Deborah Harkness fans will be completely gripped by Paige Crutcher’s mesmerizing new novel, The Lost Witch.

In 1922, the town of Evermore was under the protection of a Goddess who had bestowed upon village healer Brigid Heron a great power – to ensure that the magic within the Lough of Brionglóid – the lake of dreams – remains untouched. The Witches of Knight are constantly circling round determined to absorb its energies and unleash the Damned from the Otherworld. Being Evermore’s guardian has compelled Brigid to put her dreams on the backburner and to immerse herself in witchcraft – until trickster God Luc Knightley, who has his own claim on the Lough, arrives with a tempting offer in exchange for betraying the Goddess’s trust.

A century later, Evermore is under attack with the witches of Knight causing major mayhem, chaos and destruction. The rift between the island and the Otherworld widens with each passing day and the villagers are under attack with their humanity at risk. Brigid’s descendant Ophelia Gallagher and fellow witch Finola do their best to keep the witches at bay – but it’s not enough. When Brigid awakens in this world with no recollection of how she got there or why Evermore has been cursed, she realizes that she needs to work with Brigid and Ophelia to seal the Lough and stop the witches forever. Yet, in order to save Evermore, Brigid will need Luc Knightley again who had granted her her most dearest wish a hundred years ago: a daughter.

Will saving Evermore end up costing Brigid her daughter – again?

In The Lost Witch, Paige Crutcher blends magic, mysticism, romance, intrigue and mythology in a pacy page-turner that is simply irresistible. Wonderfully atmospheric, beautifully rendered and full of larger-than-life characters that will hold readers in thrall from start to finish, Paige Crutcher’s The Lost Witch is a spellbinding tale that cannot fail to delight.

The Lost Witch was magically journey. There were many different magical aspects and a little sci fi mixed in with some romance a perfect combination.

This was a cute good versus evil book. As indicated by the synopsis it had a dual timeline perspective but doesn't go back and forth with any consistency. I found the pace of the book to be a tic off. One page it was slogging along and the next there was too much happening to keep track of. The love affair with Luc was an interesting romantic element. I felt there needed to be way more unraveling of the memory loss aspect of the story. Ophelia and Finola could have used some more development. It was almost like the author couldn't decide if the town in the modern timeline was a realistic town or one set within the realms of fantasy. There were many ritual aspects of witchcraft incorporated within the plot. Overall it was enjoyable.

I love books about witches and this concept sounded so fascinating… But sixty pages in I could tell that this was not the vibe and would never be for me. The writing felt so stilted and the pacing was incredibly slow. I found myself skimming around the middle because I just wanted to get this over with. The central driving force of the book was Brigid trying to get her memory and Dove back, but I didn’t know enough about either person to care. There was so much telling and attempting at being lyrical that there wasn’t enough emotion to pull us through.

The Lost Witch by Paige Crutcher
Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date:12/27

I really enjoyed The Lost Witch by Paige Crutcher! It’s a complex fantasy that takes place in Evermore, an island off the coast of Ireland. It involves magic, mythical creatures, and a morally grey hero who is infatuated with our heroine, Brigid. What’s not to love?

Brigid wakes up one morning 100 years in the future with no memory of how or why she is there. Her last memory is of being in her home in Evermore in 1922, serving her goddess and working as a healer to keep the townspeople healthy and safe. But this new version of Evermore is very different, with monsters running amok and her distant relatives living in her house. Her memories are the key to saving the town and her family, and Brigid must figure out how to get them back.

The magic in this one was a little hard to follow at times, but overall I thought it was great. I love a good witchy read, and the magical island of Evermore that Crutcher created had everything I love in fantasy. The descriptions of the island and Brigid’s magic were atmospheric and beautiful, there was bit of mystery and some romance, too.

Brigid is a strong MC who knows exactly who she is, even when she finds herself lost in time. I loved the romance with Luc and how we get to know him and Brigid as a couple strictly through flashbacks. This kept the monsters and the magic at the forefront of the story without getting bogged down by the romantic elements. Ophelia and Finola are dynamic characters, and I felt like they added a lot of comic relief but also provided a soft place to land for Brigid. She was very lonely in her past life, and having these two women around helped her understand the importance of family and friendship.

I wish we had more time with Brigid and her daughter. Once Brigid remembered her, she was willing to do anything to get her back. But we only saw a few glimpses of their life together from before, and I would have liked to see more of that to understand Brigid’s character better.

This was delightful, and I’m so thankful to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy! The Lost Witch is available now.

The premise of the story was interesting, but I had a hard time connecting and getting into the plot. I feel like the middle was drawn out. The story didn’t really peak for me. I wanted more between Knightly and Brigid. The plot and romance just felt flat.

1922. The town of Evermore off the coast of Ireland is under the protection of a Goddess. She has bestowed power upon village healer Brigid Heron to ensure the heart of magic within the Lough of Brionglóid—the lake of dreams—remains untouched. For the witches of Knight want to absorb its powerful energies and release the Damned from the Otherworld. Brigid has devoted her whole life to being Evermore’s guardian, immersing herself in witchcraft, and sacrificing her own dreams. Until Luc Knightly, a trickster god with his own claim on the lough, offers Brigid her heart’s desire in exchange for betraying her Goddess’s trust. 2022. A century later, Evermore is under siege. The witches of Knight wield chaos magic, opening the rift between the island and the Otherworld wider every day. Beings born from folklore nightmares prey on the villagers, consuming their very humanity. Ophelia Gallagher, Brigid’s descendent, and her fellow witch Finola McEntire do their best to keep the monsters and mayhem at bay. Brigid awakens in this world with no memory of how she traveled into the future, and why Evermore has been cursed. To seal the lough and stop the witches of Knight, she must work with Ophelia and Finola to help her remember the events of a hundred years ago. But the knowledge she seeks lies with Luc Knightly himself--mysterious, handsome, and powerful--and the one who once upon a time granted Brigid her dearest wish—a daughter. To save Evermore, Brigid may have to lose her daughter—again…

I don't know what happened, but I just couldn't get into this one. I don't think it is the stories fault, I just could not concentrate. IDK if I missed something in the beginning or what, but I just couldn't catch up and get into it. I am definitely going to have to give this another try.

I just finished the lost witch by Paige Crutcher and here is my review….

It’s 1922 and Evermore is under the protection of the Goddess and Brigid Heron, who is in her favor, works to heal the villagers when the need arises. The witches of the Knight swear no fealty to the Goddess and want to harness the powers from the lake of dreams.
The only thing Brigid wants is a child but her Goddess won’t fulfill her wish…. One dau Luc Knightly, God of trickery comes to her with a proposition. One that changes the course of Brigid’s life….

Present day and Evermore is under siege and 2 of Brigids descendents call forth Brigid to help keep the monsters at bay. With no memory of how she got to the future, Brigid must work with the 2 witches and the God she can barely remember to seal the Lough and protect the island… But sealing it will come at a devastating cost… The life of her beloved daughter.

The title of this book really hooked me so I was super excited to get started. This book did not disappoint. Loved the characters, all of them. The development of them all was so well done and I found the chemistry between Brigid and Luc so complicated and beautiful. Luc was so misunderstood and watching him try and redeem himself was such a pleasure.

Amazing concept and executed with such skill that I will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author. Everything was wrapped up perfectly, with such flourish, I felt engaged from the start and gripped until the very end.

If you enjoy books in the fantasy romance genre, then add this one to your list. 4 stars

Out today! Thank you st Martin's Press and netgalley for my review copy!

Not gonna lie, I was pretty bored. I wasn't into the writing or the characters. And from the symopsis, I wasn't expecting the time travel element; I was expecting more of a multi-timelime- multi-generational type of story.

1922, Brigid is offered her heart's desire in return for betraying her Goddess. When her daughter disappears, she wonders if it was the right thing to do.
2022, Evermore is ruled by 2 powers. Ophelia Gallagher, Brigid’s descendent, and her fellow witch Finola McEntire fight the creatures that attack the villagers as best they can. When Brigid awakens in this time, they wonder if they can fight the evil that lurks in this time.

This took me a while to get into this one and I am sad to say it was not exactly what I was anticipating. I felt there were many underdeveloped and missing explanations of the magical system and sub characters that I was often left confused. I did enjoy some characters which will definitely have me trying out this author again in the future!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 follows Brigid Heron a healer who protects Evermore from witches who seek to release the Damned from the Otherworld. But Brigid longs for something her Goddess does not approve of. Betraying her Goddess will take Brigid on a journey of a lifetime. Will Brigid ever get what she wanted? Was going against her Goddess worth it in the end.

While I love witchy book The Lost Witch was more epic adventure than the usual witch vibes. I did want more magic and felt this one read more as a fantasy which is my least favorite genre.

3.5 stars but I can see other people loving the story more than I did because of the adventure and fantasy aspects.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book but I found it difficult to get into. We are told events rather than witnessing the characters experiencing things going on around them. The plot is enjoyable but slow, however by 70% of the way in the suspense, drama and action increased tenfold and it was impossible to put the book down.
Luc and Brigid were working together better as she had her memories back and I liked them as a couple. I just felt that the author spent too much time building the story that a reader could easily stop reading before they get to the good stuff.
Finola and Ophelia were entertaining characters and I enjoyed their banter.
The podcasts were an odd but quirky and fun addition to the story.
I recommend this book if you like witch stories, magic, fantasy, and books set in Ireland.

Brigid Heron, a dynamic witch and healer, has been won over by Luc Knightly. Now with a daughter that has fallen ill, Brigid will do anything. Even use the magic of the Lough of Brionglóid. Only once she makes that deal, she's swept away, along with her daughter. When she comes to, she has no memory of how she got there, or where she even is. Turns out it's now 2022, and her hometown is under attack because of the deal she made all those years ago. With the help of a couple of friends she makes along the way, can she figure out how to fix her mistakes before it's too late?

This is another beautifully built journey by Paige Crutcher. The world is so vivid, it's impossible to not get swept up along with Brigid as she tries to make sense of a brand new world. Brigid, being from the 20's and having to figure out life in 2022 was one of my favorite parts, as was the characters banter and friendship. I will say if a lot of build up and/or world building isn't your thing, and you know this already, this may not be the best book for you. However, if that isn't something you've decided yet, I would highly recommend taking Brigid's journey. I, personally, really enjoyed the build up, and how the events unfolded, and how everything was well balanced. I especially enjoyed the "present day witches" and how they were already so close and how ready they were to welcome Brigid into their lives and worlds. It had a undercurrent of girl power that I really enjoyed, and I loved that I could picture the ladies really well. Brigid was a really great leading character as well. She wasn't a damsel in distress and I feel like she could have easily become that. I have really enjoyed Ms. Crutcher's first two books and I can say with confidence I will pick up whatever she puts out next. She is an author who definitely knows how to immerse the reader in her world and I love every second of it.

Brigid Heron is a witch mostly content with her life as a witch in service of her goddess on a little island off the coast of Ireland. All she wants to be completely happy is a baby without the hassle of having to bind herself to a man. So she asks her goddess for help and gets turned down. In steps a dark god of mischief with an offer she can't refuse. One thing leads to another and Brigid finds herself 100 years in the future with no memory and the island sealed off from the rest of the world and overrun by monsters escaping from the magical lough on the island. Luckily for her, her descendants have been taking care of things while she was gone and are more than happy to help her right whatever it is that went wrong. The god is still around and refusing to tell all he knows, and there's also an evil coven of scary witches dead set on releasing all the evil trapped within the lough. Many magical battles and adventures ensue.
I'm a bit torn on this one because it's like the author herself was torn as to what type of book she was writing. There are moments when it's serious modern fantasy and high stakes, end-of-the-world stuff, but then there are snippets of the silliest, slightly dumb that completely took me out of the story. I get why they're there and they really set the tone for the modern world Brigid suddenly finds herself in, but they really took me out of the story. It was akin to snippets of sugary pop music slipping in between some very hard metal. Slightly jarring.
However, I did enjoy the romance and how well Crutcher wove the magical elements and folk creatures of Ireland into the story. The throughline of decisions and changing to accept mistakes or that some things are just meant to be is a great element of the story that pays off beautifully in the conclusion.
Overall, it's a solid story that pulled me in and had me rooting for the good witches to win the day with an added bonus of some romance.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the early read!

The Lost Witch is a quest of a mother searching for her lost daughter. Brigid is not only a mother but also a powerful witch. She is transported to a future time, but how and why? Brigid has to figure out the why and how with the help of some powerful witches. However the time is running out.

The premise of time travel, powerful witches, a demigod, a Goddess, modern day witches and a cute little town is fantastic. I can imagine this town with the lake and the greenery of that place. The descriptions are really good and the fantasy elements are great.

However, the descriptions of magical beings was a little lacking. A context or glossary would have helped a lot. It was a bit slow in the middle and the story does get affected by it. The constant back and forth of Brigid's memories is confusing. I would have loved more of Brigid and Knightly's story as well.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters of this book. I was transported to this magical place of Evermore and I want more of it.

Thank you St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley.

This book had a little bit of everything. It was a paranormal story with witches, gods and monsters. It involved different worlds and time periods. And blended in with it all was a fair dose of romance.

Brigid Heron is the main character in this story. She is a talented witch but even with her abilities, she can't manage to have a child. Desperate for a baby of her own, she makes a deal with a demigod, Luc Knightly. Everything progresses as it should it life until their daughter becomes ill. Brigid is willing to do anything to save her daughter. This leads to a breach in the world she knows. Then the story jumps one hundred years into the future and Brigid has no memory of those missing years. But the world she has re-entered is nothing like the one she left. Not only has it moved along and become more modern, it is full of monsters that are entering through the Lough. Brigid knows she's missing important clues to her life before but she isn't sure how to recover those memories. She connects with two of her descendants and together they fight the monsters and try to put things right. She's also reunited with Luc who she apparently fell in love with before and appears to still have feelings for. I really enjoyed the way this story blended everything together. It all felt as if it worked. In addition, Brigid and Luc's romance was touching. It was evident that he would do almost anything for her but wanted to let her remember in the most gentle way possible.

AUDIOBOOK: I also listened to the audio version of this book and the narration was quite enjoyable. It really lent itself to this story and fit the characters voices, in my opinion. Sometimes the audio version isn't as enjoyable for me, but in this situation I think it was moreso. This was a book where it made the story more fun. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

The Lost Witch is my 1st book by Paige Crutcher. The premise sounded intriguing a witch from the early 20th century finds her suddenly awakened in 2022.

The book opens in 1922 when witch Brigid Heron is living on the ouskirts of Evermore off the coast of Ireland and an acolyte to the Goddess Brighid and protector of the Lough of Briongloid, but Brigid has a secret, she desperately wants a child and the Goddess will not, or cannot accomodate. Enter Luc Knightley an agent of chaos who wants to allow the monsters that reside in the Lough free rein. In exchange for the child Brigid wants, the goddess will lose her acolyte and chaos can reign. Brigid’s betrayal of the Goddess costs her more than she can bare. When her daughter is taken by the Lough, Brigid vows to find her. She then disappears for 100 years. When she wakes up she finds a whole different Evermore where the monsters of the Lough have been unleashed and the people of the town are in danger. Brigid works with two modern day witches, Ophelia and Fiona to right the wrongs from her past.

This was an intriguing book of fantasy,. I enjoyed the world building and the story was engaging.

Thanks to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

This one started out pretty good but I found it to be a bit repetitive and sometimes confusing and I wasn’t at all invested in the story or characters. By the end I was pushing through. It would have been a DNF if it wasn’t a Netgalley read.

I liked the humor in the book but wished that we got to experience more of the enemies to lovers story, the two characters basically just jump from one to the other without much banter and fun in between.

Initially there was a lot that worked for me with this one but I just needed it to dive a little deeper and mix up the chaos a bit more because it felt like the characters were in the same fight from beginning to end and it got a bit boring.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Amazing read! The dual timelines are seamlessly intertwined and make this story so engaging! I loved the characters and the complex relationships they develop along the way. Excellent setting descriptions and a nice pace make this book a must-read for anyone who enjoys a witchy thrill!