I had to give up on this one. The premise and intro were promising, but it all went downhill very quickly for me. I think I was expecting something else and unfortunately, this was not for me.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Immanuelle is raised by her grandparents in a strict, puritanical village after her parents die after being accused of witchcraft. She does her best to live a life above possible reproach. When a walk in the evaded woods leads to her finding her mother's journal which is full of pages about witches, plagues and madness.

Immanuelle is a kickass main character. She's strong, she's kind, she's loyal and she's willing to sacrifice for the greater good. This book has witchcraft, secret symbols, sweet romance, corrupted society and plagues. Not really sure what else you are looking for in a book.

It's the author's debut novel which impresses me to know end. She also has a beautiful instagram so I recommend you follow her here -> @lexish. I cannot wait to see what she writes next. (I saw on her IG she is working on a sequel which makes me SO HAPPY.)

Thank you @berkleypub and @NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

“To be a woman is to be a sacrifice.”


Immanuelle has become one of my favorite female leads after reading this book. I loved the fact that after EVERYTHING she went through she still did the right thing when it was all said and done. Immanuelle was considered an outcast because she was biracial and even though she lived with her White family members, she still had to keep her head down and her nose clean which was so frustrating at times. Then we have the Prophet who spews his venom and is the biggest sinner of them all but uses his holiness to justify his actions. Sounds about right.


This was a solid debut by Alexis Henderson. It covered certain topics without coming off like a public service announcement such as racism and sexism. It has a strong message about speaking up about what is right and not being complicit in certain situations. The story was fast paced and held my attention. Reading this book transported me to a different place and the whole time reading I felt like I was in the book watching the events unfold. I loved the way the book was wrapped up and there weren’t any loose ends. I do hope we get a sequel because I’m not ready to let these characters go.

I’ve never hidden the fact that I make a lot of my book buying decisions based first off the cover and then by reading the blurb. The Year of the Witching caught my eye in a Twitter thread about up and coming, new authors of color and as soon as I clicked on the link I knew I had to get my hands on a copy.

This is kind of a mash up of all the dystopian, religious cult like horror stories you’ve read… yet it feels fresh and is so very gripping. Readers are introduced to Immanuelle Moore who lives in a deeply religious, puritanical community where the words of the prophet are law and suspicions run deep towards outsiders and those who look different. She and her disgraced family live on the outskirts of town, just getting by, but remain loyal to the church and the prophet. Yet, Immanuelle is different, not only because of her mother and the circumstances of her birth, but because she is soon caught up in the battle between good and evil, the Mother and the Father, for the lives and souls of the town.

Once I opened my Kindle and started reading, I just couldn’t stop. This author has such a compelling voice and she weaves this tale of feminist resistance so effortlessly. I HAD to know what was coming next. I HAD to know if the prophet would get his comeuppance. I HAD to know how Immanuelle would overcome the ignorance and hypocrisy of Bethel to save them from themselves.

The Year of the Witching is not a light read. It is dark, intense, and deeply disturbing at times, but a very well written and easy to fall into for a day of reading. This author just jumped to the top of my auto-buy list and I can’t wait to read whatever she releases next.

CW– rape, sexual assault, violence

Final grade- B+

Included as a top pick in bimonthly July New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached).

I had to stop reading this one at 23%. The story just was not progressing and I found myself falling asleep constantly while reading. This one just could not hold my attention and I could not see where the story could possibly go.

Dark, captivating and atmospheric, The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson is perfect for historical and dark supernatural fantasy lovers. With its handmaidens vibe, I quickly found myself transported to the town of Bethel and the forbidden Darkwood.

Full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer on July 2oth. It will be uplifted on all social media. A review will cross post to Goodreads and Amazon. Link provided. Thank you.

I just have one question... who gave Alexis Henderson permission to write such a fabulous debut novel!? The Year of the Witching is a dark feminist fantasy that follows a young woman named Immanuelle as she learns of her mother's past and the forces that conspire against her. As Immanuelle discovers the truth of her settlement's history and the Church that runs it, she soon realizes that the biggest threat may just lie in their own past.

The Year of the Witching is powerful and engaging. It will keep you reading into the early hours of the morning just so you can see what happens next. The characters are well-rounded and likable. Even the villains are written in such a way that although you will hate them, you will never forget them.

The story itself flows so well with each event easily moving into the next. I didn't want it to end!

TW: rape, loss of a parent, gore, violence

WOW. Wow wow wow, I cannot say enough great things about this incredible fantasy horror. I am already a lover of all things witches, so this book was right up my alley, and Alexis Henderson D E L I V E R E D. The number of themes explored here without making anything feel bogged down is truly remarkable: feminism, race, classism, misogyny, religious fanaticism, identity. The light Father (male Prophets) versus the dark Mother (female witches). The white puritan residents of Bethel versus the Black outcasts on the Outskirts. Biracial Immanuelle tugged between two different ways of life, coming to terms with who she is meant to be. So much to talk about!

Henderson creates an atmosphere of foreboding throughout the novel, and the juxtaposition she creates between the puritan village and the eerie Darkwood kept me on edge, especially as the Darkwood continued to call to her. The author offered just the right amount of descriptive writing to give me some seriously powerful imagery, particularly of the witches.

The romance is super light in this book, and I very much appreciated that. The focus remained on Immanuelle and her identity throughout the novel, which made her choices really powerful. That being said, Henderson still spent time developing her secondary characters so that I was also very invested in their outcome. Immanuelle and Ezra were, for obvious reasons, my favorite relationship dynamic as they encouraged each other to carve their own paths and do what is right as opposed to what is expected. I adored them both as characters.

This story exudes empowerment. It also doesn't claim to have all the answers, which makes for a satisfying but open-ended ending. I would like to formally beg the author for a prequel or sequel or another story set in this enrapturing world of light and dark where evil doesn't necessarily lie where you think it does. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy horror, witchcraft, and un-put-downable books.

Summary
Immanuelle has never fit in, in Bethel. She is the child of an outsider burned at the stake, and a mother most considered mad. But Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father and follow Holy Law. She tries to live a life of submission and conformity like all women are expected to. But a mishap leads her into the forbidden Darkwood where 4 witches supposedly haunt. There Immanuelle encounters 2 spirits to gift her, her mother's journal.
This journal leads Immanuelle down a path of dark secrets, magic, and a way to change her world.

Overview
➸ POV: 3rd Person from Immanuelle's POV

➸ Immanuelle: 16, 2 younger sisters, Mother died in child birth, Best friend Leah, Never knew father, Raised by grandparents, Biracial, Cursed

➸ Content Warnings: Graphic Blood/Gore, Animal Death/Sacrifice, Sexism, Racism, Infertility/Miscarriage, Sexual Assault (of a minor)

My Thoughts
Wow this book... I want to start off by saying I've seen this categorized as YA and I strongly disagree with that placement. While this book follows a teenage main character, this book gets quite graphic and dark. So tread carefully, check TW's, and read reviews before going into this one (or handing it to a younger audience).

Now that's out of the way time for me gush about one of my new favorite reads of the year!! I'm keeping this really vague because one of the best things about this story is slowly uncovering the secrets of this society.

This book had so much packed into it. Every word and paragraph felt important and necessary to the story. Not only does this book tackle an immense amount of important topics but the characterization, atmosphere, and world building blew me away.

The history of this society, while fictional, parallels the real world so closely that it amplified the creepiness tenfold. This world is a dark patriarchal society that gave me chills and terrified me to my core. While the first part of this book is heavy on the history - it's ALL important! And once you hit the 20% point, the plot takes off and never slows down.

Alexis Henderson blew me away with their ability to balance magic, intertwining timelines, romance, poignant themes/messages, with an utterly haunting atmosphere. This book delved into racism, assault/consent, sexism, and what it means to be family. I describe my favorite genre as 'Dark & Magical Feminist Fiction' and this fits that to a T.

If you like very dark, slightly magical stories with intense feminist undertones, this is your book! But this book is not subtle. So if you're looking for a book that will leave you to gather your own opinions, this isn't it. This book is overtly about dismantling patriarchal societies and white supremacy, so please go in with the right expectations.

I swear I held my breath for the entire last 20% of this book. This story was so intense and climactic, it had me on the edge of my seat desperate to find how this would end. Overall I just couldn't get enough of this witchy, dark story. I loved the characters, themes, world, romance, everything. I absolutely cannot wait to see what Alexis Henderson writes next. I feel like this book was written for my exact reading taste.

This was a very interesting read! I don’t tend to read a lot of books that have cultish things in this one but I enjoyed it.
It was hard reading at times just because of how evil men where and how quick they were to judge others and especially women.
Overall I enjoyed it!

This one was really unique and original! It reminded me a bit of the Handmaid's tale but with supernatural vibes to it. It was a dark and haunting tale that was very well written. I really liked Immanuelle and Ezra’s characters! I would definitely recommend this to a friend.

What drew me to this book was the title because honestly, I have a weakness for witches. It turns out that it contains my other weakness, dark, religious cults. Putting my biases aside, what we have is a fantastic book. While it can be looked at as just a coming-of-age story with magical elements it is so much more. We are given feminist and racism commentary that we can relate to our own world. The character and relationship development is fantastic. The only thing I wanted more of was the world building. I want to learn more about what is surrounding Bethel which is basically me requesting a sequel.

An atmospheric tale which reminds me of The Handmaid's Tale and The Village (THAT M Night Shyamalan's movie if anyone still remembers it), scoring a solid debut for Alexis Henderson.

The Year of the Witching is exactly the kind of witchy goodness I look out for - creepy, haunting with a no-nonsense heroine. It's set in a puritanical society dripping in patriarchy - women have no say over their bodies, anyone talking against the Church is deemed a witch and burned, people with a different skin colour are kept to the outskirts - one could easily think this was exactly how things were in the past, but it's not that difficult to imagine a future where this is the reality with how things are going now in the world.
I really enjoyed this book for the most part - a strongly written female character, beautiful writing that conveys to the reader the atmosphere the author was going for and it satisfied my craving to read something dark and witchy. I also loved how the author managed to weave the topic of racism and social injustice into the plot. My only problem with the book was the ending. I felt it could've ended better and not in a convenient, YA fashion. I kept hoping we would see some change in the society and the patriarchy but sadly, that never happened.
Also, I'm not sure how I feel about the romance. Why do we feel the need to always have the most handsome guy as the love interest? Would have preferred it if they had remained as friends. Not every relation between a girl and a boy needs to lead to a romance, you know?

But overall, I really loved it. This book was deliciously dark and gothic!

Trigger Warnings for: rape (off-page) of a minor, gore, body horror, domestic abuse. I might have missed a few others.

The year of the Witching is the Salem Witch Trial version of Handmaid’s tale and although Handmaid’s Tale was something I didn’t like, this one I definitely did!!!
Immanuelle is the daughter of Miriam Moore who abandoned the Holy Scriptures to commune with the witches of the Darkwood. She has tried to lead a quiet life obeying the Scriptures but her one unexpected foray into the Darkwoods starts a chain of events that lead her to question everything she has been taught so far.
This was so beautifully atmospheric, dark, a bit weird at times (but good weird) and so chilling that certain passages gave me literal goosebumps! I felt strong and empowered and powerful after reading certain portions and that was just, such a high, I can’t even describe it. So I was getting geared up for an amazing punchy heart soaring end when it all started unravelling bit by bit.
Whereas the first 70-80% was strong, the last 20% felt a little wishy-washy for lack of a better word. It became diluted and a bit rushed. The climax felt more like a convenient wrap up than an exciting finale. I liked the hopeful note on which it ended but I needed... more. I can’t really quantity what more is but I just needed something extra 😅
But overall this is definitely a stunning debut and I am looking forward to reading more of Alexis Henderson’s works in the future.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone looking for a fast paced feminist witchy read!!!
Rating : 4 stars
P.S. Beyoncé’s ‘Run the World’ was running through my head the whole time I was reading this and it’s the perfect song for this book.

Oh my goodness I fully loved and enjoyed losing myself in this story. While in no way comparing this incredible book to any other it is relevant to say that the somewhat disappointed, ashy taste left in my mouth by my read of The Grace Year earlier this year was completely washed away by the magic and message of Alexis Henderson's debut novel. Yes, that's right, this searing and dystopian work of critical genius is a debut novel. Immanuelle was the perfect young heroine, and Bethel and the Dark Woods were the perfect atmospheric and creepy cultish settings. The female representation in this book was gorgeous and powerful. If you, like me, read The Grace Year and were left wanting, this little piece of witchy magic is undoubtedly what you seek.

Oh! I loved this. The story is woven with such intricate characters and details that I couldn't help being sucked into the world. The young woman we follow seems to have everything in the world thrown at her and yet, she continues to fight for herself and those around her. The love story is wonderful and subtle, and the back story really helps the flow of the words.

This story was like a twisted Salem Witch Trials with an actual dark secret. A wonderful read.

My review will be live on the Book Confessions blog on 7-14-20.

TW: gore, implied rape, immolation, violent conservatism, implied underage

4.5 stars. Dark and glorious. I'm utterly obsessed with this book. This was EVERYTHING I could have ever wanted from a witch book. With the setting of The Crucible, which I loved, and the violent dark witchery of Sabrina, this was so perfect for me. I think I'd have given it 5 stars had I actually read it all at once but disconnecting myself from the story for a while meant I wasn't as immersed in it when I came back, so it ended up at 4.5 for me.

Going back to the very beginning, I immediately loved the setting. The horrors of a puritanical society were not shied away from at all. I constantly had this feeling of impending doom and fear hanging over me at the beginning. As for our heroine, Immanuelle, I really liked her from the start. I found her to be so relatable for being a girl who felt so stifled under such a patriarchal and puritanical society. I know I'd have felt just the same as her in a situation like that. And I really enjoyed that she did not give up even in the face of a pyre hanging over her head.

I really enjoyed Ezra as her love interest. He was a good man in a society of so many bad ones, living in the household of the worst among them. Their teamwork during the story was great and I liked seeing how much he respected Immanuelle and how he never shied away from any part of her.

My absolute favorite part of the story were the witches. The absolute chill of them in the Darkwood and their appearance in part IV: Slaughter was incredible. Their aura is so awesome (as in AWE), and fearsome to behold. The final battle with Lillith was amazing. I also thought the plagues were such a cool device. It's so interesting to see someone write literal godly plagues out of the Old Testament and see how fearsome that Old Testament god is. I think the fire and brimstone are often forgotten about and I loved seeing plagues like those of old Egypt used as plots in this book.

I have nothing bad to say about this book. It was amazing. But mind the trigger warnings. This is DARK. The story was uncomfortable and chilling and is not for the faint of heart. I absolutely loved it.

The Year of the Witching is a supernatural fantasy by debut author Alexis Henderson, which releases later this month. If you are a fan of dark tales, The Year of the Witching is one you do not want to miss out on. The Year of the Witching enchanted me right from the first chapter. It was a deeply atmospheric read that stuck with me long after I had finished the book. I went into this book thinking it was going to be a bit scary and dark. Oh it was all of that and more. There are some moments and scenes in this book that were downright terrifying. But beyond that, Alexis Henderson deals with the witch trials and feminist themes so deftly. She is certainly an author that I would like to read more from.

In The Year of the Witching we meet Immanuelle, who is biracial. This immediately puts a target on her in the small town of Bethel where she is from. Immanuelle just wants to fit in, so she does her best to stick to the rigid puritanical societies' rules and not draw attention to herself. But when she finds herself in the darkwoods and encounters spirits of past witches she is set off on a different course.

The land of Bethel and it's inhabitants came to life before my eyes. Alexis Henderson has a way of crafting vivid images with her prose. IN atmospheric books, the writing makes or breaks the story for me, and here the writing style was a smash hit for me! Watching Immanuelle learn not only about a side of her mother that she didn't know about before, but also watching her learn of the town and it's past and seeing her sort out right and wrong for herself was such a powerful part of her character's progression. I loved the growth I saw in Immanuelle. And when you add in the witchcraft element you have all the workings of a wonderfully creepy story. I loved the completely realistic bitter feelings of the witches. Seeing their anger at their past oppression was a new element to this story that I really enjoyed and took it in a new direction for me. All in all, The Year of the Witching was a powerful read that I really enjoyed. But maybe don't read this one right before bed.

A captivating story of a young woman learning to break free of the rigid structure of society and take full ownership of her power. I would highly recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix.