superstition never quite comes together with the theme of female empowerment, this is an ambitious debut from a promising author.

The specter of savage, early European witch hunts ups the stakes, mixing real history with folklore. When Bastien turns up dead, a biased, antiwitch policeman arrests Elena for his murder, and Jean-Paul takes the case as her defense attorney. For centuries, the vineyards at Chteau Renard have depended on the. And yet just because a thing can’t be seen doesn’t mean it isn’t real. The Vine Witch is a grown-up fairy tale with a twisty-turn-y story line of magic, love, and betrayal that holds your attention.Pure escapism.' -Forbes A young witch emerges from a curse to find her world upended in this gripping fantasy set in turn-of-the-century France. Cast it as something to either fear or worship. But as Elena works to restore her vineyard to health and seeks revenge against her ex-fiancé, Bastien, who she believes is responsible for her curse, she and Jean-Paul grow closer, and he comes to accept that her magic is real. Smith 44,715 ratings, 3.83 average rating, 4,088 reviews Open Preview The Vine Witch Quotes Showing 1-30 of 34 What the eye couldn’t see, the imagination filled in. The Chateau’s vines, grieving Elena’s absence, have begun to produce mediocre wine, and scientifically minded Jean-Paul refuses Elena’s offer to use her magic to cure them. When she returns to her body, she discovers that her Grand-Mère has sold Chateau Renard, Elena’s renowned vineyard home, to handsome former lawyer Jean-Paul Martel. Before the start of the novel, vine witch Elena Boureanu is transformed into a toad by a curse. When she finally breaks the curse and returns to her. The vineyards of the fictitious Chanceaux Valley play home to magic, romance, and mystery in Smith’s contemporary debut fantasy. The story follows Elena Boureanu, a vine witch who has been cursed and turned into a toad for seven years.

The vine witch