Witchfall (The Tudor Witch Trilogy #2) by Victoria Lamb

London, 1554. At the court of Mary Tudor, life is safe for no one. The jealous, embittered queen sees enemies all around her, and the infamous Spanish Inquisition holds the court in its merciless grip. But Meg Lytton has more reason to be afraid than most - for Meg is a witch, and exposure would mean certain death. Even more perilous, Meg is secretly betrothed to the young priest Alejandro de Castillo; a relationship which they must hide at all costs.

In the service of the queen's sister, Princess Elizabeth, Meg tries to use her powers to foretell her mistress's future. But when a spell goes terribly wrong, and Meg begins to have horrifying dreams, she fears she has released a dark spirit into the world, intent on harming her and those around her.

***

Warning: This review contains spoilers

See? It's at the back. It is the winner of the Romantic Novelist Association YA Novel of the Year.

It's just 368 pages of melodramatic crappy romance.

Alejandro: Will you marry? I am going impatient waiting, mi querida.

Meg: (But I am a witch and I am not going to give it up if I marry a priest. No matter how much I love Alejandro, I still want to be a witch) Not now. You have given me a year and a day to decide.

Alejandro: It's okay.

*snog-fest*

*more snog-fest*

*and more!*

Meg: (spends nearly half the book fantasizing and obsessing with her love for Alejandro)

*skips more snog-fest*

Alejandro: *stares broodingly at Richard* *Jealous*

Meg: You know I love you, not him!

*skips a shit-load of snog-fest*

Alejandro: "I was a fool, mi alma, and never fully opened my heart to you. But I love you to the edge of madness, to the gates of hell itself. If it were possible, I would take your place in the afterlife. I pray to God you are in Heaven soon, whatever your offenses may have been on this earth. For there can be no place in the torments of Hell for such a soul as yours. You are the truest, the most courageous woman I have ever known." 

Meg: *wakes up*

*continues skipping*

Meg: *Jealous at what a lovely pair Alejandro and the princess made*

*la la la*

Meg: "Alejandro, it has been a lovely dream for us, being together this year. But it is over now, and I want you to forget me."

Alejandro: "What?"

Meg: "Finish your duties here with the Lady Elizabeth, then return to Spain and marry a noblewoman chosen by your family. That is your path, and it is an honourable one. I have my own narrower path ahead, a path of magic and solitude, and there can be no space for you on it."

Alejandro: "Meg, no!"

Meg: "Noli me tangere!" *magically pushes Alejandro back* "Let that be a lesson to you, priest. Do not seek me out again before I leave, or I will strike you down again. There can be no love between what I am and what you are-- only hatred and love. I see that now, and am glad we must part before you can betray me to your masters." *cries and walks away*

*skips, Meg is still brooding over her loss for Alejandro*

Richard: I love you.



Meg: "You... love me?"

*skips to the end*

Alejandro: I am more than ready to marry you.

Meg: Not yet. Now hush and kiss me.

*The end*

You tell me what craptastic romance was that. It's just filled with melodrama and even more melodrama.

Another issue I had was with the characters. About 75% of the characters has Masters degree in Bitchiness (including Richard) and 25% of them lack of brain cells.

The first book was already filled with such characters although their unfavorable personalities it wasn't as prominent as it was with this.

I can't help but feel that the books are the aftermath of Meg's stupidity. I understand she is born a witch and it'd be a pity to waste it away and so she wants to use it. Okay. Unfortunately, that period was when witches were hated and condemned and would die a horrible death so if she still wants to practise her sorcery or whatevers, it has to be discreet. The main problem was, Meg did not take practising discretion very seriously.

I understand if you have to do spells for important occasions, but you don't freaking cast a spell because someone annoys you or something. There's this thing called instincts and when I say that, I don't mean using your powers! Let your instincts take over you first and the most logical thing you'd end up doing is running away. Don't cast a spell, moron! You obviously know the consequences, don't you? Then why do it?!

Even better, Meg casts a spell because a giant rat look freakishly like a human. I don't cast a spell on my windows because I think it looks like eyeballs!

There were also many occasions where she casts a spell but I shall not mention them. Most of them I'd say are unnecessary. And because of that, it led to trouble and danger for her.

Alejandro wasn't the love-sick puppy in the Witchstruck but he is in this book. It seems like he is nose-deep in the love mush that he can't even think and act like a normal human-being. Until now, we still haven't gotten the reason why he loves her. Meg is NOT courageous, definitely. Besides that, she is a pessimistic bitter idiot. How is so? She thought of how Alejandro would marry another woman and forget about her when it is obvious he loves her till the hell gates itself (he literately said that! Wasn't it mentioned?) even before the axe fell on her neck. Irony, because she sacrificed herself to save Alejandro. Let him die then, Meg. If you're so afraid that he'll forget you, let him die. When he dies, he wouldn't even be able to forget you.

Princess Elizabeth is the ultimate bitch. She needs help to be dressed, to prepare her bed, to comb her hair, basically nearly everything and I can't understand how Meg could work with her. She's a princess, that I know, but I bet she's just so dependent on everybody! Moreover, Meg admires her. What for? Her simpering bitchery? Perhaps, since her personality has became overly unbearable.

I did not enjoy this and definitely would not recommend it unless you're interested in reading sappy romance with half-wit bitchin' and brainless characters. Plot? Ha. That's the only thing that saved this book from nilch stars. Even that wasn't an entirely interesting plot since for most part, it is affected by Meg's stupidity and lack of discretion while doing her spells and rituals.

1.5/5 Stars