I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars!

Wow, what can I say? I absolutely loved this book and this is definitely one of my faves of 2020. The fact that this is a debut author, is wow! Definitely looking forward to her other books. Especially the sequel to this one!

I don’t really read much horror/fantasy/supernatural fiction but man, this one captured me from the get go. The writing style captured me and the storytelling too. The suspense and the creep factor were also A+.

Immanuelle’s character was great. She could be frustrating at times but her journey and arc are great! She was this timid, introvert who wanted to stick to herself and be essentially invisible. And that is understandable because of what her mother did and the fact that she has darker skin than the rest of the people in Bethel (side eye). But then she grew into herself and became a person who could advocate for herself and people who were silenced.

I also loved the subtle romance that happened between Immanuelle and Ezra and I was rooting for them. The angst was so good. I usually like my romances outright but in fantasy settings, subtle and slow burn is the way to go.

I felt this was, like many people have stated in reviews, a cross between the Salem Witch Trials and Handmaid’s Tales. And it was great. The nuances to the themes that were tackled, such as race, patriarchy, religious figures abusing their power, how religion can be used to manipulate people and etc. I especially loved the focus on what feminity and womanhood is and how society looks at it through the lens of men and how many women were punished based on the sins of men. It’s really really interesting. And the juxtaposition between vengeance and mercy.

Overall, I absolutely loved the book and if you want a read that is horror/fantasy with a Black witch as your main character, this one is it! Can’t wait for the sequel!