4.5 stars

So much fun! "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness is a captivating read. If you're looking for a great book review to convince you to pick it up, let me just say: you won't be disappointed!

Okay, wow, this was seriously one of the dumbest books I've read in ages. I picked up *A Discovery of Witches* by Deborah Harkness thinking it would be a fun, escapist fantasy with a little romance, but it turned out to be Twilight meets Instagram. Vampires, demons, and witches were involved, but they never did anything even remotely interesting. It was all yoga, fitness routines, early morning jogs, elaborate and photogenic meals, wine drunk in old chateaus, cozy interiors, and – I swear – ther...

Sorry *Bronze Horseman*, *A Discovery of Witches* has officially stolen the #2 spot for my favorite book of all time <3. Deborah Harkness really outdid herself. If you're looking for a great fantasy book review, look no further!

For a measly two bucks, I rescued *A Discovery of Witches* from a dusty shelf at my local Goodwill, adopting it with high hopes. For free, I returned it to the same shelf a few weeks later with a dejected feeling, sandwiching it between a rejected copy of 'Twilight' and a tattered paperback with a shirtless guy on the cover. At least it found its rightful spot. And I'm out only two dollars. **And I would have gladly paid more to free my own bookshelf of *A Discovery of Witches*.** So it goes....

I was intrigued when I spotted this book in a soon-to-close Borders store. The blurb sounded interesting, and the first few pages seemed well-written. Despite the significant discount, I hesitated and instead borrowed **A Discovery of Witches** from the library. And am I ever glad I didn't actually buy it. The book started promisingly. Protagonist Diana Bishop, a distinguished history scholar and professor (just like Deborah Harkness, the author! Uh oh...), a repressed witch, tea aficionado, r...

Okay, so the good things: I liked the world/mythology/etc, and was amused by the Anne Rice reference! And I also liked the subtle pro-gay marriage message. It could have actually been a lot of fun except for the romance part, which went like this: (SPOILERS!)Diana: I am exceptionally good at being a historian of science, and I even have a job at Yale! I am also a witch, but I don't use my powers. Much.Gosh this mysterious manuscript sure is mysterious!Matthew: I AM TALL. I WENT THROUGH YOUR PAPE...

It's genuinely tough to collect my thoughts enough to write a proper review. I'm not even sure where to begin. I picked up "A Discovery of Witches" four evenings ago. All I really knew was that it was a book about witches and vampires. Okay, I thought, I'll give it a shot. But as I flipped through the pages, I realized I wasn't making much progress on the percentage counter. When I checked, I discovered the book is almost 800 pages long—longer than nearly all my other fantasy books. Wow. I sta...

This actually deserves ZERO stars, but it won't show up if I rate it zero, so just know – ZERO!I thought "A Discovery of Witches" was going to be a fun, escapist read, but I'm throwing in the towel. The main character, Diana Bishop, makes absolutely no sense. We're told she *can't* do magic, and then suddenly, bam, she's doing magic. Huh???And then there's Matthew Clairmont, the vampire sneaking into her room and watching her sleep, completely fascinated. Where have I seen *that* before? Hmmm......

This is a strange book. Now that I've actually finished reading "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness, I'm not entirely sure why I was so captivated by it. With all the spells and enchantments, I wouldn't be surprised if the book itself cast a spell on me. Despite enjoying it overall, several things still bugged me. First off, Deborah Harkness needed a better editor. I'm increasingly finding that books surrounded by a lot of hype aren't edited very well. I don't know if the editors think ...

2.5 starsHmmm. At first, I really thought Deborah Harkness's *A Discovery of Witches* was going to be at least a 4 star book. It was *interesting* and full of *detail*!Then suddenly, it **wasn't.**Wasn't interesting, that is. Oh, it was *still* full of detail, don't worry.Details about how they *appreciatively sniffed wine*.Details about different kinds of *tea*.Details about the *layouts* of old buildings.Details about *rugs* and *furniture*.**And just when I started to think I couldn't take it...