I had seen some reviews of The Maiden by Kate Foster, so when I had the chance of reading an arc of The King’s Witches, I was very excited. It tells the story of late sixteenth witch fears and phobias. Princess of Denmark has been chosen to marry King James of Scotland and so unite the two countries. Shortly before leaving Denmark, she is made to watch the burning of a so-called witch. This distresses her greatly. When the vessel on which she was travelling to Scotland was caught in a storm and developed a leak, it was diverted to Norway. King James arrived to fetch her and the party eventually arrived safely in Scotland. Anna was betrothed to James but had to accept the Scottish tradition of handfasting. If she failed to have a proposal of marriage by him, she would be sent as a nun to an abbey back in Denmark. The story goes on to tell of the paranoia about witches, the cruelty used to make them confess and the consequences for them and those implicated in their confession. We also have romance added to keep the reader intrigued. Finally Anna has to decide what will be best for her future life.
I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who has even the slightest interest in the Scottish, or indeed any, witch trials.
Thank you to NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and Kate Foster for an arc of this super story.

I loved this book!

The story is so interesting and it's super easy to read. I really like to read books set in these time period.

What was great and I made me very happy, is that at the end of the book, author explained what history events were used, which characters were real, which ones not, and which ones were not real but similar to real ones. What events happened and what was changed.

Partial use of language fitting the time and area was also nice, though as someone who is not native English speaker, I was very grateful for Kindle's dictionary to explain some words.

Before this book, I knew very little of how Denmark was and what was happening there at this time, so it was very interesting to read and I am glad some of the focus was there.

Thank you Kate Foster for writing this great book and thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

An excellent historical fiction that mixes witch hunt and court intrigue. A fascinating and well plotted story.
The plot is well done and the storytelling excellent. I like the fleshed out characters and the plot is both informative and engaging.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was hooked from the very beginning of "The King's Witches" by Kate Foster. The story follows three women - Princess Anna of Denmark, Kirsten Sorenson, and Jura - as they navigate the treacherous world of 16th-century Scotland. As someone who loves historical fiction, I was immediately drawn in by the richly detailed setting and the compelling characters.
I loved how the book explored the relationships between the women, particularly the bond between Anna and Kirsten. Their friendship is a beacon of hope in a world that is often cruel and unforgiving. And then there's Jura, who is struggling to find her place in a society that is stacked against her. Her story is both heartbreaking and uplifting, and I found myself rooting for her from the start.
One of the things that really stood out to me about this book was its portrayal of the witch trials in Scotland. It's a little-known period of history, and I was fascinated by the way Foster brought it to life. The author's writing is evocative and immersive, and I felt like I was right there with the characters as they navigated the treacherous landscape of witchcraft accusations and trials.
The characters in this book are complex and multi-dimensional, and I loved getting to know them as I read. Anna is a strong and determined princess, but she's also vulnerable and scared. Kirsten is wise and compassionate, but she's also hiding secrets. And Jura is a sweet and gentle soul, but she's also fiercely determined to survive.
Overall, I would highly recommend "The King's Witches" to anyone who loves historical fiction, strong female characters, or just a good story. The writing is beautiful, the characters are compelling, and the story is both heartbreaking and uplifting.

Kate Foster has delivered another brilliant story that oozes excitement and high anticipation. I was happy to be approved for this book and I read in one sitting. The character development Kate Foster masters in her books builds a close relationship so as a reader it’s easy to become involved with characters and have a strong affection for outcomes.
Anbreen amazing read with strong emotional and unbearable character that you can’t help but love!

#Netgalley #KateFoster #TheKingsWitches

This story opens in September 1589, at the port of Leith, just outside Edinburgh. The King’s betrothed , Princess Anna of Denmark, is on her way for the marriage ceremony, when her fleet of ships are caught up in a tremendous storm.
Jane Kennedy, who served his late mother, Mary, Queen of Scots has been chosen to greet his bride, but the boat was caught up as well, and she drowned. Not an auspicious start ,which leads to rumours that Witchcraft was used to conjure up this storm.
King James the first was afraid of the power of Witchcraft. This fear manifested itself and led to women and some magicians being imprisoned, tortured, and burnt at the stake. The King decided to research the habits and customs of these unfortunates, and encourages the practice of witch hunting.
In 1590, 300 Scottish witches were tried for plotting the murder of their King. The North Berwick witch trials accused many of raising storms at sea to sink his ship and attempting to drown him. The King eventually published his research and findings upon the subject in a book, titled Daemonologie, which was published in 1597.
A very informative and somewhat gruesome account of torture measures and punishment exacted upon these so called witches.
I think King James needed to look closer to home for the cause of his guilty conscience, he was well known for enjoying the company of young men in his bed, this might have caused him greater torment instead.
My thanks to Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for my advanced copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A five star read. I will leave copies to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

Set in the sixteenth century Kronberg Denmark and Scotland.
Princess Anna daughter of the late King Frederick of Denmark and Norway, is to be betrothed to King James VI of Scotland.
Anna is being taught and prepared to be a good wife, and to unite the countries together.
How does young Anna feel about this? Does she have any choice?

I really enjoyed reading this historical fiction book which is based around some real characters, written from the point of view of the author how things could have happened and been perceived from a female perspective.
Three main female characters, Anna, Kirsten and Jura.
It has the witch craft and witch hunting of that era running throughout the book.
Such a good book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Foster's novel stands up to The Maiden: she's clearly carving herself a niche in this area, and doing it well. It's not *flawless* but I highly enjoyed it and I'll be recommending it to others!

Witch trials are already a tense, dramatic theme for a book. If you mix in James VI of Scotland; his paranoid but zealous approach to hunting witches down; his desire to implicate his cousin, Earl of Bothwell, in using witches to plot-(however fantastical and unlikely) ; the uncertainty surrounding his handfasting to the Danish Princess Anne and you have a totally gripping tale.

There are stormy waters in this book and reaching a safe harbour is never guaranteed The cast of characters are brilliantly drawn and the way the threads of each life are drawn together keeps you reaching for the next chapter. The lives of Kirsten and Jura were particularly intriguing - their stories are very immersive and you desperately want things to work out well for these characters.

Themes of resilience and the power of female bonds stand out.

A fantastic read that stays with you long after all the plot twists have played out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to review. I will be adding Kate Foster to my list of must-buy authors!

A really enjoyable read which begins with Princess Anna of Denmark's sea journey to Scotland after her handfasting to James VI of Scotland in 1589. It goes on to highlight the witch hunts prevalent in Scandinavia and Scotland around that time. I was aware of the North Berwick witch hunts but was very interested to find that similar persecutions were occurring in Scandinavia. As a midwife I've always been interested in the way women who heal are seen as a threat to men and the patriarchy in general. Kate Foster mixes fact and fiction very nicely to create a book which has no problem holding the readers interest and attention throughout. Her historical research appears thorough and any discrepancies are explained in her notes at the end. An excellent book that I'm happy to recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed "The Maiden" by Kate Foster so I was keen to support her latest work - "The King's Witches". Told from the perspectives of Anna of Denmark, her maid and a seemingly unconnected young woman, Jura in North Berwick, this weaves a wonderful story of Princess Anna's ill-fated trip across the sea to join her future husband, King James VI of Scotland. What I really liked is that it fills in many of the gaps for me regarding the witch trials of Europe and the UK. It mentions those of Trier which I've only recently heard of, the Scandinavian witches and how this mania travelled across to Scotland. It doesn't focus on the torture or burning side of the witch trials but focuses on just a few characters and how they narrowly avoid the pyre. The ending is quite satisfying too.

I, like so many, absolutely adored Kate's previous book The Maiden, and was so happy to see it placed on the longlist for the Women’s Prize for fiction. I was so eager to see her follow-up and this sounded really good.

For some reason, I did initially think it was going to be about Macbeth and the witches. I don't know why, as it doesn't say anywhere that it is, but that was my immediate assumption. I saw Scotland and royalty and witches and came up with Shakespeare. That would have been an interesting book to read but this book is no less stunning for not meeting my initial assumption.

Kate's grasp of historical writing is absolutely phenomenal. I love a historical novel, especially about strong women, and this is what she brings with great aplomb.

Whilst I'm very open as to who I read, and I love discovering new authors, there are certain authors I go to for specific things: Laura Purcell for gothic novels, Lisa Jewell for thrillers, Heidi Swain for romance, that sort of thing, and I think Kate has become my top author for historical novels, and that's only two books in!

You can really put yourself into this story. You can feel yourself there, smell the salt on the sea, hear the rumours flying down the corridors, see the world around you. It is all encompassing and you almost become one of the characters.

I admit I wasn't aware that Anne of Denmark was a real person, which makes this even more impressive, because not only does it need to be entertaining, it will need to be as historically accurate as possible, and from what I can tell (I did go into a Google black hole), she's mastered that well.

It is an historical novel obviously, but there's action and adventure, fantasy, magic, romance, thriller - it's got something for everyone. It's about royalty, witches, friendship, it's about strangers, family, love, fear, desire, secrets, and about control.

It is such a rich book, so full of depth on every page, with so many layers. She's got such a grasp on the human language to evoke feelings of love, fear, hate, peril, beauty, and jealousy. It is moving in so many different ways.

There are moments in this book that made me so angry. I know it was a different time, and in the 1500s men were King (literally and figuratively) and women did as they were told. But this goes beyond that, into the realms of torture and harm and it's rage inducing. I know it's only a book, but the idea of thee kind of things happening, you just wish you could enter their world and put a stop to it.

This is definitely a worthy follow-up of The Maiden. She needn't worry about whether the second novel will live up to the first. This is eery bit as fabulous and has really whet my appetite for more.

Princess Anna of Denmark is preparing for her handfasting to King James of Scotland and then her subsequent journey to Scotland. But before that she's taken to witness the burning of a suspected witch. Haunted by this, she has premonitions and the journey across the sea is perilous. Her lady in waiting Kirsten is acting secretive and has her own reasons for wanting to visit Scotland. And them we have Jura, a herbalist and cunning woman, like her mother, who works for the Kincaid family.
This fabulous novel is based on the North Berwick Witch Trials in 1590's. We feel the suffering of the accused, and the betrayal of those in power. This is a great read for people who love historical fiction and witchery. My first book from the author but I will be looking out for more of her books

Interesting blurb and nice cover. Unfortunately, the writing style of this book wasn't for me. Any story that has a historical background , I exoected to have a writing style and language according to the times where it happened and this one didn't deliver that for me.

“Women whisper secrets to each other; it is how we survive.”

Based in 1589, the story follows Princess Anna of Denmark and her maid Kirsten as she prepares to travel to wed King James I of Scotland. The horrendous sea crossing is blamed on witchcraft, which lights a fire in superstitious James I as he decides it’s all part of a supernatural plot to overthrow him.

Meanwhile, a young girl called Jura in North Berwick is surviving by her wits and the skills passed down by her mother’s skills of healing and charms to make some money - until she’s accused of witchcraft herself.

All three women’s lives are intrinsically linked, and I thought that Foster’s sensitive retelling of the North Berwick witch trials from the perspective of Anna, Kirsten and Jura women was clever and emotive.

A book about the witch trials was never going to be without some horror. I found Kate Foster’s depictions of powerful men’s often sinister motivations behind their investigations as well as James I’s own fascination and fear made such an important point - women’s power within the patriarchal structure has often been feared and oppressed, but the witch trials are a terrifying example.

Thank you to Mantle/Pan MacMillan for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I will post reviews on Instagram & Goodreads on 31 May and retail sites on publication day.

An interesting mixture of historical facts and fiction. The descriptions of the brutal torture and burning of so many innocent women (and some men) was very well done although obviously upsetting. The fictional characters and their stories were engaging and compelling.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

The Kings Witches by Kate Foster

An interesting and usual story based around the Witch trails in Scotland which took place in the sixteenth century.
We hear about 3 characters and learn just how easy it was at that time to been accused of witchcraft during that time in history where many places had the mass hypocrisy of putting names forward to those ( who were paid ) to conduct the trials.

“Feathers are for wishes, Stones for safe travels, Gold rings for the highest level of protection.”

This was a fantastic story to read. The stories about witchcraft and witches within Scotland and Denmark. The semi factual tales of king James the 6th.

The feelings I felt in the story were of anger, sadness, relief and almost betrayal.

The insight on the obsessions people had with witches and the ways they would get a confession (be it true confession or not).

Thank you NetGalley for the early access to this amazing read.

This was an engaging historical fiction novel, inspired by the 16th century Scottish witch trials.
The story follows three women, one of them a real person, Princess Anne of Denmark, and two fictional ones, Kirsten and Jura.

Princess Anne is on her way to Scotland to marry James VI, during the journey the fleet encounters a storm that appears to come out of nowhere, and most of the men decide that it was witchcraft. Meanwhile in Scotland there is the fear that the Earl of Bothwell is trying to use witchcraft to steal the throne. The problem with Anne as a character is that because she was a real person there is only so much you can do with her, Kirsten and Jura are much more interesting characters and I would like a book that focuses on their story more.

This is an excellent, well written book. I found it engaging and compelling throughout. I found myself wondering a number of times whether the intent was to create a connection between society now and then, and it seems I was correct. I had not encountered the writer before, so hadn't realised she tended to write from a feminist perspective. She weaves these connections beautifully and convincingly. Perhaps this was why I found the characters so believable and many times I was given pause for thought about the ways we are all ensnared in society's grasp, whatever gender we are. I had some knowledge of this time in history, and it was pleasing to be able to immerse myself in this depiction of it, and how it might have felt to those involved. I will certainly be looking out for any books she may write in future. Thank you for the opportunity to read The King's Witches, and to provide a review.