Daughter Witch

Romanov Witches Origins, Book 3

By: B. Austin

Narrated by: Rachel Leblang

Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

"The neighbors ordered their kids to stay away from the house on Witch Hill. Avoid Astra Romanov! Never look the girl in the eye. Her grandmother, mother, and two aunts are witches!"

No Telling What the Child, Astra Romanov Is Capable Of. She Is a 3 Rd-Generation Witch!

Lilya, Dima's third daughter, may be a hippy and a Natural Witch who dabbles in plants, but Liliya is trouble. She has an unhealthy obsession with the weather, forcing the Romanovs to flee once again. The women finally move into a home that reflects their royal blood, a rundown mansion at the bottom of Witch Hill. Liliya has given birth to a daughter.

There is a portrait hanging in the house at Witch Hill. Thirteen-year-old Astra Romanov looks out of the picture with haunted eyes, but her grandmother dominates the picture. Dima is 180 years old but appears to be a teenager, proudly holding out in her hand a rare shape-shifting stone, allowing her to bathe like in the fountain of youth, while others except her age, including her three daughters. Astra is half-Native American. Her aunts, Medea and Nikki, tutor her as a third-generation witch.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but humanity will never break me," so claims the young witch, Astra, but she was born with a soft, human heart that even being an outcast won't harden. Astra has wolves as her only friends, until her family makes her befriend Amelia, a Catholic girl they have their eye on. In New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, the Romanovs will discover that they are not the only magical beings. And then there is the danger of a fanatical branch of the Catholic Church. In New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, the Romanovs will discover that they are not the only magical beings. And then there is the danger of a fanatical branch of the Catholic Church.

NOTE: The series consists of stand-alone books, and can be listened to in any order. Each book comes to a conclusion, but the story of the Romanov witches continues through time.

©2021 Belinda V. Garcia (P)2020 Belinda V. Garcia

Voodoo gone wrong!

The Romanov witches; this volume is to be an account of Liliya (Russian for Lily), Dima’s third daughter. Dima’s premonition was that Liliya would have a difficult life. She would be greedy, wanting more than entitled to. Eighteen years later; Liliya began studying Natural Magic at age ten. Dima thought this would be a safer choice than the other schools. Liliya had other ambitions; aeromancy. Liliya wanted to control the weather. The poor girl did indeed have it rough. She was just plain ugly; pasty white pockmarked wrinkled skin, bulbous nose, plain chin, and beady eyes. She embraced the hippy lifestyle; wire-rimmed circular glasses, sandals, smoked marijuana, and naturally drove a Volkswagon Bug. Liliya has a passion for affecting trouble, causing her family to flee to Santa Fe ahead of a zealous faction of the Catholic Church led by Michael Franks. Liliya married a Native American shaman named Windkeeper producing Astra, a third-generation witch. The story switches focus to Astra and her new Catholic friend Amelia. The tale progresses, exploring the dichotomy between Astra and Amelia. Antagonists provided by Franks and Mayor O’Leary. Franks was quite the character, carrying the skeleton of his promiscuous wife around in his truck. The life magic conjuring (not an effigy), regarding Mr. O’Leary, was quite entertaining. I’m a bit indecisive with this volume of the series. I liked the story but where is it going? Yes, I learned of Liliya but it didn’t seem to be about her. The story focused on Astra but what of it? The girl’s personality is given here but more than that, the girl seems lost; not knowing her place, nor being given any respect from her family. And she misses her friend. She peeks into the mirror but that only previews the next book (I looked). There’s no closure. I believe that’s what I’m missing. Three.point.five for indecisiveness. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.