DNF at 50 pages

Hear me out please, I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn't continue due to two reasons:

1) I couldn't get into the head of any of the characters except Dayna and I found it super hard to distinguish between the characters and get a sense of the world.
2) More importantly, there have already been at least 3 references to anxiety and full-blown panic attacks and yes this is my fault for not reading the trigger warnings. I usually go ahead and read books with anxiety rep any way but in the current times of corona virus, my mental health is wrought and easily triggered, hence I'll have to let this book go.

Both Dayna Walsh's home-life and school-life are tough after someone told the town that Dayna is bisexual. On top of that, Dayna struggles with OCD and hasn't seen her mother for several years because her father sent her away to Camp.
The only thing that Dayna looks forward to is spending time with her Coven. Dayna can't wait to ascend and become a full witch, when she will come into her powers.
Things go awry when another Coven arrives in town, the leader of which potentially has a history of using black magic.
When a witch is murdered, the two Covens must work together to stop more witches from turning up dead at the hands of a serial killer.
Will Dayna become a full witch?
Can the Covens work together to stop more witches dying?

The premise of Witches of Ash and Ruin intrigued me - witches plus a serial killer seemed like a pretty good combination to me.
Dayna was a likeable protagonist and I felt sorry for her as she didn't have an easy life. I liked her relationship with the others in her Coven.
There was an interesting mix of characters and it was good to see how they clashed and interacted.
I liked the representation of OCD and bisexuality.
The magic was interesting, as were the different gods.
The plot was good overall and held my attention. The pacing was pretty good and there were some enjoyable action scenes, but I wasn't gripped by what happened.
The writing style was easy to follow and I liked the setting of the small Irish town, but we don't see much of it.
While I did enjoy this book, it didn't blow me away, but there were several elements that I liked.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, unique read.

Witches and a serial killer plot with a witch hunter? I was obviously excited as it combined two of my favorite things in a contemporary setting - supernatural stuff and mystery! Set in a small village in Ireland called Carman, the story takes an interesting twist on the witch hunter trope, where the hunter is not hunting down the witches out of, you know, the whole 'can't allow a witch to live' but for some other arcane reason. Dayna has lived in Carman with her pastor father, but she is a novice of the local witch coven, which her best friend Reagan and her mother Yemi are also a part of; she has recently been outed as bisexual to the community of church-goers and her relationship with her father and her ex-boyfriend Samuel have been affected. When the first witch death happens in town, Meiner and her coven (consisting of her grandmother, the infamous King witch, and her ex-gf Cora) arrive to help suss out what is happening and who is killing witches. The regular folks think the deaths are part of the pattern of a serial killer, the Butcher, who kills six women every decade, and Samuel, a true crime buff has been following up on the case.

The book has PoV chapters from Dayna, Meiner, Cora, Samuel, and Dubh, who is the Butcher (it's not a spoiler; his is literally the first chapter). While the witches are trying to figure out the killer's motive and patterns and how they identify the witches, Dubh is keeping his eye on them while hunting down other witches. He and his brothers are in a cycle, trying to unearth something, and the plot slowly reveals to us, in bits and pieces, what their true objective is. Meanwhile, Dayna's coven is preparing for her and Reagan to ascend; Dayna is also having to contend with the return of her mother from a church camp where she has been for the last several years and she suspects her father is abusing her mother. Cora and Meiner are locked in a competition to prove their worth to Meiner's grandmother. The King witch, taking advantage of this competition, lures Cora into practicing black magic to gain more power.

The overall tone of the story feels a lot like a serial killer thriller, and the covens are trying to find the who and the why, even if we as the readers know. The specific threat of the situation permeates the atmosphere of the book, and it is accompanied by the general threat the witches face living under the radar in a church-going community. Dayna's life as a queer witch are also an important part of her relationships, and a big reason of why she loves her coven so much; and watching her coven's bonds with each other was so good, especially contrasted with how Meiner's grandma runs her coven. When Meiner and her first meet, they both rub each other the wrong way, but there's also a spark of attraction, so it is a little like a hate-to-love romance, and where Cora, the ex, is trying to win Meiner back, as is Samuel with Dayna. The book splendidly balances all these subplots - the mystery, the romance, the magic and the setting - to give an atmospheric and exciting story.

BOOK REPORT for Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer

Cover Story: Serious Business
BFF Charm: Best Witches
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Witchy Myth(y)
Bonus Factors: Ireland, LGBTQ+
Anti-Bonus Factor: Patty Chase Award for Awful Parenting
Relationship Status: Second Date

Trigger Warning: There's a memory scene of attempted abduction to what I assume is conversion camp in Witches of Ash and Ruin that might be triggering for some readers.

Cover Story: Serious Business

Something about this cover gives me serious Man in the High Castle vibes (i.e., the text looks vaguely Nazi-like?). But I dig the cutout feel of the raven, and how the whole thing is Very Serious. This is a cover that even the most ridiculous of YA haters would be OK with reading in public.

The Deal:

Dayna Walsh lives torn between two worlds. She was raised the daughter of a reverend of a church that's gone beyond the doctrine of Catholicism. But she's also a witch, and a member of a local coven with her best friend and other women in town. She's also bisexual, a fact that shouldn't mean anything to anyone but herself, but caused a scandal in her small town that Dayna still hasn't quite recovered from.

And now her mother's back from a 13-year stay at "church camp," a new coven's come to town because there's "something coming" that they'll need to work together to overcome, and there's maybe a serial killer on the loose? And then there's Meiner King, a member of the new coven and the most intriguing girl Dayna's ever met, even if she does make Dayna mad basically by just existing.

Life's never easy, is it?

BFF Charm: Best Witches

Dayna's a really interesting and powerful person. She stands up to her oppressive father, she says no thanks to her ex-boyfriend when it would be easier to just get back together, she faces down Meiner when she's being rude, even though Dayna is afraid of how she feels inside. She's not 100% confident, but that's what makes her feel so honest and real. (What I would have given to have as much confidence as she has when I was a teen …) I don't know that I'd be very good at the actual witchy business, but I'd be a really good Muggle friend!

Swoonworthy Scale: 7

There's some serious chemistry between Dayna and Meiner from the very start, even though their meet-cute is more like a meet-antagonization.

Talky Talk: Witchy Myth(y)

Witches of Ash and Ruin is a book about—you guessed it—witches. But they're not the stereotypical witches you often see in pop culture; there's a whole culture surrounding their beliefs and powers that goes unseen by mere mortals. I'm not pagan nor a witch, so I don't know how accurately Latimer portrayed them (and, you know, their kind of actual magic is sadly not real … as far as I know…), but Dayna and the other members of her coven are the kind of witches I would hope real witches were like, with their focus being less on things like stealing children and killing people for fun and profit and more on creating protection charms and keeping the peace between the forces of good and evil. That said, the book can get pretty dark; keeping the peace isn't always sunshine and rainbows.

Latimer brings a lot of mythology to play in the book, too, which I find fascinating. I'm not super familiar with Irish lore, but this book makes me want to dive in.

My only complaint about the book is that it felt unfinished. The ending rushed toward resolution, and a lot of questions were left unanswered, or I wasn't fully satisfied with the answers we were given. As far as I can tell, Witches of Ash and Ruin is a standalone, but I wouldn't be surprised/would be pleased to see a sequel at some point.

Bonus Factor: Ireland

Ireland has always seemed like one of the most magical places to me. It's a land of faeries and strange myths, and there's something gorgeously unnatural about every picture I've ever seen of the landscape. I'm sure actual Irish people might disagree with me, but this book (although fictional) did nothing to change my mind. (Witches of Ash and Ruin is set in Ireland. I just realized I hadn't mentioned that yet.)

Bonus Factor: LGBTQ+

Dayna has only recently come out as bisexual, and was forced to do so by members of her community. I feel for her, truly, and love how accepted she is by her coven—her true family. Also, Meiner is totally hot in a bad guy girl kind of way—but has layers!—and I love the enemistry she and Dayna have.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Patty Chase Award

Reverend Walsh is a terrible dad. Not only is he super against most of what Dayna hold dear in her life, but also he tried to send her away when he found out she was bisexual. (Fuck that.) He's also abusive and dismissive, while also being absent? He really doesn't deserve a daughter like Dayna, and I'm glad she seems to realize that, too.

Relationship Status: Second Date

I felt a little lost when our date was over, Book, but I forgive you for rushing to fit everything in before we parted ways. You're quite magical, and I wouldn't say no to a second date.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, but got neither a private dance party with Tom Hiddleston nor money in exchange for this review. Witches of Ash and Ruin is available now.

The book dives head first into Irish witches of whom more than one is LGBTQ+ , an angsty hate to love trope and a few Gods and serial killers. The modern day witchcraft blended with the Celtic traditions made me fall in love instantly. .
The MC is bisexual with OCD , a unique combination that was portrayed very well. Her OCD wasn’t completely paralyzing to her mental health which allowed her to still be spunky, snarky and full of life. .
The world building was a bit slow at times (all good world building usually is) but the adjacent serial killer storyline kept things moving along. In addition, the dark, sinister parts of the story were well balanced with the refreshing,flirty, hate to love romance. .
Overall I enjoyed this book very much and am keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel!

AMAZING wow this was so gooooood one of the best witch books if not the best witchy book I have read!!!

This was amazing and included so many representations included from OCD to F/F romance and lgbt plus diversity in colours and race!! This book I though I would enjoy but not love it as much as I did… i couldn’t stop reading as soon as I started it was go go go with some atmospheric and eerie writing and setting :) it had so many different POVS and they were all so good and loved all the stories intertwining together.

Will definitely recommend this book to everyone!!!

** Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, mentioning of rape, mentioning of physical and emotional abuse, self-harm. **



I absolutely loved this book! Who wouldn’t love queer witches, serial killers, and of course Ireland?!?! It was perfect because I was reading this around the time of St. Patrick’s Day. The cover art is beautiful. I’ve said time and time again, I love simple covers that really draw your eye. See, I’m not sure I would pick it up right away unless I knew a little bit about the book.



There was wonderful diversity in the book and I fell in love with these amazingly detailed characters. How can you not fall in love with the story? I loved the OCD representation though I’m not sure the #ownvoices are fully represented. But I did feel some of the stigma regarding medication. I will say that I was a little annoyed with the romance between Dayna and Meiner. They have a love/hate relationship. I’m all for the enemy to lover romance but I just didn’t like this one. They weren’t necessarily enemies, so I guess it doesn’t fit that trope. Maybe like a nuance to lover trope. I just didn’t find myself secretly hoping they’d end up together like I do with other novels. Each character’s story entwined with others and this was beautifully written. Being in a small town, it makes sense that everyone interacts more personally. I’ve read small-town stories where two people almost seem like they are alone on an island, not interacting with anyone but that simply can’t possibly be the case in small towns…I know, I grew up in one.



The world-building in this book is phenomenal! I was basically living between the pages of the book the entire night I read this. It is intense, and not just here and there…this book kept me awake at night. There is no lack of action here; page after page is filled with scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat, or bed in my case. I think the last portion of the book was the most intense, begging me to ignore everything to finish. Who needs to eat or sleep…right?



This is for sure a new look at witches in YA fiction novels and won’t soon be forgotten. As a witch, I fell in love with the actual mythology, gods, and of course the gore. The witch in me was so happy to have real representation in a novel rather than fictional ideas we see in movies often.

Murrrrderrrr. Murder most foul in quaint Ireland. I love myself a good murder mystery, and especially one that involves magic and rituals. The premise of a serial killer reappearing after years intrigued me from the start, and was well executed into its details – E. Latimer went into a lot of nuance to craft things quite right and avoid potential loopholes! This is interwoven with Celtic legend, which made my medievalist heart very happy. It is not so mythology heavy to weigh down the book for those not familiar with Irish and the Irish tradition (which, from my experience teaching undergraduates is quite hard to get into at first), but just enough so to enhance the world-building and give it another dimension. As a nerd, I went and looked up the stories referenced, which made me enjoy Witches of Ash and Ruin even more – but that is absolutely not necessary.

The magic system used by the witches in the book themselves is relatively separate from these legends, apart from referencing deities that individual witches pledge themselves to. And oh the witches. Traumatised Dayna, needing protection, after having been outed as bisexual in her conservative, religious community. Tall, mysterious and distant Meiner, too soft in her grandmother’s opinion, trying to figure out who she wants to become. I think I too fell a little in love with her. Ambitious Cora, and free-spirited Reagan. Well-crafted, though not always as nuanced as I would have liked, the young generation of witches have their distinct personalities and roles to play in the story. In general, many of the characters were not necessary likeable, but interesting – but then, I don’t read books because I’m looking to find fluffy, nice people I want to be friends with.

I really enjoyed reading Witches of Ash and Ruin, and raced through the story to find out how it ended. While elements of the story were predictable at times, it did not detract from the pacing and the book as a whole. It worked well as a standalone novel, and I am very curious to read what E. Latimer comes up with next!

Disclaimer: I received an e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

 

Book: Witches of Ash and Ruin

 

Author: E. Latimer

 

Book Series: Standalone

 

Rating: 3/5

 

Diversity: LGBT friendly! Bi main character!

 

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

 

Genre: YA Fantasy

 

Recommended Age: 15+ (murder, being outed, family issues, violence, some gore)

 

Publisher: Freeform

 

Pages: 384

 

Amazon Link

 

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Dayna Walsh is struggling to cope with her somatic OCD; the aftermath of being outed as bisexual in her conservative Irish town; and the return of her long-absent mother, who barely seems like a parent. But all that really matters to her is ascending and finally, finally becoming a full witch-plans that are complicated when another coven, rumored to have a sordid history with black magic, arrives in town with premonitions of death. Dayna immediately finds herself at odds with the bewitchingly frustrating Meiner King, the granddaughter of their coven leader.

And then a witch turns up murdered at a local sacred site, along with the blood symbol of the Butcher of Manchester-an infamous serial killer whose trail has long gone cold. The killer's motives are enmeshed in a complex web of witches and gods, and Dayna and Meiner soon find themselves at the center of it all. If they don't stop the Butcher, one of them will be next.

With razor-sharp prose and achingly real characters, E. Latimer crafts a sweeping, mesmerizing story of dark magic and brutal mythology set against a backdrop of contemporary Ireland that's impossible to put down.

 

Review: I really liked this book for the most part. The book did well to have excellent LGBT representation, and it was based on Celtic folklore. The setting was well detailed and the family dynamics were amazing!

 

However, there are 5 POVs and it was a lot to take in. The book was hard to get into and it was hard to connect with the characters. The book almost felt forced to tell a story.

 

Verdict: It was a good book, but not for me.

I keep saying we need modern Witchcraft books. This is why. I'm so here for a witch who studies Particle Physics in school then goes home to her coven to brew potions. I mean, that's the coolest ever. Also say hello to my latest favourite book and now i'll be over here flailing until the sequel comes out because DAMN I NEED THE SEQUEL.

(TW - homophobia and mentions of conversion therapy, somatic OCD, panic attacks)

~6 THOUGHTS WHILE I READ WITCHES OF ASH AND RUIN~

~Hello there diversity~

You say the word diversity and I'll bend over backwards to read the book. Witches of Ash and Ruin scores full points for diversity-
-a bisexual protagonist
-with somatic OCD
-who gets panic attacks at the most terrible of times
-a protagonist who is queer
-secondary characters who are queer.
-cultural diversity

And can we talk about the mental health rep?? The realistic depiction of panic attacks and there are even discussions of the stigma surrounding taking medication and just, the author does it SO well.

“It started the same way it always did. Some small shift in the air around her. Subtle, but enough to make her breath catch. Suddenly it was all she could think about”


As the Goodreads synopsis says, the MC Dayna has been outed as bisexual in her conservative Irish town and it doesn't help that her father is the Reverend. I really felt for Dayna. The anger at being outed without permission, the fear that her father might send her to conversion therapy, the confusion she feels about her ex-boyfriend and I just wanted to reach in and give her a hug.

~Found Family and female friendships and complex relationships~

i adore found families okay? I'm legit trash for this trope.

I loved how Dayna was literally adopted into her coven, especially by Reagan ad her mother Yemi. Yemi is that motherly figure bustling around making tea and fussing with your hair until someone does something stupid and she's hands-on-the-hip glowering lioness (she reminded me of Mrs. Weasley a lot but I think i prefer Yemi)

~Female friendships and complex relationships~

Reagan and Dayna's friendship is goals and I loved how they appreciated each other and it was such a non-toxic, extremely lovely friendship and I again have all the feels, excuse me.

Meiner and Cora on the other hand have a toxic, competitive friendship and honestly it made a bit sick how Cora would go behind Meiner's back and just as easily backstab her. Kids, this is the kind of relationship you avoid at all costs because it be TOXIC. Kudos to the author for having written contrasting relationships in the same book and showing that in reality, both kinds exist and which is the kind of friendship you ought to aim for.

There is also the complex relationship between Sam and Dayna with Dayna not sure if she wants to get back together and Samuel just pining after her. There were pooints where I wanted to smack Sam on the head and tell him to um, move on plis.

Also I think Dayna and Meiner happened in a super awkward way but I did like it once they got over the initial annoyance towards each other. I wouldn't exactly call it hate to love though. But also my weird favourite thing was how Dayna didn't let Meiner get away with her temper tantrums. She point blank told her 'stop giving excuses for losing your temper. That doesn't make it better' and I was like YASS

~Alternating PoVs~

Okay so I generally don't like it if the PoV shifts all the freaking time but i really liked it here?

- Dayna, the main protagonist who was recently outed as bi without her permission
- Meiner who is being made to travel all the way across the country with her coven which includes her horrible and possibly evil grandmother and Cora
- Cora who is one super scheming, ambitious witc and honestly a huge JERK
- samuel, Dayna's ex boyfriend and a true crime fanatic who is obssesed with The Butcher, a certain serial killer
- Dubh, the murderer himself and an absolute sickward (okay it's not an actual word, sue me) whose chapters creeped me out because he has one sick mind

~All the dark modern Witchcraft and Celtic myhtology~

Buying potion ingredients after school, discussing schoolwork while brewing potions, wearing good luck charms to school; the modern witch aesthetic speaks to my soul and there were scenes that had me grinning like a monkey.

“And I'll pray to the great Oracle, Google” Reagan pulled the laptop back over.

I'd never read anything with Celtic mythology before and I found this utterly fascinating. You know I'm going to obssesively google everyhting about Celtic myths now for the next two weeks or so.

~WHERE IS THE SEQUEL?~

Um Ms.Latimer NO. You can't write an ending like that when book two isn't even avilable that is cruel OKA?

I will sacrifice souls to get book two mind you.

~Witches of Ash and Ruin is a super diverse and witchy book replete with badass females, found families and a fair share of mythology ~

Things I liked:

The witchy atmosphere blended with Celtic mythology: This book had such a strong atmosphere that really added to the reading experience. I truly believed I was there, in a small Irish town full of witches and murder. I was spooked by the murders because it was super mysterious and atmospheric. It was fantasy set in a real world setting, which I loved so much.
The diversity: I hardly read any fantasy with representation so this was such an awesome aspect! Our main character, Dayna, is bisexual and has OCD. Another character, Meiner is lesbian, and something similar to Dayna’s OCD that she takes medication for. The f/f romance was so cute, and I was rooting for them the whole time
The family dynamic and friendships: I loved Dayna’s coven and her relationship with her best friend Reegan! They were all super supportive of her family issues and sexuality. I could really tell that they all cared deeply for her, and Dayna for them.
Meiner: Miener was by far my favorite character throughout the whole book. She was so fierce and unapologetically herself.
Things I didn’t like:

The five perspectives: When I first started reading this book, I was very confused as to who was who. There were too many perspectives to keep track of, and I just wish we only had two or three perspectives to follow instead.
The beginning: The beginning was very slow, and I felt like I was thrust into the middle of the story with no prior knowledge of what was happening. But as the book progressed things were explained, and things made more sense. I just had to give things a bit of time.
If you love atmospheric, witchy, and queer books, definitely check out Witches of Ash and Ruin!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

There was a little witch in every woman, but not every woman was a witch.


Something about this quote really stuck with me, and I just really loved it. Now, was that my favorite part of the book? Still not sure yet, but it really, really stuck with me.

I will say that this book got me a little bit confused in the beginning. I feel like I was a little lost at some parts, but then I was able to get it together. I think I was just getting some parts mixed up and I feel like I had to reread some things to make sure I was understanding correctly.

I’m still really freaking pissed off that Dayna was outed as bisexual though. I absolutely hate it when people are outed before they are ready, and then really bad circumstances end up happening to them that they weren’t even prepared to handle or deserve. That’s one of my biggest pet peeves in this novel and I hate that outing is used as a plot device in books. Sure it’s a source of drama but it’s painful, even if that person is a fictional character.

Other than that, I thought it was a pretty good book!

Dayna Walsh is a Witch, or at least she will be once she ascends. A truth that is kept secret from her family and the majority of her friends due to her father being the local preacher. He denounces witchcraft as the devils work and wouldn’t look too fondly on his daughter practising the craft. When a coven from another part of Ireland arrive in town with a legendary witch known to practice black magic, and a serial killer thought to be dead starts killing in the town, Dayna and her coven are out at risk. Not just because of the dark witch, but the murderer is killing witches and Dayna and her coven are next on the list. When they realise who the murderer is, and what their grand plan entails, they must work together with the unknown coven to save, not just their lives, but the lives of all witches.

This was such a brilliantly written story. I loved the blend of old Celtic mythology and magic with the trials and tribulations of modern day Ireland. The story effortlessly weaves the two together and it makes for a really intriguing and unique read. The authors writing style is immersive, you feel the spells being cast and find yourself their amidst the final battle. And her characters add to an already well built and enveloping story by being easily likeable and I had little issue bonding with them.

The story is told from five perspectives; Dayna, Meiner, Cora, Sam & Dubh. Each have their own unique voice and bring much needed information to the plot at pivotol points. Dayna is the main narrator and I found her voice to be one I liked instantly. Between her OCD, crazy pastor father, mother coming back from a ‘church camp’ and being a witch her life is overly complicated, but you can see that being a with gives her the greatest amount of pleasure, It was who she was meant to be, and her coven, Reagan, Yemi, Faye, Brenna and Bronagh are more family to her than her parents have ever been. Meiner was an intriguing viewpoint to read from. Her Grandmother was the famous King Witch, rumoured to have eaten mens heart and performed the blackest of magic. All Meiner knows is that the old woman is going senile and she’s unsure whether following her advice to come to Carman and meet the Callighan coven was a good idea. Emotionally distant, always quick to anger and slow to trust, growing up with her grandma has given her a rather jaded view on life, but meeting Dayna and the Callighan’s might just change that. Cora is part of Meiner’s coven and they are past lovers, constant rivals and sometimes reluctant friends. Constantly vying for Grandma King’s approval and both eager to become the next coven leader. Cora’s viewpoint add’s a different side to the story, one that most of the other players are unaware of and I found this a really intriguing way to expand on the storyline. Dubh is one of three gods destined to bring back a god long lost to the world. Between him and Sam, Dayna’s ex and serial killer expert, their viewpoints didn’t add a whole lot to the story line, except creeping me out and I felt that the story could have been told without them

There’s some great LGBTQ rep in this book with the two leads being queer, as well as another couple that is featured prominently. I felt like the romance in general was well paced and perfectly written for the age group of the characters. It didn’t overshadow the story line at any point, and progressed well through the book.

I was unsure whether this was part of a series before starting, but after reading the ending I need book two asap. I truly did not see the ending coming and it certainly leaves you as the reader eager for more. An easy 4/5 for me and I will definitely be reading the sequel.

Thank you Fantastic Flying Fiction Book Club, NetGalley and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Witches Of Ash And Ruin
By: E. Latimer


*REVIEW* ☆☆☆☆
Welcome to the small Irish town of Carman. In Witches Of Ash And Ruin, set in this unassuming place, Celtic lore, unknown dangers and revelatory truths combine, creating a complex dynamic tale.
History repeats when someone replicates the serial killer once known as The Butcher- running rampant once again. Dayna, the reverend's daughter, recently outed as bisexual and suffering with OCD, along with her best friend, Reagan, and ex-boyfriend, Sam, make the connection to the historic serial killer and the latest target-witches. Dayna and her coven realize the grave danger they face, thus bringing all of their powers to bear. Magic and murder face off in brutal ways. This story is raw and dark, even more so because it's a young adult novel. It's a different sort of paranormal with witches unlike others I've read. Dayna and her coven are made of sterner stuff with more fortitude, and they present as a formidable force, indeed. The cast of characters are very diverse and representative of LGBTQt, OCD and other cultures. I am glad to see mental illness given proper attention because it's widespread but overlooked most of the time. This story is told from multiple points of view, and the author gives each a distinctive voice. Normally, I get confused by multiple perspectives, but I stayed on track this time. This is a well written story with a unique premise. There is much to recommend Witches Of Ash And Ruin, but remember it is a darker side of young adult paranormal fiction. If you can handle that, this book is waiting for you!

This book was received from the Author, and, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own. All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎. 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚗.” —𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝚜𝚑 & 𝚁𝚞𝚒𝚗

A perfectly dark contemporary witchy read of covens of witches banding together to stop a serial killer. Unleashing the power from the ancient Celtic Gods.
WITCHES OF ASH AND RUIN follows seventeen-year-old Dayna coping with her OCD Struggles to fit in and survive in her small Irish town. Dayna has been recently outed, for being bisexual, and the return of her long-absent mother.
A budding romance along with strong friendships, Witches of Ash and Ruin is a deeply immersive witchy read. The fast paced action plot line, with some memorable twists to keep you on your toes.

The backdrop is a small Irish town with a hardcore fanatical church, lots of witches, Celtic mythology, murder-mystery, along with well developed diverse characters - great LGBTQ representation, along with mental health issues.
A stunning plot-driven storyline with a great cast of characters that I liked and felt connected with. The writing flows perfectly and the author is able to balance the large cast of multiple POV’s.

E. Latimer Is able to pull you into the romance, enemies-to-lovers plot line. A budding relationship between Dayna and Meiner, who seem to be rivals, but take on a more romantic turn, as the book progresses the sparks fly.
The rivalry between the two covens makes the book believable, with authentic teenage dynamics. But eventually the two covens join forces and come together with a common goal, to ultimately stop the vile Butcher.

A captivating paranormal mystery, along with a stellar coven of witches,
The LGBTQ +OCD and multigenerational characters really makes this book amazing

“There was a little witch in every woman, but not every woman was a witch.”

Themes explored in Witches of Ash & Ruin
1) Sexual Identity
2) Mental Health
3) Physical/Emotional Abuse
4) Homophobia
5) Weaponizing of religion

The first in a trilogy this was engaging and intriguing witchy read.
I will definitely be reading work from this highly talented author.

#WitchesofAshandRuin

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers @elatimerwrites

Magic and murder collide in this contemporary fantasy novel that remains true to its bloody premise. Admittedly, I was skeptical at first, but I was hooked by the end. I was most pulled in by the plot—Dayna and Meiner’s quest to stop the Butcher, interspersed with magic and rituals, and the occasional shocking chapter from the perspective of the Butcher himself. The lesson here is that everyone has a story, even those who dabble in darkness.

Romance fans don’t have to stay away, though. Witches of Ash and Ruin also features a budding relationship between Dayna and Meiner, who start off as semi-rivals but grow to understand each other better over the course of the story. I love enemies-to-lovers plot lines, and this is no exception. The bond between the rest of Dayna’s coven was also lovely, and provided relief from her ultra-religious father, a priest who despises witchcraft. The spirit of sisterhood and family is strong in this novel, and I appreciated the mother-hen tendencies of Reagan, Dayna’s best friend, Yemi, her mom, and Bronagh, a grandmotherly woman who leads the witches.

Around 50% through, I found that I couldn’t put the book down. Several confrontation scenes moved at a fast pace as Dayna unraveled the mystery of the Butcher and came into her full powers as a witch. This was when everything began to feel more real to me, and the characters seemed to rise off the page. Any plot-focused reader will surely engage with the care taken to fully realize every plot thread, and character-focused readers will love the novel for the friendships and subtleties that appear throughout.

My only complaint is that I would have liked more world-building. The mythology wasn’t fully explained, and I like to explore the ways different books include the same deities and symbols. The spells and charms in Witches of Ash and Ruin were Celtic in origin, but I would appreciate more clarity on what each of them meant.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this novel. It was a great distraction from the outside world, and I fell easily into the murder mystery and the magical entities that played in this mystical version of Ireland.

The witchy book I didn't know I was waiting for. It's dark, with serial killers, blood magic, cultish churches, and immortal gods.

It's also got a very sweet slow-burn romance between two of the younger witches, and from about page 5 forward, I just needed them to make out already! One of my frustrations in the queer book world is that mm romances tend to be warmer and richer than ff romances – but this pairing finally feels as strong and focused as we're getting in the mm world.

I loved how multigenerational this story was, with the coven ranging from age 5 (in flashbacks) to old age. It's a pretty women-centered story, with a few men at the fringes, including an ex-boyfriend who could be troublesome, but I root for his good nature to win out. With the setting in Ireland, it's quite white; there are two amazing witches of colour, but little exploration of their unique cultural identity beyond witchcraft.

Along with the main witchcraft and murders plot, the story explores mental health from several angles, including debilitating OCD, familial trauma, behavioral inheritance, age and dementia. There's no cut and dry good and bad in this book, so much as layers of love and hurt and intention.

Before I was even halfway through the book, I was already hoping this would be a series, as one book just isn't enough for the themes and characters it holds. I'm pretty sure I'll get my way, as many of the themes and story elements that the book opened are not fully resolved.

It's rare that a book hits me in my cold bones and my warm fuzzies all at once. In fact, I think it's never actually happened before – so well done, E. Latimer.

I'm really happy to have read this!

That was quite the cliffhanger ending.

Witches of Ash and Ruin is a fairly dark book. There is dark magic and blood magic. There is a lot of blood and death. But it also focused a lot on family. Dayna's mom had been sent to "camp" years ago and she didn't know her. Her father was a reverend. That doesn't work out too well since Dayna is a witch. Her friends in the coven have become her family and she would do anything for them. The love between the women was so strong.

A different coven was on their way to Carman. Grandma King, Meiner, and Cora were a very different type of coven. Grandma King was slowly losing her mind and she was violent and abusive. Grandma King was known to do dark magic and had been banned from the coven. But she was having visions that led them to the Carman coven.

Witches were being killed. The thought was that it was The Butcher, a killer that has a pattern of killing in different areas over the years. His mark was left behind. Some of the chapters are in Dubh's point of view. We find out quickly that he's a witch hunter and killer. But we don't know why until later on in the book. Dubh is pretty messed up. Body parts are always taken when he killed. Part of a ritual.

"Tongue and eye, hand and foot. Blood and bone, ash and soot."

The women of the coven know that more death will be coming to them unless they could stop the butcher. They work on spells and research to figure out why this person was killing witches and why Carman? There isn't a large coven there to choose from.

Meiner is pretty angry all the time. She's violent and rages at times. But somehow, she starts to care about Dayna and even the other witches. Meiner was supposed to take over the coven when Grandma King passed away, but Cora was the power hungry one. Cora and grandma start spending time together privately and Meiner knows something is wrong.

Without giving too much away, the killings are something darker than expected. There are gods that are good and gods that are bad. People die and others get hurt. And the ending left me wondering what could happen next.

I gave this book 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my review copy.

Warnings for violence, abuse, blood magic including cutting, anxiety, OCD, sacrifice, homophobia and outing someone as bisexual, mention of sexual assault, and the cutting of body parts.

E. Latimer’s Witches of Ash and Ruin has a striking opening sequence, seventeen-year-old Dayna Walsh is in school and struggling to cope with terrible OCD when a flock of birds fly and crash against the classroom windows. Dayne suspects it is somehow connected to herself, probably because she is a ‘witchling’, the term used for a trainee witch who has not completed her training and is yet to ‘ascend’ to full witch status. It is worth pointing out that I thought the term ‘witchling’ was completely naff and belongs in nursery along with the Worst Witch series and was too juvenile to be used in a YA novel. Dayna has recently split up from Samuel and is coming to terms with the fact she is bisexual, which is a key part of the plot. She is also part of a local witch’s coven, who effectively hide in plain sight, and her religiously strict father has no idea that she is training to be a witch. As the story is set in rural Ireland, a Catholic country, religion also plays a part in the plot.

The story is told in five different voices, Dayna is the only one belonging to the local coven, along with ex-boyfriend Samuel who has a smaller part, is unaware of the coven, and drifts in and out of proceedings. Two of the other voices are Meiner and Cora who come from a visiting coven and appear after another local witch is murdered. The two covens then band together, but with a lot of distrust and friction, attempting to solve the murder and any supernatural consequences it might have. The fifth voice is of one of the killers, Dubh, who pops up here and there, but has limited interactions with the main characters until near the end.

Both Cora and Meiner were in a previous relationship together; sparks begin to fly when there is obvious attraction between Meiner and Dayna. It’s good to see gay characters having strong roles in YA fiction but it rather dominated the supernatural element of the story and became repetitive and might put of readers more interested in the occult thread. Interested readers may well find themselves going to Google to look up the various Irish mythological entities mentioned which have some bearing on the story. Everything moved along at a decent pace and is connected to a serial killer who may have killed many times in the past. YA readers should find this a solid, if undemanding read, and may well feel they have been here before as there are many novels of a similar ilk on the market.

I was unconvinced by the theology behind the book which a teenager reader probably will not flag. In talking about her father ‘the reverend’ Dayna says: “Over the years, her father’s church had begun to star into strange territory. Likely they no longer qualified as Catholic. As far as she could see, they did what the reverend told them to.” If they were Catholic then her father would be a priest, and if he was Catholic, he would not be married with a daughter. ‘Reverend’ is a Protestant term and in the Republic of Ireland there are very few of them, but at least he would be able to get married. So, what was he? It does not make sense.

Witches of Ash and Ruin failed to come across as authentically Irish. All the action is set in a small country Irish town, but this could have been anywhere and there was a lack of detail and descriptions, apart from the odd stone circle referenced. I appreciate the author is not from the Emerald Isle and American audiences might settle for this, but for British teenagers who might have read Peadar O'Guilin’s The Call or Mary Watson’s The Wren Hunt will find the background setting to be rather bland. The setting in a novel like this is just as important as the developing relationships between the girls, but it is not presented that way. Also, for a novel about witchcraft, for long periods the dark arts were entirely absent from the story and this might frustrate some teen readers who find the romance stuff just a big too heavy.

I also found the gender balance misfired and potential male readers may be disappointed to find that the only teenage boy, for the most part plays second fiddle to the witch girls. There is a real lack of male central character in current YA fiction and Witches of Ash and Ruin is another example to add to the pile. Whilst the three witch girls are portrayed as resilient teenagers Samuel does not come across the same way, even though his storyline of investigating serial killers was a good one, ultimately he spent too much time mooning over his ex-girlfriend Dayna, which was not especially believable and marginalised from the main plotline.

Modern YA has an excellent reputation for exploring sexual diversity, but I felt having all three teenage girls seemingly gay or bisexual was overkill and unrealistic. Meiner and Cora had been in a relationship prior to meeting Dayna, who is just realising she is bisexual and finds herself attracted to Meiner. I swiftly grew tired on the teenage flirting, which seemed to turn into something of a soap-opera, and lost count of the amount of times Dayna blushed or had prickles on her neck when Meiner brushed her hand. Admittedly a genuine teen reader will not find this as frustrating as myself, but fantasy readers may well find that the story is unnecessarily weighed down by flirting whilst the true villain, Dubh, is underused in the background.

If you don’t dig too deep Witches of Ash and Ruin is a solid mythological fantasy novel which should appeal to teenage girls, few boys will read this, but when you look below the surface it is not quite so convincing. The end promises a sequel and I’ll be interested to see if there is any demand for it.

Witches and serial killers? Yes please!! This book had me hooked from the first page and I needed through it, not wanting to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.