Historical fiction combined with paranormal fantasy made this a very unique read. The characters were well developed and their sense of community and family set the tone for the story. Set in a rural area, the women must protect their secrets while working together to become part of the community. Louisa Morgan has great story telling abilities that cause this book, as well as her first one, to shine and keep the reader both interested and entertained.

The Witch's Kind
by Louisa Morgan
Redhook Books
Redhook
Sci Fi & Fantasy
Excellent book of a young woman raised by her unconventional aunt during, before and after WW2. Author does an excellent job of r[resenting what that era was like for women in a more rural out of the way area. certain aspects of folk magic when you had something different had to be hidden and how it was treated when people had a "shine"to them and was/is believed/known to be inherited.. Lots of ups downs and arounds in this entertaining story.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley.com.

This book takes place during and after World War 2. It's essentially the story of a woman (Barrie Ann) who is working to extricate herself from a bad relationship. The witchcraft and magic in the book are very lightly dusted throughout the story, and all the characters feel very real.

I am not good at writing reviews, so I will just say I enjoyed this very much, I would recommend it.

This book felt unique in it's story. It takes place in a mix of WWII era and present day. The paranormal/fantasy elements were so well blended in with the world building. Barrie Anne and Charlotte were such great, strong women, who knew when to accept help when they needed it. It was easy to connect with them.  The more of the past that was unveiled, the more you understood their current circumstances. Louisa did a fantastic job with this story and I am looking forward to her next one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Redhook books for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book has an average rating of 4.03? Here I stand all alone and very confused. I came for the witches and ended up with Roswell, aliens, fish babies, and way too much time spent on Barrie Anne's backstory. The writing is good and this was my first read of Louisa Morgan. Also I really liked Aunt Charlotte and felt she was a fascinating person in the story. I just feel a real lack of enjoyment after reaching the conclusion. Hence why I find myself at a 2 star.


Moving on....

This was a very emotional novel. I like how it incorporated paranormal aspects into the novel. The world-building was very well-done. I have to say that I was more interested in the past storyline than the present. There were also some parts that felt drawn out and could have been left out. Overall, I recommend this for those that love historical fiction with a dash of paranormal mixed in!

I really enjoyed this story. It was well written and I loved two of the main characters, and the dog. It's a storyline is a wee bit different I think from the norm. You have maybe a family of witches, an incredible dog, a baby, possible aliens and a crazy husband. What's not to love!
I would give this story a 3,5 out of 5.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.5 Hearts This book has a bit of everything. If you can think it up in the paranormal (ok maybe more fantasy) world then it is in this book.

There is a time jump between present day and WWII era and I have to say while it worked in both times the present day was a bit more enjoyable to read about. Usually in time travel I enjoy the olden era better but this one seemed to have more enjoyable times in present day.

I enjoyed the writing and the characters mostly. Some were a bit overboard but still an enjoyable fantasy read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read from this author and I absolutely loved it better than the first. All the emotions were real to me and all the characters were fully thought out and relatable. It does have jumps between past and present but that adds to the beauty, charm and understanding of the characters and the situations they find themselves in. I highly recommend this book to all who love historical fiction and adventure.

I really loved this book. The characters were well written and loved the way the book went forward and backward in time until the story met itself to the current time. There was just something magical and special about the way that this was written that kept me reading until the very end. I will be recommending this book to others and will be reading more from this author in the future. She is a true talent.

To be honest, I don’t know where to even begin with this novel. This was one of the best books I have read so far this year. It’s not just a historical fiction novel. You have diversity, war, loss, abuse, a bit of fantastic elements. Not really witches. More, women in a family with premonitions around water. You slip into life of being a naive young woman thinking she has everything going for her at that particular moment. The character development is amazing. Every single moment in this book is a spoiler so it’s hard to review this. All I can say is to give this a try. I was hooked from the friend page and could not put it down until it was finished. I cannot wait to read more of Louisa Morgan’s books. Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

DNF @ (around) 100 pages
Unfortunately, due to no fault on the author's part, I just found this book difficult to get into. From the blurb on the book, the plot seemed exactly like something I would like. But every time I put the book down I just found it harder and harder to pick back up.

That's not to say I won't pick it up again in the future, it just might not have been the best time for me.

3.5 Stars

I want to like this book so much more than my intellectual reaction to it. It wasn't the book I thought it was going into it, though I grew to love the two protagonists, Aunt Charlotte and her niece Barrie Anne Blythe. I also enjoyed Willow and Emma. My main question is... Is this really a book about witches? I'm not 100% sold on the idea.

I found the historical aspect of the story (post- WWII) to be of interest (how people recover from war), and I liked the slow revelation of witchery and the lesbian aspects (really, how many people are in total denial about their spinster aunts, I wonder?) but some of the secondary characters, in particular, Will, are just so two-dimensional and obvious that I occasionally felt annoyed. (You could see Will for who he was from the very beginning! No depth!)

I've seen some reviewers compare this novel to Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, and that's just a disservice to Morgan's writing here. While she explores relationships, magic, and love, the strongest aspect was the alien aspect for me, rather than any conventional witchcraft theme. It's not the X-Files exactly, but I'm not sure that readers picking up this book are going to get what they anticipated. Not that that's always a bad thing... Yet the story flows and I found the interrelationship between Barrie Anne, Charlotte, Willow the Dog and Emma to be a moving one.

A pleasant read if you don't go into it expecting some intergenerational family witchcraft story by Alice Hoffman!

I received a Digital Review Copy from Redhook Press in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for an EARC of this book.


I was highly anticipating The Witch’s Kind by Louisa Morgan. I absolutely loved A Secret History of Witches, and had high hopes for this one. I really enjoyed the writing style by Louisa Morgan, she writes so beautifully, but the plot was just missing for me. I enjoyed jumping from the past to present during the mid to late 1940s. It just didn’t develop plot wise until 80% through for me. I felt it was very drawn out, and not much was happening. I wanted more witchy vibes throughout, but that was lacking as well. Unfortunately I would have rated this a 2 star, but because I love Louisa Morgan’s writing I gave it a 3. I will still continue to read more from her as well.

The Witch’s Kind is the latest novel by Louisa Morgan. It’s a light paranormal novel, with lots of lush details and a casual buildup. It’s very relaxing of a read, while still having plenty of interesting things going on in the world around the main characters. It’s described as being perfect for fans of Practical Magic, and having read the book, I couldn’t agree more.
Barrie Anne is a capable woman; she survived the war, has been left alone, and will not tolerate the idea of moving away. She’s content with what she has now. That contentment isn’t lost when an unexpected event changes everything for her. If anything, it gave her a new reason to fight.
This novel lightly touches on paranormal beings and events, but it reads very much like a women’s fiction novel. It’s introspective and empowering, and has a lot of heart to it. The paranormal events and creatures are discussed openly though, just with a casual ease of taking it all in stride.
Warnings: This warning is very much also a spoiler, so consider yourself warned. Barrie Anne lost her baby boy shortly after he was born. The trauma carries with her for the whole book, though it is more obvious at some points than others.
The Witch’s Kind was such a relaxing and engrossing read. I know those two sound like they would contradict one another, but they truly don’t. It’s delightfully written, with lots of details and no sense of rushing whatsoever.
I mentioned earlier that this book was described as being perfect for Practical Magic, and it’s true. The tones are remarkably similar, so I believe that if you enjoyed one, you’ll love the other. And that’s coming from an adoring fan of Practical Magic.
The paranormal elements add to the story, rather than detracting. Barrie and her aunt take everything thrown at them in stride, which only further shows what they’re capable of handling. It also proves just how interesting these women really are.
The novel keeps jumping between two points in time. One is the past (but only by a few years), and the other the present. I personally enjoyed the moments in the present more, though I understand that the past was setting up for the current set of events (naturally). I felt that the present flowed much more smoothly, and I was more invested in the events occurring in that timeline.
Barrie was easily my favorite character in the novel, second possibly only to Willow. There was something…more about that dog that I would love to know. I likely never will, and I’m okay with that. But she certainly caught my attention and my curiosity.
I loved how relaxing and quirky this novel was. Its tone was so shockingly soothing – even when something dramatic was occurring on the pages. It was like the book equivalent of a hug. It’s not every day that I come across a book that feels that way, so you can believe that I appreciated it.
I haven’t read any of Louisa Morgan’s other novels, but after this experience I’m going to have to check them out. I hope they’re just as detailed and enjoyable as this novel was.

A fascinating and engaging book that mixes different genre (historical fiction, paranormal, sci-fi) and create an amazing mix that entertains, moves and keeps you hooked till the last page.
The female characters are well written and fleshed out, strong women who had a hard life and you cannot root for them.
The plot was engaging even if it was a bit slow at the beginning.
I liked the descriptions and I liked the plot.
I requested this book because I read another book by this author and really liked it, this one was even better.
I look forward to reading other books by ms Morgan.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Oh my goodness, this novel is just so, SO good! To say that I adored and devoured this book would be a vast understatement. I loved it so very much! The author brilliantly sets a scene, landing her readers directly into the middle of the fray. The characters are absolutely exquisite, with their own complexities, beautifully flawed and completely memorable. I loved every last word of this book, and can't recommend it enough! I must have everything this author ever puts her hand to.

In a lot of ways, this book reminds me of a more interesting Shape of Water. I won’t go into much more beyond that, but if you like that movie, there’s a chance you’ll like The Witch’s Kind. For the most part, the plot is compelling, and Barrie Ann’s growth is lovely to watch. The most captivating parts of the novel are her relationships with the women in her life: Aunt Charlotte and Emma. Even without the supernatural element, I think that this novel would have been a good read because of how strong the relationships between the women are. That’s not to say that I want the supernatural element to be gone because I don’t! I enjoyed this unique little take on witches, and I only wish that there had been some more detail into the universe of the witches beyond the bits of speculation Aunt Charlotte offers from time to time.

Unfortunately, I didn’t much care for the telling instead of showing aspect of the novel. Everything is spelled out so much that there isn’t a chance for the reader to try to make these discoveries for ourselves. I feel bad, but I didn’t care for the writing style in this book at all. However! It’s a really fascinating concept, and I think that the strengths lie within the way the women of the novel interact with each other. For fans of The Shape Of Water, this book will certainly be of interest to you!

The Witch’s Kind by Louisa Morgan was like a steaming cup of English Tea: it smelled of home and was filled with memories of mornings spent along the water. There is no better word to describe this book other than “homey”. It was a delightful read written with the love of family and the strength it takes to have one. I recommend this book as a relaxed summer read, spent along the shore with a glass of iced tea quick at hand.

This narrative took time to develop, but the most beautiful flowers take the longest to bloom, right? I’m not the biggest fan of nonlinear narratives, but I thought Morgan did a great job keeping me interested in both story-lines. I loved aunt Charlotte, but I think Barrie Anne fell a little flat in the characterization department, but not every character is supposed to jump off the page. Sometimes, the beauty of a character is their simplicity.

I loved the mundanity associated with the supernatural elements of the narrative, a marker for Louisa Morgan’s writing, and while I must admit that I loved The Secret History of Witches more simply because there was more focus on supernatural elements, I still enjoyed this book.

The is one of the best -- if not the best -- Witch book I've read in a long time. It has everything: war, love, action, magic, intrigue and it's multi generational and smart. The author has clearly done her research on WW2 geopolitics in creating this fascinating world and even more fascinating characters.

This story jumps back and forth through past and present. Telling Barrie's story, a woman who has gone through from horrific events, when she's living isolated on her farm. and the then, the past, showing Barrie coming of age through college, marrying, and trying to survive the WW2. All the while with her Aunt Charlotte as your life companion, helping and tending to her emotions. Well, very strange things begin to happen. The first is the arrival of a mysterious abandoned baby and the second is the sudden reappearance of Barrie's long-lost husband who is not quite who he used be. I'm getting pet sematary vibes.

The book moves at a slow pace, and some readers might get frustrated at the pedantic pace of the story, but I rather enjoyed it. I enjoyed the changing of the points of views and the changing of the times. I also appreciated that the book centered around the 1930's and 1940's and spanned through World War II which isn’t the typical time frame for a witch book. It was nice to get something beyond the seventeenth century when witch hunting was at its peak.

This is overall an absolutely beautiful written story that I highly recommend every book reader to check out.