I listened to the audiobook of this, well after watching the TV series. It showed that the TV series really closely followed the book and mirrored the vast majority of the timeline/story.

I did however find it overly long and know that I 100% would not be reading this in physical form. The narration was good and soothing, much like the tv show, but sometimes this made it hard for me to concentrate.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC of this audiobook in return for my honest review

I finally read this book and can understand why it’s so popular! Witches, vampires and demons with an interesting plot and a star crossed romance. I’ve got a feeling I’m going to enjoy the rest of these books and I’ll be continuing on audio as I really liked the narrator.

A Discovery of Witches is a historical-fantasy following Diana Bishop, an academic studying at Oxford, who accidentally comes across a manuscript that everyone thought was lost. Diana is descended from a long line of witches however she wants nothing to do with her heritage so once she realises what the manuscript is she sends it back. However this starts a chain of events with various demons, witches and vampires turning up in Diana's path in the hopes that they will be able to get their hands on the manuscript - as she is the only person that has ever been able to break the spell that has hidden the manuscript all this time. One of the creatures hoping to get his hands on the manuscript is Matthew Clairmont who is also an academic/scientist and happens to be a vampire. As the story progresses a romance starts between the two however this is more than frowned upon by those in charge as the various species aren't supposed to mix. The story then follows Diana and Matthew trying to figure out what's going on with the manuscript and how they can be together.


I was initially a little daunted by the size of this book and a tad dubious about how much I would enjoy the historical element of the story, however I found that it wasn't hard to follow the historical elements and was easy enough to accept what they were saying without any prior knowledge on my part. However having already been a fan of vampire/fantasy books I did have high hopes that I would like this book and I was right.
I particularly enjoyed the academic/researcher aspect of the characters due to my own personal academic background in a different subject.
I listened to this book via audiobook from NetGalley and found the narrator (Jennifer Ikeda)to have a lovely voice and she did accents well which really helped distinguish between characters. I was also able to speed up the audio a little without it sounding strange. I was able to do other things (hobbies/work) whilst listening to the book and was still able to easily follow what was going on.
Pretty early on in the book I realised I was going to love it so purchased the series in physical format in addition because I will definitely want to read the rest.

This book held me in a death grip and I could not put it down! Diana and Matthew are most definitely one of my most favorite couples ever. Diana is a reluctant witch who refuses to use her powers unless she has to. Matthew is a vampire who has been searching for answers most of his life and Diana seems to be the key to unlocking them. This is the start of a whirlwind trilogy that literally kept me on my toes for every installment. Deep magical knowledge mixed with academic knowledge led me to be swept away into this amazing world and I will never get enough of it.
The other characters in this book make just as big an impact and I need a whole book on everyone who I adored. This one takes us on a journey through Oxford into the grandness of a French chateau and then finally into a home of witches. Every moment kept me entranced and I needed to know what happened asap.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you Bolina audiobook and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook.
I know in this case I arrive late to the party, since A Discovery of Witches it´s not just an amazing book, but it has also 4 season of tv series. But one cannot read everything, as much as I wish and try.
So when I stumbled upon this audiobook on NetGalley it was a divine sign.

I loved it. It´s not a super fast paced book but I am a sucker for a good old Acatemia/Witchy vibe and this book delivers.
Dalia is intelligent but utterly clueless, her character changes a lot during the book, like the story does and I loved her character arc. We discover her page by page, and up until the end she manages to surprise adding more and more layers to her character. A lot of this layers are thanks to Matthew, who, to me, was the pillar of all this story.

The plot was so good, there were so many locations, characters, intrigues and more, but the vibe of the book remained the same all along.

Now going into book two I´m so curios to see where Matthew and Diana will bring us.

One thing I know for sure, now I have to catch up also with the tv series because I need to see how they developed all the characters and places (mainly the yoga classes which are my biggest dream).

The voice actress did an amazing job and I loved her voice.

I absolutely loved this book and it fits so well as an audiobook. I really liked the narrator's book and I definitely want the rest of the series to be read by them.

Such a brilliant narration of a fantastic story. It really brought the story to life in a way I didn't think possible. I loved it

I was excited to read this one as I’d heard about the tv series adaptation and couldn’t possibly watch it without reading the book first but I do think, having read this first book in the series now, that it might be better on screen. I’ll start by saying I did enjoy it and it was interesting to see where the author was going to take the story, and what twists and turns would happen throughout the book - and there were many. Harkness packed the book full of history, characters, travel, and magic. I loved the descriptions of Oxford and the library, as well as Diana’s aunt’s house and its quirks. This is a vastly detailed story that you can tell required heaps and heaps of research and planning to put together, so it’s incredibly impressive! That being said, I found it slow paced and it took a long time to really get anywhere. There were various points of excitement scattered throughout the story which broke up the more mundane parts but not enough. It’s a very long book with not enough happening. And while I’m interested in Diana’s past and her powers, I didn’t warm to her as a character and the same can be said for Matthew, who I found overbearing, disrespectful and secretive - all under the excuse of being a vampire, as though he doesn’t live amongst humans and know that you can’t build a relationship on deception or a belief that your partner doesn’t need to know things that have a direct impact on her life and her safety. So this was a tough one for me because I wanted so much to love it but since I couldn’t connect with the characters, found Matthew’s behaviour questionable, and found no chemistry between these two it did leave me a little disappointed. All that being said, I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed the narrative and the inclusion of the different accents for different characters (very impressive) but Isabeau and Marte’s accents weren’t always easy to understand without focussing very carefully.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Unfortunately I wasn't getting on with this book in audio format so I will be picking up the physical books instead to give the story another chance

I devoured all 3 of the trilogy books 3years ago and when I saw the audio book on here, it was an immediate download to jump back into that world!
I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the story all over again!
Narration was good, no complaints!
Another 5 stars like when I first read!

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw A Discovery of Witches was being rereleased on audio - I grew up with the series and loved it, reading every book and devoured the series on Sky when it came out.

For a graduate of the school of Twilight, Discovery is the perfect next step. Diana is slightly older, independent and successful in her own right, and the setting of Oxford University is absolutely perfect for those dark academic vibes. I think some of the dynamics between Diana and Matthew will age the book slightly, but Romantasy and historical fantasy are having such a moment currently that I think this is perfectly timed to create a legion of new fans, especially with the next instalment of the series coming soon.

I really enjoyed Jennifer Ikeda‘s narration. She is so accomplished and professional and I couldn’t believe how seamlessly she swapped into so many accents. It was a fabulous listening experience.

Wow where to begin with this book.....?

I loved it, for many years people have recommended that I should read this book and they were so right.

The fantasy in this book is so well thought through and I loved the attention to detail that the author had put into this book. The history was really interesting, I loved the modern setting and the way magic was woven into everyday while being hidden.

The pacing and writing are brilliant and an absolute pleasure to read and listen to.

The characters are genius - I think Matthew might be one of my favourite vampire characters that I've ever read and I loved him and Diana together

Thanks to Netgalley I was given a chance to review the audio version of this wonderful book and I am so happy I got to listen to this book.

The audiobook is stunning - the narrator has one of the those beautiful voices that captures the characters perfectly and is an absolutely pleasure to listen to.

I loved this book on release and I felt the audiobook was even better, I will definitely be watching the tv show!

I know this book was published in 2011, and I am late to the game, but it felt like a grown-up version of Twilight, which I enjoyed. With over 43k reviews on Amazon and a rating of 4.5, this review doesn’t need to rate the story itself. This was the new audible version and it was SO good. The narrator, Jennifer Ikeda is excellent. Often it’s accents that let narrations down, but she nails them and there are many; English, French, English with French Accent, Australian, various American, Scots. Perhaps to the native ear they might not be true, but to mine they were great and she does the story proud. Well worth the listen all around.

I haven't seen the television series but after listening to this audiobook, I'll definitely be watching it!

As a variation on the "romance" novel, this book worked quite well. The love story was both fast-paced and yet also slow burn.
I really wanted more of the promised strong heroine of this book, but unfortunately she never really seemed to take control of the narrative.
I also found the story centered too much on the relationship of the main characters, with the more interesting supernatural elements being relegated to sub-plots.
There were some promising ideas in the story regarding the "origin" of the supernatural species. I was able to enjoy some of the world created by the author. However there were a few contradictory elements which I found myself contemplating, thus drawing me out of the flow of the narrative.
If I liked romance more, I might consider reading the subsequent books in this series, but I am not sure I would want to spend any more time with these characters.

3.5⭐️ This book was written in 2011, and no wonder, because it made me feel like a giddy teenager again. Written in the peak of vampire trendiness, A Discovery of Witches is delightfully nostalgic, and I was completely enraptured with the story. Diana is a great FMC, strong and smart with a compelling character arc (we’re ignoring some of her more MarySue-like tendencies), and Matthew is the sexy stoic vamp bro Edward Cullen wishes he could be. There’s just enough action, research, and academia in the book to make it feel a cut above your average romantasy. That being said… it does feel like something written over a decade ago, in parts. It’s hard not to judge the story through a more modern lens, and some of the overprotective and commanding behavior and the “obey your husband” commentary makes the book feel outdated in places. I did also feel that the story started to lose steam towards the end, and my interest waned after a bit - I think mostly because of the length of the book. The second half could have been condensed considerably, and the denouement specifically dragged a bit. Is it a perfect book? Absolutely not. But did I still enjoy it immensely? Yes. The audiobook narrator is great, too, and added a lot to the story. Her accents and French pronunciation were *chefs kiss*

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Audio for the audiobook ARC.

The story follows a centuries old vampire, Matthew, a witch in denial, Diana, and a powerful manuscript that all matter of magical creatures want.

During the story, Matthew and Diana's relationship grows stronger.

I felt the story was well written. I particularly liked that it was set against the backdrop of Oxford University, despite being quite a long audiobook, the story held my attention well, this was partly due to the evolving storyline and the narrator.

The narrators melodic voice brings the words to life. It helped to become invested in the characters. He voice was clear and of a good speed.

I enjoyed it so much I look forward to getting the ready of the series.

This book is honestly breathtaking. Witches, vampire, demons. I love how no matter what the main characters were destined to be together.

This book is the perfect mix of modern fantasy and romance.
I love the tense between the two main characters. I have enjoyed not only the book but the series aswell.

The main characters are excellent but the side characters have you rooting for them as well.

This is definitely 5 stars

A Discovery of Witches is one of my absolute favourite books and Jennifer Ikeda is one of my all time favourite narrators and together they make this audiobook truly magical. The narration keeps you captivated through a range of tones and accents which truly brings each character and the story to life.

I found Diana rather refreshing as she’s much older than your typical female fantasy protagonist. I love a career driven woman and I especially love the insights and representation of women in academia we get in this novel. I also really appreciated Diana’s struggles with anxiety.

This is an excellent example of found family. There are so many reflections throughout the trilogy of what makes a good parental figure and such beautiful examples of characters stepping up and forming unconventional families. Sarah, Em, Ysabeau, Phillipe and Agatha were just fantastic parental figures. I would also love to acknowledge how wonderful Hamish, Miriam, Marthe and Marcus are - I could go on about side characters forever!

Deborah Harkness really showcases her knowledge of European History and insights into academia. The explorations into the history of science and alchemy alongside modern science made for such an intriguing read against a supernatural setting. For a book rooted in so many facts somehow still felt incredibly magical.

I absolutely love a slow burn romance and this really did deliver on this front. You could cut the tension with a knife! I loved Matthew.

I really enjoyed Harkness’s spin on supernatural creatures, in particular the concept of demons in this world. This book just felt so magical!

Oxford University as the primary setting was wonderful and so detailed - I really felt immersed! Every setting in this book was depicted so beautifully and I never wanted to leave them behind.

This is an absolute must read for fantasy and historical fiction lovers!