Witch Book Wednesday: How to Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather

Welcome to my last “Witch Book Wednesday” post. Every Wednesday, during the month of October, I suggested an atmospheric and witchy book you should definitely add to your October TBR. Today I am highlighting How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather.

Title: How to Hang a Witch
Author: Adriana Mather
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy

Synopsis

The more things change in Salem, the more they stay the same.

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous Witch Trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam is not exactly welcomed with open arms. She is a descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those Trials—and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that wasn’t enough, Sam finds herself face to face with a real, live (well, technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff.

Soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries-old curse affecting everyone with ties to the Trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first alleged witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it’s Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  The Book Depository 

If you are in the mood for the perfect Halloween or Autumn read, I highly recommend adding How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather to your TBR list. As I was reading, I kept picturing the meshing of my two favorite movies: Hocus Pocus and Mean Girls.  This witchy book is the perfect blend of Salem, Massachusetts’ history, modern-day teenage gossip, family curses, and creepy apparitions.

As a mood reader, I enjoyed the dark and spooky ambiance of How to Hang a Witch. Each chapter was like stepping onto the cobble-stoned roads of the 17th century, hearing the creaks of old houses, and collecting old musty books filled with family secrets and town history. I loved the historical atmosphere that Mather creates for her main character, Samantha, to discover and uncover. Even more, I liked Sam as a character, because she portrays a character that is feisty, determined, and caring.

Overall, I really enjoyed How to Hang a Witch and its “out of nowhere” surprising end. I think it’s a great book that connects the crazed witchhunts of the 17th century with the crazed persecutions that take place in our modern-day society. Additionally, I also loved the ghostly and witch figures sprinkled throughout the pages. Their supernatural and magical presence brought a very eerie feel to the pages and made the book a constant page-turner for me.

Waiting On Wednesday: Haunting the Deep by Adriana Mather

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Haunting the Deep
Author:  Adriana Mather
Publication date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Random House
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Witches

Synopsis

The Titanic meets the delicious horror of Ransom Riggs and the sass of Mean Girls in this follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestseller How to Hang a Witch, in which a contemporary teen finds herself a passenger on the famous “ship of dreams”—a story made all the more fascinating because the author’s own relatives survived the doomed voyage.

Samantha Mather knew her family’s connection to the infamous Salem Witch Trials might pose obstacles to an active social life. But having survived one curse, she never thought she’d find herself at the center of a new one. 

This time, Sam is having recurring dreams about the Titanic . . . where she’s been walking the deck with first-class passengers, like her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, in Sam’s waking life, strange missives from the Titanic have been finding their way to her, along with haunting visions of people who went down with the ship. 

Ultimately, Sam and the Descendants, along with some help from heartthrob Elijah, must unravel who is behind the spell that is drawing her ever further into the dream ship . . . and closer to sharing the same grim fate as its ghostly passengers.

Goodreads | Amazon |  Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Adriana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America, and as such her family has their fingers in many of its historical pies – the Mayflower, the Salem Witch Trials, the Titanic, the Revolutionary War, and the wearing of curly white wigs. Also, Adriana co-owns a production company, Zombot Pictures, in LA that has made three feature films in three years. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza and she has too many cats.

 

 

Book Review: How to Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather

Title: How to Hang a Witch
By: Adriana Mather
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy
Pages: 368 (Hardcover)
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

About How to Hang a Witch:

The more things change in Salem, the more they stay the same.

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous Witch Trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam is not exactly welcomed with open arms. She is a descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those Trials—and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that wasn’t enough, Sam finds herself face to face with a real, live (well, technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff.

Soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries-old curse affecting everyone with ties to the Trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first alleged witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it’s Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |  The Book Depository

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My Rants and Raves of How to Hang a Witch

If you are in the mood for the perfect Halloween or Autumn read, I highly recommend adding How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather to your TBR list. As I was reading, I kept picturing the meshing of my two favorite movies: Hocus Pocus and Mean Girls.  This witchy book is the perfect blend of Salem, Massachusetts’ history, modern-day teenage gossip, family curses, and creepy apparitions. 

As a mood reader, I enjoyed the dark and spooky ambience of How to Hang a Witch. Each chapter was like stepping onto the cobble-stoned roads of the 17th century, hearing the creaks of old houses, and collecting old musty books filled with family secrets and town history. I loved the historical atmosphere that Mather creates for her main character, Samantha, to discover and uncover. Even more, I liked Sam as a character, because she portrays a character that is feisty, determined, and caring. 

Overall, I really enjoyed How to Hang a Witch and its “out of nowhere” surprising end. I think it’s a great book that connects the crazed witchhunts of the 17th century with the crazed persecutions that take place in our modern-day society. Additionally, I also loved the ghostly and witch figures sprinkled throughout the book. Their supernatural and magical presence brought a very eerie feel to the pages and made the book a constant page-turner for me. 

Note:   I bought this book with my own funds. I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in an exchange for a review; I reviewed it at my own discretion.  All statements and opinions in this review are mine.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

If you like How to Hang a Witch give these books and movies a try…

W…W…W…Wednesday: 10/19/2016

W…W…W…Wednesday

W…W…W…Wednesday is hosted by Taking on a World of Words and includes Three Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

♥ What does your own W…W…W…Wednesday look like? ♥

W…W…W…Wednesday: 10/12/2016

W…W…W…Wednesday

W…W…W…Wednesday is hosted by Taking on a World of Words and includes Three Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I love books about witches, and so far I am currently loving How to Hang a Witch. More importantly, this book is set in Salem, Massachusetts and I am a huge Salem Witch Trials fanatic!!!

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

I love this series, and I hate that I devour the newest releases in less than a day, because afterwards, I always want more Kate and Curran. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

To keep up with Fall reads, I am going to reread Practical Magic and then a rewatch of the movie soon. 

♥ What does your own W…W…W…Wednesday look like? ♥