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Half Spent Was the Night
Half Spent Was the Night: A Witches' Yuletide | Ami McKay
14 posts | 14 read | 17 to read
Beloved author Ami McKay is back, bringing us a magical follow-up in the tradition of Victorian winter tales to her mesmerizing bestseller, The Witches of New York. During the nights between Christmas and New Year's, the witches of New York--Adelaide Thom, Eleanor St. Clair and the youngest, Beatrice Dunn--gather before the fire to tell ghost stories and perform traditional Yuletide divinations. (Did you know that roasting chestnuts was once used to foretell one's fate?) As the witches roast chestnuts and melt lead to see their fate, a series of odd messengers land on their doorstep bearing invitations for a New Year's Eve masquerade hosted by a woman they've never met. Gossip, dreams and portents follow, leading the witches to question the woman's motives. Is she as benevolent as she seems or is she laying a trap? And so, as Gilded-Age New York prepares to ring in the new year, the witches don their finery and head for the ball, on the hunt for answers that might well be the end of them.
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MidnightBookGirl
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Pickpick

This was a lovely start to my reading year! Although I have the hard cover, I ended up listening to this on audio because I was running around on the first. You definitely need to read The Witches of New York first, but as this book is set during the lead up to New Years, it's really the perfect end of year/start of year novella. I think I'll be picking up more of McKay's books in 2022. #audio #tbr

66 likes4 stack adds
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MidnightBookGirl
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Pickpick

A perfect book to ring in the New Year, as it's set in the days leading up to New Years. I just wish I hadn't waited so long since reading The Witches of New York, which I only barely remembered. It didn't take long for me to fall back in love with the characters and enjoy the magic and danger of McKay's world.

Book 1 #Readin22

62 likes3 stack adds
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DeeLew
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Sorry for the blurry low light photo but here is my first book of 2021. Curled up with this lovely little book right after midnight. It was wonderful but left me wanting more. I loved The Witches of New York and I hope McKay plans to write more stories about Eleanor, Adelaide, and Beatrice. Love them!

29 likes1 stack add
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DinoMom
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My husband took this picture this morning before he went to work and texted it me this morning saying this . “You even keep your place when you are sleeping”. 😂. This is how I fell asleep last night.

Kappadeemom 😂😂😂 3y
21 likes1 comment
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DinoMom
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Current Read! Rick the cat approved #currentread

rubyslippersreads 😻😻😻 3y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LibraryCin
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Panpan

I listened to the audio, and I caught bits and pieces of the story, but missed much of it. I even went back and re-listened to the second half because I felt I missed all of that half (it was short, the second half was only 41 minutes). I wanted to like it. I like witches and I like Christmas, but it just didn‘t hold my attention. Caught a bit more of the second half the second time around, but not much

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Torlynn
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this novella. I am a huge fan of Ami McKay‘s writing. I love that it brought back the characters of The Witches Of New York but also if you hadn‘t read that book you could still read this story and it still feel complete. The way this book is written makes you want to read it aloud as the writing is so beautiful; like poetry. The only negative I have for this read is the storyline seemed a bit rushed in the last half of the story.

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Torlynn
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This was my last read of 2019 & I loved it! Ami McKay has been one of my favourite authors for years now and this book had me falling love with her writing all over again. Her way with words makes you pause and re-read just because of the beauty of her words.

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Bookish.SAM
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Mehso-so

#unpopularopinion but I was pretty disappointed with this one 🙁
I get that it was intended to be a quick little novella but it was far too rushed for me. Maybe that‘s partly attributable to listening to the #audio vs. print but there could have been a great story here that didn‘t really develop at all for me.
I enjoyed her other books with these characters so hopefully another full length 📖 will come along to fill the gaps.

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Luludoodle
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This novella was a Christmas gift and a quick read. I loved The Witches of New York, and was happy to spend the morning with them today. I hope Ami McKay keeps them alive

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elkeOriginal
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Pickpick

A fun quick Christmasy novella revisiting the lovely ladies of The Witches of New York. Brought back to mind all the things I liked about that novel and even reveals quite a plot point! Makes me hope for another full length tale - since plenty was left open-ended in the first book in my mind!
Weirdly, this was only published in Canada so I had to order it instead of getting it from my local shop in the US 😕 #ohcanada

54 likes1 stack add
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Jess_Franzino
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Pickpick

I was so happy to revisit my favorite witches! Though it was a short novella, a lot was covered and some loose ends from “The Witches of New York” tied up. Just a lovely story. I do hope Ami McKay writes more about Eleanor, Adelaide, & Beatrice ♥️

16 likes1 stack add
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Brenda
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Pickpick

This was really short,but perfect to listen to while puttering about the house! 🤓 #audiobook #overdrive

24 likes1 stack add
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Linsy
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It‘s finally here!!! ✨ #charmed #witchyreads

Linsy A great read, if a bit short. I feel the magic of Ami McKay all over again! It sent me to find out Adelaide‘s backstory. 6y
Jess_Franzino A new book about my favorite witches AND Sarah Perry‘s follow-up to “The Essex Serpent” BOTH released today? I‘m in ‘favorite writer‘ heaven! 6y
109 likes2 stack adds2 comments