I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately I could not get into it. I do not think this was the one for me. The premise was super interesting, but towards the end to me it just fell apart.

DNF.

It has some interesting point, like the creation of the golem, the struggle for independence, and overall the mix between magic and science. This last point was interesting and original.
But the story failed to keep my interest. I read about 100 pages, but I didn't find myself invested in the characters or in the story, so I have chosen to just drop it and not force myself through sometimes that it isn't right for me.
Thanks for the opportunity

Unfortunately a problem occurred when trying to open the book on my computer so I couldn't read it. I'm giving it 3 stars as a neutral rating.

The solid premise and masterful worldbuilding, exposed in cookie sized bites to glide gracefully along the narration, gave me a good time. I love witches, covens, systems based on societal structures that get questioned, averted, inverted and subverted. The Queen and the Tower was a book I was supposed to love.

I ended up feeling a little underwhelmed by the "plot twist" that were a bit too obvious and made the reveals less of eureka moments and more like frustrating moments where people realize that they've been denser than brick walls. The protagonist is the worst culprit of that, while she is a scientist and very knowledgeable in her field, she tends to ignore the plot and wait for it to happen to her. She does little, or actually nothing, to advance it, and a big chunk of it happens 'off screen'. The story could have been shorter or benefited from putting the magic and systems in the spotlight a bit more.

I also question the way the narration wants to put one particular stance on a delicate subject as better than the other. I am very firm in my belief about bodily autonomy but even I consider that a more balanced approach would have been less preachy. Also, that attempt at having any valuable discussion at that was completely made invalid by the fact that magic makes the metaphor implausible or simply go into a different direction than the real problem it's trying to discuss. It's also related to a big plot point that was obvious the moments it was first references to in the first third of the book. Really, things have to be told to the protagonist, she can't come to her own conclusions until the very last page.

Those things aside, I did found in Cassie a very human protagonist trying to find herself into her creation, into others and the new surroundings that she's making her own. If you like magic, witches, cats, tarot (oh this cover is amazing, adore this edition), and want to read about a protagonist enjoying her body with others without being questioned, this may be your book. The descriptions and history that the author has elaborated are a thing to envy, the way this hidden world works is one I'm interested in and would love to read more about it, so I'll be paying attention to any announcements about possible sequels.

I found the Queen and the Tower to be an intriguing read, with a clever magic system and world-building. The premise was very interesting, though I felt that the plot moved at a bit of a strange pace. I definitely thought it was an interesting book and I enjoyed Callie as a main character, but there was nothing that totally blew me away about it.

Ultimately, this one turned out to be a DNF. The worldbuilding was very dull and simplistic, with a lot of telling-not-showing, and I'm not sure first-person was the right choice for this particular story. It took too long to start moving along, and I just wasn't interested in any of the characters.

A beautiful Urban Fantasy, Shannon Page's The Queen and The Tower scratches the witchy-read itch! With expansive world-building and detailed magic, this story is a fun read complete with romance, adventure, and tons of magic. While I would have appreciated a more fleshed out story (as well as a more complete romantic arc), I look forward to the rest of this series, especially with such an intriguing cliff-hanger at the end!

Even if the world building is excellent and the characters are interesting I found the plot confusing and the story didn't keep my attention.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I enjoyed the writing style and I think the premise is great. That said, at around 40% of the ebook I started asking myself where's the plot going. It meanders and I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the ending. A solid read. It didn't awe me, but it has enough cool stuff going on to keep reader's attention.

A mix of urban fantasy, mystery and folklore- I wish I could have enjoyed this book more. I may give the others in the series a chance.

Loved Callie as the MC. Loved the Jewish folklore as a background. Found the style engaging. Unfortunately the plot meandered and for me felt a bit directionless, so I kept losing connection with the story. Great themes. Execution didn't entirely work for me,

Another witch book I was not in love with - I hate that! But this was just a bit of a mess. It's readable, but it goes here and there and all over the place and parts just don't make sense. It's a bummer.

Good urban fantasy

I enjoyed this book. The character development is great as is the world-building. The story is interesting and well-paced. But the book could have had a larger role for the golem and Jewish folklore, given the cover art. The story could also have used a little more action and a little less romance, but these are minor shortcomings. Overall, this is a good urban fantasy and I look forward to reading the second book of the series.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

I really enjoyed this book! I felt like Callie was a really faceted and relatable character and I absolutely loved how Witchcraft concepts like herbalism and essences handled with science. Pouring angelica root baths over petri dishes and vials to cleanse them of ley line residues before looking at their molecular structures and such was a really clever and refreshing way to handle how magic would've evolved alongside science. The idea of how old these magical people were was nicely portrayed too in the different themes and customs of their culture, but I liked how Callie's reflections on how sort of old-fashioned or stifling these concepts were kept it from feeling too out of date for modern readers. Without giving away spoilers, I liked the plot twists of how Callie's situation changed a fair bit, and the cliff-hanger ending made me crave more! I do sort of think the golem could've had a bigger role, she was often sort of forgotten, even by Callie, and I wished for that aspect of the story to be developed more -- but that said, there'll apparently be another book, so I'm betting she'll get more involved then!

I loved the creativity of Shannon Page’s The Queen and The Tower. It’s a well-written fantasy and I would love to visit Page’s literary universe again soon. A most enjoyable read.