A fantastic YA contemporary fantasy featuring a main character young readers will find relatable and engaging. Lewis presents an engrossing story that will have readers turning the page. Highly recommended.

All I have to say is wow! This story was written so beautifully. Katrell makes you want to scream at her but you also have so much empathy for her given the circumstances. She thinks she’s alone and has to do everything for herself which leads to some pretty self destructive ways. I can relate to Katrell in more ways than one and her redemption arc was done so well. I had a hard time putting this book down and it held my attention from the very beginning until the end. I could feel the emotion through the words and I experienced those emotions as if I were Katrell because of the fantastic way it was written by Jessica. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to see what Jessica has in store for us next!

This story was jarring, in the best of ways. I don’t often provide content warnings in my reviews (this is due to not knowing everyone’s needs). I do want to give a massive warning to pet death/murder and domestic abuse.
Katrell and Will can both be incredibly frustrating characters. However, it’s all in realistic ways. Their actions are not supposed to be inherently the most likeable. There is genuine character growth in this book, and it never feels forced.
The story was dark for many reasons, from paranormal to emotional. The paranormal aspects were fantastic to see and really brought this book to life (or back from the dead? Bad joke, I’ll see myself out). Lewis has really brought something to the table with this book, and I loved it.
My full review will be posted on August 23rd, 2021.

This was such a hard to put down read. I finished the book in three days (which for some people might be more like 3 hours if they don't take any breaks). The content was more serious than I thought it would be, a large portion of Katrell's insecurities and motivation was financial instability and a volatile home life. I love how the love in this story was the love of friendship and from other adults instead of a partner. I only wish the magic portion was a bit more fleshed out, and that they had gone over how they managed to escape some of the consequences of the magic. But ultimately I loved the message that while Katrell made mistakes and felt alone, she was surrounded by people that cared about her and wanted her to succeed.

I really did not expect this book to give me horror vibes, but it does and I loved it. This a novel of pain and survival and Black Girl Magic. The main character is relatable, her voice is authentic, and I definitely saw myself and my students in this one. Huge fan and will read again.

First of all, this book was fucking excellent.
I would end my review right there but this book deserves better than that and you should read it.

This story follows Katrell, a young woman in high school dealing an abusive mother and her even more abusive boyfriend. They rarely have the money for rent, but Katrell works hard after school to try and help. She also writes letters to the dead. But now she’s discovered she maybe sorta kind of can resurrect the dead? And that seems like a really lucrative side job. Until things start going wrong immediately. The dead don’t seem completely normal after they come back, and Katrell gets weaker and weaker with each resurrection. Her home life, her school life, and her night life are about to come crashing down around her.

I won’t spoil any plot elements but boy was this book EMOTIONAL. I can’t relate to half the things Katrell has been through but the author REALLY makes you feel every blow. The writing is fantastic and I could not stop turning pages. I absolutely adore Katrell and Will and they felt so damn real to me. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. Also: Please be aware that if you have any triggers for abuse, gun violence, animal death, etc this book does contain some disturbing scenes.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review.

Wow 😳 the author Jessica Lewis writes a letter to the audience as a preface in this her first book that gave me the first clue that the book would be traumatic. I am not sure where I read the alert regarding chid abuse (physical not sexual) but it wasn’t long into the book that it was clear why the warning was given. I would also like to express my extreme delight in this book; I couldn’t put it down and I will be waiting for any additional books she writes.

Bad Witch Burning is labeled young adult/fantasy fiction and it does not disappoint. I was sitting on the end of my seat, heart pounding as this young gifted teen struggles with life, poverty and a family unit that needs improvement. The morals and values of Katrell’s mother came into question early on in the book and I had to keep reminding my self that the bad witch is only 16; with demands/expectations placed on her by the adults who should be coaching and mentoring her. Fortunately, Katrell’s best friend Will traumatized by past experiences in foster care is always there for her bestie. As her “partner in crime” Will provides support and shelter when things go from bad to worse as Katrell’s gift drags her into an untenable situation where a lifeline is needed to save herself and a lot of innocent lives. It ended in a way that I wonder if there will be a sequel since the type of gift Katrell has is not going away or that could be wishful thinking on my part as again I enjoyed BDB immensely.

I liked this book. Even though I didn't feel there were tons of descriptions, I felt the author did a great job of world building. I enjoyed the story, but a few parts, because I'm squeamish, I just didn't need, lol. I almost felt that the ending was a bit rushed, like we needed another chapter or an epilouge, but over all, I did enjoy this book.

The plot is unique - I don’t think I’ve encountered a story like it… but this is a tough story to consume if you’ve also lived through poverty and abuse. I was frustrated while reading and found it difficult to read more than a few pages at a time because I was so fed up with Katrell. She makes bad decisions too often and too many excuses for bad people she should have just cut out of her life. Overall, it was too triggering for me.

I received an advanced reader's copy of Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book by Jessica Lewis that I had read and I was pleasantly surprised to find an enjoyable new author to follow.

Overall, I felt this was a solid fantasy/YA novel and I found it to be extremely well written. The plot was engaging and not like any other book I’ve read lately. This was a more layered novel than I expected for YA genre, but I liked the world-building that the author did and how well fleshed out the characters were. They each had their own unique personalities and motivations, and it worked nicely together.

This novel had everything - an interesting plot, characters you like and connect with, characters you don’t like and want to see brought down, magic, action, humor, drama, angst, and more!

I can't get over this book. The plot is fun, but nuanced. The characters are flawed, but so lovable. The teenagers talk like actual teenagers. There is no unnecessary romance. Black girl magic at its finest.

Bad Witch Burning is a novel about standing up for yourself, being true to who you are and never giving up on your dreams. Katrell has powers to contact the dead, after an experience with her moms boyfriend and her dog, Trell discovers she can do more than just talk to the dead, she can bring them back. And she needs the money this new turn to her power can do to make a better life for her and her mom, so she agrees to do it. I loved this book, the story was interesting and I was hooked from the first page.

This was an interesting, creepy read that was easy to jump into.
Katrell has grown up rough, her mom has a string of dead beat boyfriends who abuse Katrell and leech off her until they pack up and split. Katrell's mom neglects her and makes her sixteen year old daughter work to support both of them and I hated her with a passion. Parents who chooses their partner over the well being of their child make me sick. Luckily, Katrell has her best friend Will who lets her stay over when it's too tough and supports her.

Katrell has a crazy ability to talk to the dead by writing letters. One day her ability changes and she's able to summon the dead as revenants. They look like themselves, they can talk and function and people are willing to pay a lot of money to have their loved ones back. Things quickly spiral out of control when the revenants become violent and start attacking people. Katrell is also suffering physically and needs to stop her creations before someone is killed.

The story was interesting and unique and I stayed engaged throughout. Katrell isn't perfect and seeing her make mistakes made her relatable and real. I really enjoyed her friendship with Will and thought they were a great pair. Will and her adoptive parents also had a nice relationship and I liked how they didn't pressure Will and gave her space.

This wrapped up well and I'm happy it's a standalone. I think this was well written and I'll be looking forward to more books from this author!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

This was a DNF for me. This doesn’t happen often but I just couldn’t with this.

Domestic violence and letting people walk over you after your moms bf killed your dog? No thanks. I can usually power through to see what a book is about but I’m a huge dog person so that was my limit.

It wouldn’t be fair to give this 1 star because of my personal issues so I’ll leave it at 3 because the premise itself seemed solid.

I really liked the idea and premise of the book. I just wish that there was a little more explanation in the magic of the world. Like why did Katrell's magic just change and will it ever change back? I was just left with questions at the end that I wanted answered. I also didn't really connect to Katrell as a character. She annoyed me with how much she just let her mom walk all over her. I felt like Will in the situation. I know it was her mom but it just irked me how she just thought that behavior was okay. I understand she was in an abusive situation but eventually I would think you would get sick of it and just take Will up on her offer and go live with her. Overall, I really enjoyed the writing and the story.

Great book. Read it cover to cover on a rainy day. Great writing. Loved it so much. I would reread it.

I read this book in one sitting and I wouldn't have it any other way! Jessica Lewis is such a master of craft, suspense, and horror with bite and I couldn't help rooting for Katrell despite every flaw. She's such a tough character who drives the story in a way that had me flying through the pages.

Her voice pulled me in right away and I don't want to give too much away, but this is definitely a book to read all at once. Every description - from the setting to the magic system to the action - was so vividly painted and relatable. It's not often you find a fresh take on zombies! This is a must read if you're looking for a strong #ownvoices book full of Black girl magic. I think this is going to be a book is so important and one that teens will see themselves in - a book that reflects their tenacity, their struggle, and their will to survive.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


An amazing read. Trigger warnings for child abuse and neglect.

A child, taking care of herself, her mom and the many deadbeat boyfriends, who come and go. She has a dog and a timid best friend. Beyond that, she can talk to ghosts. One day mistakenly, she discovers a new power, one that may burn the world around her. You will not regret reading this. From start to finish I could not put it down. I will be recommending this to all of my friends and students. So many will relate to Trell and Will. I am so glad that Jessica is still here and wrote this book. Brava.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I hated Katrell's mom and her mom's dumb ass boyfriend in Bad Witch Burning. They were both manipulative people and I just despised them so much. They never deserved her one bit. Especially when they couldn't even take care of themselves, keep a job, or pay to have a roof over their heads.

Other than that, I actually enjoyed this book. Katrell and Will's friendship was one for the books. I really enjoyed them being together and trying to bring some joy back to people's lives. Especially after they lost a loved one. Mostly because Katrell has a pretty unique power that goes through an upgrade with a lot of consequences to it.

In the end, I wasn't that upset with what certain characters went through but I didn't like the deep dark road that Katrell was tumbling down. I'm glad that she got help towards the end and got her one piece of happiness. She definitely deserved more people in her corner - even if it was a little late to do so.

Book Review for Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis
Full review for this title will be posted at: @fyebooks on Instagram!