Review: The Water Witch

So I read this intriguing witchy tale that I did not know existed until I found it on Netgalley. I love that site because it helps me find reads I might otherwise miss.

The cover is what attracted me first, and then the title. What do you think of that cover?

Title: The Water Witch

Author: Juliet Dark

ISBN: 9780345524249

Pages: 352

Publisher: Ballentine Books 

Available: NOW at your local bookstore or library

Source: Netgalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

"You have only to call my name to bring me back," he whispered, his breath hot in my ear. "You have only to love me to make me human."

Seduced by a powerful incubus demon, Callie has succeeded in banishing him to the Borderlands but Liam still haunts her dreams, tempting her with the knowledge of how to bring him back.

But loving an incubus usually ends in death for a human. For her own sake, Callie must learn to control her desires and ensure Liam remains trapped for all eternity in his watery prison.

Only there is a more dangerous creature than Liam in the Borderlands. The Water Witch is looking for a way back

My Thoughts:

One word to describe this book: saucy.

With that out of the way, I want to say that I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed Dark’s pacing, which at first I thought was too slow, but as I got deeper into the plot I realized that she was pacing us in a way that seemed to mirror that of the Faerie land. Time seems to move so slow there, so much so that the creatures aren’t too sure about time at all, and for the first ten chapters, that’s how I felt.

But once I hit chapter eleven, I was grabbed and was not let go until the very end.

I have fully been warned to not every visit the Catskills town of Fairwick. Weird happenings abound.

The plot of this novel was nicely balanced: supernatural powers, character interaction, romance, friendship, fight for justice.

Okay, justice might be stretching it a bit, but Callie is fighting to keep the door open to Faerie. It is the right thing to do to keep balance and peace with all non-humans. As doorkeeper, it is Callie’s job to make sure she not only guides the undines to the door but also it is her job to keep it open.

According to The Grove, the door should be closed—and they have the backing of the IMP (Institute of Magical Professionals). I imagine the IMP to be a lot like the MIB, just with cloaks and the ability to do magic. Not that that’s true; that’s just what I imagine while reading about them. Silly, isn’t it? But Callie is up against The Grove and the IMP. This is serious.

Callie seems to have two love interests: Duncan, the tutor and Bill, the Handyman. I’m not 100% sold on either one. I’m partial to the name Liam personally, and his character longs to know whether or not Callie loves him. After all, if she does, he will become human.

(Cue dramatic music)

I guess Callie really has a triangle of love happening in this novel—with interesting results.

There’s even a bathtub scene in this book that will rival that of ‘What Lies Beneath.’ Seriously. Oh, and I cannot forget the zombie beavers. I mean, what’s a paranormal tale without having to worrying about those suckers coming for you? I will definitely think twice before heading into the woods by any type of water, that’s for sure.

As a whole, the novel is beautifully written, the plot is nicely paced, and the characters are divine.

While this is not a book I would usually review on my blog, it is about one of my favorite topics to read about: witchery. I would not recommend this novel to the YA crowd, but I would recommend it to anyone who loves an intriguing witchy tale. I’m always looking for witchy tales that take a bit of a different spin on the craft, and this novel fits the bill.

What’s the best witchy tale you’ve read in a while?

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator