I love books about witches. This was a very good tale. Ploy kept my interest enough to make me want to read more books by this author. I would say the book was not spectacular but I enjoyed every bit of it.

This book is an interesting take on witches. The characters are lively and I loved the characters and world it builds. The plot is leisurely, but I would recommend to young adults looking for a witchy read.

Rating: T (there is mild violence and witchery, but nothing of a graphic nature.)

"She might not be a witch-indeed, she was not sure precisely what a witch was-but she was not nothing."

In Gilded Age New York, a centuries-long clash between two branches of the same magical family ignites when a young witch must choose between morality and ambition, as her predecessors before her have.

In 1692, Bridget Bishop was hanged as a witch. Two hundred years later, her legacy lives on in the scions of two very different lines: one dedicated to using their powers to heal and help women in need; the other, determined to grasp power for themselves by whatever means necessary.

This clash will play out in the fate of Annis, a young woman in Gilded Age New York who finds herself a pawn in the family struggle for supremacy. She'll need to claim her own power to save herself-and resist succumbing to the darkness that threatens to overcome them all.

Let me start out by saying that historical novels, despite my adoration of Austen and Bronte, are not my particular forte. Give me the future, or an entirely different fantasy world any day of the week. But this book was like Austen decided to write a witchy book. And I loved it!

First - the plot. I was hanging on every word. Just enough suspense and hope to keep the story moving, while still doing an absolute bang-up job of building some truly amazing and interesting characters. I adored our heroin. I admired her aunt/teacher. I hated, but also felt sorry for, the villain. And the love interest? Absolutely perfect and fun.

Basically Annis doesn't know she's a witch, or that her step mother is one too, and has been trying to spell, ensorcel, and manipulate her way as far up the social ladder as possible. And Annis, as a young girl with fortune in want of a husband, is just another pawn in her climb.

Do you like Jane Austen? Do you like witchy books in the more realistic style (not wands and apperating but more the Salem style potions and spells?) If you answered yes, pick up this book, I promise you'll love it! I only find myself wishing there were a sequel.

4 stars, I'll be looking for more by Louisa Morgan.

The thing that impresses me about Morgan's writing is how tactile and sensory it is. She's at her best when she's writing about the natural side of witchery: the sensations of earth underneath fingernails, the feel of flowers on fingertips, the taste of herbs on a tongue. Whatever the equivalent of AMSR is for the written word, she's got it.

I like Morgan's witches. I like the way they inhabit their skills and navigate their worlds. I like quiet sort of dreaminess she brings to fantasy.

What I struggle with is plotting, more so here than in Morgan's last book, THE WITCH'S KIND. This book is slow. It putters along its plot. The pace and demure storyline worked for THE WITCH'S KIND. That book was smaller in scope, more intimate all around. This book, with its alternating points of view and grander scale, plodded a bit.

I enjoyed it nonetheless. Whether you will depends entirely on the type of reader you are. Those looking for character-driven stories will do well. Frances is a suitable foil to the steady Harriet. Annis is an able embodiment of the rebel girl trope. They're interesting in their own ways.

But if you're looking for high-stakes, big-P plot, you'll likely be frustrated by THE AGE OF WITCHES.

*Thanks to Redhook Books through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.*

I loved the premise of "The Age of Witches" but I just don't think Morgan's style of writing captured me. Although, if you love reading about history, witchcraft, and some family drama -- check this book out.

A beautifully written tale of witches in Gilded Age New York. Harriet and Frances are both descendants of Bridget Bishop, who was hanged a century before. Harriet practices herbal magic while Frances practices a darker type of magic. Harriet is a healer and uses her magic wisely, while her cousin Frances uses her magic to get what she wants - a husband who has money and now she wants her step-daughter, Annis, to marry a man with a title to place her in a position to join the elite 400 in New York.

Annis is also descended from from the Bishop line, but knows nothing about her abilities. Harriet wants to teach her, but is estranged from Frances and Annis doesn't know who she is. Harriet becomes involved when Frances starts to use her step-daughter as a pawn.

I likes the characters Harriet and Annis. Frances was the more conniving character which I disliked, but later felt a little sorry for her. The story was good and I really like Morgan's writing style - the prose flows smoothly and fits the story putting you in the setting. I also loved the horses!

Thanks to Louisa Morgan and Redhook Books through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows a family descendent of the Bishop Family of witches from the Salem Witch Trials. Although the story is fiction it is based on facts. The family line had been broken in two. One line of the family practiced the old ways as herb medicine women who harness their power for the good and the other line of the family practices their craft for themselves and although able to do go they choose to use the dark side for lack of a better word. Annis must learn her craft in order to save herself.

I found the book to be a bit slow to start and I will admit that at points I was very tempted to put it down. It picked up at some point around the midpoint of the book and I found myself not being able to put it down at that point. I took me almost a month to get to the midpoint of the book and then I read the the rest of the book in one day.

The book was well researched. Louisa Morgan gives enough detail to make the craft sound believable and achievable with bits of “that’s not possible” mixed in. Although with a magical book I expect to need to suspend my beliefs for a moment at times. I appreciate that some of the spells seemed to have been very well researched and the incantations that were spoken seemed very real as well as the explanation as to why witches speak their spells and why very often the spells rhyme.

Words have strength and spoken words have the greatest weight
I thought the main characters seemed had depth. I was able to feel sympathy for the Villan (Frances) even though at the same time I was hating her for being so calculating and selfish. I really enjoyed reading about Harriet and even the Strega from the old herb store was believable and I really liked her. I wished that she had had a bigger part in the story. Perhaps another book???? (hint)

What I thought was lacking:

I did not like the way Morgan wrote the two ladies’ maids. I found them to have no depth and no interest. I thought that more could have been said about them. Even Harriet’s house keeper was a bit just thrown in there. She could have had a bigger part.

I hated reading about the trip to the asylum. Maybe that could have been dealt with differently. I was not expecting that much horror.

I found the ending to be a bit abrupt as if something was missing and there was no little bow tying the whole thing up together.

James, the love interest was soft and blah. He had no mind of his own and it felt like he was in the book only to be a poppet in the hands of the women. I did not like the way he was written and I can’t imagine Annis marrying him. She is a strong woman and I get the feeling that she would walk all over him.

Putting it all together:

I enjoyed the book. It was entertaining to read and it was researched well. Some areas of the craft were still a bit off but they were very minor. I rated the book 3 stars on Goodreads.

This was really fun. It starts with the death of one of the women accused of being a witch in the Salem witch trials. The story really begins with the descendants of her daughters. Harriet is from the good side and Frances is from the bad. Each practice magic to completely different purposes. One uses it to help others, the other uses it to further her own agenda. Harriet's great-niece, Annis, is caught in the middle. This combines historical fiction and fantasy. It's really fun. I definitely recommend it.

This book it what you would fully expect to receive when the synopsis mentions witches. No fluffy here. I loved every bit of this book. The characters were well thought out and the story itself was original and not at all telling.

Louisa Morgan creates a tale that weaves in life during the Gilded Age in America and England while telling the story of 3 Bishop witches. Each of the 4 different characters (3 witches 1 gentleman) rotates as the narrator of particular chapters, but it is done in a way that is easy to follow without getting lost between the shifts. The pace is slow for the majority of the book and even the climactic conclusion unfolds uncomfortably slow. The character development is shallow and the witchcraft is used sparingly by all the witches.

Overall, this was an enjoyable yet slow read that I would recommend to readers that enjoy the historical fiction genre but are not looking for a provocative or exciting plot that is driven quickly or filled with dangers for its characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this DRC in exchange for my honest review.
**I will add an additional review to my personal blog closer to the publication date.

I'm a huge fan of Louisa Morgan and greatly enjoy her books. This one is no exception. Beautifully crafted, it is the story of 3 related witches and the paths they choose to follow

It explores the disparity of power between men and women, particularly at the end of the 19th century. It illustrates women's fight for autonomy and Independence and the various lengths they go to in order to achieve it.

I highly recommend this for all lovers of fantasy and romance.

I was given an advance copy of this book. I am leaving my honest review

This is a story of self-discovery and finding your own power. Annis learns that she is a witch, but not your stereotypical witch. One branch of her family uses herbalism and has good intentions; one branch of her family has discovered an evil type of power. The women in this book have to learn to empower and protect each other. I enjoyed the story line, the unexpected romance, and the depth if the characters. Highly recommend!

Age of Witches is a perfect candidate for a good old fashioned book burning. Honestly, if some ultra-conservative Christian church group doesn’t buy boxes of this book with the sole intention of burning them, they are missing out!

Not only is this book about witches, but the main characters are basically the 1890s version of feminists. These witches refuse to submit to the men in their lives, and they go even further, using their power to influence men and elevate women. If all that weren’t enough to set off extremist Christians, parts of this book read like a grimoire, very “how-to”. PS I am now a witch…

This book is set in late 1800s New York and England. Women are expected to marry, support their husbands and have babies. The three main characters are all determined to be more than just someone’s wife or daughter and they are not afraid to use magic to get what they want. Harriet is an herbalist using her magic to heal. Frances is an ambitious social climber, she is an adept influencer. Annis is a witch’s apprentice with a horse obsession. Side note: a LOT of this book is about horses. If you are interested in opening stables or starting a breeding program, this book is for you. The characters are headstrong, confident and dangerous. They are exactly the kinds of women who would have been accused of witchcraft at that time, or even today.

This book was not perfect, but it kept me turning pages. While it works as a stand-alone, it would make me happy if the author wrote a sequel. I would certainly pick up another book about these women. Fans of Magical Realism, Fantasy and Historical Fiction may like this book. Anyone looking for fictional tales of witchcraft or women’s rights and history may also be interested.

Again, huge miss if there is not at least one book burning!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and RedHook books.

This story takes place in the late 19th century, primarily in NY, but with a little in England. It is told from the point of view of several characters: Harriet, Annis, Frances, and James, Harriet and Frances are witches and distant cousins from two different lines of Bishop descendants. Annis is also a Bishop descendant and a witch, but she doesn't know that in the beginning.

The story is a great tale of magic, family, love and some classic good vs. evil. I really enjoyed this book by Louisa Morgan.

This is the first book that I've read by Louisa Morgan and it wasn't quite what I expected but it kept me reading through until the end. I liked the time period in which this story was set and the family rivalry. Harriet was my favorite character in this book because she was a single lady who seemed a bit reclusive. Her vast knowledge and dedication to the use of herbs appealed to me. Overall, I loved most of the characters and the story had a nice flow to it. The romance was a nice touch too.

I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because, despite the good aspects of the book, I found it hard to pick up and continue reading at times. It felt a little slow sometimes and other times, it was exciting enough that I couldn't wait to pick it back up and continue reading it.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

The Age of Witches, due to be published on April 7, 2020, is Louisa Morgan's newest book in the loosely connected series of books that begins with A Secret History of Witches.

The book begins with a prologue set in 1692 focusing on the death of accused witch Bridget Bishop, and then jumps easily to 1890s New York and England. The story's protagonist is Annis, a beautiful, headstrong 17 year-old who loves horses, has zero interest in marriage or the typical proprieties of the age. Annis has little idea of the familial history of witches, healing, and power that she is connected to through both her mother, who died when Annis was a child, her stepmother Frances, and Frances' distant cousin Harriet, who also happens to be Annis' great aunt. Between Frances' scheming to gain societal acceptance through a good marriage match for Annis and Harriet's desire to protect the niece she has never really known, the story moves quickly and with great descriptions of what life was like during the Gilded Age. Ultimately, The Age of Witches is about love, family, accepting one's destiny vs. choosing one's way forward, and the balance of power between good and evil.

"Today, when women have little power that is not granted to them by men, to be a witch is a very good thing."
"Witch should be a beautiful word, signifying wisdom and knowledge and discipline, but it isn't used that way. It's been made an insult, implying evil, causing fear. The word has been perverted"

Unfortunately I did not post a review of this book, as it ended up being quite far removed from what I am typically interested and and don't think it is fair of me to judge the author on that. The premise of this was really interesting, but I did not like the delivery.

My first book by this author and I have come to the conclusion that she is a very talent writer, just not for me.

I love story's that revolves around witches, and I really thought I would enjoy this. But, I didn’t not.

I didn’t felt connected to any of the characters and didn’t like the main character that much.

I will not say that I will never read another book from this author. But I wouldn’t in the near future.

But if you have read and enjoy some of her others books. You will probably like this one too.

Pleasant enough, probably a bit longer than it needed to be. Ended oddly - is there to be a sequel? Though I love books with magic, this one wasn’t as atmospheric as I’d hoped, There *were* some good descriptions of what witches are.

This read more like a romance story than a fantasy story and I wish the magic and witchcraft had been stronger and more prominent. I enjoyed the general idea and plot of the story; the characters were mostly enjoyable. There was just something that didn't click with me as a reader that made me keep wanting to put this story down and pick up other ones instead. I did enjoy the female focus and the family aspects of the novel though.