Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Ace Books (Berkeley Group) (Penguin Group)
Pages
294
Description
First in a "spellbinding"* series about a coven of witches living in L.A., from Amber Benson, author of the Calliope Reaper-Jones novels. Unbeknownst to most of humankind, a powerful network of witches thrives within the shadows of society, using magic to keep the world in balance. But the witches are being eliminated--and we will all pay if their power falls... When Lyse MacAllister's great-aunt Eleanora, the woman who raised her, becomes deathly ill, Lyse puts her life in Georgia on hold to rush back to Los Angeles. And once she returns to Echo Park, Lyse discovers her great-aunt has been keeping extraordinary secrets from her. Not only is Lyse heir to Eleanora's Victorian house; she is also expected to take her great-aunt's place in the Echo Park coven of witches. But accepting her destiny means placing herself in deadly peril--for the world of magic is under siege, and the battle the witches now fight may be their last...… (more)
Series
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2015-01-06
Physical description
294 p.; 8 inches
ISBN
0425268675 / 9780425268674
User reviews
LibraryThing member stefferoo
The Witches of Echo Park is an interesting but strange and shifting book. At first glance, I thought I would be going into your usual urban fantasy about witch covens and magic, but the experience turned out to be much more literary, with the novel quite formally and artistically written.
The story
To her shock, Lyse discovers that magic is real, that there’s a reason why the house she grew up in has felt strange to her ever since she was a child. Eleanora isn’t just a kindly old distant relative who took her in after her parents died; in truth, her great-aunt is the leader of the Echo Park witches – though the women much prefer the term blood sisters. And now that Eleanora is ready to pass on to the next life, she wants Lyse to take her place as head of the coven.
As I was saying, The Witches of Echo Park does not read like the typical book you would pull off the shelf in the Urban Fantasy or Paranormal aisle. If you’re expecting the kick-ass Buffy-style heroine or the non-stop action and snarky humor, you won’t really find it here. The style isn’t very light, either. Instead, the story within these pages is more comparable to a family drama, which unfolds gradually through the perspectives of six women, all members of the Echo Park coven. Besides Lyse and Eleanora, there is the indomitable Arrabelle, resident herbalist; the fun-loving Devandra; Daniela the seer who is more than meets the eye; and last but not least, the silent and perspective Lizbeth.
Still, I was not prepared for how restrained the pacing was. Eleanora’s plan to tell Lyse the truth about herself and what she wants for her grand-niece’s future – a plot point that I initially took for a set-up for the bigger picture, simply an introduction and no more – actually turned out to be the bulk of the story, not resolving itself until nearly the halfway mark. Everything given to us up to this point seems to be a mix of character history and background information, told mostly through visions and memories. That’s not to say that all of it was filler, as there’s a good reason the author included all these narratives. However, I can’t deny there were also quite a few times where I found myself questioning where the book was going, because it does take its time establishing a direction.
Simply put, the not-quite-300 pages of this novel felt like one long introduction. That’s not always a bad thing, and in truth, so many series do this nowadays that I don’t even bat an eye anymore. I only regret that this book did not have a more substantial plot, though I have to applaud Amber Benson for ultimately pulling together a main conflict. By the end, most of the mystery is explained, we have several threats identified and a few villains named. But if you would allow me a few moments to chide, I do believe that many of these elements should have made themselves clear by the first third of a novel, not late in the second half. That’s probably my biggest issue with the story, but at least now I have a better understanding of where things are headed.
Just a couple more observations and minor issues before I head off: I found myself liking a lot of the characters in here; a couple of them are especially memorable, like Arrabelle and Lizbeth. I had hoped for a stronger connection to Lyse though, since she’s closest to being the main protagonist. In truth, I actually found her a bit shallow and impetuous. She can be put off by and act brusquely towards an awkward but harmless mute teenage girl, but then is totally all right with flirting and practically throwing herself at a total stranger simply because he is handsome and has cool tattoos. And on that note, there’s also a small romantic side plot here that nonetheless came across slightly rushed and out of place. I was taken aback by a graphic sex scene (it should be noted that it was in the context of a dream), not because that’s something that would bother me, but because it just felt like it came out of nowhere.
In sum, this book is a decent start if you look at it as an introduction, just a taste of something much bigger to come. I didn’t know anything about it before I picked it up, aside from the author's background in TV and film. Though it didn’t turn out to be the light and peppy read I’d expected, it was fascinating and enjoyable in its own way. I’d like to know what the next book will bring. Something tells me it will be much more focused and fast-paced now that the foundation of the series has been laid down and completed.
The story
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follows the lives of a group of witches in the Los Angeles area. At the center of the plot is Lyse MacAllister, who jumps on the next plane to California the moment she learns the devastating news that her great-aunt Eleanora, the woman who raised her, is dying. Lyse hopes to convince her great-aunt to seek a second or even a third medical opinion. What she doesn’t realize is that Eleanora has something to tell her too, a great secret that could change her life forever.To her shock, Lyse discovers that magic is real, that there’s a reason why the house she grew up in has felt strange to her ever since she was a child. Eleanora isn’t just a kindly old distant relative who took her in after her parents died; in truth, her great-aunt is the leader of the Echo Park witches – though the women much prefer the term blood sisters. And now that Eleanora is ready to pass on to the next life, she wants Lyse to take her place as head of the coven.
As I was saying, The Witches of Echo Park does not read like the typical book you would pull off the shelf in the Urban Fantasy or Paranormal aisle. If you’re expecting the kick-ass Buffy-style heroine or the non-stop action and snarky humor, you won’t really find it here. The style isn’t very light, either. Instead, the story within these pages is more comparable to a family drama, which unfolds gradually through the perspectives of six women, all members of the Echo Park coven. Besides Lyse and Eleanora, there is the indomitable Arrabelle, resident herbalist; the fun-loving Devandra; Daniela the seer who is more than meets the eye; and last but not least, the silent and perspective Lizbeth.
Still, I was not prepared for how restrained the pacing was. Eleanora’s plan to tell Lyse the truth about herself and what she wants for her grand-niece’s future – a plot point that I initially took for a set-up for the bigger picture, simply an introduction and no more – actually turned out to be the bulk of the story, not resolving itself until nearly the halfway mark. Everything given to us up to this point seems to be a mix of character history and background information, told mostly through visions and memories. That’s not to say that all of it was filler, as there’s a good reason the author included all these narratives. However, I can’t deny there were also quite a few times where I found myself questioning where the book was going, because it does take its time establishing a direction.
Simply put, the not-quite-300 pages of this novel felt like one long introduction. That’s not always a bad thing, and in truth, so many series do this nowadays that I don’t even bat an eye anymore. I only regret that this book did not have a more substantial plot, though I have to applaud Amber Benson for ultimately pulling together a main conflict. By the end, most of the mystery is explained, we have several threats identified and a few villains named. But if you would allow me a few moments to chide, I do believe that many of these elements should have made themselves clear by the first third of a novel, not late in the second half. That’s probably my biggest issue with the story, but at least now I have a better understanding of where things are headed.
Just a couple more observations and minor issues before I head off: I found myself liking a lot of the characters in here; a couple of them are especially memorable, like Arrabelle and Lizbeth. I had hoped for a stronger connection to Lyse though, since she’s closest to being the main protagonist. In truth, I actually found her a bit shallow and impetuous. She can be put off by and act brusquely towards an awkward but harmless mute teenage girl, but then is totally all right with flirting and practically throwing herself at a total stranger simply because he is handsome and has cool tattoos. And on that note, there’s also a small romantic side plot here that nonetheless came across slightly rushed and out of place. I was taken aback by a graphic sex scene (it should be noted that it was in the context of a dream), not because that’s something that would bother me, but because it just felt like it came out of nowhere.
In sum, this book is a decent start if you look at it as an introduction, just a taste of something much bigger to come. I didn’t know anything about it before I picked it up, aside from the author's background in TV and film. Though it didn’t turn out to be the light and peppy read I’d expected, it was fascinating and enjoyable in its own way. I’d like to know what the next book will bring. Something tells me it will be much more focused and fast-paced now that the foundation of the series has been laid down and completed.
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LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
Pages read: 64
I was so bored my brain went into auto-skim. I don't care about any of the characters and I just can't read any more.
I was so bored my brain went into auto-skim. I don't care about any of the characters and I just can't read any more.
LibraryThing member anyaejo
Urgh, I really wanted to like Witches of Echo Park and once I realized there was no plot, I had an easier time reading it. It consists of backflashes and history summaries for each of the coven members, a lot of awkward sex scenes (including rape), instalove without even the teenage puppy love
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excuse, and some action in the last 20% that could have been interesting but ended up just being melodramatic. The writing was fast and easy to read but often that was because it was repetitive and simple. This book kind of felt like a collection of novellas strung together with an afterthought of a plot now that I think about it. Show Less
LibraryThing member STACYatUFI
Elyse heads home when she finds out her great-aunt is dying. She has no idea, but she is about to inherit the coven of witches her aunt has been the head of for years. As she's thrust into a new world, she also is forced to figure out what's stalking her new friends.
I really enjoyed the mystery
WITCHES OF ECHO PARK is the first book I have read from author Amber Benson and I enjoyed it. I found the beginning to be a little slow while they were setting up the characters, but once it passed that point I enjoyed the pace, storyline and mystery that was presented. It was an interesting start to her new series and I will be reading more.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the mystery
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surrounding THE WITCHES OF ECHO PARK. I was really surprised when some big secrets were revealed. I had a few things totally wrong in my head. I would have liked to see more revealed between Elyse and Weir. It was made clear that they are meant for each other and then things were kind of pushed to the background for them. Hopefully we will get more in book 2. There are some interesting characters in the coven and I look forward to learning more about them.WITCHES OF ECHO PARK is the first book I have read from author Amber Benson and I enjoyed it. I found the beginning to be a little slow while they were setting up the characters, but once it passed that point I enjoyed the pace, storyline and mystery that was presented. It was an interesting start to her new series and I will be reading more.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member John_Warner
Lyse Macallister lives her comfortable life in Georgia and flies to Los Angeles when she learns that Eleanora, her great-aunt, the relative who raised her after her mother's death, is nearing death from cancer. Shortly after Lyse's arrival to the Echo Park neighborhood she discovers that Eleanora
The novel spent much of it length detailing the relationship between the "blood" sisters, many of the coven alternating telling the coven's story and the relationships between the women. It was heavier on character development; less on fantasy and magic. The inaugural novel is the first of a trilogy; however, will probably be the only one read. The first half moved at such a glacial pace that I considered dropping it several time. When it finally became interesting when only a few pages were left, it moved like a blink of an eye. Generally, I have found the second novel to be the slow one. The first should have sufficient action to encourage the reader to complete the novel. The author failed in this endeavor.
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is the master of a coven of witches charged with keeping humanity safe from the "darkness" and she hopes that Lyse will replace her in this role. The novel spent much of it length detailing the relationship between the "blood" sisters, many of the coven alternating telling the coven's story and the relationships between the women. It was heavier on character development; less on fantasy and magic. The inaugural novel is the first of a trilogy; however, will probably be the only one read. The first half moved at such a glacial pace that I considered dropping it several time. When it finally became interesting when only a few pages were left, it moved like a blink of an eye. Generally, I have found the second novel to be the slow one. The first should have sufficient action to encourage the reader to complete the novel. The author failed in this endeavor.
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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
This is the first book in a new series and most of the book is bringing the heroine up to speed on the coven her great aunt wants her to join before she dies of cancer. Lyse has been kept in the dark about all things magic by her great aunt Eleanor while she was growing up and moved across the
The book reminded me a bit of Waking the Moon by Elizabeth Hand. The plot does suffer from being the first book in the series and there isn’t much of any resolution to the plot since there will be more books in the series. I’ll pick up the next one.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edeleweiss
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country to attend college. When Eleanor is diagnosed with cancer she calls Lyse, who flys home and is dropped into an entire world she has never seen before. And before she can do much to figure out everything Eleanor dies suddenly and more secrets come out including someone is hunting down the blood sisters of the coven. The book reminded me a bit of Waking the Moon by Elizabeth Hand. The plot does suffer from being the first book in the series and there isn’t much of any resolution to the plot since there will be more books in the series. I’ll pick up the next one.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edeleweiss
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Call number
YA B Ben