When Ariadne Walker is summoned by her brother Jason to help with his archaeological excavations, her first impulse is to refuse. She promised herself never to return to the site in Brittany, where her fiancé Simon died in his search of the mythical drowned city of Ys. Ari’s curiosity and attachment to her brother prevailed, and soon she finds herself facing the raging ocean, her overwhelming grief and a legend of the Water Witch— the betrayed daughter of the King of Ys, who drowned cursing her deceiving lover and his kin.⁠
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Jessica Thorne’s novel grips the reader’s interest from the first lines. As the book starts with the drowning of Ys, we understand that the stories are something more than folklore. They seep into Ari’s life, making it impossible to differentiate between reality and the supernatural. The legend of Ys becomes a crucial element of the plot, propelling the action forward. The main characters, Ariadne and Rafael, try to remain in their mundane lives, but they cannot resist the pull of the irrational.⁠
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I found The Water Witch to be an exciting read. I recommend it to those who enjoy novels where reality blends with folklore or the supernatural.

I read Jessica Thorne's Hollow King books and enjoyed them, so when I saw the blurb for The Water Witch I knew I had to read it.

Ari lost her fiance Simon several years earlier, looking for the place he was obsessed with, the missing underwater city of Ys. Her brother calls her back to Saint Sirene, convinced that he might have found proof of the city's existence, but he needs her help. Once there she meets Rafael Du Lac. The water witch has cursed all the men of his family to die young and he's desperate to end it. Together, they set out to find Ys and break the curse once and for all.

The Water Witch is an action-packed romance with an air of mystery and a dash of the fantastical.

There's great description and some vivid imagery that draws you into the story and gives you a genuine sense of place.

The mythology and folklore of Brittany is weaved expertly through the book. From the missing city of Ys, the power hungry princess who later becomes the water witch, along with a guest appearance from the servant of death, I just loved every minute of it!

Ari and Rafael are great characters. Their banter and chemistry was fun to read. Ari is still deeply scarred by Simon's death, even quitting a career she loves because it reminds her too much of him. Rafael is headstrong, used to getting what he wants by throwing money at it. The romance between them was nicely done, slow burn and didn't feel too rushed.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but it made sense once I put the book down and thought about it.

If you love romance with a sprinkle of adventure and splash of fantasy, then I'd highly recommend The Water Witch to you!

The water witch is real.’


Amazing, full of tall tales, folklore, local legends, magic, and a curse! Plus, that beginning!!!!! The Water Witch bewitched me from page one, and I didn't want to stop reading. I wanted, no needed, to know if the whispers and talk of the villagers about the water witch and the lost city of Ys were real.

Imagine searching for something. Something you believe to be out there (or under there). You spend all your time and resources searching for it, following you intuition, and found cluse. That is what Ariadne (Ari) Walker’s fiancé Simon did. He drowned in Brittany, France searching for the lost city Ys. He was a true believer.

Now Simon is gone, leaving Ari betrayed, heartbroken and full of grief. She has returned to Brittany where she meets Raphael who informs her that the legends are real and that his family has been cursed - that he himself, is cursed.

When Ari finds a map and the mask of a woman's face, she can't stop looking, she needs to find the truth! She needs to know how to break the curse!

This book was full of so many elements that I enjoy in books. It's part mystery, part romance, part legend, involves a curse, talk of a witch, etc. So juicy and fun! I enjoyed how the author built the story. She intricately wove parts of the past into the present as things unfolded. The search for clues was ladened with tension. Would the diving crew find clues? And if so, what would those clues hold? The central mystery concerning the lost city and the witch, was intriguing. I just had to know more!

There is more, so much more. There are twists, turns and revelations! The mystery is the main star in the book with the romance being a supporting player. What a supporting player it is! There are many forms of love in this book - love of home, love of family, love of friends and being in love.


This was my first book by Jessica Thorne, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

#TheWaterWitch #NetGalley

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a amazing story of searching for the lost city of Atlantis-or Is as it is called in this book.

Brother-sister team Ariadne and Jason are searching for evidence of the lost city….and also what happened to Ariadne’s fiancé, Simon.

Their benefactor’s family has been cursed from the time legend says that the city fell-a curse that cuts short the life of every male in the family. Desperate to save his son (and hopefully himself in the process), he is heavily involved with Ari and Jason’s explorations.

But then….they see Simon. But is it him or part of the ancient curse? Will they find the city? And who exactly is this Water Witch? Great story for lovers of myths and legends.

This is the 3rd book by Jessica Thorne that I have read. I really enjoy her novels as they delve into the supernatural and folklore in a fascinating way.

The Water Witch opens with the Princess of Y’s being betrayed and her city destroyed, She curses the line of the man that betrayed her as she is turned into the Water Witch of the title. In the present we meet Ariadne (Ari) Walker an up and coming historian, or she was until her fiance Simon drowned off the coast of Brittany. Ari has been going through the motions of life since Simon’s death. Ari’s brother Jason summons her to the area in Brittany where Simon drowned, he and Simon were treasure hunters and were trying to find the lost city of Y’s. Funded by the matriarch of the wealth Du Lac family, Ari meets the matriarch Meme and her great-nephew Rafael, and finds out that the men in the family are all cursed to die by age 35, supposedly as a result of the curse of the Water Witch. Meme has hired Jason and his friend Nico to find the famed lost city of Y’s in the hopes of ending the family curse and saving Rafael from the fate of all the men in his family. Ari is not a great believer in curses or the lost city of Y’s but as events unfold, she is forced to change her mind

I really enjoyed the folklore of this book and the location. I do not know a lot about Brittany and it was like having a travel tour of what sounds like a beautiful area.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes folklore, romance and a good yarn.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author for the chance to read and reivew this book.

This was such a fun read! I was entranced by the legend of Ys and Dahut, the princess turned water witch who lured sailors to their death. This book was filled with legends, magic, adventure, intrigue, and unexpected romance. I was not expecting the ending of this book and shouted out loud at certain points. Definitely worth the read for those who like fantasy romance and adventure. 🧜‍♀️🌊

This book wasn't as expected. The synopsis read as being fast-paced and engaging and it wasn't either of those for me.

I did not think I would like this book as much as I did. I ended up loving it and the mystery of a city under water and a curse of a mask.
Brittany, France. Ariadne Walker’s fiancé Simon drowned in the stormy Atlantic Ocean doing what he loved: searching for the lost underwater city of Ys.
Local legend says it was destroyed centuries ago when the princess of Ys became a water witch, cursing the name of the man who betrayed her
Ari never believed these tall tales. And the letter Simon sent before he died finishing their relationship is a devastating secret she’ll take to the grave.
Rafael swears the legends are true: and his ancestor was cursed by the water witch. Now, his own life is in terrible danger
Ari's brother, Jason and friend Nico call Ari to please come back to Brittany as he found something.
Rafael's aunt wants their help and Rafael's family is very rich and can make things happen so Ari and Jason are hired to find the mask and the Ys
Then another death happens which makes them have more questions. As Ari and Rafael get closer and things start happening. This which cant be real but are. Who is Gwen and Laure and what do they have to do with all of this? We know Laure is Rafael's sister but I didn't trust her. I trusted Gwen even less.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the book to review.

The cover of this book includes the tagline "A Totally Gripping Fantasy Romance Novel Filled with Mystery". I remember when I first loaded it to my Kindle I thought "hmmm that seems like a tall order... it couldn't possibly pull all that off." Boy was I wrong!!

Water Witch opens with the legend of the lost city of Ys. From page one I was completely enthralled with this book. I hadn't even finished the prologue before I spoke the word "Oh I love this already!" out loud!

What I Loved:
- This book really did cover it all! It has: Atlantis vibes, adventure, romance, mystery, murder, family curses, legends, and lore.
- The world building was spectacular. As a reader, nothing is better than feeling like you are fully submerged with the characters. Jessica paints a gorgeous backdrop for this book, both in the real world and in Ys. The way the two intermingle was *chef's kiss*
- I loved following the FMC's thought process as uncovered clues and pieced together the mystery.


What I Didn't Love:
- I was able to guess part of the twist at the ending. Despite this, I would have loved more of a backstory on how this character came to be.
- The last couple of chapters became a bit messy. I had a hard time believing in the character's reactions after the climax of the story. There was a little explanation of why they acted this way, but it just didn't feel right.
- I wanted more in the end! Building off my last note, I think the story could have used a touch more explanation of why things happened the way they did and a bit more of how they moved through that.

Overall, this book was super entertaining and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a book of legend, adventure, and treasure hunts, with a dash of romance!

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I was thrilled to receive an eARC of this book from the publisher, Bookouture, in exchange for my honest review. These opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher or author!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Folklore, myths, witches, magic, curses, ghosts, spirits, treasure hunt, lost city and set in the north western coast of France? I don't know why I was surprised that this book completely hooked me and I couldn't stop reading it.

The water witch starts off with the folktale on which this story is based, in which the princess of Ys becomes the water witch while cursing the bloodline of the man who betrayed. The story follows the story of Ariadne 'Ari' Walker, who is back in Brittany for the first time after she lost her fiancé Simon to the Atlantic 2 years ago. Grief stricken and still barely healing Ari is back to join her brother Jason who along with his best friend Nick is still continuing Simon's life work of discovering the lost city of Ys. Being an experienced diver and established archeologist, Jason wants Ari to join their expedition to prove to the world that what he and Simon set out to do is not madness, while Ari wants nothing but to get as far away from there as possible. Upon reaching there, Ari meets Rafael who believes all the legends and curses are true and that he is bound to die that year just like all men in his family. When Ari finds a golden mask while diving and followed by a cryptic map of Ys among Simon's things, she has no choice but to stay and help Rafael find Ys to break the curse. What follows is a story of love, of sacrifices, of discovery, healing, magic and betrayal.

The writing was atmospheric and follows 2 POVs (Ari and Rafael's) and I got sucked right in. The story was well paced, and the sense of horror, mystery and mythology was well mixed and balanced. The beauty of the story is how the ending impacted every relationship in a good way while shook foundations of some.

TW: Death, Ghosts and spirits, violence, drowning.

The Water Witch. From the title, one can surmise that the book is indeed about a water witch—which confused me when I read the first few chapters (after the prologue about the myth of Ys). If not for the synopsis, I wouldn’t have understood Chapter 1 and beyond. This made me think that upon reading this book, one must have an idea what it is about before diving in, and the fact that one should means that the opening is ambiguous.

Taking place in Brittany, France, Dr. Ariadne Walker (Ari) returns to the place where Simon—her fiancé—drowned. She meets Raphael du Lac, who was said to be cursed by the water witch. They both set on an adventure to find the lost city of Ys, which, for such a genre, is slow-paced. However, the romance is gripping even though the characters are either underdeveloped or overwhelmingly flat. Plotwise, I think the mysteries upon mysteries were suspenseful; with this, I still believe the premise has a potential, were it nurtured well. Even so, what I like about this novel is the vivid description of sceneries and the fusion of folkloric/supernatural elements with a contemporary setting.

Thank you, Netgalley and Bookouture, for the copy!

The Water Witch is a mysterious and adventurous take on the myth of the Daughters of Ys where Ariadne must return to the place where her fiance just died to help her brother search for the missing riches of a fabled underwater city.

I struggled with this book. I'm a huge fan of folklore and the myth of Ys from French culture, but I just couldn't connect to this story. I think Jessica Thorne had an interesting premise, but I found myself getting annoyed with the characters from the beginning and the flimsy reason that Ariadne was even returning to where her fiance died. I also noticed some mild typos and formatting issues in the copy I was reading from, which also deterred me from finishing this.

I might try revisiting this at a later date, but I couldn't finish this currently and have no plans to revisit in the near future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

Honestly more of a 4.5! I absolutely adored this book. It is the first book by Jessica Thorne I've read and I will definitely be checking out her other books. This was filled with fantasy, folklore, curses, witches, treasures, strong female leads absolutely incredible descriptions, A SETTING ON THE NORTHEN COAST OF FRANCE, Atlantis vibes. Just absolutely incredible, I finished it within 24 hours, I couldn't put it down, when I wasn't reading it all I could think about was when I would get to read more! I thought the different POVs were very well done and actually made a lot of sense in this book (the only reason it's not 5 stars is that I wish the POVs had headings with whose POV it was but it wasn't confusing to work out or anything, just personal preference). I thought the pacing was fantastic, where it was slow paced at the start so you had time to absorb all the information and familiarise yourself with the setting, characters and legend/curse/backstory, but once it picked up it kept GOING ALL THE WAY. I think the characters are very well written and enjoyable to read about and read their interactions.

The book is also apparently based on local folklore in Brittany France (where it's set) which I absolutely love!

If you love fantasy, folklore with a sprinkle of romance and mystery I would be picking this book up ASAP!

Thank you to Netgallery and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for a voluntary, honest review. #netgallery

The Water Witch

Romance, Fantasy, Adventure and Mystery. Myths and Legends from Nothern France.

This waa an anticipated read for me and while it was an ok read i wasnt that invested in the characters or the story took me a while to get into it.

I listened to the Audiobook it was very well read and I enjoyed the narration found it very easy to listen too.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Jessica Thorne for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review

I at first was really loving the concept of this book and the world the author was building. But as I kept reading, the story was dragging and I felt myself uninterested. Some of the items were a bit predictable and I just felt that the story was so slow. The Water Witch was cool, and the ending did pick up a bit. But overall, the execution wasn't there with this story.

1/5 spice
NA Fantasy

- atmospheric vibes
- awesome writing
- fantasy, folklore and myth
- retelling: lost/sunken city of Atlantis
- magical realism, fantasy
- romance is a subplot (wouldn't call this a 'romantasy')

Overall, a gripping, mysterious and atmospheric read with a nice mix of history, mythology, archeaology and fantasy. I'd never read a retelling of Atlantis so this was fun.

The perfect binge-able fantasy romance! Treasure hunters, family curses, and a sexy French billionaire all set on the French coast. It's a suspenseful emotional roller coaster. What's not to love?

Ari is keeping a devastating secret. Before her fiancé Simon drowned off the French coast treasure hunting, he sent her a letter saying it was over. She is still grieving her loss when her brother convinces her to return to where it all started. Now she is caught up in a hunt for a lost city with a sexy French billionaire, but she must face family curses, treacherous waters, and her past.

I liked the emotional depth that we see with Ari and Rafael. I did not feel like it was insta-love.

I loved the twist. I was expecting part but not all of it. I wish there were fewer hints dropped and more spice. I would give this a 2/5 on the spice scale, definitely more subtle.

Overall, I would highly recommend this. It was suspenseful and set a creepy atmosphere that is perfect for reading on a stormy day or when you are looking for a slightly spooky read.

The author did a great job of sucking me into the story with vivid descriptions of the setting, the wild Breton coastline, the long lost city and the haunting tales of a mythical long lost kingdom. There was a very creepy element which was well done. The curse that haunts the male of the Du Lac family was well laid out and Rafael's reaction compelling and believable.

This book was a good mix of mystery, fantasy and folklore. It was well written and you can tell the author did her research! Unfortunately, it just didn’t hit the mark for me. I found myself skimming to get to the exciting parts and didn’t love some of the twists/outcomes! However that is just me personally! I would recommend this book to someone who wants a book that’s off the beaten path! I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First things first, I got this arc from NetGalley.

Now that I have that out of the way, I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved the fantasy world interweaving into the real. It was really well done. Plus, the fact that Jessica Thorne includes archeology in this book is amazing. I love the fact that the archaeologist is a woman. The only major complaint that I have is that it did take me a while to read. Parts of this book were very slow. Like really slow. It’s funny, though, I’m not sure I would have picked this book up if not for NetGalley. Despite the fact that it is slow book, I am glad I read it. It’s an interesting book, that has some well thought ideas. #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammireland #bookworm #booklover #booknerd #bookaddict #bookreview #book #recommendations #netgalleyreview #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreads #bitslow #notabadbook #waterwitch #jessicathorne