This book started out really well, and I was hooked to see where it was going. I loved the history of behind the witches and hexenjagers. Otto and Fritzi were excellent characters, and there were some shocking twists along the way. The book to me was way too long and drawn out towards the end. Once we got halfway, I started losing interest in the story.

Sara Raasch has written one of my favorite series (Snow Like Ashes), but it's been quite awhile since I read anything by her. As I read Night of the Witch, I found that I could feel a connection to Snow Like Ashes even though the two books are nowhere near the same.

Fritzi was fantastic. Everything about her -- her demeanor, her attitude, and even her frenetic powers -- were perfect. I felt for her throughout the journey of the novel. She's lost her family and she's figuring out her place in the world (literally). She's struggling with her individual identity, but also her witch identity and familial identity. It's an utter mess, but it's the exact right mess for this story.
Otto was a sleeper. Over time, you really love him and the path he's on.

I appreciate the nod to actual European Witch Trial history. As a result of reading this novel, I went down the research rabbit hole and learned quite a bit.

I can't wait to keep reading the series -- especially after that cliffhanger!

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

A witch and a hunter. Vengeance is their mission. Love is their destiny.

This one was a little out of my league, and it was hard to follow for me. That being said, I think others would really enjoy it.

Ich muss sagen, dass ich sehr positiv überrascht war von diesem Buch. Es wird bereits im Vorwort erwähnt, dass es sich hierbei um eine Romantasy-Geschichte geht und genau das hat man auch bekommen.
Zu Beginn wird man sehr schnell in diese Geschichte reingeworfen und es geht sehr rasant los. Auch die Liebesgeschichte lässt nicht lange auf sich warten und war für mich am Anfang etwas zu schnell, hat aber an sich zu dem Pacing des Buches sehr gut gepasst. Die Protagonistin die wir hier verfolgen ist sehr selbstbewusst was ich gut finde. Auch gut ist, dass dieses Selbstbewusstsein von dem Protagonisten sehr unterstützt wird, was mir in anderen Fantasybüchern leider oft fehlt. Wir haben hier nicht dieses typische Höhlenmenschgehabe was mir sehr gut gefallen hat. Auch toll war, dass die Geschichte sehr viel Spannung hatte und vor allem auch konstant gehalten hat. Es kam wirklich ein guter Twist nach dem nächsten. Vielleicht nicht unbedingt unerwartet aber doch überraschend.

Was mir nicht so gut gefallen hat, bzw. was mich etwas gestört hat war die Sprache. Ich hab das Buch auf englisch gelesen, wir befinden uns hier allerdings in Österreich. Es wurden immer wieder deutsche Wörter eingebaut (Schimpfwörter, Essen, Gedanken etc.) was ich an sich nicht schlecht finde. Es hat sich allerdings sehr willkürlich angefühlt, wo die Wörter verwendet wurden und das hat mich am Anfang doch immer wieder aus dem Lesefluss geholt.

Well written prose, exciting story. I enjoyed this one immensely. I was looking for a perfect spooky season read, that still had substance and this was it.

What a good opening book for a new historical witchy fantasy series! This took witch hunts and put a new twist on it. I really enjoyed the blending of German folklore into this novel. There was just a bit of spice in it, but as it is marketed as a YA novel I wanted to point that out. There were several quotable lines but the one that stuck with me was “I have seen evil. But until this moment with Bertrand, I had not realized how often it wore the mask of apathy.” I also loved the emphasis that a protector was not what these witches needed. I can’t wait to see where this series goes from here!

Fritzi is the only one who escaped the raid on her home. The witch hunters killed her family and friends, and took her cousin to go back to be burned at the stake. She will save her cousin one way or another. Until she interrupts another witch being arrested, only to end up in her place. And a witch hunter that should want nothing to do with her trying to get her to tell him where his sister is. Odd.

This was another DNF for me.
I wasn't able to immerse myself in the story.
The writing was okay, nothing incredible.
But it didn't grab me in the way that I expected.
I may give it another try. I tend to be a mood reader so this may hit the spot later on.!

I really struggled with this one at first and had such a hard time getting into it. It did really start to grab my attention about 2/3 of the way through the book when the action picked up. The romance also came together around this point, so for me, the book redeemed itself in the final act.

I enjoyed the magic system and the twist pertaining to it. I think the villain was set up well and I look forward to seeing how this all plays out in the next book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Wow… this book was everything I’d hoped it would be! I loved Fritzi - she was always concerned with doing the right thing, taking care of her family and others before herself. And Otto was a complete surprise!

The changing points of view with each chapter offered a unique perspective for each character. And this world, loosely based on historical fact, was so vibrant! I certainly hope this is only the beginning of Fritzi and Otto’s story!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC! All opinions are my own.

Honestly, I almost had to DNF this book. The beginning felt too drawn out, the plot didn’t tie in anywhere, and a lot of the times, I put the book down to just do anything else. Literally anything. I can see where people would like it: the history and fantasy combination were interesting and had so much potential, the romance could have been there, but it fell flat for me.

I want to thank NetGalley for an arc in exchange of my honest review.

I really liked the premise and I found myself really enjoying some instances of the book. I really liked the concept and the writing style of the story but the romance was heavy on this one and it felt not like insta love but a bit rushed. I was particularly bothered at the implication of them as a family with her cousin when they mention the
MMC caring for the child, like how we got there？Also the FMC brother was an annoying villain lol

I’m honestly not completely sure how I feel about it, I have mixed feelings.

3.7 stars

I love a good witchy book. This one felt as though it was missing some key information, I was flipping back and forth between sections to try and follow along. The characters had fantastic insights into what was happening, I just wish the plot was a little more fleshed out.

Night of the Witch, written by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, is a dark fantasy where hexenjägers burn both magical and simply troublesome women at the stake. When the book opens, there are few true witches left. Their communities have been decimated and the few survivors have fled hundreds of miles to the safety of the Black Forest.

When the witch hunters brutally attack Birresborn, the last coven in their corner of the Holy Roman Empire, Fritzi is forced into hiding by her mother. She emerges to find a bloody battlefield, her mother burned, and her young cousin Liesel kidnapped. Full of guilt and sorrow, Fritzi is determined to find and free her cousin before she, too, is lost forever.

Along the way, Fritzi uncovers secrets hidden by family and by the goddesses she worships. Her understanding of magic is upended. But even facing so much betrayal, she puts her trust and life in the hands of Otto, a young hexenjäger.

At 416 pages, I expected Night of the Witch to be a standalone novel. I did enjoy the book (even though it was a darker story than I wanted at the time), and was satisfied with the ending. But then there was an epilogue which implied either a duology or a series. The epilogue was jarring to me. It felt like the book was completed as a standalone, but then the authors got the go-ahead to write a sequel, necessitating the addition of the epilogue to reopen the plot.

If you like your fantasies to be intense battles of good vs. evil, drawn from history, and flavored with romance, I think you, too, would enjoy Night of the Witch.

An interesting reimagining of the European Witch Trials. Fritzi and Otto at first meeting are enemies on principle. Witch and witch hunter quickly learn there is more to the other than they originally thought. As enemies turn into allies, something more blossoms between the two.

Night of the Witch is exactly the type of book that I love. It is a fantasy with fully fleshed worldbuilding, the characters are compelling, and the plot is full of twists and turns. With a reluctant enemies-to-lovers plot, Night of the Witch is the perfect book for anyone who loves their fantasy with a generous dash of romance!

I was intrigued by the plot but unfortunately the story felt a little boring to me. Maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea and that’s okay! The villains back story was confusing and the chemistry between the main characters felt a little forced. I’d consider giving this author another try though!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC and provide a review. I greatly enjoyed this book, I had not had the opportunity to read Sara Raasch's work and loved it. I can't wait to read more! This is an interesting story, and something that is a fun read. Loved the take on the witch trials and hope that others will love it just as much!

A great read! I couldn't put it down until the very last page. We love when the enemies find out that they aren't as different as they think they are.

Night of the Witch is the first book of a new young adult series. Dripping with hate, witch-hunters fueled with authority of the crown and church are eradicating accused witches through the empire. Fritzi barely escapes a brutal attack on her village but manages to survive and then heads on a journey to rescue her younger cousin from the hexenjägers. Her fate collides with Otto, a hexenjäger leader. This enemies to lovers story is done really well! High stakes, unique magical powers, historical fiction, and a budding romance had me devouring this book in one sitting! I cannot wait to see what comes next for Fritzi and Otto!

Night of the Witch is a historical fantasy with elements of paranormal romance set during the European witch trials in Germany. Fritzi is a sassy witch who survived an attack on her coven by witch hunters. Otto is a captain, second in command to the witch hunters, and the two are unexpectedly thrown together in a wild ride of tension and revenge. There's an interesting depth to the story and the villain, so this is one that fans of young adult novels, historical fantasy, paranormal romance, witchcraft, & European history would enjoy.