Within These Wicked Walls follows Andromeda, a debtera, an exorcist hired to cleanse homes from Manifestations of the Evil Eye. Hired by a young heir, Mangus Rochester, to cleanse his haunted castle, Andromeda is swept into horrifying Manifestations, an unexpected romance and the looming threat of death at every corner.

This book is marketed as a Ethiopian-inspired Jane Eyre retelling, but it broken my cardinal sin of retelling: mentioned Jane Eyre, the book. The parallels in the book are really well constructed, just enough without being too much, so mentioning Jane Eyre in chapter 15 broke the illusion for me. Especially given that the Mr. Rochester and his home, Thornfield, are taken directly from Jane Eyre by name. The passage brought up by the appearance of the book could have been introduced another way.

This book lacked world building. What we get of the magic system is phenomenal. Manifestations of the Evil Eye, only forced away by carefully constructed silver amulets? INCREDIBLE. There are enough context clues to guess this is Ethiopia (Ethiopia inspired points that way), in the desert for sure. But beyond that, everything else felt up in the air. Talk of horse drawn coaches and dowries suggests 19th century (in line with Jane Eyre) but the dialogue feels incredible modernized. Kelela’s ever changing hair color (pink/blue) feels very modern. A mix because it’s a fantasy and anything goes? I couldn’t tell. The Ethiopian history this book was inspired by was implied throughout the book, but never fully explained. It could have benefited from that being introduced more solidly, especially because it isn’t such common place knowledge (which is unfortunate because it’s incredibly interesting). I was craving more than what I go from a world that could have been constructed into something more than it was.

Time continuity was a struggle. One chapter opened by referencing a conversation an hour ago, but several pages later into connected dialogue, it was a day ago. Another chapter writes in present tense but then time jumps a full day two paragraphs later with no separation. “She can sleep in my room tonight…I would take her to the city as soon as she was ready,” to they’re at the stable sentences later, no break. For once in a book, I wanted filler so that time jumps weren’t so sudden. It feels like days pass in events only to find out it’s been weeks and months.

Andromeda as a character is really hard to like. Sold by her parents, stolen from those who bought her and raised by an abusive mentor, she clearly has trauma that needs to be dealt with. Being raised to be street smart, raised with devout faith in God, yet so willing to give it all up for a cursed boy who led her on, a boy she barely knows? There was such an opportunity to make Andromeda a strong, independent lead character, even within a romance, despite her stunted childhood and instead she seemed like a whiny little girl who desperately needed to be hugged by a parental figure. The same for Magnus. Understandably living with unimaginable burden like the curse is hard, but he felt whiny and immature, completely out of touch with the privileged his money allowed him, cursed or not. There was definitely a solid character lurking below the surface, but it was never fully manifested. They both lacked character development throughout. Their romance was toxic and abrupt, to say the least. And then felt stilted. Will they, won’t they, will they, won’t they. As a Jane Eyre retelling, I knew it wouldn’t be an easy path but the path they took was absolutely unbearable.

I was so excited for the Gothic-romance this book promised and I was so disappointed not to get it.

Within These Wicked Walls is a brilliantly written gothic, fairy tale that indulges its readers with an intricate magic system, a heart-stopping romance, and suspenseful storyline. Although I dived into this book for the Jane Eyre-esque aesthetic, I have thoroughly loved it for it stood out on its own. That conclusion was totally satisfying.

Well that was fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. It’s no secret that retellings of classics are high on my list of favorite tropes, and this one did not disappoint. I especially loved the softer, more emotional spin on the Rochester character. Magnus kept the soul of Edward Rochester alive while changing many of the things that made him kind of icky. Andromeda is a kick butt protagonist too... so much to love here!

I hate that I didn't love this. Because the framework is exactly what I should love. Jane Eyre inspired (I don't think calling it a retelling is accurate), a small window into a different culture, beautiful setting, interesting magic system, a heroine who actually kinda looks like me for a change - it's all there in theory, but the execution didn't convince me all the way through.

The beginning was very strong in my opinion; I loved that we were thrown into the story and the action right away. That worked. That worked very well. The same is true for the ending. It made me emotional, it had supense, it left me reasonably satisfied (though I gotta say, maybe a further glimpse into the protagonists' future or idea of a future would have been nice).

But the entire middle part didn't. I believe most of it had to do with our protagonists relationship. Insta-love just doesn't work for me in most cases, and this one is no exception. It's extra frustrating however, because I do! like them together, I just don't see much reason for them! to want that just yet. When they're beginning to speak of love, all I can think is "Ya'll haven't even known each other long enough to have figured out each other's favorite colors". Not to say that random trivial knowledge about the other person is the absolute indicator of love, but, you know? What foundation do these two have at that point?
There was such disparity between some of those incredibly tender moments on page and the reality of the lack of development outside them.

I also didn't really have time to develop attachment to anyone in the side cast of the castle (except Saba), which is a shame because whenever someone used to vanish/die I had to literally remind myself who that even was. No one gets more page time than absolutely necessary to establish that they are there, but then ... why are they even there? Just as plot devices to establish what the curse does? That alone doesn't really do it for me.

I liked the writing well enough, but had some issues with the dialogue. Some of it seemed strangely disconnected and I don't think that had anything to do with Magnus' scatterbrained tendencies.

All in all, I would still recommend this book for the mystery, the setting, the POC cast and the magic, especially if insta-love doesn't bother you.


**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this early in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 (rounded up to 5) out of 5 stars
Spoiler free review

Wow! I had high expectations because of the hype around this book and it did not disappoint!!
It had just the right amount of spooky twists, fun romantic banter, and found family/relationships.
I loved Andromeda’s strength, optimism, stubbornness, and love for those around her. I also loved the romantic interest, Magnus, and the banter between the two. It felt natural and not forced at all, which was so much fun and absolutely adorable.
In general, I have no complaints or criticism. The plot was well-paced, the character development was realistic, and the writing style matched the mood of the story.
I’m not a huge fantasy fan, but still loved this - so I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a fast-paced and fun read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

ARC provided by NetGalley for an Honest Review
I struggled here and there with this book and I think it's because my heart wasn't fully in it and thus my brain was all over the place. 100% my fault no I blame that thing called life. I undoubtedly missed a few key pieces here and there because I would be confused until things worked themselves out or a few times I’d have to go back and reread to see what I missed. Not sure why this happened because there are so few characters and I really wanted to get into the gothic vibes of the book but I only just did nearing the end.

The heroine did not have a happy childhood-that's easy to say. However I wish there was more exploration of her powers and how she came into them and what they mean in the grand scheme of life. I also wondered about a timeline/setting because again maybe I missed it but that was something I was floundering on. It's clearly not to be set in modern times/reality but I felt a bit off kilter not having more background. While I liked the heroine she also kind of unnerved me at times with her push and pull when it came to Magnus. I was so proud of her for standing her ground and being honest. From the start she was a very likable character. She may be on her own but she’s strong and braver than I’d ever be, especially in some of the paranormal circumstances she finds herself in. I would love to see more of Andromeda in the future. Established and with years under her belt. Now that she's found someone who legitimately loves her, she's no longer alone and can be strictly looking out for the both of them. Even just the short time spent with Magnus changed her so much and she's got to be that much wiser and learned in the world than the scared unsure girl we met early on. I have to admit I loved the originality of the story and think my disconnect was all one sided and this is def something I'll need to reread in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

What a creepy, chilling little book. Within These Wicked Walls is an Ethiopian-inspired fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. The story follows Andromeda, an exorcist who has just been hired by Magnus Rochester to rid his castle of the Evil Eye, a spirit that haunts those who are vain and selfish.

Lauren Blackwood has crafted a very promising debut, with an adorable romance set in front of the backdrop of a terrifying house out to destroy all who live there. While I didn’t enjoy this book as much I had hoped, there were still aspects that I did enjoy.

For one, I thought the characters and their relationships with each were phenomenal. Andromeda and Magnus, the main character and her love interest respectively, had so much chemistry together, and were fantastic characters all on their own as well. While there was some pretty major insta-love between the two of them, I found myself not minding it at all, because their relationship was just so well-done.

I do have to say thought that Andromeda’s relationship with her adoptive father, Jember, had to have been my favorite part of the entire book. It was far from perfect, filled with tension and spiteful arguments, but it was such a realistic and fresh representation of real-life relationships. Not every relationship is perfect, and Blackwood represented that perfectly.

While I certainly had fun with this story, there were a few aspects that hindered my enjoyment over all, and prevented me from rating the book higher.

My biggest problem were the ”plot holes” throughout the story. I write that in quotations because they seemed like plot holes until the very end of the book, when they were finally explained. I can’t say too much without spoiling the book, but there were numerous instances where I felt as if I was supposed to know something and felt stupid for not, only to figure out the missing puzzle piece right as the story was wrapping up.

I have no idea if this issue is something that might be fixed in the finished copy, or if I missed it while reading, (if so please correct me if I’m wrong), but it prevented me from fully enjoying the book.

Overall, Lauren Blackwood presents an intricate, creepy, addicting story, with amazing characters, a gorgeous storytelling style, and a wonderful ending.

➛ 3 stars

A captivating fantasy read with Jane Eyre-esque vibes that holds your attention from start to finish - and a wonderful romance too.

I love Charlotte Bronte's, Jane Eyre, so, my interest was peeked when I read that Within These Wicked Walls was an Ethiopian inspired re-telling. Having now read it I would say it's a loose re-telling as Lauren Blackwood has made it her own. The story is about Andromeda, who is a debtera, someone whose job it is to expel the evil eye. She's hired to do such from an isolated house in the middle of the desert.

Some books are just easy to fly through and Within these Wicked Walls is one of them. I was having so much fun reading it that I didn't realise what percentage of the way through I was, which is something I usually notice. The haunting descriptions create a gothic vibe, making this the perfect autumn/winter read.

Andromeda is a feisty main character who isn't afraid to speak her mind. The romance between her and Magnus is very wholesome and cute, I enjoyed their banter. On the other hand, the father/daughter type relationship between is Andromeda and Jember is very complicated. Although it's not the healthiest relationship there were moments that filled me with awe.

You know when you finish a book feeling thoroughly satisfied? That's how I felt with Within These Wicked Walls.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

“I was frozen to the core, and it wasn’t all due to the wind.
Dear God...what had I gotten myself into?”

“Your empathy has created poor survival habits.” → said to the protagonist as a child!

The tone of this book is established quickly from the start--there’s a desolate, desperate, and dry feeling. Andromeda (Andi) is an exorcist (debtera), and needs money--now. She is taking on her largest assignment yet, and quickly feels overwhelmed, but also certain that she will try all she can to cleanse the house which has chased off so many. The book is daily straightforward, and I think it will appeal to many high school students who are interested in fantasy, but want something beyond dragons and spells. The pacing is consistent, and many readers will likely relate to Andi--would recommend teachers have this book on their shelf.

Disclosure: I received an e-ARC of this book that was openly available to NetGalley users in exchange for an honest review.

This is a YA retelling of Jane Eyre, set in Ethiopia and involving actual supernatural evil forces! Andromeda has taken on the dubious job of cleansing the heavily-cursed estate of Magnus Rochester. She's a 'debtera' from the church who exorcises such manifestations of the Evil Eye by crafting holy amulets by intuition--or she would be, if her master, Jember, hadn't thrown her out before she could attain official licensing. Andromeda quickly finds she has a lot to learn about dealing with the ultimate manifestation of the evil eye, coming to terms with her hard upbringing, and the peculiar experience of falling for the rich young recluse who employs her.

I loved this premise, the setting, and the magic system. There was a fair bit of good creepiness, and as a YA read, it didn't go overboard on the gore or grimdark. The story moved at a fast pace that kept me interested, and likely will satisfy plot-driven readers. While I still enjoy plot-driven narratives, as someone who really loves character-driven reads, I found a few things wanting in this regard. I loved the idea of Andromeda, but her characterization was a little all over the place, to me. She had supposedly learned a lesson about the dangers of showing compassion for others from her life on the streets, but in practice she seemed to care quite a lot very easily. She was meant to be a pragmatic character, but made some odd decisions here and there. Her pragmatism also made for clunky chemistry with the eccentric and often immature Magnus.

To be fair, I am very picky about romance, and I hadn't noticed at first that this was also YA. And to its credit, the angst wasn't overdone, so this is still approachable for adult readers. Even with the ways it fell flat to me, I still found it enjoyable and feel it's a solid 3-stars.

Content Warnings: blood & gore, physical abuse (including of children), death, abandoment, mentions of slavery/child trafficking.

An excellent debut filled with magic and heart. The magical systems are so intricate and creative, I absolutely loved it! I don't usually like Jane Eyre retellings but this was really good.

Simply put, i did not like this book and i don’t have a lot of positive things to say about this book.

I’ll be honest, i loved the beginning. The writing was great and atmospheric, the vibes were ethereal, and we were being introduced to an extraordinary world. And honestly this book had so much potential. Unfortunately EVERYTHING went downhill from the moment Magnus entered the book, and my hatred for the character was magnified because there was such a build up to his introduction. We were being told things about him and already given an impression on him way before Andi (mc) meets him. It turned out to be one of those situations where you’re led to expect a certain thing and the reality is nothing close to it.

Magnus is your typical ya rich brat who’s inheriting his rich fathers money. Yeah... LIKE LITERALLY YOUR TOKEN YA love interest. And god the interactions were cringey. The dialogue in terms of how he flirts. Idk why im critical of this but it just urked me so much. Whenever Magnus is present its just an embarrassment HOW COULD THIS BOOK GO SO WRONG WITH THIS ONE THING??? Pretty much the banter was horrible and that one scene when they first kiss was so... uncomfortable to read about??? Yikes 😬.

In terms of world building and fantasy element, i think the book did a great job with this premise. This was unique. This was really something that I would’ve loved so much if not for the book having a main plot of romance which i did not enjoy at all. In terms of character, like ANDI is such a layered character and DAMN I LOVED HER!! I was so excited to know more about her past and stuff and yes i did like what we got from that aspect, but.... yeah magnus ruined everything i hate it here.


However, ill still mention that the writing style itself was really and that speaks a lot about the author. This was not a genre i enjoyed and not a story i liked, but the author still managed to make me have a positive impression of the writing style itself so cudos the the author. And this tells me that people who truly do enjoy ya romance as genre, definitely would enjoy this book!!!

Note: i received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My god this book was hands down amazing to the plot and the climax of the story. And the way the author wrote the novel was phenomenal. I just need more. This is just totally different from what im use too and im all here for it. Cant wait to tell everyone all about this book.

3.5
Within These Wicked Walls was such a unique book, a Ethiopian-Jane Eyre retelling.
We are following a very headstrong MC, Andromeda, who is hired to ‘cleanse’ the Rochester castle (home to Magnus, a young and handsome heir). There’s some creepy haunted house aspects, intricate characters, and, of course, a blooming romance.
Something that stood out to me was the magic; I thought it was so interesting how Lauren Blackwood wove the concept of the evil eye with a cursed mansion. However, right from the start, things got a little confusing; we had awakenings, shields, amulets, manifestations, targets, clay beings, etc.. I wish it had been a little more flushed out and explained but I enjoyed the system the author created.
Also the romance; I haven’t read Jane Eyre yet and I’m not sure what’s inspired by the story and what’s the author’s doing, but I felt it was kind of rushed. They go from interacting twice to having feelings for one another. In addition, they seemed such opposites, at times I found it hard to picture them together. Magnus was so eccentric and at times childish, while Andromeda was so serious and somewhat stiff. They started to grow on me towards the end, but it did seem like an odd pairing at first.
Overall, it was such a novel read and I became invested in the story and the characters as the story progressed.

*thank you NetGalley for the ARC and all opinions are my own*

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit it took me a while to really get into this book, I began reading it several times and it simply wasn't growing on me but I decided to give it one final chance and I began to enjoy it. The concept and magic system were very different from what I'm used to but it was intriguing, I wanted to know even more. The haunted castle and its residents were alluring, I couldn't get enough of them. I enjoyed reading about our main character Andromeda, I found she was very stubborn and funny which I enjoyed and her relationship with Magnus was something I was fond of. If you are a fan of Jane Eyre you will definitely enjoy this read much more than I did and I genuinely hope you do, it is a good read.
Overall a solid 3.5/5 stars.

haunted house mixed with romance? it’s a yes from me.
the main character, andromeda, a strong woman who’s in desperate need of a job, arrives to this cursed castle. the owner, magnus, who’s desperate for a debtera to finally cleanse his house.
the magic system was beautifully written, this book is amazing and leaves nothing left to wish.

An intricate Ethiopian-inspired fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre, that takes place in a cursed house. Andromeda has been raised by master Jember who treated her harshly, and coldly for the past few years to toughen her up, teaching her nothing about relationships, but all about survival.
Andromeda is training as an exorcist/debtera (a religious figure trained to purge cursed households and perform exorcisms). At the young age of 19 she has nothing to lose, she needs money and a place to sleep, so when the prestigious heir Magnus Rochester requests her to help rid his manor of dark forces she takes the job without a second thought. Magnus Rochester is pretentious, sarcastic and privileged, all things Andromeda loathes but his unattractive qualities begin to fade when she starts to draw closer to him. Besides her conflicting feelings towards Magnus her assignment to purge Magnus's house becomes quite difficult.
The evil existence in the house is more dangerous and powerful than she anticipated.
Not yet a fully trained debtera, Andromeda hasn't even had a chance to finish her proper education, but Andromeda knows that if she leaves now, Magnus will lose his life, and that scares her because of the deep feelings she hadn't expected to develop for him.

Overall the book was a whirlwind with so much happening throughout the span of the book. The character development was strong, especially with Magnus, whose witty, sarcastic banter stuck out most of the book. Andromeda is a force to be reckoned with. Her determination drives her most of the book as well as her desire for real relationships.
The relationship between her and Magnus was especially interesting and proved that Andromeda could still be a total badass even if she felt emotion.
The chemistry between Magnus and Andromeda was electric and addictive.

Overall, the book had me on the edge of my seat and there never seemed to be a dull moment

I want to thank Netgalley and Lauren Blackwood for allowing me a digital copy of this unreleased masterpiece.

Make sure to pick up this book when it releases this November, especially for those looking for a strong gothic-romance with a nail-biting storyline.

I am loving this retelling a classic with a twist trend! This is Jane Eyre, but with an Ethiopian magic system. This left me in a book coma. I'm afraid to start reading anything else, because I just know it won't be as good.

Andromeda trained as a debtera - someone licensed by the Church to expel evil spirits and manifestations. However, her mentor kicked her out before she could get her license. This makes her the only debtera desperate enough to say yes to the handsome young Mr. Rochester after ten others have quit. Andromeda has her hands full, both with his haunted castle and figuring out her own feelings. She thinks there's no way she could compete with the beautiful, rich Kelela, but Mr. Rochester's eyes tell her differently. Danger looms over them all, as the servants keep disappearing, and after each disappearance, the walls drip blood. Andromeda needs to figure out if she has the skills to expel the Evil Eye from someone possessed with it, no matter how much she might want to save the handsome, charming, annoying Mr. Rochester, or Magnus, as he insists she call him.

The magic system was one I hadn't read before, which made this a fascinating, engrossing read. I loved how the manifestations in the house ranged from fun - snow falling in a room - to dangerous - a Librarian who hurled books at people who displeased her.

I loved these characters! Magnus is both annoying, childish and irresistibly charming, much like the first Mr. Rochester. And Andromeda's will to survive fights with her instincts to love, making her a fascinating character. I wanted so badly for these two to find a way to be together. I won't tell you if they do, though. The suspense made this book impossible to put down.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book right after I started feeling myself slipping into a reading slump. This book pulled me right out of it and I was caught up in this fast paced dark, kind of creepy love story.

If you grew up watching monster house, or love media like the haunting of Bly manor, this book is definetely for you. WTWW is set in a Ethiopian inspired country, where manifestations of sin called the Evil Eye have severe consequences. We follow Andromeda (Andi), who is meticulously trained to deal with these evils and desperate for a job as she takes on her hardest job yet in a cursed castle with a handsome, akward owner and learns about herself, her heart and the risks of taking on more than she can chew.

The initial world building is excellent- pretty fast paced for a fantasy book. We get a lot of info about where we are and what's going on but it moves along rather nicely and is easy enough to understand pretty quickly, you just have to take a beat to absorb it. There definetely is a lot of description of setting and intricate character introductions at the start but for the characters we get to meet and the arcs they have it's totally worth it. Some people love and connect to characters (this is a total self call out) and this book speaks to that very well. Our characters are complex and we uncover more and more of them as time goes on and the plot allows us to see and understand them even better. Somehow you find yourself rooting for everyone to win, and connect with almost every character.

The plot itself is amazing. I went through this book and I kid you not I managed to laugh and cry at the same time. The plot is fast moving, compelling and twisty especially when it comes to characters and their personal storylines. The plot does jump around a bit BUT the new plot points are enjoyable and the jumps are dramatic enough to keep you hooked and on the edge of your seat waiting to see how everything connects and what happens next - with that specific plot point and within the larger story.

See this review on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3980515113