Another book that riffs on Jane Eyre, this time in a bit of a tongue-in-cheek manner, Within These Wicked Walls is a fun and flirty SFF adventure starring a young woman who can cleans people and places of evil spirits. Hired to cleans a cursed mansion that even her mentor won't touch, Andromeda uncovers mysteries, removes ghosts, falls in love with the property's owner, and, after the gruesome deaths of several of the house's inhabitants, convinces her mentor to help her. Admitting that you need help is good, especially in this story, and with combined powers and some emotional catharsis, there's a relatively happy ending. The details about religious belief, hauntings, and t hose who exorcise them is an interesting added layer, as is the culture in general.

This book was a haunting, intriguing, and vividly drawn story of a strange presence lurking behind a house and the vibrant heroine sent inside it. Andromeda was a fierce, vibrant main character, and I loved seeing her arc throughout the novel, the way her character grew and developed after challenge pelted her one after another. It was fascinating and eerily drawn out, and there were times when I had shivers from the poignant writing style.

Personally, at times, the plot did run a bit slowly, and I found myself dragging through—especially at the introduction—but the scenes of action and the vibrancy of the characters made it so that I could carry through. And i’m glad I did because wow was this book good! The setting was beautiful drawn out, and I was fascinated by the world outside the walls, a place drawn from Etiopian culture. Andromeda’s place in this was well done, and I loved the way she served as an exorcist. The magic was brilliant, and I loved the way it worked. All in all, WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS was an eerie read of a story, and perfectly haunting.

I think the one thing I'll thoroughly remember about this book weeks, and even months from now, is the magic system. It was fascinating. I personally can't think of any other book which has a remotely similar eerie, dark aspect surrounding exorcism, and I loved it. The whole time, I was both creeped out by the chilling descriptions and completely enthralled, nearly tipping over my seat awaiting the next shocking plot twist.
SO. MANY. PLOT. TWISTS.
I was split on the characters. On one hand, I learned to love Magnus's strange sense of humor, but I felt like he was lacking more depth. I adored Andromeda's fierceness, passion, and unexpected snark. The banter between the two of them was perfect, and led to a romance worth rooting for. The side characters were a little forgettable for the most part, but there were a few who managed to catch my attention, especially as we learned more about them as the story progressed.
Overall, I will definitely be talking about and recommending this thrilling, hair-raising, romantic book A LOT in the next couple of months, and I can't wait for more people to read it.

I love this book so much! Andromeda and Magnus are such great characters, and I loved every time they interacted. Within These Wicked Walls is atmospheric and creepy, with a haunted house, strange monsters, and a cursed boy. This is a retelling of Jane Eyre, one of my favorite books, and this book follows the plotline just enough to be considered a retelling, but it's full of shocking twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. 4.5/5 stars, rounded up to 5, as it was a little confusing at first, but after the first few chapters I can guarantee you won't be able to stop reading.

Overall this book was amazing. The second I heard that this book was a Jane Eyre retelling it went straight to my tbr. I don’t typically like classics but I loved that one so I knew I would love the retelling.

Although the romance in the story felt as though it almost like insta-love, the romantic chemistry was spot on and for that reason it was fine with me.

In terms of the characters, I loved Andi. She was a protagonist who was easy for me to relate to and her perspective was fun to read from. Magnus annoyed me here and there but his sense of humor and chemistry with Andi redeemed him for me.

The vivid imagery and setting kept me interested throughout the whole thing. It was incredibly fast paced and although it took me a few pages to get into, I adored it. This is definitely one of my favorites of this year and I would highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book! When I heard this was a Jane Eyre retelling with a fantastical twist I was sold. As I was reading WTWW it gave me some Disney Haunted Mansion vibes. These two stories do not have much in common; however, certain elements in the story reminded me of the movie. I loved that the story took place in an Ethiopian desert. The descriptions were vivid and realistic; the plot was engaging and face-paced, and the romance banter was super entertaining.

I loved that Andi is a strong female character who doesn't put up with any nonsense. The side characters were well developed and loveable. My only criticism would be that at times Andi behaved a bit out of character around the main love interest, which made me cringe just a little. That being said, this was a surprisingly fun read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a gothic romance, with a badass female lead, and a sprinkle of heartbreak.

Rating: 4.5*

In this Ethiopian-inspired Jane Eyre retelling, Andromeda is a debtera hired to cleanse the Evil Eye from a cursed mansion belonging to handsome young heir Magnus Rochester—and all the things that haunt him.

WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS sucked me into its world from the first page. Whether it was the hot, sandy desert or the delightfully creepy “manifestations” in the cold, sentient mansion, the setting really shone. The writing was very stylized so the characters’ dialogue took some getting used to, but once I did, it was really fun and clever. Andie was such a layered character—practical but hopeful, strong but vulnerable—and I enjoyed experiencing the story through her eyes. I also loved that Magnus was allowed to be lonely and weepy and emotional; he’s a different kind of Gothic love interest than the stoic, mysterious hero we’ve come to expect, and I loved him all the more for it.

Given that this was pitched as a Jane Eyre retelling, I was expecting more of a plot twist. Things started to drag a bit in the middle, which was unfortunate given how much there was to play with in this world. Even so, WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS was a wild ride of a book with such a distinctive setting and memorable characters that I'd happily recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Jane Eyre retelling in an Ethiopian setting with a really cool magic system sounded too good to be true, but Lauren Blackwood has pulled it off with aplomb.

My favourite element of this book has got to be the magic system. I haven't seen amulets used in this way in YA before (or at all, really) and I thought it was so fascinating and well-done. I really liked that Andromeda is good at making these amulets because she's learned how, not because of some incredibly convoluted 'chosen one' arc. I also liked how her relationships with the other characters developed. They were very believable, and combined with the exceptional pacing, made for a really immersive story.

The only reason I didn't give this five stars is because it didn't necessarily punch me in the gut the way I want a 5-star book to. That being said, I read it in a day and could hardly put it down, and this is a book I'd happily recommend to a friend.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood is a thrilling retelling of Jane Eyre that kept me hooked from cover to cover. Blackwood’s characters are vivid and refreshing, and the ‘haunted house’ concept was interesting. For a debut novel, this was well done.

This story was engaging from the start. Blackwood throws the reader right into the world and doesn’t waste words explaining Andromeda’s whole backstory; instead, it’s given to the reader gradually. This upbeat beginning never slowed down and I found myself flying through this book. The haunted castle concept was compelling and all of its manifestations were beautifully written. The imagery in this book was terrific as well; I keep replaying the image of blood seeping from the walls in such vivid detail, as well as a ghostly manifestation whipping books from the wall. I loved it.

There was also a good balance of action, development, and romance. Whenever there was an attack, Blackwood hits you with a cute romantic scene right after (and the chemistry between the main characters? Unmatched).

As a side note, Blackwood’s writing style is also fairly blunt. I enjoyed it, but I know many people do not favour this style. This also resulted in a lot of the action becoming challenging to follow and less engaging than other moments.

All of the characters in this book were well-rounded and rarely fell flat. Andromeda is this perfect mixture of being fierce and blunt but also compassionate, and her deep care for others is evident and consistent. Her complicated relationship with Jember was done well and highlighted the struggle of caring deeply for a person who has harmed you.

I think my favourite character has to be Magnus. His wit and inability to read social cues was charming and Blackwood carefully constructs his chemistry with other characters. One thing that was refreshing was Magnus’s ability to show emotion. He cries at multiple points, which is so rare among YA love interests. Safe to say, Magnus is not your stereotypical brooding male, but instead, a much more developed and 3-dimensional character, unafraid to be vulnerable.

Even most minor characters had well-developed stories and didn’t solely exist to further Andromeda’s arc. They each had their own plotline and personality, and although I wish we saw more of them, for a debut novel, they were well done.

One thing readers should be aware of is the religious undertones throughout. While I think it adds to Andromeda’s motives and character arc, I found that it was almost emphasized too much. Often, she would mention God abruptly and, at times, I felt as if it disrupted the scene. From a personal perspective, I felt increasingly disconnected from Andromeda when her faith was so frequently brought up. It’s a minor part of the overall storyline, but still, something readers should be aware of.

*Thank you to Lauren Blackwood, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Setting is important and the settings in this story are interesting. The cursed house is well done. It’s always cold, books fly off shelves in the library, and under fine Persian rugs . . . No spoilers here. The house is in an African country and I didn’t get enough of a sense of that. Mention is made of a different way of eating and of the desert. I would have liked to have more intense impressions of the country.
I had a slow start with the book. The hero wasn’t compelling and since this is a take on Jane Eyre, it was odd that he was young. I became interested because I very much liked the main character, Andromeda. She’s sharp-edged, but uses the power of hope to keep going. Several of the things she said were worth highlighting to be remembered later. As the story moved along, it became riveting, quite unpredictable, finishing with a satisfying conclusion.
I received a free arc of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

This riveting tale of Andi, a debtera, struggling to find her way in a world alone. She is offered employed to help Magnus rid his home of the Evil Eye.

Horror, love, mystery and learning to love yourself flaws and all. This book is an absolute must read.

This was a nice mix of a horror story and fantasy novel, set in a creepy manor. While at times I had issues understanding the lore of the world, I loved the relationships that surrounded Andromeda and how they organically built. Plus it’s hard to argue with a cutie like Magnus, even if you can’t look him in the eyes.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Within These Wicked Walls was freaking AMAZING! I was so happy to dive into this because my buddy was writing some interesting comments about the book. So interesting that I sped through my book that I was reading just so I could dive into this one.

Guys, I wasn't disappointed one freaking bit!

In it, you will meet Andromeda and Magnus. At first, I didn't know what I was going to get with these too but I'm glad I stuck with them. Even though I was completely on board with the romance in the beginning. They somehow wormed their way into my heart and I was a goner.

You know.. it's interesting that this a retelling of Jane Eyre because for some reason - I was getting Beauty and the Beast vibes. Probably more weird than interesting if you actually think about it but that is where my mind was going during some chapters.

Besides that, this book had endless twists and turns and I'm pretty sure my mind still hasn't coped with how this all ended. It was amazing from start to finish and I'm so happy that I got the chance to dive into this beautiful book.

I really liked Within These Wicked Walls! It’s a really unique idea, and I loved the Ethiopian setting. I learned a lot of new words from this author talking about traditional Ethiopian clothing and foods.

Andi is an unlicensed debtera who is hired to cleanse a haunted castle of a rich young chocolate heir who is cursed with tons of dangerous manifestations.

I will say the love interest was unexpected to me at first, I thought it would be a different character but I grew to love their relationship and root for them. Overall, I really liked this book but there is a bit of child abuse that was heard to read. I felt like the author was very realistic in the reactions and behaviors so I’ll admit it was well written even being a difficult topic!

The book does have a lot of Christian themes which is something to be aware of for other readers.

I think people who enjoyed Mexican Gothic will enjoy this book!

This book has elements of horror, fantasy, a little romance, and a strong, smart and resilient main character. It's a fantasy and a thriller, and a gothic fairy tale.

Ooh another great read for me! I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling, especially because it's set in Ethiopia and the main characters are all POC. A haunted house, a cursed man, and a religious young woman determined to cleanse the evil. I was immediately on board!

One of the main things I always judge books on is pacing and this does a pretty good job of balancing action and down time. There's also romance, jealousy, and parental issues to fill in and it made for a full, interesting story. Andromeda is a great leading character. She was raised by Jember who taught her to be a debtera but didn't give her any love or affection. She was thrown into the street and has been getting by until she was selected for this job. Andi is great at her job and tries to stay professional, but she's drawn to the mysterious and odd master of the house Magnus.

Magus isn't great with people and being cursed means he doesn't have any close relationships. I thought he and Andi fit well together, though he needed to make some choices before trying to get with her and I was a bit irritated that he played with her affection. He gets better as the story goes and I felt bad that everyone around him kept leaving.

The curse is super creepy and my favorite part of the book. Blood was leaking from places, ghosts were appearing, and the house was constantly cold. I loved that the house was actually haunted instead of just seemingly haunted like the original Jane Eyre. This was a unique and fun story and I'm so excited for it to be out everywhere!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.

3.5 stars

A gothic and chilling Jane Eyre retelling. This book is a sweet love story set within a grim and haunting backdrop.

It did take me a couple of chapters to get into the story. The writing, in my opinion, is blunt and to the point, which does serve the story quite well, and really gives us insight into the factual and quick thinking of our main character, Andromeda (Andi), who has been raised to survive and take care of herself by her outwardly cruel and no nonsense mentor Jember.

The book is told from her point of view as she works for a patronage from Magnus, the master of the house, after being left to the streets by Jember, unable to finish her training and unable to secure a license. Without either a license or a patronage, Andi will be unable to find steady work as a Debtera.

Where Andi is blunt and honest, Magnus is indulgent and peculiar. I loved the contrasts between them, and you really can't help but love Magnus and his quirkiness immediately.

I've never read Jane Eyre, but based on the synopsis of it I read, I would say that this book follows the major events of that story quite well, with a unique and harrowing twist. I loved the contrast between the romance and the gothic and dark setting. They complimented each other and played really well together. It gave the story an air of mystery that I really really liked.

The chapters are quite short and the plot is fast passed which made it a really quick and enjoyable read. However, there were quite a few moments that happened too quickly for me. I would have loved a bit more to flush out some of the ideas and really build the tension, so that the payoffs would have more impact.

As much as I loved the love story between Magnus and Andi, with all their flirting and wonderful banter, it feels like we went from not liking Magnus, to being in love with him at the snap of a finger. I would have loved to see more of that evolution.

Similarly, there is a moment where Andi flees the house, and it seemed very sudden to me. I wasn't sure what the cause of her flight was. There wasn't much insight on what exactly caused the decision, whether it was something specific or a combination of things that just finally made her snap. The moment seemed almost like an afterthought, more forced to ensure the major events of Jane Eyre were met for the purposes of the retelling.

Overall, this a sweet and mysterious story, filled with so many great moments. Moments that made me laugh, tear up, and moments that had me asking questions that kept me from putting the book down to go to bed because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

It features a Black main character and tells a story of love and adventure without involving racism and other injustices the BIPOC and specifically Black communities face everyday. As important as it can be to include these things in our literature, it is also equally, if not more so important to tell stories of BIPOC characters just living and going on adventures without those things, and this book does a wonderful job of that.

In the end, my only complaint is that I wished this book had more meat to it. I wanted more of it, more flushed out moments to pull me into the world and the characters that much more.

A literary masterpiece!

Within These Wicked Walls is an Ethiopian-inspired fantasy gothic Jane Eyre retelling. This is easily one of the most unforgettable books I have ever read. It includes an intricate magic system, well developed world building, heartbreak and amazing bantering/lovable characters that just sucked me right in.

I absolutely adored this book and would highly recommend to anyone looking for mystery, a well developed magic system, and romance!

I loved this book so much. I really hated one of the characters in the beginning and found him annoyingly immature and I wanted to slap him myself. By the end though, I really enjoyed him and what he brought to the story.

I really enjoyed this reimagining of Jane Eyre!

There's some creepy things (hey a house is being cursed with the Evil Eye). But there's also hints of Jane Eyre's gothic romance vibes as well as some Beauty & the Beast-esque plot points.

I loved Andromeda as a MC. Yes, there was some borderline insta-love (but Jane Eyre had some too). However, this book really shines with its complex character dynamics and its magic/religion system. There's some acknowledgement of toxic situations and coming to grips with loving people who might not treat you the way they should.

Honestly, Saba stole the show here. Her character is extremely interesting and I kind of wish we had more page time with her.

All in all, this was an interesting Ethiopian-inspired tale loosely based on Jane Eyre, and I enjoyed reading it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books / St. Martin's Press for this eARC. I really appreciated the opportunity to experience this book!

Content Warnings:
Lots of gruesome imagery (the walls do bleed, the staff vanishes under unknown circumstances (did they leave or did something get them?), there's ghosts, etc.)
There's some dismemberment
Toxic Relationships: a parent figure beats and emotionally abuses a child (it is addressed and shown that this is not ok)