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The Bitterwine Oath
Every fifty years, a cult claims twelve men to murder in a small Texas town. Can one girl end the cycle of violence - and save the boy who broke her heart?
San Solano, Texas, is a quaint town known for its charm, hospitality, and history of murder. Twice now, twelve men have been brutally killed, and no one knows who did it. A shadowy witch? A copycat killer? Or a man-hating murderess?
Eighteen-year-old Natalie Colter is sure that the rumors about her great-great-grandmother's cult of wronged women are just gossip, but that doesn't stop the true-crime writers and dark tourism bloggers from capitalizing on the town's reputation. It's an urban legend that's hard to ignore, and it gets harder when Nat learns that the sisterhood is real. And magical. And they want her to join.
The more Nat learns of the Wardens' supernatural history, the more she wonders about the real culprits behind the town's ritualistic murders. Are the Wardens protecting San Solano from even darker forces? There are shadows in the woods, bones on the outskirts of town, and questions Nat needs answered.
But everything becomes more urgent when people start getting marked as new victims--including Levi Langford, the boy whose kiss haunted Nat for a year. With Levi in danger, doing nothing would be harder than fighting back.
Nat knows that no one is safe. Can she and the sisterhood stop the true evil from claiming their town?
San Solano, Texas, is a quaint town known for its charm, hospitality, and history of murder. Twice now, twelve men have been brutally killed, and no one knows who did it. A shadowy witch? A copycat killer? Or a man-hating murderess?
Eighteen-year-old Natalie Colter is sure that the rumors about her great-great-grandmother's cult of wronged women are just gossip, but that doesn't stop the true-crime writers and dark tourism bloggers from capitalizing on the town's reputation. It's an urban legend that's hard to ignore, and it gets harder when Nat learns that the sisterhood is real. And magical. And they want her to join.
The more Nat learns of the Wardens' supernatural history, the more she wonders about the real culprits behind the town's ritualistic murders. Are the Wardens protecting San Solano from even darker forces? There are shadows in the woods, bones on the outskirts of town, and questions Nat needs answered.
But everything becomes more urgent when people start getting marked as new victims--including Levi Langford, the boy whose kiss haunted Nat for a year. With Levi in danger, doing nothing would be harder than fighting back.
Nat knows that no one is safe. Can she and the sisterhood stop the true evil from claiming their town?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2020
26 people are currently reading
4932 people want to read
About the author
Hannah West
6 books335 followersHannah West is the author of young adult novels including The Nissera Chronicles series and The Bitterwine Oath. Her debut novel, Kingdom of Ash and Briars, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and was named a Kirkus Best Book of the Year. She is a professional copywriter by day and a nature-loving sweets enthusiast around the clock. Originally from Dallas, she lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and son, along with their rambunctious rescue pets.
Follow me on BookBub: https://shorturl.at/DwC9Z
Follow me on BookBub: https://shorturl.at/DwC9Z
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November 15, 2021Really enjoyed this one.
February 4, 2021
I have received this ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Bitterwine Oath has been sitting on my kindle patiently waiting for me to open it's beautiful pages. After finally doing so, I will admit that it had it's creepy moments. The whole wardens vs wood walkers was definitely interesting and I had suspicious feelings about certain people throughout the entire book.
All I can say is that I was finally right. My creepy vibes were true and I was so happy that I kept to them instead of being distracted by something shiny and new. So in this book, you will meet Nat. She is a descendent of a pretty powerful witch and is sort of recruited to join their little cult/gang.
Sort of because it didn't seem like her grandmother wanted it to happen.. and she was kind of forced to do it. After this, things started to confuse me for a bit. It's like someone who say or do something that just caught me off guard and I would let it simmer on my mind until I came to a decision on them.
I wont go into great detail about who I was questioning and why but, again, I am so proud that I was right! I will say that this might tug on some heart strings and it will give a sort of okay fight scene at the end. Honestly, it was just okay but the entire book was pretty good and I couldn't put it down.
In the end, I'm very happy that I got this ARC and was able to fall in love with some witchy characters. Also, can I borrow Nat's dogs or something? Or get one of those wonderful cupcakes?
The Bitterwine Oath has been sitting on my kindle patiently waiting for me to open it's beautiful pages. After finally doing so, I will admit that it had it's creepy moments. The whole wardens vs wood walkers was definitely interesting and I had suspicious feelings about certain people throughout the entire book.
All I can say is that I was finally right. My creepy vibes were true and I was so happy that I kept to them instead of being distracted by something shiny and new. So in this book, you will meet Nat. She is a descendent of a pretty powerful witch and is sort of recruited to join their little cult/gang.
Sort of because it didn't seem like her grandmother wanted it to happen.. and she was kind of forced to do it. After this, things started to confuse me for a bit. It's like someone who say or do something that just caught me off guard and I would let it simmer on my mind until I came to a decision on them.
I wont go into great detail about who I was questioning and why but, again, I am so proud that I was right! I will say that this might tug on some heart strings and it will give a sort of okay fight scene at the end. Honestly, it was just okay but the entire book was pretty good and I couldn't put it down.
In the end, I'm very happy that I got this ARC and was able to fall in love with some witchy characters. Also, can I borrow Nat's dogs or something? Or get one of those wonderful cupcakes?
November 25, 2020
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Contemporary / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Hannah West's The Bitterwine Oath is a mixture of murder + supernatural cult + romance + Southern vibes and sisterhood. In 1921, 4 young women living in of San Solano, Texas; Lillian Pickard, Malachi Rivers, Dorothy Hawkins, and Johanna Mead became known as the Pagans of the Pines. These women wanted to claim vengeance commensurate to their suffering at the hands of men. They instead created a curse which killed 12 men. 50 years later, a second massacre happened, and another 12 men were murdered. This story takes place during the semicentennial anniversary of the Malachian’s curse.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Contemporary / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Hannah West's The Bitterwine Oath is a mixture of murder + supernatural cult + romance + Southern vibes and sisterhood. In 1921, 4 young women living in of San Solano, Texas; Lillian Pickard, Malachi Rivers, Dorothy Hawkins, and Johanna Mead became known as the Pagans of the Pines. These women wanted to claim vengeance commensurate to their suffering at the hands of men. They instead created a curse which killed 12 men. 50 years later, a second massacre happened, and another 12 men were murdered. This story takes place during the semicentennial anniversary of the Malachian’s curse.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
December 31, 2020
I really enjoyed this one. Not your usual teen witch book.
August 6, 2020
"Unexplained deaths.
The most haunted places of America.
Supernatural Occurrences. "
Solid 3.7 to 4.5 STARS.
This book is like the Chilling adventures of Sabrina and wild west vibes with sprinkles of SuckerPunch (the badass women fighter with awesome music blaring), OH SAN SOLANO TEXAS BABY. We got WITCHES, BLOOD OATHS, GIRL POWER, INDEPENDENCE, MULTIPLE HERITAGE/CULTURES! You know the deathly hallows symbol? Well, how about the Malachian Symbol? This book suggest that when Salem murdered those "women" for being EVIL, jokes on you because witches are badass will bring men to their knees or woodwalkers if need be. I love the puns referenced in this book! Last summer before college is a huge deal. This is a pivotal moment in this book for all the characters in this novel.
The fact that the main antagonist in this book isn't just the murdering curse but Witches against other witches show how if we don't combine our strengths it ruin us. we need to be together right now not against. Grandma Maggie reminds me of Dolores Umbridge, yeah and we know how well that ended. Would you visit a haunted house/place?
Thank you Harpercollins for this eARC!
The most haunted places of America.
Supernatural Occurrences. "
Solid 3.7 to 4.5 STARS.
This book is like the Chilling adventures of Sabrina and wild west vibes with sprinkles of SuckerPunch (the badass women fighter with awesome music blaring), OH SAN SOLANO TEXAS BABY. We got WITCHES, BLOOD OATHS, GIRL POWER, INDEPENDENCE, MULTIPLE HERITAGE/CULTURES! You know the deathly hallows symbol? Well, how about the Malachian Symbol? This book suggest that when Salem murdered those "women" for being EVIL, jokes on you because witches are badass will bring men to their knees or woodwalkers if need be. I love the puns referenced in this book! Last summer before college is a huge deal. This is a pivotal moment in this book for all the characters in this novel.
The fact that the main antagonist in this book isn't just the murdering curse but Witches against other witches show how if we don't combine our strengths it ruin us. we need to be together right now not against. Grandma Maggie reminds me of Dolores Umbridge, yeah and we know how well that ended. Would you visit a haunted house/place?
Thank you Harpercollins for this eARC!
July 5, 2020
Okay, now this is how you do a blend of Charmed and The Devouring Gray.
In a haunted summer full of blood and monsters, Natalie just wants to enjoy the time she has left with her friends before they all leave for college. Until dead animals start appearing, some even headless. There are people in her strange town that now act differently toward her, and that includes her crush Levi and her best friend, but what scares Nat most are the nightmares.
As the descendant from the leader of a cult, known for the murders of local boys and witchcraft, all Nat wants is for the strangeness to end. Except history got it all wrong. The monsters are real and they're after her.
West does a fantastic job of shifting genres, grounding the ritualized murders and vengeful ghosts in the real fears of living in a small town and the fears of starting college. The atmosphere feeds into the slow-moving plot and helps create and a chilling sense of horror. No one is what they seem, classmates can be shadowed by ghosts, women can be protective witches, everyone has a secret.
This book easily had me hooked! I the magic system West made feels organic with the world-building as well as the emphasis on female friendships and the importance of having a community. While the romance felt lackluster - maybe it needed some more pages to help flesh it out -the ending was the most natural conclusion. Although what got me the most was the book's ending and the potential is has for a sequel. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge.
A digital ARC has been provided by edelweiss. All opinions are my own.
In a haunted summer full of blood and monsters, Natalie just wants to enjoy the time she has left with her friends before they all leave for college. Until dead animals start appearing, some even headless. There are people in her strange town that now act differently toward her, and that includes her crush Levi and her best friend, but what scares Nat most are the nightmares.
As the descendant from the leader of a cult, known for the murders of local boys and witchcraft, all Nat wants is for the strangeness to end. Except history got it all wrong. The monsters are real and they're after her.
West does a fantastic job of shifting genres, grounding the ritualized murders and vengeful ghosts in the real fears of living in a small town and the fears of starting college. The atmosphere feeds into the slow-moving plot and helps create and a chilling sense of horror. No one is what they seem, classmates can be shadowed by ghosts, women can be protective witches, everyone has a secret.
This book easily had me hooked! I the magic system West made feels organic with the world-building as well as the emphasis on female friendships and the importance of having a community. While the romance felt lackluster - maybe it needed some more pages to help flesh it out -the ending was the most natural conclusion. Although what got me the most was the book's ending and the potential is has for a sequel. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge.
A digital ARC has been provided by edelweiss. All opinions are my own.
May 9, 2022
There was actually a lot I liked about this one – even down to the love interest, who somehow played out in a relatively un-clichéd way, despite following all the standard tropes on the surface. The atmosphere is excellently eerie But also. Irritations.
I don't know how I felt about the scattered alliterations (ambivalent: loved/hated all at once), so can't really complain about that one, but the pacing felt... awkward, especially the ending. A lot felt rushed even where the plot moved slowly. (I know this doesn't make sense.) Something about the actual layout of the book kept throwing me off too, and I hadn't really realised before just how much book design does impact the reading experience – the writing felt too crammed together, with no breathing space from start to finish, and that added to the difficulties I was having with pacing. I don't know if the publishers were just trying to save paper? But the very first page is a title, with copyright etc on the other side, a quote on the facing page, and then an immediate full page of text that continues with barely a space until the final acknowledgments on the page facing the final paragraph and then the book cover. Just... crammed. Weirdly (afterwards) I looked over the book and also couldn't find a single place that described or summarised anything this was actually about, or an author description – the back cover is just a list of quoted "Praise for The Bitterwine Oath," and the whole effect is one of both distancing and an awkward over-intimacy. Contradictions. Anyway, the physical book itself threw me off the actual book, and I hope any future books by this author get a better, more luscious treatment.
[post-note] Ok I just realised this wasn't a debut and I've actually read a book by this author before, and had almost the opposite issue and yet still struggled with the pacing (the book, Kingdom of Ash and Briars, was a lovely object, "gorgeous cover, generous font, illustrated chapter headings" and yet I had found the plot felt super rushed, and don't actually remember anything of the plot now. I had originally given three stars for both, but I'll note for my future remembering I liked the story/writing/atmosphere a lot more here.
I don't know how I felt about the scattered alliterations (ambivalent: loved/hated all at once), so can't really complain about that one, but the pacing felt... awkward, especially the ending. A lot felt rushed even where the plot moved slowly. (I know this doesn't make sense.) Something about the actual layout of the book kept throwing me off too, and I hadn't really realised before just how much book design does impact the reading experience – the writing felt too crammed together, with no breathing space from start to finish, and that added to the difficulties I was having with pacing. I don't know if the publishers were just trying to save paper? But the very first page is a title, with copyright etc on the other side, a quote on the facing page, and then an immediate full page of text that continues with barely a space until the final acknowledgments on the page facing the final paragraph and then the book cover. Just... crammed. Weirdly (afterwards) I looked over the book and also couldn't find a single place that described or summarised anything this was actually about, or an author description – the back cover is just a list of quoted "Praise for The Bitterwine Oath," and the whole effect is one of both distancing and an awkward over-intimacy. Contradictions. Anyway, the physical book itself threw me off the actual book, and I hope any future books by this author get a better, more luscious treatment.
[post-note] Ok I just realised this wasn't a debut and I've actually read a book by this author before, and had almost the opposite issue and yet still struggled with the pacing (the book, Kingdom of Ash and Briars, was a lovely object, "gorgeous cover, generous font, illustrated chapter headings" and yet I had found the plot felt super rushed, and don't actually remember anything of the plot now. I had originally given three stars for both, but I'll note for my future remembering I liked the story/writing/atmosphere a lot more here.
December 9, 2020
Thank you Holiday House and TBR and Beyond Tours for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Bitterwine Oath
By: Hannah West
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Learn from the past, else you be doomed to repeat it. In Hannah West's The Bitterwine Oath, eighteen year old Natalie lives in a small southern town with a terrible legacy. One hundred years ago witches, essentially, killed a dozen men. But, just fifty years ago, this same thing happened again. Now, at the one hundred year anniversary, will these events repeat once more?
Natalie has strong ties to the whole witch man killer situation, but does she believe any of it is true? I won't go into much detail here. Natalie may or may not have the power to change the direction of events and, possibly, save her town from a witch massacre. Or, Natalie could be a witch herself. There are many possibilities.
This book has a strong sense of place with its southern vibe and gothic undertones. The atmospheric presence of something eerie and menacing was fantastic. Natalie is a likeable character in a strange situation. There is a solid portrayal of girl power and the value in female relationships that I found refreshing. I didn't care for the romantic bits because it felt forced and contrived. This book will appeal to fans of ya magic/occult/ paranormal mysteries. It's an entertaining and creepy experience, so give this one a try!
The Bitterwine Oath
By: Hannah West
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Learn from the past, else you be doomed to repeat it. In Hannah West's The Bitterwine Oath, eighteen year old Natalie lives in a small southern town with a terrible legacy. One hundred years ago witches, essentially, killed a dozen men. But, just fifty years ago, this same thing happened again. Now, at the one hundred year anniversary, will these events repeat once more?
Natalie has strong ties to the whole witch man killer situation, but does she believe any of it is true? I won't go into much detail here. Natalie may or may not have the power to change the direction of events and, possibly, save her town from a witch massacre. Or, Natalie could be a witch herself. There are many possibilities.
This book has a strong sense of place with its southern vibe and gothic undertones. The atmospheric presence of something eerie and menacing was fantastic. Natalie is a likeable character in a strange situation. There is a solid portrayal of girl power and the value in female relationships that I found refreshing. I didn't care for the romantic bits because it felt forced and contrived. This book will appeal to fans of ya magic/occult/ paranormal mysteries. It's an entertaining and creepy experience, so give this one a try!
March 14, 2022
Trigger warnings: death, violence, animal death, blood, gore, child abuse (in the past).
I...wanted to love this because the cover is STUNNING and the blurb sounded creepy as hell. But I definitely anticipated a horror story and what I got was more...paranormal with occasional horror moments. Add in a heavy focus on the Wardens and how magic worked and was managed, and I just found myself...bored. And then I'd get to an action scene and it would play out in such a way that I'd have to read it three or four times to actually understand what was going on.
So yeah. I had really high hopes for this, but ultimately it was just sort of...fine.
I...wanted to love this because the cover is STUNNING and the blurb sounded creepy as hell. But I definitely anticipated a horror story and what I got was more...paranormal with occasional horror moments. Add in a heavy focus on the Wardens and how magic worked and was managed, and I just found myself...bored. And then I'd get to an action scene and it would play out in such a way that I'd have to read it three or four times to actually understand what was going on.
So yeah. I had really high hopes for this, but ultimately it was just sort of...fine.
November 8, 2021
I think this was probably one of the best books that I read all year. Other than a little tiny bit of teenager mushy mush, although by the end you don't mind to much. It really was so well-written you would barely have known that it was a young adult book. It certainly was one of those I hated to finish it because then I won't get to read it anymore.
It's a really involved story about witches and using their powers for good or evil. Trying to figure out which is the evil and which is the good. Don't pass this one up just because it says YA on the spine.
It's a really involved story about witches and using their powers for good or evil. Trying to figure out which is the evil and which is the good. Don't pass this one up just because it says YA on the spine.
January 4, 2021
ugh I really did not vibe. writing and style felt immature. Don’t laugh but the magic felt really unrealistic and poorly developed (woodwalkers?????). I have such a hard time giving up on books - I always want to finish them, but I really could have stopped after the first 50 pages because it didn’t get any better.
August 31, 2020
This really had the potential to be an amazing story but it fell short in multiple categories. There wasn't much magic so if you're expecting a book filled with witchcraft then this isn't it. By the time Natalie learns she has magic and decides to take the oath, it's at 51%. She doesn't perform any spells until the very end and that is her only dip into exploring her magic. The Wardens claimed to have magical powers but yet the only thing I saw them do is fight the Woodwalkers with weapons. Speaking of the weapons, Natalie has never handled weapons before and after a few hours training with guns and knives she is suddenly a pro. It's ridiculous because her best friend Lindsey informs her that everyone trains with weapons and magic starting at 12 and Lindsey and Natalie are currently 18. You're telling me that Natalie mastered 6 years of training in a few hours? Unbelievable.
Before Natalie learns of the Wardens, she notices Lindsey acting more reserved, covering up her arms with bandages, and hanging out with Vanessa who is also sporting bandages. After Natalie joins the Wardens, she learns that being a Warden is a 24/7 commitment. You don't have free time to hang out with friends and go on dates or do anything a normal teenager does. Natalie never noticed Lindsey's lack of free time until now which is another discrepancy.
The love interest was bland. Levi has always ignored Natalie until the previous summer when they kissed. Then he drove off to college and is back in town for the current summer. Even though both these characters have only exchanged a few sentences over the years, they are somehow madly in love with each other. The book summary also leads the reader to believe Levi is in danger of being Claimed by the Woodwalkers. He doesn't get Claimed until well after the 80% so until that point he was always safe, meddling around and wanting Natalie to tell him all her secrets as a manipulation into dating him.
I'm not sure if Abbie and Faith were supposed to be written as they were, but they came across as having low IQs. Every line they uttered made be cringe because it was just so stupid sounding. They had the vocabulary and sentence structure of a toddler learning to talk.
Also, the pacing was wicked slow. Nothing exciting or eventful happens. Natalie also takes on the stereotype of most teen female protagonists because she is super special with her magical abilities. There are three sources of magic (Earth, Bone, and Blood) and each Warden only possesses one, except Natalie of course because she has all three and is the most powerful out of all the Wardens.
Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC.
Before Natalie learns of the Wardens, she notices Lindsey acting more reserved, covering up her arms with bandages, and hanging out with Vanessa who is also sporting bandages. After Natalie joins the Wardens, she learns that being a Warden is a 24/7 commitment. You don't have free time to hang out with friends and go on dates or do anything a normal teenager does. Natalie never noticed Lindsey's lack of free time until now which is another discrepancy.
The love interest was bland. Levi has always ignored Natalie until the previous summer when they kissed. Then he drove off to college and is back in town for the current summer. Even though both these characters have only exchanged a few sentences over the years, they are somehow madly in love with each other. The book summary also leads the reader to believe Levi is in danger of being Claimed by the Woodwalkers. He doesn't get Claimed until well after the 80% so until that point he was always safe, meddling around and wanting Natalie to tell him all her secrets as a manipulation into dating him.
I'm not sure if Abbie and Faith were supposed to be written as they were, but they came across as having low IQs. Every line they uttered made be cringe because it was just so stupid sounding. They had the vocabulary and sentence structure of a toddler learning to talk.
Also, the pacing was wicked slow. Nothing exciting or eventful happens. Natalie also takes on the stereotype of most teen female protagonists because she is super special with her magical abilities. There are three sources of magic (Earth, Bone, and Blood) and each Warden only possesses one, except Natalie of course because she has all three and is the most powerful out of all the Wardens.
Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2021
You can read the full review on my blog We Write at Dawn
My expectations going into this book were way different than the book I read. I thought this was going to be about a cult our main character Natalie (Nat) gets sucked into as they plan to commit murder on the 100th anniversary of the initial massacre.
What I read was so much better.
First off, the magical element in it was so well done. It answered every question I could come up with each time a problem was presented. How did Nat forget what she saw? Because the bone dust blocks their memory. How do people not see them patrolling the forest with guns or fighting Woodwalkers? Because there are disorientation spells to mask their appearances. I mean it was genius!
As we got more into the story and the plot, I got more and more enthralled. We have history and familial, generational drama. Plus – we have a love interest who I loved and hated at the same time. Though, eventually, I was forced to love him because in the end, he was such a sweetheart!
My expectations going into this book were way different than the book I read. I thought this was going to be about a cult our main character Natalie (Nat) gets sucked into as they plan to commit murder on the 100th anniversary of the initial massacre.
What I read was so much better.
First off, the magical element in it was so well done. It answered every question I could come up with each time a problem was presented. How did Nat forget what she saw? Because the bone dust blocks their memory. How do people not see them patrolling the forest with guns or fighting Woodwalkers? Because there are disorientation spells to mask their appearances. I mean it was genius!
As we got more into the story and the plot, I got more and more enthralled. We have history and familial, generational drama. Plus – we have a love interest who I loved and hated at the same time. Though, eventually, I was forced to love him because in the end, he was such a sweetheart!
January 2, 2021
I was really excited about this book and guess who was happy when she saw that she got chosen for this tour? Yes, that would be me.
So I absolutely love stories about witches, covens and everything related to magic. Especially if it’s set in the modern times. We got some flashbacks to see how everything started and I loved reading these. “The Bitterwine Oath“, is the perfect spooky read that I would have loved to read during Halloween but also during these cold and wintery days it’s still the perfect read for all fans of spooky stories.
I loved the writing style, it was easy and fast to read and I devoured every single page of the book. I loved reading about the characters personal life, getting to know more about them, I liked the romance which had the perfect amount of appearances it was supposed to have. So not too much to annoy the heck out of me and enough to make me love it.
Overall, “The Bitterwine Oath“, is the perfect read for you if you want to feel all the chills in your body. And of course if you want a new favorite read about witches!
*A review copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
This review can also be found on my blog.
So I absolutely love stories about witches, covens and everything related to magic. Especially if it’s set in the modern times. We got some flashbacks to see how everything started and I loved reading these. “The Bitterwine Oath“, is the perfect spooky read that I would have loved to read during Halloween but also during these cold and wintery days it’s still the perfect read for all fans of spooky stories.
I loved the writing style, it was easy and fast to read and I devoured every single page of the book. I loved reading about the characters personal life, getting to know more about them, I liked the romance which had the perfect amount of appearances it was supposed to have. So not too much to annoy the heck out of me and enough to make me love it.
Overall, “The Bitterwine Oath“, is the perfect read for you if you want to feel all the chills in your body. And of course if you want a new favorite read about witches!
*A review copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
This review can also be found on my blog.
December 2, 2021
This is another disappointing read. I thought it had a great premise. But the characters were clichés and forgettable. I'm tired of the trope where the "chosen girl" suddenly finds out when at age 18 that she is special with powers. But no one will tell her anything that she needs to know...."For her own good". The curse was dumb . I didn't understand why there was such resistance to finding a new solution to ending the curse. It's not like anything else had ever worked. What did they have to lose? I'm not sure I would not recommend this one.
December 21, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Bitterwine Oath
Author: Hannah West
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Fantasy, paranormal, ya
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (abuse, lynching, animal death and gore, molestation)
Synopsis: San Solano, Texas, is a quaint town known for its charm, hospitality, and history of murder. Twice now, twelve men have been brutally killed, and no one knows who did it. A shadowy witch? A copycat killer? Or a man-hating murderess?
Eighteen-year-old Natalie Colter is sure that the rumors about her great-great-grandmother's cult of wronged women are just gossip, but that doesn't stop the true-crime writers and dark tourism bloggers from capitalizing on the town's reputation. It's an urban legend that's hard to ignore, and it gets harder when Nat learns that the sisterhood is real. And magical. And they want her to join.
The more Nat learns of the Wardens' supernatural history, the more she wonders about the real culprits behind the town's ritualistic murders. Are the Wardens protecting San Solano from even darker forces? There are shadows in the woods, bones on the outskirts of town, and questions Nat needs answered.
But everything becomes more urgent when people start getting marked as new victims--including Levi Langford, the boy whose kiss haunted Nat for a year. With Levi in danger, doing nothing would be harder than fighting back.
Nat knows that no one is safe. Can she and the sisterhood stop the true evil from claiming their town?
Review: Overall, I liked the concept and storyline of this book. the plot was really interesting and the character development was the author strong point. The book is also fast paced and can be read in when sitting if the reader has a couple hours to kill.
However the book doesn't have a strong beginning and it takes a while for the reader to get into the book. I also thought the story was clunky and unorganized and that the world building was pretty bad. the book has potential to be really good and I hope that it is cleaned up in the finalized version but it has some work to do.
Verdict: It's good just needs work.
Book: The Bitterwine Oath
Author: Hannah West
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Fantasy, paranormal, ya
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (abuse, lynching, animal death and gore, molestation)
Synopsis: San Solano, Texas, is a quaint town known for its charm, hospitality, and history of murder. Twice now, twelve men have been brutally killed, and no one knows who did it. A shadowy witch? A copycat killer? Or a man-hating murderess?
Eighteen-year-old Natalie Colter is sure that the rumors about her great-great-grandmother's cult of wronged women are just gossip, but that doesn't stop the true-crime writers and dark tourism bloggers from capitalizing on the town's reputation. It's an urban legend that's hard to ignore, and it gets harder when Nat learns that the sisterhood is real. And magical. And they want her to join.
The more Nat learns of the Wardens' supernatural history, the more she wonders about the real culprits behind the town's ritualistic murders. Are the Wardens protecting San Solano from even darker forces? There are shadows in the woods, bones on the outskirts of town, and questions Nat needs answered.
But everything becomes more urgent when people start getting marked as new victims--including Levi Langford, the boy whose kiss haunted Nat for a year. With Levi in danger, doing nothing would be harder than fighting back.
Nat knows that no one is safe. Can she and the sisterhood stop the true evil from claiming their town?
Review: Overall, I liked the concept and storyline of this book. the plot was really interesting and the character development was the author strong point. The book is also fast paced and can be read in when sitting if the reader has a couple hours to kill.
However the book doesn't have a strong beginning and it takes a while for the reader to get into the book. I also thought the story was clunky and unorganized and that the world building was pretty bad. the book has potential to be really good and I hope that it is cleaned up in the finalized version but it has some work to do.
Verdict: It's good just needs work.
December 26, 2020
I can only imagine what it’s like living in a town where cult massacres take place. And of course, with the 100th anniversary coming up, the town is more popular than it’s ever been. The Bitterwine Oath has a great spooky atmosphere, but it wasn’t everything that I was expecting (not all in a bad way).
Our main character Natalie is a descendant of the cult leader and it doesn’t seem like fun being looked upon for that. After senior year ends, all she wants is to spend time with her friends before they start a new chapter in their lives. Natalie’s life is thrown upside down when she learns there’s more to everything than she realizes and magic is a real thing.
The Bitterwine Oath is filled with strong female characters, friendship, magic and mystery. Even though I have to say I would’ve liked more magic. I did enjoy learning about the past through the excerpts of a book. This is really clever way of sharing information. Sometimes things like that really take me away from the story, but that wasn’t the case in this book.
I have to say I could’ve done without the romance element in this book. I get why it was added and it’s not bad, but in the beginning it felt like it took over the story a bit at times. That being said, I still enjoyed The Bitterwine Oath. The writing style is great and it was a fast read. The author sucked me into this world and I needed to know how it would all play out. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this author for future books!
Our main character Natalie is a descendant of the cult leader and it doesn’t seem like fun being looked upon for that. After senior year ends, all she wants is to spend time with her friends before they start a new chapter in their lives. Natalie’s life is thrown upside down when she learns there’s more to everything than she realizes and magic is a real thing.
The Bitterwine Oath is filled with strong female characters, friendship, magic and mystery. Even though I have to say I would’ve liked more magic. I did enjoy learning about the past through the excerpts of a book. This is really clever way of sharing information. Sometimes things like that really take me away from the story, but that wasn’t the case in this book.
I have to say I could’ve done without the romance element in this book. I get why it was added and it’s not bad, but in the beginning it felt like it took over the story a bit at times. That being said, I still enjoyed The Bitterwine Oath. The writing style is great and it was a fast read. The author sucked me into this world and I needed to know how it would all play out. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this author for future books!
December 14, 2020
I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Holiday House and the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! 4 stars
This is the kind of book about witches, supernatural horrors and basically all the scary things that go bump which I’d normally stay away from, but the mystery aspect in the synopsis was too intriguing for me to resist! While the story ended up being quite different to what I expected, I have to say that I really enjoyed it! There were some elements that could’ve been done better but overall, I’m so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this!
TL;DR: Overall, this was a great YA mystery with many elements of supernatural horror, a fair bit of witchy magic, and a small dose of romance! Nat was a really likeable MC and it was easy to root for her (and her romance)! While I wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt, I had such a good time reading this that I finished it in a day because I simply couldn’t put it down. If you love a supernatural YA mystery set a small town with strong female characters, I’d definitely recommend checking this out!
Check out my full review on my blog!
This is the kind of book about witches, supernatural horrors and basically all the scary things that go bump which I’d normally stay away from, but the mystery aspect in the synopsis was too intriguing for me to resist! While the story ended up being quite different to what I expected, I have to say that I really enjoyed it! There were some elements that could’ve been done better but overall, I’m so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this!
TL;DR: Overall, this was a great YA mystery with many elements of supernatural horror, a fair bit of witchy magic, and a small dose of romance! Nat was a really likeable MC and it was easy to root for her (and her romance)! While I wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt, I had such a good time reading this that I finished it in a day because I simply couldn’t put it down. If you love a supernatural YA mystery set a small town with strong female characters, I’d definitely recommend checking this out!
Check out my full review on my blog!
December 12, 2020
*Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Let me first start off with talking about how pretty this cover is! From the beginning it sets the atmospheric vibe of a small town with dark secrets. The magic system in this book is based on wardens of three types; bone, blood and earth. This concept was something I was interested in right away and I would have loved to see more of it in action. Part of becoming a warden is to take a bitterwine oath which increases your abilities, I thought this was a nice touch and brought some more chilling and cult like vibes to the book. Since Nat's great grandmother and her group are blamed for these occurrences they gained some popularity. This led to a member of the group publishing a book on her thoughts about what happened. In terms of the writing, I enjoyed the snippets of this tell all book which gave another perspective into the past. However at points I felt that the plot became rushed and this lead to me not forming a strong connection to the characters. One thing I really wished was for more communication between the characters which would have solved many conflicts. The romance between Nat and Levi was cute but also felt unrealistic in the fact that they seemed to have an almost instant connection for people that didn't talk to each other before. The monsters in this book were creepy and gross, giving a chill factor, and I enjoyed the battle scenes where our main character turned into a confident and skilled marksman.
Let me first start off with talking about how pretty this cover is! From the beginning it sets the atmospheric vibe of a small town with dark secrets. The magic system in this book is based on wardens of three types; bone, blood and earth. This concept was something I was interested in right away and I would have loved to see more of it in action. Part of becoming a warden is to take a bitterwine oath which increases your abilities, I thought this was a nice touch and brought some more chilling and cult like vibes to the book. Since Nat's great grandmother and her group are blamed for these occurrences they gained some popularity. This led to a member of the group publishing a book on her thoughts about what happened. In terms of the writing, I enjoyed the snippets of this tell all book which gave another perspective into the past. However at points I felt that the plot became rushed and this lead to me not forming a strong connection to the characters. One thing I really wished was for more communication between the characters which would have solved many conflicts. The romance between Nat and Levi was cute but also felt unrealistic in the fact that they seemed to have an almost instant connection for people that didn't talk to each other before. The monsters in this book were creepy and gross, giving a chill factor, and I enjoyed the battle scenes where our main character turned into a confident and skilled marksman.
January 11, 2022
I liked this!
Though I personally don't think the creepy cults and horror scenes promised in the synopsis were present, I still enjoyed the overall feel of the book. I started this in October hoping for a spooky read, but kept putting it down for lack of thrills. To be fair though I am rarely scared by a book. As for the actual magic, I think it could have been described more instead of writing it off as 'instinctual' and the pacing in the beginning was on the slow side. What redeemed those lacking qualities were the small town protectiveness and the sweet romance between Nat and Levi.
A decent book, but nothing earth shattering.
Though I personally don't think the creepy cults and horror scenes promised in the synopsis were present, I still enjoyed the overall feel of the book. I started this in October hoping for a spooky read, but kept putting it down for lack of thrills. To be fair though I am rarely scared by a book. As for the actual magic, I think it could have been described more instead of writing it off as 'instinctual' and the pacing in the beginning was on the slow side. What redeemed those lacking qualities were the small town protectiveness and the sweet romance between Nat and Levi.
A decent book, but nothing earth shattering.
Read
December 14, 2021Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: I Do Not Drink…Wine
Drinking Buddy: Senior Year
MPAA Rating: R (Intense horror sequences, alcohol use, sexuality)
Talky Talk: Unlikely Hero
Bonus Factors: Small Town Curse, Coven
Bromance Status: Same Time Next Century
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: I Do Not Drink…Wine
Drinking Buddy: Senior Year
MPAA Rating: R (Intense horror sequences, alcohol use, sexuality)
Talky Talk: Unlikely Hero
Bonus Factors: Small Town Curse, Coven
Bromance Status: Same Time Next Century
Read the full book report here.
November 11, 2022
This one was not for me. I did want to see what happened so I skimmed and them skipped a lot of the ending. I was just so bored with it all. This witchy young adult cozy mystery just was not my cup of tea.
March 18, 2021
This was an unexpected find for me, but I loved it! Adding to my favorites.
April 8, 2022
This had potential but it fell flat at the end.
July 1, 2022
I loved this one! Loved the girls and their friendship. The characters are all easy to like. Really hoped that this was a series because i really did not want the story to end.
December 23, 2020
Natalie lives in very small town in Texas haunted by the events of 100 and 50 years ago, when twelve men were somehow massacred in a church. Adding to the mystery of those events is the fact that surrounding these deaths are girls who appear to be witches (an appearance helped by the publication of a book by one of those witches). And Natalie? She's a direct descendant of the "head" witch, the one who perhaps caused all the deaths.
It doesn't take too much imagination to see where all this will go, nor does it take a lot of imagination to guess what happens between Natalie and Levi, who kissed once last year and then Levi left for college without a word.
ARC provided by publisher.
It doesn't take too much imagination to see where all this will go, nor does it take a lot of imagination to guess what happens between Natalie and Levi, who kissed once last year and then Levi left for college without a word.
ARC provided by publisher.
February 24, 2022
This was kind of exhausting to listen to. I was so excited for it that I bought it on Audible.
December 12, 2020
Find this and other reviews in my blog.
The Bitterwine Oath gave me strong Vampire Diaries feels and it almost felt as if I was watching a Netflix show. It has just the right plotline, suspense and the extra mystery which made me love reading this gorgeous book.
Nat, a high school student, is the great-great-granddaughter of Malachi Rivers, the witch who was involved in the murder of twelve men in the town of San Solano, Texas, a century ago. She has a crush on a boy named Levi who is the great-great-grandson of Lillian Pickens, one of the other three girls who were also involved in the massacre.
The story is set a month before the 100th Anniversary of the massacre. On the 50th Anniversary, a copycat massacre took place when another 12 boys were brutally murdered. This unsolved mystery instigated rumours and fear among the people. Many suspected that there may be another massacre on the 100th Anniversary. However, things became serious when Nat started seeing stones marked with Malachi’s mark around her house and found her mark under her grandmother’s bed.
I LOVED reading the book. The concept felt a little familiar to me as many paranormal fantasies the same kind of plot. However, the execution and the characters made me love the book.
I loved the concepts of female friendships, independence throughout the book. Nat was such a badass character and she had an amazing personality. The little moments that she shared with her grandmother was so sweet.
Although I felt that book could use a little bit more magic but the ending made up for it. Overall, the book was wonderful I would definitely recommend it as a fantasy read. Moreover, there is a hint of a sequel at and I can’t wait to read more about this world.
The Bitterwine Oath gave me strong Vampire Diaries feels and it almost felt as if I was watching a Netflix show. It has just the right plotline, suspense and the extra mystery which made me love reading this gorgeous book.
Nat, a high school student, is the great-great-granddaughter of Malachi Rivers, the witch who was involved in the murder of twelve men in the town of San Solano, Texas, a century ago. She has a crush on a boy named Levi who is the great-great-grandson of Lillian Pickens, one of the other three girls who were also involved in the massacre.
The story is set a month before the 100th Anniversary of the massacre. On the 50th Anniversary, a copycat massacre took place when another 12 boys were brutally murdered. This unsolved mystery instigated rumours and fear among the people. Many suspected that there may be another massacre on the 100th Anniversary. However, things became serious when Nat started seeing stones marked with Malachi’s mark around her house and found her mark under her grandmother’s bed.
I LOVED reading the book. The concept felt a little familiar to me as many paranormal fantasies the same kind of plot. However, the execution and the characters made me love the book.
I loved the concepts of female friendships, independence throughout the book. Nat was such a badass character and she had an amazing personality. The little moments that she shared with her grandmother was so sweet.
Although I felt that book could use a little bit more magic but the ending made up for it. Overall, the book was wonderful I would definitely recommend it as a fantasy read. Moreover, there is a hint of a sequel at and I can’t wait to read more about this world.
March 2, 2021
"Once you take the Oath, there will be no going back to life as usual."
In tiny San Solano, Texas, legends live on. There have been two mass murders in the town's otherwise quaint history. At eighteen, Natalie Colter has long heard the stories of her ancestor, Malachi, who supposedly caused the first mass murder at a tender young age when she and her friends released a curse upon the town. But as the next bicentennial draws near, Nat discovers that the witches of the woods are real, that they call themselves the Wardens, and that she's destined to become one of them. Terrifed of the shadows in the woods, Nat is reluctant to join their cause. When new victims begin to be "marked"--including Levi Langford, the boy who has Nat's heart--she is forced to fight to save her town.
Oof, this was a little on the rough side. I thought the book started off strong, but ended up feeling muddled. By the time I reached the end of the book, I had, unfortunately, resorted to skimming to get through the story--2 stars.
Personally, I think the issue with this book is a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem. The book is either far too slow paced, or the synopsis is too revealing. They're definitely involved with one another, but which one is the main issue?
Here is the lowdown: this is a short 310 page book. Unfortunately, the pacing for this novel is just not as brisk as I would've liked it. We're over 100 pages in before Natalie discovers that the Wardens are, in fact, real. We're just short of 200 pages when Natalie joins up, and it's less than 80 pages left when Levi gets "marked." All of this is stuff that I expected to happen early on, as it's information directly given to us in the synopsis of the book. The fact that you're expected to sit around for a few hundred pages for the book to really pick up is a little bit of a letdown.
I can't help but wonder, though, if I would've liked this better had I had no expectations of the plot going in. If I didn't know about the Wardens being real, if I didn't know that Levi would be marked, would I have liked the book better? Unfortunately, that's something I'll never know.
November 25, 2020
Thank you to the publisher, Holiday House for an ARC. All opinions are my own!
PRETTY SPOOKY.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I had an overall good time with this. I even found myself completely spooked out after the first couple of chapters. Hidden cult in the woods murdering men? Yeah, that’ll do it.
The story was intriguing and I liked reading the author’s notes at the end about creating it. While there was only one full point-of-view, there were many story lines to wrap together. Everything did weave together well and I didn’t feel by the the end of the mystery that I was missing anything. I love when a mystery based book ties all of the endings off before closing!
The main character, Natalie, completely blind-sided by her own past kept up with everything. I like how brave she was and really went for it in regards to breaking the curse. She had a little romance with a side character. This fit in better than I thought, but could have used a little more *something* to it. I appreciate the passion of both Natalie and Levi in wanting to be with each other, and figuring out what the heck was out there in the woods.
This atmosphere was haunting and without a doubt creepy. Those creatures made me shiver and I love a good old, back country town, with a sordid past. I thought some of the plot was repetitive and multiple issues kept being re-hashed over and over again. It caused me to skim some of it by the end so I could know how everything resolved.
Overall audience notes:
- Young adult mystery
- Language: a little, light
- Romance: kisses / light make-outs
- Violence: creature attacks, guns, physical altercations, people being possessed by something supernatural
PRETTY SPOOKY.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I had an overall good time with this. I even found myself completely spooked out after the first couple of chapters. Hidden cult in the woods murdering men? Yeah, that’ll do it.
The story was intriguing and I liked reading the author’s notes at the end about creating it. While there was only one full point-of-view, there were many story lines to wrap together. Everything did weave together well and I didn’t feel by the the end of the mystery that I was missing anything. I love when a mystery based book ties all of the endings off before closing!
The main character, Natalie, completely blind-sided by her own past kept up with everything. I like how brave she was and really went for it in regards to breaking the curse. She had a little romance with a side character. This fit in better than I thought, but could have used a little more *something* to it. I appreciate the passion of both Natalie and Levi in wanting to be with each other, and figuring out what the heck was out there in the woods.
This atmosphere was haunting and without a doubt creepy. Those creatures made me shiver and I love a good old, back country town, with a sordid past. I thought some of the plot was repetitive and multiple issues kept being re-hashed over and over again. It caused me to skim some of it by the end so I could know how everything resolved.
Overall audience notes:
- Young adult mystery
- Language: a little, light
- Romance: kisses / light make-outs
- Violence: creature attacks, guns, physical altercations, people being possessed by something supernatural
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