Josefine: Shadows of the Witch

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch
By  Denise Daye

ISBN: 9781737856900
336 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

My grandma is one of the last true masters of witchcraft. I'm nothing. Yet someone thinks I'm too dangerous to live…

Josefine comes from a line of witches as prestigious as royalty, but she's never possessed so much as a lick of magic herself. She’s okay with that, and life in her sleepy German town is peaceful for her— until a deadly vampire attack leaves her powerless to defend her loved ones.

Heartbroken, Josefine must flee from a darkness she can barely understand. Each day is a battle to outrun the demonic forces that, for some unknown reason, want her dead. Her only hope is to seek shelter with a mysterious organization her grandmother spoke of.

But the pack is relentless in their pursuit, so when one of the most powerful and dangerous vampires alive unexpectedly offers his help, a skeptical Josefine is left with no choice but to accept. Even if that cagey and devilish handsome pureblood might be hiding secrets that will not only alter the course of Josefine's life forever, but the future of every soul on earth…

Is there more to the witch with no magic? Or will the tricky bonds of desire and betrayal break her?

My Thoughts:

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch is an exciting tale of magic and intrigue. The main character Josefine finds herself lost within the magical world that she thought that she knew, when an event turns her life upside down and she discovers that people have been keeping secrets all around her. She finds herself on the run with a small band of misfits who slowly become friends.

The lead character, Josefine, has a run of misfortunes, yet she remains a strong person. Sure, sometimes she starts to fall apart and be self pitying, but in the circumstances that is to be expected. For the most part, she is courageous and driven, and you become invested in her journey. The secondary protagonist characters in this story are all extremely likeable as well. Even Luna, the witch who starts off just a bit abrasive, and the slightly arrogant vampire Lucius. Though I think my favorite character is probably Bertram.

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch takes place in modern day Germany (and a touch of France), yet the world is one of old gods, witches, and vampires. The settings are colorfully described and very detailed. Most of the story happens within the confines of the fantastical and more ethereal settings, so you sometimes forget that it is supposed to be modern, until out of nowhere you get hit with a reference to a cell phone or an automobile. The mythology concepts may be familiar to fantasy readers, but many of the common tropes are missing and that is refreshing. 

One of the things I always look at is "how predictable is the story?" I enjoy being surprised - which happens less often than I would like. Well Josefine: Shadows of the Witch definitely had me guessing. Some things I had figured out early on, like the relationship between the First Vampire and his witch . But other things completely caught me off guard. I have an inkling of an idea about Josefine's big secret , as well as her relationship to Lucius , but those questions are not answered in this book, so I will have to read further on in the series to see if I am right or way off base.

Overall, Josefine: Shadows of the Witch is an action packed story with plenty of magic and mystery. From beginning to end, it is a very fascinating read that will keep you on your toes.

I received a complimentary preview copy of Josefine: Shadows of the Witch from Booksprout and Denise Daye in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Parent's Guide:

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch has a lot of violence. Not that this is a bad thing, but the book is about a war between witches and vampires, and the violence is present and sometimes described in detail. There are also some occasions of swearing. Despite this, I still think that it is a great option for the older teens who enjoy high fantasy. But probably not the best for younger, more sensitive readers.