Let's see a librarian who can see ghosts, I'm in! This story has a grand old library filled with even older artifacts, magical items, a love affair, and of course an epic battle between good and evil. Then of course there's the added element of the connection Hecate has with the goddess Hekate. Pacing was slow and the story needed time to take off but once it did it was non-stop. I'll be interested to see where Brackston takes the series in the next installment.

It is 1881 in England and Hecate Cavendish, a bit of a rebel, wants to live her life the way she wants to; she has no desire to marry and have children. While she has dreams and aspirations for her life, she is happy working as an Assistant Librarian in Hereford Cathedral, watching over the collection housed within its walls. There is one thing that is strange about this library however, and that is that the books are chained. The library is also home to a medieval world map containing illustrations of mythical creatures around its borders, the prized possession of the library. Another strange thing about the cathedral and its library? It is home to ghosts both kind and not, and Hecate can see them.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is a beautifully written novel that I was able to immerse myself in. Hecate is an independent, strong female character and I enjoyed going on this journey with her. There were some parts that were rather slow going and I found myself a little bored, but overall I was hooked by the narrative and wanted to read on to see what would happen. I also liked the magical and mythical aspects of the story, especially some of the ghosts.

The audiobook added to my enjoyment of the tale. Calin uses pace and inflection to add to the emotions of the characters and events of the story. She brought life to the story and to the characters; I really hope that she narrates the next novel in the Hecate Cavendish series.

Although I enjoyed the story, when it came to the end of the book there was no resolution to the mystery of the villain, so I was disappointed. I had read that this was the first book of a series but didn’t realize the first book would continue to the second. Not my cup of tea but others may enjoy. Thanks to NetGalley for an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Atmospheric with a good mix of mystery and adventure. I loved the gothic vibes! The author combines elements of paranormal and murder mystery, historical fiction, magical realism and mythology and romance into an immersive narrative that kept me glued to the pages.

I love a good genre-blender.

Fantasy and Romance and Mystery. Oh my!

There was so much going for this book. The characters are fleshy and likeable (particularly Hecate’s father). The setting is moody and gothic. The story was twisty and turny.

And the best part? It’s the start to a whole new series!

Can’t wait for the next installment.

While I really tried, I just didn’t find myself engaged in this story. I think it just wasn’t for me, but I think many will enjoy.

A historical fantasy about a magic cathedral library with Hecate who just started when she discover that the library has secrets and magic.
Intrigue, drama suspense, twists, magic, romance and good characters.
Voluntarily reviewed.

After multiple attempts I’ve found I simply cannot get into this book. The worldbuilding lacks life and vivaciousness.

I really enjoyed Hecates character and how she fit into the story! I think the ending was missing a bit of the impact I was hoping to get especially after some of the great scenes close to the end. Overall an enjoyable read that I definitely recommend trying out!

"The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish" - 3.5 Stars - Out Now

Paula Brackston has never been at the top of my list of "witch book authors" to read...and not for lack of trying. The synopsis' and themes are ones that I standardly read no matter who authors the story, but after multiple attempts, I'd never finished one of her books. Hecate wins the prize for being the first and I'm so glad I did, although some of the issues I've had in the past were still present in this narrative.

What's Good - Hecate herself is a great character. Her father, her lover/s, and the big baddies are all strongly and consistently written. I enjoyed too, the backstory with the Goddess, the ancient texts, and one can never go wrong with a good gothic library, ghosts, and toothy monsters. This book was just "entertaining" and for the most part that is exactly what I needed. It took me longer to read in some part because of my post-election emotional hangover and that has in now way affected my review.

Opportunities - Like other Brackston books, Hecate was just SLOOOOOWWWW to start. The descriptive language and speech patterns were scene-building, but also a little over-formal/prosaic and I found myself mentally hurrying her (the author? the characters? the plot? along. Because of the pacing, I found myself predicting more complex outcomes then what actually ended up happening and when I realized that I had overcomplicated the plot, I was then less enthusiastic about the actual plot I don't know if this was a "me" problem, or if the story was just not clear enough (or TOO clear, lol). Either way, the ending was redeeming...excellent and exciting and prose was much more solid. The ending saved it from a straight 3 star. Better pacing in the beginning would have bumped it to 4.

I didn't realize when I started that this is the first in a new series, or I probably would have waited and read them all at one time, I struggle to keep stories straight in between publications, but now...I'm interested enough that I will read subsequent stories about Hecate.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity afforded me to have an early read by netgalley and St. Martin's Press. The opinions in this review are expressly those of ButIDigressBookClub and are intended for use by my followers and friends when choosing their next book. #butidigress #butidigressbookclub #thehauntingofhecatecavendish #paulabrackston #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #arc #arcs

Details
Review Shared on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6812369461
Publishing Review 12/30/2024

I enjoyed Brackston's "Found Things" series, and looked forward to another magical trip to England, this time in the late 1800's in Hereford.

Hecate Cavendish gets a job in the cathedral library with her father's support, even though the head librarian doesn't welcome her, and her mother is completely opposed to her working. She is a feisty and dedicated librarian, though, even when things start to get weird, with ghosts, and magical maps starting to talk to her.

I enjoyed suspending belief for a few hours, and letting myself get swept into Hecate's world, but I was disappointed in the ending of the book, when a likeable character got killed off, and there was little plot resolution.

Oh well! I guess I'm on the hook to read the next in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love me a good witchy book and this one did not disappoint. I loved that it was a stand alone. I loved the characters. I can't wait to see more by Brackston!

This opens an excellent fantasy series set in 1881 Hereford, England, where only red-haired Hecate and her ghostly friends can stand between townsfolk and the risen dead.

I really look forward to what comes next!

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackston is the first novel in a new historical fantasy series by the bestselling author. Set in 1881 England, the story introduces Hecate Cavendish, an independent and daring young woman who begins her job as an assistant librarian in Hereford Cathedral’s ancient chained library. This library houses mysteries, ancient artifacts, and a medieval world map that holds magical and supernatural secrets.

The narrative weaves historical fiction with light fantasy and paranormal elements, including ghostly encounters that range from friendly to perilous. Hecate is portrayed as a strong and intelligent character, and her growing involvement with the haunted cathedral and its secrets sets the stage for intrigue and adventure. However, some reviewers noted the pacing issues, with the plot picking up significantly near the end, leaving readers feeling the buildup was slow and the conclusion somewhat rushed. The book sets up future installments in the series, leaving certain threads unresolved.

Readers who enjoy a blend of historical settings, mild supernatural themes, and a strong, quirky protagonist may find this an engaging read, though its lighter approach to fantasy might not satisfy those seeking more intensity in the genre.

The setting and the fact that Hecate was an assistant librarian are the factors that caused me to choose to read this novel. I loved the old cathedral with its chained library. (still in existence today!)

However, after reading more than half of the novel, the fantasy aspect became too much for me. As many of you know, the fantasy genre is one of my least favourites. I do like a time travel novel and I can take a bit of the supernatural, but this one overwhelmed me. "If there are Resurgent Spirits roaming the city of Hereford looking for hosts, they have not risen by themselves. They have been called. And called by someone who possessed the incantations, spells, curses... whatever words the Essedenes used."

That being said, I did enjoy the writing style and the protagonist was an engaging young woman. I loved her curious mind and her thirst for knowledge. I particularly enjoyed her close bond with her father, her courage, and her unconventional views for a woman of her time. Many readers will appreciate that there was also a romantic element to the story.

The medieval cathedral was vividly brought to life with the author's prose. I would love to visit Hereford cathedral one day and visit its infamous Mappa Mundi in person.

My favourite quote of this novel was "Never underestimate the value of listening to the words of another, my child. Particularly when they are spoken by the lonely."

Beware, this was an ambling, slow paced novel, and readers must be made aware that it is the first novel in a prospective series. For that reason, the ending did not wholly satisfy. I'm certain you guessed it is a series that I will not personally be pursuing.

In all, though this historical novel was just too fantastical for me, I can heartily recommend it to those readers who are true fans of the fantasy genre and who also love old libraries.

I wasn’t able to review this book before it’s publish date but now that I have read it I am giving it 2 stars.

I loved the paranormal aspects of this book! Hecate is a strong, capable, and smart protagonist, and her abilities are wonderfully intriguing. The setting was atmospheric, and the ghosts contributed nicely to the overall storyline.

While this started off slow, it was well worth the wait as there was a lot of action towards the end. The last part of the book was twisty and truly surprising. With questions left unanswered, I'm highly anticipating the next book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a fun mash up of historical fiction and paranormal. Hecate can talk to ghosts, which is an interesting concept as she works in a library with several of them hanging around. She's a fun character, and I really enjoyed how although this took place in the 1800s, Hecate is educated and working.

This one kind of dragged in places though. It took me a bit to get into and there were several chunks that I pretty much skimmed. I might give it a better go when I have more time, but sadly this one wasn't my favorite.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me access this book!

I honestly thought this might be a 5 star read for me once I got into it and the plot started moving. The cast was interesting, the romance present enough to be exciting without taking away from the main plot, and steady progress into solving the mystery. However, when the author decided to kill off the romantic lead (which really made no sense to me and destroyed any lightness the story had) and then decided that there were be no resolution to the mystery—despite Hecate solving the mystery—I was lost. I have no interest in reading the sequels and wish this had ended very differently. Presumably the other suitor was in the background to sweep into the space left by John and soothe Hecate’s sad heart, despite clearly having several red flags and maybe being an unwitting accomplice to the villain.