I listened to the audio book version of this novel, and I thought it was really well done. I felt like I was caught up in the story from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. The author did a good job with characters and story line. The book was themed on witch hunts based in medieval Germany. I thought this was an excellent read, and I would definitely recommend this to the history/historical fiction readers. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley, Brilliance Publishing, and Gemma Liviero

Thank You, NetGalley and the publishers for an opportunity to listen to An Age of Winters by Gemma Liviero.

I really tried to give this book a chance but it just didn't work for me.

But again, not all books are for you, so I guess this wasn't for me.

Why I Chose This Book:
An Age of Winters first captured my attention simply for its title and cover. I love anything cold, wintery, dark, and mysterious, and this book promised all of that and more. Its setting in 1625 Germany also drew me in; there’s something about historic settings that always alights my imagination, especially when taking place in other countries around the world. Add in witch hunts, small town crimes, and mystery, and I was hooked!

What I Liked:
- Backdrop of 1600s witch trials
- Setting in a small German village
- The themes of a harsh winter and how it affects the villagers (famine, plagues, and worries about divine punishment)
- Rumors and false accusations
- Unrequited love
- Discussions around marriage, childbirth, and power, especially for women
- Unreliable narrator
- Excerpts from the fictional The Witch Hunts—A History, published in 1633

Audiobook
Sarah Naughton does the main narration of An Age of Winters, offering Katarin’s first-person account of everything going on in the village of Eisbach. She gives the character just the right voice and inflections, making listeners feel assured in what she’s describing. My only complaint about the narration is how Sarah Naughton would frequently end sentences like a question, even when they weren’t. A bit distracting.

Alex Wyndham narrates the excerpts from The Witch Hunts—A History, a fictional account from eight years after the main events. His narration is perfect for the tone of that book’s fictional author, casting extra suspicion on everything.

Final Thoughts
An Age of Winters bewitches readers with its harsh winter setting amidst famine and danger, adding mistrust with all the villagers’ rumors and accusations. But as murders keep happening and whispers of witchcraft abound, the mystery slowly builds up to a shocking conclusion. This is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys stories of centuries-old witch hunts and trials, historical mysteries, and darker themes.

Loved the world builing and the atmospheric setting. Didn't really click with the characters. I'll admit that I am wary of witchcraft trial books since they are almost universally historucally inaccurate. This was one of the better ones.

“An Age of Winters” is a dark and compelling tale of death, betrayal, and witchcraft in a small Franconian town in the seventeenth century. The story is told from the perspective of Katerin Jaspers, a maidservant in the clergy house, who has intimate knowledge of the town and its people. She uses this knowledge to aid the new priest, Rev. Zacharias Engel, in his attempts to investigate and root out the perpetrators of a series of grisly murders that have shocked this small town.

The story keeps you engaged throughout, following Katerin’s daily life, her interactions with the people, and the occasional forays with Engel to investigate the problems plaguing the town of Eisbach. It’s a testament to the writer’s skill at crafting the characters and scenes, because it’s not an action-oriented book. There are a few places where the story slows down a bit too much, but those are few and far between. The ending is absolutely not what you would expect, which serves the story well.

The main characters are skillfully developed with many facets; some obvious, some hidden. Katerin is smart and sympathetic, with a keen understanding of people that belies her age. Engel is noble and kind, with a regal bearing and sense of right. Walter is sweet and innocent. The subsidiary characters provide a good counterpoint to the main characters, although there are many of them and it can sometimes be hard to keep track.

Overall, it’s a great character-driven story that begs the question: do we ever really know someone, or are we just hiding our true natures behind a thin veneer of civility and propriety?

While the prose sometimes seems a little stunted, the story carries you along. I didn't want to put the book down, even after the truth of what was going on was revealed. The author made the place and time come alive and the people all seem real. The author's choice to focus on a commoner was refreshing and allowed Katarin and the other villagers to be more interesting characters than if she'd stuck with a noble person, so the characters carried the story more than many of the historical novels I've read. She also did an excellent job of giving hints as to what was really going on without revealing too much or making people act out of character. I wasn't able to accurately guess who the murderer was until I was close to the end. At the same time, once the mysteries are finally revealed, they are totally believable and made me want to read it again just to see what I'd missed the first time.

I listened to the audiobook and it was fantastic - I read it everywhere I went and felt really immersed in the story.

It's set in what feels like medieval Germany, with mysteries, witch hunts, and multiple points of view. It takes a while to get into the story, but once you're in, you're in. It was a bit dark, but it's perfect for a winter/Halloween/spooky season read.

Once the mysteries are revealed, it's hard to go back to what you viewed the first part of the book as - and I may need to re-read to get new perspective now that I know what was really going on! If you love mysteries, twists and turns, and a good reveal, this one is for you.

In 1625, the Franconian village of Eisbach has been plagued by disease, famine, heinous crimes, and a merciless winter. Katarin Jaspers is the maidservant to the enigmatic Reverend Zacharias Engel, appointed by Rome to cure the village of suspected diabolism and save every God-fearing soul.

The Reverend Zacharias Engel is on a mission and no one is safe. He is determined to flush this village of the heretics and witches. Katarin, his maidservant, is on her best behavior. But will it be enough to keep her protected! Everyone in this village is turning against each other and no one knows whom to trust.

This is a 3.5 stars rounded up. There are quite a few minor characters to keep up with. Plus, the ending sort of went off the rails and did not fit. But, there is some great history and it has some dark elements which make it very intriguing in places.

This is narrated by Sarah Naughton and Alex Wyndham. I love a tag team of narrators but, for some reason, I was not a big fan of Alex. I just completely lost my focus during his part.

Need a tale of witch hunt for a change of pace…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Slow burn, character-driven story with dark, disturbing elements, and enough misogynism to turn your stomach. The witch hunt is always both fascinating and upsetting for me, but I will pick up almost any book that covers it, and this was an interesting spin, both because the setting is Germany and because a lot of the time the women were accusing the women, rather than the men accusing the women. There were two perspectives throughout which came from characters I found curiously compelling. The mystery itself was great, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wasn't looking for something action-packed or a quick read.

A Dark and Twisted Masterpiece!

This novel takes readers on a gripping journey through the fear and paranoia of 17th-century witch trials, only to deliver a shocking and unforgettable twist. Katarin Jaspers, initially portrayed as a sympathetic maidservant infatuated with the Reverend Zacharias, turns out to be hiding dark secrets of her own. As the village succumbs to hysteria, the revelation of Katarin’s true role in the tragedies—and the shocking truth about the reverend’s identity—makes for an ending that’s as chilling as it is satisfying.

The atmosphere is immersive, the characters complex, and the story full of surprises. If you love historical fiction with dark psychological twists, this is a must-read!

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER FOR AN ADVANCED LISTENING COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW!

This was fine... world-building was excellent, tone/atmosphere was good. I just didn't care. About the story, the characters, anything. Nothing grabbed me or made me care about what was happening. Every time I started it, I wished I was reading something else. I don't see myself remembering this book at all after a few days.