Such a good witchy read: dark, atmospheric, gory, full of rage and defiance and blood (so much blood) and ultimately hope for the prospect of building a better, more just world. I always want more feminist horror in the vein of The Witch and Midsommar and this delivered beyond expectations. Excited to read more from this debut author.

I love a good witch story and this one does not disappoint!

The story centers around the Immanuelle Moore, a young woman who has no idea about the power she wields. She lives in Bethel, a town that reminded me of the same described in Handmaid's Tale. Everyone is super religious and the Prophet rules with an iron fist. Immanuelle is an orphan and raised by her God-fearing grandmother and grandfather. She follows the rules and does everything asked of her, but still can't resist the calling of the Dark Woods. It's not until after she gets ahold of her dead mother's diary that the story really takes off.

I appreciate an author who does a thorough job when creating new worlds. Alexis Henderson does a fantastic job with the land of Bethel and its characters. While the story moves pretty quickly (or maybe it's because I couldn't put it down after I started it?!) I couldn't help but to wonder more about Immanuelle's past. I think Henderson definitely has room to write a sequel to this one and if she does, trust and believe that I will be first in line to get it.

For about the first half of this book I thought I was going to rate it 3 stars. It was pretty slow in the beginning in my opinion and took a while to capture my attention. I’m glad a stuck with it though. I ended up rating it 4 stars because, while it was a little slow, it’s one of those books that really stays with you. The themes of race and religion were the focus of the book. The story is set in a puritanical society where there are plural marriages and the men’s rules rule. The darker skinned people are also known to live in the “outskirts”. Without giving away too much, I’ll just say this book stuck with me because you realize we really haven’t come anywhere near far enough in our society. So, as long as you don’t mind a slow start I whole heartedly recommend this book. It’s so much more than a witch in puritanical society type of book. It is a book with so much to say that we all need to hear.

Handmaid’s Tale meets Salem: Born of rebellious feminist resistance by a girl who is branded as cursed because of her mother’s sins and facing the dark powers to make definite and concrete changes at the dystopian, puritanical, secluded society consisted of hypocrisy, ignorance, illogical and unfair laws.
This is another terrifying, fist clenching, soul shivering, mind crushing, heart pounding, forehead sweating, edgy, spooky, bleak, dark journey take you to the dark woods to face the four witches are ready to haunt you in your dreams and place a quite irritating thoughts inside your brains.

Immanuelle Moore kept her silence for years, trying to stay head above the water, living at the outskirts with her disgraced family because her mother’s disobedience ruined their family name, suffering from poverty, obeying the rules of their community. Prophet’s each word is the law because he’s holly man even though he is the pure definition of sexual predator seduces under aged girls and having a heavenly polygamous marriage life (Prophet reminds of a mean and ruthless cult leader but as the society keeps the silence and obeys the rules nothing can go wrong!?)

Immanuelle acts like she adapts in her outcast life till the day she takes the attention of Prophet’s charming son Ezra and gets lost in the dark woods she is forbidden to enter because there are so many stories about that spooky place. Once you enter, you never come back intact. She may share the same faith with her mother who ran into the woods and lost her mind completely after giving her birth, losing her life. But as soon as she takes her first step to the haunted place, she encounters with four witches who offer her mother’s journal filled with her impressions about the witches and dark woods. The passages at the journal are mind bending and ominous telling her upcoming apocalypse. There are four phases: BLOOD, BLIGHT, DARKNESS, SLAUGHTER.

As those four phases start to occur, Immanuelle tries to find a way to save the society even though it may coast her own life but what if her sacrifice doesn’t change anything? What if the government system they accepted and the holly rules declared by their Prophet were corrupted, distorted and unhealthy for those women’s lives who have been massacred without fair judgment. Sometimes to build something new, you need to tear down everything apart!

This is more revolutionist, reformist and outstandingly brave and powerfully feminist dystopian story! This is about a young woman’s fight to change the system, not to be victimized, harassed, abused by the men who used the law and religion to justify their wrongdoings. It’s bold, moving and fascinating.

I have to warn you about last 30 pages! It is really intense, dark and terrifying! But I liked the promising, hopeful conclusion that also may be considered as a sign of sequel.

I’m giving my five impressed, mesmerized stars and I’m clapping the debut authorAlexis Henderson for her brilliant work.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing/Ace for sharing this intriguing ARC in exchange my honest review.

The Year of the Witchling is one of my top books for 2020 so far. I managed to read it start to finish in a single day because I couldn't get enough of it. It's creepy and witchy, and has those Puritan witch story vibes that I enjoy in witch stories.

Immanuelle struggles to fit into society because of her mixed race, and trouble with following the teachings of her Church. She is drawn to the Darkwood, a place full of monsters and witchcraft that is feared by her town. The Prophet forbids anyone to enter the Darkwood, but Immanuelle cannot help but explore its secrets.

This story is a coming of age story set in a dark world. There are themes of individuality and Immanuelle is a fierce character who embraces herself in such a oppressive society.

First of all, I really love this cover! Second, I'm not really into horror, but cults are kinda my thing, so when I saw The Year of The Witching, I was like "signed me up!" This was creepy and spooky

A compelling commentary on racial and gender struggles set in a witch trial-based society. While trying to work out the cause of the plagues in her town, the main character confronts her society's biases in an organic matter, and achieves some nice character development.
I do wish the main character's relationships with friends, family, and the love interest were more fleshed out, but I can see a narrative reason why she'd have overall superficial connections to others due to her place in society. However, it currently reads as a "Not Like Other Girls" trope, especially in her relationship with the love interest.