I have loved every single book by Amanda and I was very excited to be approved for Island Witch!

Unfortunately, this one was a bit different and I couldn't get into the whole fantasy aspect of it. I think a lot of readers will appreciate what she did here.

One thing I do love is how she always ties Sri Lanka into her novels. She is just a brilliant and refreshing writer! Thank you again for the chance to read early.

I definitely see the appeal of this one for fantasy readers. I think I would still recommend it to others, although it just wasn't for me.

British Colonizers have brought new religions and practices to Amara’s village and now the villagers are looking at her father suspiciously. They once sought him out for healing and getting bad spirits out of their children.

Someone is making their men disappear from the jungle. The villagers are accusing her father of some nasty demon type stuff. Amara tries hard to stay out of the fray and defends her father, she has begun having dreams. Disturbing dreams she doesn’t understand about a female demon.

Amara believes this is all connected to the time she was ill and woke up to people keeping secrets.

The truth will shock you! This is a gothic and creepy story that I adored! Dark feminine tales are always welcome and this author is definitely making a name for herself with this one!

Netgalley/ Berkely February 20, 2024

As British Colonizers bring Christianity to Sri Lanka, things are becoming more and more difficult for Amara and her family. Her father is a demon priest and she is slated with the term witch by the rest of the community who have converted religion, and she takes it in stride, not letting people see how much it hurts her.

All she has ever wanted is to marry the boy she loves and move on with her life, but at the moment the two are forced to keep their love a secret. When men start getting attacked by something monstrous in the jungle, Amara’s father is blamed. She knows it cannot be true and takes time to investigate. When she starts having terrible nightmares and wakes up in different places, she fears the worst.

She longs to clear her father’s name, but decisions are constantly being made for this girl without her input at all. She is dodging problem after problem and her fear of her increasing nightmares is incessant. I just wanted to watch her find her true power of womanhood. The hatred she sees is infuriating and I loved her so much.

This book was fantastic! The writing, the lore, the visual horror, and of course, seeing Amara grow and learn… just such a great read!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

I've been obsessed with Amanda Jayatissa's writing since MY SWEET GIRL, and as soon as I saw the description for ISLAND WITCH—a Gothic-esque horror set in late nineteenth-century Sri Lanka—I knew I was going to have a new obsession. And I love it when I'm right. ISLAND WITCH is the best of Jayatissa's writing, with a masterfully crafted plot that gives so much space to the complexities of female relationships and the ever-shifting loyalties we hold for our families, our beliefs, and ourselves. I'm in awe of Jayatissa's ability to capture the rage and the horror of being a woman in any time period, but particularly this one. It was a treat to experience this specific time period, particularly in this tale. Highly recommend!!

The writing is lovely and easy to read. The theme is perfect for the current political climate. I stopped after chapter 1 (5%) but this seems like a solid four stars for the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

4.5 stars

I loved this book, it was written wonderfully. I was absolutely overtaken with the whole story and all of the characters and the history. It is great mystery bordering on a stunning horror novel. I hope to see a lot more from this author soon.

An engaging thriller sprinkled with morsels of horror! This is story is a well-written supernatural tale that also covers a range a heavy topics, from colonialism to abortion to sexual assault and gender politics. I do want to note that there should probably be a warning to readers about these topics. They are handled very well, but Jayatissa does not shy away from the nature of these real-world horrors. Overall, I would highly recommend this to fans of Jayatissa's other books, as well as those looking for an international thriller rooted in Sri Lankan culture.

Island Witch is a twisty supernatural thriller set in the jungles of colonial Sri Lanka. I found it to be a delightfully creepy and suspenseful read, although that ending threw me for a loop! It's a quick read but not necessarily a light one – themes addressed in this book include colonialism, religious moral superiority, the abuse of women at the hands of men they love, and what happens when one of those ill-treated women is finally pushed too far. Trigger warnings include violence, sexual assault, domestic abuse, bullying, and abortion.

The descriptive writing in this book is fantastic. It's easy to feel as if you're there in late nineteenth century Sri Lanka with Amara as she investigates the multiple vicious attacks on men in her village. Are the attacks the work of a single person or is something supernatural occurring out in the jungle?

The plot is original and clever, and I enjoyed watching Amara's transformation from innocent young girl to rage-filled woman. Well, perhaps “enjoyed” isn't the right word since it's not exactly a happy story, but I was definitely invested in the outcome and was anxious to discover how it would all play out.

The ending was a tough one for me. Are Amara's actions justified? Probably. Was it inevitable? Perhaps. Was it the ending I hoped for? Absolutely not. I was horrified watching it unfold and yet understanding of why things needed to play out the way they did. Kudos to the author for writing such a shocking and complex conclusion to this novel – I never saw it coming.

Final rating: 3.85, rounded up. If you like creepy, gothic, and/or feminist tales set in exotic lands, you'll likely enjoy this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

Island Witch picks you up, takes you to a most uncomfortable place full of twists and turns and has a mind blowing end.

Set in the late 19th century in Sri Lanka, a father is a gifted and respected witch. Until murders begin and he us blamed.

His daughter, Amara, has inherited his skills and works to find the killer and free her father from suspicion.

A gothic horror, this book is a feminist perspective on crowd mentality, the time between childhood and becoming fully grown. The book looks at what happens when a woman's rage is unleashed.

I most heartedly recommend this book