☆ 3.75 rounded up ☆

「summary」

A Resistance of Witches follows Lydia Polk, a projectionist from the British Royal Academy of Witches, as she journeys to find a grimoire full of ancient deadly magic before it falls into the hands of the Witches of the Third Reich, a coven working with the Nazi forces. While racing to reach the grimoire first, Lydia meets Henry, an American art curator, and Rebecca, a French resistance fighter. Together, the three of them must find and secure the grimoire in order to prevent further mass destruction and casualties.

「plot」

The author, Morgan Ryan, writes a convincing historical fantasy story that I found to be mostly engaging despite some pacing issues and basic world-building. The plot is linear and easy-to-understand (and follow). There are twists, but I found them to be quite predictable, which isn’t inherently bad. I just wasn’t surprised by anything this book did since it remained predictable. However, its predictability wasn’t so glaring that I found it stale. I enjoyed following the story along and reading how the author would pull off certain plot points and twists.

One thing I didn’t like about the plot was the inclusion of romance. From the synopsis, I wasn’t expecting romance in the first place. When I was reading, I began picking up on some underlying romantic plot line, and I was resisting it so much because I just didn’t find a romantic subplot to be necessary. I liked the characters as individuals and didn’t see a need for their dynamic to turn romantic. It also kind of seemed like it came from nowhere. We barely saw them develop camaraderie. Suddenly, we’re supposed to believe they care for each other deeply after one instance of partnership and teamwork. The reason for why they felt so connected suddenly felt a tad flimsy and too convenient to me personally. You can take out the romantic undertones, and I truly believe the story remains largely unchanged.

「characters」

I found the three lead characters to be likable and realistic. Lydia is first introduced as a little snobby and naive albeit kind-at-heart, and she grows to become so much more mature and confident as the story goes on. I was pretty ambivalent towards Lydia for most of the story, but I did really like her by the end of the book. I found her character arc to be beautiful and well-done.

Readers are introduced next to Rebecca, who I’ll admit I took some time to warm up to—much like Rebecca took some time to warm up to any other character. Rebecca’s very closed off and stoic, but she’s a very complex character with so much strength despite all the trauma she’s faced. Although all three of the lead characters are affected by the war, I don’t think any of them are as impacted by the Nazis as Rebecca. Again, she has so much strength, so much hurt, and so much exhaustion from always appearing strong. I liked her a lot, and I found her to be a believable character.

To round out our trio, we have Henry, who quickly became my favorite character. He is just so likable off the bat, and he continues to become even more interesting as a character despite having a pretty ordinary introduction. The story hints at his ties to magic, which I found to be incredibly intriguing. I’d be down to read a spin-off or novella about Henry or his mother and the world of the American witches.

「writing, language & pacing」

Ryan’s writing fits the time period, and the characters all have convincing dialogue unique to who they are as characters. Although mostly simple in manner, the writing does also deliver some impactful passages/quotes that I found to be effective or even slightly lyrical.

One of my major gripes with this book was the pacing. I thought the start was very slow, but it did improve as the story finally picked up. The book maintains somewhat consistent pacing thereafter. However, I did struggle with how short some of the chapters/chapter sections were. The length of chapters could be a bit disjointed, which made the flow of reading a little choppy.

With that said, one of my favorite parts of the book was how heart wrenching the writing got towards the end. Ryan put so much emotion into those latter chapters, and I could feel each and every emotion the characters were going through. I shed a few tears for these characters because of the intensity to which Ryan wrote pure feels into that ending—especially during the most climactic point of the story.

「setting & world-building」

The setting and world as described in good detail with enough respect to historical accuracy while giving the book enough room to breathe as a fictional story. I wished we got a little more background on the role and history of magic because I felt like we got very minimal information about the witches’ powers—the source, the history, and the how it works. I think Ryan described the Coven, the Academy, and the conflict between the different factions of witches in a very basic way. I understood what was going on, but I would have liked a little more. However, I’m also just someone who loves fantasy as a genre and really appreciates thought-out and detailed magic systems. For this book, it still works, but I would’ve preferred if the author leaned into the fantasy—and occult—aspect a little more just to add that extra layer of world-building.

「originality」

To be honest, I don’t have as much experience reading historical fantasy. The reason I picked this ARC up was actually because I wanted to try reading more historical fantasy. For me, this seemed original enough that I didn’t feel like I was reading regurgitated tropes. I also liked how the author rooted this fantasy story in an actual historical time period (WWII) because it was different from what I usually read.

「impact & overall conclusion」

I enjoyed A Resistance of Witches and found it to be a consumable historical fantasy with likable and realistic characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

How is this a debut novel?!

I have so many positive things to say here but I’ll keep it relatively short. This was such a dark, horrific, but absolutely beautiful heartfelt story. I felt so many emotions and loved every single character. The end had me crying and I just loved everything about it. The pacing was perfect, the writing was well done. I felt like the author really took the time with this one to weave in historical elements along with the horror/fantasy elements and it was a perfect blend.

I highly recommend this one and will be following this author for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for a review 🖤

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I will never be able to find the words to give this book the review it deserves. I knew it was going to be a great read based on the synopsis, but I had no idea it was going to strip me bare, rip my heart into a million pieces, and somehow still give me hope.

A Resistance of Witches is a historical fantasy fiction that is powerful and all consuming. This story contains fascinating witchy magic woven with real and terrible events surrounding WWII - playing on Hilter's obsession with the occult, and the terrible impact he could have made were he able to obtain that type of power.

The protagonist is a strong-willed witch from London named Lydia Polk. She finds herself on a mission to prevent a coven from finding occult items that Hitler can use to bring more terror to the world. Although her own coven refuses to offer assistance, Lydia finds allies in other witches and human resistance members. Together, they try to help end the war.

I found this story to be gripping, and one of the best historical fiction books I have read. It is well written and the characters latched on to my heart and wouldn't let go. I screamed, pleaded, and wept for them. Although this is a fictional story, the fact that real people suffered horrible atrocities at the hands of the nazis, is a hard pull to swallow- unimaginable and absolutely heartbreaking.

The magic that occurs in this book is spectacular. I really enjoyed the different types of magic, and that witches had different specialities unique to that type of witch. I am a huge fan of anything witchy and I ate up the magic in this story.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and love stories about witches like I do, I highly recommend this book. I recommend it even if you haven't read anything like this! It is just an incredible story and worth reading!

This book checked all of my boxes. WWII historical fiction, resisting fascism, complicated maternal relationships, and witches. Really, it was an absolute recipe for success. I was worried at the beginning when it felt vaguely derivative and formulaic, but I got over that very quickly as the story unfolded and it turned out to be a singularly unique, satisfying and engaging read. I love books that engage all of the senses, and this one was a magical feast. Read it. It somehow manages to be cozy and fantastical and profound all at once. Thank you Net Galley for providing me with this Advance Reader Copy.

A Resistance of Witches was very different from what I expected, and honestly, I wasn't sure I liked it at the beginning. The idea of Hitler Nazi witches in conflict with British witches seemed entirely too fanciful. But as I kept reading, I realized that Morgan Ryan had something entirely different in mind when writing this novel. A Resistance of Witches is about female power, which recalled all that I had read as a graduate student studying female power in early British history. Women were burned as witches, not because they were witches, but because they were women with property. Widows inherited their husband's property, which was the only way that women could own property. Unfortunately, these widows became the target of men, who wanted that property. If a widow refused to remarry, she was attacked as a witch and murdered, so that her property would become available for male ownership. In A Resistance of Witches, women really were witches with strong magic, which led to their deaths. I enjoyed the contrast between historical reality and historical fantasy.

Ryan's novel was an unusual WW2 story about women holding the means to end WW2. British witches tried to help Great Britain win the war, while Nazi witches worked just was hard to help Hitler win the war. The characters were interesting, with some--Lydia, Evelyn, Henry, and Rebecca, well defined and complex. A Resistance of Witches is about sacrifice,. betrayal, justice, bravery, and ethics. The conflict, tension, and violence created a complex plot. By the time I was half way through A Resistance of Witches, I could not put down the book.

I am recommending this novel, especially for those who are looking for a unique way to understand WW2 and those who enjoy novels about witches. Thank you to Penguin, Viking, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for me to read and review. The comments above reflect my honest opinion.
4.5 +5 stars

A Resistance of Witches is a genre mash-up and although it sounds a little weird to throw together fantasy and historical fiction, it totally works here!

What worked for me: The magic system in this book is interesting and the female power in this book is great. The storyline is compelling and it flies by. I loved ALL of the characters except the Nazi witches and their cronies. They all have unique gifts and knowledge that they use in interesting ways to try to bring about the end of World War II.

The only thing I didn't like as much is that one of my favorite characters doesn't make it out alive. Also, I would have loved to know more about Henri in the epilogue.

This is a great book and I'd hand it to lots of different readers. It's for readers who enjoyed Naomi Novik's Scholomance books, Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon, or even Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House.

Big thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for this review!

4.75 stars

This was such a fun fast paced historical fiction. I loved historical fiction that takes place during World War 2, and the inclusion of witches and magic was brilliant. The three main characters were all so love able, and I’m glad that they got their happy endings.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. A Resistance of Witches surprised me with its perfect balance of historical detail, magical elements, and heartfelt emotion. It weaves together a compelling mix of very light romance and grief, regret, and the complexities of strained family relationships, especially between mothers and daughters.

Morgan Ryan masterfully blends fantasy with emotional realism, creating a story that is both enchanting and deeply moving. The romance was just the right touch, adding warmth without overshadowing the more serious layers of the narrative regarding the horrors that occurred during World War II.

This book left a lasting impression and gave me far more than I anticipated. If you enjoy stories that are both magical and emotionally resonant, this one is worth picking up.

This is my first experience with Morgan Ryan, but Net Galley offered me the chance to read this one, so I took it-and I am so glad I did.
A secret society of British witches fighting Nazis? And there are Nazi witches? Just my type of thing-
The story is well written, the stakes are high, the pacing is pretty good. The only note I might have is for more time spent on character development, some of the final elements of the story felt a bit rushed and did not hit as strongly as they would have if I felt more invested in the characters.
The final twist was a pretty big reveal, I did not see it coming, but a lot of explaining had to happen for it to make any kind of sense. If I had more of a complete picture of that character it would not have felt so jarring, and required less explication in the moment.
These are minor notes, I really enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more from the author.
Recommend

A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan is an engaging and richly crafted historical fantasy that blends the darkness of wartime Europe with the enchanting world of witches. I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling tale, which follows Lydia Polk—a stubborn, plain-spoken young woman from an unimpressive family—who unexpectedly finds herself at the heart of Britain’s secret war effort against Nazi magical forces. The story is expertly paced, balancing intense action with moments of quiet introspection. Lydia’s journey into occupied France, accompanied by fierce allies like Rebecca Gagne and Henry Boudreaux, keeps you on the edge of your seat as they race against time to recover the powerful and dangerous Grimorium Bellum. The narrative explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and resilience, all woven seamlessly into a richly detailed magical universe set against the grim backdrop of WWII. What stood out most was Morgan Ryan’s vivid world-building and well-developed characters. Lydia’s growth from an underestimated outsider to a courageous witch fighting for the greater good is inspiring. The inclusion of diverse characters and the depiction of resistance efforts add depth and authenticity to the story. While the plot is thrilling and full of suspense, there are moments where the stakes feel particularly high, and I appreciated the way the author kept the tension alive until the very end. Overall, A Resistance of Witches is a captivating mix of history and magic that fans of supernatural wartime stories will genuinely enjoy.

What a great debut! I really love historical fantasy and this one had me invested. There were a couple things that I predicted would happen but still had a good time reading this. Definitely looking forward to more from this author!

Great premise - witches helping the allies in their fight against Hitler. Good blend of historical fiction and fantasy. The writing is strong but at times I found myself skimming the page because I knew what was going to be said in more detail than necessary.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lydia Polk, despite her heritage of hedge witches has been accepted into the Royal Academy of Witches. These British witches are contributing to the war effort. Lydia is tasked with tracking down magical relics befor the German witches can find them. The stakes turn immediately deadly when a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy. Now the arguement rages, fight on or withdraw to safety and obscurity. Taking matters into her own hands, Lydia arrives in occupied France searching for a powerful grimoire. But this dark grimoire has plans of its own.

Why I started this book: Requested this ARC because I love a good witch story... and WWII historical fiction has been a longtime favorite. I was eager to enjoy this mash-up.

Why I finished it: Finished this book in two big gulps. The writing is compelling, and the story is propulsive. The witchy elements enhanced the action and justified the compact timeline. I will look for more from Ryan.

Set against the backdrop of World War II tells the story of England investing into another helpful source in order to win the war. Enlisting the help of witches and magix to defeat the Germans. However the Germans may have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Lydia Polk enters the witches coven Academy at the age of sixteen. For nearly three years she studies hard under the Grand Mistress and mentor Isadora. However one tragic day a witch from the enemy coven in nazi Germany ends up breaking into the coven and killing Isadora and Lydia's friend Kitty.
Afterwards she ventures out of the country to seek some answers to the events of what happened. She meets Rebecca who is working for the Resistance and Henry who is a student. Along this journey Lydia will discover that there is so much to her own coven she does not know about. Will she be able to stop the germans from winning the war or will it all come crashing down around her.
Overall this was a very interesting read. Weaving in fantasy and the historical background of the second world war was very creative. I never would have pictured Winston Churchill enlisting the help of witches to help win the war.

Fiercely courageous witches. A war with far reaching consequences. An evil book capable of destroying the world.

It’s 1940, World War II is ripping the world apart. Lydia is a young witch at the Royal Academy of Witches. Her mentor, Isodora, the grand mistress of the academy, takes her to meet Winston Churchill. Isodora reveals her intentions to assist the British government in the war effort. However, a few years later, Isodora is murdered by a Nazi witch. Devastated,Lydia is tasked with finding an ancient grimoire that contains powerful, dark magic before the Nazi coven. She travels to France and meets Rebecca, a resistance spy, and Henry, a curator of art who is hiding a magical power of his own.

I recommend this book for historical fiction and fantasy readers. There are many layers with the historical aspect of WWII, elaborate magic, and the strong bonds of a mother and daughter. The connections between the characters reflects quick, strong friendship borne from intense, life threatening situations. This book is action packed with fierce characters who are fighting to overcome the worst evil imaginable.

“Show me a world that does not hate a powerful woman, and I’ll show you a world without men”. Quoted from uncorrected proof.

Thank you Penguin Group/ Viking Penguin and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This was enjoyable! I'm not sure what I was expecting, as I don't read a ton of WW2 novels, but the addition of magic made for an interesting read.

Lydia Polk, a student at the Royal Academy of Witches in London during the Blitz, finds herself accompanying her mentor, the grand mistress of the Academy, on a visit to none other than Winston Churchill. The stakes can’t be any higher… Europe is falling to the Nazi regime. This is how our tale begins: the witches have offered their help in intercepting an object of power before the Nazis find it, a grimoire that could make its owner … invincible.

This thrilling fantasy is immersive historical fiction with horror both realistic and supernatural. It gets dark, very dark. The plotting is intricate, the pace is perfect, and the characters will steal your heart (I literally cried at least twice and this rarely happens). I have been longing to read a great book about a magical person in training and this is better than I ever could have expected. And a debut! Unbelievable. I did guess a couple of the plot points early on but that did not hamper my pure enjoyment of this extremely well-crafted female-centric story of magic, bravery and love.

Given current events, a book about fighting Nazis has a lot of appeal, even more so when the resistance comprises witches and the witch-adjacent. It's a fine read, but maybe not quite as compelling as I'd hoped? The love story doesn't add anything, and not just because it's a heterosexual couple. The question of fighting fairly is an interesting one, again, because of current circumstances. I highlighted this exchange

"It's dark magic. Evil. We don't do that sort of thing." Lydia didn't look entirely convinced by her own argument.

"It would save lives."

"It would end lives, that's what it does."

Rebecca was quiet for a long time. "They would do it to us."

"We're not like them."

"Maybe we should be."

Lydia turned, surprised. "You don't mean that."

"I do, actually."

Lydia stared. "I don't think you know what you're suggesting."

Rebecca was suddenly furious with this stupid, naive Englishwoman, lecturing her on morality with such
confidence. "You know what I think? I think you've only heard about war on the BBC. You've never seen it up close. You have no idea what it's really like here."

SIGH. Fighting a war against people with no morality (but supposedly fighting in the name of morality?) is confusing. How do you win when logic and honor do not exist???

Absolutely wonderful! I believe this is a debut novel, and Morgan Ryan has hit it out of the park. A believable, sympathetic heroine and her crew use their different abilities (including witchcraft/magic) in the service of the Allies in World War II, facing dangers and at least one truly horrific deception along the way. There is an element of tragedy – how could there not be? – but, as with the war itself, good will triumph. I just ate this one up and cannot wait for more.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this delightful debut novel!!

The pacing of this book was excellent, and I adored a lot of the characters. The maternal relationships in particular really drew me and provided a lot of the emotional core of the story. Gonna go give my mom a hug. :)

My main gripe was that the romance seemed a little half-baked and like it should’ve either been fleshed out more or cut from the book completely.

However, this did not impede too much on my enjoyment for this book; it was truly lovely.