The Witches of BlackBrook – Book Review

The Witches of BlackBrook by Tish Thawer

(Witches of BlackBrook #1)

Published by: Amber Leaf Publishing

Publication date: 23 June 2015

Genres: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

The Witches of BlackBrook by Tish Thawer is the first instalment in the Witches of BlackBrook series; however, it is does not have an open-ending. 

Quick-paced and easy to navigate, the story is about three witches: Karina, Kara and Kenna, who lived in the late 1600's, when magic was practiced freely. Mischief befalls the three, when a woman tricks the elder sister, claiming her baby is ill. After that, Karina is accused of killing the baby and being the devil's daughter. She is sentenced to burn at the stake, where she performs a spell to protect her and her sisters.

Karina's spell takes the sisters, and the rest of the witches, across time, to be reborn in different bodies every time.

The Witches of BlackBrook opens with a short but powerful prologue. We see a witch's sacrifice from the first page, which immediately gives an idea about the character, even though we are not sure who that character is from the beginning but later learn that it is Karina.

The novel shifts between the present, where Karina is Trin, and their episodes and events from their past life before and during Karina's trial. Trin is a massage therapist and lives with her roommate/sister Kit, believed to be Kenna. Throughout their previous lives, they have been in constant search of their third sister Kara, but to no avail.

The narration is in the third person throughout the novel, but we get the sense of things coming from certain perspectives. There are also short sections of an unknown character constantly trying to separate the three sisters and prevent their union. This character adds suspense and gives a strong eerie and creepy atmosphere.

In the present, Trin meets Caris, a teacher, who recently moved back to BlackBrook with her cousin. During her first massage session with Caris, Trin sees memories of her and her sisters and immediately believes that Caris might be the third lost sister. However, Kit believes otherwise and we get a strong sense of jealousy.

I enjoyed the use of spells, and the seamless shift between present and past. 

Trin may be the eldest sister, but she's not the wisest. And I really liked that. "Trin was always thrown off when another witch was around. She desperately wanted everyone they'd stumbled upon to be Kara, that she'd lost perspective over the years."

There is also the character of Jason, Caris' cousin, who is instantly attracted to Trin and reminds her of her long lost love, Jeramiah.

The overall setting and descriptions throughout the novel are vivid, but there were several images and lines that stood out for me:

"She should be excited and proud of Kit, and she was, but the urgency of finding out what magical barrier was being cast upon her entire destiny seemed like a trump card in her book."

There was also the use of tarot readings. "Trin acknowledged the Magician card as her past, no surprises there. But the present and future cards had her undivided attention.

The Seven of Swords indicated deceit and deception surrounding her present, while the reversed Tower forewarned her of major changes, where she could no longer count on those close to her."

Although in several instances the novel reminded me of the book and television series Charmed, Tish Thawer put in several twists, giving The Witches of BlackBrook its own character.

Overall: A quick-paced magical five-star must read.

Note: I received a free copy of The Witches of BlackBrook via Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

The Wizard's Apprentice

The wizard's apprentice scratched his head, staring at the beetle in consternation. It was greatly deformed as though it were mocking him. Its body was flipped over with its head at an impossible and queer angle and its arms and legs were up in the air. 
It looked disgusting. 

He thought it had a sarcastic and proud air about it; but it was a beetle and it couldn't possibly have such an air to it, he noted to himself.

The apprentice went by the name 'Nozo' owing to his massive nose which he never forgave his parents for and which his friends or rather apprentice mates and rivals said that he looked like a human being sprouting out of a nose.

The beetle was not meant to look like that. The high Wizard had given him the task of performing a spell-and-potion combination, the highest level of magic but things didn't seem to be going very well.

The experiment did not seem to be going as planned in fact the whole room did not seem to be going as planned. Everything was in shambles. Some of the books and stools were on the floor, all the open books lying about were not of any help and Nozo was now more lost and nervous than when the High Wizard had called his name earlier.

Performing tasks for the High Wizard was an honour; an honour he seemed to have greatly dishonoured. 

He wasn't sure where he had gone wrong but he was a fair bit sure that the spell went something like:

"Tiny Beetle Betty 
turn into cake and confetti!"

- Or wasn't it? 

He couldn't be sure and with the little time he had left, he was beginning to consider turning himself into a beetle and suffer being accidentally squashed in the near future. Especially since he was going to get figuratively squashed by his rivals in the nearer future.

Nozo inhaled deeply through his massive nose. He looked down at the beetle again and felt his inhumanely-sized nose was getting in his way.

"OK beetle! Here's the deal. You need to become a form of food and as much as I would have liked to transform you, I have failed. And as much as I would have liked to cook food in the kitchen, I would fail beyond anything you and I can imagine. So here's the deal: You need to impress the High Wizard. I don't care what you do, just do it or die trying!" Nozo held his wand and instructed the poor creature lying on its back.

It didn't respond – as though he thought it would.

At that moment, the door opened and the High Wizard entered, his blue-and-purple robes flowing behind him. 
He looked at the room. It was a mess – as he had expected. But so were all the other apprentices' work rooms.

There was however a strange and almost desperate look on the High Wizard's face.

"I'm working as fast as I can, your grace!" Nozo mouthed quickly.
"Work all you want Nozo. I know failure when I see it." The Wizard said sadly.

"But… Why? I did everything by the book – I think," Nozo started mumbling.
"I can see that. You did, however, miss one valuable point," the Wizard said and sighed. 

Nozo looked at his teacher questioningly. 

"The beetle is a male. You needed a female beetle for the spell to work! Bozo!"