The year of the Witching was a fantastic read, especially this time of year. It was the right amount of creepy, but there was also a moral to the story. I really enjoyed the characters and the exploration of how beliefs can sometimes do more harm than good.

An atmospheric read, full of feminism, fight for what's right but also discussing a lot of dark themes.

I loved the writing in this book. It felt very atmospheric, rich, engrossing. You could feel the time and the location of this book perfectly. Loved how easily the author discussed heavy topics such as racism, rape, pedophilia, cults, sacrifice, etc. It was done in a very subtle way, but it still hit you hard when you see and understand the issue.

A very powerful debut from a young author, would love to see more.

Wow, I’ve found a new favorite author! Her way with words and describing details made me feel like it was a movie playing out in my mind. Just when you think you’ve figured out where the story it going it twist again and Alexis surprises you again. Wicked, horror, nightmares and hope entwined together perfectly.

3.25 stars

I considered not finishing this a few times because I was having such a hard time getting into it. I had high hopes for it since I love a good Puritanical society read but the society was a little too simplistic to be enjoyable. I also never became invested in any of the characters and more often than not found myself annoyed with Immanuelle.

I did enjoy the parts about the Darkwood, I love a good creepy forest setting. Unfortunately, very little time is spent in it and it's the same with the Witches. They are often talked about but almost never seen which definitely hurt my rating since they were what I was most looking forward to.

Overall, my expectations may have been high but this book missed the mark for me.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc,

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me access.

I was not a fan of this book. I was hoping for occult vibes not a CULT.

If you like reading about polygamy, pedophiles, rapists, and mild old school witchery....then this book is for you.

100% not what I was expecting and it left me empty, wanting a bigger witchy story.

A compelling and original horror story. The main character does her best to be "good" but her mother's transgressions against their restrictive quasi-Christian community and her own status as being partly "other," made clear by her darker skin, work against her. Then there's the odd compulsion she feels to enter the dangerous forest allegedly populated by devotees and supernatural entities connected with "the Mother" deity. When she feels forced to enter the forest her time in there sets off a series of enlightening--and cataclysmic--results. Great for mid-teens through adults who like horror with supernatural, mystical, and mysterious elements.

The Year of the Witching was a wonderfully atmospheric witchy read. It was perfect for October. I loved immanuelles fire and her tenacity. Ezra also was a dreamboat and I enjoyed how they worked together.

One of my absolute favorite books this year.

It truly was haunting and gave me chills on a regular basis. I had to read this during the day and couldn't stop thinking about this novel when I wasn't reading.

I love how the work touches on racism and is a feminist read as overarching in our society at all times, but that also isn't always the foremost issue on our day to day lives.

Highly recommend this book for a spooky season read, but also for a dark fantasy read year-round.

This was the weirdest, but also the most delightful read. I definitely recommend The Year of the Witching to those looking for a spooky read this Autumn season, or anyone looking for a very atmospheric read to put them in the mood for the fall season!

Has anyone seen that 2015 movie The Witch? That's strangely what I was reminded of while reading this, so if you liked that movie then you'll enjoy this book!

An amazing book, very dark, intense, and timely. Immanuel is the daughter of a white woman and a Black man (their races aren’t identified as such but it’s clear from the narrative), and is considered to be cursed because of her parentage. She lives in a community built around an extremely patriarchal religious organization and surrounded by the Darkwood, a forest rumored to be the home of dark witches. Despite being mistreated by both the religious community and the witches of the Darkwood, badass Immanuel risks her life to save everyone.

This book is lovely and dark, with familiar and treacherous worldbuilding. Our main character was so well-written and the unending sense of dread while reading this kept me on my toes. I tore through this book unabashedly. The plagues were terrifying and Ezra has my whole heart. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

This was such a spooky fun and witchy read. Honestly, with every moment I thought it couldn't get any more bizarre. And just in time for October! I really hope to see this as a movie. Love Salem/MA's history and even though this was a serious fictionalization, both the racism and sexism of a time that doesn't feel so far off in this political climate were much-needed topics of discussion.

Can't wait to read this author again. My inner goth was very happy.

Although I thought this book had potential I found myself having way too many moments where the author's need to reinforce her story line and characters motivation caused me to heave yet another sigh and wish the characters could just speak for themselves. Pacing was another issue for me, some sections felt like they dragged while other areas that seemed of major importance to the plot volted past quicker than an arrow. I was engaged by the main character enough to follow her journey to an end which I have to say felt so basic as to be disappointing. If this is the first of a trilogy I sincerely hope the author lets go of her characters and trusts in them and herself to bring this to a conclusion worthy of her imagination. Rant over, I did find much to enjoy and am grateful for the opportunity to have read this book.

This book was SO FREAKING GOOD. I am so thankful that I was able to receive a copy to review early, as I am still thinking about it despite having finished it about a month or so ago.

This book is a beautiful reflection of puritanical society, racism, and the fight for individual freedom. I can not say enough how much I enjoyed each component of this story and I am really glad that there are already plans for a sequel. This book is so powerful and I highly recommend it for those who enjoy dark fantasy and witchy themes!

I usually stay away from spooky books, so this one was way out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed it. Excited to see more from Alexis Henderson.

Alexis Henderson’s debut novel, The Year of the Witching is a must-read. Smartly written, it combines dark fantasy elements with a pointed look at racism, patriarchy and segregation. Henderson brilliantly blends the elements of this book in a story that is intriguing and unlike any I’ve read before. While it of course has fantasy elements, it also includes mystery which I highly enjoyed. While some parts of the book are a slow burn, it worked well within the context of the specific chapters or parts that were happening in the novel. It served to build up that tension, to make the reader feel uneasy as they await to know more secrets about Bethel, about the life of Immanuelle’s mother and secrets about the Prophet himself.

In addition, there is a horror vibe that can be found within Henderson’s novel that is refreshing. There is a lot of darkness and some gore, but it’s never too much or overkill. It is precisely measured for each situation; another testament to Henderson’s brilliant writing. There is a perfect balance between the horror, fantasy and the very real elements that impact Immanuelle’s life living in Bethel. Despite the book being in the fantasy-genre, the very real themes throughout are ones that many can identify with which grounds the book in reality.

Henderson’s debut novel truly has everything going for it. The Year of the Witching is a book that is profoundly smart and dark, and certainly deserving of being added to any TBR list that you have.

DNF'ed at 19%

I love the idea of a Fantasy-Horror novel. In fact, there were a lot of things I loved about this book. The concept is so intriguing. But I found myself frustrated by both the audiobook narrator (who was stilted and emotionless) and the writing style (pronouns exist for a reason, please use them).

Ok, it wasn't as bad as I made it seem there. Actually given a different genre, these things may not have bothered me at all. But with the concept of this book, and given that it is a fantasy-horror/historical fiction, I was really looking for something that was atmospheric and beautiful and creepy all at the same time. Which this book just wasn't.

I'm not giving this book a star rating because I honestly didn't read enough of it. I only read enough to realize this book is not for me.

Great book. I interviewed the guest on my podcast, which is called GHOULISH. Listen wherever you get podcasts. It is available everywhere. We talked about WITCHCRAFT.

It's hard to find books about 16-17th century brand witchcraft that aren't rife with tropes and just generally a less interesting retelling of witch trial history. This alternate history/universe/setting???, which incorporates a terrifying cult and extremely complex characters, manages to bring something new to the genre. Also, queer witches! Queer witches always get 5 stars.

a quiet, slow burn horror that really gets under your skin. immanuelle's perseverance is admirable, and i just really enjoyed her as a character. this book is incredibly atmospheric and the perfect book to get you into the autumn mood.