Audiobook finished in a couple of days!
I adored this book. The plot, the mystery, the narrators.. this book has it all.
I'm loving any witchy books lately, and this was fantastic.

Thank you so much brilliance audio for the gifted audiobook.

about the book 👇🏽
When Cassie Graves discovers her husband's affair, it's enough to chip away at the foundation of her life. But after researching her family's Italian ancestry, it completely crumbles beneath her.

Her grandmother Gia's often-told stories about the past are a lie. Her much-romanticized great-grandfather Giovanni may not even have existed. Most alarming of all, it appears her mysterious great-grandmother Violetta died by stregoneria--witchcraft. Now, piecing together the puzzle of her family tree in the small, centuries-old hill town of Santo Stefano, Cassie finds help from a welcoming group of locals: the accommodating Renzo; Dante, whose own family history connects with Cassie's; and the ethereal Luna, an interpreter of dreams who gives Cassie a protective amulet--and the warning that she may have walked into a trap.

When Cassie comes upon an old spell book, she gets closer to unearthing long-buried family secrets, the truth about a powerful female lineage, and the haunting discovery of who she really is.

✨ My thoughts;

I thought it was a good story and I’d read more by this author. The narration was fine but for some reason it took me such a long time to get through the audiobook and I can usually get through one in 1-2 sittings and unfortunately that wasn’t the case. It might have been my expectation but I thought it was going to be different than what I got. I’ve heard this authors others are really good so I will try again!

happy reading

I loved this!

Everything about this story made me feel warm inside.
The setting was beautiful, and the characters were fantastic. The dual timelines were one of the best I’ve ever read. The MC being middle aged was so relatable as well.

Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something different.

🎧📖 note: Xe Sands was amazing as always. She navigates the cast perfectly.

Unfortunately, I could not finish this audiobook. I really disliked the narrator's voice and although I gave it a good try, I could not get past it. I will seek out a physical copy of the book as am very intersted in reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC i excahnge for an honest review.

Well written, clever and just the right amount of mysticism make this book a winner. I love the fact that the protagonist is middle aged and very relatable- the dual timelines are done perfectly.

This is a bit of a departure for Wendy Webb, not only leaving Lake Superior, but leaving the US entirely for a book based in Italy. It was very well done, with ghosts that weren't scary, and a story of good witches who also did actual magic and were persecuted for it. I really enjoyed this book and the direction it took our protagonist, not only back to her family's roots, but to a place where she could find a connection to her past, present, and future.

Thank you to Wendy Webb, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a fan of Webb's ghost stories, but because her audios are published by Brilliance, who doesn't share with libraries, I haven't been able to listen to many of her books. So when I saw this one pop up, I requested it without reading the blurb or knowing anything about it. I was disappointed to find it's more women's fiction than anything, though there are a few haunting scenes. But I found myself more and more invested the further into the story I got, intrigued by the mystery, caring about Cassie and her ancestors---and the animals! I don't care to jump around in time or head hop, which knocks a star off for me, but I cared enough about finding out what happened that it didn't irritate me too much.

I don't typically care for Xe Sands as a narrator; she makes everything sound melancholy and emotionally charged, couldn't sound matter-of-fact or clinical if she tried. I actually stopped listening to Kristan Higgins's books because I couldn't stand Xe's melodramatic style. So realizing she was the narrator was another disappointment, but I can't deny she's brilliant at those exact things---sounding melancholy and emotional. I cried over a dead donkey because of her.

Overall, not at all a bad book, just not entirely to my taste/what I wanted it to be. Anyone who likes women's fiction or digging into family mysteries or simply multi-generational tales should enjoy this book.

Many readers know what it's like to hear or feel that they should 'just stick it out' for a while when it comes to a book or series. What I don't see as often, unless it concerns a debut author, is the same sentiment when it comes to authors. "The Witches of Santo Stefano" proves my instinct that while I enjoyed a few of Webb's books well enough, she could one day do something that really hit the spot for me.

The element that always kept that 'itch' in me was the way in which other words weaved in the magical realism elements. It always seemed a little too direct for someone looking for a literary work and not quite 'catchy' enough for someone coming from a fantasy or horror craving. The key to the success of it in this novel is that it's woven in a historical context where the is it/isn't it vibe that usually is tagged on with this more physiological take on magic was a part of every day life. Those same charms as they take form in present day. It creates a harmony in themes that is necessary for this genre to feel balanced, natural. In short, the most 'successful' to readers like me. For those seeking a 'transitional' book to try out a genre they're unsure of-this is by far the best so far from t his author.

As for the story itself, it slots very well into the 'cozy' genre that many are seeking. It's about finding a soft place to land and anchors even in times when the world, a community, or fate feels like it's at least a little bit against you. It is a very atmospheric book with a little town that will welcome you in with a hug in all the ways we romanticize a place to at least once in our lives. I was also pleasantly surprised about how many levels of unveiling that were woven into this family drama. There were several times I thought I must be nearing the end and, not in a dreaded way that can sometimes indicated tedium, was surprised to see there was more to be said. I hadn't been quite ready to let go of the vibe of this book.

It does have a couple elements that still were a bit clunky for me. While each chapter indicates perspective, the flip flop between the historical ears sometimes took an adjustment to remember just how far back, if it was the grandmother, great grandmother, or great-great gran at the focus of the moment. There is a coda that was sweet, but I would have been satisfied with an ending that excluded the snippet.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something that is a marriage of mystery, self discovery, historical, sprinkled with natural and possibly 'real' magics or sensibilities, and tied up with a cozy colored ribbon.

I am the biggest fan of this narrator. I have been relistening to her audiobooks in my car lately, so I was so excited to see a new and incredibly interesting novel narrated by XE Sands. Thank you for letting me get an early listen!
I am so in love with this book. It is romantic. I love the dogs, the curse, and the entire setting. What a Journey.
I love all books about family history but this is perfection.

I received an ARC from netgalley.

Let's start off saying i love wendy webb's writing. I found her writing in 2020 and absolutely was addicted and she has become one of my favorite authors.

This book is different because it doesn't take place in Wharton. It's mostly in Italy. I would have loved for it to be in that setting. Dont get me wrong, i loved that it's different, but the whole witch part had me bored out of my mind but i did love the fact that the characters loved to learn where she came from. But to tell you the truth this wasnt my favorite book by her. The writing was phenomenal tho

I love stories that follow genealogy and discover unknown mysteries in families and this one had a whopper of a secret (no spoilers, it’s in the tile). Discovering her ancestors on a trip to Italy, Cassie learns so much about her family and I enjoyed working back with her to find the truth about them, and learning a little about herself along the way. The writing is easy to follow, though, at times, there are a lot of characters to juggle, but the character development is well done so you can quickly discern the differences. Fascinating look at the history of witches in Italy.