A Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller.“Cleverly crafted… 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.
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This book reads like a full glass of merlot drunk in the quiet of a crisp, autumn-dark evening – it’s full of earthy, vine-twisting magic, secrets and sorcery, romance and wonder. It’s exactly what you would hope a book about a witch who makes spell-tinged wine would be about, and also so much more – mystical carnivals, witch trials, and hidden family histories give this book so much more depth than I could have ever predicted. It was a totally unexpected read and I’m very much looking forward to see what else this author has in store!
Technically, despite several mysteries in the plot, this book is a fairy tale for grown-ups. The opening chapter grabs the reader from the beginning and provides a thread throughout that slowly ravels to the end. The whole idea of witches who work their magic on the vineyards of a fictional Loire Valley is but one mystery. The over-arching question: Who cursed Elena? Later, who kills her former fiance? The reader will figure this out instantly, but the final twist relative to the curse carries a bit of a surprise. Beautifully, artfully crafted with a sly humor that begins with a toad. Set in turn-of-the-century France, this is a perfect antidote to our current tough times.
The Vine Witch is a lyrical, mesmeric read that held me captivated to the last page. Elena, the main character is a Vine Witch, gifted in the craft of cultivating a fruitful vineyard. She’s just broken free from a spell that bound her in the marshland, and she’s bent on finding the culprit who stole her life. She returns home to Chateau Renard to discover her love married to another woman, and the vineyard under new ownership. On her quest to find the witch who cast a spell on her, she discovers a new love, friends, and her true identity.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more of Ms. Smith’s books.
The beginning of the story finds the heroine a victim of a curse. But freeing herself is just the start of what she’ll have to do to reclaim her life and find out who cursed her. Her journey takes a few unpredictable turns and she finds that her friends and enemies are not what she thought. Along the way there are very rich descriptions about wine and the supernatural world that helps the wineries to flourish. The HEA made the story even better.
Touted as “a fairytale for grownups,” THE VINE WITCH by Luanne G. Smith hits the mark! I can’t remember the last time I was mesmerized by this caliber of storytelling. It’s mystical. It’s magical. It’s a five-star read!
Though this book is the first of a trilogy, it can be read as a stand alone also. It was an easy to read murder mystery with a little bit of magic, and romance thrown in.
It’s, like, fine.
This book was fantastically alluring. Luanne Smith did an incredible job of writing out a captivating, well thought out story with the perfect amount of detail that painted a lovely picture and helped you keep up with the story, but not too much that it dulled you after a while. The characters as well were relatable, witty and the perfect amount of emotional.
I enjoyed that the characters, especially the main characters, were not all 100% perfect. More often than not, many authors paint their main characters as pure and lacking any real faults. The main characters, and even the side characters, all had great depth to them and were not written cookie cutter-like. It makes me look forward to reading more about them in the next trilogy books.
One of the aspects I enjoyed quite a lot in this book is the way that magic is written. It was well thought out and had a very witch-y aspect to it. I enjoyed that it wasn’t your simple hand waving around and screaming out something that rhymes, it involves picking out the proper ingredients, putting them in specific places/ways and stating incantations in specific manners. It was easily one of the most capturing elements of the story.
This book really surprised me. I didn’t know I would ended up loving it. Honestly, I was debating whether I should give it 3 stars or 4 stars, but then I reached the ending and I was like, “this book deserve a full 5 stars.”
The story is about witches and wine, and the story is set in France. Witches and France? Very fascinating! Well, I find the story to be quite enjoyable. I wasn’t sure whether I would like the story during the early chapters, I admit that it was so slow and can get a bit boring, but I keep on going, and when I get to the middle, the story picks up very quickly. The flow of the story can get a bit rough at some parts, and I nearly lose my interest…but I’m glad that I didn’t. The problem I had with the book mostly is the pacing. It was so slow at the beginning until the middle, and I’m not really that good with a slow-paced story, I prefer fast. The setting was very interesting, just like how I imagined it to be. I see it as a mix of medieval and victorian, but more to the victorian settings with a gothic atmosphere. I find the whole setting so dark and scary, and yet beautiful, and that combination is unique to me.
The story is about a vine witch named Elena who is a well-known winemaker, and Jean-Paul, a man of science who came from the city and doesn’t believe in the existence of witches and magic. The story really fascinates me, and I loved that it focus on Elena’s journey of dealing with what happened when she was gone for seven years, how she cope with the changes, and also her revenge. The story has a strong plot, and I admit that the plot was very impressive. The plot twists are what keeps me going. The mysteries around the vicious murders, the unexpected betrayal, the shocking confessions, and many more surprising things in the story, these are what makes the story more interesting later on. The slow start was a torture, but the moment things are going to get very intense, I knew it will get better. I didn’t see some of the things coming, so I find some of the things that happened to be so surprising. But I did predict a few things that later proven to be correct. All the twists was truly unexpected, especially the last couple of chapters, that was the most shocking and jaw-dropping twist!
The story also shows how a vine witch like Elena make wines. I loved seeing her technique, especially when she had to use her magic and also looking at the prediction of the weather, and the harvest season. She really did it very carefully, and I really want to see more of her winemaking techniques in the sequel since it wasn’t the main focus in this one. Also, she was so good at making a potions, she really had the skill and learning where she inherit said skill was not like what I expected at all. I’m sure that will be a focus for the sequel and I’m so excited to see how it will play out.
I feel like the magic system is being modernized in the story, and it was like the magic system in Harry Potter…not the same, but a bit similar in a way. There are laws that stated witches who went against the rules will be arrested and put into a jail that dampened their magic, and the matron (non-witch) who guarded the rogue witches had a wand that will help her use a little bit of magic. The building of the jail remind me of Azkaban a lot. I wasn’t really liking the magic system here, and I was hoping it will have its own magic system. Also, I was preparing myself for an epic magic battle but sadly there was none, and there wasn’t much intense actions in the story. When Elena was facing her rival, Gerda, they were just talking for quite a long time instead of trying to fight one another using their own magic. I understood why they didn’t attack one another, but still it could’ve been great to see these two going up against one another at least once.
Elena is a vine witch who has an amazing abilities at making and producing wine. She was very smart at figuring things out, and also smart enough to come up with new ideas when it comes to wine and freeing herself from any dire situations. I admired her character a lot. What she had to go through in the beginning was very bad, and I was wondering who put her in that situation. It was totally understandable why she did what she did later on. She suffered a lot in the story, and yet in the end, she managed to handle any situations with much patience. She was nice and kind actually, and even when she was angry at the shocking betrayal, she still forgive the person who betrayed her. She was very forgiving, even though it took her a long time to forgive those who have wronged her. I feel bad for what she had to face in the story, and then having to cope with everything she missed in the seven years she was gone, then had to face a big trouble and got hit by the fact that someone she knew her whole life betrayed her, it was a very hard time for her. Her problems are a mess, and I was glad things worked out very well for her in the end. I want to see more of her fierce side in the next book, and also to see more of her passion making and producing wine. Most importantly, I need to see a happy Elena.
Jean-Paul is a very hard character to figure. He was stubborn, doesn’t believe in magic and witches, and he was all about science. I get why he didn’t believe in anything supernatural, after all he came from the city where supernatural things doesn’t always happen or exist there. It was hard for him to be so open-minded about the things he witnessed ever since Elena came back, and even ran away thinking it was all just an illusion or a trick. Actually, he was a nice man and a very kind gentleman, he just doesn’t show that side of him too often. The story shows him spending time trying to figure out what Elena showed him, and he was slowly accepting that supernatural things are real, and even took a time to learn about the laws of supernatural in case a tragedy hit him or Elena, at least he can be prepared. As a character, he wasn’t that bad, stubborn and close-minded? Yes. But then again, he changed to be better and the development his character get in the story was very astounding to me. I ended up loving his character by the end of the story. I need to see more of him getting involve in a supernatural things in the sequel, and also to see him working together with Elena.
Gerda is the main villain of the story, and her motive on why she did what she did in the story made a lot of sense. She was ruthless and vile. What she did was totally unforgivable, and I was so grossed out by what happened to her fallen victims in the story. She was very-very cruel, and all she did was for the sake of maintaining her immortality. From her backstory, all I could gather was how it really piece together everything that happened in the story. It seems like what happened to her years ago had a connection with what happened to Elena seven years ago—the whole curse thing, and whoever did it to her also did it to Elena. There was a mystery to Gerda’s character, and I was glad the author included her backstory and the origin of Gerda’s evil personality, that way readers can understand her character more. She might not be a strong villain, but she definitely is a great and well-written villain for this story.
There was a little bit of romance in the story, and I find the romance to be so sweet. Jean-Paul and Elena is the obvious pairing, and I was happy they get their HEA. It was what I hoped for since the start of the story. The build up to their romance was slow and steady, and it was very satisfying seeing the result. Their romance wasn’t epic, but still it was a nice and sweet romance that will leave a lot of readers wanting for more. I, for one need to know what will happen to these two next. For them to get together made a lot of sense. After everything they’ve been through and the months they spend living together, it really made sense why they ended up together. Jean-Paul changed for the better because of Elena, and Elena had soften toward Jean-Paul after trying to help him. They shared a connection that not many can understand, but everyone can easily see it. Their chemistry was strong, and the ending did them good. I was happy with the ending they got, I can’t wait to see what’s more for them in the sequel.
The whole story was very nice even though there was some gore and a lot of blood, but the whole story was exceptionally good. I loved the whole thing about witches and their magic, and I enjoyed the interaction between the heroine and the villain. Overall, it was a great book that has a lot of potential, and I want to see the sequel to be even better than this one. I want to see more upgrade, and better pacing. The story and how it ended made me think this is a standalone, but apparently it’s not. I’m excited to see what the author has in store for the sequel, and who will bring chaos to this awesome world of vine witches next. The ending alone upped my rating for this book, and I didn’t regret giving this book a full 5 stars. I truly enjoyed this book a lot, and I hope more good things will come for Jean-Paul and Elena.
In Smith’s fantasy version of early 20th c. France, all vineyards have vine witches, who use their skills to create a better vintage.
The book starts with the protagonist, Elena, trapped by a curse in a frog’s body. Every time the frog sheds it’s skin, she swallows the skin. She doesn’t remember much about being a human, but she knows the frog’s skin is poisonous. This time the poison hits critical mass and the curse is broken.
She returns home, planning to exact vengeance on her former fiance whom she believes ordered the curse on her. But everything has changed.
This book was a lovely surprise. I found the world-building intriguing and the characters engaging, esp. Yvette, Elena’s felonious but charming partner in crime. (We don’t meet her until well into the book.) The writing is good, and there was the nice bonus of a romance subplot between Elena and Jean-Paul. Recommended for lovers of fantasy or paranormal romance.
An interesting story that transports the reader to the wonderful French wine fields. However, it lacks more elements to sustain the facts and the all explanation is left for the last chapters but not as complete as the reader expects.
I liked the book overall. The plot and characters are well developed to the point that the witch aspect almost seems plausible. The opening is fantastic, drawing in the reader from the getgo. The pace and writing style were well done, keeping the reader engaged. Some of the magic elements weren’t five-star, but overall, the witch magic woven into the wine production was unique and beautifully incorporated. All in all, this is a great first book by this author. I recommend it.
This was a charming debut novel from Luanne Smith. The characters come to life in your imagination and are easy to “get to know”. The plot does hold your interest. I felt that after the slow start that the ending was rushed.
This book is a great fantasy read. I was hooked from the start and devoured every word. A great read, I really enjoyed it.
I really like the plot, the storyline, the characters and the writing. What has me vacillating from four stars to five is the audio narration. I am not sure if the written and/or ebook versions are written in French, but the audiobook had an American English accent for the general narration and then bam! Fluid, thick, French narration that not only detracted from the story but made it hard to keep track of some of the characters.
I have read several negative reviews about the pacing of the book and Elena’s feelings for Jean-Paul. I don’t understand the complaints about the pacing since there were several mysteries to unravel throughout the book. The pacing of the romance storyline is the same in every book with a romantic storyline written in. The only difference is, there is no hatred or snarkiness (which is a popular theme lately). It is written in a simpler time with horses and carts still prevalent.
I enjoyed the book a lot and will admit I am curious about the sequels, which include characters from this book, but I’m not sure I would do the narration again.
Very well written. I usually like mysteries and this was one with magic. really enjoyed this book. Will most likely red the next two.
I read The Vine Witch this past winter and just noticed I never posted a recommendation (2020, you have been A LOT). This book has a magical, earthy, and old world aesthetic that I found irresistible. (There is a gargoyle living among the old vines! Because of course there is!) A terrific and much-needed escape for the times. If you like witches and wine (and FRANCE, for the win), this is for you.
I normally don’t read fantasy but The Vine Witch keeps showing up on my suggestions and I decided to give it a try.
The Vine Witch is not your normal fantasy at least that’s how I felt, it was more mature, the characters felt even more mature and I was instantly hooked.
Elena is a vine witch she has returned after a terrible spell that left her so weak, now she is determined to recover all that she has missed and left. she wasn’t expecting to meet this handsome guy that is now in charge of the vineyard but life has a funny way to change our paths and sooner or later Elena will have to succumb to his enchanted charms.
Many situations will make the story of Elena and Jean-Paul Martel, but the chemistry and the constant pull were always their magic their love even more powerful.
Great story, full magic and of great characters, I really enjoy it and after reading The Vine witch I’m more open to read and get immersed in the fantasy world
I instantly became absorbed and Immediately unable to put it down. One of the best I have ever read in this genre. Highly recommend this one.
This grown up fairytale is wonderful . A rough but interesting road for this little vine witch to lift the curses in her beloved vineyard. Full of charm and wit kept me reading long into the night. Luckily there is a second book coming out soon. Highly recommend