Thank you to Netgalley, Jo, and Voyager for a copy of A Curse of Ash and Embers.

Elodie is hired by the mysterious Black Oak Cottage. She does not know by whom or for what task, but her mother and stepfather, once determined to keep her home, now send her away without a second thought. Elodie arrives at Black Oak Cottage to find the place destroyed and her new mistress (who is a witch) near death and very confused as to why Elodie is there. Elodie comes to learn that her new mistress, Aleida, is injured because she killed her mistress, Gyssha, which is a big no in the witch world. Before Gyssha went, she made sure to cast a death spell on Aleida, and that's where our journey really begins.

I really love books where the catalyst is a character or event that we don't really come in contact with. We do see glimpses of Gyssha, but really, much like the novel Rebecca, she is the unseen reason that we have this story.

This is a fantasy story, but it also felt like part mystery and also part dystopian and magical realism. I really enjoyed Elodie and Aleida's characters and the growth through this first book.

This was a great introduction to a new world. There wasn't so much world-building that no real story came about, but there was a good balance of both that makes me want to continue on with the next book and learn more about this world and the characters we've met.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own!

TW: graphic verbal & emotional child abuse, physical child abuse mentioned, domestic violence mentioned, misogyny, dissociation, suicide, death of a father, death of a child mentioned, death of a friend recounted, physical assault, murder mentioned, kidnapping mentioned, strangulation, poisoning.

This was a fairly meandering, chilled out kind of book to read. There wasn’t any sense of urgency until maybe the last 20%. You have witches, magic, monsters, found family (ish), escapism, and some seriously dark subject matter! It’s very atmospheric, but lacks a little in the plot department. All of that said, this is a read in one sitting kind of book. Elodie and Aleida are really interesting characters and I’d like to see where they go from here. Hopefully the author has it figured out!!

Since it appears to be part of a series, I hope we get more characterization and plot in the next book. Overall I enjoyed it very much, but I’m not gushing or on the edge of my seat for the next book (which I will read). So 3 stars from me, maybe like 3.25 if I could haha.

I really enjoyed this book! It wasn't fast paced, but like what Rachael said in her review, this is a comfort read. It's slow, peaceful, and has a fairy-tale like feeling.

I do want to start this off by saying that the synopsis is a bit misleading. When I started this, I expected a witch who was making monsters, I expected to meet this witch. That was part of why I picked this up, so I was a bit disappointed that this didn't go this way. This was partly because I didn't read the synopsis super closely, but it is a bit unclear.

I absolutely loved the setting of this book! This is set in an enchanted forest, so it feels like it's right out of a fairy tale. It was so fun to picture, and I feel like Spurrier did an amazing job of bringing it to life. From the grove of fruit trees, to the meandering streams, it was so picturesque!

I also really loved the characters. Elodie isn't a character I'd normally enjoy reading, she's passive, and not super opinionated. For some reason though, I found myself enjoying her quiet strength and devotion to what is right. Aleida on the other hand, was the perfect witch! Witches are some of my favorite fantasy creatures, so I loved her as soon as she appeared, but that only grew as we learned more about her. She was just so interesting! I'd love to learn more about her in the next book, she was my favorite character from this one.

Like I said earlier, I love fantasies with witches. And this did such a good job with the magic system! From the curses, to the constructs, it felt completely unique. It was bewitching, and enchanting, and drew me in completely.

When I read fantasy, I tend to reach towards action packed, romantic reads. Somehow, even though this didn't have romance or lots of action, I loved this just as much! The atmosphere was amazing enough that I can see myself rereading this countless times

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed, A Curse of Ash and Embers by Jo Spurrier. From the first chapter I was hooked and felt compassion for Elodie. It's one thing to have to deal with a horrible step-monster; quite another to have a parent not take up for you against them.

As the story unfolds and Elodie and Aleida become entangled; it's clear they're going to have a future of adventure and stories to tell. The pace is slow when it needs to be and heart-racing when you least expect it. Elodie's character's quit wit, sly tongue and nurturing nature makes falling for this MC easy as pie.

The witchcraft, rifts, otherworldly beings and curses just add extra elements to a beautiful story about two women who came together from two broken homes by unknown forces to create their own tribe.

A Curse of Ash and Embers was an absorbing YA fantasy novel and I fell in love with the world of the Blackbone witches. The story was beautifully told through the eyes of Elodie, who is hired as a servant at Black Oak Cottage, under her mysterious mistress, Aleida. Elodie was an easy character to connect to. She had a quiet strength and a loyal and empathetic heart. Her journey throughout the novel was great, and I can't wait to see how she grows in the next book. Aleida Blackbone was a fierce witch and I loved her. She has a cold demeanor, but you can see underneath that she has warmth and a huge sense of compassion inside her. She struggles a lot with her past actions and I thought that the layers of her character were fantastic. I loved the progression of her relationship with Elodie and the strength they drew from each other. The world-building was really cool and I only wish we could have gotten more into how their magic works (which I'm thinking we might get in the next book..). There were a few twists that I saw coming, and a few that I didn't, which was fun and exciting. I really enjoyed this quick, witchy read, and I will definitely be continuing on in the series.

"A dead witch. A bitter curse. A battle of magic.

Some people knit socks by the fire at night. Gyssha Blackbone made monsters.

But the old witch is dead now, and somehow it's Elodie's job to clean up the mess.

When she was hired at Black Oak Cottage, Elodie had no idea she'd find herself working for a witch; and her acid-tongued new mistress, Aleida, was not expecting a housemaid to turn up on her doorstep.

Gyssha's final curse left Aleida practically dead on her feet, and now, with huge monsters roaming the woods, a demonic tree lurking in the orchard and an angry warlock demanding repayment of a debt, Aleida needs Elodie's help, whether she likes it or not.

And no matter what the old witch throws at her, to Elodie it's still better than going back home."

I am REALLY into witches right now.

Terrific Teen Fantasy…
A Curse of Ash and Embers, the first book in Jo Surrier’s new series The Blackbone Witches, is a wonderfully engaging excursion into a magical realm of witches and fantastical creatures. Set in a medieval, bucolic world, it is a timeless story of self-discovery and personal growth; overcoming the negative identities other people try to force on you. Elodie never expected to leave her family, even though her stepfather was constantly denigrating her and her mother never once came to her defense. She loved her younger siblings and assumed she would just live out her simple existence there. They were all surprised when one day she received a surprise directive indicating she had been hired as a servant at Black Oak Cottage. Unbeknownst to Elodie, this was the home of a notorious witch, Gyssha Blackbone, and a purveyor of dark magic. But once she leaves she vows to never return home and prove her step-father’s assumptions about her true.

A Curse of Ash and Embers is both well written and entertaining with many suspenseful and action-packed moments. Elodia’s new mistress, Aleida just recently killed her evil and deranged mistress, Gyssha, and is a wonderful contrast to Elodia insecure and demure nature. She is also the catalyst to developing a more snarky and strong Elodia. Elodia’s unassured moments are authentic and help emphasize the idea that we all struggle with self-doubt, while giving us an opportunity to follow her transformation into a strong and capable young lady. Most teens, however, will not even realize they are being encouraged with wonderful life lessons as they will be too engrossed with the hunt to end the dark magic, in the form of outlandish creatures, left behind after Aleida killed her sinister mistress, Gyssha. A Curse of Ash and Embers is a totally teen appropriate story but Jo’s storytelling makes it enjoyable for all ages.

This had fantastic world building, character development, and a unique plot. This was a solid novel, and I will definitely reread it in the future.

Welcome to Black Oak Cottage, home of dangerous witches, dark magic, and Elodie's new place of employment. Summoned by a mysterious letter, Elodie struggles between sadness and hope as she says goodbye to her dearly loved mother and step-siblings but finally escapes her hateful stepfather. Upon arriving at Black Oak Cottage, Elodie discovers her new mistress Aleida, who is suffering from a deadly curse from her old teacher Gyssha, who used to own Black Oak and is still fighting for her life against deadly magic and traps. Elodie and Aleida must fight together against the rising odds, growing danger, and deadly magic.
Black Oak Cottage sounds like the exact place that I would avoid like the plague. Take all of the creepy, questionable elements of magic, add a pinch of horror and drop it in the middle of a forest full of creepy monsters and dangerous magic, and you have the beginnings of Black Oak. Now add a demon tree, some wild spirits, and magic traps and you have the amazing atmosphere of A Curse of Ash and Ember. I enjoyed this book because I didn't feel bogged down by endless descriptions of the scenery, it was simple enough to be descriptive but not so much that it got distracting.
The characters in this book were so refreshing. Love isn't the main theme in this story, friendship is. It was so fun to watch these two strong females form such a strong friendship while overcoming their own individual obstacles. Elodie and Aleida's friendship was also refreshing because they didn't go from enemies to friends, they were never against each other. It was extremely positive and precious to watch. I was a little bummed because I felt like a lot of unnecessary time was spent getting to the cottage and introducing us to characters that are hardly mentioned again, and I liked those characters, especially the real wizard who had even gone to wizard school!
The pacing and plot were a little jumbled for my taste. The main characters were always in such a hurry but spent so much time on side tasks that you almost got a sense of whiplash when things were suddenly in a hurry again. The exciting parts were very exciting and fun but a lot of the in-between was much slower and seemed to drag on. The plot was really entertaining, I felt like the big twist was kind of predictable, I am not good at predicting plot twists, so this is a rather telling statement for me to make, but all the fun little surprises were great and kept things interesting.
I am excited to read more about the Blackbone Witches, I think that they are very capable of getting themselves into more messes with little idea how to get themselves out. I want to see Elodie grow into her own person, and I want to see where her friendship with Aleida will take her.

Written by Jo Spurrier, this novel follows Dee who has been summoned to work for a witch, and no one knows who did the summoning.

The writing in this book was decent, and I liked the characters, but there was never anything that really hooked me in this story. It reminds me of the writing style of fantasy novels in the 90s and early 00's, which isn't a bad thing. But this is a slow moving book because of it.

The characters are strong, and honestly I think I want to read what books come after this as I think this is a series that will just keep getting better and better.

If you are looking for a fantasy with strong female leads, this could be the book for you.

i wanted to love this book so badly - it has a gorgeous cover and the synopsis sounded really intriguing - but i was so bored reading this. it was atmospheric and had nice witchy vibes, but nothing even remotely interesting happened until the end of the book. it felt like i was dragging myself toward the finish line trying to finish this book.

the witchy vibes and the MC dealing recovery from an abusive parent were really the only two things i liked about this book? i didn't really care about any of the characters, there was almost no plot, and the writing was barely interesting enough to keep reading.

YA fantasy generally comes in just a few flavors - said with love, because this genre is one of my favorites, but still. We see female main characters come in three categories for the most part: the strong heroine who knows she is strong, the weak heroine thrust into a situation far beyond her control and understanding, and the "weak" heroine who is actually strong but doesn't know it yet.

Somehow, Elodie manages to be all three over the course of this book. She begins her journey away from home as a helpless girl pushed away from her family (at no point is her abuse satisfactorily explained, by the way) to pursue employment at a far-off and not understood cottage. However, she is strong and chooses to change her life. On the way the way to her new posting, Elodie encounters a wizard who makes it clear that magic is real. Cue role #2, and the info-dumping normally associated with it.

When she arrives at the cottage, Elodie spends quite a lot of time unsure of what is actually happening and her role in it. Then in the course of just a few hundred pages, we are introduced to dryads, curses, demon trees, a rift to the netherworld, ghosts, constructs, potions, and magic symbols with no explanation how all of these different magical elements interact with each other or how/why they are all present in the same world. Somehow, however, Elodie changes into the third category of female leads just in the nick of time, saving the world from lots and lots of evil.

Overall, is this book bad? Certainly not. However, it is definitely confusing and no characters are particularly engaging. This book is just... okay.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

“A dead witch, a bitter curse, a battle of magic.”

Monsters, witches and curses… oh my! This was a wonderfully unique read with an exciting, page-turning plot. Elodie comes from a small village with a verbally abusive father and submissive mother. When a letter arrives accepting her for hire at Black Oak Cottage, she leaves behind that life not knowing who (or what) she’ll be working for.

I struggled a little in the beginning getting used to the way Elodie spoke and the initial build-up to the meat of the story. Pretty sure this stems from my dislike of her family and her servant-like demeanor. It was an excellent platform for character growth though. And grow she does! Elodie has a hidden strength that blossoms by the end of the novel. A good theme of believing in yourself rode the coattails of her journey too.

The magic system was perfectly witchy, and I adored all of the atmospheric and craft-like vibes as Elodie gets deeper into her position under Aleida. What sucked me in the most was the unique creation of monsters, the folklore creatures and deadly magical plant life existing in the woods. Literally spellbound as I zipped through the chapters waiting for what came next.

Perfect for readers who enjoy witches, curses and beasts alongside character growth and magic. Thank you Harper Voyager for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are solely my own. Now to journey into book two!

I knew I would love this one, the second I read "witches" in the description!
It's more than just witches, it's pure magic and everything I love in a fantasy book and I cannot wait for it to publish so I can own a physical copy!

I loved that it had everything from dark magic to well executed female friendships which is always so lovely to see and read about!

This is one of those books that you just devour in one sitting because it's that good, I am anxiously awaiting for the next one!

Interesting but not fully engaging enough to keep me entertained.


I would recommend this to someome who has a few free hours to read through quickly.

Elodie Foster is forsaken. Isolated to the family cottage, Elodie maintains the small, ramshackle homestead, illiterate and denied an education. Elodie is verbally and emotionally abused by her stepfather, her mother remains passively apathetic, accusing her daughter of antagonism and initiating conflict. A mysterious correspondence arrives providing salvation, an opportunity for employment in the small pastoral community of Lilsfield, migrating to the infamous Black Oak Cottage, escorted by a local farmer, his daughter and a destitute magician on her journey.

All The Women Who Are Independent... Throw Your Hands Up At Me
Elodie is an intelligent young woman, despite denied an education. As a young lady, her biological father passed away, survived by his daughter and destitute young widow. Elodie is isolated from her community and although is forsaken by her abusive stepfather, reluctantly accepts the position of servitude. An ancient sorceress befelled by her young apprentice, monstrous creations arisen from the land and a small community encompassed in folklore.

Returning to the small ramshackle cottage, Aleida Blackbone tenaciously liberated the Lilsfield community from the subordination of Gyssha, a malevolent crone pleasured by consuming the small town. Fiercely independent, the confrontation has diminished the once apprentice to an ailing woman needing assistance to endure the forthcoming catastrophe. The apparitional cavalrymen.

Elodie and Aleida are contrasting characters. Aleida is assured, confident and perceptive. An apprentice to Gyssha as a young woman, exploiting her humanity to ensure her compliance. Elodie and Aleida have experienced a callous manipulation, remarkably similar as they find solace within their tentative companionship.

I Don't Want No Scrubs
Although Elodie is enchanted by local huntsman Kian, neither Elodie or Aleida are interested in pursuing a romantic relationship. On occasion entrusting neighbour Attwater for assistance. Aleida is independent, inspiring Elodie to discover her own bravery and heroism, becoming Aleida's caregiver during her recovery. A Curse of Ash and Embers reiterates that female characters are individuals and independent, unreliant on male characters or masculinity to further their own narrative.

On her journey, Elodie encounters a young magician. Although charming and eccentric, he abandons his travelling companions rather peculiarly, perplexing why his character was introduced within the narrative.

Legends And Folklore
The Lilsfield folklore is captivating. The monstrous automatons created from the fertile earth, Laurel the dryad and her companion Attwater, the apparitional warlocks and the Blackbone legacy. The atmospheric Black Oak Cottage creates a foreboding whimsicality, enchanting and captivating throughout the narrative of sixteen year old Elodie.
We are the eye of the storm. We are the darkness behind the stars. We are the glare of the sun, and nothing touches us unless we let it.

I asked to review this book due to the blurb, it interested me. However, I found that I could not really get into it. I tried several times but found myself venturing into reading something else. This book may be more suited to someone who likes slower paced books or this type of story.

Elodie hates her life. She loves her mother and siblings, but hates her horrible stepfather. He treats her bad just because she's not his. No matter what she does, it's wrong or not enough.
Then, one day he tells her that he got her a job as a maid far away. Elodie is scared and excited. She will finally be free.
When she gets there, she finds out that she will be a maid for a witch. Anything has to be better than her old life right?

This was great! So atmospheric. I love Elodie and Aleida. I am looking forward to the next one.

Author #Spurrier's #'A Curse of Ash and Embers' is book one in # The Blackbone Witches. The book really takes off in the later half. And is very enjoyable.
Thank you,
#Netgalley, # Spurrier and # Harper Collins

This book had just the right hint of creepiness. I really liked Elodie as the main character. I'd love a book going more into her backstory.