The Witch of the Tin Mountain is a witchy multi-generational story. If you want spooky dark magic vibes, you can get slightly disappointed. The vibes are present; but not much like I would have expected to read, its still there. The story is more of a historical-literature than a gothic fantasy. It is wickedly suspenseful with moody imagery and interestingly easy to read.

Thank you Lake Union via Netgalley for the arc.

This book is SO GOOD! I was very pleasantly surprised. It had that wow factor that I look for in a book. It was definitely out of my normal genre but I am so glad I read it. I'm trying to do that at least once a month.

This book starts out in 1831 on Tin Mountain with a so called witch named Anneliese. What happened to her and who was at the heart of that. A preacher. A man. A spurned man. She did what she had to to save her son.

Then we jump ahead to 1931, a hundred years later. We meet Gracelynn. She's living with her granny who is not blood kin but from the heart. After losing her mother and then her low life scum of a father she is brought by Val to live on Tin Mountain with her grandmother. Val is her aunt.

Back to 1881 where we meet Deirdre. Deirdre is a young woman with a lot going on. Her dad goes away for work a lot and that leaves her mother to raise her. Her mother is no saint but she is doing her best I suppose. Deirdre is in love with a local boy who I didn't care for at all. He was a user. A liar and only out to get what he wanted. Maybe he cared for Deirdre a tiny bit but that would be about all..

The way these three women are tied together is great. It has that wow factor I mentioned earlier. It was an eye-opener for sure. I loved the way this author spun Deirdre and Gracelynn together was nothing short of fantastic. In my opinion. Then we through in Anneliese and the story is perfect. Are these women truly witches? Your guess is as good as mine. I think they are very powerful. Very strong women. Yes they can cast spells and help people in many ways. They are true and honest. They love life.

This book is about so many other things also. Forgiveness maybe. Being gay in a time when it was unthinkable, still is in many ways. Being pregnant without being married. A so called faith healer. A demon in many forms. You meet three men also, Nathaniel, Ambrose, and Josiah. You won't like either of them. Preachers or fakes. Yeah that's what I thought. Jerks.

A lot of the characters in this story are very likable. Then they turn on the one that only tried to help. Then you won't like them to much. Or I didn't. There were some though that I really loved. And that ending. That ending was dynamic. So powerful. So goosebump worthy. Had me holding my breath and hoping for the best. And the very end. The Epilogue.. Answered what happened to all. I loved it. Great writing. Great scenery. Great book. Well done!

My favorite quote from this book is:

"AS I'VE GOTTEN OLDER, I'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT HOME IS LESS ABOUT THE PLACE YOU LIVE, AND MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU."

Thank you @NetGalley, @PauletteKennedy, @LakeUnionPublishers for this ARC. This is my true feeling about this book.

Five huge stars. It's so worth reading.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for my review. Wow I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I think I prematurely judged this book based on the cover, which felt a little romance/ historical fiction to me vs a southern gothic folk story of witchery. While there were some darker aspects discussed, this was not a book I’d categorize as true horror,

In “the witch of tin mountain” we toggle back and forth along 2 timelines. one grandmother and one grand daughter battling the same antagonist through time.

It held my interest the entire time, and I’m really looking forward to reading more by Paulette Kennedy.

The Witch of Tin Mountain is a historical novel with multiple points of view following a few generations of witches. It opens with a small town where money is tight and Grace uses her knowledge of natural remedies to earn some.
After a stranger wanders into town, Josiah, a highly religious and strange man, things take a weird turn after Gracelynn's grandmother recognises him as a bad man from 50 years ago.
I think following this book through without knowing too much allows a better experience. It's a spooky and mysterious novel that is really interesting because of the different time jumps. It provides a rich and multifaceted story that engrosses the reader.
I haven't rated it more as I was confused by the time jumps at first, differentiating between characters, names, etc. I think context provides and a good environment would enrich the experience even further. Think autumn/winter, hot drink vibes.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Let's Talk Books Promo for the copy of this book!

A witch book in February? Yes please! The Witch of Tin Mountain is a witchy spin on Depression-era Arkansas with flashbacks to the generations of the past. In a superstitious town, Gracelynn uses natural cures from a family book to heal, but when a traveling evangelist, Josiah Bellflower, comes to town, he quickly gets the town on his side and the whispers of witchcraft begin again. The town has been through this before: blaming witchcraft for the evil present and natural disasters that occur, and I enjoyed watching the familiar storyline play out across the generations. The feminist storyline was well done mixed in with the historical fiction and witch vibes, and I think this is going to be on a lot of reading lists come October!

Read if you like:
- generational stories
- witches
- Depression Era books
- LGBTQ+ rep

It’s always a good time of year to read witchy books!

Short Synopsis:
Told in two timelines, 50 years apart, Gracelynn and her granny help and heal people in the quiet mountain town. But when a revivalist preacher comes to town, things get shady.

Thoughts:
The two voices are very, very similar and it took me awhile to keep them straight with their near identical problems. I did really enjoy the way this all came together and it held my attention. It’s a story of family and magic and love and hypocrisy and overall a book I had to keep reading to find out what happens!

Read if You Like:
🏔️ Witchy books
🏔️ Historical Fantasy
🏔️ Generational stories
🏔️ LGBTQ rep
🏔️ The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue

I so enjoyed the author’s debut novel, The Parting of The Veil, and so was excited to read her second.

This was an interesting tale of witchcraft and local folklore set in the Ozarks of Arkansas. The secrets and traditions of witchcraft are passed through the female line of some families, and I loved the idea of a Zauberbuch – a book of magic and spells – created in Germany, brought to America and augmented with new knowledge and spells, and passed down through the female lines to those born with the power.

The story is told through Deirdre and Gracelynn, two women living on the Ozarks’ Tin Mountain in 1881 and 1931. These women are simultaneously respected and feared for possessing these powers, and they each fall prey to a devil wishing to usurp their gifts for his own ends.

There was a lot to enjoy about this fascinating story, but I did find it somewhat confusing. The storylines are a bit similar, and as a reader it took me quite a while to work out the distinct time frames/characters/storylines. The author’s first novel was wonderfully atmospheric, and I longed for that in such an interesting region, but I never truly had that physical and descriptive sense of place in this novel.

Despite those concerns, I did enjoy this novel of Ozarks’ folklore and the women of this misunderstood community.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

Evoking images of witchcraft and calling up the history of the Ozaks, I found this book a little difficult to read with its dual timelines, written in different tenses also. Apart from that, the story of Deirdre and Gracelynne is spellbinding.

This was a good historical, folklore, witchy read! Told through three generations of women each fifty years apart dealing with a curse that was set in motion in the early 19th century. Signs always come when the past is brewing to take what it was promised and every few decades the townsfolk once again turn their back on the women of Tin Mountain, even though they have trusted their knowledge and recipes until a preacher comes to town to spew lies and stir up the past. Each woman has made a promise to the preacher who has come before, and now it is down to Gracelyn to use her power and knowledge from the grimoire to see if she can end this curse once and for all, or if it will take another generation fifty years later to see through the lies and prove her worth. I really enjoyed the dual time lines in this one and how the story and women all wove together. Thank you to Let's Talk Books for the invite and to the author for the free novel. I will be reading her other one.

First of all, what a beautiful cover! It caught my attention first and, of course, witch in the title made me check it out because I always enjoy stories about witches. This one is rich in Ozark folklore and I enjoyed the read. It is told in two timelines, 1931 and 1881. The story in 1881 provided the root of what was happening in 1931 and it was intriguing. A tale of family and lore, love, and yes there is magic. The story is compelling and I stayed glued to the pages.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Atmospheric but drags a little

1931, Arkansas
Nineteen-year-old Gracelynn helps her adoptive grandmother, a healer and a midwife, treat the citizens of Tin Mountain. The arrival of Reverand Bellflower triggers a series of events that determine her fate and that of the land. Can Gracelynn understand the truth from the past and acknowledge her powers to settle the scores forever?
The story is presented in two timelines, with the third as an interlude. The narration is in Gracelynn and Dierdre’s POVs in their respective timelines.

What I Like:
The book starts with a bang. The prologue and the first chapter are equally engrossing. The setting comes alive on the pages. It has a solid spooky atmosphere (but I need more power, considering the themes).
Gracelynn is definitely easier to like. Her adopted granny does what a witchy granny would do. I rather like Ebba’s character arc, though Esme shows potential before fading away.
The hypocrisy of villagers (and people in general) comes out very well in how they interact with Gracelynn. The references to natives and the fear of ‘witches’ (while still approaching them for help) really stand out.
The book deals with LGBT themes using multiple characters. While it feels repetitive, it is cohesive and blends into the overall plotline.

What Could Have Been Better for Me:
The premise requires both timelines to have certain similar events. However, too many elements feel the same in both. Given how temperamental the narrators sound, it gets confusing to keep the tracks separate in my mind. Somehow, using first-person and third-person POVs didn’t help much.
While I like books that can be speed-read, my primary intent as a reader is to NOT speed-read and enjoy the story. But this one reads better when I up the pace, which points out the drawn-out narration in some places (things seem to go in circles at one stage).
The climax is the key books like this. I want that impact to resonate and linger for a while. Here, the build-up is stronger than the actual climax. (I slowed to a normal pace to savor the scene, but it was done a little too soon).

To summarize, The Witch of Tin Mountain is an atmospheric novel that presents witch trials with an interesting plot. The author’s note provides more insights into the story and the land.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

3.5 stars

There is a lot to like about The Witch of Tin Mountain. Generations of witches in neverending conflict with a shadowy demon with strong powers and a dark obsession; right up my alley and pretty much everything I'm looking for in a book.

"What is the difference between good and evil? Truly? It's all a matter of perception. Every bit of it. Wars. Plagues. Famine. Saints and sinners. Angels and demons."

Even though the two storylines took place fifty years apart, I really struggled to keep them straight. The characters were going through the same problems, and it would take pages before I could sort out which one I was reading about. It should not have been as difficult as it was for me, so I may be a distracted reader, but every time I came back to the book, it took longer than I should have to orient myself back into the story.

The Witch of Tin Mountain definitely got better as it went. The narrative picked up as Deirdre and Gracelynn figured out what was going on and started to form plans and take action. There were some strange moments... But there was a clear direction, and even though you knew what was coming, the journey was interesting.

There are a lot of side characters and plots that come and go seemingly at random and some plot holes to overlook, but I enjoyed the main characters and their journeys and how everything came together in the end. It might have been a little messy, but we got there.

TheWitch Of Tin Mountain
By Paulette Kennedy

#TheWitchofTinMountain
The Witch Of Tin Mountain

By Paulette Kennedy

A stunning story of the multi-generational Werner family of witches, who experience an ominous entity bound by a curse. This compelling book is mostly set deep in the Ozark’s mountains. Spanning from the years of 1881 to 1931, we follow Gracelynn, and Deirdre and Anneliese.

A propulsive storyline, offering both drama and historical authenticity to appeal to anyone interested in strong female characters and exceptional writing.

The Innovative world building and incisive character development make this compulsively readable. Paulette Kennedy seamless narration is effortless to follow when switching from different points of views, along with different time periods. Steeped in folklore and superstitions, the back hills of the Ozark’s are vividly brought to life in rich imagery and dialogue.

The women in this story are strong and resilient. I could easily connect with them as endured trials and events that shaped them into who the are. The pacing was steady and from the first page to the last I was completely absorbed into these women’s lives. I really enjoyed reading about the granny woman who use healing with herbalism and mountain magic. The author really outshines with her details to southern mountain dialogue. Paulette Kennedy captures the sites and sounds that give this book a complete atmospheric experience. She also tackles some important issues, that are relatable even today. She respectfully gives would be readers this information, in her content warning at the beginning of the book.

I truly enjoyed this book, and I have a feeling I am already on to being a life long fan of this author’s work. I highly recommend this book to my friends family, and I am patiently waiting on Mrs Kennedy’s next book!

Kennedy weaves an achingly beautiful tale, full of dark folklore, powerful women, and spine-tingling suspense. Deirdre and Gracelynn's story will captivate you, gripping your heart and lingering in your mind long after you turn the final page.

I love, love, LOVE historical fiction novels, and had really high hopes for The Witch of Tin Mountain. It takes a talented author to weave two stories and timelines together cohesively. The problem I had here is that the two characters were far too similar, and it made it feel impossible to actually tell them apart. It wasn't a cohesive story. It was far too cluttered. I think in and amidst the clutter is an excellent story, but it needs to be found. It's like going thrift store shopping, you have to search for the diamond hidden in the clutter. This story could use a lot more focus to hand the reader the diamond. If it had been more focused, I think it would have made for a five star read. I didn't love or hate The Witch of Tin Mountain, and that was disappointing to me. I fully expected I would love it, and felt more "meh" about it instead.

This book spans three generations of women who just happen to have extraordinary powers. At times it is a little hard to follow just because there’s several characters and it weaves back and forth through past and present.
It’s a twisted story and will have you staying up late to finish. I really liked it!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Loved it! Like WOW this book was amazing. I even told my husband how wonderful the story was and how the story consisted of strong, independent women, who were marked as witches because they were different and used holistic approach to healing.

Dual timeline between 1881 and 1931 in the Arkansas Ozarks. A time of turmoil and hardship for both timelines. I'm not one that loves a dual timeline but for this book it worked perfectly. I found the authors writing riveting and it pulled me into the story. Now this is the second book by Paulette Kennedy that I have read and I wasn't a fan of her first book but this one I truly did enjoy. It may have been the storyline which the characters are from the same small town and have to deal with a sinister traveler in both timelines. Some speculate on what this traveler is doing but our female protagonists now and they are not sure how to stop him.

The author warns us that there will be triggers for some readers and I can see that some of the things happening in the story could well be triggers. To pull from the authors warning: While potentially triggering content is mostly referenced and not depicted explicitly, this novel contains references to child abuse and neglect, including sexual and physical abuse. Sexual assault, dubious sexual consent, self-harm/suicide, addiction, alcoholism, death and dying, racism, homophobia, murder, attempted murder, fire/arson, and abortion, adoption, and childbirth are also mentioned within this novel.

Highly recommend. While I see other reviewers didn't like the book and we all have different views on books we read. I highly recommend you don't hold yourself back from reading this book. Read it and form your own opinion like I did.

Even with this warning I wanted to read the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of "The Witch of Tin Mountain" for an honest review.

If you like magic realism and do not mind three separate timelines, then this book is for you. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The pacing was just right, and the author wrote the twists well. There were a few romance stories that felt genuine and not at all forced.

Gracelynn Doherty was the main protagonist of this story. I enjoyed her personality and spunk. She developed her tough exterior because of her rough childhood. At a certain point in Gracie’s life, her grandmother adopts her, raises her as her own while teaching Gracie her craft.

Deidre is another protagonist of this story. Like Gracelynn, Deidre has a strong personality and determination. She has a love hate relationship with her mother but is very much a daddy’s girl. She has a tough life because of the time era and location of the story.

I can understand where some confusions between characters can happen. Deidre and Gracelynn share the same story for a reason, but written well enough, you can distinguish between the two.

The story has three separate timelines. Each occurs 50 years apart but interconnects with each other. Most of the story takes place in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas during the depression era. The author did a great job intertwining the magic with the everyday life and religious thought within the time era.

I enjoyed this book very much. It was a great book, and I would defiantly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, magic realism, multiple timelines, and romance.

This is a creepy little delight of a book. Right away the language and colloquialisms drew me right in - full disclosure, I’m not from this region and am only mildly familiar with its history and such, but the spoken language really was evocative of the setting for me. I enjoyed the dual timelines and how they slowly revealed the story, though I felt the time periods could have been a little more defined. Loved this family and how they’re all kind of dealing with a similar problem/trial, but they’re still distinct with their own strengths and opportunities. I felt that the author fit a whole lot of story into a book of this length, mostly to the story’s benefit. Here and there a twist or situation felt a little clunky, but overall I had a great time reading this.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for an eARC of this book!</i>

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an egalley


Book Reviewer Confession: I write and re-write my reviews before they ever reach the eyes of the public. Most of the time they are nice and orderly. Other times, I have to reshape my tone and approach. Some become a chaotic mess.


Welcome to the chaotic mess, I currently find myself in.

First, I tend to choose books based solely on their covers. Second, I love a good tale with witches that are either imagined by others to be witches or are the real deal. Third, I do love a good generational story that follows several women of the same family.

The Witch of Tin Mountain certainly hits the criteria. The cover captures the atmosphere of the author's Arkansas mountain setting. The two main protagonists-Deidre( 1881) and Gracelynn ( 1931) are women who belong to a family of real-deal witches. Both encounter a demon who masquerades as a preacher who is intent on bringing the evil side out in each woman.

Why is it that most of a woman's problems have to do with a man?

Why indeed?

What I felt was confusing in this novel was that Deidre and Gracelynn were very much similar in nature. So much so, that I failed at times to keep the characters in each storyline straight. This also caused my interest to begin wandering around the 60% mark. Mind you, I found the author's note and her own personal family history to be so interesting. For lack of a better description, I just feel "meh" after my reading experience.



#TheWitchofTinMountain #NetGalley.

Expected Publication Date: 01/02/23
Goodreads Review Pub. 23/01/23