Another winner from C.J. Cooke! If you liked the “Outlander” series or Susanna Kearsley, with a touch more gothic horror, try this book and author, Thank you for the ARC! It was a pleasure to read this book!

I was hooked from page 1 as Clem tries to piece together what has happened to her daughter, Erin, after a trip to the Orkney Islands and end ups in the hospital. This is what you would call a gothic supernatural mystery. In another time and place; we meet Alyson, a real witch who is the victim of her time and powerful forces in Scotland. What is the “Book of Witching” and what is its importance? Based on real events on the witch trials in 16th century Scotland, this is not to be missed.

Historical suspense, but make it witchy! I loved everything about this read. To start off with, the author did an amazing amount of research for this book (which earns huge points from me). I was so much more intrigued & invested to know that the story of Alison Balfour is, in fact, based on a woman with the nearly the same name (factually spelled “Alyson”). Alyson was tried, convicted, and executed as a witch in 1594.

There are dual timelines in this novel, both of which are dripping with suspense. One follows the historical story of Alison Balfour, while the other follows a modern-day woman named Clem whose daughter is discovered nearly dead under mysterious circumstances. When Clem’s daughter awakens from a coma, she insists she is someone named “Nyx,” and the question arises surrounding whether the tragic event was an accident or the result of something more nefarious.

In books with dual timelines, I often find myself a lot more invested in one timeline over the other. That was not remotely the case in this novel! I needed to know what happens in both stories, which made this utterly unputdownable. The timelines are also excellently written, so I was never confused as to what was happening and in which plot line.

The blend of mystery/suspense, historical fiction, and witchy themes makes this book addictive for a large variety of readers, and its release is perfectly timed for the beginning of fall. An easy 5 stars from me!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the gifted ARC!

Dual timeline set in 1594 and 2024 featuring a cursed book and the lives of two women that it negatively impacts.

Witchcraft and a sinister book connect two incidents across time. Clem is horrified when she learns teen daughter, Erin, is in a coma. Sometime during a trip to Orkney Islands, Erin was terribly burned, and her boyfriend was killed. When Erin regains consciousness, she does not recognize her mother and calls herself Nyx. As Clem investigates, she finds ties to a village healer hundreds of years before who struggles to protect her family and survive accusations of witchcraft. This thrilling, atmospheric read is perfect for spooky season.

_The Book of Witching_ by C.J. Cooke is an immersive horror read told from multiple points of view and time periods, based on the historic witch trials in Scotland. It follows the dual timelines of Clem, a present-day mother and grandmother whose daughter Erin is horrifically injured on a trip with friends on the remote Orkney Islands, and the healer Alison, a wife and mother who is accused of being a witch in the 1500s. Both characters fight to keep their families safe while dealing with injustice and the supernatural. Cooke’s writing is engaging, and places the reader into the settings and the lives of the characters.

The Book of Witching takes place between 1594 and 2024 in Scotland on the island of Orkney and Glasgow. Cem gets a call that her 19 year old daughter is in critical care unit for severe burns. Erin's boyfriend Arlo is dead from being burned alive and her best friend Senna is missing. With the help from Quinn, Clem's exhusband and an absentee father to Erin they try to figure out exactly happened on their weekend hiking trip. 1594 Alison Balfour is being held in a dugeon awaiting her trail for being a witch. She is being set up by others to take the the blame for the assassination attempt of the Earl. The two stories are combined when Edward Balfour, Alison's son tells her that he has seen a woman that is hurt badly and that machines are keeping her alive. The Book of Witching showed Edward what would happen to his mother and now he is trying to stop it from becoming true before time runs out. Like with all of C.J. Cooke's book this one packed full of historical facts and what happened to women during the withc trails in Scotland.

Another masterfully crafted novel by C.J. Cooke who is quickly becoming one of my all-time favourite authors! Dark, atmospheric and absolutely heart wrenching, this story of old magic and familial love was impossible to put down. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I can’t wait to start recommending this book once it hits the shelves!

This author does it once again. Her writing is French kiss for sure! It just grips you. I love the way she brings you along on the ride in her stories. I absolutely adored this book. Truly. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read it. It’s worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I've read a couple from C.J. Cooke before and they are all so unique. She has once again crafted a haunting tale -- this one about a woman on trial for witchcraft in the 1500s and her connection to a mother and daughter in present day Scotland. While this wasn't my favorite of Cooke's books thus far, it was still very well written and captivating. And, of course, as with all things related to women being on trial for witchcraft -- absolutely infuriating.

I look forward to all future books by C.J. Cooke! :)

The story premise had me so excited.. the dual storylines between past and present were intertwined / done really well.. kept me invested..
h o w e v e r
just fell into the "eh, this was okay" realm unfortunately. the resolution to both past and present storylines didn't really make sense to me or wrap things up.. I'm left wanting more, and not in a good way. Not one of my favorites despite my anticipation 😕

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. The Book Of Witching expected to be published October 8th, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC of The Book of Witching of C.J. Cooke. Reading something from C.J. Cooke has been on my TBR goals for a long time. I'm so glad I had an opportunity to read The Book of Witching. I've discovered that reading about anything related to the persecution of what others perceive as "witches" makes me relatively uncomfortable, sad, and angry. This story is no exception. There is a little bit of a mystery and elements of creepiness as the story unfolds. I've thought about it for a few days now, so I'd say that's a good read.

I will read anything CJ writes! I loved the atmosphere of this book and the witchy vibe. I wish I would have saved it for October!

Wow! First of all I was honored to receive an E-Arc of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. CJ Cooke’s books are always 5 stars for me and this one did not disappoint. She has such a way of weaving multiple time periods together seamlessly. This book was historical, gothic, and haunting. I found myself picking my kindle up every chance I could as I couldn’t stop thinking about the book, and had to know how it ended.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and the author for an arc of this book. I loved this one! It was so engaging I could not put it down. The folklore elements were very interesting to read about but this is not an easy read. It is filled with multiple instances of physical torture which was difficult to read about. And knowing that this character was a real woman who endured so many atrocities did not help. But it was central to the plot line. I really liked this book and would definitely recommend to all who like reading about the witch trials, magic and suspense.

Here’s the gist: The setting is 16th-century North Berwick witch trials in Orkney, Scotland and present day.

We’ve got two timelines when in 1594, wife, mother and healer, Allison, is accused of witchcraft. And in 2024, Clem’s daughter Erin nearly dies from an accident in Orkney when a park ranger discovers her, burned and covered in blood beside another burned body, her boyfriend, and she is still clinging to life. Her friend who was also with them is nowhere to be seen and is missing.

When Erin awakes from her coma to not remember who she is and insists she’s someone else things start to become twisted and the mystery of it all intertwines with the events of 1594.

Trying to uncover the link between Allison and Erin made for some fabulous reading. I was totally hooked and I loved all the folklore mixed in with horror and a bit of fantasy, the two timelines were so good, especially all the history that came with the 1594 timeline!

I am amazed with all researching that went into this book, the events of 1594 are based on true events and are just mesmerizing!

Thanks @NetGalley for the eARC!

The Book of Witching is a captivating and atmospheric tale that seamlessly blends historical witchcraft with a modern-day mystery. C.J. Cooke's masterful storytelling shines through the dual timelines, balancing the past and present narratives without overpowering each other. The sparse chapters from Erin's perspective add an intriguing layer to the story, allowing readers to glimpse the truth. While I would have enjoyed a bit more resolution at the end, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise engrossing read. Cooke's skill in weaving magical realism into her stories is unparalleled, making The Book of Witching a perfect addition to her impressive body of work. This is an ideal read for fans of witchy tales and those who appreciate a well-crafted mystery with a touch of the supernatural.

I loved this book! It's 100% going to be the perfect Fall read. The dual timelines balanced perfectly so that the present didn't feel like it over powered the past. I enjoyed the sparse chapters from Erin's point of view that really allowed us to see the truth. I would. have liked a little bit more to the ending, It did feel as though once Sienna was found Clem was able to wrap up everything nicely. However, I don't think that's a negative against the book but rather a personal preference on part. As with all of CJ Cooke's books that I have read she does a fantastic job at using magical realism. I would probably say that when it comes to magical realism and dual timelines C J Cooke does it best.

Crazy clever story that mixes historical stories of witchcraft with a modern day tragedy.

When Clem receives the call that her daughter Erin is unconscious in the hospital after a hiking trip with her friends on an island she is forced to contact Clem's errant father and rushes to the hospital. But Clem awakes and is not herself. She claims she is someone named Nyx and she is violent and angry. Forced to team up with her ex, Clem is desperate for answers and travels to the island where her daughter was last seen. Cooke interplays a historical story that is just as gripping as the contemporary thriller!
#berkley #thebookofwitching #CJCOOKE

Another classic C.J. cooke - I did enjoy this one more than her last release (Haunting in the Arctic)

At the beginning, I struggled to get into the 1594 storyline but I did get a lot more engaged in that one. The present timeline was very interesting. I did like the twist of how the two timelines were connected!

I felt that the book didn't have as pervasive a message as some of her older ones.

First off I would like to say that I nearly cried when I found out about getting accepted for this ARC. To no one’s surprise I absolutely loved this story. When this book was announced I was so thrilled that we were getting another witchy book from Cooke as “Lighthouse Witches” is one of my favourites of hers. She has an unbelievable way of writing stories that are so atmospheric and real. I really enjoyed the dual timelines in this story and I liked how the story progressed. As with all Cookes books I thought the pacing was perfect, I probably could have finished this book in one sitting but I made myself savour it. I enjoyed both main characters and especially Allison’s story and writing. I also really enjoyed all the different layers of story going on in each POV, each story was so complex and interwoven perfectly. My sole complaint about this book is that it is a perfect fall read and I unfortunately didn’t get a first time read in the fall! Will absolutely be buying a hard copy for my shelf!