The Book of Shadows

James Reese

Oct 2009 · Harper Collins

About this eBook

Alone among the young girls taught by nuns at a convent school in nineteenth-century France, orphaned Herculine has neither wealth nor social connections. When she's accused of being a witch, the shy student is locked up with no hope of escape ... until her rescue by a real witch, the beautiful, mysterious Sebastiana. Swept away to the witch's manor, Herculine will enter a fantastic, erotic world to discover her true nature -- and her destiny -- in this breathtaking, darkly sensual first novel.

Ratings and reviews

Book of Shadows is a good choice for someone who is looking for a gruesome tale of witchcraft, evil and sexual discovery on a very high level. As I read this book I kept waiting for some element of the story to give me the overwhelming urge to read the book from cover to cover without putting it down, but I never achieved that. It seems as though the author did his research to write this novel, but it just wasnt enough to keep my attention. It was over-sexed...to the degree that I almost felt sick. I had to push myself to get to the end of the novel and I have to say that I was disappointed.

This was a mixed book for me. It was beautifully written - at times evocative and at times poetic. I especially liked the description of the French Revolution as seen through the eyes of the witches and other characters. I also liked the characters Herculine, Madeleine, Father Louis and Sebastiana. While there were parts that dragged, especially chapters concerning the convent and Sebastiana's first coven meeting, the crossroads scene towards the end made the read worthwhile.

My favorite book. Herculine's story made me cry, cry for that beautiful heart that felt so much tragedy and pain. This story is a must read. Simply has a sexy dark erotic tone. You have to be openminded to appreciate this mindblowing story of true pain and pleasure.

About the author

James Reese is the author of The Witchery, The Book of Spirits, and The Book of Shadows. He lives in South Florida and Paris, France.