A cute little tale about a vine witch called Elena who just recently turned back into a human after seven years as a frog. She comes back to her "grandmothers" estate and vineyard to find it in bad shape, and quickly sets out to make things right. During her status as a frog her grandmother sold the estate and grounds to a rich man from the city who doesn't believe in the "oldways" e.g. the magic the vine witch has over the vineyard. Seems like magic is well understood in the countryside buy slowly being forgotten about in the city where the people are leaning towards science more and more than the old, traditional (and magic) ways of farming the lands.

Like stated, the story was sort of cute but oh so predicable. I feel like this is my issue with so many books but that is why there has to be some romance? This could have been so good without any romantic elements and the pages could have been more focused on the world Smith has created with the different types of nature witchcraft which I found very thoughtful and entertaining. More witchyness, less boring romance, please!

S U M M A R Y
The Vine Witch is a perfect October read that emanates a spooky, autumnal atmosphere. We follow our main character, Elena after she emerges from a curse that has left her as a toad for the past 7 years. Elena is a vine witch who lives in France tending to the vineyards of Château Renard. When she returns, she finds out the vineyard has been taken over by Jean-Paul, a city man who dismisses the country folk's belief in witchcraft as backward thinking and superstitious. But despite all his knowledge of the science of winemaking- his wine is not working. He will have to put aside what he thinks he knows to save his vines, but more sinister forces are lurking in the shadows.

✔ L I K E S ✔
✔ The magic!
I love love loved the magic in this book. It was so interesting to see the different abilities of all the types of witches!

✔ The atmosphere and descriptions
This is where Smith excels. I could practically taste the wine, smell the goods from the boulangeries, see the historical french landscape.

✗ D I S L I K E S ✗
✗ The characterisation
This book had so much potential for me to love it, but the characters fell flat for me. I didn't feel as if I knew any of them, or cared.

✗ The romance
I know, I'm shocked too. I am usually a sucker for a good romance, but this one just felt as if there was no chemistry. They touched hands once and BOOM they were in love. ugh.

✗ boringggg
It took me so long to finish this, especially considering that this is a relatively short novel. I also found myself skimming it near the end.

O V E R A L L
I wanted to love it. I really did, but I just had a detachment from everything that prevented the book from reaching its full potential. I will continue with the series (because it is only a duology, and I do want to know how Elena and Jean-Paul's story ends.)

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this E-ARC!
2.75 stars

DNF. It's not terrible, but the mystery elements are too predictable and I was getting bored. Your mileage may vary, so check out other reviews.

3.5

The writing style is gorgeous. I loved all the descriptors it really lends itself to wine and witchery.

Our main character Elena is bound to the vineyard from a young age. She helps curate and make the wine taste divine. That is until one day everything literally changes and she is cursed to live as a frog.

She manages to remove said curse and thus beginning the story. I am pleasantly surprised with how enraptured I became. I read it all in one sitting because I had to know how it would end. They mystery elements aren’t hard to figure out but it’s about the journey. And this was an incredible journey.

The romance aspect was really great. I loved how they each had each other’s back.

This is a standalone which I am kind of bummed about because the world with all sorts of different witches is very interesting, so hopefully more will come.

I received a free copy for an honest review from 47North

With her mind lifting from a deep fog, and years of her life stolen; a woman covered in filth and rags vows vengeance on the one who cursed her. But a dark shadow is descending upon the Chanceaux Valley. Conspiracy mixed with the pungent smell of fresh blood lingers in the air over the vineyard of Chateau Renard. If this young witch hopes to have her revenge, she must first survive the impending dangers to come.

From a young age Elena had a way with the earth; feeling the breath of life flowing from each living thing. Her talents, harvested by Chateau Renard’s acclaimed wine vineyard, turned her into a skilled and powerful vine witch; blossoming like a fresh spring harvest.

Or, at least they did until a dark force stripped her of everything she knew. Ambushed by a sorciere and placed under a transmutation curse, Elena fights for years to rid herself free and return home. In order to survive and keep her mind from sinking to a toad, Elena kept two important principles clear: 1) to be sure to eat her shredded yet poisonous skin every day, and 2) take revenge on the one who cursed her.

After seven long painful years, Elena is free but her return home is nothing as she imagined. The famous vineyard Chateau Renard has lost all prestige, and worse, it’s been sold to a disbeliever of the supernatural. A man of science and technology, Jean-Paul Mortel is more than a little surprised by Elena’s claims that Chateau Renard is her home. And against his better judgement, Jean-Paul contracts himself into an agreement with the beautiful and odd cat eyed woman.

With limited access to the world around her and fearful of the one she believes cursed her; Elena must piece together the events of her past if she hopes to survive to enact her plans of vengeance.

Luanne G. Smith’s debut novel, The Vine Witch narrates a riveting and mystical tale of witches during the ‘turn-of-the-century-France’. The language woven into the descriptive imagery and dialogue present a rich introduction into a new world of witchcraft.

I hung onto every word that dripped like honey narrated by Susannah Jones on Audible. Even without the smooth and in-depth voice by Jones that match Elena’s character perfectly, the novel holds it own as one of the most acclaimed new debuts of 2019.

I for one am excited that this book has been made into a series because Elena’s character is powerful. Not only does she recognize how/when to be patient, she also presents the fierceness to find the answers she seeks no matter the danger. Her strong character development and passionate views on the world around her, make her an excellent heroine in this debut novel.

Even the relationship between Jean-Paul is a lovely and natural touch. Their attraction is first pitted off as annoyance and frustration until an outside third party shows the growing feelings between the two.

I greatly appreciate when authors decide to follow the “show, not tell” rule in writing. This simple formatting technique allows readers to be incorporated into the story’s arc direction, instead of being directly told; leaving a feeling of disappointment and lack of awe. The act of being told and not shown further extracts from a key part of a reader’s experience to be fully immersed and committed to a story’s development and characters.

The imagery also immediately deepens and grows as the story progresses. The vivid world building heightens the plot to unravel Elena’s mystery and a more hideous plan brewing in the Chanceaux Valley. The body language that Smith adds to her characters’ behavior and personality flows naturally. Nothing in the novel felt forced or out of place. From Grand-mere’s rubbing of her fingers to test for magic, to Elena’s light touch of the soil; all movements give the essence that magic is taking place.

I highly recommend this fantastic read! I loved every second of it and can't wait for the second installment, The Glamourist.

I was so excited to read this book. The title, the cover, all right up my alley. But I knew, I KNEW, the minute I started reading it that it wasn’t going to be for me.

It’s very very story-telling like. Like princess story telling. In my head, I could hear the narrator reading it like in a movie. That may fit a whole group of readers and I think this book is their target audience, just not mine.

Again, the writing is very middle grade and I didn’t know that going into it it would be that way, so that’s on me I suppose.

Our girl is a ...toad... in the beginning. She’s cursed. Interesting right? Now she’s back and has to fight for her family and curses, hexes. It’s a bit predictable and anticlimactic but I typically enjoy darker reads.

It’s a quick fun read that I know lots of readers will love!

The Vine Witch was a promising debut novel. The premise was interesting and there was just the right level of world building to present the magic and the time period without going over the top with detail. Elena was a compelling heroine whose trials I was keen to follow. The only thing that didn't work so well for me was the romance aspect, which felt a bit insta-love. I didn't quite see why they would fall for each other and so quickly. But overall this was a quick, entertaining read that I recommend to readers who enjoy historical, magical tales.

3.5/5 stars

This book is part fantasy (or maybe magic realism), part mystery, and part romance, and that is a combination I can get behind. I loved the very original setting and premise: the idea of “vine witches” who help the vineyards of France to thrive and produce incredible wine? That is pretty cool! And I liked that our main character, Elena, was strong enough to stand on her own two feet and use her quick wit and intellect to solve problems and make her way through life. Beyond that, though, I did have a little trouble connecting with the characters and caring about what happened to them. It was like I was being told all about Elena and her past experiences, instead of getting to see them for myself and vividly feel what she feels. The same for Jean-Paul. It felt like the author did a lot of research to get the setting and the details of the magic just right, and the character development and oomph took more of a back-burner, if that makes sense. The interesting little magical details were enough to keep me reading right through to the end in almost one sitting, but I think the characters and story will fade from my mind pretty quickly because I just wasn’t very emotionally invested.

Three and a half
I saw this beautiful cover and having read the synopsis was really keen to read this book. Its essentially an historical look at the possibilities of Witches in France and has a fabulous beginning with of all things a sentient toad or does it ? Actually no because for seven years Elena, a Vine Witch has been under a curse and when she finally breaks it her return home isn't exactly a pleasure because the Vineyard has been sold . So not only does she have to track down who cursed her but also deal with the new owner !
I liked this but did think the big bad was extremely obvious. Now having said that the final third of this story was very unpredictable because the author added a twist which made everything fall into place. If blunt I thought the romance was lukewarm and pretty one sided unfortunately but I did love the supporting character Yvette as she was so vibrant and I would love read a story about her.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

The vine witch
Elena is a vine witch who has been cursed to live as a toad for seven years by her ex-fiancé.
She returns to the vineyard which her fellow vine witch she refers to as her Grandmother runs. The vineyards magic is failing due to a hex that has been placed on the land by the same man that cursed Elena, so her Grand-Mère has been forced to sell the property to a handsome man called Jean-Paul.

Loved the idea of vine witches and the unique magic system.
The writing was very atmospheric I felt like I was somewhere in southern France due to the way the author describes everything so vividly, I could actually feel the world in my imagination.
Really liked elena & Jean-Paul as characters.

Thank you to netgalley and amazon publishing for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wine and witchcraft? Yes, please!

This book was a fun way to start off the month of October. The premise of the vine witch is so fascinating; witches whose magic aids in the process of making amazing wine. But when Elena emerges from a curse to find that the vineyard she was supposed to inherit has been purchased by a man who believes strictly in science-based wine making, she doesn’t know what to do or who to turn to. She discovers hexes and spells all over the vines and is set on a mission to discover who cursed her and why her beloved vines are being disturbed.

I truly enjoyed this book. It combined three of my favorite things: witchcraft, wine, and a good mystery. The genre is technically fantasy, but the story has some suspense and mysterious elements to it as well as a love story on the side. Elena was an adventurous and brave woman, determined to find out what happened to her and why her vineyards are producing awful wine. She has very little to go on and only one measly clue about the witch who cursed her. She finds help when she makes an unlikely new friend and together they set out to discover the truth. This was a lighthearted and fun read; the perfect way to start my fall reading.

The Vine Witch started with a great hook – how did Elena Boureanu survive seven years cursed as a toad? How did she escape? And who cursed her?

I really enjoyed the different elements of the supernatural in this book, especially as we see them both through the eyes of Elena, and Jean-Paul, as this world is slowly revealed to him. I especially loved the idea of being so close to the natural world that there is something beyond what can be seen, from malignant creatures to the energies running through everything.

And quite honestly, I just loved the idea of a ‘vine witch’ – of someone who not only sees and cares for the vines, but is intrinsically linked with them. Of having a witch’s workshop, filled with bottles and potions and remedies. Glorious.

This all adds to a Chocolat style of magical atmosphere – the French setting, the period/fantasy background, the threat of something external and the combination of something both magical and whimiscal.

I did find parts of the story a little repetitive, and there were times when a chapter recounted an action, rather than allowing the reader to experience it – this at times felt like you had fallen asleep, and the story had carried on without you (but always caught you up). This sometimes felt like being jolted in and out of the story.

I also have a few questions about the magic system – some of this was explained through the witch purges and Covenants of the previous century, in this setting. But with so many witches in this world, and with so many areas of strength and skill, it seems strange that they have allowed themselves to be confined to ‘side’ acts in this world. Some of that can be explained through the ‘period’ of the fantasy setting, but aside from society, there appeared to be no limits to a witch’s power.

All in all, in was an enjoyable story, an enjoyable world and a lovely pastoral setting with an excellent mild threat. For me the ‘who’ became obvious, but not the ‘how’ – and that’s what made the ending particularly good. I’m also especially pleased to see that there is a book two coming out soon – the ending doesn’t require it, but this is a world that I would gladly dip into again.

The Vine Witch was an enchanting read! I was instantly pulled into it from the first page. We are first introduced to our main character, Elena, as she is trying to break free from a curse that has left her as a toad for seven years. Once she breaks the curse, Elena makes her way back to her home, Château Renard, a vineyard that she has lived at since 5 years old. But her home is not how she left it. Covered in various hexes, the poor vineyard is struggling. When she learns that the previous owner has sold it to someone else, a city man nonetheless, it is just salt in the wound.

The new owner of Château Renard is Jean-Paul Martel, a former attorney from the city, and a man of science. He doesn't believe in any of that Vine Witch nonsense the townspeople speak of. He knows that if he can just get the correct minerals in the soil and the pH balance of the grapes just right etc that his vineyard will soon be restored back to its former glory. Then Elena arrives back at the vineyard and he finds his perspective changing.

The writing in this was great! The world building really makes you feel like you are there in the Vineyards with Vine Witches and hexes and gargoyles and the first automobiles. And I really liked the main characters. Elena starts out on a mission for revenge, and when I say revenge I mean REVENGE LIKE POISON THAT GOES LIKE A SNAKE IN A PERSONS BLOOD. But! We get to see some growth in her as she decides to instead focus her attention on the vineyard and the evil surrounding the town that reeks of forbidden blood magic. We also get some great growth from Jean-Paul as he goes from nonbeliever to "say what I've  been wrong this whole time and witches are real better go read some books about them so I know all there is to know" Great character growth, amirite?


I really enjoyed this one! I'm giving it a 4 out of 5 stars. I read it quite quickly and was fully invested in the story by chapter 1.  Recommended for fans of witchy women, revenge, wine, murder mystery, and slow-burnin love.

I’m not sure why I’ve picked The Vine Witch. I have no interest in wine and even less in books with a significant romance arc. I won’t say no to a glass of good wine or to a good romance book, but I don’t actively seek them out. Maybe it was the cover? No idea. To my surprise, I adored every second of Smith’s debut. A sign that I’m growing old and sentimental for sure.



The Vine Witch, set in a fantasy version of rural France, blends romance, folklore, witchcraft, and murder mystery. Elena Boureanu, the titular vine witch, had never suspected she’d spent seven years eating moths and slugs to survive in a fetid pond, turned into a toad. Focused on making Chateaux Renard's wines exceptional, she paid little attention to petty rivalries or little things. And yet someone has cursed her and turned into an animal.


When she regains her body, she wants nothing more than revenge against whoever stole seven years of her life. She suspects it was her ex-fiancé Bastien Du Monde, ambitious, business-savvy and charismatic vigneron, and she plans to make him pay. First, though, she needs to regain her power. When she returns Chateaux Renard, her home, she discovers it was sold to a scientifically minded ex-lawyer Jean-Paul Martel who seeks a new vocation in life. Her Grand-Mere and magic teacher grew old and lost her edge and the vine that made Renard’s Domaine famous lost its magic:



She took a sip of the wine to chase the memory from her mouth, but if she was looking for relief she was vividly disappointed. None of the musky hues of spice and rose petals the Renard vineyard was famous for hit her palate. It was all chalk and mushrooms.


A closer look at the vineyards make things obvious - someone cursed them. Elena can deal with an intricate spellwork, but her magic reserves are still weak and when Bastien is found dead and Police consider her the prime suspect, things get complicated.


Shaped by historically accurate details, the story feels true to the era of the late Belle Époque. Smith enriched it with fascinating details particular to that era (fashion, automobiles, pre-industrial wine and cheese making practices). I'm sure she's also made a lot of research on witchcraft, witch trials, and herb lore as they're very detailed. All of this in less than 300 pages, something I highly appreciate as it proves the skillful writer can find a perfect balance between world-building, pacing and characterization.


The plot, while slightly predictable in places, impressed me with a great balance between murder mystery, action, and slow-burn romance. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Smith threw few clever surprises at me, the perfect bitter-sweet ending being one of them. Well done.


Both main characters and their sidekicks feel human. Elena and Jean-Paul are three-dimensional and their romance is believable and engaging. I prefer Elena, but I can see female readers falling for the handsome lawyer whose life is just about to turn upside down.


Elena is a strong lead. Fierce, intelligent, and hungry for knowledge, she's easy to like and admire. Her past remains mysterious but we learn she has mastered divine arts while still in her teens. Hungry for more, she sought the magic she hadn't been taught (including blood magic) and developed an extraordinary talent known as shadow vision. She knows there’s a glorious magic to be found in the darkness and she wants to understand it. I admit I have a soft spot for protagonists with a darker side and Elena fits the archetype well.


Jean-Paul believes in science and innovation. He treats the mention of magic as the superstitious nonsense and has no interest in seeing it applied in his vineyard. When his beloved laws of physics, doctrines of religion and the empirical evidence of the senses are rendered useless by what he'd seen, he must reassess his beliefs. Smith portrayed his inner conflict well and found a clever way to change him.

And now the romance. I liked it - perhaps because, while important and highlighted, it never overshadowed intricacies of the plot. Jean-Paul and Elena share a strong chemistry. Their beliefs are at odds and this adds some tension to their budding relationship.


Besides the vine magic and slow-burn romance, I enjoyed the investigation of the murder mystery and Elena’s focus on discovering the witch wielding blood magic. This part of the story went into dark places and added another layer of complexity to the story and characters.


I need to mention and praise the prose. Rich, nuanced and appealing to all senses it makes reading The Vine Witch a worthwhile experience. I loved the way the author described tastes, smells, landscapes and emotions. Here’s a little sample:



Despite his desire to leave, the fresh-baked smell captivated him, and he reached for the sticky tart. One bite and the full complexity hit him. The pastry tasted of fruit and nuts, butter and brown sugar, and the rich spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom, all heat-seared by fire. Sweet, yes, but also sophisticated, heightened by a hint of salted brandy. Not unlike a well-aged wine, he thought, the way the flavors evolved on the tongue.


Descriptions of food and wine made me salivate. Description of the Chanceaux Valley made me want to visit it. When a book does it to me, I don't need another proof it's well written.


If you’re in the mood for witchcraft, romance, and the wine, I have an inkling you're going to love The Vine Witch.

This is just the sort of thing I like: The supernatural is scientific and the magic is in the telling, as it should be.

This book was an absolutely lovely read! It was nothing like I was expecting, which I always enjoy. It had such an Old World feel to it, almost like a fairy tale from long ago, but with a modern twist. I loved the concept of the different types of witches. The vine witches are tied to their land and dedicate their lives to making the grapes grow perfectly. There are hints that there are many other types of witches, although the story doesn’t go into detail on them.

Also wonderful was the way that this author describes the countryside. I want to take a vacation in the Chanceaux Valley! It sounds so beautiful! The way that Smith writes is very atmospheric. It appeals to all the senses in a very vivid way.

Now let’s talk about our main character, Elena. She is a fiesty one! She was cursed and lived as a frog for SEVEN YEARS! And she was clever enough to figure out how to break the spell by using her own venom! She returns to her home to find everything changed and doesn’t really blink an eye. Even though the new owner of her vineyard doesn’t believe in magic, she is ready to do what she needs to do to get rid of the dark magic that has taken hold of the vines. There is also a much darker element to their world. Someone is making animal sacrifices and Elena suspects some sort of blood magic. This is where I felt like the story was right out of Grimms’ Fairy Tales. Charming, but also dark and gruesome underneath.

If you like fantasy that feels fresh and new while still feeling very rooted in tradition, then do give this a read. I was enthralled with it the entire time.

Brooding with dark magic and pungent with love and betrayal., 'The Vine Witch' is a full-bodied tale of vengeance and magic that will make you thirsty for more.

'The Vine Witch' took me on a tasting journey through the old magic of French vineyards. Essentially, vine witches are the keepers of vineyards, imbuing the grapes with their magic, producing world class tasting wine. The story follows one particular witch named Elena, who makes her way back to her vineyard after waking up from a terrible curse and finds it in the hands of a non-believer of magic. The vineyard has also been hexed and while Elena tries to restore the vineyard, she is also on the hunt for the person who cursed her, all the while hiding her true identity from the mortal man who now owns her vineyard. There are many twists and turns like a grape vine climbing through the pages of this brilliant debut.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book because A) I don’t drink, and B) vineyards aren’t really my thing. Boy, was I wrong! This is one of the best fiction books I have read this year. I thought the idea of witches being behind specialty crafts/businesses was ingenious. I also really loved the author’s elegant writing style. It wasn’t overly descriptive, there weren’t too many characters, and the layered notes of the story added a depth so it wasn’t just about Elena trying to restore her vineyard. It fermented into a story about blood and poison and the sweet and bitter consequences of both.

The bold aroma produced by this rich debut has me very excited for the next book in this series.

I LOVED THIS STORY!!

So I have generally come to a new-found love and respect for the Fantasy genre and books like these continue to make me realize why this genre is becoming a fast favorite!

I love novels that contain some sort of witchery and magic, as I find these tropes really allow my mind to visualize such a fun and creative world. I also find my imagination being at its most creative peak where everything in existence falls away and reality comes second to endless possibilities.

The interwoven beauty of fantasy, suspense of what will happen, and romance was a creation intricately designed by SMITH. This author’s language of writing was so beautiful and I found myself hanging on every word.

I also really enjoyed the aspect of the “vines” and how they related to a witches craft, giving this novel a unique texture that I have never read before in a fantasy novel.

I am so excited about SMITH’s writing, and I am eager to devour her next masterpiece produced at the hands of a master storyteller!

Oh yea…and then you realize that it is a series-

YES!!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, Fantastic Flying Book Club, and 47North for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.


Low-key this is how we are introduced to Elena in the first chapter, and we get to witness her transformation from a toad to a woman, and only towards the end of that chapter do we realize that she actually has a name.

And she’s freaking pissed.

So not only was Elena somehow cursed into a toad by some mysterious jerkhole, but she was cursed to be a toad for seven years, and by the time she makes it back to her Chateau Renard to find out that her home was sold and that some stranger named Jean-Paul Martel is the one living in it. She’s out for revenge, and hopefully the person – or thing – that cursed her all those years ago is still around so she can make them pay.

I personally liked the story of Elena, and I love that she really didn’t need a dude to come save her, even though she really did take a while to rescue herself she didn’t just lay down to take it any longer. Her power over the vineyard around her house is one that I personally haven’t seen before, and I like the idea of having power over wine. I may not be a wine drinker, but maybe if I was a vine witch, I could learn to like it.

“Mud and silk, blood and milk, never the twain should meet. For if they do. Bad luck to you. ‘Tis the Devil you’ll greet.” Childhood Rhyme

Since I’m still not much of a romance person, rather than gushing over that part, I was more into the relationship between Elena and her “Grand-Mere”. Even though they weren’t related by blood, they were still family, and I honestly love those kinds of relationships in novels. It’s almost like a found family, and these two women bonded and took care of one another because of their shared experiences with magic. I’m so glad that Grand-Mere was still around by the time Elena was able to break the curse. I feel like she would have been truly alone if she wasn’t, and that would have been detrimental to her journey of having to re-acclimate into the world she wasn’t apart of for seven years.

This book was absolutely stunning and magical.

When skilled vine witch Elena Bourenau awakens from the curse that turned her into a toad for 7 years, she finds her beloved winery, Chateau Renard, in dire straits. She returns home to reclaim her prestige as a winemaker and to get revenge on Bastien Du Monde, her former fiancee and the man who cursed her. She faces a challenge in her quest by the presence of Jean-Paul Martel, the new owner of the winery who is staunchly opposed to magic of any kind.

This book surprised me. Honestly, I didn't expect for it to be that good, but I am glad I was wrong. Smith manages to take a story about wine magic and turn it into a dark tale about magic, revenge, and secrets. With every page, the book just got better and better, especially the last half of the book. It was delicious. The Vine Witch is a seductive, understated, and thrilling read that will instantly transport you back to turn-of-the-century France. It's the perfect book to kick back and relax with a glass of wine this Fall season!