Name: Emma's review of The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith
Item: The Vine Witch
Rating: 3.5
Author: Emma

Luanne G. Smith

A young witch emerges from a curse to find her world upended in this gripping fantasy of betrayal, vengeance, and self-discovery set in turn-of-the-century France. For centuries, the vineyards at Château Renard have depended on the talent of their vine witches, whose spells help create the world-renowned wine of the Chanceaux Valley. Then the skill of divining harvests fell into ruin when sorcière Elena Boureanu was blindsided by a curse. Now, after breaking the spell that confined her to the shallows of a marshland and weakened her magic, Elena is struggling to return to her former life. And the vineyard she was destined to inherit is now in the possession of a handsome stranger. Vigneron Jean-Paul Martel naively favors science over superstition, and he certainly doesn't endorse the locals' belief in witches. But Elena knows a hex when she sees one, and the vineyard is covered in them. To stay on and help the vines recover, she'll have to hide her true identity, along with her plans for revenge against whoever stole seven winters of her life. And she won't rest until she can defy the evil powers that are still a threat to herself, Jean-Paul, and the ancient vine-witch legacy in the rolling hills of the Chanceaux Valley.

The Vine Witch

Emma

Maria

this was delightful! if you’re looking for a light, fun read i recommend this wholeheartedly. i loved the magic and worldbuilding around it. the plot, while simple, kept me wholly invested, while the romance was sweet and the pacing just right. i’m glad i stumbled upon this book by accident.

Colleen

3 Stars
 
*An stylistic debut about magic, betrayal, and self-discovery*

ARC provided by 47North via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


The Vine Witch is a readable debut about a cursed Vine Witch seeking revenge. The story starts out with a Magical Realism vibe as a young woman makes her way home after being cursed. She is intent on saving her home as well as getting revenge on the person who cursed her. 

The story is set in the Chanceaux Valley of France at the turn-of-the-century. While the location is definite, the time period was intentionally vague. And I’ll admit, that drove me a little batty. I couldn’t ignore the impulse to figure out exactly when this story is set. The latest reference I found was to the Union for Women’s Suffrage which was founded in 1913. But there is absolutely no reference of World War I. Since you can’t responsibly set a story in France in or after 1914 without acknowledging WWI, the story must take place before the war. Even so, there was no reference to the building tensions and economic effect that was already apparent in 1913. 
 
I did like the idea of wine witches. I enjoyed the clash of magic versus science and tradition versus modern adaptability. The story explored a lot of interesting topics even if it did ignore the looming war.

The writing style reminded me a lot of Alice Hoffman circa Practical Magic. That may be high praise for some, but for me that is a mixed comment. I find Hoffman’s writing to be pretty and her concepts to be interesting, but I always felt utterly disconnected from her characters. And I had much the same reaction to The Vine Witch. I was intrigued, and I liked the setting and descriptions, but I felt no connection with any of the characters. Honestly, when Elena Boureanu was first introduced in the book, I thought she was the villain! Part of the disconnect is caused by Elena’s secretive and distrusting nature, but I need to feel more for a main character in order to love a book.

The plot did keep me thoroughly engaged. And I liked the concept and the setting, so the story held my story all the way through. I had no problem reading the whole story in one day. But I still missed that emotional connection to the characters. 

Late in the book, the story takes a different direction, veering from light Magical Realism into true Fantasy. That isn’t a bad thing in and of itself. But it was not how the story started and was not what I expected based on the description and the first half of the book. The added Fantasy elements also lacked the necessary worldbuilding. Suddenly the story went from having vine witches who charm plants into growing better to the story having mythical creatures and some sort of magic police. But that wasn’t explained well enough, and it got too muddled. 

Apparently there is now going to be a sequel. I have mixed feeling about that. There were enough things left open ended to have enough material for another book. But on the other hand, I’m not sure it’s needed. I probably will check out this author again though as her body of work increases as I do think the author shows promise. 


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 2 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars

Eryn Bradshaw

Seven years have passed since Elena Boureanu has step foot on the vineyards of Château Renard. Elena broke the curse that had been cast on her and she comes back to find a handsome stranger now owned the Château. Unfortunately, vigneron Jean-Paul Martel doesn't believe in the local superstitions and doesn't approve of keeping a vine witch at his vineyard. For this, his wines have suffered and Château Renard's reputation declined. Elena was always meant to inherit Château Renard, but she steps in to undo the curses and hexes placed on the vineyard without Jean-Paul knowing. While untangling the hexes, she is determined to discover who cursed her and take her revenge.The first thing I want to gush about is the cover because just look at it! It's beautiful! I love the dark colors and the greenery. The cover just called to me and I had to read it. Well, the cover and the title. Who doesn't love wine and witches? Second, despite The Vine Witch taking place towards the end of winter and beginning of spring, I thought it was a good cozy fall read. Curl up by a crackling fire, get a glass of wine (because it's hard to not have a glass of wine while reading this book), and wrap up in a blanket to read this.

The writing in The Vine Witch is beautiful. The book opens us to a scene with a toad. At first, I thought it strange, but the descriptions and imagery were intriguing. The story takes place in France during the turn of the century. Already there's conflict in the world over science and technological advancements verus superstitions and old traditions which sets up Elena and Jean-Paul's relationship really well. Jean-Paul is a man of science. His goal is to use that science to produce superb wines, but he has much to learn from Elena and the traditions of the vine witches.

I honestly can't praise Smith's use of imagery enough. I felt wrapped up in the setting, like I was really there in the beautiful French countryside. The descriptions of tasting a good glass of wine, freshly baked pastries, or even some cheese made my mouth water. All I wanted to do was reach into the story and have a taste myself. Smells aren't forgotten either in Smith's writing. I think we can often forget different senses to include while writing to help engulf the reader in the world. Imaging the smells of pastries wafting across the street or the dampness of a prison cell helps to ground me in the story even more. It's been a while since I've had a fresh pastry, I'm starting to really crave one! Time to make a note to visit a bakery ASAP!

I adored the characters, even the side characters. Each character we met, from Elena and Jean-Paul to Grand-Mère and Yvette, they all felt fleshed out. Each character had a life before this story, and each one had their own goals and purposes. I think each character could be plucked out of The Vine Witch and given their own story, and I would gladly read each one.

The magic system was done beautifully as well. Since reading about witchcraft myself, you can tell a bit of research was done to see how everyday modern witches might wrap magic into their daily lives. The magic was truly wrapped up and part of the setting Smith created. I loved the little spell jars Elena created to plant next to the grape vines and how she and Grand-Mère planned planting and picking according to the moon phases. And I loved the extra of magic added where Elena could see the hexes intertwined with the vines and the magical creatures that plagued the vineyard. It is wonderfully written.

My only criticism for The Vine Witch is how it left me wanting more. I want a longer book with more character development and more development of the romance between Elena and Jean-Paul. But I suppose that will be amended by reading the next book in this series. I've got it downloaded and ready to go! I just don't know if I want to wait to read it when I take my holiday in October or if I just want to read it now!I think it's obvious when I say I give this book 5 stars. I adored this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short read that is beautifully crafted. It only took me 2 days to read this book. The pacing was great, and it had me excited to go back and keep reading.Check out more reviews on my blog!

Sheila Masterson

Shafel McDowall

Listened to this as an audio book. 

I loved the story but the language was just too flowery for my personal taste. I just wanted the story to be a bit less descriptive and a little more plot driven. However, I admit that I know that was not the intent of the author. My decision to give this book 4 stars was based on the fact that I know the author succeeded in her goals but I just found it to be a little too descriptive. 

More angry witches!! Less wine descriptions!

Julia Thompson 

The Vine Witch was different compared to what I usually read but I loved it all the same. At some points it had a bit of trouble holding my attention but it always pulled me right back in. I cannot wait for the second book to release.

Liz Carpenter

Kate Gravelle

I enjoy a good witchy book. I felt like the story line was a little scattered though.

Rocio Rivas

Me gustó mucho el universo que planteó pero siento que a la hora de ejecutarlo, el libro se quedó un poco corto. La escritura a veces no estaba a la altura del mundo del libro. Sin embargo amo el tema de magia y brujas y estoy considerando seriamente leer la secuela, si bien tenga que bajar un poco mis expectativas con otros aspectos.

Ashling Brown

A young witch emerges from a curse to find her world upended in this gripping fantasy of betrayal, vengeance, and self-discovery set in turn-of-the-century France.

For centuries, the vineyards at Château Renard have depended on the talent of their vine witches, whose spells help create the world-renowned wine of the Chanceaux Valley. Then the skill of divining harvests fell into ruin when sorcière Elena Boureanu was blindsided by a curse. Now, after breaking the spell that confined her to the shallows of a marshland and weakened her magic, Elena is struggling to return to her former life. And the vineyard she was destined to inherit is now in the possession of a handsome stranger.

Vigneron Jean-Paul Martel naively favours science over superstition, and he certainly doesn’t endorse the locals’ belief in witches. But Elena knows a hex when she sees one, and the vineyard is covered in them. To stay on and help the vines recover, she’ll have to hide her true identity, along with her plans for revenge against whoever stole seven winters of her life. And she won’t rest until she can defy the evil powers that are still a threat to herself, Jean-Paul, and the ancient vine-witch legacy in the rolling hills of the Chanceaux Valley


---

At first, I really enjoyed reading this book, but the further I got into it the more uninterested I got. I found myself struggling to pick up the book because I was just no longer interested. 

I really enjoyed the magic aspect of this book. It was interesting to learn about each unique gift that each witch had, and learn a little about what they did. I feel like there was a lot of depth with the magic and it was really interesting to read about. 

I at times enjoyed the romance but also found it a little uninteresting and bland at times. There felt as if there was no chemistry between them both, and that just isn't the romance that I'm into at all. 

I felt unconnected to the characters, which is the biggest turn off to the book. If I can't connect with what I'm reading then I just can't delve into the story completely, which at times is annoying, and sadly this book fits the category. 

Overall I felt that the story was flat, there wasn't much excitement or interest and I just couldn't connect. I found that I wasn't really interested in the story, meaning that the story just didn't grip my attention!

Nickie Mohler

3.5 stars
I was surprised by how much I liked this one. Very quick read. I thought the magic of the vine witches was interesting. I really liked the characters as well.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Author: Luanne G. Smith

Book Series: book 1 of The Vine Witch series

Rating: 4/5

Publication Date: October 1!

Recommended Age: 16+ (some gore and some gross toad skin eating that still makes my skin crawl. Romance and revenge)

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: I think it's indie? Not sure I can't find a publisher so someone correct me please.

Synopsis: For centuries, the vineyards at Château Renard have depended on the talent of their vine witches, whose spells help create the world-renowned wine of the Chanceaux Valley. Then the skill of divining harvests fell into ruin when sorcière Elena Boureanu was blindsided by a curse. Now, after breaking the spell that confined her to the shallows of a marshland and weakened her magic, Elena is struggling to return to her former life. And the vineyard she was destined to inherit is now in the possession of a handsome stranger.

Vigneron Jean-Paul Martel naively favors science over superstition, and he certainly doesn’t endorse the locals’ belief in witches. But Elena knows a hex when she sees one, and the vineyard is covered in them. To stay on and help the vines recover, she’ll have to hide her true identity, along with her plans for revenge against whoever stole seven winters of her life. And she won’t rest until she can defy the evil powers that are still a threat to herself, Jean-Paul, and the ancient vine-witch legacy in the rolling hills of the Chanceaux Valley.

Review: I thought this was an amazing book! It was the perfect fall book and I absolutely fell in love with the atmosphere. The writing was well done and the world building was magnificent. The story was also very interesting!

However, I do feel like the pacing was a bit off. It was fast then slow then fast again. The characters were a bit flat for me, and the way the story started was so cool but then I felt a little lost when we moved on to the rest of the story. It might have been just me and my mood but overall I did enjoy it, I was just confused.

Verdict: I would definitely recommend this one, especially for a fall read.

Grace Emilia Machon

3.5 rounded down

This book hints of chocolate and discovery of witches. A short and fun read with a well built world, just enough romance and a good does of magic. 
I look forward to reading more!

I go back and forth between a 3 and a 4. Compelling, original, but lacked depth because of its brevity. The story stole my attention from the beginning - witches who specialize in making wine through both science and magic? BAH. One seeking revenge for being cursed for 7 years? Hell yeah. And that Animorphs-style intro chapter was gross and utterly thrilling (just go ahead and read it). It’s an easy read and entertaining even if the story and writing are pretty basic.

I liked the traditional gender role swap and feminist twist - prominent characters are majority female, MC saves the day (and the LI) without any help from him (view spoiler)[ (literally, he's tied to a wine machine turned into a torture device the whole time)  (hide spoiler)] beyond emotional support. There’s even a mansplaining reference! Smash the patriarchy. 

On the other hand, the characters and their relationships had so much potential - feel like the author could have fleshed this out but there wasn’t enough room in the 260 pages. We needed more on Bastien and Elena’s prior relationship to connect her to her overwhelming lust for revenge. Jean- Paul (how did he fall in love with her after meeting her once?) and Grand-Mère didn’t get enough screen time. Maybe I’m so used to plot twists that I had mostly figured out the antagonist(s?) in the first 50 pages. 

Otherwise, it’s a unique concept tying in magic, witches, and 19th c French wine country. A nice break from my usual rotation. Pair with a glass of vintage red. And a cheeseboard. Or on an entire bag of frozen chocolate buttons like I did. 



My Ratings:

⭐= “Feminist King Rhys” Hard pass.

⭐⭐= Mal bleh but better than ⭐️.

⭐⭐⭐= Hawke Liked it but something was off.

⭐⭐⭐⭐= Aidas Oh, intriguing.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= Cardan I have reached nirvana.

FYI - the image above credited to artist @dominiquewesson

Julie Bessin

Rebeca Keren Nuñez

Demora un poco en tornarse verdaderamente atrapante, pero por suerte lo hace. Igual es un poco predecible en sus giros de trama. Incluso el último ultimo, lo puedes ver venir desde unos capítulos antes si estás prestando atención.

Leelynn Brady

Read my full review on my blog Sometimes Leelynn Reads

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, Fantastic Flying Book Club, and 47North for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Elena was one of my favorite characters in this whole book, although I must say that there was Yvette that I loved too. I hope she makes an appearance in the sequel! Also, this review should have been up last year so oops. Sorry about that.

Low-key this is how we are introduced to Elena in the first chapter, and we get to witness her transformation from a toad to a woman, and only towards the end of that chapter do we realize that she actually has a name.

And she’s freaking pissed.

............ read the full reviewwwwwww.

Kerri McDonald

I literally had no idea what to expect when I went into this book. I think I got it for a dollar or something on my Kindle app. The cover was pretty and the premise sounded interesting, so I bought it. And then I promptly forgot it existed. So, when I picked it up for the Magical Readathon, I really went in cold.

And boy does the story start off with a bang! Elena Bourneau, a young witch living in the French countryside, emerges from a seven-year-long curse. She stumbles back to the vineyard where she was raised only to discover that everything has changed. The vineyard is under new ownership and the man who bought it, Jean-Paul Martel, is a man of science. He doesn’t believe in the so-called vine witches who ply their trade in the Chanceaux Valley. Which is kind of a problem since Elena is a vine witch. As Elena tries to secretly work her magic, she is also on a mission of revenge. Because she knows who cursed her and she is bound and determined to make them pay.

I picked this book up because of the witchy aspect and I was not disappointed! It was dark, mysterious, and eerie. I loved the atmosphere of this book, not least of all because much it is set in a vineyard. The descriptions were so lush, I could picture myself wandering among the vines, smelling the earth and the grapes around me. And the ending was delightfully creepy! My only hang-up with this book was the romance. It was a shining example of insta-love in the most eye-rolling of ways. Honestly, this book would have been much better minus the love interest. Still, it was a fun, gripping story and I’m glad I finally picked it up!

Barbara Kent

Great read! 

Really enjoyed this book! Not part of my usual reads, but one I couldn’t put down after starting. Excited to read the next when it comes out!

Jessica 

DNF - I tried I REALLY tried! I just couldn’t get into this book. I made it 35% of the way and read some reviews and decided it’s not going to get any better ... so I’m calling this one a defeat.

Manon van Heumen

This was really enjoyable. It would have been even better if I was able to concentrate on it.

Rachel Schommer

2.5/5

This was not my favorite. Not bad, but just didn't do it for me. I felt like the characters were okay, but there seemed to be feeling lacking...I can't quite put my finger on what I didn't love about it and it's bothering me: the premise was super interesting - there was magic and a traveling carnival and wine - all things that typically appeal to me but for some reason this just didn't quite get there. 

I'm likely not going to continue the series as my TBR pile is too long to spend time reading things that aren't engaging to me. That being said, I would encourage anyone who is interested to give this book/series a chance!

Emma &
The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith

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