I got through about half of this book. I really wanted to like this one, but it ultimately was not for me.

I loved the idea of this one and the Kirkus review really sold me on it - however it wasn’t for me. I did not connect with the writing and after reading other reviews I decided to DNF. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

Thank you to the Publisher for my arc!

I was expecting more creepy things to happen in this book. Tansy kind of annoyed the crap out of me the entire story and I just really waited for her to just tell people off who treated her terrible. but overall I did enjoy reading it.

definitely a must read for fans of Mona Awad

This book is Stepford Wives meets Midsommar, and one could easily picture it being turned into a Sofia Coppola movie. Readers will be drawn in by the eerily beautiful vibes, and riveted by the complex exploration of wealth and gender roles.
Full review at BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/pr308032

This strange novel gives heavy Midsomar vibes. I found myself similarly anticipating every action as a falling domino. But, I have mixed feelings overall. The plot lagged at times and occasionally felt too heavy handed.

Thank you to Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press and author J. Nicole Jones for this advanced copy in lieu of my honest opinion.

This book surprised me. Jones had me anticipating the unknown with each lyrical sentence and questioning every motive with the turn of a page. This atmospheric and scenic novel transports you to a paradise on the West Coast, with the author's elaborate descriptions for all your senses: the softness of the grass and silky smooth texture of the dresses; the whip of the wind on your face and in your hair; the faint smell of smoke from nearby wildfires. She leaves nothing undescribed and does it with such care and flare.

Her small cast of characters are nuanced, some there by presence alone with seemingly purposeful shallowness. This compliments the storyline so well, giving more life to the situation that Tansy has found herself in. The feminist undertone is obvious and does not go unnoticed. There are so many sentences I'd like to submit to memory or write down.

The one thing that perturbed me was the constant references to the Classics, or Greek mythology. I know very little of these subjects and I feel that some of the scenarios and comparisons described in the novel were lost on me. I feel it was perhaps overdone and could possibly take away from story.

In all I actually really liked this book and found myself immersed in the plot the more I read it. An epilogue would have been fantastic, but sometimes an ending is best left to the imagination of the reader.

Bewitching! When Tansy (Constance) and her husband move to Bellinas she isn't sure what to expect. They are warmly greeted by Guy's only living family Mia and her husband Manny. Tansy is intimidated but the women work hard to make her feel at ease.

J. Nicole Jones weaves a story of cult and community, magic and witchcraft and of course feminism. Slowly but surely Tansy is drawn into the group of women but Guy remains deaf to any of her worries or concerns about the community. Finally she is driven to make a decision. What will she do?

Claustrophobic, gothic, and creepy, This is an original tale about witches that you aren't soon to forget. #CatapultCounterpointPress,
#SoftSkullPress, #thewitchesofbellinas #jnicolejones

This says a lot about social constructs and cult mentality. More so, it demonstrated what you will endure to fix something broken that you desperately want whole again, like a marriage…

Tansy and Guy join this sprawling beautiful community, where food is plentiful, and the way of living seems natural and easy. Guy is sold immediately, but Tansy is starting to see the cracks in the facade. She is also losing chunks of time during certain group activities and it is starting to freak her out.

She certainly finds community there, in multiple ways. I really enjoyed the unsettling feel that carries through the whole book. That was definitely on point!

This had all of the makings of something that I would be absolutely salivating over. I was so excited to get access to an early review copy, but I just wasn’t feeling it the whole time. The pieces were there, but I found myself bored.

I would ABSOLUTELY read this author again, though!

Set in the picturesque and private town for the rich, and referred to as a fantastical Bohemian Eden, brimming with organic foods, flowers and magic, the story immediately eludes to the controlling, sinister undercurrent. Hoping to heal their troubled marriage, I was surprised that the couple arrived at Bellinas at the tail end of their honeymoon — he was already a jerk and Jones does a good job of making the community creepy from the go. Overall, it’s a bit of a burn for crystal toting, barefoot, earth loving, healthy eating, moon adoring yogis, but Jones set up the ostentatious overkill of Bellinas and the leaders quite well in this gothic-esque cult vs community.

A gorgeous lucid dream of a book peppered with feminine power and rage. I found it very reminiscent of Midsommar, one of my favorite films, with a similarly faux-happy ending.

I loved all of the social commentary amidst the gorgeous prose. The men in the story were truly infuriating, making the women’s side of the story very satisfying. It held a lot of nuance, and I’m sure I’ll find myself thinking about this story for a while.