The Book of Shadows

by James Reese
The Book of Shadows  
published 2002 by HarperTorch
binding Mass Market Paperback
isbn 0061031844   (isbn13: 9780061031847)
pages 640
description

Alone among the young girls taught by nuns at a convent school in nineteenth-century France, orphaned Herculine has neither wealth nor social connections. When she's accused of being a witch, the shy student is locked up with no hope of escape ... until her rescue by a real witch, the beautiful, mysterious Sebastiana. Swept away to the witch's manor, Herculine will enter a fantastic, erotic world to discover her true nature -- and her destiny -- in this breathtaking, darkly sensual first novel.

...more
date added
02-26-07



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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 70)



Christina
Christina rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
12/09/07

Read in January, 2004
The Book of Shadows
James Reese
Harper Collins Publishers Inc.
http://www.harpercollins.com
PB 468
ISBN #0-06-621015-1
Hard Cover
Review by Christina Francine


How many people were brutally murdered during the Great European Witch Hunt? The numbers are as varied as the opinions and rumors. One theory is from witch hunting propaganda based upon theories from systematic studies from witch trials and speculation. It claims over 50,000 e...more
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Robert Beveridge
Robert rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
01/23/08

bookshelves: finished, owned-and-gave-away
Read in March, 2003
James Reese, The Book of Shadows (Morrow, 2002)

James Reese's debut novel gives us nineteenth-century France's dark side in a grisly, but often interesting, way. Herculine sees the unexpected, ugly death of her mother just before she's consigned to a convent. There, being studious, she becomes the mother superior's pet. When the mother superior's rather diabolic niece comes to stay, she is put into Herculine's care and tutelage. The girl ends up getting them both into a world of trouble, the en...more
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Izlinda
Izlinda rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
04/21/08

bookshelves: fantasy---erotic, historical-fiction, supernatural
Read in December, 2007
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Ani
Ani rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
05/13/08

bookshelves: i-own
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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krin
krin rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
09/16/07

Read in September, 2007
This was a mixed book for me. It was beautifully written - at times evocative and at times poetic. I especially liked the description of the French Revolution as seen through the eyes of the witches and other characters. I also liked the characters Herculine, Madeleine, Father Louis and Sebastiana. While there were parts that dragged, especially chapters concerning the convent and Sebastiana's first coven meeting, the crossroads scene towards the end made the read worthwhile.
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Marci
Marci rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
11/27/07

Read in November, 2007
it was strange , hooked me in the middle of the book and then lost me again at almost the end only to hook me into getting the next book! great details (a little too heavy on them at times!) and a little long and drawn out at times also. characters were great though, i hope to see them again in next book....more of asmodeoi! not the best I've read ,but not the worst either....I'll continue on this path and see where it leads!
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Tiffany
Tiffany rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
03/08/08

Read in March, 2008
Enjoyable, but not wholly satisfying. Left too many unanswered questions and plot holes that needed to be flushed out more. And the ending? Hello Titanic...NO. I know this is supposed to be fantastical, but come on...let's add a little reality, huh?
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Bronwyn
Bronwyn rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
04/29/08

bookshelves: have-read
Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in January, 2007
Utter crap.

But why did I go ahead and buy the second in the series?
Hrm.
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Jack
Jack rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
11/28/07

recommends it for: anyone that wants to read a wierd book about hermaphrodites, witches, and sex with demons
wow, this was a good book but yet again, wierd.
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Jessie
Jessie rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
01/06/08

 

Aileen
Aileen added it
12/24/07

bookshelves: unread
 

Austin
Austin rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
03/21/07

bookshelves: historical-fiction, paranormal
 

Beth
Beth marked it as to-read
03/15/08

bookshelves: paranormal-fantasy, to-read
 

Anita
Anita rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
10/23/07

 

Sheena
Sheena rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
12/31/07

bookshelves: fantasy
 

Lois
Lois rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
04/23/08

bookshelves: urban-dark-fantasy
 

Gabby
Gabby rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
04/03/08

 

Jenn
Jenn rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
02/13/08

bookshelves: traded, very-adult
 

Bunny
Bunny added it
12/30/07

bookshelves: in_my_library
 

Kate
Kate rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/29/07

 


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 2.98 (46 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 2.98 (46 ratings)
number of reviews: 9






other editions

The Book of Shadows (Paperback)
The Book of Shadows (Paperback)