A nice retelling that will appeal to JAne Austen lovers. Not as much horror as it seemed to be marketed a but definitely the romance and heroine tropes that Austen and the retelling crowd will like.

rating: 4.5

Within These Wicked Walls is a deliciously creepy, Ethiopian inspired retelling of Jane Eyre by debut author, Lauren Blackwood.

It took me a little while to completely get into the story but once I did, I couldn't put it down. Even though it has elements inspired by Jane Eyre, this story is entirely its own and I absolutely love the way Lauren Blackwood brought it to life. After this, I know that young adult fantasy thriller is a genre I want to read more of. One of the best books I've read this year !!

I thought this was a good read. You can definitely see the inspiration that Jane Eyre had on this work and the different tropes the author decided to use and manipulate. I liked the idea of getting rid of the Evil Eye and that only people trained can do it. The added layer of having the colonists versus the indigenous people in the different mindsets about the Evil Eye was a nice layer that helps to add a viewpoint on imperialism. I overall really enjoyed this book.

Interesting plot and characters. It has an intriguing beginning that would compel you to read up until the end. The mysterious creature in the story is predictable. The romance part was the typical love triangle trope you read. The story is action-packed with unexpected horrible scenes you can imagine. For me, it's not a Jane Eyre retelling but a delight to read on its own.

I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a great read. I spotlighted it as book of the day on my social media platforms, and I included it in a monthly roundup of new releases on my Black Fiction Addiction blog.

I honestly didn't know this was a Jane Eyre retelling! Imagine my surprise when I started reading and coming upon the names of Rochester and the like. But don't worry, it doesn't strictly adhere to the story plot of the original source and Magnus is a lot warmer than his predecessor.

The strongest parts of the book is the writing. Lauren Blackwood has a wonderful way with words in how she sets up and shapes scenes. The descriptions are lovely and I could picture and imagine everything so clearly in my head. She has an ability to make the reader and empathize with the characters she creates.

The plot of working to banish the manifestations in the house and cleanse it of the curse is so cool. I absolutely loved how she worked on her amulets and how she learned to improve/add to her craftwork. Also, how her encounters with the manifestations! Some of the scenes really upped the tension and I was like gripping the kindle. Even better were the scenes that were pretty creepy!

I really disliked the romance bit because it was a bit too effusive for me. Magnus does not shy away from expressing his affections and I'm more into the reserved, subtle romance. A lot of the stuff the characters said or did together felt saccharine and Andromeda's feelings were a bit too quick for my tastes. Thus why I enjoyed the first half of this book much more than the first.

A pretty good debut and an interesting reshaping of the original story. I have a keen interest following the author to see her future stories.

eArc provided by NetGalley.

What a fun read with a distinct Beauty and the Beast retelling vibe. Enjoyed this. Thank you Netgalley for the copy.

I had big expectations for this book, but it just didn't do it for me.
The plot dragged a lot, and I didn't enjoy the characters. Andromeda was too good, too optimistic, and I get she's gone through a lot and it's her defense mechanism, but she forgives too much. And Magnus just didn't make much sense to me.
The retelling aspects were interesting, I kind of liked how it adapted Jane Eyre to a fantasy world with these ghost-like creatures. It wasn't that bad, really. I just was uninterested for the most part.
Also, lately I'm not enjoying books narrated in the 1st person so that may have played a part in how I perceived it, but that's somthing absolutely personal and not osmething the book did wrong!
Overall, I think it just wasn't for me.

Ok so at first I forgot that I had this arc, then I kept hearing about it on YT. Well what can I say, it wasn’t what I was expecting that’s for sure, but it was what I needed to get me out of a mini slump.. the awkwardness of the main two characters was funny but not. The plot twist I kinda had a feeling about. It writing was good a slow at times, but I enjoyed the book and give it 3 .5 stars. I feel like the storyline could have been a but more but the author did the job of telling the story,

The audiobook was great! I really liked the narrator. Within These Wicked Walls is fast paced. The romance is insta love which I’m usually not a fan of, but in this case it went well with the story. Magnus is my favorite kind of sad damaged boy. Andromeda is also damaged, but does what she needs to do to survive. She is so brave! The mystery was predictable, but still enjoyable. I read this pretty fast. I couldn’t put it down! I look forward to more from this author! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Characters - 6/10
Within These Wicked Walls started off really great. It did not end that way. Let's start with the characters. I liked both Andromeda and Magnus in the beginning. Andi is a survivor and I really admire that in a character. Magnus had the potential to be the brooding bad boy. Unfortunately, both of them fell flat.

Somewhere in the middle of the book both of them devolve into whiny, clingy children. Both of them are over 18, so it was just a weird turn of events. Magnus turned into a clingy brat. He sounded like a child who lost his teddy bear and he would throw tantrums when he didn't get his way. It's like he was meant to be 16 instead of 20.

The romance between the two of them was very insta-lovey (the worst kind) and I wasn't really here for it. Overall they just needed some more work.

Atmosphere - 6/10
The atmosphere could have used some work. It's not creepy enough, and the worldbuilding could have used some work. We're not given enough context on what's going on in the world outside the mansion. It makes me feel like the mansion is just floating in some void. Some more details could have helped to flesh out the story more.

Writing - 8/10
I did enjoy the writing style a lot. It immediately sucked me in, and I sped through the first half of the book. I enjoyed the straightforward, easy to read writing. Less is more sometimes.

Plot - 6/10
The plot wasn't too complicated to follow, but once again I wish we had gotten more details. It seems to be a recurring thing for me with YA books lately. They just lack detail. I don't need Sanderson levels of detail, but some more lore would be nice. The premise is there, it just needs more.

Intrigue - 6/10
The Ethiopian setting was amazing. I learned a lot and I wish we had leaned into it more. I also haven't read Jane Eyre, so I can't comment on how accurate of a retelling it is.

Logic - 5/10
I really did enjoy the conflicts in this book. It was less about the curse and more about Magnus and her adopted father in the end. While I did enjoy the conflict between Andi and her father, I wish the focus was more on the curse. It lacked some focus.

Enjoyment - 6/10
Overall this wasn't a bad book, it just lacked some depth. The writing was great and the characters were great in the beginning. I recommend this one for beginner horror readers.

Let’s start with what I loved. I loved the characters. I loved Andromeda (Andi), I loved Magnus, and I loved Saba. There were some moments where I liked Jember (especially in terms of his relationship with Saba), but overall, I couldn’t get over what he did to Andi over the years. The abuse she had to deal with because of him.

But let’s talk Andi first. She’s a debtera, an exorcist who “cleans” households of evil spirits. But because she’s not an approved debtera, she’s not really allowed to practice. But since Jember pretty much kicks her out, she has to figure out how to survive on her own. So she heads to Thornfield Hall with a job to remove the evil demons from the place. Little does she know what she’s getting into.

The house…well, it scares the shit out of her, and with all the stuff she has seen over her years with Jember, that’s saying something.

Thornfield Hall also brings her to the attention of Magnus Rochester. The spoiled, charming, and charismatic owner of the hall and he quickly falls head over heels for Andi.

Saba is the…ok, it’s hard not to give spoilers here, but this part surprised the hell out of me so I don’t want to give it away…she is like a helper/maid/lady’s maid around the hall. She helps Andi get acquainted with the hall and helps her with clothes and things. All I’ll say is…she is not what she seems. And she has a past with Jember.

Ok, let’s talk about the romance between Andi and Magnus. It just…didn’t work for me. I found Magnus to be kind of a spoiled man child and Andi deserves so much better than him. I liked him as a character on his own. He’s kind of fun and hopelessly romantic, but for Andi…not so much.

And that’s pretty much my only issue with the book.

There were some slow moments that I thought could’ve been paced better, but other than that, this was a fun, scary AF book. The setting is extraordinary, the characters are well-developed, and the premise is brilliant.

If you’re looking for a unique take on Jane Eyre, Within These Wicked Walls is definitely worth giving a shot. I’m giving it 3.5 stars.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5

The story takes place in a cursed mansion that provided a lot of the claustrophobic atmosphere I love in gothic settings, and I quite enjoyed the magic system of creating amulets to ward off evil. I loved the desert setting and the little reminders of that like the food descriptions/eating with hands. While initially Andi's relationship with Magnus (and her relationship with her mentor/father, Jember) made me roll my eyes, I was absolutely bought in by the end and even teared up a time or two.

As I haven't read Jane Eyre, I cannot speak to how successful this was a retelling; however, I can say it provided all the gothic creepiness I wanted and more and that the writing itself was incredible. I think this is one of the strongest debuts I've read in a while and will absolutely be picking up whatever Lauren Blackwood writes next.

Within These Wicked Walls isn't much similar to Jane Eyre. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's creepy and fantastic; a solid debut.

DNF - this story just was not for me, primarily due to personal preference. Many of the characters grated on me, and the worldbuilding also did not work for me--which was a disappointment, as I very much wanted to love it going in. I did enjoy the gothic elements, specifically, the Manifestations. I will not be cross-posting this review, as I am hopeful other readers that this book is better suited to will give it a chance.

Title: Within These Wicked Walls
Author: Lauren Blackwood
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4.0

What the heart desires, the house destroys...

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

I actually enjoyed this quite a bit! I found it creative and unique, and I loved both Andromeda and Magnus. There were a few places that seemed fairly abrupt, like some of the progression between scenes was chopped, and that felt a bit awkward, but this wasn’t enough to turn me off the book. Bits of this were quite creepy, but this was definitely an entertaining read.

Lauren Blackwood lives in Virginia. Within These Wicked Walls is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

I love Jane Eyre. Like LOVE! So seeing a reimagining always makes me equal parts apprehensive and excited. This was an unexpected surprise: Jane Eyre as an exorcist? Yes please. Now, I don't get much Jane Eyre from this, except in themes, but the story is definitely engaging.

For Libraries: While there are no content issues that make this not a YA book, it simply does not feel like one. For me it reads as a New Adult and I think at my library it will circ better with my adults than my teens. Judge it as you see fit because you can't really go wrong either way.

3.5/5 ✨ s

Firstly, I was able to get this copy from NetGalley. I believe it was one of their free downloads so I snagged it and took forever to start and finish it.

This book very much, in my opinion, ventures to the genera of gothic horror/ Victorian gothic story telling. I saw this because of the time setting and atmosphere as well as the pacing of the story. That being said I do like a good gothic horror, although because of the pacing of those story’s (they tend to be slow) I can see how this book may fall short for those reasons.

We meet andromeda our main character who decides to help Magnus rid his castle of manifestations and the Evil Eye. She is a unloved practitioner and hopes to cleanse the manifestations unlike the many before her who failed. Magnus has inherited the Evil Eye from his father- a wealthy chocolate owner. His mother and father are both dead and Magnus has a handful of employees left at his castle that disappear. Magnus hires Andromeda in an attempt to rid himself of the Evil Eye however, they end up becoming something much more then employee and employer.

Well I did see the twist of sorts coming I did enjoy the book more once it picked up in the middle of the story. I was surprised our MC didn’t see the twist herself but it did add to the story the violence of it all.

I especially enjoyed the castle seeping blood from the walls- the blood it absorbed from the victims that die within. Very nice touch.

All in all it was a decent read and reminded me very much of crimson peak type vibes. So I would def say pick it up if you’re in the mood for a story like that.

Spooky season may be over but in my heart, it’s a year round affair & nothing gives me the creepy vibes more than a book set in a gothic type mansion.

I started reading Within These Wicked Walls last night &… From the moment I started it I couldn’t help but be reminded of the movie The Nun or even The Woman in Black. I swear when one of the characters told the main character that “May God have mercy on her soul” after dropping her off at the foot of this creepy mansion I all but gasped in excitement for this story. (Also just what is wrong with me for getting that much thrill out of a creepy book in the middle of the night? 😂)

From summaries I’ve gathered that Within These Walls is loosely based on Jane Eyre & having never read it before (I know I know..) I can’t attest to that. But a young girl being hired to exorcise the house from the “Evil Eye” and the man of the house just being a bit suspicious himself and you’ve got all the plot points for a great gothic horror type story.

Within These Wicked Walls was and interesting ride. I loved the spooky gothic vibe. The setting was so well done. I do wish some of the characters were more fleshed out but overall I enjoyed this book.