Special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While I loved the descriptive setting, I did not really feel the romance between the two main characters. In addition. I feel like the book started to lose the plot around the 30-40% mark.

This will be a favorite for many, but unfortunately not for me.

This was a very well written book with great descriptions that can help you visualize each scene. Great concept for a book! Loved the atmosphere and the overall character development of Motheater.

I can't think of a book I've been so let down by im recent memory. I tore through the first quarter to third in a matter of hours and then took about three weeks to finish the rest because it just slowed to a glacial pace of apartment scenes with Bennie making and abandoning cups and cups of tea and going "I'm so fucked. No one has ever been as fucked as me. Wow I'm so fucked." There was genuinely a point where that phrase broke me and I just had to put it down because reading it one more time was going to cause complete mental breakdown. The ending then remembers it needs to happen at some point between all those 'fucks' and rushes up to close out with a whimper. The descriptions of the natural environment were gorgeous and there was some decent prose but wow, that middle third and most of the final one were such incredible failures that I felt like I was getting that Sad European McDonald's nothingburger.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book!

What an enchanting read. Motheater feels like a promising and unique debut that had me spellbound from the start. Set in the atmospheric Appalachian mountains, the reader is immediately immersed in the gritty, wild, coal-mining town of Kiron and its somewhat haunted past.

When I first picked up Motheater, I expected some fun witchcraft. What I didn’t anticipate was the beautiful and evocative prose at the center of an important conversation about the conservation of nature, the exploitation of workers in high-risk fields, race, industry, and love. There is so much being said in this novel without detracting from the central story of Bennie and Motheater—two very different women from very different points in time who find each other in this hurricane of a story.

While I deeply enjoyed my time in the Appalachian mountains, there are a few aspects that could use some tightening up. Some of the localisms and dialect might feel a bit inaccessible to international readers, requiring more context clues, especially in the flashback passages. I also found the pacing to be somewhat uneven. Bennie’s chapters move slowly and can be quite repetitive with her inner monologue, while chapters from other characters’ points of view are more snappy, defined, and offer deeper insights into the characters themselves. The first two-thirds of the book drag a bit, whereas the last third moves at a rapid pace, with most of the present-day plot unfolding in the final chapters. As a result, Bennie’s character doesn’t carry as much weight as she could. The potential is there, but it needs a bit more polish. Additionally, some of the important messages—particularly those related to race and queerness—felt somewhat tossed in rather than integrated with intention.

If you’re expecting an in-depth romance, this might not be the book for you. The love story at the centre of this novel is nuanced and delicate, woven richly between the characters. My heart burst at the novel’s ending, but if you’re anticipating a traditional romance, be prepared for something more complex. I loved how tentatively these characters intertwine, and through Bennie’s eyes, you begin to fall in love with Motheater yourself.

Despite these quibbles, I found Motheater to be a wonderful read. The portrayal of magic is unique—wild, messy, and intangible. I truly love anything esoteric, and if you appreciate Christian imagery fused with natural witchcraft and the dirt and grime of something much older, this book will appeal to you. It has elements of gore and horror without delving too deeply into darkness, and the vaguely eldritch panic that settles over the story is utterly captivating.

I hope Codega continues their journey into authorship. This book was imaginative and gripping, and I look forward to reading much more of their work in the future.

Motheater by Linda Codega is a beautifully written queer fantasy that captivated me with its rich, atmospheric setting in the Appalachian Mountains. I loved how the author weaves a story of magic, nature, and industrial conflict, making the tension between progress and preservation feel incredibly real. Bennie and Motheater are compelling characters whose struggles and secrets kept me hooked throughout the story. I appreciated the way the book blends folklore with contemporary themes, creating a narrative that feels both timeless and relevant. Though I felt some plot points could have been more tightly connected, **Motheater** is still a gripping read that I would recommend to fans of nuanced, character-driven fantasy.

I really enjoyed this debut novel. I felt it was very well written and I loved the magic of Appalachia. Having grown up in the Appalachian mountains, this book called to me. I loved the vibes and the little quirks throughout the book. I also liked the dual timelines that gave us a good look at the 1800s Appalachia. I didn’t understand the “rules” of Motheaters magic, but I understood enough to follow along. Bennie was a doll to help this strange 150 year old witch and I loved that they had a spark. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a little witchy read.


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy for an honest review.

Rating 3.5 ⭐️ Motheater is an immersive story with a blend of literary fiction, horror and fantasy that initially drew me in.

However, the story felt disjointed at times, and it wasn’t until I hit the 60% mark that I found myself genuinely invested in the characters and plot.

Overall, this was a creative and atmospheric read, but it requires patience to truly appreciate. If you're a fan of slow-burn horror with a literary twist and a sprinkle of romance, this one might be worth your time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the e-ARC!

until dawn but in the woods. stop messing with nature.

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher/author for an advanced copy of Motheater!

I absolutely loved this book! As a debut novel, I definitely went in with reservations, but ended up having a great time. As someone from the Appalachians, it was really interesting to see how the author tackled all of the history, folklore, and implemented a magic system that felt authentic to the area. I also loved how the author leaned into the dialect from the area and ultimately incorporated it into the prose in the book.

Although I rated it 5 stars, I did have a few things I could see other readers having issue with that might impact their rating of the book:

-At times, the book felt repetitive. I think a few minor edits here and there would’ve helped this, but overall I didn’t mind it.
-The romance seemed to almost be a subplot. If you go in expecting romance through the book, you’ll be a little disappointed. The romance is definitely more present in the second half of the book.
-The magic system is not clearly defined or laid out. I enjoyed this aspect of the world building and felt like it made sense for the setting/plot.

Overall, this book was a really interesting read. I’m excited to see what the author has in mind for their next book!

Genuinely unlike anything I've read before. I was struck immediately by how well Codega crafts a character, how we learned so much about Bennie on the very first page. Some of the story I found a little confusing, especially in the "Esther" timeline sections. Part of that was probably just the language, but the language is also some of what makes this book what it is.


Pick it up if you're interested in Appalachian culture, in witchcraft stories that aren't potions and glamour but instead deep nature magic, blood and earth, and in effortless queer representation.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. The book started off slow and was a bit darker than I’d thought it would be. It has magic, mystery along with snake handling as well. This story is set in the Appalachian Mountains and how people are still fighting for what they believe in.

I was somewhat disappointed by this. The premise sounded interesting, and I live in an area that feels similar to the setting, but the book itself fell a little flat for me. I think part of this was from the slow start; for as startling as the events are, I felt I should have been sucked in a bit more, or felt some sense of urgency. Overall, I am certain this will be a hit for someone, but I don't think it was for me.

A good book with a writing style that I adored, unfortunately the anticapitalism didn't went as far as I hoped, watering down the message (IMO) and I was not a fun of the romance.

Motheater is a story which is certainly rather unique. We’re immediately introduced to Bennie and Motheater as Bennie pulls Motheater’s lifeless body out of a river, only for Motheater to shortly regain consciousness and proclaim herself a witch. So that’s quite the start to a story. From there, we learn about the common interest of the two women in a mountain called Kire, which has been mined by the people of Kiron. People have mysteriously disappeared during the mining operation, including Bennie’s best friend, and well… Motheater came out of Kire. From here we embark on a journey of saving the mountain from the town, and saving the townsfolk from the mountain. Motheater slowly remembers her past as a witch in Appalachia, and works together with Bennie and Bennie’s ex-boyfriend Zach to handle the consequences of mining the mountain. In the meantime, Motheater has to come to terms with awakening in the modern world, while trying to remember who she was before so that she can regain her full powers. There is magic and love and adventure.

As cool as it all sounds, I really wanted to enjoy the story more than I did. Honestly, the pacing was just hard to get through, and the language didn’t help. While the story jumped right in with Bennie finding Motheater and almost instantly accepting that she had found a witch (a bit too quickly really), from then on the writing style was just a bit slow and even the climax was a bit of a trudge to read through instead of the epic finale it should have read as. It’s hard to put a finger on what exactly was off about it, but nothing seemed to happen quickly. That being said, it made for a nice slower read and had some ideas about the effects of mining on the environment vs the need for mining for the community which were interesting. I think I liked the idea for the novel a bit more than I enjoyed the execution, but it was still rather entertaining overall.

Well written. Darkish witchy fantasy! Different and weird - in a good way, and percfert for the upcomning spooky season.
Lots of mystery and a two story timeline that keeps you hooked.
Love det characteres development!

I truly adored this book. I think this is the first piece of Appalachian fiction that I've read, and and now I want to read more!

Bennie, a Black woman in the fictional town of Kiron in the Appalachians, is trying to find proof that White Rock Mining Company's unsafe labor practices are killing miners. When she finds a near-dead white lady in the mud of the riverbanks, she brings the stranger home and discovers her new guest isn't what she seems. Motheater is an Appalachian Neighbor who can do real magic with nature, and she doesn't remember her given name or how she ended up at the river, but she knows that she needs to stop the mining companies that are hurting Kire Mountain.

We alternate between a modern Kiron and a late 1800s one that is only starting to negotiate with the big mining companies. This book is deeply Appalachian, with its mining, small town community, and folklore. You can feel the love that Bennie, Motheater, and our author have for this region. The way that these mining companies killed its workers while stripping the land bare, leaving behind poor communities who might not have enough money to ever leave to find better opportunities. This is a beautiful story of love and revenge and fighting for those you love.

Also, this quote made me laugh: "Motheater was a centuries-old witch carved out of the mountain. She wasn't exactly available."

This book comes out on my birthday, and I think it's going to be my birthday gift to myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington/Erewhon for this ARC.

Beneathea "Bennie" Mattox has sacrificed everything to find out what is killing the miners on Kire Mountain. She finds a woman named Motheater, a witch of the Appalachian, who can't remember anything other than that she is a witch. They work to find Motheater's memories and try to change the fate of the mining town.

When I seen witch of Appalachian, in the synopsis, I was sold on this book. I was so excited to read it. I really enjoyed it. The way we get to see Motheater's past was well done. The magic and the history of the town and Kire Mountain were interesting to read. It is beautifully written, I could see the mountain setting perfectly.
I did find some of the chapters really long, which isn't my favorite thing. I also felt like there were some things that they kept going over, which I felt took away from the story a bit.

I received this as an ARC ebook from #netgalley .

Benny is a Black woman living in a small Appalachian mountain town, working to expose a crooked mining company after the death of her best friend. She comes across a barely breathing witch, Motheater, who is out of time from the 1880s, freed from inside a mountain during a mining expansion. 150 years later, they are bound by the same vow: to stop the deaths on the mountain.

A dark folk tale with a splash of fantasy elements, this story fails to deliver on its own message: anti-capitalist? Anti-progress? Or perhaps suggesting that progress is sometimes necessary at the expense of the environment? The sapphic elements would have been more enjoyable had they given both Motheater and Benny any real chemistry, rather than just a lot of internal pining. The queer and BIPOC elements, along with the impacts of living in a small, highly religious, and primarily white town, are mostly glossed over. It’s a hodgepodge of themes but never fully fleshed out enough for the reader to sink their teeth into.

This book was fine—it took some incredible folklore and delivered a novel that highlights an often overlooked demographic, leading to my own deep dives into Appalachian history. 3/5 stars.

Honestly, this was a great labor focused sapphic take on the people trying to save their town from the coal company, with a side of Appalachian and Bible focused witchcraft, and I'd definitely read more from this author in the future.

Amidst the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, Benethea "Bennie" Mattox discovers a half-drowned woman, later known as Motheater, shrouded in mystery. The Motheater is the last ridge witch but is suffering from amnesia. Bennie has been investigating the death of her friend after a coal mining accident. Bennie is convinced it is the mining company's fault, but Motheater believes something more sinister is happening on the mountain. They work together to reveal the truth.

Bennie's character is profoundly empathetic and morally driven, adding layers to her quest as she navigates through personal loss and the more significant battle between nature and industry. She is willing to blow up her life to find the truth. Motheater brings a magical element and a connection to the land that balances the industrial life of the time. The dynamic between Bennie and Motheater is complex and tender. The pacing could be faster and more varied, but it doesn't ruin the read. Overall, this Sapphic fantasy book is a beautifully crafted story.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing, Erewhon Books.