Thanks to netgalley for a free review copy.

This book was alright, the structure was a bit weird because it felt like the climax happened at around 60% of the book and it felt like it should have ended but it kept going.. I understood why but it just felt a bit unnecessary to have so much after the climax.

I liked the settings and the idea of the characters though, it just felt like it didn’t go deep enough into some the characters for them to really matter to me.

I did finish the book quite quickly though so I guess at least it kept me interested!

I found this problematic. I love stories about witches and read a lot of fantasy and magic books. But the magic has to work, and has to be consistent. Here, one of the central themes of the story is the difference between 'good magic' and 'bad' but it's very ill-defined. The bad is said to be about controlling people, but the 'good' characters seem to use this device too, so the author keeps having to have the good lot say 'oh I know this is a bit dodgy but needs must so hey-ho. At least I'm not like that bad lot'. I got very frustrated with it.

This novel follows a family of witches who each practice magic and different types of magic to various degrees, and who use it for both good and bad. The main story focuses on a young woman named Annis, whose stepmother Frances is obsessed with using darker magic in order to better her own position. While the reader gets to read from both of these perspectives, we also get to read from another perspective, Harriet, who is Annis's aunt. As Frances becomes more of a threat to Annis, we also get to read from another perspective, whose existence is also at risk due to her obsession for increasing her position within society.

This is the second book I have read by this author now, and I can't wait to pick up more. Her writing is captivating! There is something about the way Louisa Morgan crafts her characters that makes me fall head over heels for them, especially the characters who aren't innately evil. Unlike a book of hers I'd read previously, A Secret History of Witches, this book follows just this generation of witches for the entire novel. I missed the aspect of jumping through generations at first, though now I am glad the we got to follow just these characters in this novel. It was a pleasure to spend time with these characters, indeed I couldn't put the book down.

I also enjoyed the other aspects of this novel that didn't just focus on witchcraft. I enjoyed the romance aspect in this book particularly, and how something cannot be forced. The friendships in this book were also great to see, especially that of between Annis and various other side characters, but especially her maid Velma. This doesn't always come across as a friendship, but there are some truly beautiful moments between them. I'd go as far as to say, Velma is one of my favourite characters in the novel. She is brutally referred to as not being particularly bright many times, yet I think she shows a great awareness for situations and for peoples characters, and I adored her loyalty. Another strong friendship is that of one between Annis and her horse Black Satin, which was adorable to see. It made me miss horse riding a lot, and if you are a horse lover, there are plenty to be seen in this novel.

I would love one day to see some little easter eggs within Louisa Morgans books that create subtle links between her novels, that would be the ultimate dream for me. That said, it has been a while since I read A Secret History of Witches, so maybe there are some and I just didn't spot them. I just love the idea of all these witches that I love all existing in the same universe.

If you loved A Secret History of Witches, you definitely need to pick this book up. If you're looking for a book with witchcraft and romance, then you need to give this book a chance.

This is the first book that I've read by Lousia Morgan, and I really enjoyed the combined feel of sorority and kinship, alongside something unobtrusively mystical.

This book is set in 1890s New York. Harriet Bishop is descended from a long line of 'practitioners' and uses her knowledge of herbalism to support women in need. But when her distant cousin, Frances Allington, and stepmother of Annis, her estranged niece, threatens to use her own abilities for personal gain and manipulation, Harriet decides that she must step in. The journey takes her to England, where she must now save not only Annis, but also James, Marquess of Rosefield, from Frances' machinations.

The three main women, Harriet, Frances and Annis are all excellent characters. They loosely represent the three ages of witches from popular culture (old, middle aged and young) but they also have their own passions and motivations. Annis is desperately fighting to bring in her own new century, one where she can breed horses and live independently. Harriet is more of the 'old guard', having learnt to live cautiously, whilst Frances' ambitions are a result of her own helplessness and experiences as a woman.

I had a small epiphany whilst reading this book - at the time that it's set and, given the context of what she's experienced, Frances rails against the behaviour of men and how they have controlled every aspect of her life. But a worse betrayal is a woman controlling another woman's life and taking away her own autonomy, particularly in an age when men find that particularly easy to do. And truly making Frances the evil stepmother archetype villain of this novel.

The story is good - the plot is quite exciting and pulls you in, whilst the pace is sedate and relaxed. It's not a hurried read, instead you're here to enjoy the journey and well-researched power of the natural world.

Something odd happened though - at around 65% this novel felt essentially done for me. There were loose ends to tie up but it didn't particularly worry me that they were trailing. Sometimes I like a book that finishes that way. Instead I was staring at the remaining 35% thinking 'how can the things that need wrapping up take up another third of this novel?'. I don't mind, largely because I enjoyed the story, writing and herbalism/witchery. And sometimes it's nice to read a story without that sense of urgency.  But still, it would have been ok to end it there. And in fact, some of those things that I assumed would be resolved by the very end where still not quite there.

Overall the novel felt very ... balanced. The actions the witches take are to balance and unbalance situations, sometimes in their favour, or as a counterpoint to someone else's actions, but no one comes away from the story as a clear 'winner', in the end, the ending is exactly that - balanced, but poised to tip one way or another.

I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Annis- a teenage girl, unaware of her powers- stuck between two cousins- one her step mother and one her auntie. She must ultimately choose which path she takes in life, stuck between both women, whilst having hopes and dreams of her own which go against the time periods conventions- late 1800s.
Written beautifully, I loved the feeling this book gave me, it was almost dreamlike, lulling next gently.

I absolutely loved this book. It was written so beautifully and (strangely) calmly. It’s been so nice to sit and read this wonderful story. I just wish we knew a little more about what happened next. Thank you.

The Age of Witches was my first introduction to Louisa Morgan’s books, but since then I’ve read her debut, The Secret History of Witches, and next up is The Witch’s Kind — so you could say she left a certain impression. The books don’t interlink in any way that I’ve found (so far), so you can read them all individually, but I fell in love with the lust world building and magic, hence the binge. The Age of Witches is Morgan’s third book, and it drew me in immediately with the promise of witchcraft and herbalism.

This novel in set in 1890 and follows three protagonists — two cousins from a lineage of witches and the teenage girl caught between them. Harriet, the herbal witch who (mainly) follows a path of healing and do no harm, faces off against Frances, the witch who uses her power and magic to manipulate and twist the people around her to better her station. Annis is Harriet’s niece and Frances’ step-daughter; her world revolves around her horse, Black Satin (affectionately known as “Bits”) and trying to avoid an arranged marriage. Her dream is to become a famous horse breeder, even though it’s not the “sort of life” for a young woman of the time. However, she is unaware that she is witch herself and capable of wielding magic of her own.

This book had a quiet and gentle quality to it, with a world centred around horses, stables, herbalism, the natural world, and magic. It reminded me in places of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic and Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. It is a historical novel, and includes much of the societal norms and world of the 1890s, especially around women’s rights and the roles of daughters, mothers, and wives — but sprinkles in magic, herblore, and the power of the witch as both independent woman and supernatural power.

Annis soon finds herself being manipulated by Frances, who wants to marry off her step-daughter to both advance her own place in society and grant Annis a title of her own — and Annis has no choice but to play along if she is to see her horse again. Bits is presented as more than a horse — probably Annis’ animal familiar, to be honest — and he has a personality of his own. Their connection is strong, and Annis would do anything for him, even obey her step-mother’s wishes.

Harriet, on the other side, wants nothing more than the best for her niece, and to guide her in the Craft to become a witch of her own power and decisions. It is up to Annis to choose between the baneful or beneficent paths of magic — or to blend them to her own advantage. Annis finds solace and companionship in her aunt, and does not wish to bow to her step-mother’s wishes, but Bits is everything to her and so she sets out discovering her own magic and utilising it to evade Frances’ clutches. However, Frances will stop at nothing to manipulate the people around her — including her husband, various servants, and James, Annis’ societal marriage match. And then there is the matter of the proposed relationship between Annis and James, and their feelings — or not — for each other, and Frances’ and Harriet’s own psychological demons, wishes, and regrets…

I enjoyed this book very much. I liked how witchcraft was present throughout within the novel, whether it be within the herblore, the history, the magic, or the three women themselves. I appreciated the detailed world building, especially around the herbal aspects, and the characters were rich and well-developed. All of them got under my skin, and Frances was the perfect villain, driven by ambition and the need to escape her own past. I liked the inclusion of the asylum and how women who thought/acted/believed differently were treated in the late nineteenth century. I also really enjoyed the thread of family loyalty and responsibility that wove the three women together, and what each would do for themselves — and for each other.

As a Witch myself, I’m always wary of historical novels that include witches, because most often than not they heavily contain elements of witchcraft that are influenced by Wicca, which is a witchcraft-adjacent religion outlined in the 1940s and 1950s by Gerald Gardner. However, in The Age of Witches, I found that yes, whilst there are some elements that could be influenced by Wicca, the witchcraft here is actually more connected to working with the spirit of the land, plant and herbal magic, and folklorish cantrips (a magical spell, usually mischievous) and I really loved these elements — because witches work with the land regardless of their location, and connecting with land spirits and green spirits is essential to any magic involving herbs and plants. Bringing this in was truly a stroke of genius and brought some gravitas to the Craft here. The Goddess is central to the witches’ belief system here, and while I know there’s no hard evidence to link historical witches to the worship of a matriarchal figure, however much we’d like there to be, in this book it works. It’s actually a beautifully rendered part of the story and gives a firm mythological foundation to the witches’ beliefs. The research behind this novel really is top notch.

Overall, I loved this book — after reading, I bought a paper copy, and started on The Secret History of Witches, which I’ve since equally loved. Louisa Morgan has a beautiful and lyrical writing style, and her novels are enchanting and magical. This is definitely a new favourite author for me and one to watch. Highly, highly recommended.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Orbit/Little Brown Book Group, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a charming and delightful read that is set in 1890. It’s a bit of a coming of age, YA book that is steeped in the familiar wisdom, knowledge and symbolism that runs through the Bishop family.
Annis is the young protagonist. Her step mother is the only family line remaining in the Bishop family. Having bewitched her husband into marrying her, so that she has been able to live a life of luxury, she wants the same for her stepdaughter, keen for her to become titled by marrying a duke in England.
Annis wants nothing more than to be independent, to ride and breed horses. She rides cross saddle rather than side saddle and challenges some of the social norms. A little brash, but of a pure strong mind, with resolute views, she wants nothing to do with the marriage. But the threat of losing her horses, caused her to acquiesce and travel, though she remains adamant she will not agree to wed.
Leaving nothing to chance, Frances, her stepmother uses the Malefica to create some strong magic to ensure the duke and Annis fall for each other. Luckily Aunt Harriet, also a witch recognises that 2 lives could be ruined by the use of such dark magic and introduces Annis to who she is and together they work to overcome this ill intent.
The book has a gentle cadence. There is some drama and cruel twists. It is enjoyable to read and keeps you adequately engaged, but didn’t quite reach any degree of real tension or fear. There was always a strong vein that everything will come out well in the end. Somewhat predictable, but enjoyable to run with nonetheless. It is full with quite a lot of spells and witchcraft to achieve what the title suggests it will.

With thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown book group for letting me read this book.

Having read the other two 'witches' books by Louisa Morgan, it was easy to get back into the world of her 'witches'

The age of Witches is a well paced book that keep me hooked to the very last page, although it might have been good to hear a bit more from Bridget.

I liked all the characters but found myself rooting for Annis, she reminded me a bit of myself

The ages of Witches is the perfect book to read whilst in lockdown.

there was one bit that bothered me, The Yorkshire rose was white..not red!

Hope there is going to be another book in this series?

Period romance? Magickal shenanigans? How about a little of both? The Age of Witches is the read for you if are a fan of both.

This is the story of the Bishop witches, good ones and bad, as they try to learn their craft without breaking the traditional witchy vow to not harm others. We have the calm and steady Harriet, nursing a broken heart years after the unfortunate death of her fiance. There is her much-older sister's granddaughter Annis, the young debutante, horse-mad and ambitious enough to want to make her own way in the world. In between these two ladies is Frances, step-mother to Annis and a distant relation of Harriet's. Frances comes from the long-line of Bishop witches that have historically dabbled in the dark arts and paid the price for it. This does not deter Frances, who is determined to climb to the giddy heights of high society by hitching her step-daughter's wagon to a titled gent in England.

The novel gets off to a slow start and is clunky in the beginning. But once it picks up speed and rhythm, it becomes an enjoyable read. There was a rather jarring note of period mismatch (early Tudor period referred to as 17th century?) but overall, a solid book indeed.

Three very different women in late 19th century New York, bound by their family heritage of witchcraft. This is a captivating story of magic and power, with a dash of good old fashioned romance. See the full review on my website.

Harriet Bishop is born from a long line of witches, and now practices her art of magic as a herbalist in New York City in 1890. Harriet has no children, and is keeping an eye on her great-niece Annis, who doesn't know Harriet exists for signs of power. But Annis is under the control of her stepmother Frances who practices a much darker kind of magic and has plans to use Annis for her own selfish needs, meaning Harriet may have to step up and do battle against a particular brand of evil.

This was a wonderfully written book that completely captured me from the start and swiftly carried me through the entire story, and I didn't want to let the characters go. Louisa Morgan's type of witchcraft that she hones in her novels, and I previously read about in A Secret History of Witches, is absolutely fascinating and focuses a lot more on herbs and cantrips than sparks and explosions. I really love the methodical parts of this novel when Harriet would explain what type of herbs and plants she was using in her medicines and why she was using them. I think Louisa Morgan should bring out her own special herb/potions book as it would be fascinating.

I loved the character of Annis as she was a horse girl after my own heart - she stood up for what she wanted, and was hard pressed to allow Frances or her father into forcing her into a marriage she didn't want. The relationship between Annis and James turned from sour to sweet in a very compelling way, and I enjoyed how Annis's character really grew during her stay in Rosefield Hall and how we, as readers, could see how much she fit in even if she didn't see it herself.

There were some bits in this book that felt a little bit unfinished. We heard about Bridget Bishop who was burned for witchcraft in Salem at the start of the novel, and who is the witch Harriet, Annis and Frances are all descended from. Harriet mentions Bridget once or twice but then that's it. I was expecting more from Bridget's spirit at some point - particularly with Frances's brand of magic as it turned more potently evil.

I also would have liked to see more from Frances as I felt her storyline kind of dwindled into nothing, and I really felt like there was so much more her character could give. I just didn't believe that that was all there was left of Frances.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the opportunity to read and review The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan.

I haven't read any of Louisa Morgan's other work, but following this book I am now interested to see what else is available as she has engaged my interest in more period based Fantasy story-telling.

The story is set in the late 19th century, Victorian era England and Golden era America. Annis Allington the 17 year old daughter of a wealthy New York manufacturer and step-daughter of Frances. Annis lost her mother at the age of 2 and puts all her passion into her love of horses, in particular her stallion Black Satin ("Bits") and her dreams of becoming a horse-breeder! Annis defies convention in these times that are particularly limiting for women in a world controlled by men, including her insistence of riding Bits 'cowboy' rather than side saddle style.

Harriet is a key protagonist in this story, unknown to Annis at the start of the story, Harriet is her great-aunt, a relationship that is kept from her by Frances. Both Harriet and Frances are witches, descendants of Bridget Byshop, hanged in Salem as a witch two hundred years before. Whilst Harriet follows the positive path of witchcraft (white witch,) Frances follows a more corrupt path called maleficia which she uses to control others and even used to bring about her marriage to Annis' father.

The plot follows the machinations of Frances to achieve her desires through the use of coercive and controlling magic and the development of the relationship between Harriet and Annis as they fight against Frances. This story is set amidst a world of male dominance and control where women have little or no rights.

Despite the combative nature of the story, Louisa Morgan tells it in such a way to illustrate and create empathy with the female characters and how much stronger they are united rather than divided. In essence this is a story of more than just the fight between negative and positive, it is also a romance between an aloof English aristocrat, James and Annis, a brash, American modernist.

This book blends social history, social politics, fantasy, romance in a wonderful way that if it were a cocktail it would be the top of the menu. The characters are well-shaped, falliable and believable and the world is well-built, based on reality with well researched foundations. Overall, an enjoyable read that will appeal to anyone with an interest in historic and/or fantasy that could easily lend itself to the development of a series.

Very enjoyable, I read this in three fat chunks, and liked that I could get absorbed into the world of the hedgewitch. Somehow, I'd missed that this was a traditional historical romance in amongst the witchery, but there it was, the lovely James and a happy ending for Annis. Recommended.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book!

Anything to do with witches is usually a yes from me and this did not disappoint. I loved how it focused more on natural witchcraft, herbs and women working together. It focused on relationships and understanding one another.
This is a fantastic book, it flowed well and the characters were well developed allowing you to feel like you knew them. It ended on a point where you could be happy but you could also imagine the future for the characters too.

I really enjoyed this! The plot was absorbing and I liked Annis and her strong great Aunt Harriet. There’s just something about generational historical fiction that I love, especially when it includes witchcraft in one way or another.

Every book by this author is phenomenal!

Following the lives of a number of women who have inherited powers from their ancestors this book is a battle of wills, if not between good and evil at least between selfishness and safety. Frances Allington is desperate to rise through the ranks of society during late 1800s America and she's willing to sacrifice herself and the will of her stepdaughter, Annis, to get it. Harriet Bishop, her cousin, wants to save Annis from Frances' clutches, and Frances from herself.

I wish I had Harriet's powers, or at least her herbology room. I loved that while she knew that Frances was walking a dark path she never truly condemned her for her choices, only tries to save her until she is forced to make a more final decision and she takes ownership of the choices that she made.

I don't know much about the late 1800s but I enjoyed the descriptions of the locations and society as they were then, they felt very much alive.

The narrative is compelling and very much a 'what will happen next' that will keep you up at night.

I enjoyed this very much. It was nice to see a fiction book about witches which portrays the Magic off actual practices rather than the fantasy and paranormal romances kind and so you didn't see people suddenly zipping about on broomsticks or waving they wands and something suddenly happeninv but plenty of work with cantrips, potions, poppets, and herbs which I loved

I really enjoyed getting lost in the pages of this book. It was a wonderful mixture of history, sisterhood, magic and romance. It was beautifully written with well developed characters that I got so attached to. I loved the connection between Annis and her Aunt Harriet and learning about their empowering craft. Everything felt so authentic and well researched from Annis and James’ horses, witchcraft to the gilded age in New York. I was sorry to have this story end and I would love to see a sequel in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group/Orbit for the E-ARC.

Content warnings: attempted sexual assault; blood magic; mental disability as 'punishment' for evil.

The Age of Witches is a cozy-feeling historical fantasy set in Gilded Age New York and England. It's a little hard to categorise, because while it has elements of a family saga, it also has a good dollop of romance tropes; I suppose at its heart, it's about women finding their way in the world. I very much liked the depiction of the magic used, which draws from a hedgewitch/herbalist tradition, and seems to be well-researched as to how it fits into historical magical tradition, but I did think that the dichotomy between 'good' and 'bad' magic was a little bit black and white, and I didn't love the way the narrative dealt with the 'bad' witch. The pacing is also a little strange, with what feels like the climax happening at about 60% of the way through, and then the rest of the book returning to a more low-stakes pattern, with no real final point - it's still enjoyable, but I was expecting things to come to a head again. Overall, though, a well-written and striking take on historical witches. Four stars.