Germany and Switzerland had the worst witch hunts for centuries, and living in Switzerland, I read and listened to a lot about the history of witchcraft and the trials happening here. I even have a chapter about it in my history book and like to speak about this subject with my students. That means I was familiar with the history background used in this book and could understand the german words used throughout the story (although one was misspelled the entire time and it kind of bothered me). I enjoyed going back to that time through fiction. I was enraged 10% into the book already. I found Otto to be a bit repetitive at the beginning of the book. It's a dual POV book, in 1st person. It's usually not my favorite but it was pretty easy to follow. I did not expect the end, the epilogue just left me speechless. If you want a true villain, the one in this book is pretty solid, no doubts or regrets in his evil decisions... If you're looking for a book to express feminine rage, pick it up.

Thank you to sourcebooks and NetGalley for this arc! I really really enjoyed this book! I was in a reading slump while reading it, so it took me a while, but that is not to blame on the book, just on graduate school. I thought Fritzi and Otto were both really well rounded characters with their own belief systems, but beliefs that could change. They weren’t completely stuck in their ways, and as they got to know each other they learned and changed their worldviews. I do think this book should NOT be YA. It definitely teeters on the new adult border, and there’s enough of a crack in the door that I would shift it up to new adult. However, I did really enjoy this, and I thought where it ended was super cool. I’m excited to see what comes next

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library! This is such a brilliant story, I loved it.

"Night of the Witch" by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis is a thrilling fictional tale of the very real 16th century German witch hunts.

MC Fritzi made a grave mistake when she took down the spell protecting her village & coven. MC Otto watched his stepmother burned at the stake and his father hunt witches as though it were sport. Now, he hides in plain sight with a plan to free the hundred "witches" set to burn before the solstice. MC Dieter has spent the last five years building a name for himself as a witch hunter for the church, but he is also Fritzi's long lost brother & a witch well versed in wild magics planning to steal all the power he can even when it means killing his entire family and all the witches guarding the Well.

With adventure, witchcraft, romance, this historical fiction tale is a great start to what promises to be an incredible story. I can't wait to see what Sara and Beth brew in book two.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This had a great concept and the writing was good, but I just never quite gelled with the characters. I think it read a little too young YA for me even though it's being pitched as more new adult with some questionable spicy artwork.

I find both of these authors very hit or miss for me.

Before starting your reading, please be aware of the trigger warnings. There are some situations of torture described extensively and lots of death... even with all of this, this book is AWESOME! The relationship between the main characters grows with time and not from nowhere. The plot is amazing... and the epilogue is such a cliffhanger! I hope to read the sequel (soon, pretty please?)

I really enjoyed this story! I liked the characters and the story line even though it seems like a story we have heard before. If I could request anything different it would be a glossary added on how to pronounce names and places. This was a great book with a beautiful cover. I hope there is a book 2!

I had a really good time reading this! The world building was insane. The first like 15% was strange but in the best way! It was just extremely eerie and weird, I loved it! At first the relationship between Fritzi and Otto felt kind of forced but as I kept reading, you could just feel the connection.

I thoroughly enjoyed the immersive blend of history and folklore in this story. The separation of trust in the church from personal faith added depth and allowed for exploration of faith as distinct from an institution. The themes surrounding faith and the characters, Fritzi and Otto, were compelling. The story delves unflinchingly into the dark history of European witch trials but balances it with a passionate romance

2.5 stars

I really enjoyed the setting of this book. It's 1500's Germany and there are witch hunters, aka hexenjägers, who are out to find and punish any person accused of witchcraft. Most of these people are innocent, but the craze has hit and people are being killed everywhere. This was a scary time in history and I thought it was a good fit for a fantasy in October.

The pacing of the book is pretty slow and there are stretches where nothing really happens. At the same time, some parts are rushed, especially the romance. It's built on very little and I didn't like how quickly the characters fell in love. The villain also seems to be evil just because and I didn't think he was well developed.

The ending is a cliffhanger, but I don't think I'll continue on to the next book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the copy.

The premise and plot of the book were intriguing, so I went for it. Overall I liked the plot of the book. We followed Fritzi (a witch) after her coven was decimated and saw her rescue an accused witch and team up with a witch-hunter.
It sounded like it would be full of action, and maybe a little romance, and it was, but it was also very slow-going in the middle of the book. I appreciate the back-stories to define characters, but it seemed to take too long and just didn't hold my attention.

Night of the Witch is fantasy but based on real history - the witch trials in Germany.
I was really grateful to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire and both authors for a chance to read this book. I absolutely love Sara Raasch and was looking forward to read Night of the Witch.
Everyone who knows me wouldn’t be surprised that I love books with witches, witch hunters and enemies-to-lovers .

This book was so much more than I’d hoped for! I loved characters, world building, the plot. Dual POV gave us unique perspective and I dare to say I wouldn’t enjoy this as much as I did if there was only Fritzi’s POV.
The story was easy to read, and no I don’t mean the trials etc, that was heartbreaking. The story made me want to read and read and read. Romance between Fritzi and Otto was really sweet and I loved their dynamic and dialogues.
Liesel was cute but also determined to reach her goals, protect Fritzi and take revenge for everything that happened to her.
The world description made it easy to imagine everything. It was magical, but also dark.
And the ending was so unexpected. What the hell? Can’t wait for book 2.

Fritzi, a witch who watched her coven burn at the hands of the hexenjagers (witch hunters), vows revenge upon their leader, Kommandant Dieter Kirch. Otto, a captain of the hexenjagers and Kirch's second in command, has a plan to destroy the army from the inside and make them pay for burning his innocent mother alive. Fritzi and Otto forge an unlikely alliance as they work together and discover what is driving the hexenjager attacks.

Note: I read and enjoyed this book as an adult and cannot truly speak for the intended audience.

Unfortunately DNF after 100 pages.
I had huges expectations when I requested this book. The witch and witch-hunter trope could be something really interesting but we've lost out witch-hunter around page 70, so what's the point?
I didn't catch any relation with Fritzi and Otto.

What worked: Action-packed historical fantasy filled with magic, betrayal, and witch hunts. The research behind this engaging fantasy brings life to this witchy tale.

The friends-to-enemies angle starts slow. At first, Fritzi hates all hexenjagers-witch hunters-especially after she witnesses her whole village and mother being slaughtered. Fritzi's rage and anger lead her to the Black Forest for protection only she happens on another witch being rounded up by the dreaded hexenjagers. This is where she meets Otto, who has his own secret.

This is a page-turning novel with twists and turns that keep readers guessing. The idea that there actually were witch hunting/burnings in Europe adds to the realism.

The chemistry between Fritzi and Otto builds while the world around them erupts. The reveals are surprising. So are the betrayals.

The ending hints at a sequel. So readers will see what happens further in this witchy tale!

Based on the Medieval German Witch Trials of the 1500s, this historical fantasy weaves its own magic on readers with two characters that need to work together to overcome evil.

Thank you to sourcebooks fire and the authors for the arc.

I dnfed at 5% because my brain couldn't get past them using the word nepotism after they explicitly stated the year and the word wouldn't have been around. Yes this is a fantasy but it seems like our world adjacent so to say the year which was in the 1500s but use a word that wasn't around yet some reason really bothered me.

I enjoyed this book! The plot was a bit slow for me, and the romance felt a bit too insta-love, but overall it was an okay read. I did like the main characters, but the romance felt forced, and there wasn't much chemistry there. The plot was pretty good though, and I'm interested in seeing what happens next!

In Night of the Witch, a witch and a witch-hunter are thrown together against a common energy: the leader of the witch hunters who have killed their loved ones, Kommandant Dieter Kirch. This book is set during the Witch Trials in Germany, and includes elements of German in its story.

Fritzi, the witch, survives an attack on her coven and is searching for her remaining family. Otto is undercover within the witch hunters, plotting revenge against those who killed his innocent mother. When they join forces against the Kommandant, neither is sure they can trust the other, and then love blooms.

I really wanted to like this book, but it felt quite uneven in terms of plot, pacing, and character. There was a lot that came across as underdeveloped — the setting, the magic, the romance. While there was a lot of good historical content, this wasn’t enough to lift the story. Also, for a young adult book, the sex scene seemed very mature. There’s a lot of torture, and some quite graphic scenes. I think with some more work it would be a good read, but for me, right now, it was only okay.

I received an e-ARC from the publishers, Sourcebooks Fire, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A survivor of a deadly attack on her coven, Fritzi, is determined to bring down a group of zealot witch hunters as revenge. To do that she must take down their leader and join forces with their captain, Otto. Vengeance is their mission, love is their destiny.

This was a beautifully crafted and thoughtfully written debut to the series. It's very atmospheric, I felt transported almost immediately. It's a reimagining of the European Witch Trials which I must admit I wasn't very educated on but it inspires me to research further. It was a bit long for me, but the writing kept me engaged and I was turning every page eager to see what happens, especially in the last quarter of the book. I love the cliffhanger ending as well since I know another installment is around the corner.

I will say this book is pretty graphic. No detail is spared so it's not for the faint of heart. I did feel a little sick to my stomach at times with the more graphic imagery.

Overall, ,a unique foray into the witch/magic genre and I'm excited to read more!

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Fire for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review

really good fantasy setting, great romance, love the world building and the power-magic-setting. I don't know what more to say than this is a really good fantasy witchy book, I can't find anything negative with it (apart from the MCs' names... but that might just be a cultural prejudice), great October read and Otto (can't believe this is his unironic name) gave me butterflies. he's so baby and protective i love him