions, well, I don't think any word in the English dictionary could describe accurately what this book did to me. I'm pretty sure my heart aged 20 years in the process of reading this book. I kind of feel sorry for it in some respect: it spent a good portion of this novel stopping, clenching and palpitating. My tear ducts have also been worn down significantly, and most of it was crying when Annalise kept refusing to disappear. Come on, I'm pretty sure everyone just wanted her out so Nathan and Gabriel could actually get together!

In a normal review, I'd be critically analysing the novel, picking out the good bits, the bad bits, commenting on the characterisation and the writing of the novel. However, I hardly think that's necessary here. I failed to pick out much that could have been better. Okay, there could have been a few more tears throughout the novel, but the ending seriously makes up for that.

Finally, I'd love to conclude with who I recommend this to but really:
-If you loved Half Bad you'll love Half Wild even more.
-If you hated Half Bad you'll love Half Wild.
-If you haven't read Half Bad you really need to go do that right now.


Links
Goodreads
Amazon UK
Amazon US


Abi Ainley