A beautifully written novel, full of rich imagery, and complex characters. I love the blending of magical realism and historical fiction-the ravaging plague, describing the corruption of the higher officials in the Church of Rome, and the condemnation of so-called heretics/witches. Our protagonist, Ginevra, is a woman banished at the hands of powerful men, determined to root out evil. The author weaves her past and present story together to give us a complete story, and her growth from teenager to adult. She never loses her main attribute-compassion-but learns to harness it with wisdom. Her companions, Lucia, and unlikely ally, Michele-an inquisitor-play a crucial role in helping Ginevra conquer her past and help the citizens of her hometown, Florence. Rasche also gives us a villain who isn’t a true villain, adding to the overall story, and main plot line.

Strength, corruption, magic, power, death…they all come together perfectly in this novel. I didn’t want to put this one down.

The book is beautiful but it wasn’t for me. I struggled to connect with the story and characters. I do feel this could be a reflection on just where j was in my reading journey at the time though.

Ginevra has the ability to harness the magic of gemstones to heal the sick. This charming and funny story has an engaging and distinct magic system, and it captured my attention from the start. I loved the back and forth in the timeline, as we got to learn more about Ginevra's past. While it's quite dialogue heavy, I did enjoy that it read almost like a play.

I wasn't a big fan of the pacing - while the beginning sucks you into 13th century Florence, the middle is a bit slow, and it took a while until Ginevra actually received the stones or for her to use them. However, the last 70 pages are fast-paced, and it was fun to see how the mystery was going to unfold!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The premise of The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche captivated me immediately - Ginevra di Gaspara is a witch in 1348 - gifted with the power of gemstones to heal the sick which comes in handy as the Black Plague ravages Italy!

When I started reading this book I was all in and convinced it was going to be a five star book that I fell in love with - the beginning was so strong and captivating however as the story went on I started to lose interest and felt the story was dragging. I didn’t realize I would become so triggered by the events of the plague and the constant deaths - especially dying children. There is some humor throughout the book that helped me get through it, but overall I’d say it’s rather depressing. The ending left so much to be desired, I was let down.

I would definitely read more from Anna Rasche and I think I would recommend this book to lovers of the witchy supernatural who enjoy historical fiction and don’t mind being sad - because I promise you this is a SAD book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was so refreshing to read such a unique concept and unlike anything I’ve seen in any other fantasy novels. Despite a few centuries of separation, Ginevra is very relatable as a main character whether it be the problems she faces, the way she responds to them, or her growth as a person. You can tell the author did her research - she does a great job evoking the setting and is able to immerse us in medieval Italy in the midst of the Black Plague. The setting and the history are almost a character in and of themselves. Overall this stands out as a fun and engaging read, especially if you are looking for a one-of-a-kind premise with an interesting mystery woven in.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Really neat neat story, I loved the setting here during the black plague and the unique magic used by the main character using the gems to heal people. Just so cool. Good worldbuilding history and character growth.

This book was incredible. I say go in blind and let yourself be fully immersed. Please be aware it does deal with a plague and some darker medical themes, so it may not be a great read for those with health anxiety/germ ocd, etc.

The Stone Witch of Florence was so beautiful in its friendships following along with the witch, Ginevra. She's witty and caring. I felt like I grew with her as she grew throughout the story. There were moments of laughter and moments of "what the hell", and I loved every moment!

When this book releases I definitely recommend buying it. The cover is beautiful and sprayed edging plus a wonderful fast read.

I want to thank Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for this fantastic advance copy of The Stone Witch of Florence.

#TheStoneWitchofFlorence #NetGalley

The Stone Witch of Florence is set in the 1300s with the Black Plague raging through Italy. Our FMC, Ginevra, is an exiled witch who is summoned back to Florence to help heal the sick. When she arrives, she is tasked with recovering stolen relics from the churches in the city instead as they are the only hope to ward off the plague. Ginevra uses gemstone magic to heal others, but has been accused of witchcraft, so makes a deal with the inquisitor to help in return to have her witchcraft accusations removed and be recognized as a doctor.

Anna Rasche is able to take the concept of gemstone magic and make it so unique and provide a fresh take on a magic system in a fantasy world. The 14th century was such a great backdrop for the story and the beliefs that Rasche was bringing to life. I enjoyed the different aspects of church politics that Ginevra had to maneuver, the different occult elements, and the gemstones.

This was a lovely historical fantasy and one that gets you to really root for the main character and feel invested in her. Rasche was able to build an immersive world and show the different aspects that affected people's daily lives with the backdrop of a very serious disease that did not discriminate on who it affected. Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

I’ll be honest I didn’t think I would be but I was super triggered by this book with my anxiety and OCD. I hyperfocus on certain things and viruses are it!

I truly wanted to enjoy this book too the concept was solid and it had me so intrigued. My brain could not look past the plague. That is one of my triggers. It was hard for me to read and not feel like I was about to spiral into a panic attack. This is all on me and no fault of the author at all! I read the description and thought why not give it a shot it sounds interesting, I thought I could look past it.

What I was able to focus on i enjoyed. The pacing was interesting, it was fast then slow then picked up
in the last quarter of the book. It was a well researched and thorough book in regards the history, and world building. If you aren’t triggered by viruses absolutely read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Rasche, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review! I wish I could’ve given a more in-depth review. I truly wanted to enjoy it but my anxiety too me out of the story.

The Stone Witch is truly a masterpiece and feast for the senses. The story of a woman with secrets, magic, and a hidden plague will keep readers enthralled til the last sentence.

The Stone Witch of Florence is a medieval mystery featuring the magical healing powers of stones.

As the Black Plague rages on throughout Italy, Ginevra di Gasparo, an exiled stone witch, is summoned back to Florence to help heal the sick. To her surprise, once she arrives in Florence she is tasked with recovering stolen relics from the churches which are the city's only hope in warding off the plague. Using her gift as a gemstone healer, Ginevra will need to step out of her shadows and secrets and harness her magic to save the people of Florence. Striking a deal with the inquisitor, if she is able to recover the relics, she will be recognized as a doctor and have her witchcraft accusations removed. To clear her name once and for all, Ginevra is lured into a dark conspiracy that will force her to use her power of stones to not only save the relics, but herself.

I have been wanting to read a book about gemstone magic for years, and The Stone Witch of Florence did not disappoint. The history of gemstone lore sparkles and shines throughout this book. The ancient healing properties of stones and their magical uses were straight out of centuries old lapidary texts, so much so, that this book read like a medieval manuscript. The time and place of this story, 14th century Florence, was the perfect time period and location to set a book about gemstones since this was a huge part of the belief system, superstitions, and medicine at the time. Despite a large focus on church politics, the story was well balanced with occult elements, such as alchemy, astrology, and of course gemstone magic.

The story was bejeweled with Ginevra's stoicism, selflessness and witchy abilities which pulled me into her world making it feel as though I was there with her watching everything unfold. The hermetic and divine perspectives of gemstones were equally included in this story, with the complicated relationships between light and dark and the sacred and supernatural exploring the heretical and magical contentions of this craft.

If you enjoy historical fantasy novels, or loves crystals, this book is a must read. The author's passion for the subject shone through, emitting warmth and light like one of Ginevra's magical stones.

Overall a very enjoyable read. I found it was a bit start and go, felt a bit clunky. However, it was very evident the author took great care in researching the time period, the world building was good, The beginning had me engaged and then it kinda petered and I wasn't sure and then towards the end picked up again, but the ending didn't quite completely satisfy making this a solid 4 star.

Ancient sorcery. Magic gemstones. Only one woman can save a city in ruins…

That was enough for me to dive right in!

It’s 1348 and the Black Plague is rolling over Italy, taking saints and sinners alike, giving disreputable people a cover for their crimes.

Ginevra di Gasparo has been summoned to Florence by the very people who drove her out of the city. Is this a trick?

Ginevra is a stone witch. She works with gemstones and rocks to work her magic. It also keeps her from being infected so she is in demand during the plague.

When she gets to Florence, it’s not a good situation. Empty streets, bodies waiting to be disposed of, and men who are not honorable. Tasked with finding the relics stolen from the churches, she soon realizes, she is being used.

Will she survive this time?


I loved this story. I hope there are more!


NetGalley/ Harlequin Trade/ Park Row October 08, 2024

This book started out really strong and I thought I was going to love it. I did love how the story went back in forth from Ginevra's past and present so we were able to learn more about her and understand her better. However, the story started to drag about a third of the way through the book. The last 20%ish of the book really made up for it though. The humor throughout and towards the end of the book definitely helped to keep my attention though the slower parts of the story. 3.5⭐️ overall.

Somewhat entertaining tale of magic and religion during the plague in Medieval Italy. I enjoyed the humor dispersed throughout but the ending felt a little too silly. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.