ADVENT BOOK BLOG 14 – Jul-2018 (2) – To Snare a Witch @JUNCTIONPUBLISH @JAYRAVENAUTHOR #HORROR

Advent Book Blog day 14 and today we have a change of genre as I spotlight TO SNARE A WITCH by Jay Raven. This is a short, fast paced read that will keep the pages turning. Perfect for readers of Horror.

TO SNARE A WITCH by Jay Raven

Available from: Amazon UK Amazon US Amazon Canada Amazon Australia

No female dares spurn the lecherous advances of Sir Henry Cruttendon, 17^th Century England’s most reviled nobleman. To do so risks a retribution that would terrify the Devil himself.

But Elizabeth Fiennes is no ordinary woman, blessed with stunning beauty, intelligence and guile. Coming from an influential family, she believes she is safe.

What she doesn’t understand is that the Earl is determined to satisfy his lust and plans to use the wave of witch trials, fear and superstition sweeping the countryside to force her into his clutches.

And as he springs his malicious trap it triggers a chain of unholy events plunging hunter and prey into a maelstrom of deceit, terror and depravity – leaving them both staring into the face of true evil…

My Review

This is a novella and a very gripping read. I struggle to review novellas as they are short and concise so it is very easy to include spoilers. I hope I have managed to tell you enough to want to read it but not spoil it.

It is some time since I read a Witch story but I have read Jay Raven’s work before and was very impressed so was looking forward to reading this one. I like the way the author is taking the older horror subjects and reinventing them so was intrigued as to how he would develop Witches.

The story begins with Thomas and Matthew enacting a scene. It is sheer brilliance that he has taken 2 actors and remixed them and it works perfectly. Thomas and Matthew have found a way to make significant amounts of money finding and identifying Witches. We begin with a Witch being tried via a reworking of the old dunking method but all is not what it seems.

Add a lusting old man and a beautiful young woman into the mix and the reader is taken on a bumpy ride through witchery, lies and impersonations the like of which I have never read before.

Many twists and turns are involved in this story. It is fast paced gripping with many curve balls in the mix and the ending is brilliant. I am really hoping for more to add to this story.

What the bloggers thought

The Bookworm Drinketh

….All I can say is, that ending. Wow. I just feel like I wouldn’t have seen that coming. I would highly recommend it, for sure! Read more here

Mind Garbage

My favourite thing about the book though is actually the chapter titles, which might sound a little bit silly, but they are all lines from various rhymes that you learn as a child. I don’t know why, but I found these little childlike titles juxtaposed with the dark content to be quite enchanting. Read more here

Ginger Book Geek

I was hooked on this novella from the moment I picked the book up and began to read. I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy reading a shorter story as I am used to reading longer books but I needn’t have worried. This novella has so much action crammed into a small number of pages that at times I thought I was reading a longer book. I soon became addicted to the writing style, the characters and the story. Read more here

Mother Geek

I won’t spoil the story, but if you’re anything like me, you will read this in one sitting! Read more here

Donna’s Book Blog

To be 100% honest I didn’t find it scary but that didn’t bother me as what I did sound was a brilliant story that I really, really enjoyed! Read more here

Loopy Lou Laura

This book has been well researched and the description of the process of locating witches was both accurate and horrific. Witches in England were not burned at the stake: this was the fate of witches in Europe. Read more here

Jade’s Long Journey

That wasn’t an issue with To Snare a Witch, since it is only 77 pages long and has quite short chapters it was a great book to pick up just to have a bit of me time once the kids are in bed without the pressure of trying to get through to the end of a huge chapter. Read more here

Cookiez Meltdown

Jay really made the Novella come to life, the characters were amazingly well written and i connected to this story like i was a part of it, the plot, the setting and the jam packed action of it all had left me wanting more. Read more here