The kickoff of the Witch Loux happened on a cold, moonlit evening. The town square was alive with anticipation as everyone gathered to witness the spectacle. The townsfolk murmured with excitement, clutching their cloaks tightly around themselves to ward off the chill. It had been years since the last witch had been spotted in the village, so the arrival of Loux was a momentous occasion. Loux, a mysterious figure with flowing black hair and an aura of power, stepped onto a makeshift stage that had been set up in the center of the square. She surveyed the crowd with her piercing eyes, silently taking in the skeptical gazes and whispered doubts.
Cyrus was born out of necessity: a being of light, brought to life with a singular purpose. Time has changed him and the recent events have unsettled him … but a certain transformed dweller is about to do much worse than that. She is about to turn his existence upside down.
At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won t ever be forced to present herself to them Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world a position that she definitely did not earn. and Siret gets injured in the fight so they all go back to Topia so Siret can be healed, because oh right, the Abcurse brothers are actually sons of the gods, and they re at Blesswood for a year as punishment.
She surveyed the crowd with her piercing eyes, silently taking in the skeptical gazes and whispered doubts. The townspeople had heard tales of witchcraft and sorcery, but many were unsure of what to believe. Without a word, Loux raised her hands, adorned with silver rings, and a hush fell over the square.
Trickery (Curse of the Gods #1) by Jaymin Eve, Jane Washington
The Curse of the Gods series was one of my first adventures with RH as a genre. I was already a fan of Jaymin Eve because of her Hive Trilogy and the Supernatural Prison Trilogy, which I highly recommend if you are a PNR YA fan. But this series did not disappoint me.
Trickery, Curse of the Gods Book 1, is a fantastic start to the overall story. The authors have set the theme pretty well.
The Premise – The world is pretty unique in this book. It is divided into two – Minatsol, where the people live, and Topia, where the Gods live. Even the people are divided into three classes – Dwellers (the ordinary people), Sol (people who have some God-like powers) and the Gods (the rulers of their worlds).
This part is explained early on, so you aren’t confused about all the political standing. Basically, the dwellers are the slaves of the Sols. And the Sols strive their best to please the Gods, so they get the chance to stand with them.
The Characters and the Plot – The story follows Willa Knight, a clumsy, hilarious female who has the uncanny ability to create a chaotic mess everywhere she goes. I really liked her for her stupid and endearing behaviour of getting into trouble. Although she usually stumbles around more, she is actually smart and knows how to get out of the problems too.
As fate would have it, Willa, along with her sister Emmy, is chosen to attend Blesswood, an academy for the Sols who train to please their Gods and for a chance to be Gods themselves. It’s the life of servitude for the dwellers, but Willa turns it into something more.
She catches the eyes of five brothers, the Abcurses, who make her life more chaotic. And let me say, I wouldn’t mind being their pet. Coen, Rome, Yael, Aros and Siret, are one of my favourite Harems. Each of them is distinct, they have their own quirks and personalities, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them. Initially, they are amused by the dweller who’s just too careless around them, but as the plot continues and things happen, they become protective of her.
The Abcurses are much more powerful than the normal sols, dangerous and have a secret they aren’t willing to share yet. But they have taken Willa under their wings and can be over-the-top at times (which TBH is my guilty pleasure). They are possessive of her and will do anything to keep her safe and avenge her.
Overall… The world-building is amazing. The authors have built a fantastic world for us to dive into. The revelations take place in bits, but that’s what keeps you going. The characters are amazing, well-rounded and so dang addictive. It isn’t really a fantasy read, with all those over-descriptions of the land and stuff.
The romance isn’t the focus, but that doesn’t matter because you get to read all those fun and intense interactions between the characters. Willa doesn’t have a preference, she gravitates toward them all.
This is a fun read, you will legit laugh out loud at Willa’s antics, fall for the brothers and want more and more of them. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
She began to weave a spell, her voice rising and falling in a mesmerizing chant. The air crackled with energy as sparks danced around her fingertips. Slowly, the doubt in the crowd's eyes began to fade, replaced by a mixture of fear and awe. As the spell reached its climax, a sudden gust of wind swept through the square, extinguishing the torches that lined the perimeter. Darkness enveloped the town square, leaving only the eerie glow of Loux's iridescent eyes. With a final incantation, she released the energy she had conjured, illuminating the night sky with a dazzling display of colors. Gasps of amazement filled the air as the townspeople watched in wonder. The kickoff of the Witch Loux had begun a new chapter in the history of the village. No longer were witches merely the stuff of legends and superstitions. Loux had brought magic to life before their very eyes, and the townspeople were filled with a newfound respect for the powers that lay beyond their understanding. From that moment forward, the town embraced the presence of the witch, eager to learn and explore the mysteries she had to offer..
Reviews for "The Witch Loux and Feminism: Examining the Role of Women in Witchcraft"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Kickoff of the Witch Loux". The story seemed all over the place and lacked coherence. The characters were underdeveloped and their motives were unclear. The writing style was also difficult to follow, with awkward sentence structures and confusing descriptions. Overall, I found it difficult to connect with the story and became disinterested halfway through. Not recommended.
2. Mark - 1 star - "The Kickoff of the Witch Loux" was a complete waste of time. The plot was convoluted and poorly executed. It felt like the author was trying too hard to be unique and ended up with a confusing mess. The pacing was incredibly slow, with unnecessary scenes and descriptions that added nothing to the story. The dialogues were stilted and unrealistic, making it difficult to care about the characters. I struggled to finish this book and would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Kickoff of the Witch Loux", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The story lacked a strong hook and failed to keep me engaged throughout. The pacing was inconsistent, with slow and dull moments followed by rushed and chaotic ones. The main character, Loux, was difficult to relate to, and I couldn't find myself rooting for her. The world-building was interesting, but the execution left much to be desired. Overall, it was an average read, but not one I would go out of my way to recommend.
4. Tom - 2 stars - "The Kickoff of the Witch Loux" had an intriguing premise, but the execution was lacking. The writing style was disjointed, making it difficult to follow the narrative. The pacing was inconsistent, with abrupt shifts between intense action and slow, drawn-out scenes. The character development was weak, and I struggled to care about their fates. While there were some interesting ideas, they were overshadowed by the overall messiness of the story. I was left feeling underwhelmed and wouldn't recommend this book to others.
5. Olivia - 1 star - "The Kickoff of the Witch Loux" was a major disappointment. The story lacked substance and failed to hold my attention. The writing was confusing, with overly descriptive passages that didn't contribute to the plot. The plot twist was predictable, and I found myself losing interest in the characters and their journey. The pacing was slow, and the action scenes lacked excitement. Overall, it was a forgettable read that I cannot recommend.