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A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1)

Deborah Harkness

Start date: January 16, 2012

Finish date: February 16, 2012

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Discussion leader: Shellbelle

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What Members Thought

Jun 19, 2011 Barbara ★ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal-ghosts, romance, read-2011, paranormal-demons, paranormal-vampires, zz-cover-blue, paranormal-witches-wizards, historical, x-set-in-usa-new-york, x-set-in-europe

Let me first say that I absolutely loved this book! Diana has moments of stupidity and Matthew is overbearing as hell at times but as a whole, they make a great couple. He's a strong ancient vampire with many allies and abilities, and she's a dormant witch who is just coming into her powers. Which is a very good thing because their forbidden vampire/witch pairing goes against the rules of the Congregation and all of the different species (vampire, demon and witch), war is imminent. The courtship Let me first say that I absolutely loved this book! Diana has moments of stupidity and Matthew is overbearing as hell at times but as a whole, they make a great couple. He's a strong ancient vampire with many allies and abilities, and she's a dormant witch who is just coming into her powers. Which is a very good thing because their forbidden vampire/witch pairing goes against the rules of the Congregation and all of the different species (vampire, demon and witch), war is imminent. The courtship is very old-fashioned and enjoyable to this reader who gets sick of the "meet and immediately sex them up" story line that is evident in most books. Matthew is a real gentleman and though he is romantic, he isn't a sex fiend. As a matter of fact, he is terrified of having sex with Diana for reasons I cannot mention.

There are many things going on in this book which I'm sure the author will mesh together eventually. Let's see, there is the ancient alchemy manuscript called Ashmole 782 that everyone is interested in since it's reappearance; the Knights of Lazarus (similar to the Templar Knights); the suspicious death of Diana's parents; the possible war between the species; the dissection of Diana's spectacular DNA; and of course, the forbidden romance between Diana and Matthew. Quite a lot going on with numerous characters to untangle allegiances and keep track of. I found a lot of the alchemy stuff in the beginning to be boring and really couldn't understand the point but it eventually became clear. Not that I'll ever actually understand it but I do realize how it is going to help Diana in the future...like when she gets her hands on Ashmole 782 again.

Any book that is almost 600 pages long is going to have moments when the hero and/or heroine is going to get on your last nerve with their silliness, pettiness or just plain stupidity and this book was no different. For most of the first half, Diana was definitely one of those TSTL heroine that make me want to scream. I don't know if she was playing the damsel-in-distress for Matthew's benefit or if she really was just that stupid but it did get irritating after a while. In the second half of the book, her personality shifts enough to lose the stupid part and become the heroine she is meant to be. I believe that Matthew enabled this behavior in Diana with his own behavior - ordering her around and protecting her against the smallest threats. After all, who needs to think for themselves when someone else is telling them what to do, say or think. This is annoying to most readers but if the characters are flawless from the beginning, how can you judge their growth?

I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of Diana and Matthew's love affair and the outcome of the coming war between the witches, demons and vampires. An absolutely terrific start to a series that is spectacularly different from anything else on the market. Bravo Deborah! ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Mar 26, 2011 Stormi (StormReads) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: print-copy, 2021-books-read, fantasy, paranormal-romance, paranormal-vampires, paranormal-werewolves, paranormal-demon, favorite-reads, 5-stars

I remember listening to this book back when it first came out which was a few years back and I enjoyed it, but I had really forgotten a lot of it. Then I watched the TV show and a new obsession began and I wanted to read it again! So I dragged my buddy reader along with me...lol. So check out Barbs review once you look at mine. :)

Discovery of Witches is a book set in modern days where there are not only humans but creatures. Their are Vampires, Witches and Daemons and Diana is a witch but she d I remember listening to this book back when it first came out which was a few years back and I enjoyed it, but I had really forgotten a lot of it. Then I watched the TV show and a new obsession began and I wanted to read it again! So I dragged my buddy reader along with me...lol. So check out Barbs review once you look at mine. :)

Discovery of Witches is a book set in modern days where there are not only humans but creatures. Their are Vampires, Witches and Daemons and Diana is a witch but she doesn't want to be so she pretends to be human. She is a historian working in Oxford and is completely happy, but now and then her magic comes out. She needed some alchemical manuscripts for her research project and she request them from the Bodleian (big fancy library) and one of those was Ashmole 782. While looking at it something strange happened and it frightens her so she puts it back really quick. It doesn't take long though for rumors to spread about the witch who took out an Ashmole manuscript they they all think is the lost one they have been looking for centuries.

One of those looking for the manuscript is Matthew de Clairmont a vampire. He believes it holds the origin story for all creatures and has been looking for it for a very long time. So he decides to try and get close to Diana to see if she has it and doesn't believe her when she says she put it back because you can't take books out of the Bode. He is not the only one who starts following her and coming into the library and before you know it seems like creatures are everywhere.

For Matthew it starts out with him just wanting the manuscript but then he soon starts craving her which means he is wanting hers for his own but creatures are not allowed to intermingle. Diana doesn't know anything about this as she tries to stay out of the magic world and soon starts to fall for Matthew. When Peter Knox keeps bugging Diana for the manuscript and threatens her Matthew takes her home to France where they grow closer.

So basically this is a paranormal romance with a bit of science and history and just a really cool story that I had a hard time putting down. The thing you don't get in the TV show is a lot of backstory and lot more of the romance between Matthew and Diana and I wish they would have made the season longer to include some more things. That though is something else...lol. I might have read this before but I don't think I fell for the characters as much the first time as I did this time. I absolutely feel for Matthew (swoon) and I really liked Diana's courage (though at times I thought she was a little too courageous, I mean vampires!)

I pretty much loved everything about this book and I am giving it a higher rating than last time my taste have probably changed though I gave it 4 stars first go around so it seems that I liked it but didn't love it like I do this time. :) I feel like I could go on and on about this book as I am so obsessed, just ask Barb! ;)

If you like romance, complex paranormal creatures a bit of science and history then you will really enjoy this one! I highly recommend and even though I am suppose to wait till next month I have already started on Shadow of Night! ;) I would say Shhh don't tell Barb but she already knows. :) ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2012 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: tower-team, witches, vampire, romance, paranormal-romance, time-travel, parnormal, supernatural, magic, wizards

So this book was great. When I first started it felt a little slow, but I must confess when I started reading I was rather tried so that might have played a slight role in the slowness of the book. Hence the 4 stars rather then 5.

I found the the information about alchemy fascinating, the whole story is so interesting. The descriptions of everything were perfect (to me at least). I can not wait to find out what happens next. I'm a excited and a little scared, not because the book is scary, I'm s ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

May 02, 2012 Trisha rated it it was ok

it was okay. not a compelling story that held my interest or my attention. Although I thought the story was interesting, it felt too much like "and then I did this. and then he did this and then I did this". I just got bored after about 200 pages and literally fell asleep from then on. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 23, 2011 Marla rated it really liked it

Shelves: made-me-laugh, paranormal, mystery, book-club, girl-power, recommended-to-me, series, romance, vampires, historical-fiction

4.5 stars. Long book, but easy, interesting read. Explores a world where witches, vampires and daemons walk mostly unnoticed among humans. A sweet and funny story of a romance between an ancient French vampire and a stubborn American witch.

Likes:
* Diana Bishop trying to run from her nature and magic toward history and knowledge, daughter of witch Rebecca Bishop and wizard Stephen Proctor.
* Matthew Clairmont sounds intriguing, his protectiveness, his vast knowledge, his success as a scientist
* Co ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 20, 2011 Delitealex rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: vampire, witches, favorites, fantasy, own

This book was nothing like I expected. The writing was so descriptive. I loved the parts about Diana's alchemical research and Matthew's experiments. Also the descriptions of each creature were interesting. I loved the characters and can't wait to learn more about them. The mystery of the manuscript and the interactions between the creatures really kept me interested and I loved the chemistry between Diana and Matthew. I'm definitely continuing on to the next book. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Morgan rated it liked it

Shelves: witches-and-wizards, fiction

Probably 4 or 4.5

I'm glad that I have the other two in the trilogy in my plans for the Fall Seasonal Reading Challenge.

Definitely an interesting world populated by interesting characters.

A reasonably quick read for as long as it was (considering the time I actually spent reading it and not reading other things). ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Logan rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-bought-paper, paranormal, 2013-books-read

The complexity of the world and beautiful, rich writing give this 5 star appeal, but the plot lost major momentum in the last third of the book and I nearly didn't finish it. Glad I did, and am looking forward to the next book. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 01, 2011 Ouroboros rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, series, pnr, vampires, witches

A Discovery of Witches starts out at a good pace, introducing several key elements, Diana Bishop, Ashmole 782 and Matthew Clermont the vampire. The reader doesn't have to wait several chapters before their worlds collide. Yes! I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the other shoe to drop, but then something happens around the halfway mark--FRANCE. Insert eye-roll. This is where I had the most trouble with A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness bogs us down with a long drawn out courtship betwe ...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Mary (Biblophile) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: in-my-collection, paranormal, audiobooks

Wow! This book could use some serious editing. It took me weeks of on and off listening to finally finish it. I thought it would never end! (Apparently it hasn't as there must be a sequel.)

I didn't hate the book, it just didn't grab my interest, though the historical stuff was interesting. The Twilight romance was old before it started. Way too much padding to cover the lack of a real storyline. Perhaps the next book will improve. ...more

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Sep 16, 2011 tpixie rated it it was amazing

Fun Read. Can't wait for the next one!
Vampires, Witches, and Demaons for grown-ups. ...more

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Dec 13, 2010 Kim rated it it was ok

Jan 31, 2011 MsMiz (Tina) rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-mobi, fantasy

Oct 16, 2016 Amanda A rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, read-in-2016

Feb 12, 2011 Gaijinmama marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Mar 11, 2011 Deedee marked it as to-read

Shelves: series-1st, speculative-fiction-20-or-more, title-starts-with-a, 000src-fa-10-09-witch, 0t-paranormal, srcs-spring-members-choices, beyond-reality-unread, 00-2011, 0vlist2, published-in-02february

Apr 17, 2011 Rieh Medin rated it liked it

Shelves: demon

Apr 18, 2011 SandyC rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011-read, paranormal

Dec 10, 2021 Kate rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mini-books

2 likes · Like

Mar 02, 2019 Minttu rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, a-z-challenge-titles, 1st-in-series, historical, fantasy-scifi, magic-witches, my-audiobooks, old-houses, series-to-finish, family