The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker Blog Tour: ARC Review + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop in THE WITCH HUNTER by Virginia Boecker Blog Tour hosted by RockStar Blog Tours. Today on my stop we have my 4 star review of THE WITCH HUNTER + an awesome Tour-Wide Giveaway!!

The Witch Hunter

THE WITCH HUNTER
Virginia Boecker
(The Witch Hunter #1)
Published: June 2nd, 2015
Genres: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy

The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.

Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. When she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to die at the stake. Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.

As she's thrust into the world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and all-too-handsome healers, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, and of love and hate.

Boecker's rich, witch-hunting, witch-burning world is filled with everything a good fantasy book needs: swords, poison, black magic, rat hordes, and betrayal. Elizabeth Grey is a tough, feisty protagonist whose fearless heart takes more twists and turns than the narrow city alleys in which the story opens. A fun, corpse-ridden, blood-drenched debut.
—April Tucholke, author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

{AMAZON} {BARNES & NOBLE}

What an adventure!! It's been a long time since I've read a good witch story, and THE WITCH HUNTER was just what I needed to sedate my craving for deliciously wicked, and epically powerful witches. And though it wasn't like I thought it would be, it was still pretty awesome to say the least!!

The main character Elizabeth Grey was as badass as they come! I loved her from the very beginning. I liked that the author shows you from the get that Elizabeth is skilled, yet very flawed with tons of issues, but also determined to carry on and make it through whatever situation she's in. But there was one incident in the very beginning that was the cause of why Elizabeth was condemned as a witch that I just did not like at all. And I really wish the author didn't make Elizabeth endure such a thing and make it the sole reason behind her fall from being one of the best Witch Hunters in the kingdom of Anglia. I can't say what or why because it would spoil it for you guys, but it made her look weak in the face of all she's faced and conquered, and it was really out of character for her. But nevertheless I still adored Elizabeth and at times felt sorry for her, but also looked up to the strength and courage she possessed.

The world building was my favorite aspect about THE WITCH HUNTER. I LOVED that it took place back in the 1500's, and that it was in a era when witches were condemned and burned at the stake. All that intertwined with the twist and turns that only kept coming, and an awesome set of characters, with tons of action and adventure, topped with betrayals, murder, and deadly curses, this book took me on a ride of paranormal awesomeness....

But unfortunately even with the love I had for this book, I still did have my ups and downs with the first quarter or so. And though it did have plenty of action and adventure, and was lying down the foundation of this novel, and that I loved Elizabeth off the bat. I still found it hard to connect with the novel and the characters and really get immersed into the plot. BUT, that didn't last long, and shortly after the first quarter or so when Elizabeth found her band of witches, I was hooked. I loved the mystery behind it all, not knowing what was going on or who to trust, and what was real and what wasn't. And then I found myself loving everything about it at that point. But looking back on it now, it really could of just been me and my crappy mood, and not the book lacking anything at all.

THE PLOT

In the year of 1558, Elizabeth Grey is one of Anglia's best witch hunters. She's strong, fierce, determined, and sickeningly loyal as they come. Her job? Hunting down outlawed witches and bringing them back to Inquisitor Blackwell to be sentenced to death and burned at the stake. Capturing evil witches and ridding them from her streets is something Elizabeth takes pride in. Until she is found with witches herbs and charged with being a witch by the very same people she hunted for. And is sentenced to die by burning on the pyre just like all the other witches she's brought in before her. But now . . .

THE HUNTER BECOMES THE HUNTED...

Suddenly, being accused of the very thing she's been raised to hate is baffling as the betrayal slices through her like a thousand knives and wakes her up to the harsh reality that she is just one of the many pawns in this vicious game that's being played. But Elizabeth Gray is a witch hunter, and one of the strongest out there. So it will take more then a death sentenced and a betrayal to tear her down, and she will rise again, but this time, there will be no stopping her...

But just when Elizabeth starts to think all hope is lost and she'll die on her prison cell floor like many of the other "Witches" before her, she is rescued by the most powerful and most wanted wizard in all Anglia, Nicholas Perevil. And he's come with an ultimatum. Either help him on his quest to free him of the bounds that's been laid upon him, or die a horrible death on the prison cell floor she's dying on. Or if she happens to make it long enough, by burning to death while she's helpless tied and devoured by flames.

Elizabeth reluctantly takes the deal, but only to escape the prison cell she's dying in. But after she's well again she plans to use this wizard to her advantage, either as a bargaining chip to get back into the good graces with Blackwell, or use him as a means to escape and get far away from this kingdom and the burdens it holds.

But what Elizabeth didn't plan on was to actually start to care for the same people she once hunted. To find a real family in people she's been raised to hate and kill. To find herself defending them and wanting to help them succeed. But she does, and that is the very moment Elizabeth Grey realizes she's in way deeper then she imagined, and she's in a heap of trouble. Because theirs one healer in particular that makes her feel alive, and has her body doing weird things whenever he's around. Making her see and feel things in a new light. Makes her want to see the very people she's loved all her life suffer for all the wrong they—she has caused. And even if she has to give her life, she will help these people, because they have all saved her in more ways then one...

I had such a blast reading THE WITCH HUNTER and I'm so glad I decided to pick it up. Virginia Boecker delivered an explosive debut that reeled me in and invested me into this wonderfully wicked world that I couldn't get enough of. I will definitely be checking out more from this author in the future, and I'm only more eager to see what she comes up with next.

Overall, THE WITCH HUNTER had everything I wanted and more then I could of anticipated!! And though it did go in a different direction then I imagined it would, but that was the glory of this book. It was predictable, yet unpredictable. And even with its rocky start, I still loved this book to pieces. And I'm literally DYING to get my hands on the next book and see what happens next in this fascinating world. To say I'm hooked on this series would be an understatement, I'm INFATUATED!!!! ;)

NOTE: I received a Physical ARC from Little Brown Books for reviewing purposes. All opinions express are my own and are not influenced in any way.

4 BONE HEARTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Virginia Boecker recently spent four years in London obsessing over English medieval history, which formed the basis of her debut novel, The Witch Hunter. She now lives in the Bay Area, California with her husband and spends her days writing, reading, running, and chasing around her two children and a dog named George.

In addition to English kings, nine-day queens, and Protestant princesses, her other obsessions include The Smiths, art museums, champagne, and Chapstick. You can visit Virginia online at virginiaboecker.com or on Twitter @virgboecker.

  

{WEBSITE} {GOODREADS} {TWITTER} {FACEBOOK}





 
~ JUNE 1st ~
- Supernatural Snark- Interview 
~~~ Addicted Readers- Review ~~~

~ JUNE 2nd ~
- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
- Mundie Moms- Review

~ JUNE 3rd ~
- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview
- Bookish Serendipity- Review

~ JUNE 4th ~
- Once Upon a Twilight - Guest Post
- Fiktshun- Review

~ JUNE 5th ~
- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview 
- Me, My Shelf and I- Review



Event Organized By: