A fantastic story about how the past can affect the present with a bit of magic thrown in. Set in Salem the descendants of those involved in the witch trials discover how life is interlinked and now they need to stop a twisted murderer bent on revenge for past deeds. A great read and now have to go and find the next book in the series as I am hooked.

I did enjoy this book. It is very well written.
It is a good story that I didn't want to put down.

If you like a good mystery this is a good one..

I had a hard time following the narrative of this book and kept putting it down but I did like the characters.

Personally I love books about witch craft and things of that nature. Overall , the characters in the book were great. I liked the story line a lot but it definitely got a little long at times. I think that they could have shortened some parts of it to keep the story line and mystery moving faster. However, it was a good read and I look forward to the next book.

This is a solid story about the witches in Salem, Massachusetts.
I’m always interested in reading these type of cozy mysteries, so I was really looking forward to reading this book.
While I found a tiny bit of it stale, most of it was well written and it kept me engaged until the end.

This was a quick and interesting story. It flips around from timelines but it’s easy to follow. The chapters aren’t terribly long. I look forward to the second book in the series.

Skye buys a house in Salem not realizing it’s “calling” her home. As the days pass the urgency of finding out about her powers and her past become more relevant as someone who’s been missing is found in her newly acquired house. Time is not on her side as she becomes friendly with Jerome the son of the person found in Skye’s home. Together they must figure out what happened to his mother and other happenings around Salem.

A Witch’s Lament is the first in a new series from a relatively new author. If you like a good mystery, with a mix of history, romance and witch craft, then this book is for you. I will definitely be looking for book 2.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. #Netgalley #AWitchsLament

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Thanks, Netgalley and BooksGoSocial.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fast-paced witchy thriller based in Salem, MA. The book was well-written and the characters were well-developed. I'll definitely be checking out the next book in the series.

I received this ARC for an honest review. Cathy Walker is a new to me author. I think I will read another story by her. This story is about Skye and Jerome. Skye and Jerome are both witches, but Skye’s mother suppressed her powers. Skye always felt loss because of that. Jerome just refused his power. Skye moved to Salem after falling in love with a house, and Jerome is the local detective. In the first day of moving in, Skye found a skeleton. That’s how they met. I’m not saying much more because I don’t like spoilers. A Witch’s Lament is a cute story. I feel it needs another edit, but I did enjoy the story.

I was mostly bored through the 1st half of the book although I did sweep through the second half and the story definitely picked up pace but my issue with this book would be that it was too short. Everything was dealt with so quickly. One moment we have a 30 year old skeleton in the library, then we are on the beach and people are kissing. Characters appear, like Nora, and then are never mentioned again. It was obvious from early on who the 'evil'. It is a decent witch genre romp but sadly not up to All Souls Trilogy. It has neither the depth nor the literary grace of those novels.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Good storytelling, interesting world building and character development.
It’s an engrossing and entertaining story.
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine

Not my usual genre, but witches and salem drew me in, really ended up enjoying this one. The story was interesting and writing engaging. I'll have to check out more from the author.

I had high hopes for this book, but they didn't pan out. The pace was too slow, and the storyline itself was a bit boring for too much of the book. I visited Salem years ago, and I enjoyed the area, so I liked that aspect of the story. I also liked the past/present connections, but these positives weren't enough to rate it any higher.

I loved the blurb for this book and was looking for something different to read so picked this one up and I have to say that I thought it was brilliant!

The book was really well written and I found it really addictive. I loved the mix of old and new, the balance was just right for me and I thought that the characters were superb, really well developed and they worked really well together too.

I did guess who was responsible but that did not detract from the story at all and there was plenty going on in each chapter of the book too. There were well developed backgrounds to the characters too which gave them an added depth and feelings.

It is 5 stars from me for this one, well written and an additive story – very highly recommended and I am off to get the second book in the series now!

A Witch’s Lament
By: Cathy Walker
As someone who grew up in the NorthEast not far from Salem, this book intrigued me from the beginning. It didn’t take long to become hooked on this story about Salem witches. The way the past and present are intertwined in this book was well done. It is a wild ride to find out the truth behind the rituals and disappearances.

I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of tales about the Salem witches and past evils being brought to light. The tone and style of this author are different than what I am used to. There is no complicated plot with many unexpected twists and turns, so there was some room for improvement, but I enjoyed the book overall.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity.

As part of my focus to find a few new authors in 2021, I found A Witch's Lament, the first Salem Witches book, by Cathy Walker.

Skye Temple has purchased a house in Salem, Massachusetts, having been drawn to a house. On a whim. Having returned to town to pick up the keys, where she meets a few townspeople, she learns that she’s purchased Sarah Good’s house, one of the women who was hanged during the Salem witch trials.

While she knows she has powers, she has no idea to the extent of those powers. She has promised her mother that she would never use her powers without her mother’s presence. While Skye doesn’t count buying a house without her mother’s knowledge as breaking that promise, when she starts having strange visions, unlike ever before and then finds a woman’s skeleton behind a secret door in her library that she instinctively went to, she realizes she could be in danger. Only now, she can’t seem to make contact with her mother.

Each chapter is a page turner, with a cast of witching characters. Why not? We’re in Salem, after all. I liked that the main character is wondering along with us what mysteries attracted her to the city, and to that house.

I could not put this book down and read it while out at social gatherings! I didn't want the book to end but at the same time I was drawn to keep reading it to find out what happens.
I cannot wait until I can get my hands on the second book.

So grateful to have found a new author! Thank you Netgalley!

This just wasn't a great read, at least not for me. The premise is solid, the setting should have been perfect and the idea of weaving a present-day mystery with Salem, MA’s history could have been great. However, the book feels like a lot of false starts on all those aspects (and more) that could have been awesome, but just didn't get anywhere. The characters don't seem to develop, “spooky witch with a mysterious past” can't be the backstory for everyone. The relationships are unpredictable and never really solidify in ways that help the plot. The plot is OK. Again, a good premise, but the central plot line kind of hurries along to get it finished while the sub-plots just fizzle and don't contribute a ton to the overall narrative. You can sense the research, both of the historical events and some aspects of modern magickal practice, but sadly that fails to manifest as a good read.

As part of my focus to find a few new authors via NetGalley in 2021, I perused the list and selected two books for January. One of them was A Witch's Lament, the first Salem Witches book, by Cathy Walker. The description sounded great and I enjoy reading about Salem, so it was a quick decision. I find this time period fascinating, and if the plot and characters are refreshing and pop, I usually love books on this subject matter. It started well, but it didn't fully immerse me. I also realized it was published in 2015--not an upcoming publication, which is normally okay--but I had been looking for a new release. Totally my fault! Nonetheless, let's chat a bit more about my thoughts.

Skye bought one of the last remaining houses from the Salem Witch Trial period in history. This was on a whim when she was writing a column about B&Bs in the area. She comes from a family of witches, and without telling anyone, she changes her life and starts anew. During her first night, a storm knocks out the power, and she inadvertently discovers a skeleton. When the police arrive, the lead, Jerome, realizes it's his mother, who's been missing for 30 years. Talk about coincidence, except it's not... there are powers working behind the scenes to bring the past forward. The book focuses on who killed Jerome's mother, as well as what's happening to Skye's parents who are in trouble, and whether or not Skye's powers are strong enough to survive history.

There is a lot going on in this book, and some of it is really good and strong. I enjoyed the connections between the past and the present. I like all the supporting characters and mystery surrounding what happened thirty years ago. And the town of Salem, as always, is very intriguing. At the same time, the majority of the book is very descriptive, often flowery, and focused more on ethereal elements and ideas rather than concrete actions. This comes with the territory, I agree... but I wanted more balance in terms of Skye's interaction with characters, more real and focused. I found myself skimming a few sections just to understand what was happening.

Maybe as a reader I prefer a different style, or I was hoping it had more investigation or genealogical aspects to the tale. The discovery of the skeleton scene was excellent, and the solstice event was cool. Watching Jerome protect Skye, and Matthew vie for her attention, had lots of merit. It was just missing that extra punch to really draw me in. If you love reading about witches and what happens in the air when they cast a spell or how people feel about them, this will be an excellent read. If you're looking for a complex plot with tons of red herrings and discoveries about who is connected to whom from the Salem Witch Trials, or what happened in the house/town since then with these families, or tangible events, this probably isn't the right book.

That said, the author can clearly write. It was just a different tone and style that I'd hoped, so I wasn't as connected as I usually am. I end up with about 3.25 stars and depending on the plot of the author's other books, I'd consider reading them again. I will look to see what happens in this series too.

This was a pretty good read, the characters Sky and Jerome were likable though not completely relatable (I don’t know about you but I know that I can not do magic). The journey that both Jerome and Sky take learning to deal with their magic and the attraction they feel for each other. The mystery about who is killing the young girls and who is trying to stop them is entertaining but kind of predictable - always look at the most unlikely and that’s the guilty one is what usual happens. Traversing between the past and the present adds a nice layer to the story and kept me intrigued, along with wanting to know if my prediction of the evil one was correct.
If you are looking for an entertaining mystery with a touch of magic and a good dose or romance then this is a great book for you.

This was the first book I've read by Cathy Walker, but definitely not my last! A Witch's Lament instantly sucked me in, and I stayed up waaayyy past my bedtime binging this book. I seriously could not put it down. I love a good witchy story, and this one was superb!

Skye Temple purchases a home in Salem, Massachusetts, on a whim, she is shocked to learn that the home she's been so drawn to was owned by another witch. Skye begins to feel guilty--her mother has always made her promise to never use her powers without her, but thinks owning this home really isn't breaking her promise. Things start to get a little weird for Skye after she moves in--she starts having strange visions, she finds a skeleton behind a hidden door, and she cannot seem to get ahold of her mother now that she feels like she may be in danger.

A Witch's Lament was the perfect blend of past and present, mystery and intrigue, and was thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommend!