I had such high hopes for this book, but it did not live up to my expectations. I wanted this to be a creepy, spooky book about a cult and ancient witchcraft wreaking havoc on a modern family, and while this TRIED to be that, it just wasn't. This book has alternating storylines, and while I felt like the historical one was spot on, the modern one just fell a little flat for me, which is funny, as the goodreads description of the book barely even mentions the historical piece of the story. I absolutely felt for Alison, and I felt rage on her behalf during those portions of the story. Unfortunately, Clem and Erin's half of the story was disappointing. I just didn't love the "twist" or the big reveal - they felt incredibly low stakes, and I didn't feel the fear or tension there. Overall, this one was a disappointment, as the best part of the book was the historical bits, but I have read several books that I would recommend more that deal with historical witchcraft trials.

Cooke has become a go-to author for me during spooky season. folklore type of horror is very hit or miss for me, but her books usually combine the atmosphere of that genre with a mystery/thriller aspect which makes it more appealing to my tastes, and this is another great novel from Cooke.

we bounce back and forth between 2024 and 1594 and I will say I definitely preferred the current timeline but I understand the he other one was necessary background info. the current timeline revolves around Clem, whose daughter has just been found badly burned after leaving for a hiking trip with her friends. I was really interested in the way her story unraveled and how the magical horror elements came into play. a perfect read for October!

CJ Cooke is back, once again, with an incredibly crafted story that’s equal parts historical fiction and the best witchy, gothic vibes. ❤️‍🔥

I love the parallels between Clem and Alison, despite their stories taking place 400+ years apart. Both mothers who would do anything to protect their families/children from evil, whether of this world or supernatural.

The awful treatment Alison receives while being falsely accused of being a witch will have you plotting your own revenge spells. It’s enraging, but just wait to see how it plays out… 🧙🏻‍♀️

This is a perfect spooky season read, and I’ll never stop recommending CJ’s books. 👏

Happy Publishing Day to “The Book of Witching” by CJ Cooke 🥳

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: if it’s a witchy historical fiction book, I’m gonna read it! While this book had many similar elements to other books in this genre, including dual timeline, feminist themes, and a mystery to resolve, I think the author also made this book unique in its own way that kept it from blending in with other recent books in this sub-genre.

I appreciated how Cooke wove the two timelines together - honestly it was genius and made the story all that more heartbreaking.

At the heart this felt like a story about loss and belonging and I love when a book can make me feel something! If this is not already on your TBR, I would highly suggest checking it out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an advance readers copy.

Overall Rating | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

The Book of Witching is the perfect read for spooky season. Part mystery, part paranormal, and part historical fiction, it all blends together to form a great story that will keep you guessing until the last page. I loved how Cooke incorporated aspects of the Burning Times in Scotland, and how she blended that time into present day.

There are some gruesome aspects in the book, so this story may not be great for the faint of heart.

Overall, a great book!
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Book of Witching by C J Cooke
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Clem gets a call that he daughter has had a serious accident and is fighting for her life. As she searches for answers to why and how the accident happened, she keeps hearing about a connection to an ancient book: the Book of Witching.
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What I liked:
-This was a very moody book. It was dark and mysterious.
-I loved the setting, and I enjoyed learning more about the Orkney Islands.
-This had a significant historical fiction lean. I had never heard of Allison Balfour before this book and I’m glad to have had a chance to learn about her story.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was the kind of story that is devastating and yet strong. It’s so sad that history is littered with stories like Allison’s but I really appreciated the spin Cooke put on it.

This is my first book by CJ Cooke. I love witchy books so I had to check this out. The premise sounded so good. I'm not a huge fantasy person but magic and witchcraft are fun to read about. This one is loosely based on the witch trials in Scotland in the 1500’s. It's told through two timelines, the 1500’s, and current day. In the past timeline we follow Alison who's accused of witchcraft and imprisoned. Some parts of this story line angered me quite a bit. The way these women were treated back then were abhorrent.

In the current timeline we follow Clem and her nineteen yr old daughter who's unconscious and in the hospital after a tragedy while on a hiking trip on the remote Orkney Islands. When she wakes, she doesn't recognize her mother and insists she's someone named Nyx. Her mother is on a mission to find out the mystery of what is going on with her daughter. It could have something to do with a dark history…. possibly a curse.

I loved the feminist theme in this book. I can tell alot of research went into it and the writing was spectacular. and I thought it was a great read for fall, very atmospheric and had touches of horror. I was invested!! The ending brings the two timelines together in a clever way. Really, a great read!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In her newest book, C.J.Cooke in The Book of Witching has created a chilling and riveting tale that is hauntingly beautiful. From the moment the author introduces Clem and Erin, as a reader I was absorbed in their story. I especially liked how the story wove between time to the history of the Orkneys and a woman accused of witchcraft. Allison’s story intertwined with Erin’s as we see Erin potentially accused of murder as well. It was emotional and gripping as I wanted to find out what happened in both times.
One of the elements that the writer does beautifully is create different points of view throughout the novel, allowing more information to be added in than the main protagonists are aware of. That element helps add to the complexity and show some of the truths of how the women accused of witchcraft were truly treated during the 1500’s. The ending is both haunting and emotionally satisfying. There are aspects that will leave you wondering and a bit intrigued.
As part family drama, part historical on the treatment of women during the witch trials, this is a unique novel with a chilling and riveting story to tell. If you like intrigue, drama, and historical tales, I would highly recommend this novel. It is beautifully written and some of the truths may haunt you. I was completely absorbed.

Historical fiction with 2 POVs. Clementine is the mother of Erin, who has gone on a camping trip with her boyfriend, Arlo and her best friend, Senna. Clem gets a call from the hospital that her daughter has been in a terrible accident, left badly burned, Arlo dead and Senna missing.
While this is going on, we get the story of Alyson Balfour, the first "witch" to be put to death on the isle of Orkney, Scotland in 1594. Her story is harrowing and anger-inducing.
Between Erin and Alyson we also get the story of the Triskele, a pagan "cult" that may or may not be responsible for the horror that has befallen Erin. Their grimoire, the Book of Witching, shows Alyson and Clem the way forward.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this e-arc.*

Ok, perfect spooky season book incoming!!

The Book of Witching tells the story of two women, separated by 400 years and connected by ancient magic. It is completely gripping and moves at a fast pace. I love a story that blends horror, history, and folklore and this does so perfectly. There are elements of fantastical horror but also the horror of witch trials and the unspeakable things women went through during that time.

I was pleased to find that the story of Alison was based on a true story of a healer in the Orkney islands who was accused and sentenced as a witch. This is one of those stories you'll go do extra research after to read about this woman's plight.

A great witchy horror that is creepy but won't keep you up all night! (unless you literally can't put it down)

The perfect witchy read for fall. I enjoyed every second of this one and I loved the inspiration mentioned in her author’s notes. Everything comes together in an incredibly satisfying way and this is a masterfully weaved story that blends two different timelines. Totally recommend and if you like audiobooks, the narrator did a great job. Between this and The Lighthouse Witches, I will blindly trust Cooke and read any of her books with a witch premise.

I really love how CJ Cooke does dual timelines. In this one we get Alison's POV from 1594 and we get Clem's POV from 2024. What do these years have to do with each other? We have no idea!
In Alison's POV from 1594, we find out that she used to be a part of a group seen as witches, (which I will do my best to spell since I listened to the audiobook) the Triskeel (Triskeal? Triskele?). Despite the fact that she has left that life, Alison's mother inducts her children. She is then approached by someone close to the Earl for a potion that will kill him. After she refuses, she is publicly accused of witchcraft and sent to jail to await a trial.
In Clem's POV, her daughter Erin is on a trip with her boyfriend Arlo and another friend Senna, and is not answering her phone. She has been in a horrible accident and been badly burned. Once she wakes up in the hospital, she is no longer herself. She insists her name is Nyx. After some digging, Clem feels she needs to travel to the place where the accident happened to find answers.
Like I said, Cooke weaves timelines together so well. It really seems like these 2 stories have nothing to do with each other and it was fascinating to watch them come together. Both of the timelines were interesting. I think I preferred Clem's just because of the mystery of what happened to Erin, but I did enjoy both.
The writing style was great, and not only the way the timelines fit together. The pacing was great, I always was exciting to get back to each POV each time I finished a chapter. There was a distinct shift between Alison and Clem. It was not hard to remember which POV we were in, the 2 timelines really felt like different people telling them.
The ending wrapped up heartbreakingly, but as well as it could I think. I think it ended perfectly.

This story ebbs between the present time of 2024 and 1594 to uncover the past, what happened in our time, and its relation to Erin and her family.

C.J. Cooke lived up to her reputation as a gifted plot weaver with this book. I enjoyed the read and would recommend to anyone who likes horror, fantasy or mystery. This one has a mysterious fantasy twist with historic ritual brought forward into the present. Perfect for this time of year! I liked the setting of the remote Orkney Islands in Scotland - it fit the story well as the author tells us afterwards this was inspired by historic events. The persecution of women for witchcraft is front and center in the chain of devastating events. The plot moved well and the characters were well-drawn. It kept me captivated.

I'm a huge fan of American Werewolf in London, and even thought this dealt with witches, it gave me the same feel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s the spooky season and the perfect time to read The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke. In this creeptastic tale, a mother searches for answers as her daughter lays in the hospital after a hiking trip with her friends on the remote Orkney Islands that met a horrifying end, leaving her boyfriend dead and her best friend missing. A dark tale that moves between the present and the past.

Dark, atmospheric and sometimes terrifying, Cooke brings us a tale that occurs on the Orkney Islands. A young woman and her boyfriend get caught up in something as we weave back and forth between events that occurred when a woman was wrongly accused of witchcraft and murder four centuries ago.

In the present day storyline, a mother searches for answers after her daughter ends up in the hospital. Erin, along with her friend and boyfriend, traveled to the remote Orkney Islands. Something sinister happened on that island. Erin is badly burned and keeps saying her name is Nyx. Her boyfriend is dead and her friend is missing. We learned of events along with Erin’s mother Clem, who worries her daughter will be blamed. The island and the secular group she meets gave me chills.

The author recounts events on the island in 1594, involving Alison Belford, who is accused of witchcraft and consorting with the devil. We see the story unfold and twist. The trials, the betrayal, and the people on the island shared a horrific tale. If you find the witch trials fascinating, you will want to read this tale.

I’ve read several books by Cooke and find her stories to be atmospheric and addictive from witches to abandoned sea vessels.

While the events of 2024 were creepy, it was Alison’s story that held me captive. Cooke blends history, fantasy and delivers a suspenseful thriller that pushes into the horror genre.

The Book of Witching is a story you will remember long after you have closed the book. It is the perfect fall book for your spooky reading list.

This is my second book by this author and I don’t know what it is but I just don’t think the authors writing is for me which sucks because the premise always sound so good and I’m obsessed with witches so on paper the books sound exactly like my type of reads. I may give this one another shot via audio and see if that makes a difference.

Huge thank you to @prhaudio @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review. This audiobook gives all the spooky season vibes!
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Unconscious after a hiking trip that left her boyfriend dead and her best friend missing, left Erin’s family devastated. When Erin eventually wakes up she insists on being called Nyx. Her mother is determined to find out what really happened to her daughter but Clem finds so much more than she expected. A tale of witchcraft, secrets and curses. This was a bit more historical than I expected but this will give all the spooky season vibe

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.

The Book of Witching is my new favorite from C.J. Cooke. It's perfect for the fall season. I loved the atmosphere and the witchy historical elements. I thought she did a great job weaving the distant past into modern times.

There is so much to like about this book. The dual timeline narratives were written quite well, and I was equally curious about both, which is not often the case. The history of witchcraft paired with the current fascination with tarot and witches makes this book a slam-dunk. This story appeals to historical fiction fans as well as readers who prefer the supernatural. I am eager to share this book with our readers, and I will look for more by this author.

Thank you Berkley Pub for the free book and thank you PRH Audio for the #gifted listening copy of The Book of Witching! #BerkleyBookstagram #berkleypub #BerkleyIG #berkley #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer #TheBookofWitching #CJCooke

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐎𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂.𝐉. 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

𝟰.𝟱★

This was my second book by C.J. Cooke and this one as just as good as the first! This was a dual timeline book, with the timelines set between 2024 and 1594. I loved the historical aspect of this one, and how it was based on a real witch trial. The present day timeline was so interesting too and found this book to be so well done. Overall, this is one I would highly recommend! I went into this book blind, and would definitely recommend doing the same!

🐦‍⬛Based on a real Witch Trial
🐦‍⬛Dual Timelines
🐦‍⬛Historial Mystery
🐦‍⬛Haunting

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by the talented Paula Masterton. I thought Masterton did an excellent job setting the right tone for this book. It felt haunting and so perfect with her as the narrator, and I could not think of anything better to narrate this book!

Posted on Goodreads on October 6, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around October 7, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on October 8, 2024
**-will post on designated date

This was a good book overall. The story took a hit for me to get into it, but once it did— the writing just flowed like I was watching it instead of reading it.