The Vine Witch

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Vine Witch

Freed after years cursed to live as a frog, Elena seeks out the life she was stolen from. But as she makes the journey home to Château Renard, she’ll discover everything has changed. The vineyard she was to inherit has been sold to a man named Jean-Paul. A man who favors science over magic. But science will not save the vines, for, without magic, they’ve begun to fail. A melancholy has taken over the vines, and nefarious hexes twist among them, preventing their growth. Forced to hide her abilities, Elena works in secret to save the vineyard, but it may be too little too late.

Magic used by the vine witches is subtle and primarily based on modern day witchcraft. And show more while there will be those who use magic for ill gains, most of what is witnessed in the book is from Elena’s casting. The focus of her magic is on nature, using herbs, incantations, and moon phases. Her magic is a catalyst for relationship building and plot development but is by no means a lesser part of the story. Elena cares deeply for her home, and the emotions she feels towards its success are beautifully written into the spells she casts and the care she takes in helping Jean-Paul restore the vineyard.

There is a vein of old witchcraft superstition woven into the storyline. While the vineyards appreciate their vine witches, there is something nefarious afoot in town. Darker magic is alluded to, and it puts certain authorities on high alert. Distrust is sown within the town, making even vine witches suspect if the wrong person feels threatened. And to be apprehended for evil magic means time spent in the prison designed to house witches. The very prison that once held innocents caught up in the witchcraft trials of old. Where their souls still reside, crying out for their freedom.

Paranormal and fantasy elements combined to create a story of redemption and discovery. Elena has a long road to walk to once again fulfill her potential. And along the way she will have to build trust with Jean-Paul, not just with magic but with herself as well. The relationship building of The Vine Witch was skillfully added into the story, allowing the two characters time to address their feelings and maturely approach them. Elena also has many challenges from her past that will shape the woman she becomes by the end of book one. This was a slower paced, but engaging story. I am looking forward to book two. show less

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In this fun fairy tale novel , a “vine witch” in France at the prior turn of the century is gifted with wine-making magic. Witches in this world can have different kinds of magic, including baking magic; sex magic; or brewery or vineyard magic (I’ll take some of each, please).

Naturally, there is also black magic, with blood and demons and pentagrams. At the beginning of the book, Elena Boureanu, the vine witch of Château Renard—specializing in Pinot Noir–has been turned into a toad by someone using the forbidden black arts, and changes herself back after seven years hopping around in the swamp. Elena vows revenge against her show more enchanter, who has also hexed her entire vineyard, which was once legendary but hasn’t turned out a decent bottle in precisely seven years. The grapes mold on the vine and the oldest vines are literally depressed. If any grapes are actually harvested, a resident gargoyle pisses on them, just to make sure the wine will be extra sour.

It’s up to Elena to save the vineyard, and the gargoyle is only one difficulty. While Elena was a toad, a distractingly handsome vigneron, Jean-Paul Martel took over the vineyard from her grand-mère, and he isn’t having any of this superstitious magic nonsense with the new Age of Science dawning. Great wine, Jean-Paul insists, is a simple matter of weather, chemistry, and timing. Elena runs into many other magical obstacles as well, but she finds some magical allies along the way, with both astonishing powers and gutsiness in a crisis.
This is Luanne Smith’s debut, and it shows considerable promise within the fantasy genre.

While I was “all in” the Chanceaux Valley, and didn’t want to put the book down for even a minute, I felt that the novel was rushed and possibly over-edited. Elena is a great character but the other characters were insufficiently fleshed out, the romance was rushed, the friendships were rushed, the showdown with the enemy was rushed, the plot twists at the end were rushed. The only aspect of the book that was not rushed was the magic. Various spells are described in scrumptious detail, and I wanted more of the same for the whole book. I hope that in the sequel, "The Glamourist" (to be released in June 2020), the author takes it nice and slow, as her talent certainly warrants. show less

When a book starts from the viewpoint of a toad, you know you're reading an original and unusual story. Elena is a vine witch, one who uses her spells to enhance the vineyards of the Château Renard, a common occupation in the Chanceaux Valley. When she finally reverses the curse that changed her to a toad, she returns to find that the Chateau has been sold. Jean-Paul is a man of science who scoffs at the country folk and their witchcraft, but his vines aren't doing well and he doesn't know why.
This is such a fun story. Elena comes back for revenge but her inbred sympathy for the vineyards vies with her darker instinct. Jean-Paul is a city man who must amend his deeply held beliefs in order to save his vineyard. There are some good show more twists that keep the plot moving forward. This is a great debut novel, and I hope to read more from this author in future. show less

I got this as part of Amazon Prime’s First Reads program for free, which is not a usual thing for me, as it generally features nothing but literary fiction and crime thrillers. This month actually included a fantasy book, and it had pretty good reviews, so I picked it up.
The reviews I read said it was like a brief fairytale, so I went in expecting a light, dreamy sort of tale, but that’s not how this was at all. In fact, this read more like a Harry Potter novel for adults, so as a result I enjoyed it very much. The main character, Elena, is a Vine witch, which means she lives and works at a vineyard, using her magic to make the vines grow. At the start of the novel, she is recovering from having been cursed into toad form by her show more former lover. She returns to her beloved vineyard, determined to exact revenge, only to find that it’s been sold, and has been in terrible shape in the seven years that she’s been gone. Not only that, but there's a series of strange magical murders making their way around the countryside, and she soon finds herself more involved in them than she had initially intended.
As a mystery novel, the book falls pretty short, but as an adventure romp, it’s actually pretty great. The magic system is well developed and described in detail, and there’s enough action to keep the book from slowing down really at any point. There is a romance, but it doesn’t really take center stage, and there’s no excessive swooning or melodrama. show less

The Vine Witch gives us an original premise and old world magic full of spells, potions, and curses.

I was a bit spellbound by this book. Or maybe I was enchanted. Either way, I really enjoyed the story!

Luanne Smith's writing has an easy flow that invites us in and carries us along on the journey. While this is fantasy, the story feels realistic, weaving witches into the community of winemakers, and blending curses with human greed.

I felt our witch's connection to the land, love of her craft, and desperation to save the dying vineyard. The romance has a slow build, which I liked, though the connection ultimately felt lackluster to me. I wanted a little more from the ending.

Prior to reading this, I didn't know it was the first in a show more series. It's the perfect opener to this world of witchcraft. This story has a solid ending, so no cliffhangers forcing you on to the next book.

*I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.* show less

Magic in the air!

Considering this is the authors debut novel it is absolute M A G I C!!!! WE start in the swamp of all places. Slightly confusing at first until we realize it's the inner monologue of a toad of all things. Confusing, until we learn she's actually a woman that's been trapped in toad form for seven years by someone unknown. We're introduced to a magical landscape in more ways than one. The French countryside full of vineyards and dazzling wines brought to their peak perfection through the age old courtesy and love of vine witches. What happens when one such witch comes home from her seven year curse to find all she knew had changed. Can she find her footing when her home and love are no longer hers? When she not certain show more who cursed her and the vines she loves so very much. Her magical tale will weave its way into your heart and beg to hear more! This is one author I can't wait to see more from. Brava show less

"Elena Boureanu, a sorcière skilled in crafting wine through magic, returns to her vineyard in early 20th-century France after being cursed to live as a toad for seven years. She finds her vineyard in ruin, run by a skeptic, Jean-Paul Martel, who relies on science over magic. Elena, seeking to break the curse on her land and uncover who stole her life, must work with the unsuspecting Jean-Paul to save the vineyard while navigating, mystery, romance, and dark, vengeful magic." The romance wasn't especially compelling and I wasn't gripped by the mystery, but I liked the magic of vine witchery. Novel.