Official Review: Witch of the Cards by Catherine Stine
Posted: 24 Jul 2016, 08:22
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Witch of the Cards" by Catherine Stine.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Witch of the Cards is a historical romantic fiction with an exciting blend of supernatural written by Catherine Stine.
Told in alternating perspectives between the female and male protagonists, the story is set in Jersey shore in year 1932. The book is about Ivy Lorena, a 22-year old nanny from New York who is gifted a short vacation at Asbury Park by her employer. While there, Ivy and her newly found friend, a rich girl named Dulcie, join a séance at Peter Dune Tarot and Séance shop. Unbeknownst to them, Peter is actually a special vice squad agent. By posing as a card reader, Peter intends to penetrate the Circle of Light, a group of fake spiritualists who finagles money from unsuspecting clients who wish to contact their dearly departed.
The séance takes an unexpected turn when Peter calls Ivy by her secret name, Fiera. The séance is also followed by a series of events that lead to Fiera’s discovery of her power as a sea witch, to an encounter with a powerful witch that can mesmerize people, to the search for a special book of spells and to true and romantic love.
Basically, the book is a fast-paced and suspense filled reading material. The author wrote in a way that keeps the reader interested. The scenes are vividly described that reading them feels more like watching a movie. What I like most about the book is the depiction of the difference between the lives of the affluent and the impoverished, represented by Dulcie and Fiera, respectively. It shows what a person is willing to do when left with no other choice: the risks she is willing to take and the decisions she is willing to make no matter how uncertain the outcome may be. It also portrays how opulent people can be insensitive to the feelings of those financially inferior to them. Furthermore, the book shows that friendship and genuine affection transcend the barriers of socioeconomic status.
The book has a set of developed characters led by Fiera, the girl from the orphanage who has strange ‘visions’ which she initially ignores. Though quite naïve, she is kind and compassionate. She is also proud and is willing to earn her keep. Peter is portrayed as a determined person with obvious passion for his work especially in bringing down the charlatans that victimize desperate and grieving people. Though he is, understandably, skeptical of spiritualists in general, he can be open-minded and accepting. Alyse Bone is an enigmatic businesswoman, confident and mysterious. Dulcie is the classic spoiled brat who can get her father do what she wants while Opal is the young and observant assistant, protective of Fiera and wise for her age.
There are, however, parts of the story that, I feel, are not fully explained, making it somehow incomplete. Besides that, I love every part of the book. I, therefore, give Witch of the Cards the rate of 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to fans of supernatural novels, suspense and romantic fiction.
******
Witch of the Cards
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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Witch of the Cards is a historical romantic fiction with an exciting blend of supernatural written by Catherine Stine.
Told in alternating perspectives between the female and male protagonists, the story is set in Jersey shore in year 1932. The book is about Ivy Lorena, a 22-year old nanny from New York who is gifted a short vacation at Asbury Park by her employer. While there, Ivy and her newly found friend, a rich girl named Dulcie, join a séance at Peter Dune Tarot and Séance shop. Unbeknownst to them, Peter is actually a special vice squad agent. By posing as a card reader, Peter intends to penetrate the Circle of Light, a group of fake spiritualists who finagles money from unsuspecting clients who wish to contact their dearly departed.
The séance takes an unexpected turn when Peter calls Ivy by her secret name, Fiera. The séance is also followed by a series of events that lead to Fiera’s discovery of her power as a sea witch, to an encounter with a powerful witch that can mesmerize people, to the search for a special book of spells and to true and romantic love.
Basically, the book is a fast-paced and suspense filled reading material. The author wrote in a way that keeps the reader interested. The scenes are vividly described that reading them feels more like watching a movie. What I like most about the book is the depiction of the difference between the lives of the affluent and the impoverished, represented by Dulcie and Fiera, respectively. It shows what a person is willing to do when left with no other choice: the risks she is willing to take and the decisions she is willing to make no matter how uncertain the outcome may be. It also portrays how opulent people can be insensitive to the feelings of those financially inferior to them. Furthermore, the book shows that friendship and genuine affection transcend the barriers of socioeconomic status.
The book has a set of developed characters led by Fiera, the girl from the orphanage who has strange ‘visions’ which she initially ignores. Though quite naïve, she is kind and compassionate. She is also proud and is willing to earn her keep. Peter is portrayed as a determined person with obvious passion for his work especially in bringing down the charlatans that victimize desperate and grieving people. Though he is, understandably, skeptical of spiritualists in general, he can be open-minded and accepting. Alyse Bone is an enigmatic businesswoman, confident and mysterious. Dulcie is the classic spoiled brat who can get her father do what she wants while Opal is the young and observant assistant, protective of Fiera and wise for her age.
There are, however, parts of the story that, I feel, are not fully explained, making it somehow incomplete. Besides that, I love every part of the book. I, therefore, give Witch of the Cards the rate of 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to fans of supernatural novels, suspense and romantic fiction.
******
Witch of the Cards
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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