The Glamourist

The Vine Witch, Book 2

By: Luanne G. Smith

Narrated by: Susannah Jones

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

A spellbinding novel of bloodlines, self-discovery, and redemption by the author of the Washington Post bestseller The Vine Witch.

Abandoned as a child in turn-of-the-century Paris, Yvette Lenoir has longed to uncover the secrets of her magical heritage and tap her suppressed powers. But what brave and resourceful Yvette has done to survive the streets has made her a fugitive. With a price on her head, she clings to a memento from her past - what she believes to be a grimoire inherited from the mother she never knew. To unlock the secrets of her past, Yvette trusts in one woman to help solve the arcane riddles among its charmed pages.

Elena Boureanu is the vine witch of Château Renard, noted for its renowned wines. Even as she struggles with her own bloodline - and its poisonous threat to her future - Elena can't ignore a friend on the run. Joined by a cunning thief, the proprietor of an enchanted-curio shop, and a bewitching black cat, Elena and Yvette are determined to decode Yvette's mysterious keepsake. But what restless magic will be unleashed? And what are Yvette and Elena willing to risk to become the witches they were destined to be?

©2020 Luanne G. Smith (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic Reviews

"High fantasy readers will enjoy this fast-paced page-turner." (Publishers Weekly)

Unexpected. Uplifting. Unique.

I finished this sequel from Smith in one sitting! Sussanah Jones has the perfect voice and sophistication to enchant us and wrap us in the French accents and magic of this tale.

⚖️ Plot: As I listened, I was seamlessly transported into the complexities of mythical beings living amongst humans, and how far our prejudices and lack of knowledge about each other dims the vivacity with which we could live together.

🗺 World: I didn’t see as much of the gorgeous countryside and vineyards I was used to. But then again, the story didn’t revolve there. It was absolutely more of a character story here and it did invest me more in their lives and backstories.

💑 Characters: As the plot progressed I found that this was not so much the tale of our protagonist Elena as it was of the secondary character, Yvette. But as it revolved around my very favorite Fae, I had no complaints. This is indeed a great way to add to to the series, but I wanted to see our beloved JP coming into his own. I’m hoping that’s coming up in book 3 and can’t wait for more!

Good continuation

I struggled with this book wanting a little more, of what I'm still not sure.

Can’t wait for the next book

This good captured my attention from the first and the ending was certain but unexpected at the same time. The author has a good imagination and adds the little details that matter. The narrator is fun and easy to listen to as usual. More, more, .....

Most read

Worth the wait....wonderful storyline and the hints to Picasso. Would love to more books from the author.

kinda a boring let down

I loved the frist book. it was a vibe... the vineyard was alive.. the city here is not. it doesn't have the same sort rounded out bit and just falls flat

In some ways, a disappointing follow up!

The first story in the series, “The Vine Witch” was utterly captivating and sumptuous. The tale of Elena, a witch known for her wine making skills, took us through a delightful murder mystery, all while introducing us to a world of magic we haven’t met before.

The sequel continues with Elena, but shifts the focus to Yvette, a character from the first book, who is now the focal point for “The Glamourist.” And in that switch, the series loses steam. Yvette is also in search of her past (like Elena in the first book), but she just isn’t as compelling of a character as Elena.

I liked that the Vine Witch was self-contained - whereas the author tried to world build in the follow up. To that end, it seems like she throws all types of fantasy tropes (goblins, fairies, evil wizards) at the wall - and none of them really stick. If Vine Witch was a mature approach to the Wizarding World, The Glamourist puts it firmly in childish, YA territory. Which is a shame, because I had high hopes for this sequel!

I think the fact that Elena, in some ways, takes a back seat from the magic (rather focusing on meeting her future mother in law) - also took away from the story. She was dealing with mortal problems, and we are stuck with Yvette and her magical problems.

I found myself distracted a lot - which to me - means the writer has failed at keeping my interest. With all the new characters, it was also difficult to keep them all straight!

More and more, I am fighting my natural instinct to be a completionist - and with a third book on its way - I’m not necessarily sure I’ll read it.

perfect

just like The Vine Witch ( book one) it captures you from the first page and take you in a magical roller coaster ride.

Magical, inventive.

lyrical, and thoroughly enjoyable. I believe this is even better than the first book of the series.
The narrator was perfect!

Stayed for Cat

Struggled to finish this one. Yvette was a plucky punk in the first book, but came across as a whiny, "misunderstood" Mary Sue. It felt like she had transformed into a 16yo character in a YA book. The introduction of new magical creatures should have helped expand the story's universe but only lead to inconsistent and confusing world building. The only reason I finished was the voice actor's performance, secondary characters, and needing meeoorre of that darn cat.

Good story!

Really like these stories but found my self rewinding often to keep all the French names characters, locations and references straight. I use audible in short bursts all day popping in and out of my car so it started getting annoying. Might be better for a long road trip.

Great!

Enjoyed the first book, the sequel equally good. Can't wait for the third instalment!

Super narration of an enchanting tale

This second book lives up to all the promise of the first as the story of Yvette unfolds. Add in Susannah Jones' wonderful narration, her ability to capture the essence of the characters and accent, and you have a book that is a joy to both listen to and read. Really looking forward to the next chapter in this tale.