9780062299932
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House of Ivy & Sorrow audiobook

  • By: Natalie Whipple
  • Narrator: Brittany Pressley
  • Length: 8 hours 44 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperTeen
  • Publish date: April 15, 2014
  • Language: English
  • (2159 ratings)
(2159 ratings)
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House of Ivy & Sorrow Audiobook Summary

They say a witch lives in the old house under the bridge. . . .

What the residents of Willow’s End don’t know is that there are two witches living in the crumbling old house draped in ivy. Ancient, toothless Dorothea Hemlock . . . and her seventeen-year-old granddaughter, Josephine.

Jo has always managed to keep her magical life separate from her normal one. But now the mysterious Curse that killed her mother–and so many Hemlock witches before her–has returned. Soon Jo realizes that the life she’s fought to keep hidden could destroy the one she’s worked so hard to protect.

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House of Ivy & Sorrow Audiobook Narrator

Brittany Pressley is the narrator of House of Ivy & Sorrow audiobook that was written by Natalie Whipple

Natalie Whipple loves testing new concoctions in the kitchen, and sometimes pretends she's actually mixing potions instead. Her food has yet to curse anyone, which she supposes is a good thing. Along with cooking, Natalie loves anime, kdrama, drawing, and exercising (so she can eat more food). She lives in Utah with her three kids and husband.

About the Author(s) of House of Ivy & Sorrow

Natalie Whipple is the author of House of Ivy & Sorrow

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House of Ivy & Sorrow Full Details

Narrator Brittany Pressley
Length 8 hours 44 minutes
Author Natalie Whipple
Publisher HarperTeen
Release date April 15, 2014
ISBN 9780062299932

Additional info

The publisher of the House of Ivy & Sorrow is HarperTeen. The imprint is HarperTeen. It is supplied by HarperTeen. The ISBN-13 is 9780062299932.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Ben

May 22, 2014

I absolutely loved this story!So interesting, suspenseful and dark.I LOVE WITCHES!

Jess

March 29, 2017

4★ Audiobook⎮House of Ivy & Sorrow and I started out on the wrong foot, but eventually became good friends. The rocky start was mainly due to the fact that I was expecting something very different from this story, something deeper and darker. In reality, House of Ivy & Sorrow was much more flowery than it’s synopsis and [beautiful] cover initially lead me to believe.I was in the mood for something witchy and didn’t yet feel like sitting through 30 hours of Discovery of Witches, so I started House of Ivy & Sorrow, despite the mixed reviews. I also knew that it was narrated by Brittany Pressley, a solid narrator, in my eyes. What I wasn’t expecting was how incredibly (and almost painfully) YA parts of it would be.Don’t get me wrong, I love YA, but House of Ivy & Sorrow is on the lower end of the YA maturity scale. It reads like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but with magic thrown in. From my point of view, the characters and relationships were far too trope-ish for the plot. We’re talking basic, run-of-the-mill character stuff, which is a real shame because the plot itself deserved so much better.The matrilineal magical families and succubi-type villains kept me listening, despite the writing only being so-so. The back stories of these families were particularly intriguing and I wish they had been even further elaborated upon. By the 40% point, I thought I could probably finish the story and by the 50% point, I knew I had to finish it.The ending was a bit anti-climactic, but I’m still glad I decided to finish it. The further I got into it, the more I begin to appreciate the way the story was turning out, despite not being as engrossing as I had originally hoped. However, the lack of complexity made the story extremely easy to follow without becoming confused. Since most stories of this nature are part of a series, House of Ivy & Sorrow was a relatively quick and self-contained novel. It’s perfect for someone who enjoys tales of witches, but doesn’t care for anything especially dark. With that said, there were some not-quite-gripping (but almost) moments that propelled the story forward. If you go into this with the right mentality and knowing what to expect, House of Ivy & Sorrow is perfectly enjoyable.Narration review: Brittany Pressley, whom also narrated Kiera Cass’ The Selection series, provided beautiful narration for House of Ivy & Sorrow. Her vocal distinction has always been admirable, but what really brought these characters to life was the amount of emotion Pressley infused into her performance. Such an emotion-filled reading kept my attention and encouraged me to keep listening, even when the story lulled. ♣︎

Alyssa

July 31, 2014

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie WhipplePublisher: HarperTeenPublication Date: April 15, 2014Rating: 4 starsSource: eARC from EdelweissSummary (from Goodreads):Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.What I Liked:Well, I definitely did not expect to like this book as much as I did! I'm not a fan of witch-related books, to be honest, so I surprised myself by downloading this one in September. I can't say I regret it! I enjoyed this book, much to my surprise and pleasure. This book involves what people typically think of witches - with the cauldrons, spells, creepy house, etc. Jo lives with her grandmother, so that doesn't hurt the illusion either. But things start to get weird when a man shows up at the house (mansion? castle?), looking for Carmina - Jo's dead mother. But Jo's mother didn't just die - she was killed by the Curse, which sucked away her witch powers and killed her. But even weirder things are uncovered, and Jo must race against time to figure out what exactly is going on.One of the things that really impressed me was how "witchy" this story really was. There were spells and cauldrons and magical barriers and secrets and spiders and frog and eyes and all those typical things you think of when you think "witch"! I really liked that, because it's like going back to the "original" stuff, instead of dressing up the idea of a witch in the modern world. This is set in the modern-day, in case you weren't sure. One of the things that was horrible but fascinating was the way in which the witches bind someone to silence - if they allow a human to know about their existence and don't wipe their memories. I won't give it away, but it's gruesome. Those quirky (and sometimes horrible) things that made this witch story a real witch story was probably what kept me interested the entire time. The story was also very intriguing. Jo is trying to figure out what really happened to her mother ten years ago, with the Curse and the shadows. She and some other witch relatives comb through histories of the Hemlock family for a clue about the Curse. But there is a twist and turn at every page. A boy shows up - Levi - and he wants them to trust him, but everything about him is wrong. This book has a good amount of focus on friendship. One of Jo's friends, Kat, finds out about Jo and her grandmother being witches, and is allowed to keep her memories (but she has to go through the binding process). This makes Jo and Kat closer (naturally), but that makes their friend Gwen jealous. Yup, not only does Jo have to worry about staving off the Curse, shadows, and Levi, but she has to keep a social life going, keep up with her new boyfriend, and figure out what to do to help her family.Oh yes, there is a new boyfriend in the picture. Winn and Jo have liked each other for quite some time, but Winn grows a pair in the beginning of this book and asks her out. So, this romance is a little different, because the feelings already exist. The relationship itself grows, and it's really cute. And a tiny bit heartbreaking. And the climax and end is sad, but has its merits. I like the romance in this book (even if it is a bit predictable).Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The story was very good and the action was pretty nonstop. I'm happy with the character development, the romance, and the ending. It's a standalone novel, and Whipple definitely ended it that way. I'm really glad I gave this book a chance, despite usually disliking witch-related books! What I Did Not Like:There were definitely some parts of this book that were excessively predictable. Or, at least, for me, they seemed really predictable. I won't spoil anything, but I'll give you a few examples. The mystery man in the very beginning of the story? OF COURSE he is who we think he is. And Winn? OF COURSE he can't just be exactly who we want him to be. And Levi? OF COURSE he always has horribly crappy timing, and OF COURSE Winn always walks in on Levi and Jo. OF COURSE these things must happen that way, right? So utterly predictable.But, despite the predictability of some things in this book, I like this book a lot.Would I Recommend It:If you're looking for a paranormal fiction novel with a cute romance, then this is definitely a good one for you! I didn't think I would like it, because I'm not the biggest fan of witch-related books, but I'm glad I gave this book a chance. It doesn't hurt that Whipple's writing style had me interested and engaged throughout the story. So, if this seems like your type of read, then definitely go for it!Rating:4 stars. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected! Which is always a good thing, in my opinion. Natalie Whipple's novels are alright by me!

Trista

August 30, 2016

Josephine Hemlock is a witch who, along with her grandmother, has been hiding from the thing that killed her mother ten years ago. Just as things seem to be going perfectly for Jo, the magic barriers are strong, her grandmother agrees to stop interfering between her and her crush, said crush asks her out, a man shows up at her home looking for her mother. The Curse she's been hiding from is getting closer and Jo's not sure if she can protect everyone she loves.This book caught my attention right away with the opening paragraph. The spin on witch lore is really interesting and I found it hard to put the book down. The biggest problem I had was at times it moved a little too fast. I could still follow the plot without a problem but a little slower pace and more details might have given a clearer picture.I really liked the main character, Jo. She was a my life is what it is kind of girl. She had to keep secrets from her best friends, collect some pretty gross things for spells, and her grandmother liked to interfering when her crush got too close. Instead of being a brat and whining 'why me!', she just accepted it.I also really liked the friendship between Jo, Kat, and Gwen. It was nice to see female friendship getting more focus than romance(though there is a romance). It was easy to tell how much they all cared for each other. The romance between her and Winn was sweet but I found it a little hard to get overly invested in it. There was just so much other stuff going on that it took a backseat to other things I cared about more.The opening paragraph, as mentioned, was fantastic. It was something right out of a fairy tale. The world created was really interesting as well. It definitely showed the darker side of magic, how it isn't free and spells can't work without some sort of a sacrifice. This seems to be a stand-alone but if a companion was ever written following one of the other characters, I would definitely be interested.*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Angela

October 12, 2014

This was a fun witch story to read in October! It was filled with many of the typical witch/Halloween items and totally set the mood for my October.I really liked this story! I loved the characters and their thoughts/feelings/actions/reactions. It felt so right-on for a teenager. Not too juvenile, not too grown up. I loved the way the characters developed and/or were revealed throughout the story. Some things I totally expected or guessed, but it wasn't a problem. It was more of a "if this was a real teenager, this is what I expect to happen next" and then it did.The thing I loved most about this story was the magic! I loved how Jo knew how to use it. She wasn't bumbling around trying to figure it out, she wasn't being kept from using/knowing about it because she was "too young". She is a full-fledged practicing witch who only lacks the experience that comes from being older and using it more and thus learning more about it from that experience. But still, she has plenty of knowledge and experience to take care of pretty much anything that comes her way. I loved that aspect of the story! It freed up the characters and the story to move beyond the typical YA stories of teens who are restricted from doing something they could probably handle doing on their own.I also loved that the magic came with a cost and Jo and the other witches were constantly evaluating whether the cost is worth the magic. It was a continual theme throughout the story and I loved it. I guess I feel like we do too little of that in real life. As individuals and as society. What is the cost of an action? Is it worth it? Do we we want to pay the cost? Maybe it is the right thing to do, but there is still a cost.And finally, I loved that the characters all had decently good relationships with the adults in their life.

Angel

October 24, 2020

A story about witches. different then the normal witch. really enjoyed this young adult story.

Christine

April 24, 2014

Josephine Hemlock is a witch living in the modern world and with that comes responsibilities. She's not aloud to tell her two best friends anything about her magic, she's not allowed or shouldn't marry a man when she gets older, and biggest of all, she can't let the magic consume her. In Natalie Whipple's HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW, no magic is good magic and every spell comes with a price. After her mother was tragically killed by the Curse, Jo and her grandmother have been extra cautious about who they interact with. When a unknown man brings the Curse close to their doorstep, it's up to Jo, her grandmother, and some unlikely allies to figure out who started this Curse and how to stop it.HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW could be described as a light paranormal witchy read. While some aspects of the book where very dark and contained some cringe worthy spells, the majority of the book took on a lighter feel. And I was completely okay with that. I've seen a lot of people commenting on how it could have been a lot darker, more sinister, more scary. And while I do agree, I didn't think this book suffered because it wasn't. I enjoyed reading this book! Was it the best thing I've ever read? No, but I thought it was really well-written and it had me glued to the page until the very end. I bought this book and finished it within two days. I'm a huge sucker for witch stories so I was eating this one up.I liked the world Whipple created and her unique tastes on how witchcraft works. One of my favorite things about novels like this is seeing the author's interpretation of magic and spells and curses. I especially love when I see something done in a new and fresh way. When Jo is preparing a spell, she must not only include bizarre and rare items such as a mother-bear heart and golden eagle tears, but also must include something the witch has to sacrifice from herself. Sometimes it's losing the ability to see color for a week, giving up your voice for a few days, or even giving up a fingernail. I can't say that I've ever seen magic done this way and it was fun and worrisome to watch Jo and her grandma conjure these spells. The bigger the spell, the more the witch had to give up.The mystery behind the Curse is kept a mystery for the majority of the book. It's not really the who started it but the why that matters and how to ultimately stop it from cursing the Hemlock clan. I really enjoyed getting to watch Jo and her friends dig deep into the archives of witch history to try and figure out what was happening with this Curse. Lots of questions are raised and solutions go unanswered until a pivotal moment towards the end of the book. This book is all about Jo and her finding herself and her abilities to be a good witch, despite thinking she doesn't have the power like her grandmother and others before her. It's up to her to solve the problem and to fix it, and I loved that it stayed true to this plotline. There is a bit of a romance thrown in but thankfully it didn't take center stage, it was just the right amount! If you go into HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW with no expectations, I really think you could enjoy this book like I did!This review can be found at: The Bookish Daydreamer

Kathy

April 02, 2014

HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW was an excellent story about magic, love, and friendship. Jo Hemlock is the only surviving Hemlock witch besides her grandmother. She lost her mother to a Curse that has been killing witches for generations. When her grandmother is Cursed, Jo has to do all she can to find a way to break the Curse. Assisting her are her best friends, non-witches, Beth and Kat. She is also aided by a mysterious boy named Levi that she really can't trust and by her boyfriend Winn who is also keeping secrets from her.I loved the combination of everyday teenage life with the well-developed system of witchcraft that Ms. Whipple developed. In this theory, all magic is potentially black magic and the only difference is in the witch. Will she control the magic or be consumed by it? And only women have magic. It is passed down from mother to daughter. Witches don't marry. And all magic has costs. When Jo's father finds her grandmother and her, Jo begins to learn about her mother's relationship with him. Of course, he was sent by the evil magician who wants to kill all the Hemlocks and drink their magic. This story was engaging and the characters were well-drawn. Fans of magic, friendship, and romance will really enjoy this title.

Jodi

October 27, 2014

Official comments: Heartwarming, dangerous, and enchanting: Natalie Whipple’s HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW offers a delicious tale filled with sacrifice, a terrifying villain, and so many people I’d love to call friends. It’s better than pudding!

Heidi

February 21, 2018

This book was absolutely adorable!

Lizz

November 08, 2015

i love books where the main character isnt an idiot. 'Nuff said

Dark Faerie Tales

January 25, 2014

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: This was a refreshing YA paranormal read with great characters, cute romance, and a fun plot. This is a perfect read for fans of the Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White.Opening Sentence: They say a witch lives in the old house under the interstate bridge.The Review:Josephine Hemlock is a witch, and she comes from a long line of witches. Magic is passed down from daughter to daughter and kept a secret from all outsiders. Only females can be born with magic, so witches only procreate girls to carry on their lines. They draw their magic from the earth and in certain areas it is much more abundant. If a spot is found that contains magic it is claimed by a witching family and bound to stay in that line forever, or until the line dies out. Jo’s family has lived in the same house for generations and it generates tons of magic. Many witching families would love to be able to claim it as their own, but first the Hemlock line will have to be destroyed.Jo’s mother was killed by a dark curse when she was a little girl. So now there is only Jo and her grandmother left in the Hemlock line. They never found the person that cursed her mother and it seems that after all this time they have returned to finish off the rest of the family. While trying to save her family Jo must juggle her normal life as well. Keeping secrets from her best friends has just been a part of her life, but it has never been easy. Not to mention she has finally has her very first boyfriend. Trying to figure out the whole girlfriend thing is hard enough, now she has to protect Winn and all her friends from an unknown enemy that would do anything to take everything away from Jo. Will she be strong enough to save everyone she loves or will she share her mothers fate?Josephine is just one of those girls you can’t help but love. Full of compassion for others and just a super sweet person. But she also has spunk and attitude, so she was in no way a boring character. It was fun to watch her fall in love for the first time and all that comes with that. She is actually a pretty diverse character since she has to juggle her two worlds and keep so many secrets from some of her best friends. I found her easy to connect with and I loved being inside her head.Thinking about Winn just makes me smile. He is one of those guys that is just a genuine sweetheart. He treats everyone with respect and even though he is devastatingly gorgeous he doesn’t use that as an excuse to be a jerk. He has a humble personality and was someone that I could easily like. One of the things that made me relate to him was that he grew up as a farm boy and had worked hard his whole life. I grew up in Idaho so he reminded me a lot of some of the boys I knew when I was younger. He was the perfect love interest for Jo and I thought their romance was sweet.House of Ivy and Sorrow is a wonderful paranormal story. It is a really easy read and I breezed right through it. The magic and setting were unique and drew me in. The characters were cute and easy to relate to. There is just something lite and refreshing about Whipple’s writing. She has a way of making things fun and entertaining without overdoing it. Her writing reminds me a lot of Kiersten White in the way that her stories are simple, yet so engaging. So far I have completed adored everything Whipple has written and will be picking up whatever she comes out with next. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a great clean YA paranormal read.Notable Scene:My dad goes limp, but the battle has just begun. I stand, my legs brittle like raven bones, and concentrate on pushing the darkness away from me. It jumps back, but it’s strong and persistent. I’m not sure I’ll have enough magic to get rid of it all. And worse, I swear it knows me. I don’t know what that means but I don’t like it. Without a noise, it tells me how badly it wants me.It wants to consume.It wants to hear me scream.It will enjoy every second it tortures me.No. Scare tactics won’t work on me. I’m the one with the power here. Taking deep breaths, I draw on the magic in the tree and force the black away from my body. Slowly, slowly, it retreats. I can see my father on the ground, the soft swinging of the willow branches, the light peeking through the vines. The darkness swirls in front of me, like a storm cloud twisted up on itself.FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of House of Ivy & Sorrow. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Kirsty-Marie

May 21, 2014

I was pleasantly surprised with The House of Ivy and Sorrow, after Transparency, which let's say, I hated didn't really like all that much. Probably since it was being compared to X-Men, and it didn't even come close, and I'm very protective of X-Men. It's serious, okay? And since The House of Ivy and Sorrow had nothing to even remotely to do with that, what the hell?And I enjoyed it. (I know.)In a way, it really reminded me of Charmed, it had that feel and atmosphere to it, don't get me wrong, it's not Charmed, and besides that feeling of comradeship and family, and potions, it is different. There was a shaky bit in the beginning where I thought I wasn't going to like it, but it proves that sometimes if you carry on, you'll find yourself actually loving it. It's not a heavy read, and didn't have much weight to it, which is why it's not a perfect rating.It had this overall light feeling to it, fun and cutesy, especially moments with Winn, and in that way, also reminds me of, you know that film Twitches with Tia &Tamera Mowry (that I only just found out was a book series. You learn something new everyday, people) It has that fun comic feeling, which was refreshing to read. Especially the magic and witchy part of it, it's pretty unique in itself. It's not to do with magic and power as such as they create and pull magic from the earth, a place, instead of having the magic already there inside you. If they brew a potion, or use magic for a spell, their magic drains and they have to replenish it. It's not this endless supply.And, to be absolutely cheesy, it definitely Charmed me. (I'm so imaginative.)The characters were charismatic and solid, you could really sense the character's relationships, especially our main character, Josephine and her grandmother, who helped raise her, who brought her up after her mother died. It was nice to see an actual positive relationship with a parent figure, since we all know how most YA like to play out. Then there's the relationship with her best friends, Kate and Gwen, though being side-characters, they were present and very much there, yes we didn't get to know them as much as I wanted, well, we didn't get to know them too much all, but they didn't seem flat. They had flare. In some places I wanted there to be just...something else there.In some revelations, things just felt too easy, especially when it came to Joseph, I expected that to be when things got a little more serious, a little more emotion, a little more depth. So, it lacked that extra little thing that could've made a lot of difference. Besides that, I really did like Josephine, she's a likeable person....I wouldn't call her stupid in the beginning, but more naive and stubborn, since a whole lot of the little annoying things in the plot could've been sorted out a lot sooner.Speaking of, again, the plot itself needed a little more, too. There was so much build-up and so much fear to create the intensity of the it, that it fell flat on the outcome. One minute things were hopeless and the next it got sorted rather coincidentally and quickly. Things magically sorted into place and the end.While I did enjoy House of Ivy and Sorrow, and I loved some aspects that were refreshing to its genre, and with a charismatic characters, it lacked the something that could've made it great.~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.~-----Review originally posted on Studio Reads

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