A Southern Enchantress is a magical story featuring Southern Hoodoo magic set across two different timelines.

While I enjoyed the overall concept, I found the timelines a little confusing and Suzanne's story wasn't as strong or interesting as Addy's. I feel that the story didn't need multiple points of views or it didn't need to jump back and forth, but that is only my opinion.

The storyline was unique and interesting and the author did a great job at creating a Southern supernatural atmosphere that fans of The Mayfair Witches or the film The Skeleton Key would enjoy.

Overall if you like multi-generational stories about strong women and folk magic, then you should read A Southern Enchantress.

I look forward to reading more by the author.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I didn't care about any of the characters or the plot. I'd never really read a book like this before, but the sinopses sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a try. I guess I'm not a ghost person or a murder mystery person. I also didn't enjoy all the back and forward in time-line.

This story was wonderful in sharing love and protection through generations through the maternal line. My favorite character was Jack as he was there to guide and explain the past to Suzanne. It was also great to see a family heirloom passed down for protection. Thank you for the story!

Thank you for the ARC! I am loving this book! It is so beautifully written and gives a vivid description of the story. I cannot wait to finish reading this book 🤩

I want to start by saying that i love the premise of this book. Its well written with gorgeous settings and new ideas.
Here comes the "but..." but I had a lot of trouble finishing this title because the characters were just so unlikable. Our main character, Suzanne, appears to be an awful mother who, after escaping her alcoholic husband and father of her twin sons, marries the villain, Max, who has moody, abusive rages and drinks constantly. After red flags her boys point out to her, she pursues the relationship anyway setting a wonderful example for the college age boys, one of whom has budding alcohol problems, as well.
Which brings us to Addy, who was slightly more palatable as she started out selfish and redeemed herself. But it was Addy's mission for Suzanne who set Suzanne up to be a whiny, poisoning, manipulative cow. Yes, Max was murderer, but why did you need to marry him to punish him? It just made her seem underhanded rather than a worthwhile character.
I have a very hard time recommending this one but I'm super intrigued as to Deborah Trahan's next work.

I unfortunately had to DNF. The themes discussed in the book were contradicting to ones I usually gravitate towards and I did not feel comfortable continuing. I try to avoid stories that discuss tarot and psychics. However, I do believe that people would enjoy this if they like those certain themes.

This book is for anyone who craves a plot forward story that is not solely focused on the Romance aspect which acts as more of a slow burn sub plot. The world building was fantastic, the pacing of information shared was in sync with the storyline and what the characters were experiencing. The natural flow to it made for such an immersive read that was easy to follow along with.
The characters in this book are so well-developed. It was really interesting to learn the different pieces of their back stories to form theories and learn what motivates their purpose.

This book is one of the easiest and most deserving ratings I have given this year. Quite honestly it reminded me why I love reading so much.

In this multigenerational historical fiction and fantasy novel, readers travel to the American South, where they follow Suzanne, Farrah, and Addy over several decades. Tracing several generations of women from the same family, readers explore the secrets of this family’s connection to magic and to other worlds and the intergenerational similarities of dangerous and unsafe relationships. As these women grow, they all have their own series of challenges to face, particularly in the relationship category (which may be triggering for some readers), and Suzanne in particular must rediscover her relationship to the family magic as things come to a head. Set in New Orleans and Mississippi and spanning the decades since the 1940s, historical fiction fans might find this to be a good mix of fantasy, fiction and historical fiction. The characters are all complex, with hidden motivations and ulterior agendas, and Trahan does a good job balancing so many perspectives, plots, and narratives over the course of the novel. Some readers might find the IPV and hostile relationships in this novel triggering, so readers should proceed with caution, as one character in particular remains relevant to several plot threads. An interestingly complex read, Trahan’s latest novel will definitely keep readers on the edge of the seat from start to finish.

Unfortunately I did have to stop this book at around 29%. I felt the book dragged and the plot was moving too slowly for me to be able to get into it. From other reviews I did see that it apparently picks up around 30% but I couldn’t continue to that point.

I didn’t really connect with most of the characters. I had no motivation to keep reading as the characters felt pretty flat to me. The only character I liked was Addy but even her chapters weren’t enough to convince me to keep going with the book.

I do like the dual timeline perspective and thought it was an amazing way to tell the story. I like the tease that you get at the start and then the hop back in time to build up to that moment, but unfortunately the build up wasn’t quick enough or enticing enough to keep me reading.

I can see why many people enjoy this book, but it just wasn’t for me.

Love stories of spell making and magick, add in WWII history and it’s about as ideal as it gets for me. The storyline flits to past and present giving us glimpses of these women with clairvoyance and spell casting. I enjoyed this even if it was a bit confusing in spots, eventually all the characters fell into place though. I couldn’t put it down as I kept needing to know the ending.

Thanks to Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for sharing the book.

𝑨𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒓𝒆? 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏- 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒂 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔."

The story is a journey of Suzanne's quest to bring an end to the heartbreaking trauma knocked upon her female ancestors for generations! It is a beautiful mixture of magic, Spirits, dilemma, love and tragedy.
Set in a dual timeline it smoothly moves between decades, developing a story of a legacy of enchantresses, that go to right the pain of the past. In the beginning, the dual timeline was a bit confusing but as you dive deep you get the essence of it! , and there it goes you are hooked to the pages before you know it!🤓

With strong character development and wonderful world-building the Author has penned a beautiful generational tale!❤️

Overall I enjoyed the read ❤️🤓and recommend it to everyone to dive into the world of magic🪄 and spirits!👻
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4.5/5🌟
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Thankyou @Netgalley and Atmosphere press for giving the copy of this beautiful book in exchange for an honest review.😇

BOOK: THE SOUTHERN ENCHANTRESS
AUTHOR:
PUB DATE: NOVEMBER 2023
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This book was not my favorite because I didn't like any of the characters except from Addy and I didn't like that one particular bad guy and girl didn't get the punishment they deserved. The book was also slow in the beginning and was difficult to understand, but I started enjoying it when I passed 30% of the book
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The book was okay, but I just couldn't get past the bad characters, but I liked the mystery and how it unfolded. I didn't like Suzanne because of her relationship with Max.
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I wish Addy had gotten the justice she deserved
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This book was okay

A different read for me but I enjoyed it! The start took a little getting used to due to the different timelines but once I got my head around it, it was so good. Really interesting plot and characters and a real sense of magic. I’d definitely recommend!

“In New Orleans, culture doesn’t come down from on high, it bubbles up from the streets.” — Ellis Marsalis

If you have ever had the pleasure to visit The Big Easy, you know the effervescent spirit that flows through the city from its music to its food and everything in between. You do not have to be clairvoyant to feel this pulsating energy but Suzanne is one of the rare ones who communicates with the departed and it is a calling she must embrace and find coexistence with the ghosts of New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast. These lands carry a deep rooted, rich history. Told in dual timelines from 1944 to modern day, Southern Enchantress is a haunting and beautiful tale full of heart and magical realism in a city filled with gumbo and ghosts.

Review is posted on Goodreads and the final review will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

El libro no fue nada de lo que esperaba, creí que habría: romance, magia y fantasmas; sí hay los últimos dos, pero romance, no.

La forma en como están acomodados los capítulos se me hizo rara y no terminó de gustarme el estilo de escritura, pero está escrito de tal forma que no puedes dejar de leer para saber como terminará.







Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a stunning read. Once I had gotten my head around the different timelines, the plot flowed and I loved the characters. I'm so excited to pick up another read by Trahan.

This is the story of Suzy, Suzanne LaFountain, a modern day (2012-3) southern enchantress, and her other family members, the women of magick.
It is an easy read, rich in descriptions, and with flowing, short chapters that have a good pacing.
I got into the story after 30 pages or so. At first, I had the wrong impression about the changes of POV and shifts in timelines, and the writing. I am glad I persevered.
This is not a horror or rather I did not find it horrific, but I do not say this as a form of criticism. I am glad the story unfolded in a concretely understable way, blending modern life and the family history of Suzy. That is a fresh take. The atmosphere, especially in a later scene at a church, was eerie. Otherwise, it was a nice combination of themes of women with agency, solidarity, and male toxicity. I liked the spiritiual, occult, paranormal and magical realism aspects but for me the characters’ leading of a normal life otherwise, stood out, and the rest felt like a device to explore Suzy’s story, Max’s character and Addy,

This book gave me a few pleasant surprises. At the start until you are used to it, it jumps around a fair bit, but this does not distract from the main story. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the arc of A Southern Enchantress by Deborah Trahan. Recommend!

Honestly I was a little terrified about the ghost thing, but I braced myself because I really wanted to expand my reading into various genre. This book is good, the pace is a bit rushing at the beginning for me, and the story is a bit bitter (says a romance fan). But overall I enjoy the story and might be rereading some parts of it.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once i did, I was hooked. It as a unique blend of magic and exploring Tracey spanning generations. I did find it hard to follow at times. I think because of the switching between timelines, but once I’d got my head around it, it was a unique way to tell the story. I’m excited to see what this author writes next.