**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Darkly Enchanting and Original**

*The Witch Who Trades with Death* is a hauntingly beautiful tale with a fresh magical concept at its core. The worldbuilding is rich and atmospheric, blending eerie folklore with emotional depth. The dynamic between the witch and Death is both tense and tender, offering a unique take on power, sacrifice, and connection.

Some pacing hiccups and minor character development gaps keep it from being perfect, but the story’s originality and moody charm more than make up for it.

A must-read for fans of dark fantasy with a lyrical edge and a touch of the macabre.

So there's a young witch stuck playing dress-up concubine for the world's worst emperor (seriously, this guy makes Joffrey look like a saint), finally says "nope" and makes her great escape. But here's the kicker—even when you can literally phone Death for favors, your past has a way of sliding into your DMs.

Meet Khana, who's spent four hellish years under Emperor Yacatl's thumb. This dude's not just your garden-variety tyrant—he's immortal AND has Death on speed dial. But our girl's had enough. She goes full murder-mode on one of his favorite lackeys and discovers his dirty little secret about making deals with the Grim Reaper. And guess what? She's about to start wheeling and dealing too.

Armed with magic she's basically winging (aren't we all?), Khana books it to this adorable mountain village full of badass warriors who are like "ew, witch" but also "wait, can you heal my broken arm?" Talk about mixed signals! The whole place becomes her battleground when Mr. Immortal Emperor comes knocking.

Here's where it gets juicy—every time Khana makes a deal with Death, she loses a piece of her soul. It's like emotional cryptocurrency, and she's running dangerously low on her spiritual savings account.

The writing? Chef's kiss Pure poetry without being pretentious. The world-building feels so real you'll want to pack your bags for this mountain village (minus the whole war thing). And can we talk about Khana and her warrior? Their romance is the perfect slow burn—believable, swoon-worthy, and packed with enough tension to power a small city.

What really got me was how the author shows the night-and-day difference between life under the empire versus village life. It's basically a masterclass in "what happens when people aren't constantly looking over their shoulders for the thought police." The anti-imperialism message hits hard but never feels preachy—it just lets you connect the dots yourself.

Overall, this book grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go. It's got magic, romance, political intrigue, and a heroine who's fighting to save her soul (literally). Perfect for anyone who loves their fantasy with a side of "burn it all down" energy.

dnf.

this book held such promise, but as I drove through the story, I found myself really not caring at all. there were moments that came across super shallow that could have been delved into, and truthfully, I was bored. I hate to say it, as the premise sounded amazing, but the decision the author made for the book wasn't for me.

this is strong standalone fantasy with a lovely protagonist and found family. the worldbuilding isn't anything crazy, which is to this novel's benefit as you get much more time to focus on all of the characters and a side slow-burn romance that kept me reading to see the next time they were together. i lovedddd death as a character in this, perfectly cynical and funny as i wish that death would be if they were personified. this would have been five stars for me, but it got a little slow in the middle which could have been edited down to move the plot along a bit more.

I went into this expecting a slow-burn high fantasy—but wow, was I wrong in the best way. This story moves, and I couldn’t stop reading even when the action slowed because the emotional stakes stayed razor-sharp.

Khana is a powerful, resilient witch who finally escapes her life as a concubine to the cruel, immortal Emperor Yacatl. What follows is a dark, gripping journey of revenge, survival, and power—especially when Khana starts making deals with Death himself. The world is rich, the magic is compelling, and the pacing is perfect for readers who love high fantasy but want it to hit hard and fast.

Absolutely worth the read—and a must for fans of morally complex heroines and deathly bargains.

I love standalone fantasies, and really wish more of them existed. It feels like most books nowadays have at least two others. But not The Witch Who Trades with Death. This was a fantastic standalone that I really enjoyed. It has everything I like: found family, unique magic systems, and strong world-building. I found myself going back to pick up the book frequently and I suddenly found myself making more time in the day to read.

The magic systems were very unique and enjoyable; I was constantly intrigued to figure out the balance of what could happen next and how aji could be used. Something else I love: Death personified. This is such a unique piece of the book, and I love when authors take the risk to do this. It paid off so well.

My one dislike was the pacing. I felt like it was not thoroughly even, but it wasn't a massive issue for me, just a hinderence.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Angry Robot for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

This was a DNF for me, I really loved the idea and liked the main character but there's certain aspects that made me feel deeply uncomfortable and like I couldn't continue reading.

Alongi’s writing is immersive, with vivid descriptions that bring the world to life and characters that feel deeply real. The protagonist’s journey is gripping, full of tension, moral dilemmas, and unexpected twists. The magic system is unique and well thought out, adding depth to the story rather than just serving as a plot device.

What truly makes this book stand out is its emotional depth. Alongi weaves themes of sacrifice, destiny, and resilience seamlessly into the narrative, making it not just an exciting read but a thought-provoking one as well.

I couldn’t put this book down, and I already know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. If you love dark, immersive fantasy with strong character development and high stakes, The Witch Who Trades with Death is an absolute must-read

I wanted to love this one so bad, the premise was so promising. The things that i did like were first and foremost the world building. The writing was beautifully done and the world building was a true testament to the authors love of detail and ability to bring the scene to life. I really enjoyed the characters and thought that they felt fleshed out and written with a good growth arc throughout the book. The magic system was interesting, i would have liked to see it more expanded on and explained a little more, but the concept was great. My issue with this one was a hundred percent the pacing. This is a slow slow burn and there were times where it seemed like it was going to pick up only to bog back down. I don't know if it was because it was so dialogue dense or if there was another reason for my continuing to become distracted and setting it down. This is one that I will absolutely still recommend as I know a lot of readers are going to fall in love with this story.

Thank you Angry Robot and Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a beautiful story about healing and moving forward, but also needing to confront the demons of your past. I loved the magic system in this one, the concept of life force and moving it from one person to another. I also really loved the deals with death and how it impacts a person. I do wish we could have seen more of how the FMC changed from losing parts of her memory. But overall, I couldn't put this book down and I would so read another book set in this world.

Khana, a witch and former concubine, escapes the emperor after learning how he obtains power. She finds refuge in a quiet village, where she bonds with an innkeeper’s son and joins the military to protect him. Her unit of lovable misfits gave Mulan vibes with their banter and bond. Although the story explores some pretty heavy themes, Khana’s journey of growth and healing is handled really well.

Loved how author C. M. Alongi explored healing, found family, and inclusivity in The Witch Who Trades with Death! I really started to care for the characters and enjoyed the ending. The magic also was simple but convincing, and added depth to the story.

Refreshingly different fantasy world, set up in the cold mountains and grumpy villagers. The heroine is a magic-user but that doesn't bring as many blessings as you might think, and the whole fight to get the approval of the tribe AND then help them defend against a mighty empire is enchanting to read.

This is a good found family romantasy with an emotional core and a strong lead in Khana. I don’t usually reach for this genre, but the cover and synopsis drew me in. The story had moments of real impact, especially as Khana tried to find her place after escaping the empire. However, the pacing felt uneven—it dragged in places and rushed through others, which affected my overall engagement.

The characters were easy to root for, and the ending wrapped things up in a satisfying way.

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

There were things I really liked about this one, but overall it just didn’t quite land for me. The writing is super pretty, and there are definitely lines that feel made for annotating. But the pacing was all over the place. The beginning hooked me, and the ending felt strong, but the middle dragged with way too much sitting around and training scenes that didn’t feel like they were leading anywhere.

I really liked how it handled physical touch and trauma. That part felt real and made me care more about how the love interest. Sava, was so patient and gentle with Khana, and I appreciated that. That said, I was kind of expecting something bolder? The synopsis made me think she’d be falling in love with Death or something like that, which would’ve been way more interesting. Sava was sweet, but the choice felt like the safe option.

My biggest struggle was feeling distant from the main characters. Khana and Haz just never fully clicked with me emotionally, and I honestly found the side characters more compelling. The worldbuilding also felt uneven with the way things were sometimes underexplained, other times way overexplained. And the stakes didn’t always feel real. Too many things just worked out too easily, which made the story lose some of its weight.

Also, yes, we know Khana is small. You don’t have to remind us every chapter. We couldn’t forget.

Honestly such a great read. If you’re looking for a standalone, found family, witchy book… then this is definitely for you!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for my honest review

Found family and healing, while still touching on a subject like death. It’s hard to have all of those together and still have a well rounded, good story. At least in my opinion. However, this book does it very well. Khana goes through a lot, and it tugs at your heart in all the best ways.

I honestly was expecting more trading with Death and fewer military training montages.

This book also confused me by starting in the present, then going back a year and staying there until the 16th chapter. I had completely forgotten about the time jump by then. It could have easily started in the past and moved in a linear fashion.

There were some cool moments, and the friendships the MC made were sweet to read about, so I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't what I was expecting it to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the ARC.

- Slow burn to “I would burn the world for her”
- Slice of life cosy read

If you like the vibe of A Court of Frost and Starlight, the first 2/3 of the book gave me a similar feel. I thoroughly enjoyed how thought out the trades with death were, and the questions it explored of what these deals would require if it were possible; how far is too far? And mortality.
The ONLY thing, if anything, was that the “backstory” was a bit rushed; you’re told Emperor Yamueto is fearsome and commits atrocities, but the beginning happens so fast that you don’t really build the emotional connection that is required to drive home he’s a monster.
This was only really minor though, I would definitely re read, the last 100 pages absolutely gripped me.

Slightly spicy New Adult romantasy
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Given that death is so prominent in the title, please be prepared to see your new favourite characters snuffed out. Whether or not they’ll come back, well, that’s the point of the book. In this standalone New Adult romantasy, we follow Khana as she tries to navigate the poisonous court of the Immortal Emperor and is eventually forced to escape with only the clothes on her back, and the knowledge of the Emperor’s secret to immortality. When she finds refuge, her powers are all that stands between safety and exile, and when the Emperor discovers that she’s survived her escape, the stakes are ratcheted up exponentially. Will Khana and her new unwilling allies be able to defeat the Immortal Emperor and his countless hordes of made monsters? Or will Khana the witch be able to trade with death for victory?

Not a perfect book by any means, but plenty good. Khana is a brilliant creation and her allies are formed into a team in time-honoured ‘throw them in the deep end’ style. The magic at the heart of the book is really driven by the trade with death, and the denouement is fresh and deserved. The romance, which is only a little spicy, is really well considered, and explores PTSD in a respectful but hopeful way. But don’t let these serious themes put you off as the plotting, while a little flabby in the middle, sets up a distinctly rousing third act.

Four and a half stars.