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The Cauldron Effect #1
Coven at Callington
A kidnapped child. A witch on the warpath. A church guard in crisis.
In 1815, Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, a Guard of the Green Cross, is tasked by his archbishop to rescue a missing boy and return him to his warlock father. The order lands Braden in the middle of an unholy war between witches and warlocks and shoves him headlong past a sacred line he'd sworn never to cross.
Newly confirmed Coven Protectress, Merryn Pendraven, rushes to rescue a witch's son. She's convinced the same evil warlock who was responsible for her younger brother's death is behind this kidnapping, too. She has no intention of letting this vile villain get away with the same crime, twice.
When Merryn discovers Braden is also on the case, she's tempted to join forces. Yet, how can she truly trust him when her aunt has warned that Braden's second secret charge is to destroy their coven? Finding love in this cauldron of trouble might prove to be Merryn's deadliest mission and Braden's complete undoing.
If you liked A Discovery of Witches or Dr. Strange and Mr. Norrell, you'll love Coven at Callington, an anime-inspired witchy tale that will whisk you away on a rip-roaring Regency ride.
Scroll up and pick up your copy now.
In 1815, Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, a Guard of the Green Cross, is tasked by his archbishop to rescue a missing boy and return him to his warlock father. The order lands Braden in the middle of an unholy war between witches and warlocks and shoves him headlong past a sacred line he'd sworn never to cross.
Newly confirmed Coven Protectress, Merryn Pendraven, rushes to rescue a witch's son. She's convinced the same evil warlock who was responsible for her younger brother's death is behind this kidnapping, too. She has no intention of letting this vile villain get away with the same crime, twice.
When Merryn discovers Braden is also on the case, she's tempted to join forces. Yet, how can she truly trust him when her aunt has warned that Braden's second secret charge is to destroy their coven? Finding love in this cauldron of trouble might prove to be Merryn's deadliest mission and Braden's complete undoing.
If you liked A Discovery of Witches or Dr. Strange and Mr. Norrell, you'll love Coven at Callington, an anime-inspired witchy tale that will whisk you away on a rip-roaring Regency ride.
Scroll up and pick up your copy now.
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2018
104 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Shereen Vedam
41 books366 followersOnce upon a time, USA Today bestselling author Shereen Vedam read fantasy and romance novels to entertain herself. Now she writes heartwarming tales braided with threads of magic and love and mystery elements woven in for good measure.
Shereen's a fan of resourceful women, intriguing men, and happily-ever-after endings. If her stories whisk you away to a different realm for a few hours, then Shereen will have achieved one of her life goals.
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Shereen's a fan of resourceful women, intriguing men, and happily-ever-after endings. If her stories whisk you away to a different realm for a few hours, then Shereen will have achieved one of her life goals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 14, 2022
In Coven at Callington, by Shereen Vedam, I love the fantasy genre stuff, but I hate the lovey-dovey, romantic happy crappy. Vedam is strong at world-building with some hack and slash, action, and sorcery, but there tends to be a great deal (IMHO, too much) of exposition that gets in the way of the compelling plot points and story beats. This novel appears to be an alternate history which accepts the existence of warlocks and witches as powerful wielders of magic, and pits disparate covens against each other in an Arthurian-type world. The Earl of Braden is tasked to rescue a missing boy and return the boy to his warlock father. The Coven Protectress is also tasked with saving the boy and returning him to his witch mother (a case of parental custody). Immediately, that sounds compelling to me. Even though they are working for opposing forces the Earl and the Protectress soon find that they would rather be working for the same side. Definite sparks fly (not my favorite aspect of the story) along with a compelling narrative.
October 24, 2020
Coven at Callington was a pretty quick read. It did seem like a little roller coaster though because it had some points where things dragged on and on or I was just a bit bored. At least until I got to the bantering, because that just always made me smile.
In it, you will meet Thomas and Merryn. Now these two know how to do a good banter but sometimes it just kind of felt forced. Or maybe it's because Thomas would be all playful and such and then with a snap of a finger - he's super serious. It was just a bit weird for me but I just kind of went with it. Then there's Merryn, who was also likable at times but for most of the book I couldn't get invested in her.
My opinion on them definitely changed towards the end of the book. The magic and everything else did make it a bit more interesting. Might dive into the next book of the series if it's on KU but at the moment, I have no plans to do so because I have so many books to dive into that I'm behind on.
In it, you will meet Thomas and Merryn. Now these two know how to do a good banter but sometimes it just kind of felt forced. Or maybe it's because Thomas would be all playful and such and then with a snap of a finger - he's super serious. It was just a bit weird for me but I just kind of went with it. Then there's Merryn, who was also likable at times but for most of the book I couldn't get invested in her.
My opinion on them definitely changed towards the end of the book. The magic and everything else did make it a bit more interesting. Might dive into the next book of the series if it's on KU but at the moment, I have no plans to do so because I have so many books to dive into that I'm behind on.
November 1, 2020
This entertaining crossover novel has a light Regency romance with no difficulties inherent in falling in love tied into an action-packed paranormal story with lots of interesting twists and turns. I'm no expert on the latter, but I have read a few of the former, and I must say I'm quickly becoming a fan of this mixture.
The characters, imagery, plot, and pace were superb. I can't find anything to find fault with, and instead, wish to gush over and over about how I liked the uniqueness of this novel, and how it makes me want to read more of this type of book. I've already read the second book in this series, so I'm definitely going to read the third, and soon. But unless Shereen Vedam keeps writing these, I'm at a loss as to how to find something that matches not only the interesting mix, but also the high quality of writing I came to expect as I read this novel.
I can't tell if there are any plot holes or errors in the magic part because I'm a newbie to that genre, and I accept it as it comes. I enjoyed it very much.
I found no non-Regency errors in this book, a surprise when compared to so many Regency romances I read these days. Not one mesmerize or normalcy! Shereen Vedam is nothing but fastidious. I tip my hat to her to have earned every single one of her five stars, as most of my five star reviews are really 4.5 stars because of my fussiness about this topic.
Someone pointed me to a series that influenced Shereen, but reviews told me that the style of that series was too teenage and the romance too saccharine. This book is neither. Its Regency romance was not as complex as many books dedicated to that topic, but because its complexity comes from the paranormal aspect, it gives well in the conflict department--there's plenty of angst to be found for our couple. The romance is not too fluffy, just a bit fast for my tastes. It doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the novel for this Regency romance lover.
Congratulations to Shereen Vedam on success in this novel and may she keep writing them!
The characters, imagery, plot, and pace were superb. I can't find anything to find fault with, and instead, wish to gush over and over about how I liked the uniqueness of this novel, and how it makes me want to read more of this type of book. I've already read the second book in this series, so I'm definitely going to read the third, and soon. But unless Shereen Vedam keeps writing these, I'm at a loss as to how to find something that matches not only the interesting mix, but also the high quality of writing I came to expect as I read this novel.
I can't tell if there are any plot holes or errors in the magic part because I'm a newbie to that genre, and I accept it as it comes. I enjoyed it very much.
I found no non-Regency errors in this book, a surprise when compared to so many Regency romances I read these days. Not one mesmerize or normalcy! Shereen Vedam is nothing but fastidious. I tip my hat to her to have earned every single one of her five stars, as most of my five star reviews are really 4.5 stars because of my fussiness about this topic.
Someone pointed me to a series that influenced Shereen, but reviews told me that the style of that series was too teenage and the romance too saccharine. This book is neither. Its Regency romance was not as complex as many books dedicated to that topic, but because its complexity comes from the paranormal aspect, it gives well in the conflict department--there's plenty of angst to be found for our couple. The romance is not too fluffy, just a bit fast for my tastes. It doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the novel for this Regency romance lover.
Congratulations to Shereen Vedam on success in this novel and may she keep writing them!
October 28, 2020
Wow! I didn't think I'd honestly like this one as much as I did but I loved it. This was my first Shereen Vedam book and obviously I will read more, beginning with continuing the series.
I was taken aback a little that one of the genres for this one is historical fantasy. I love historical fiction and I'm getting more and more into fantasy with the likes of authors such as Sarah J. Maas, so I thought I'd give it a shot and see and I am going to come back for more! Set in the 1800's with characters that are witches, church guards, warlocks and more, what's not to like! Imagine being a guard and trying to keep peace among witches and warlocks in a real world of full of both!
A lot is given away in the blurb which I never (rarely) read beforehand, so I won't go into a summary per se. But when a young boy is kidnapped and Braden is appointed by the archbishop to find him, the excitement begins. When Braden meets up with Merryn who joins in on the hunt for the boy, we discover why she wants/needs to help Braden. She has a real stake in finding out who took him.
I'll add one last thing: a little romance didn't hurt either! ;)
I was taken aback a little that one of the genres for this one is historical fantasy. I love historical fiction and I'm getting more and more into fantasy with the likes of authors such as Sarah J. Maas, so I thought I'd give it a shot and see and I am going to come back for more! Set in the 1800's with characters that are witches, church guards, warlocks and more, what's not to like! Imagine being a guard and trying to keep peace among witches and warlocks in a real world of full of both!
A lot is given away in the blurb which I never (rarely) read beforehand, so I won't go into a summary per se. But when a young boy is kidnapped and Braden is appointed by the archbishop to find him, the excitement begins. When Braden meets up with Merryn who joins in on the hunt for the boy, we discover why she wants/needs to help Braden. She has a real stake in finding out who took him.
I'll add one last thing: a little romance didn't hurt either! ;)
February 17, 2021
This was a different twist for me. Regency romance, a bit of Christianity, witches, warlocks, the fay and a hansom Earl warrior. A super fun combination. This lacked a bit of depth but there was so much going on I didn't miss it too much. A bit of insta-love in this one. It felt like it all happened a bit fast. I just was so interested in all the cool differences in this tho. The talking saint, the hell hounds that had feelings and the evil bad guy that's maybe not so evil. This just had some fun elements. I will be reading the next one soon. This is a stand alone the second book has other players in the same world.
Content:
Sex: One scene that is fade to black, a bit sensual.
Violence: Nothing too detailed. Mostly dark monsters die in this. No one really gets hurt which is a little unbelievable.
Over all a very light PG13.
Content:
Sex: One scene that is fade to black, a bit sensual.
Violence: Nothing too detailed. Mostly dark monsters die in this. No one really gets hurt which is a little unbelievable.
Over all a very light PG13.
March 4, 2020
2020 bk 78. Too much. Too many titles, too many genres, too much to and fro-ing. Still, I did enjoy the banter between the two - until he got too serious, seemingly suddenly, and the lighthearted touch changed to heavy. For the protectoress, she seemed really iffy, until the end. I have mixed emotions on this title - on one hand liked the plot developments, the characters, on the other hand didn't feel the writing flowed. It was if there were major writing periods with no work at making the the book a hole. The animal think in the beginning of each chapter left me cold.
September 5, 2018
Coven at Callington by Shereen Vedam is a delightful and unique Fantasy Romance set in the Regency world of 1815 with some very unique plot ideas. Book 1 in "The Cauldron Effect."
An exciting and complicated story that blends religion, magic, witches, warlocks, faes, intrigue and more. Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, and a Guard of the Green Cross, is "tasked by the archbishop to rescue a missing boy and return him to his warlock father", what he finds is, an unholy war between witches and warlocks. Merryn Pendraven, is a newly confirmed Coven Protectress, who rushes headlong to the rescue of a witch's son. Totally convinced the same evil warlock who was responsible for her younger brother's death is behind this boy's kidnapping, as well.
This story blends a magical world with the religious world seemlessly with great world building. However, at first it was a bit disconcerting, the dialogue between all the creatures was a bit hard to understand but once you get into the story it all comes together with clearer understanding. It was easy to fall in love with Merryn and Braden, the otherworldly characters and their worlds and stay glued to the pages. A very intriguing mixture of magic, witchcraft, religion and finding love between two different worlds with a few surprises and twists and turns. Definitely a rip-roaring Regency ride with a delightful witchy tale. If you enjoy tales of magic, witches, faes, mystery, warlocks, a bit of suspense and the excitement of finding a balance between love and the diversity of love between different worlds, you will definitely enjoy the COVEN AT CALLINGTON. The author did an exceptionally good job of blending a well written and well crafted story with the WOW factor. Brilliantly written! This was my first time reading this author's writing style and I was delighted with the premise of this new series. I look forward to reading more of Shereen Vedam's stories.
"I voluntarily received a complimentary copy, however, these are my honest opinions. I was in no way required nor compensated to write a review."
Rating: 4
Reviewer: AprilR
An exciting and complicated story that blends religion, magic, witches, warlocks, faes, intrigue and more. Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, and a Guard of the Green Cross, is "tasked by the archbishop to rescue a missing boy and return him to his warlock father", what he finds is, an unholy war between witches and warlocks. Merryn Pendraven, is a newly confirmed Coven Protectress, who rushes headlong to the rescue of a witch's son. Totally convinced the same evil warlock who was responsible for her younger brother's death is behind this boy's kidnapping, as well.
This story blends a magical world with the religious world seemlessly with great world building. However, at first it was a bit disconcerting, the dialogue between all the creatures was a bit hard to understand but once you get into the story it all comes together with clearer understanding. It was easy to fall in love with Merryn and Braden, the otherworldly characters and their worlds and stay glued to the pages. A very intriguing mixture of magic, witchcraft, religion and finding love between two different worlds with a few surprises and twists and turns. Definitely a rip-roaring Regency ride with a delightful witchy tale. If you enjoy tales of magic, witches, faes, mystery, warlocks, a bit of suspense and the excitement of finding a balance between love and the diversity of love between different worlds, you will definitely enjoy the COVEN AT CALLINGTON. The author did an exceptionally good job of blending a well written and well crafted story with the WOW factor. Brilliantly written! This was my first time reading this author's writing style and I was delighted with the premise of this new series. I look forward to reading more of Shereen Vedam's stories.
"I voluntarily received a complimentary copy, however, these are my honest opinions. I was in no way required nor compensated to write a review."
Rating: 4
Reviewer: AprilR
Want to read
December 20, 2018💝FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (12/20/2018)!💝
Blurb:
A kidnapped child. A witch on the warpath. A church guard in crisis.
In the year of our Lord 1815, Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, a Guard of the Green Cross, is tasked by his archbishop to rescue a missing boy and return him to his warlock father. The order lands Braden in the middle of an unholy war between witches and warlocks and shoves him headlong past a sacred line he'd sworn never to cross.
Newly confirmed Coven Protectress, Merryn Pendraven, rushes to rescue a witch's son. She's convinced the same evil warlock who was responsible for her younger brother's death is behind this kidnapping, too. She has no intention of letting this vile villain get away with the same crime, twice.
When Merryn discovers Braden is also on the case, she's tempted to join forces. Yet, how can she truly trust him when her aunt has warned that Braden's second secret charge is to destroy their coven? Finding love in this cauldron of trouble might prove to be Merryn's deadliest mission and Braden's complete undoing.
Blurb:
A kidnapped child. A witch on the warpath. A church guard in crisis.
In the year of our Lord 1815, Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, a Guard of the Green Cross, is tasked by his archbishop to rescue a missing boy and return him to his warlock father. The order lands Braden in the middle of an unholy war between witches and warlocks and shoves him headlong past a sacred line he'd sworn never to cross.
Newly confirmed Coven Protectress, Merryn Pendraven, rushes to rescue a witch's son. She's convinced the same evil warlock who was responsible for her younger brother's death is behind this kidnapping, too. She has no intention of letting this vile villain get away with the same crime, twice.
When Merryn discovers Braden is also on the case, she's tempted to join forces. Yet, how can she truly trust him when her aunt has warned that Braden's second secret charge is to destroy their coven? Finding love in this cauldron of trouble might prove to be Merryn's deadliest mission and Braden's complete undoing.
December 5, 2021
I'll say first, I am not a fan of romance novels. Not contemporary, historical, regency, or any other kind, I didn't realize that this was a romance albeit a paranormal romance. I know I should have. I felt like I was forcing myself through the first half of the book, even to skimming through parts of the mushier stuff. But, the second half made slogging through the beginning all worthwhile. There's lots of magic, action, and intrigue that will keep you going all the way to the end.
If you like romance, it's for you. If you like magic, it's for you. If you like strong female characters, then it's also for you. If you find it slow going in the beginning, keep reading, it will definitely get better.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If you like romance, it's for you. If you like magic, it's for you. If you like strong female characters, then it's also for you. If you find it slow going in the beginning, keep reading, it will definitely get better.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 30, 2019
Can there be love? Can there be love? Can they join forces to save the child? These are the questions you'll have to figure out as you read. This was a very enjoyable book with dips and twists that keep you hooked from the beginning to end. You will love this story!! I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 12, 2020
A magical tale, both humorous and whimsical. The witches don’t trust the warlocks, and neither trust the Fae very much. The Churchmen believe they are all evil manifestations, and the Cornish humans take the ‘little people’ in stride. The result is great tale peopled with some extraordinary characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 9, 2022
Great from start to finish , had me intrigued from the offset, having read quite a few of this authors work before I wasn’t disappointed . Set in 1815 Warlocks witches and kidnapping what’s a man to do? Find out in the first instalment of this collection.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 14, 2022
When a young warlock is kidnapped on his baptism day, everybody is pointing fingers at everybody else but the witches' coven protectress and a Church guard are determined to find the boy and solve the mystery.
I love this medieval feeling world developed by Shereen Vedam. The animals talk, though generally not to people, witches and warlocks are not only real, but there is some science to their powers. The mystery of who has the boy is interesting and the romance is sweet and only a little bit spicy.
A great first book to the series.
I love this medieval feeling world developed by Shereen Vedam. The animals talk, though generally not to people, witches and warlocks are not only real, but there is some science to their powers. The mystery of who has the boy is interesting and the romance is sweet and only a little bit spicy.
A great first book to the series.
June 17, 2018
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.
Coven at Callington has a lot of fresh and unique plot ideas. Alas, some of them were a bit too unique: at some point the plot simply lost me. It just wasn't a book for me, I guess.
Coven at Callington has a lot of fresh and unique plot ideas. Alas, some of them were a bit too unique: at some point the plot simply lost me. It just wasn't a book for me, I guess.
December 16, 2021
The action opens on the Summer Equinox.
'Nuff said.
'Nuff said.
September 29, 2018
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I must say the book kept me intrigued throughout the entire thing. Unique plot ideas as well as a great blend of magic and religion. It was well written, the characters and their chemistry was enjoyable to read and was full of magical wonder that kept me hooked.I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
October 13, 2020
Excellent series and this book continues with more twists and unpredictable turns!!
I enjoyed this book very much!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed this book very much!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 2, 2019
Love weaves the strongest spell
A great read. A mix of Georgette Heyer, Nora Roberts and The Witches. A well crafted plot that keeps you read with characters that live and breathe through the pages.
They had come to Earth to escape their dying planet. However the women (witches) strongly believed in using their powers for good whilst the men (warlocks) wanted control and power. Often getting it by taking young boy child and using their power to add to their own. The humans however feared both and had set up church knights that killed them until that was outlawed. What happens when a young boy goes missing at his baptism (a way to make their power inaccessible to other warlocks) drives the chief witch, a church knight and a dark fae into seeking for him. Who has the child? Will the church knight destroy the witches as he has been ordered. Magic, mind control, fae, hellhounds are mixed into a read that makes you wonder if the human magic isn't the strongest one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A great read. A mix of Georgette Heyer, Nora Roberts and The Witches. A well crafted plot that keeps you read with characters that live and breathe through the pages.
They had come to Earth to escape their dying planet. However the women (witches) strongly believed in using their powers for good whilst the men (warlocks) wanted control and power. Often getting it by taking young boy child and using their power to add to their own. The humans however feared both and had set up church knights that killed them until that was outlawed. What happens when a young boy goes missing at his baptism (a way to make their power inaccessible to other warlocks) drives the chief witch, a church knight and a dark fae into seeking for him. Who has the child? Will the church knight destroy the witches as he has been ordered. Magic, mind control, fae, hellhounds are mixed into a read that makes you wonder if the human magic isn't the strongest one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 22, 2019
I read a lot of urban fantasy and paranormal fantasy. I read a lot of Regency romances. I never thought that anyone could properly merge those genres smoothly until I read this novel. This novel has the feel and air of a Regency romance but the paranormal and urban fantasy (geared toward the correct time period) elements are clearly not added in as a second thought but are carefully interwoven into the very warp of the story. Very nice! I definitely recommend this book for fans of regency romance as well as paranormal romance novels.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 27, 2019
Every chapter of this book opens in italics, from the perspective of random, unrelated and irrelevant "characters". A cat named Johannes! A wishing well! A mountain. These parts are useless through and through as I finished the book while skipping them and understood everything still. These should've been cut in the second draft for fuck's sake.
The story was interesting at first, but it got old really fast. The main characters are looking for this boy, Trystan. They go somewhere, he's not there. They go somewhere else, he's not there either. They go elsewhere, and shocker! he's still not there. It wouldn't be so bad if the characters where enough to carry the story, but ehh not really.
Braden- his name is actually Thomas I don't understand why they're calling him Braden it's not his last name, it's the name of his land. Hello sir Oakwood!- is a church guard and he doesn't like magic... or does he? The book opens and he's already got a magician servant. This could work in the hands of an experienced writer, but this one wasn't able to translate the fine line of emotions and feelings Thomas is supposed to hold towards magic- he should've been servantless and adamant that magic = evil at the start imo. It would've made the change that much more noticeable and great at the end.
Anyway, Thomas is serious, strong, determined and open-minded. That's not bad, but you kinda need more than for the character to be interesting. Merryn Pendraven doesn't fare much better. I like that she's nice to people and doesn't bash dresses or her non-magical cousin and her female friends, but that's held back by the fact that she's incomplete as a character.
See, Merryn is a Whyccan or however they spell it. That means that, as a woman, she's a witch. Men are warlocks, and in Whyccan society, there are big differences between the two. Warlocks tend to go more towards mind magic while witches are more about physical stuff, I think. The thing with that is that mind magic doesn't work well on Earth, and things get out of control very quickly. But warlocks don't wanna stop using it, thus they are evil and want to use their children as batteries.
Yep, that's how Merryn thinks. Let me just remind you; warlocks are the men of the Whyccan people. They are brothers, sons, uncles, even fathers. And Merryn is all like "They're all bad except maybe one or two." This get even more egregious when you learn that not only was her father a warlock, her father who died trying to rescue his son, but she also had a brother who died when she was younger, and that she still mourns to this very day. And yet... she never realizes this until the end of the book. That half of her fucking family were warlocks and that she was basically pissing on their memory by being such a prejudiced bitch.
Their romance started ok for me but they get into kisses way too quickly for people from that era. And Merryn is like, offended that Thomas put his arm around her when another man that she despises was making passes at her? Like she says it's a male thing and they were fighting over her but... no. This guy, whom is responsible for the death of her family and also tried to marry her before that, is trying to get her guard down so he can win her back, and Thomas supported the woman he loves by reminding her that he was there with her and on her side, and also not a dude who killed her entire family. Like, why do I have to explain this? "Oh no my lover is being emotionally tormented by this man who is clearly not 100% good, let me try to comfort her." = men fighting over a woman. And then of course the church guard in like the 1800 has premarital sex after they almost died and a kid is still missing.
They aren't bad together, but the stages really needed more planning. There's the meeting phase, which was done well, then the reveal, which was also done well, and then the trust part. But once we get to the betrayal moment, there's like 3 of them and they never have a lasting impact? Ok so the reason betrayal acts happen in the romeo and juliet type of stories is because it's cute af when the characters realize their love is stronger than the barriers separating them. It leads to a stronger bond at the end, which is why it should only be used once in any romance- unless you're a writer who actually knows what they're doing, of course. But here it's like fight, make up, fight, make up, fight, make up to the point where a character said "oh so you made up? I'm glad" and I was like "were they even mad at each other? which scene is she talking about?"
There are twists, but I couldn't be fucked to care because there was no way to see them coming- that would require a second draft. They aren't especially good ones, either, so maybe that was for the best. The magic was ok, I guess. I would've liked to know Merryn's power level tho; she's the coven protectress, aka the witch that has to protect alll the witches in Britain, but she can't transform back into a human with clothes on.
Also if you like faeries don't read this book. They get fucked in the ass hard. One queen is ready to invite this random witch for a gown.
The story was interesting at first, but it got old really fast. The main characters are looking for this boy, Trystan. They go somewhere, he's not there. They go somewhere else, he's not there either. They go elsewhere, and shocker! he's still not there. It wouldn't be so bad if the characters where enough to carry the story, but ehh not really.
Braden- his name is actually Thomas I don't understand why they're calling him Braden it's not his last name, it's the name of his land. Hello sir Oakwood!- is a church guard and he doesn't like magic... or does he? The book opens and he's already got a magician servant. This could work in the hands of an experienced writer, but this one wasn't able to translate the fine line of emotions and feelings Thomas is supposed to hold towards magic- he should've been servantless and adamant that magic = evil at the start imo. It would've made the change that much more noticeable and great at the end.
Anyway, Thomas is serious, strong, determined and open-minded. That's not bad, but you kinda need more than for the character to be interesting. Merryn Pendraven doesn't fare much better. I like that she's nice to people and doesn't bash dresses or her non-magical cousin and her female friends, but that's held back by the fact that she's incomplete as a character.
See, Merryn is a Whyccan or however they spell it. That means that, as a woman, she's a witch. Men are warlocks, and in Whyccan society, there are big differences between the two. Warlocks tend to go more towards mind magic while witches are more about physical stuff, I think. The thing with that is that mind magic doesn't work well on Earth, and things get out of control very quickly. But warlocks don't wanna stop using it, thus they are evil and want to use their children as batteries.
Yep, that's how Merryn thinks. Let me just remind you; warlocks are the men of the Whyccan people. They are brothers, sons, uncles, even fathers. And Merryn is all like "They're all bad except maybe one or two." This get even more egregious when you learn that not only was her father a warlock, her father who died trying to rescue his son, but she also had a brother who died when she was younger, and that she still mourns to this very day. And yet... she never realizes this until the end of the book. That half of her fucking family were warlocks and that she was basically pissing on their memory by being such a prejudiced bitch.
Their romance started ok for me but they get into kisses way too quickly for people from that era. And Merryn is like, offended that Thomas put his arm around her when another man that she despises was making passes at her? Like she says it's a male thing and they were fighting over her but... no. This guy, whom is responsible for the death of her family and also tried to marry her before that, is trying to get her guard down so he can win her back, and Thomas supported the woman he loves by reminding her that he was there with her and on her side, and also not a dude who killed her entire family. Like, why do I have to explain this? "Oh no my lover is being emotionally tormented by this man who is clearly not 100% good, let me try to comfort her." = men fighting over a woman. And then of course the church guard in like the 1800 has premarital sex after they almost died and a kid is still missing.
They aren't bad together, but the stages really needed more planning. There's the meeting phase, which was done well, then the reveal, which was also done well, and then the trust part. But once we get to the betrayal moment, there's like 3 of them and they never have a lasting impact? Ok so the reason betrayal acts happen in the romeo and juliet type of stories is because it's cute af when the characters realize their love is stronger than the barriers separating them. It leads to a stronger bond at the end, which is why it should only be used once in any romance- unless you're a writer who actually knows what they're doing, of course. But here it's like fight, make up, fight, make up, fight, make up to the point where a character said "oh so you made up? I'm glad" and I was like "were they even mad at each other? which scene is she talking about?"
There are twists, but I couldn't be fucked to care because there was no way to see them coming- that would require a second draft. They aren't especially good ones, either, so maybe that was for the best. The magic was ok, I guess. I would've liked to know Merryn's power level tho; she's the coven protectress, aka the witch that has to protect alll the witches in Britain, but she can't transform back into a human with clothes on.
Also if you like faeries don't read this book. They get fucked in the ass hard. One queen is ready to invite this random witch for a gown.
April 1, 2019
Fresh from fending off an attack by hellhounds, Guard of the Green Cross--a secret arm of the Anglican Church meant to handle evil forces and entities if they rise from darkness--the Earl of Braden gets new orders from the Archbishop that are directly opposed to a central tenet of the guard’s code: do not interfere in disputes between witches and warlocks. Centuries ago witch hunts blackened the name of guards (then known as knights), so meddling is now forbidden. Braden has been tasked with retrieving the son of a warlock, who was supposedly taken by a demon, as well as destroy the coven in the area. More is happening at Callington than Braden imagined, and he is more than tempted to enlist the aid of the coven protectress, Merryn, to help figure it all out. Merryn believes that the same warlock who killed her younger brother has taken the boy.
Will Braden succeed in rescuing the boy? What exactly is going on between the warlocks and witches in Callington? Will Braden risk his position to follow what he knows is right? Will he fall for the coven protectress?
The author has done a fantastic job of creating a magical version of Regency England. I love how the first scene in Regency times a flame in a streetlight is talking! I literally did a double take to see if I was reading correctly! There are other magical elements as well, some of which are not truly explained until later. I thought the idea of having this secret group of guards under direct orders of the Archbishop of Canterbury was inspired. Braden is a complicated, fascinating hero to watch wrestle with right and wrong, on both personal and professional levels.
With elements of fantasy, the paranormal, intrigue, and romance . . . what’s not to like!
I received a free copy of this book, but this did not affect my reviews
Will Braden succeed in rescuing the boy? What exactly is going on between the warlocks and witches in Callington? Will Braden risk his position to follow what he knows is right? Will he fall for the coven protectress?
The author has done a fantastic job of creating a magical version of Regency England. I love how the first scene in Regency times a flame in a streetlight is talking! I literally did a double take to see if I was reading correctly! There are other magical elements as well, some of which are not truly explained until later. I thought the idea of having this secret group of guards under direct orders of the Archbishop of Canterbury was inspired. Braden is a complicated, fascinating hero to watch wrestle with right and wrong, on both personal and professional levels.
With elements of fantasy, the paranormal, intrigue, and romance . . . what’s not to like!
I received a free copy of this book, but this did not affect my reviews
August 22, 2018
I received a copy of this book from publisher through NetGalley.
Coven at Callington is the first in a historical fantasy series featuring a reimagined 1800s with witches, warlocks, and church guards whose role is to keep the peace between the witches and warlocks. The son of a warlock and witch goes missing in the midst of his baptism, bringing together Merryn, the female lead, witch, and Coven Protectress and Braden, the male lead and church guard. This is a classic story of two people from opposing sides who bond together over a crisis and wind up falling in love. There were other smatterings of supernatural creatures thrown in here and there from faes to barguests. Each chapter started with blurb of ongoing events from the perspective of an inanimate object such as a mountain to an animate object such as a barguests. This was a bit weird and interrupted the flow for me as a reader. I recommend leaving this approach out of future installments. I feel like there are glimpses of interesting things worth more attention, namely the concept behind the apprenticeships with warlocks and the origins of the witches/warlocks.
Coven at Callington is the first in a historical fantasy series featuring a reimagined 1800s with witches, warlocks, and church guards whose role is to keep the peace between the witches and warlocks. The son of a warlock and witch goes missing in the midst of his baptism, bringing together Merryn, the female lead, witch, and Coven Protectress and Braden, the male lead and church guard. This is a classic story of two people from opposing sides who bond together over a crisis and wind up falling in love. There were other smatterings of supernatural creatures thrown in here and there from faes to barguests. Each chapter started with blurb of ongoing events from the perspective of an inanimate object such as a mountain to an animate object such as a barguests. This was a bit weird and interrupted the flow for me as a reader. I recommend leaving this approach out of future installments. I feel like there are glimpses of interesting things worth more attention, namely the concept behind the apprenticeships with warlocks and the origins of the witches/warlocks.
September 6, 2018
An interesting mix of fantasy and Regency romance, with a smidgen of science fiction thrown in for good measure....Surprisingly it mostly works... I do wish there had been a bit more world building and back story, it does appear to be the first book in a series, so perhaps more of that back story will be revealed. Another thing that I wasn't that pleased with is that the POV jumps from character to character with no separation and sometimes it could get a bit confusing on who or what is talking and to whom or what they are talking too.
Over all I found the story line intriguing with a good pace and flow, an engaging writing style that draws you in. The plot line got a bit unbelievable at times, but then it's fantasy right? and anything goes. The characters were well done and I liked their interaction. I felt like it could have been a bit longer to have more explanation and development and I hope that is coming in the next books.
*I received a copy of the book via Author's Pal for a blog tour, all thoughts and opinions are my own. You can find a longer review at stainonthepage.com
Over all I found the story line intriguing with a good pace and flow, an engaging writing style that draws you in. The plot line got a bit unbelievable at times, but then it's fantasy right? and anything goes. The characters were well done and I liked their interaction. I felt like it could have been a bit longer to have more explanation and development and I hope that is coming in the next books.
*I received a copy of the book via Author's Pal for a blog tour, all thoughts and opinions are my own. You can find a longer review at stainonthepage.com
January 8, 2019
“Must I remind you, sir,” Sutton said in a repressive tone, “that the Church is at liberty to decide on the best course for the good of Britain’s spiritual welfare without prior consultation with its guards? Remember your place. You are of a higher rank in secular life, but within the Church, you are sworn before God to follow my orders, without question.”
And now for something completely different....
Blending magic and the Church was what hooked me into this series, and what will keep me here. As a retired minister with a background in Women’s Studies AND Church History, I couldreadthis kind of book for days. It helps that the author is historically correct before the fantasy takes over.
With reminders of the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast with anthropomorphic inanimate objects, this is a bit Robin Hood in Braden and Merryn‘s story. It’s also a great romance. 5/5
[note: I have read the second in the series which is currently part of the *Wings of the Wicked* box set
And now for something completely different....
Blending magic and the Church was what hooked me into this series, and what will keep me here. As a retired minister with a background in Women’s Studies AND Church History, I couldreadthis kind of book for days. It helps that the author is historically correct before the fantasy takes over.
With reminders of the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast with anthropomorphic inanimate objects, this is a bit Robin Hood in Braden and Merryn‘s story. It’s also a great romance. 5/5
[note: I have read the second in the series which is currently part of the *Wings of the Wicked* box set
February 26, 2019
Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, is a Guard of the Green Cross, apart of a secret limb of the Anglican Church ruled by the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose sole purpose to vanquish dark creatures of the underworld set to lure, kill or defile humans. A note with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s secret seal was given to him with a new assignment. He is to go to Callington, Cornwall (witch territory) where a demon stole a boy from the church where he was to be baptized. Braden is to find and return the boy to the warlock school in Wales and destroy the witches coven at Callington.
Merryn Pendraven, the Coven Protectress of Britain, on her first mission to a coven in Fishguard, Wales is tossed out by its sage insisting they needed no assistance her despite residing smack in the center of warlock territory. Merryn reached an inn on the outskirts of Exeter and a neighbor, Lady Hancock, invited her to travel back home with her. Braden, whose coach broke down, is invited by Lady Hancock to come with them to Callington.
The grand adventure starts here. Merryn and Braden are on he same path to find he missing boy and the story gets rather involved with a lot of interesting happenings.
A very delightful story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Merryn Pendraven, the Coven Protectress of Britain, on her first mission to a coven in Fishguard, Wales is tossed out by its sage insisting they needed no assistance her despite residing smack in the center of warlock territory. Merryn reached an inn on the outskirts of Exeter and a neighbor, Lady Hancock, invited her to travel back home with her. Braden, whose coach broke down, is invited by Lady Hancock to come with them to Callington.
The grand adventure starts here. Merryn and Braden are on he same path to find he missing boy and the story gets rather involved with a lot of interesting happenings.
A very delightful story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 11, 2020
In a world where you hear the animals discuss all that happens around them to the household item that speaks of their family's problems, you have begun your visit to the witches we live with every day. The Wyhcan's have lived with humans since they had been forced to leave their dying planet, the difference between them and their human neighbors is magic! Thomas the Earl of Braden had trained to become a guard for the Green Cross, he swore to wipe out the evil and magic he found. Merryn Pendraven had just been named Coven Protectress of Britain was on a mission to solve a problem when she realizes the true problem is back in her own village. A male child disappeared from the village church and all hell is beginning to break out. Join all the great characters in this book and discover where the magic takes you.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 31, 2019
This is an unusual approach that I don’t believe I have seen before. Basically it comes down to Thomas Drake Saint-Clair, Earl of Braden, a Guard of the Green Cross, being sent by his archbishop to rescue a warlock’s missing child. The task puts Braden in the middle of a war between witches and warlocks.
Merryn Pendraven, a Coven Protectress who works for the witches, is sent to rescue a witch's son. She learns that Braden is on the same case but is not sure if she can trust him. Can they work together to rescue the boy?
There are many supernatural beings interwoven among the pages and lots of action as two people work together to save a child and begin to fall in love with each other. Much of this book was confusing and extraneous, but as you continue reading, it does sort itself out better.
Merryn Pendraven, a Coven Protectress who works for the witches, is sent to rescue a witch's son. She learns that Braden is on the same case but is not sure if she can trust him. Can they work together to rescue the boy?
There are many supernatural beings interwoven among the pages and lots of action as two people work together to save a child and begin to fall in love with each other. Much of this book was confusing and extraneous, but as you continue reading, it does sort itself out better.
April 1, 2019
A good magical tale full of mystery and suspense. I was hooked from the very beginning. I love the story line and characters. Thomas, Earl of Braden is a guard of the Green Cross, a soldier for the Church. He’s a holy man raised to believe magic and those who use it are evil. Merryn Pendraven, a witch, is the Coven Protectress of Britain. Her job is to protect not just fellow witch’s and magical beings but human’s as well. A warlock and witch’s child has been taken and now this unlikely pair finds themselves working together. The Hunter and the Hunted must learn to trust each other if they wish to save the child. This is a great story with plenty of action, adventure and romance with a bit of humor to keep you thoroughly entertained, it was a real pleasure to read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
August 10, 2018
Intriguing! A magical delight that I had a hard time putting down!
I loved the seemless blend between magic and religion! And thoroughly enjoyed the storyline getting swept up in this magical world of witches, warlocks, fae and so much more!
There was some odd uniqueness to the story with each new chapter there was an odd dialogue between unrelated creatures that I didn’t quite understand the purpose of. Towards the end it allowed a glimpse at certain creatures POV that actually pertained to the story but in the beginning it didn’t make much sense it kind of pulled me out of the story which I didn’t care for.
Overall though I loved it! It was well written, it flowed beautifully, the characters and their chemistry was enjoyable to read and was full of magical wonder that kept me hooked.
I loved the seemless blend between magic and religion! And thoroughly enjoyed the storyline getting swept up in this magical world of witches, warlocks, fae and so much more!
There was some odd uniqueness to the story with each new chapter there was an odd dialogue between unrelated creatures that I didn’t quite understand the purpose of. Towards the end it allowed a glimpse at certain creatures POV that actually pertained to the story but in the beginning it didn’t make much sense it kind of pulled me out of the story which I didn’t care for.
Overall though I loved it! It was well written, it flowed beautifully, the characters and their chemistry was enjoyable to read and was full of magical wonder that kept me hooked.
January 28, 2022
Warlocks and witches have been at odds for years, so when a case calls for our hero and heroine to cooperate, trusting each other is a major issue. Falling for each other is an even bigger one.
This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.
This is a historical paranormal mystery story set in England. The story is well written, easy to read and have a very well developed setting that truly brings the story to life. The characters are equally well done and skillfully blend magic with the historical setting. Add in a complex plot with plenty of action, intrigue and mystery and things get really interesting. Overall, this was a lot of fun to read and I look forward to reading the next book.
Highly recommended
This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.
This is a historical paranormal mystery story set in England. The story is well written, easy to read and have a very well developed setting that truly brings the story to life. The characters are equally well done and skillfully blend magic with the historical setting. Add in a complex plot with plenty of action, intrigue and mystery and things get really interesting. Overall, this was a lot of fun to read and I look forward to reading the next book.
Highly recommended
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