Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Based on all the good, witchy books that are coming out this year, 2020 seems to be year of the witches. And you know what? I’m digging it. I’m 100% in favor of this. More witchy things! More magic! More blood! More sacrifice! Obviously, that’s what immediately attracted me to this book, because who can resist witches + Celtic mythology + a protagonist with OCD? It’s just such a winning combination.

Witches of Ash and Ruin is full of dark, witchy goodness, with roots in Celtic mythology, lots of spells being cast, and a serial killer running rampant. I came for the mythology, stayed for the mystery.

I had such a hard time rating this one, because the book felt vastly different between the first 35% or so and then the rest of the book. The beginning dragged for me. There were some dark elements that definitely grabbed my attention, but I struggled to connect and get into the story and it took me, like, a week to hit the 35% mark. Around there, though, it grabbed me so hard that I couldn’t put it down and read the rest in one day. How do you rate that?! I dunno. Three bananas, a horseshoe, and half a lollipop. There you go. That’s my rating. *throws hands up and walks away*

What my rating really boils down to is this has been published and marketed seemingly as a standalone, and it really … isn’t. Or needs to not be.

As part of a series? I’d raise my rating to four stars. If, at some point, it’s announced that more books are coming out, I’ll amend my rating. But as a standalone? I’m gonna call it at three stars.

My Thoughts:

- Here, there are witches, my lovelies! Let’s be honest, that’s really what I showed up for, in large part, because … witches. But honestly, it’s so much more than witches, and there’s this weird/interesting interplay between witches and Celtic gods and goddesses, which I just loved and thought was interesting. And these witches are unapologetically witchy. Glorgiously witchy. There’s also all the warm, bubbly feels that come with a coven of strong women who have each other’s back, and I enjoyed that dynamic very much.

- If you’re familiar with Celtic mythology, you might recognize some of the names of these gods. If not, you won’t learn a whole lot about the mythology, but you’ll get a place to start researching. The Celtic mythology was a big selling point for me, and I was a little disappointed with the fact that it wasn’t really explored all that much. Yes, there were Celtic goddesses mentioned and worshiped and prayed to (and spell chants are in what I assume was Gaelic), but they were basically just name-dropped, and they could’ve been called anything else and it wouldn’t have really changed anything.

- Latimer does a great job of creating a dark, sinister atmosphere that fits the serial killer vibe perfectly. The foreshadowing, while a bit on the nose at times, did a great job of creating a tense, charged feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. And boy did it ever. It took a little while for the mystery to really get under way, but by the time the first kill was made, I was hooked. This book isn’t a murder mystery, per se, but there are quite a few mysteries in it. Who the murderer is, is not a mystery, as he has a point of view. However, his motive and how it connects to witches and, in particular, this coven unfolds little by little, and I was eager to find out more with every new development.

- There is all sorts of representation in this book for mental health problems, and I appreciated that. Both the protagonist and the love interest have OCD, and we often get to see both panic attacks and coping mechanisms. More than that, though, there’s also some psychosis (not in a positive light, and not handled well by the characters, but there’s a reason for this that’s critical to the plot), and dementia.

- There’s an F/F romance, and while it didn’t fully work for me the way it played out, I can see it being a draw for some people. This was really a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, it felt like the romance was being primed for an enemies-to-lovers trope, but it felt … off. The enemies part was well founded, and then all of a sudden … they weren’t anymore. That being said … I think it was just a case of not having proper time for the romance to develop for me. Because goodness knows I love my slow burns, especially with hate-to-love. I can see how this would be an awesome pairing, and I’m certain some people will like it. Heck, I would be all for it if the circumstances were slightly different. I just didn’t feel like there was enough time for it to actually develop.

Sticking Points:

- I don’t know if this book is supposed to be a series, but nowhere is it marketed as or claimed to be a series. But really, this is book one of a series. Any reservations I had about a four-star rating immediately dropped by the time I hit the ending and realized nothing was resolved, and I was leaving the book with more questions than I entered it with. In every way, this reads as a first book in a series, including not actually wrapping anything up AND with a cliffhanger ending. It’s not listed as a series, as far as I can tell, anywhere. But this book? Screams of first book in a trilogy. It does not work as a standalone, in my opinion. In fact, the ending very intentionally opens up a whole new arc and potential plot for a second book, so … color me confused?

- I just … didn’t connect to any of these characters. I think it was because there were so many of them, and I spent most of the time trying to remember who was who. There are FIVE point-of-view characters, one of whom completely disappears at the end. Each point-of-view character obviously comes with their own case of side characters. It was … a lot. I’m not against large ensemble casts, but each of them needs to be unique and memorable for me to be able to tell them apart, and that just didn’t happen here.

- This book suffered from trying to do too many things all at once, in my opinion. This book was ambitious, and I have to say that I don’t think it fully pulled it off. It tried to do a lot, and I enjoyed most of it, but I kept getting lost in places, and I think it was because it just wasn’t as cohesive as it could have been. Remember, there are five points of view, and since these are rounded characters, they’re each facing more than just the immediate Butcher problems. Which means each of the five characters have other subplots going on. This is one of those cases of Jack of all trades, master of none. Some of these are powerful, important topics, but adding all of them diluted the ability to really delve into any one of them.

- I have soooo many freaking questions still. I don’t even know where to start. This goes back to the fact that this doesn’t work as a standalone. But more than that, the plot was so convoluted and ambitious that I’m not sure it fully made the connections it intended to. There’s a lot of foreshadowing in this book, which I loved, but it left a lot of things hanging, at the same time, that were just hinted at and not explained. This may not bother some people, but I really wanted an explanation, darn it. I don’t need things spelled out, but I don’t want this many loose threads blowing in the wind still.

'Witches of Ash & Ruin' is a thrilling new young adult fantasy full of magic, witches, and Celtic mythology. I've had this book on my wishlist for months now, waiting until it finally released so I could get my hands on it. It's one of my most anticipated titles for this year and I will admit that I had really high hopes going into reading it. The description sounded amazing - modern witchcraft intertwined with ancient Celtic mythology and it's a mystery/thriller with murder? It sounded almost too good to be true and I really hoped I wouldn't be disappointed when I finally had the chance to read it. I can now happily say that this surprised me in a lot of ways - great ones. It was actually better than I had hoped and anticipated, which doesn't happen very often. I can honestly say that it's going to be one of my favorite books of the year. Maybe an all-time favorite.

There's so much happening in this story. A small Irish town with a hardcore church and reverend, practicing witches, Celtic mythology, murder, mystery, and diverse characters - some LGBTQ and one that even has mental health issues. That's just a super brief overview of some of the things you'll find throughout this story. I don't do spoilers in my reviews so I can't really talk much more about the plot without giving anything away on accident. I'll just say that I was immediately sucked into this world and I absolutely loved every single second of it. I completely lost myself in the pages of this book and didn't want it to end. It's one of those rare books that you love so much that you will rant on and on about it just to attempt to get someone to understand why it's so amazing and why you love it so much. I'm really trying not to do that now and I apologize if it happens a little bit.

There are multiple main characters in the story - five to be exact. We have quite an assortment between the group and there's definitely at least one character that any reader will connect with. I connected with several of them, which only made me love them and the story all the more. Each of the characters is incredibly complex and realistic. They all have strengths and weaknesses, flaws and faults, and distinct personalities that made them come alive. As I mentioned earlier, there are a couple LGBTQ characters and the story doesn't shy away from that topic. Also, one of the characters has mental health problems - mainly OCD and anxiety - and that topic is talked about too. I love that the author didn't shy away from these aspects of the story and that they're written about in a very realistic way. I personally suffer from several anxiety disorders, which made it super easy for me to connect with Dayna (the character with mental health issues). The way the author describes her panic attacks, her thinking before and during an attack, and just the way that she deals and lives with it really struck me. It was spot on, which is hard to find in books that deal with these issues. I don't know about the LGBTQ aspect personally, but I thought it was written about in the same realistic and personal way. Anyways - the characters were all very realistic and I absolutely loved getting to know each of them throughout the book. The secondary characters were well rounded too and realistic, which I don't find very often - especially with books containing multiple narrators.

Lastly, I have to talk about the writing style. I personally love the first person point of view and believe that almost every book should be written this way. The author wrote this story in the third person POV from five different perspectives. I completely understand why this was done - confusion because of all the main characters, etc. But the thing that really got me was that I didn't mind it at all. Normally a book written in the third person gets a lower rating because of how much I don't like the style. With this book, I was so wrapped up in the story, the various awesome aspects, and the characters - that I didn't even care what style it was done in. I got invested in the characters and the entire story that I lost track of everything. It has to take some really amazing writing to make me forget about things that are usually important to my reading experience. I'm trying not to ramble but I can feel it happening anyway. In conclusion: this book is amazing. Every single thing about it is epic and fantastically done. If any of these genres or topics interest you then you need to read a copy of this book. Now.

I loved this book so much. This is one of those books where I knew within the first 15 pages it was a new favorite. I loved the writing, the way different perspectives were used, the world building, the complex character relationships, the mythology. All of it. So good.

I really tried with this one, but sometimes, you just have to admit that a book isn't for you and throw in the towel. I made it about one-third in, but there were just too many narrators and the narrative felt really choppy and didn't grab me at all. A book about teen witches set in Ireland sounded right up my alley, but the setting felt kind of bland and like it could have been anywhere. But this is a very personal opinion, and your mileage may vary.

I am in love with everything about this book! This is grown-up Charmed* with a murder mystery to die for.

We follow Dayna and several other characters (this is multiple POV) in a small, conservative Irish town. Add in a world of witches, black magic and death we have one of my favourite books of the year so far. I love anything to do with witches, and this book absolutely 100% satiated my cravings. The plot continued to drive forward; it never halted, so it was never, ever dull. I continued to flip page after page as if it was my own personal book of shadows. This book might actually be my book of shadows.

Characters are so three-dimensional that even with this fantasy world of witches, it felt insanely real. Real issues that made me relate, so I appreciated the representations of many of the characters. It wouldn't have worked if it wasn't so beautifully written. Extremely strong prose AND real characters AND fantasy world. Yep, I didn't think we could have it all, but this has made a believer out of me.

If I could cast a spell and get you all to buy this book and read it, then I'm casting it right now with some blood magic and a full moon. You'll thank me later.

*If Charmed included more diverse characters, that is. It's not 'really' like Charmed besides witches. And yes, I'm talking about the OG Charmed, not the fake that's currently on The CW.

This is original in a world full of teen witch stories. I enjoyed the story telling style most. It is so unusual and took me a journey! I can't wait to share this with my students!

This book sounded like a great mashup of Sabrina, Discovery of witches and shades of magic. But it felt like exactly that. The main character was a little annoying and overly self involved. It was jumping povs a lot, which personally I was not enjoying for this book. I was not able to completely finish this book. Some people may love it but it was not for me.

I enjoyed the story. The narrative was well done. The characters were well written. It hit all the points for a great story. My attention was maintained the entire time. I LOVED it.

Witches and LGBTQ characters sign me up!

I loved this book. I loved the representation. If I had any complaint it is that there were too many viewpoints. One of the viewpoints completely fell off the face of the earth by the end of the story. However I will still recommend this book to YA readers.

Thank you to Netgalley for an earc of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Updated :

Say it with me... Queer 👏 Witches 👏 Mix that with Celtic mythology and my friends, we have a winner! @elatimerwrites has done what I’ve been begging for, for a long time. There was no dramatic coming out story (which don’t get me wrong, is great but has its time and place), there was no teenage drama that makes you cringe. Instead it was full of queerness, angst, and even tackles mental disorders! I applaud her so much and highly encourage you to pick this book up. (The audio is just as great if that’s your thing!)


Witches of ash and ruin is one of the best books I’ve read in 2020. From queer characters to witches; witch hunters to some gnarly rituals, this book is everything I needed and more.

I’m even though it’s YA there was not an abundance of teenage drama which makes this book incredible! I loved the main character and her potential love interest. Enemies to lovers is always a favorite trope.

Easy to read and will have you begging for more.

Witches of Ash and Ruin, by E. Latimer: I enjoyed reading this book overall. Dayna Walsh is a compelling main character, and I found the exploration of somatic OCD to be well-done. It's an important thing to bring to light and I'm glad it was handled with sensitivity.

Everyone get ready because I’m going to be throwing this book left and right at everyone!! Witches of Ash and Ruin was honestly everything that I wanted in a book about witches and ancient celtic mythology. No one tell American horror story : Coven but…this book gave me e v e r y t h i n g I’ve ever wanted in a story about a coven of witches. It was also the perfect mixture of murder mystery and spookiness!

I want to first talk about the overall spookiness level of this book – it was um how do you say, spooktacular! If you want a spooky October read this year absolutely add this to your TBR. Between The Butchers murders and the witchcraft/dark magic this book had the hairs on my arms standing a couple times. There was even one scene that had me looking over my shoulder while I was reading alone at night! I haven’t read anything that creeped me out in a very long time (or ever? I can’t remember) so for fans of mystery and spookiness I absolutely recommend this book! If it wasn’t for the current state of the world this would have been such a fast read for me regardless of how long this book actually is to be honest with you.

The characters!!!!!! Gosh I love them all so much…even Cora and The King Witch. The characters in this story are all refreshing and complexly their own person. Dayna my little sunflower witch she deserves so much *insert crying emoji* Meiner effing King…Where do I start with her?! what a freaking badass!! Daynas bestfriend Reagan- everyone needs a best friend like Reagan! I love that she was so -on her side- I’ve read so many books where the best friend is usually an annoying problem (which I absolutely hate that cause I would be nothing without my best friend) Cora Cora Cora all im going to say is – now thats a complex character. Bronagh, Yemi, Faye, Brenna – I love the family bond between all of them and regardless of being background characters they didn’t feel pushed to the side. Harriet mcfreaking King…wow what do I even say about her without giving too much away?! I love the notorious King Witch! All I’m going to say is she gives me the creeps and I love her. Then theres Sam who honestly I have no idea where his life is headed but I really hope he supports Dayna in her future endeavors or we’re gonna fight. and I can’t forget Daynas parents – The reverend and Fiona. I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about the revered but I know his whole ~church camp~ thing freaks me out it reminds me of those crazy church cult stories its hella freaky and Fiona is one of those people that I would not want to be alone in a house with she would probably silently stand behind me in the kitchen and give me a heart attack one I turn around. I really feel like the author took her time with these characters to make sure the reader could feel out each personality and really add depth to the story.

The Butcher – This is the horrible witch killing villain i’ve been waiting for. I felt like his chapters really added that ‘horror’ factor to this book. I don’t want to give away much but just know as a villain he’s cold, ruthless and terrifying!

Despite this book having about 75 chapters I really felt like it was well put together and the pace of this book was not slow for a second! 75 chapters of pure genius honestly. I didn’t have any issues with the writing style and I actually really liked the way it was done and how there was more than one point of view. (Meiner was probably my favorite just saying) This was a really fun read for me I had been looking for something mystery/horror related and the fact that witches were involved was just a plus! I’m finding it so difficult to express my love for this book without giving to much away so I’m just gonna tell you to pleaseeee read it!! my rating for this book is 4.5 out of 5 stars and it definitely left me wanting more! (book 2 please and thanks)

*4.5/5 stars

My god, this book. I knew I was going to like it - it was one of my most anticipated releases of the year - but MY GOD.

So, straight off the bat we have Irish witchy vibes, following multiple characters of the LGBTQ+ community (bisexual, lesbian), the main character living with OCD, and the angsty hate-to-love trope. Are you in yet? Because that's all I needed to know beforehand. And while that may sound like there's a lot going on, trust me when I say it works .

Everything about this book just felt right. The witchy atmosphere was instantly believable, and one I fell into without a problem. If anything, I wanted more of it - just slightly more about the general small town community she lived in and its affect on her life. The severity of her secrets being revealed in this conservative town didn't quite reach the mark for me, though with most of the book spent in a separate area almost away from the town, it's easy to see why this might've happened. Still, I was drawn into this book entirely. It especially helped that the relations between characters were just so interesting, ranging from friendly banter and sarcasm, to angsty glares and protective covens. Without question, I wholeheartedly believed these characters were exactly as described, and couldn't help falling into their story.

And what a story it was. Magic and murder mystery? I'm sold. I adored the Celtic mythology ties to this whole gritty murder plot. I'll say right now, it's dark. It's bloody, there's mutilation involved, rituals and sacrifices and everything. But my god is it written well for that dark tone. There were moments where I felt genuine chills run down my spine, reading scenes that sounded like something from a horror movie. It's been a long time since a book pulled that reaction from me, let me tell you. But equally so, there's enough lightness and soft, family/friend scenes to pull the book out of being downright horrific, and it's that balance that toyed with my emotions and made me love the book.

I feel like not enough people are talking about this, despite it being what so many people are looking for. So if you're reading this and like the sound of Celtic mythology, Irish witches, angsty relationships with the added sprinkling of bisexual and OCD rep, all I can say is READ THIS BOOK!

TW: self harm, OCD, panic attacks

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Book Group/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advanced review copy.

Can we talk about how long I have been trying to finish this book? All I have wanted to do in recent weeks is stay home and get lost in this witchy world. Unfortunately, I’ve only really had time for audiobooks while working lately, but I am happy to report, with a couple of extra hours to read before work this morning, I have finished the book and am ready to share it’s awesomeness with you.

Seventeen year-old Dayna Walsh has OCD. Her father’s an overbearing preacher. Her unstable mother has been away at “camp” for as long as she can remember. Oh yeah, and she’s a bisexual witch dealing with homophobia in a small, religious town. Luckily, her coven serves as her chosen family, and she’ll ascend soon, which means she’ll be a fully-fledged member of the coven. Just when things are starting to look up, witches start getting murdered close to home, and a nearby coven, rumored to dabble in black magic, shows up to join forces and fight the evil force. Complicating things even more is Dayna’s growing attraction to Meiner King, granddaughter of the woman who left Dayna’s coven years ago when she was suspected of black magic. They’ll have to join forces to find the killer and set things right.

Despite my inability to finish it quickly, this book does move pretty rapidly. The constant POV change makes the chapters shorter, and left me wanting to read just one more. The mystery surrounding the murders is deeper than just a “who dunnit,” and I really enjoyed the budding romance between Dayna and Meiner. It wasn’t the center of the story, but it provided a nice subplot and further developed the relationships between the members of the two covens. I am 100% always here for queer witches.

I definitely recommend this one for your YA tbr. I enjoyed reading it during the winter, but it would also be a welcome addition for Halloweenish reading. It’s not super scary, but the magic elements, especially the black magic ones and the mystery of the murders is the perfect setting for a fire place, some spooky lighting, and some hot tea with blankets. It’s out now, so definitely look it up at your favorite, local bookstore or library.

Witches of Ash and Ruin shows the strength of female friendships and found family through the main characters of Dayna and Meiner. I'm often surprised that few fantasy books - YA and adult - incorporate Celtic/Irish mythology and history. As a result, Witches of Ash and Ruin weaves together dark contemporary story filled with magic, religious tensions, found families, murder, and misogyny.
Latimer writes these young women very empathetically. Both Dayna and Meiner have been neglected and harmed by their blood family, and their magic gives them the power to connect with individuals who chose to love and support them.
I really appreciated how being a witch doesn't guaranteed bravery and being perfect all the time. At one point in the story, Dayna is in danger and completely blanks on spells to perform. When talking to Meiner about the situation, Dayne blames herself for her fear and her panic, and how she feels like a "bad" witch because of it. Meiner reminds her that it's ok to be scared and that it's ok to ask for help.
I absolutely loved how Latimer constructed the magic system in Witches of Ash and Ruin. To ascend to full witch-hood, Dayna must pick a god to pledge her magic to; as a result, the deity will give her strength and related power. Dayna picked Danu (the mother goddess associated with the land). A very cool way to learn about Celtic mythology without info dumping IMHO.
As the protagonist, I thought Dayna was really compelling; Latimer showed how difficult it is to live in a small conservative town and come to terms with one's identity and sexuality. Additionally, Dayna's father is the pastor of local church (the only part confusing to me: I read the events as occurring in Ireland, not Northern Ireland and I'm less familiar with Protestantism in the former) and wields a ton of power and influence among the locals. As a result, it's difficult for Dayna to find safe spaces outside of her coven. Latimer writes found families empathetically and lovingly.
Lastly, fans of murder mysteries will definitely appreciate the darkness of the serial murders and the stunning revelation of why they're happening. I am usually a scaredy-cat but was on the edge of my seat trying to connect all the dots.
I hope there is a sequel and I will definitely read it!

Content Warnings: Panic attacks, homophobia, murder, self-harm, child abuse, OCD, anxiety, mentions of rape/sexual assault

E. Latimer's Witches of Ash and Ruin tells the tale of 17-year old Dayna Walsh and those around her as a serial killer enters her peaceful small town of Carman, Ireland and creates chaos. Dayna is a witch and so is her friend Reagan who apparently has two mothers. Dayna is the daughter of a local reverend. She recently ended a relationship with Samuel after her sexuality was forcibly outed. On top of that, her absent mother Fiona returns looking worse than when she left and she struggles to also deal with OCD.

To top that off, Dayna actually fears that her father will send her away to camp now that her secret has been revealed. I think the relationship between Dayna and her parents could have been sussed out more than it is. The Reverend is like a dark figure in the background who may or may not have his own secrets that could severely affect Dayna. Dayna spends most of her time with Reagan which seemingly doesn't bother the good reverend until something bad happens. Dana's coven mates are more supportive and more of a family than the Reverend or Fiona.

Meanwhile, Meiner King, Grandma King, and Cora Whelan arrive in town to help Dayna's coven deal with the killer. Between Meiner & Cora, there's a power struggle over who will lead the coven after Grandma King dies. Grandma has been keeping some secrets. Secrets that play right into the killer's hands. Dayna and Meiner have a hate to love relationship when they first meet which slowly becomes a friendship and perhaps more. This novel is a dark, modern take on witches, blended with ancient Celtic mythology.

One thing that may trip up some readers is all the points of view. There are five: Dayna, Meiner, Cora, Dubh, and Samuel. Samuel's was the perhaps the unnecessary one as he brought nothing to the story and disappears when most of the action takes place, Dubh's is the darkest for reasons you can figure out yourself. While Latimer takes time to build each character, the two characters that shine through the most are Dayna and Meiner. Both break hearts and infuriate in equal measure.

Latimer does not shy away from the murders, and though there are a few disturbing/gory moments, it is never written in a “shock value” way. The story ends on a cliffhanger, which also isn't a good thing, especially since there's nothing to indicate that this was supposed to be part of a series. A note for publishers and authors. You should definitely tell interested readers whether or not this is a standalone or part of a series. You definitely lost a rating from me because of it.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves witchy books. Not only is the cover gorgeous but the story inside is equally as stunning. This story was well-paced and the characters well fleshed out.

This book had a little but of everything! It was like witchcraft with some true crime mixed in. I also loved the authors contribution to help stop the stigma of mental health. It's rare that to see it done so well. For some reason I couldn't seem to connect well enough with the characters and that's why I didn't give it a five star review.

3/5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the early review.

I went into this one really wanting to love it, but it just felt like there was a bit too much going on at once. Dayna is the daughter of a reverend in a church obsessed small town who happens to be bi-sexual and happens to be a witch. Her ex also happens to be obsessed with true crime and specifically a serial killed coined The Butcher. And he also happens to still be in love with her, and he betrayed her trust previously. Enter another coven with a member that practices Dark magic and was previously kicked out of Dayna's coven years before. Now make one of the coven members an attractive girl that Dayna is attracted to and make the other one a girl in unrequited love with that attractive girl. Now add some anxiety, murders, and some supernatural happens, good goddesses, bad goddesses, and you have this book. It just felt like I never fully connected with any of the characters and I felt like I got whiplash from the amount of stuff happening in this book. It was just a little too much for me.

In Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer, everything seems to be happening to Dayna at once. Someone at school told the whole town that she is bisexual, her mother is finally coming home from the church rehabilitation camp Dayna’s father sent her to years ago, the stress of everything is triggering her OCD, and another coven of witches has come to town – one headed by the witch Dayna’s own coven banished for performing dark magic. Beyond that personal chaos, a famous serial killer has started targeting witches in Dayna’s town, heralding the beginning of a cycle of murder and the return of an ancient evil. As the two covens are forced to work together, Dayna clashes with Meiner, presumptive heir to the other coven, growing every closer both to each other and to solving the mystery behind the murders.

Witches of Ash and Ruin was a quick, compelling read. Although technically a story about witches, gods, and murder, the weight given to Dayna’s personal life and the challenges inherent therein for a 17-year-old (homophobic father, absent mother, OCD) grounds the more fantastical elements of the story effectively, making Dayna and her world feel very real. She’s working towards ascending from a witchling to a full witch and joining her coven as a full member, but she’s also trying to maintain a friendship with her ex-boyfriend and keep her very religious, anti-witch father from finding out what she is up to and potentially sending her away. I enjoyed Dayna’s romance with Meiner, who interests and irritates Dayna in equal measure. The story is set in Ireland and touches on Irish mythology in interesting ways. The story is perfectly set up for a sequel or even an extended series, one that I hope will be coming soon.