This is the perfect book to be reading before Halloween. What could be better than witches and wine? This book is a fast book that tells the story of Elena who breaks the curse of her being a toad for seven years. She returns to her family vineyard, Château Renard, to discover her grandmother has sold the farm to Jean-Claude who believes in science and not magic. I will read the follow up to this book so I can find out what happens but I would have liked more magic in this book.

I loved this book. Honestly, in a very long time I found this perfect YA fantasy book that was such a wonderful and comforting read. It literally transported me to another world. As one can see, the cover is beautiful, the story and the world this book created was just magical.

So the story starts with the main character Elena transforming from a frog to a human girl. No, no prince charming kissed her and helped this transformation, it was instead her swallowing her toad skin which helped her transform back into a human and break the curse. After the transformation, she blamed her ex fiance to have had put a curse so her main aim after this transformation becomes to kill her ex fiance and seek revenge. She goes back to her old vinehouse to find that the vinery has been sold to a mortal soul named Jean-Paul.

Jean-Paul believes in science rather than magic. Elena is a witch, she can address the auras through her intuition and also travel through shadow world. She also mastered in making deadly poisons and potions. Apparently this story is set in a world where the existence of the witches in vineries was common knowledge and wine was thought to have been made from magic. For Jean-Paul this was a different society to adjust to, where people weren't scared of witches but welcomed them. Elena without any money, only offered to revive the vine business to its former glory for a shelter.

The mystery part of this story starts when several animal killings as ritual sacrifices are found and evidence of someone practicing the illegal dark magic is spread. Elena's identity as a witch is known to Jean-Paul and her ex fiance who she thought put a curse on her, is found dead as a part of the dark magic ritual. Elena is then blamed as the practitioner of this abhorred practice and she must now clear her name and find out the truth about the real culprit.

The unique element of this book was the wide acceptance of witches and the scientific explanation provided by the magic practiced by these witches. Further, one can also see various intuitive elements like that from the show of "Good Witches", a little bit of "Sabrina" and tidbits of "The frog prince". I really liked the elements and the magic that was very well written. Loved it. Thanks to the publishers for sending this book and providing me a lovely reading experience.

<I>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i > 

2 stars 

The protagonist of the Vine with is Elena, a witch who was cursed to become a toad. She escapes this curse and is out for revenge.

I had seen some great reviews of this, but somehow I was disappointed. I just couldn’t seem to get into the writing. The characters fell flat for me, and the world-building felt pretty minimal.

What I Loved: The writing in this story was beautiful. The author's descriptions of the magical beings and affects on the lands and vines made the perfect pictures form for me.

How I Felt: I really enjoyed this book. The story was well-planned and had a great ebb and flow to it. My only wish was that the author would have slowed down a bit and given us another few chapters. It felt a bit rushed in spots. There is a love story, and we don't get to see that develop the way I would have liked. There were times where one of the characters would think how they wanted to take an action and I was a little taken aback. I hadn't gotten to where they were with their feelings yet. I think that the romance could have been given a bit more time to properly blossom.

To Read or Not To Read: This is a great read for anyone. It has mystery and action, witches and fantasy....and wine. You can't go wrong with any of that.

What's This Book About Anyway?
Elena awakens from a curse in a frog's body. She doesn't know how long she's been a frog or who cursed her to be a frog. She is clearly near the end of this curse, as she begins to transform into a human. Making her way back home, she finds that she has been gone for 7 years and her home has changed a lot. Château Renard has changed ownership and the new owner is not interested in the fantasy tales of witchcraft for the vineyards.

Elena finds the vineyards have been cursed, she believes by her ex, the same person who she believes cursed her. Just as she is starting to find a way to undo the damage, she is arrested for a murder she did not commit. She must find a way to prove her innocence before she is taken to the ax man.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for providing this ARC to me in exchange for my honest review.

A light and easy read historical fantasy. I enjoyed the world building, felt like a bit of a good mesh of Deborah Harkness' 'A Discovery of Witches' and Joanne Harris' 'Chocolat' but with the more unusual setting of a vineyard. I liked most of the characters, it's just that most of the character interactions were a bit flat. There was lots of build up to all sorts of potentially exciting scenes, romantic as well as confrontations with suspected enemies, but it was all rather anticlimactic and a little predictable. I am intrigued enough to see the world building hopefully developed more and expanded on, and curious to see what happens next, especially with the two female fellow witches the main character meets towards the end of the novel.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

Review copied from my blog, also posted to Goodreads and I am preparing a post for my Instagram and Twitter:

First of all I’d like to thank Netgalley and the people over at Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy of the Vine Witch in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 out of 5 stars! I loved the heck out of this book and I was so pleasantly surprised by it too. As far as I could see, the Vine Witch is Luanne G. Smith’s debut novel, which I wasn’t able to tell while reading it. Her writing style is captivating and has just the right amount of whimsy to it without taking away from the mysterious plot, which keeps you at the edge of your seat and wanting to continue to read.

"It felt stronger than the bond of blood, held together by the terroir and magic of the work they did in the vineyard. They bowed their heads together, touching foreheads over the milk, as they often had when she was still a girl."

I loved the relationship between Grand-Mere and Elena in this book, it gave me the Charmed, sister-witches feeling. This book focused so much on the bond between women, and there were some hints of feminism too:

“I told him I’d rather be a happy spinster than his miserable wife and threw his ring back at him.” Grand-Mere bent her ear forward, as if she hadn’t heard correctly. “You broke off the engagement?”

And this little gem:

“He likes being superior and reminding me of how much I don’t know.” “So you’re saying he’s a man?”

And the last one (can you tell I loved the quotes in this book?):

"He’d never been a great reader of women’s thoughts, but there was no mistaking the murder in this one’s eye.'

But this book didn’t turn in anything too spiteful, there was a very cute romance going on and I was rooting for the two! My preference would have been for a slightly more slow burn romance though, since the feelings from ‘hate’ to love overturned quite quickly in my opinion.

To conclude however, I think many people will get something different they like out of this book. There is whimsical witchcraft, empowering sisterhood, a murder mystery, feelings of revenge and a budding romance all set against the gorgeous backdrop of the French vineyards

3.5 Stars

THE VINE WITCH is one of those books that immerses you in its setting, historical with a touch of fantasy. The characters are likable with a mystery and touch of danger that keeps the story engaging from beginning to end. Recommended to historical fantasy readers who like their stories on the lighter side.

This reminded me just a little of A Discovery of Witches. It has that same kind of old world feel with a mystery that unfolds as the protagonist, Elena, comes back to herself after a spell. She finds a man has taken over her beloved Château Renard vineyards and she has to piece together what happened and find who cursed her. There are plenty of twists and the story keeps you guessing as to who exactly the villain is (I had a guess, but then I questioned it). There is romance, but it's a bit of a side story, which was just fine.

I enjoyed both the character development and the plot of this story. I liked the way Elena has to find herself again and then undergoes a bit of character development as she figures things out. I also really liked the whole idea of a vine witch and how they coax the vines with magic while partnering with nature. The magical aspects are woven into the story in almost an instinctual way that just feels natural, and don't become an intense part of the story until the climatic ending. The whole story just builds to it as the pieces fall into place. And that ending... marvelously done.

There were parts of the story that were crude and blunt. There were references to drinking and making love, etc. It's to be somewhat expected in an adult novel, but I would have been okay without the content.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I enjoyed reading this. It was easy to fall into and want to stay until the end. Likable characters and an intriguing plot with just the right amount of romance and magic.

Content: Closed door scene, references to love scenes, drinking.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through the Fantastic Flying Book Club, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

Loved reading the engaging and enthralling romance. When Elena, a vine witch, breaks free from her curse after 7 years, she comes home and finds out Grandmere sold the winery, and meets the new owner, Jean-Paul, who believes in only scientific methods. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written with captivating characters and a riveting story line.
I reviewed a book through NetGalley.

In the Vine Witch, we meet Elena who has spent the past 7 years under a curse, living as a toad.
She returns to the vineyard where she grew up to find it has been sold to a city lawyer, Jean-Paul, who, because he shuns magic, has been unable to produce a decent bottle of wine. Chemistry blooms between the two of them and he is willing to have her help him, but of course, doesn't want her to use magic.

I loved the idea of there being different kinds of witches that had different connections to different trades. There was a pastry witch also, and there are potion witches and a fire-Jinni.

There is however some black magic going on, with animal exsanguination, and Elena must solve the mystery before she is implicated. I thought a lot of the plot was very predictable, and I could see many of the action points coming a mile off. (so why couldn't they?)

I did like the idea of magic going into making a delicious wine, because maybe it really does, and the bits of French were delightful, but it just didn't quite rise to 4 stars for me. I could maybe go 3.5

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, my opinions are my own.

4/5 stars for this Witchy Fantasy book!

I received this book in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.

I was expecting this book to be a cozy mystery, however it is a bit darker than that genre tends to be. I'm just gonna put this out there....this book will be great for fans of Box of Frogs, and Discovery of Witches! I didn't realize this was going to be a series, but so glad it is! The characters were great, it's just dark enough, and the story was so good! The only downside is having to wait for book 2 ;)

Romance and magic combine in a story set in France that I really should have liked, but found I never quite got into. The world building is strong and the story moves along at a healthy clip but I never found a way to engage. Your mileage may vary, of course.

**Disclaimer: I was given an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

So, I'm not a wine "Snob", so this book wouldn't have been my first choice, but it was both an ARC I received and an Amazon First Pick... However, this book was GOOD and was SO MANY THINGS - romance, historical fiction, murder mystery, etc.- and I loved every bit.

The concept that there are specific witches that focus on specific trades was so interesting, and I'm surprised I don't see it more?? Like, witch-made pastries, wine, clothing, etc. So cool!

The dynamic between Elena and Jean-Paul was sweet and fun; it didn't feel like insta-love, but was borderline.

The murder/mystery/antagonist was pretty obvious, but it was well done how all the plot points tied together.

The story begins with a toad. Elena has been cursed to live her life in a fetid pond as a toad. She figures out a way to break the curse and returns home only to find she’s been gone for seven years and the winery she grew up on has changed hands and is not successful anymore. Her Grand-Mere is still there working for the new owner, John-Paul. Elena agrees to help turn the vineyard around but the new owner tells her that science is best and he won’t allow any magic. She discovers that someone has hexed the vineyard and she must use magic to save it. In the village, animals are being ritually killed and someone is practicing dark magic. Elena investigates but is soon accused of being the dark witch and is imprisoned. She must find a way to prove her innocence and find out who the real dark witch is before she is executed. I’m a wine drinker so I liked the idea of a vintner infusing magic into wine making to create renowned wines. The magic aspects are interesting and I liked the way Elena spoke with the vines and the way she uses magic. The writing style is a bit simplistic but the story telling is good. The only thing I found irritating was the random insertion of words in French. if someone is handling matches just use the word matches, it doesn’t need to be in French. Also, one of the characters kept saying “oh la la” it was annoying. Other than that, I liked the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow what a awesome Book.
This was my First book by this Author and I Truly Loved it. I was totally spellbound by this book. This Book grabbed me from the First page..and I just couldn't put it Down. If your into witches and spells... well let me tell you this Book is more than just a little of that.. Elena, Goes thorough some rough times.
But in the end some Romance.
I Recommend this book to others.
Thank you netgally for letting me read this awesome book...
I Loved This Book.

A paranormal story about Elaina a vine witch and Jean Paul French winery owner and their problems with the vines. Witches,spells,curses,and demons.
The. Problems are caused by a curse.
Good drama,mystery twist and romance.
Voluntarily reviewed.

This season is perfect for witches' stories and for sure The vine witch has a fall vibe. The unique beginning makes you to fall in love with the story. It is first time when I am reading about a vine witch and her magic and I really enjoyed the plot.

The writing is easy to follow and I love the simplicity of the cover. Though it is a bit predicted, the book catches you in its grip and doesn't let you go till the end. Especially that it has black magic and a twisted ending.

This book has everything you want: romance, mystery and murder in a fantasy world. I am glad I had the opportunity to read this lovely story and I can't wait to read the second book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In this fun fairy tale novel , a “vine witch” in France at the prior turn of the century is gifted with wine-making magic. Witches in this world can have different kinds of magic, including baking magic; sex magic; or brewery or vineyard magic (I’ll take some of each, please).

Naturally, there is also black magic, with blood and demons and pentagrams. At the beginning of the book, Elena Boureanu, the vine witch of Château Renard—specializing in Pinot Noir–has been turned into a toad by someone using the forbidden black arts, and changes herself back after seven years hopping around in the swamp. Elena vows revenge against her enchanter, who has also hexed her entire vineyard, which was once legendary but hasn’t turned out a decent bottle in precisely seven years. The grapes mold on the vine and the oldest vines are literally depressed. If any grapes are actually harvested, a resident gargoyle pisses on them, just to make sure the wine will be extra sour.

It’s up to Elena to save the vineyard, and the gargoyle is only one difficulty. While Elena was a toad, a distractingly handsome vigneron, Jean-Paul Martel took over the vineyard from her grand-mère, and he isn’t having any of this superstitious magic nonsense with the new Age of Science dawning. Great wine, Jean-Paul insists, is a simple matter of weather, chemistry, and timing. Elena runs into many other magical obstacles as well, but she finds some magical allies along the way, with both astonishing powers and gutsiness in a crisis.
This is Luanne Smith’s debut, and it shows considerable promise within the fantasy genre.

While I was “all in” the Chanceaux Valley, and didn’t want to put the book down for even a minute, I felt that the novel was rushed and possibly over-edited. Elena is a great character but the other characters were insufficiently fleshed out, the romance was rushed, the friendships were rushed, the showdown with the enemy was rushed, the plot twists at the end were rushed. The only aspect of the book that was not rushed was the magic. Various spells are described in scrumptious detail, and I wanted more of the same for the whole book. I hope that in the sequel, "The Glamourist" (to be released in June 2020), the author takes it nice and slow, as her talent certainly warrants.

I was very interested in this title because I just thought it was an interesting idea and I'll be honest I was completely let down I may or may not continue the series it was just not cup of tea and it felt as it drug on. I think I've heard a lot of mixed reviews so I think it's a toss up on how people will feel about it.

There are so many reviews for this already, I can't add any value other than to recommend it for paranormal and fantasy fans.

I really appreciate the copy for review!!

Well writen and fast paced. The premise is interesting. Never heard of vine witches before. But the chemistry between the main characters doesn't feel too real. They fall for each other too quickly wihout much interaction. Still this was a good read.