This was one of those books where I opened it, read the first page, and then promptly put it away.

I get this feeling with books sometimes. The feeling that they’re going to change something for me. In me. They’re going to matter to me. I am 100% the intended audience, in one way or another, and I can feel it from that first page alone. If I was a literary agent, I suppose this is the feeling I would look for when offering representation. And so I need to put the book away, after reading that first page, and prepare myself for the journey I know I will embark upon once I read beyond that first page.

I waited three or four weeks, preparing—and then I read the whole book in one sitting, in one evening. I even began to murmur it aloud halfway through, reciting several paragraphs over and over again.

There was basically nothing that I didn’t love about this book, but I’ll try to be succinct.

First off, this is the second book from Kennedy that I’ve read, and the craft felt significantly developed to me. The storytelling was a lot more intricate, yet also a lot smoother at the same time, which is no small feat. I absolutely love seeing authors progress and advance like this.

Ultimately, what really brought this book home for me was the suspense. The book starts of slowly, as we settle into the different timelines and multiple protagonists, and then around the 15% mark you start to feel that you’re “getting something”, but you’re not fully sure what that “something” is. Not yet. But you’re willing to wait for it. Because you trust the author, and you trust these characters, and you’re starting to see parallels and patterns that point to a larger picture. This is a story with multiple timelines, meaning that most of the suspense arises from how these timelines interconnect, and when they do so. If you don’t like this type of ping-pongy suspense and initial head-scratching, then this is probably not a book for you. If you love it, like I do, then it definitely is.

Relatedly, Kennedy does foreshadowing really well. She will drop a cue in one timeline that fits with a cue in the other timeline, thus forcing you to connect the dots across the timelines and characters. Put differently: one character in one timeline will know something that the other character desperately needs to know in their timeline. A lot of tension will splay out across this skewed timeline relationship. If this is not your cup of tea, you might wanna steer clear of the book. However, if it is, you wanna gulp down that tea and pour a second cup straight away.

The book is set in the Ozarks. In contrast to her debut, this is the author’s home, and this familiarity adds to the reader immersion of the story. There is an intimacy to the culture presented on the page that tells you of the deep love that the author has of this place. Of home. And that’s relatable to any reader, I daresay. We all feel for home, and for family, both at the worst and the best of times. This book shows that.

As usual, Kennedy treats historical fact with respect and care. Her research is thorough, as the author’s note will tell you. She writes queer characters that feel true to their circumstances and times, while she also grapples with the themes of feminism and misogyny stretched across several generations and time periods.

The Witch of Tin Mountain is a book that discusses how otherness has historically been treated as something to fear—and that this fear is hard to shake, even in more modern times. Like the very antagonist of the book, this fear simply takes a different shape. It evolves. And this, in turn, demands that we must always stay vigilant of this fear. Exactly as the protagonists of the book must also stay vigilant of it. I promise you that the thematic resonance and clarity and impact of this book will knock you off your feet by the time that you’re done reading it.

This book is like a bonfire—when it catches flame, it roars.

And if you stand too close, you get burnt.

Like the Witch of Tin Mountain herself.

This cover is gorgeous! The story has great atmosphere full of family drama, witches, and forbidden love. I love the historical mountain setting. It isn't being published until February, but I am glad I got to read it at the beginning of the Fall Spooky season because it was perfect for Witchy Season.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Fantastic novel! While the dialogue took me some time to get used to (not sure why southern dialect always takes some time to click) but what a cool concept - a story told in 50 year increments, family drama, witches, forbidden love...I'm here for all of it. The titular tin mountain is an atmospheric moody shadow over the novel and a character in its own right. I must be getting into a pumpkin spice mood because all I really want to read is spooky things!

The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy is full of atmosphere and witchcraft. If you love witchy reads then you will want to pick this up. The story spans three generations and starts us out in 1931. I loved this historical read. This is one that ill continue to think about. I'm looking forward to more from Paulette Kennedy.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced digital copy.

I’ll admit it was the cover and the title that drew me in. There are elements that are familiar if you’ve read any Paula Bracksron’s witch books, but Paulette Kennedy has her own style and — TBH I struggled with all the“ I reckon” and “ain’ts” of the first ½, but then it really started to get interesting. The interlude was absolutely wonderful.

“As I walk home from the depot, I notice something about the hills. They’re quiet, watchful, with nothing stirring but the sound of the wind through the cedars. I usually find that kind of quiet peaceful. But this morning, something feels off.”

I always love a witch book, probably because Salem, MA is my stomping grounds. But truly wise women are everywhere, from Tin Mountain to Charleston, to all the shores of North America. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and it’s refreshing to have this story told, to revive the threads that bind us to this history. While it needed more depth for me to be fully invested in the characters, it’s a good book for young readers of historical fiction and the path of our magical women.


a good book for young readers.

A well-written historical novel with magical fantasy elements. The world-building was excellent, the Ozarks setting well drawn and the characters' mannerisms and speaking styles in line with they would've been in real life during the time periods depicted. The writing style was solid and had a bit of atmosphere that gave the book a somewhat dramatic and solemn tone, which fit with the plotline.

My main issues with the book stem from the dual time lines, each of which follows a different young female character. I had a hard time telling the two women apart, as their voices and personalities were quite similar, and it was occasionally difficult to remember exactly who had said and done what. The story was more challenging to read, as a result, and that impaired my enjoyment of the overall story.

That said, this is still a decent historical fiction novel, especially if you like some magical realism tossed in for good measure.

As the author of this novel, I want to leave a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who takes the time to read and review The Witch of Tin Mountain. This novel is both a love letter to where I’m from, The Ozarks, as well as a celebration of the divine feminine. I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I enjoyed this book a lot. it was atmospheric and character driven. The book revolves around Gracelynn Doherty and her family, living in Arkansas in the Depression era. Things are hard and people are barely getting by. The community depends on Gracelynn and her grandmother for their knowledge of herbs and witchcraft even as they revile them. When a new preacher comes to town promising salvation, things take an ugly turn.

The book is beautifully written and delves between time periods with ease. I enjoyed the complexity of characters and plot.

Thank you for the opportunity to read The Witch of Tin Mountain, This is a book of tales of the Ozarks. Gracelynn is learning that her Granny has talents that not everyone likes to speak about. She is treated as an outcast and often looked at with suspicion. This story is weaved in and out of witchery and some cult action. Told in a dual timeline (which I LOVE), the book continues to unfold effortlessly. Great read!! Thank you NetGalley for the read! :)

I really liked this book. A great story paired with great story-telling made it excellent. Kennedy did an excellent job blending the two different view points of Gracelynn in the 1900s and Deirdre in the 1800s. It was a little befuddling jumping between the points of view, but you do get use to it. A must read if you love stories of witchcraft, strong women, and historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing this ARC to review. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise. ~

Oh this book, it really had a bit of everything: an amazing storyline which kept me up half the night, memorable characters and a believable historical backdrop. The author has certainly done her homework and has brought the Ozark Mountains in the 1930's back to life. Kudos, Paulette Kennedy!

The Witch of Tin Mountain is a novel that really holds the readers attention, and I enjoyed every single minute of it. If you enjoy folklore with supernatural elements then this book should certainly be on your to-read list. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. The setting of the book is in The Ozarks, a little mountain town. There are multiple timelines tying three generations of women. The book is atmospheric, mysterious, spooky, heart pounding, exciting. There's witchcraft, healing, midwifery, several touchy subjects. I could have done without the bisexual relationships. Besides that, I simply devoured this book. It was amazing!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Witch of Tin Mountain is many things: a Gothic novel, a southern novel, a family novel, a feminist novel. But the whole is more than the sum of its parts, and The Witch of Tin Mountain is also just a hell of a good story.

Three generations of women do battle with an ancient evil, and also with the equally dangerous everyday evils of misogyny, racism, and mindless fear of the other.

The setting, obviously familiar to the author, is rendered in loving and vivid detail, a fully developed character in the story.

Highly recommended. A wonderful way to lose a weekend.

Wonderfully written story. I was wary of the dialogue at first since the slang and turn of phrase isn't unlike the dialect of southern Appalachia but it was done very well. The flip back and forth between times and characters was a little jarring at first but I got use to it and understand its being necessary for the story. Characters were lovingly written and you find yourself genuinely concerned for their well being. Lastly, as a practicing folk witch and herbalist, I appreciated the bits of that path strewn about along with old sayings, omens, etc. It was very on point. All around an excellent book.

A side note: I loved the inclusion of content warnings. Thank you. However, it would have been more of a help if I could have seen them before requesting the book to read.

"Wherever a witch's blood is spilled, a curse remains on the land. That's the saying, all right. Nobody ever blames the men that do the killing and the burning, do they? Instead they blame the witch."

I have always been obsessed with stories about witches, and this book is definitely a must read. The Witch of Tin Mountain is not only a story about women, but also about power, determination and justice.

Set in the Ozarks, the story follows Gracelynn, who lives with her grandmother and helps her heal people. Other than a few hateful comments from the same people that ask help from her family, Gracie has a pretty normal life… until the arrival of Josiah Bellflower, a preacher claiming to have great power to heal. Worried at first that Josiah’s presence may threaten her and her grandmother’s activity, Gracie quickly learns that the preacher is more dangerous than she thought and that he hides dark and threatening secrets about her family…

What an adventure! Paulette Kennedy’s writing style is amazing. She set up a scary but hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that captivates you from beginning to end. The characters were truly admirable: they are so brave and would never give up no matter the circumstances. Speaking of characters, I absolutely loved that most of them are women and their diversity. Without giving too much away, Deirdre and Anneliese were definitely my favourite ones. I admit that I did have to take some notes to remember all of the characters and their roles in order to fully understand the story at the end.

The plot was truly unique and the fact that this story is told from two points of view added even more tension and surprise. The reveal of plot twists throughout the story kept me even more enthralled, and I could not drop the book during the last chapters. Without giving too much away, I could not have wished for a better ending. This is a book that I will much likely remember for a long time.

By the way, don’t skip the author’s notes! It was extremely interesting to understand how this story came to life and all the references used.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest opinion.

I loved The Witch of Tin Mountain. It kept me involved from the first chapter with the characters. This is the first book of Paulette Kennedy’s that I have read. Looking forward to reading more.
The Witch in Tin Mountain is set in the Ozark Mountains during the depression. There is a lot of folklore, history, supernatural between witches/healers and devil. It followed three generations of powerful witches and the evil that follows them.
Don’t miss the Author’s note and the end of the book. It has a lot of information to research some of the history.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to give my honest review for The Witch of Tin Mountain.

This was an excellent blend of gothic story - telling, fantasy, myth, and historical fiction. I really loved the characters and the pacing. I have enjoyed all the books this author has written so far and look forward to so much more.

5 stars

Paulette Kennedy's The Witch Of Tin Moutain brings us a haunting tale of three powerful witches who are being chased by an evil spirit, spanning centuries. Kennedy crafts a detailed work of art by writing in two different points of view: Gracelynn (1900s, 1st person) and Deirdre (1800s, 3rd person).

This is my first foray into the magic realm and LGBTQIA (mostly f/f). I'm pleasantly surprised how well I enjoyed this book. Romance is sprinkled here and there but it isn't the front runner of the story. I was startled at first by the different points of view (1st and 3rd) but it really adds to the story as a whole, being able to get a glimpse of what the witches thoughts were and how they entertwine. The evil spirit is cunning and seductive which adds to the story, making it exciting.

I'm getting a slight book hangover (its so good) from this, so I shall search for her other book. Her writing is amazing! Happy reading! Thanks to Netgalley and it's publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

In Depression-era Arkansas, something wicked has come to a haunted mountain town in a novel of uncanny suspense by the author of Parting the Veil.

Full of cults and witch craft this book is awesome and dark. This is great for spooky season . I was invested in the wine s stories and the journey they go through !!

LOVED THIS!
Hats off to the author this was a book I read extremely quickly and didn’t put down. I loved the way in which the stories intersected back and forth across time as you followed the main character in her quest to discover who - or what - is behind the troublesome visions of her grandmother and the slipper new preacher in town; along with also find out who she truly is.
I can’t decide whose story I loved more: Deirdre or Gracelynn. Both were written beautifully with pace and well developed characters alongside their plots.
I loved the setting and the author’s use of the ozarks as well as her references to witchcraft.
Hard recommend!

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers along with Paulette Kennedy for allowing me to read this book as a digital ARC for review.