Search

Search only in certain items:

Carpe Jugulum (Discworld #23; Witches #6)
Carpe Jugulum (Discworld #23; Witches #6)
Terry Pratchett | 1999 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
The 23rd Discworld book, this is really what I would term as one of the 'Witches' (Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Magrat Garlik and - now - Agnes Nitt) novels, and is also the first to concentrate on 'proper' Vampires (or, as they prefer to be known, Vampyres (with a 'y'))

By 'proper' Vampires, I do mean vicious bloodsuckers, as opposed to the tamer variety sometimes mentioned as living in Ankh-Morpork. It also has a larger-than-usual role for a member of the clergy: this time, for a Reverend from Omniasm ("who knows he has a prayer but wishes he had an axe"), and is also - I believe - one of the first books to introduce the character(s) of Igor.

In this, the Vampires have been invited by King Verence of Lancre to the baptism of his and Magrat's baby daughter, and decide to take the country as well as the invitation. It is up to the Witches (primarily Granny Weatherwax) to stop them from doing so, raising more than a few laugh out loud moments from me along the way.
  
Tales Of Witches, Ghosts and Goblins by Vincent Price
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Here, Vincent Price is reciting all the witches' spells from a place I can't quite remember in England. It was meant to be around a Halloween vibe, which in the Catskills is everything. That's our Christmas, that's our New Year, May Day, Wicker Man… that's our pagan holiday supreme. Holiday ornaments are already out right now - you can go into any store and buy Halloween stuff. Growing up here, it wasn't a stretch that these kinds of records would be played by my mother or at elementary school almost ad nauseam. I became so inoculated to spooky, scary stories that they just became like urban legends. Another case of a children's story narration that was entrancing. These weren't just songs, these were whole inner emotional moments for young kids like me. When you're six and hearing about witches, ghosts and goblins, it's permeating your whole being and likely to shape the rest of your life, certainly in terms of the possibility of a supernatural world. Or probable, in my case."

Source
  
40x40

David McK (3233 KP) rated Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches #5) in Books

Mar 28, 2021 (Updated Aug 19, 2023)  
Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches #5)
Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches #5)
Terry Pratchett | 1995 | Fiction & Poetry
9
7.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
!!!!!
If I was forced to pick, I would have to say that - speaking personally - I think Terry Pratchett was at the height of his powers in the mid-to-late 90s, before the Discworld books started becoming overly serious.


So, around the time of the likes of 'Lords and Ladies, 'Small Gods', and this one, in other words.

(and I've just realised that 2/3rds of those books quoted concern The Witches Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax)

In this one, and following Magrat marriage to King Verence, the Witches find themselves down to a duo instead of a trio, and - since you can't have a coven of two ("When shall we ... two ... meet again ....") - are in need of a replacement (well, so Nanny Ogg thinks).

Said replacement is the first appearance of Agnes Nitt who, unfortunately (from their perspective) has moved to the city of Ankh-Morpork and joined the Opera.

Cue Pratchett's take on 'The Phantom of the Opera' (which, when I first read this, I'd never actually seen) ...
  
The Once and Future Witches
The Once and Future Witches
Alix E. Harrow | 2020 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Thank you to Netgalley for luring me in with this recommendation and the gorgeous cover art. Thank you to Alix E Harrow for providing such an amazing story for this ARC review. All the opinions expressed below are my own.


"Witches and women's rights. Suffrage and spells. They're both...a kind of power...the kind we're not allowed to have."

I'm not often drawn to books involving witches to be honest. I love an annual viewing of Hocus Pocus (who doesn't?!) but that is usually where the affinity ends.
If anything can change my nonchalance, I suspect it may be Alix E. Harrow. This is the first piece of work I have read by the Hugo award winning writer and I don’t need any tarot cards to predict it will not be the last. From the outset of The Once and Future Witches I was hooked: the worldbuilding alone is amazing; you can immediately picture the mills, avenues, squares and slums of New Salem as well as the mysterious tower that pulls our three main characters together.

The three Eastwood sisters themselves are another work of art. Juniper, Agnes and Bella are fierce, formidable women in wildly different ways. They are also flawed, stubborn and quite frankly, inspirational: by linking women’s rights and witchcraft this fantasy novel suddenly becomes more real and relatable to the modern female reader, despite being set in 1893. We empathise, sympathise and rage right alongside the Eastwood sisters on their quest for equality in a male-controlled world.
However, not even witches can act alone and the Eastwood sisters have an amazing cast of supporting characters surrounding them. Impressively, not a single one of these characters can be accused of being two-dimensional: the character development that Harrow has invested into this novel is incredible and must have taken so much work! From the Suffragette’s secretary to the skin-crawling villain to the women and men fighting (and witching) side by side; every single character is substantial and memorable. The sarcasm within Juniper for example is hilarious and even the traditional figures of the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone refuse to conform to stereotypes: I LOVED it!

The format of this novel is very clever and practically forbids you from becoming too comfortable by peppering the main story with “witch-tales”. These complement rather than distract from the storyline and also provide small changes that make you smile – such as the tales of the Sisters Grimm.
Do not be fooled though: the use of witch-tales does not prevent The Once and Future Witches from being an incredibly modern piece of writing. Topics covered include sexuality, gender identity, feminism, race as well as smashing the patriarchy: all interspersed with magic, betrayal and a hell of a lot of emotion.
I would however argue that some topics are slightly too mature for the novel to be considered YA, the description of torture and suggestions of sexual abuse probably push this book firmly into general/adult fantasy fiction novels.

The Once and Future Witches is a future bestseller in my opinion. This unique, powerful novel provides characters that you can’t help but empathise with; slow-burning, intense relationships; the trials and tribulations that come with sisterhood and plot twists at every turn.
This book will swallow you heart and soul, make you laugh, make you cry and leave you bereft at the end.

It is a must read!
  
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Hocus Pocus (1993)
1993 | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
90's nostalgia, good, but cheesy special effects (0 more)
cringey, but cute. (0 more)
Classic Halloween Disney Movie
This movie is so good. If you like movies that give you 90's nostalgia with all little bit of tame creepiness, This movie is for you. The three witches are so hilarious, and the child acting isn't half-bad. Yes, it is sometimes cringy, but if you like those old cringy Disney Channel kind of movies, I definitely recommend you give this a watch.
  
40x40

Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) created a poll

Sep 22, 2018 (Updated Sep 22, 2018)  
Poll
 Anonymous
It's that time of the year. It's time for all the scary movies of vampires, werewolves, monsters, ghosts, witches, zombies, aliens, and the scariest of all, other HUMANS, to invade our screens.

So tell me, do you like scary to watch movies?


Comment with your favorite scary movie or genre.


I love them!

8 votes

They're ok

4 votes

I only like the real stuff, like documentaries.

1 votes

They're not really my thing.

1 votes

I hate them!

1 votes

Ha! Nothing scares me!

0 votes

I can only watch them between my fingers.

0 votes

Vote
     
40x40

Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) created a poll about in Movie Fun and Trivia

Sep 23, 2018  
Poll
It's that time of the year. It's time for all the scary movies of vampires, werewolves, monsters, ghosts, witches, zombies, aliens, and the scariest of all, other HUMANS, to invade our screens.

So tell me, do you like scary to watch movies?

Comment with your favorite scary movie or genre.


I love them!
They're ok.
They're not really my thing.
I only watch them from between my fingers.
I hate them!
Ha! Nothing scares me!

0 votes

I only the the real stuff, like documentaries.
Vote
  
40x40

Sophie (1688 KP) rated Charmed in TV

Nov 20, 2019  
Charmed
Charmed
2018 | Drama, Fantasy
Don't compare it to the original the
Follows the story of the charmed ones, 3 witches with powers beyond the norm. Its nothing compared to the original, and if you watch it thinking it will be, then you'll be disappointed. However if you keep an open mind and make it through the first few episodes, it's a easy watching and fun show. The story lines are a little predictable at times but a good mix of magic and modern life
  
Sabrina The Teenage Witch
Sabrina The Teenage Witch
1996 | Comedy, Fantasy
Witches and a talking cat! (0 more)
Brings back great childhood memories
I used to watch this show when I was a kid in the 90s. I absolutely loved it! I haven't seen it in so many years! Thanks to Hulu I got to start with the pilot episode and am now working my way through watching the entire series again! Even as an adult I am enjoying the show once again, ahhh the nostalgia! I believe the youth of today would still thoroughly enjoy this show!!
  
40x40

Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Familiars in Books

Feb 16, 2020  
The Familiars
The Familiars
Stacey Halls | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics, Thriller
8
8.7 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'm a little unsure what to say about this book. It's very well written and it's a great little gothic novel, with a great setting in Lancashire during the time of the Pendle witches. Fleetwood is an endearing if not slightly irrational protagonist and mostly likeable, although I do think some of the other characters were a little underdeveloped. This is just an all round very good and well written novel that I struggled to put down, even if the plot wasn't exactly unpredictable.