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Witch in the Wind
A winter storm blows through Salem, Massachusetts, setting young witch Alexander MacBeth on a perilous path to adulthood as his dying mother gifts him an heirloom and pleads for him to use it to survive.
To do so, he will need to perfect his inherited witchcraft to protect himself from those who want him dead. In his journey to adulthood, he falls in love with dashing nobleman Crispin Nottingham. Abandoned by Crispin and pursued by the Puritans, he finds he must harness the wind to assist his escape and flee his homeland aboard a pirate ship led by the handsome captain, Henri the Twisted.
Struggling against distrustful pirates, an evil witch, and his continued longing for Crispin, Alexander sharpens his magical skills and falls into a romance with Henri. Chaos and danger confront him at every turn, even as he searches for love and belonging. A new sail on the horizon may signal hope or more danger than ever before—if Alexander can survive to meet his future.
To do so, he will need to perfect his inherited witchcraft to protect himself from those who want him dead. In his journey to adulthood, he falls in love with dashing nobleman Crispin Nottingham. Abandoned by Crispin and pursued by the Puritans, he finds he must harness the wind to assist his escape and flee his homeland aboard a pirate ship led by the handsome captain, Henri the Twisted.
Struggling against distrustful pirates, an evil witch, and his continued longing for Crispin, Alexander sharpens his magical skills and falls into a romance with Henri. Chaos and danger confront him at every turn, even as he searches for love and belonging. A new sail on the horizon may signal hope or more danger than ever before—if Alexander can survive to meet his future.
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Published June 11, 2024
56 people want to read
About the author
Damian Serbu
13 books132 followersDamian Serbu lives in the Chicago area with his husband and two dogs, Akasha and Chewbacca. The dogs control his life, tell him what to write, and threaten to eat him in the middle of the night if he disobeys. He has published The Vampire’s Angel, The Vampire’s Quest, The Bachmann Family Secret, The Vampire’s Witch, The Vampire’s Protégé, and The Vampire’s War, as well as Santa’s Kinky Elf, Simon and Santa Is a Vampire. Keep up with him at www.DamianSerbu.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 11, 2024
In 1692, a young Alexander MacBeth lived on a farm in Salem with his Mother and Father. He took to hiding in the loft with a small doll his Mother made for him long ago. He hid the doll from his Father. At thirteen, he had memory of his Mother and the lessons she taught him. One important lesson was to just “survive” and never let anyone know of his powers. Alexander took interest in his Mothers crystal orb. She told him he had powers in his blood from his grandparents. The powers were to be used for good.
Alexander watched as the sheriff, ministers and Puritans killed his parents. His mother was betrayed by her brother Bartholomew, as a witch. He was removed from the farm and made to live with his Uncle Bartholomew at the run down mill. He was abused and treated as a slave and his families old farm deteriorated with time.
Lord Crispin Nottingham, under orders from the Governor came to look out for the ward of the state, Alexander. His Uncle refused legal custody, being afraid of witch craft. Lord Crispin came with a deal that the mill would be invested in and he would come to check on Alexander. As Crispin came to check on Alex often, feelings became apparent.
Whenever Alexander could get away into the forest he would practice his powers. He would practice to perfection and control to be a full fledge witch. There were times when Alexander would take the horse and a bit of money and go to Boston to see Crispin. He loved the freedom from the abuse and the mill. But he needed to be careful and not get caught as it was considered stealing, even though the horse was from his farm. As Alexander heard stories of pirates that controlled the Caribbean, stole from merchant ships and were unafraid of the His Majesty’s Navy, he grew curious.
Then one day Lord Crispin came and told Alex the truth about, his visits, the investment, the failing mill and his witchcraft. What hurt the most was Crispin’s denial of their relationship. When Alexander went to Boston again to see Crispin, he came face to face with the evil Portia Nottingham, Crispin’s mother.
Even though the Royal Governor had set the rule that there were to be no more witch trials or accusations, Alexander found himself being plotted against. His Uncle and the same Puritans that killed his parents and Portia Nottingham were determined to see him dead.
As an incident took place Crispin never believed Alexander. Alexander had to face the changes that were now taking place in Crispin’s life and he had to no longer think about Crispin and the love that he had for him.
Now in his early twenties, Alexander found a way to escape those who conspired against him with a sure death. He was accepted by Captain Henri and the pirate crew of All Hallows Eve. He sailed the seas from Massachusetts to Florida, the Caribbean, Windward Passage, Bahamas and Tortuga Isles. His home was now the sea and his
family became the pirates, but not all were friendly. He was able to use his powers and the crystal and it was kept secret by Capt. Henri and first mate Spittal. Alexander became good friends with Spittal and King James, he was loyal and kept their secret. But one day of trading in a port, brought a story of someone seeking out a particular ship and certain persons. It will force Alexander to make a decision of love and heartbreak.
Damian Serbu takes readers on an adventure of the high seas with “Witch in the Wind.” It’s filled with action, witch craft, black magic, danger, hatred, times of celebration and two points of view on romance. The tale follows Alexander from Salem 1692 to 1700 in the Caribbean. It not only reflects the sad life of Alexander and how he did his best to save himself, but his choice to survive in a new life on the sea and the ways of the pirates. Alexander also had to face homophobia and the religious fanatics, that also would not obey the laws of the government. He also experienced love for two men, who were very different. Even though Crispin turned his back on Alexander, he also neglected to see the ways of his mother, Portia, until it was too late. Capt. Henri and Spittal too, will have to make decisions and keep secrets with their life as pirates.
I highly recommend “Witch in the Wind” this high seas adventure that I was immersed in from the very beginning. I never read the original story “The Pirate Witch” published in 2014, but “Witch in the Wind” is a more extensive version of it. I’ve read Serbu’s series “The Realm of the Vampire Council” which I liked, and thought “Witch in the Wind” was a very good change. Not disappointed at all and glad that Damian Serbu decided to revise this novel. I hope he has more exciting novels to come.
Alexander watched as the sheriff, ministers and Puritans killed his parents. His mother was betrayed by her brother Bartholomew, as a witch. He was removed from the farm and made to live with his Uncle Bartholomew at the run down mill. He was abused and treated as a slave and his families old farm deteriorated with time.
Lord Crispin Nottingham, under orders from the Governor came to look out for the ward of the state, Alexander. His Uncle refused legal custody, being afraid of witch craft. Lord Crispin came with a deal that the mill would be invested in and he would come to check on Alexander. As Crispin came to check on Alex often, feelings became apparent.
Whenever Alexander could get away into the forest he would practice his powers. He would practice to perfection and control to be a full fledge witch. There were times when Alexander would take the horse and a bit of money and go to Boston to see Crispin. He loved the freedom from the abuse and the mill. But he needed to be careful and not get caught as it was considered stealing, even though the horse was from his farm. As Alexander heard stories of pirates that controlled the Caribbean, stole from merchant ships and were unafraid of the His Majesty’s Navy, he grew curious.
Then one day Lord Crispin came and told Alex the truth about, his visits, the investment, the failing mill and his witchcraft. What hurt the most was Crispin’s denial of their relationship. When Alexander went to Boston again to see Crispin, he came face to face with the evil Portia Nottingham, Crispin’s mother.
Even though the Royal Governor had set the rule that there were to be no more witch trials or accusations, Alexander found himself being plotted against. His Uncle and the same Puritans that killed his parents and Portia Nottingham were determined to see him dead.
As an incident took place Crispin never believed Alexander. Alexander had to face the changes that were now taking place in Crispin’s life and he had to no longer think about Crispin and the love that he had for him.
Now in his early twenties, Alexander found a way to escape those who conspired against him with a sure death. He was accepted by Captain Henri and the pirate crew of All Hallows Eve. He sailed the seas from Massachusetts to Florida, the Caribbean, Windward Passage, Bahamas and Tortuga Isles. His home was now the sea and his
family became the pirates, but not all were friendly. He was able to use his powers and the crystal and it was kept secret by Capt. Henri and first mate Spittal. Alexander became good friends with Spittal and King James, he was loyal and kept their secret. But one day of trading in a port, brought a story of someone seeking out a particular ship and certain persons. It will force Alexander to make a decision of love and heartbreak.
Damian Serbu takes readers on an adventure of the high seas with “Witch in the Wind.” It’s filled with action, witch craft, black magic, danger, hatred, times of celebration and two points of view on romance. The tale follows Alexander from Salem 1692 to 1700 in the Caribbean. It not only reflects the sad life of Alexander and how he did his best to save himself, but his choice to survive in a new life on the sea and the ways of the pirates. Alexander also had to face homophobia and the religious fanatics, that also would not obey the laws of the government. He also experienced love for two men, who were very different. Even though Crispin turned his back on Alexander, he also neglected to see the ways of his mother, Portia, until it was too late. Capt. Henri and Spittal too, will have to make decisions and keep secrets with their life as pirates.
I highly recommend “Witch in the Wind” this high seas adventure that I was immersed in from the very beginning. I never read the original story “The Pirate Witch” published in 2014, but “Witch in the Wind” is a more extensive version of it. I’ve read Serbu’s series “The Realm of the Vampire Council” which I liked, and thought “Witch in the Wind” was a very good change. Not disappointed at all and glad that Damian Serbu decided to revise this novel. I hope he has more exciting novels to come.
June 28, 2024
I didn't know what to expect of this book, since pirate stories haven't been high on my reading list. However, this one was highly entertaining. It made me look at pirates in a different light; the magical elements and the twists in the story kept me constantly guessing how it would end. (I guessed wrong, by the way.) I recommend this story to lovers of pirates or witches, and anyone else who loves historical fiction.
November 17, 2024
Not Your Typical Tale
I've read pirate tales and paranormal romances, but this was my first pirate witch story. It took me beyond the typical swashbuckling pirate or Salem witch. It was a unique blend of life in the 1700s along the East coast of America and into the Caribbean.
I've read M/M romances, but I wasn't prepared for the explicit descriptions. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of overly salacious anything, despite the orientation. I was happy the sexual encounters grew tamer while the romance seemed to amp up as the book went on. I think the content was fitting, but I would've appreciated it being less lascivious.
I enjoyed the characters Alexander and Spittle. Their relationship gave an honest and caring connection that enriched the reading experience. The author had a lot of honesty in all the relationships, but I guess this is the one that resonated with me the most because they lived without expectation or gain.
Do I recommend this book? That's hard to answer with a yes or no. My simplest answer is if you can handle rather descriptive sex scenes, yes. If you're expecting a magically-charged pirate action battle fest on the high seas like I did, no. There is action, but this is definitely more of a steamy coming-of-age M/M romance. Not the sword fighting I expected.
I've read pirate tales and paranormal romances, but this was my first pirate witch story. It took me beyond the typical swashbuckling pirate or Salem witch. It was a unique blend of life in the 1700s along the East coast of America and into the Caribbean.
I've read M/M romances, but I wasn't prepared for the explicit descriptions. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of overly salacious anything, despite the orientation. I was happy the sexual encounters grew tamer while the romance seemed to amp up as the book went on. I think the content was fitting, but I would've appreciated it being less lascivious.
I enjoyed the characters Alexander and Spittle. Their relationship gave an honest and caring connection that enriched the reading experience. The author had a lot of honesty in all the relationships, but I guess this is the one that resonated with me the most because they lived without expectation or gain.
Do I recommend this book? That's hard to answer with a yes or no. My simplest answer is if you can handle rather descriptive sex scenes, yes. If you're expecting a magically-charged pirate action battle fest on the high seas like I did, no. There is action, but this is definitely more of a steamy coming-of-age M/M romance. Not the sword fighting I expected.
June 24, 2024
Serbu has long been on my list of authors to read, and I finally had a chance.
Witch in the Wind is a historical fantasy tale following the Salem-born Alexander, the development of his witch abilities, and the unlikely and tumultuous relationship he forms with Crispin. There are barriers and hurdles to overcome, family drama, professional difficulties, and prejudices against his supernatural powers.
All these obstacles pull Alexander to a life as a pirate witch, in the Caribbean sea, becoming the bunkmate of the pirate captain Henri.
Pirate life is difficult, violent, and dangerous, but Alex's travels lead back to his first love.
Serbu creates a wonderful world that will slip you back into the past of puritanical America. The love story is heart-warming, but the pirate life and high adventure on the seas are as tawdry and delicious as you'd expect.
Get your hands on a Serbu novel. I'll be sure to pick up his vampire books next!
Witch in the Wind is a historical fantasy tale following the Salem-born Alexander, the development of his witch abilities, and the unlikely and tumultuous relationship he forms with Crispin. There are barriers and hurdles to overcome, family drama, professional difficulties, and prejudices against his supernatural powers.
All these obstacles pull Alexander to a life as a pirate witch, in the Caribbean sea, becoming the bunkmate of the pirate captain Henri.
Pirate life is difficult, violent, and dangerous, but Alex's travels lead back to his first love.
Serbu creates a wonderful world that will slip you back into the past of puritanical America. The love story is heart-warming, but the pirate life and high adventure on the seas are as tawdry and delicious as you'd expect.
Get your hands on a Serbu novel. I'll be sure to pick up his vampire books next!
May 1, 2025
Serbu successfully combines two subgenres – magic/witchcraft and nautical/pirate adventure – in Witch in the Wind. I enjoyed Alexander as a character and their developing relationship felt authentic and romantic. Readers will also see parallels of homophobia and witchcraft as being feared by radical religious ideals, which was a unique twist. Since the story takes place over six years or so, readers get to see Alexander’s growth – both with his magic and as a character.
This book loses points for lack of world building and fleshed out magic system. We understand that witchcraft is genetic but we have no explanation as to why Alexander holds power over the wind vs literally any other power or element. The story and world that the author created has so much potential, so I would still encourage others to check this one out.
In-depth book review: https://cantinabookclub.com/review/wi...
Podcast interview with Damian Serbu:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Etr...
YouTube: https://youtu.be/P2E_V_7Endw?si=MlJQs...
This book loses points for lack of world building and fleshed out magic system. We understand that witchcraft is genetic but we have no explanation as to why Alexander holds power over the wind vs literally any other power or element. The story and world that the author created has so much potential, so I would still encourage others to check this one out.
In-depth book review: https://cantinabookclub.com/review/wi...
Podcast interview with Damian Serbu:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Etr...
YouTube: https://youtu.be/P2E_V_7Endw?si=MlJQs...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews