Cover Image: VenCo

VenCo

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Member Reviews

#venco was a clear stand out this month despite the restless reading - Thelma and Louise meets Practical Magic with wit and charm and heartbreak and an eclectic cast of characters that had me cackling.

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This book was hard for me to get into and unfortunately, I only got approved for it about two days before the archive date and couldn't complete it at that time. Reading it through, the concept was really great and I was hopeful reading this book through! Ended up getting it from the library to complete it but still did not love it when I did finally finish it. Overall, an alright book that I just wanted a bit more from!

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What a read this was! It has all the witches stuff you love and this book got it for sure.
Lucky and Stella her grandmother live in Toronto when a stranger comes to offer a job and to come to Salem, Massachusetts and that's when everything comes out!

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VenCo by Cherie Dimaline

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

* Thank you to @netgalley and @penguin for providing a digital copy of VenCo in exchange of a honest review.

Another amazing book by Cherie Dimaline. This one was the perfect Halloween read with just the right amount of magic by some badass witches. Should have pick it up way sooner than that. Highly recommend, and even more if you have read Cherie Dimaline's others books since we follow some of the same caracters.

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Every woman in this story depicts the challenges and prejudices women face daily. Focusing on the power of women when coming together and fighting for each other. We can make a real difference if we take the lead. This book is a shoutout to feminism, and I loved - almost - every moment of it. All the women are so strong by themselves without realizing it, and together, they are a force to be reckoned with. I was rooting for them throughout the book, holding my breath at the end, hoping they would succeed. Because deep down, I know that in the world we live in today, something has completely gone wrong, and it is time for women to stand up and fight for what remains good in this world. This book gives me hope that someday, we will succeed in turning everything around and survive.

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This book definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, as I tried to figure out what the heck was going on along with Lucky. All the witches intrigued me, and I wish I had spent a little bit more time with each of them besides their backstory parts.

Jay Christos made me want to barf every time I was in his POV, but I feel like that was the point.

The ending left me more or less satisfied, but I feel like there's potential for a sequel.

I feel like this is the kind of book that you could read at different ages, and possibly get something different out of it each time.

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This is a new to me author. And though I wasn't immediately sucked in, I am intrigued and feel like I'd definitely check out more by them. I did enjoy the writing

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I really struggled to get into this book. It’s so surprising because it is everything I want in a book. But the first few chapters were a real struggle for me.

The counterpoint is that the very end of this book impressed me enough that I adjusted my rating up to a 4 star.

After reflecting, however, I really think it should be a 3 star for me. While the cast of characters were interesting, the pacing was off. It felt like nothing was propelling the plot forward. I picked up and put down this book for months because the initial chapters fell a little flat and I had no attachment or interest pursuing the story.

Once I was able to get into it, I found the symbolism to be quite poignant and effective. The storytelling style is non-linear and feels extremely reflective of my understanding of the Indigenous Oral Tradition. The plot essentially providing a landscape for historical and social commentary and doing so effectively.

Unfortunately, it feels like an uphill battle to that point and large number of people may abandon ship along the way.

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This book was a heartstoppingly wild read. I felt like the world was so rich and the characters were easy to identify with. This book was excellent!

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I've loved all of Cheri Dimaline's work that I've read, and VenCo is included in that! Like her other books, Dimaline built most of the characters and worlds in VenCo well — even though there are a lot of characters. I don't think the Oracle and the structure of VenCo itself were done justice, but that would have made for a longer, slower book.

And, as written, this is a fast-paced book and did not feel like it dragged at all. I hadn't entirely predicted the twisty ending, but I felt all along that this would be a happy ending story — there was not much tension in it. Lovely language, compelling book.

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As a Midland resident, I was always going to be soft on Cherie Dimaline. I absolutely love how she creates her worlds, it's like stepping into the bay and feeling a strong current drawing me out into deeper waters.

This book cemented Dimaline as one of my favourite authors and someone who I will buy everything she writes.

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I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is it - my favourite book of 2023. Yes, its only July. Yes, there are many other books coming out this year. DOESN'T MATTER!! This book was incredible. When we come together we can overcome evil. When we come together we can find ourselves and be true to ourselves. When we come together we can do remarkable things. If we happen to hex the patriarchy while doing all this so much the better. This book is perfection.

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If there's one thing I am always here for it's a witchy scavenger hunt! While there were some aspects of this that I was not as big on, overall I had fun with VenCo. Some parts were a bit drawn out but I found Lucky to be endearing and loved the female focus of the story!

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Read if you like: YA fantasy
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Lucky is a young Metis woman living with her grandmother, Stella. She finds a spoon that is connected to Salem and a coven of witches, which propels her into an unexpected adventure.
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This book was really fun and interesting. I loved Lucky and her journey in this book. Stella was also a great grandmother figure who is going through her own struggles that she and Lucky need to figure out together. Overall an enjoyable book!

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When I saw VenCo by Cherie Dimaline about to be released I knew I had to read it.

This story has a little bit of everything - witches, magic, mystery and intrigue. Lucky St. James is the daughter of a Metis woman who likes to have a good time. Lucky was working hard to keep herself and her grandmother in their apartment, but when they were about to become evicted that's when the real adventure started.

This book had so many different avenues that I had to keep reading to find out if the coven would ever be completed.

Need a little magic and witches in your life? Then you should definitely read VenCo!

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Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. I love Dimaline's work and this story had many elements that meant a lot to me.

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4.5 stars

VenCo by Cherie Dimaline is a fantasy novel about contemporary witches.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Penguin Random House, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
An age-old force is active. The Crone (a Booker who keeps track of and interprets texts), The Maiden (a Tender who collects the news and strategizes), Mother (a Watcher who protects), are all anticipating the formation of a coven, but they are on a deadline.  If it doesn't happen soon, witches will stay buried, and women will be forced to stay in more subservient roles.  But these three women are not allowed to step in.

Lucky St. James has been living in Toronto with her grandmother Stella since her mother died years ago.  They are about to lose their apartment, but Lucky doesn't want to tell Stella, because her grandmother's mind is fragile.

But things are about to look up.  Lucky finds a silver spoon in the basement.  It has an old hag and the word SALEM carved into it.

Finding the spoon has alerted Meena Good that her 6th witch has been found.  Now she just needs the 7th and her spoon to complete the coven.  She convinces Lucky to come to Salem for a job interview at VenCo, a company well-known for placing women in positions of power.  Lucky can bring her grandmother, so she heads off.  This will be the first leg of her journey that will take her through various states and introduce her to various magical women.

Meanwhile, the immortal Jay Christos, a witch hunter, becomes aware of the search for the remaining spoon, and is now on the hunt for Lucky.  Lucky will have to rely on the few teachings of her Métis mother, as well as tricks she has learned on this journey, if she wants to outwit this witch hunter and retrieve the spoon.


My Opinions:
Cherie Dimaline has a wicked imagination, and although her books may be directed toward the YA crowd, I will be looking for more of her work.  I love all things magical.  You would think you'd outgrow that, but this 60-something woman still watches and re-reads Harry Potter on a regular basis, so apparently not.

The characters in this book are deep, caring, and simply wonderful.  I love the relationship between Lucky and her grandmother.  It was a really feel-good book about "family", about feminism,  and about hope and determination.

The plot was entertaining, with plenty of action, and the identity of the 7th witch was a surprise (definitely not who I was sure it would be).  I loved it.

I am wondering if this may be the first of a series,  but it is quite complete on its own.

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Cherie did it again! This book was magical and fun in a very different way than her usual work. I absolutely love the comical perspective of the "baddie" and the modern element of a coven. Can't wait to see more magical stories from Cherie.

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I wanted to love this, but I just liked it. I found the premise to be intriguing as well as the characters, but we didn't get enough! It felt like we were focusing too much on descriptions and details that could have been used to further develop the relationships in this book. While our main character, Lucky, had a beautiful relationship with her grandmother, I would have liked to have seen more development with the coven, as well as more character development of the other 5 witches. They all felt very one dimensional, there as placeholders to provide plot. I also felt like the ending was a bit anti-climactic and rushed, I would have liked something a bit more dramatic. Honestly, I feel like this book could have been a duology, I think there is enough lore, story, and interesting characters to explore. Overall, if you like witchy books and lush descriptions, then this book is for you,

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