Ami McKay

Those averse to magic need not apply... 1880 Witches Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St Clair have opened a tea shop in Manhattan specialising in cures, palmistry and potions. When an enchanting woman called Beatrice joins the witches as an apprentice, she soon proves indispensable, but her new life is marred by strange occurrences. She sees things no one else can see. She hears voices no one else can hear. Has she been touched by magic or is she simply losing her mind? Amidst the witches' tug-of-war over how best to nurture her gifts, Beatrice disappears. But was it by choice or by force? In a time when women were corseted, confined and committed for merely speaking their minds, is anyone really safe?

The Witches of New York

Maria

3.5/5 
The pacing was a little too slow, and the introductory part took way too long for my liking. But the characters are wonderfully crafted. The writing style is very vivid and atmospheric. I think I am in the mood for more fast-paced books at the moment, but overall I enjoyed this a lot.

Rambling and tedious. Far too much uninteresting conflict. WAY too many POVs, often jumping from head to head several times within a chapter. Unnecessarily verbose descriptions of men torturing women. And not much actual magic! I expected more witchy vibes, but most of the magic is found in ghost sightings. This book is called The Witches of New York—not The Ghost Hunters of New York. I enjoyed the characters and the setting, but the plot was a whole mess. Someone did a bunch of research into the history of the era and thought putting all of that in detail on the page (instead of just writing a good story) would make for a novel. It did not. On top of that, the ending was predictable, and unsatisfying, with many loose ends.

Katelyn Caillouet

The year is 1880. Two hundred years after the trials in Salem, witches Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St Clair finally feel safe and have opened a tea shop in Manhattan, specialising in cures, palmistry and potions. When an enchanting young woman called Beatrice joins the witches as an apprentice, she soon proves indispensable but her new life is marred by strange occurrences. She sees things no one else can see. She hears voices no one else can hear. Objects appear out of thin air, as if gifts from the dead. Has she been touched by magic or is she simply losing her mind? Amidst the witches' tug-of-war over how best to nurture her gifts, Beatrice disappears but was it by choice or by force? In the desperate search the witches are confronted by spectres from their own pasts. In a time when women were corseted, confined and committed for merely speaking their minds, were any of them really safe?

I was apprehensive to start this one, afraid I would hate it because it’s filled with historical fiction and it’s not really the genre I go for. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I loved the magic and the main characters, the inclusion of historical events made it almost like if I was reading “a true story”. The descriptions of the author with regards to landmarks in NYC came to life in my mind. The religious characters had fanatic tendencies, which were very common in the 1800’s. I’m so happy there’s a sequel and a prequel to this book! Which of course I will be reading. :)

Amy Vicknair

some interesting, funny spots but way too slow

Anna Campbell

** spoiler alert **
           I immediately fell in love with the writing of this book! The characters were intriguing, the storyline such a shock. I thought I’d be getting witches, but got more than I bargained for! And their magic was much more subtle than most books I’ve read - no magic wands or cauldrons used. Lovely Halloween read!

In the vein of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, comes a new novel from historical fiction maven Ami McKay that transports readers to the heart of Victorian New York, where three witches practice their craft—to the delight of some—but at their own peril. Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply. New York in the spring of 1880 is a place alive with wonder and curiosity. Determined to learn the truth about the world, its residents enthusiastically engage in both scientific experimentation and spiritualist pursuits. Séances are the entertainment of choice in exclusive social circles, and many enterprising women—some possessed of true intuitive powers, and some gifted with the art of performance—find work as mediums. Enter Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St. Clair. At their humble teashop, Tea and Sympathy, they provide a place for whispered confessions, secret cures, and spiritual assignations for a select society of ladies, who speak the right words and ask the right questions. But the profile of Tea and Sympathy is about to change with the fortuitous arrival of Beatrice Dunn. When seventeen-year-old Beatrice leaves the safety of her village to answer an ad that reads "Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply," she has little inclination of what the job will demand of her. Beatrice doesn't know it yet, but she is no ordinary small-town girl; she has great spiritual gifts—ones that will serve as her greatest asset and also place her in grave danger. Under the tutelage of Adelaide and Eleanor, Beatrice comes to harness many of her powers, but not even they can prepare her for the evils lurking in the darkest corners of the city or the courage it will take to face them.

A Novel

Toni Turner

My thoughts are very much the same as they were towards the beginning of this novel. Love that bird. Hate the church. We love women being women and loving women and women friendships and men that are there to hype up women. My favorite bit was the characters here.

The set up was very interesting and could have gone a lot of cool fantastical ways, but you are buckled in pretty quickly knowing that it probably won’t pass certain boundaries. I still enjoyed the story, but I would take a further exploration of the unknown fantastical, paranormal stuff going on like the dearlies, over an evil reverend pretty much all the time. 
Like gimmie more of the bird, please!

Diptyalina Barman

Heather Harrington

New York in 1880 is a time of invention, creation, and suspicion. The people regularly spend their time engaging in scientific lectures or attending seances, anything that promises to uncover the hidden truths of the world. Many enterprising young women make their trade by pretending to be spiritualists or mediums, but Eleanor St. Clair and Adelaide Thoms are the real deal. The pair own a tea shop specializing in everything from secret cures to fortunes told. Seeking a shop-girl to help around the store, Eleanor and Adelaide hire seventeen-year-old Beatrice, who has just left her small-town village in hopes of seeking adventure in the big city. Beatrice soon discovers she has a talent for communing with the dead, and under Eleanor and Adelaide, begins to hone her ability and harness the power brimming within her. But unbeknownst to the trio, evil is lurking in the shadows, and it won't stop until every witch in New York is wiped out.

First off, doesn't this cover scream autumn vibes? It was a cover buy for me, so I didn't know too much about the premise before going into it, but I ended up enjoying it. The characters were fantastic, and I loved watching the relationship between Eleanor, Adelaide, and Beatrice come about. They each grew and learned from the other which I liked, and it was satisfying watching Beatrice learn about her powers and use them to help others. McKay's writing was lush and atmospheric. It felt like she transported you to the grimy NYC streets, and you were walking along, watching everything unfold. That said, I did find it heavy at times. Not so much in the subject matter, more so just densely packed with information. There was so much detail and things going on that I had a hard time fully grasping the story, but then I started listening to the audiobook while physically reading, and it helped me digest the story better. I almost wish this wasn't a standalone since there are a few questions I'd like answered and some bits I'd want to be expanded, but overall, I liked this a lot.

Judy Hudgins

Three witches join forces in the late 1800s in New York City. A really good read and enjoyed the story. I would like to see more about these women.

Devin Mainville

I really wanted to like this book. I am all about witchy vibes, especially this time of year and the cover is the exact mix of beautiful and creepy that I adore, but… I just couldn’t.

Set in 1880 in New York, The Witches of New York follows a young girl, Beatrice, as she comes to the city and falls in with some witches. This is more of a mood piece than a plot driven novel because the plot? There isn’t much of one. It took FORVER for the conflict to present itself and then, once it did, it was resolved within a few pages – but we were still a good 50 pages from the end of the book!

I enjoyed many of the characters and a few of the peripheral stories, but the pacing was just too out of whack for me to really sink into the story. Also, the ending left quite a few loose threads and completely abandoned plotlines.

Brook

A cute and easy to read book about Witches in the turn of the century in NYC. I hope there are more books in this series, because the characters were charming, with one even being *gasp* a lesbian. I don't get why witches have to fight against demons, and can't be friends, but at least they get to fight the church too.

Cole Stoots

Tabitha Rone

Ashley Lock

OhJeanne

The bestselling author of "The Birth House" and "The Virgin Cure" is back, luring us deep inside the lives of a trio of remarkable young women navigating the glitz and grotesqueries of Gilded-Age New York by any means possible, including witchcraft.

The Witches of New York

Reviews