I absolutely loved this book and had a hard time putting it down because the story was so compelling and well written. I will admit it didn’t really scream Jane Eyre to me, but as a creepy story with exorcising creepy manifestations in a haunted house with a side of love story it worked fo me. The world building was excellent and the characters were interesting and compelling. Andromeda has been in training as a debtera, one who crafts talismans to banish evil spirits her whole life. She was sold to the best debtera when she was five and he is the only father she has ever known. He threw her out without completing her training but she finds a job in a haunted castle with a cursed billionaire barely a year older than her. She is being well compensated to cleanse the house, but these manifestations aren’t like any she has faced before.

This book, based on the synopsis, was going to be amazing. Sadly, the characters were not. I enjoyed the magic system. I thought the amulets were an interesting concept as they protected the wearer from harm. Debtera's (excorcists) are really cool to read about and I don't think there are a lot of books written about them. However, that's pretty much where the things I liked ended. While the chapters weren't long, they certainly felt like it. I think it had to do with the flatness of the characters. Magnus was absolutely horrible yet there was an insta-love (my least favorite YA trope) with Andromeda that just completely made me lose interest in the actual plot. The horror wasn't scary and I found myself very annoyed at every scene with both the MC and Magnus, which was just about every one. I was interested until he showed up. After he was introduced, Andromeda became inconsistent. I will say that I never read Jayne Eyre, which this book is a twist of, so I'm not sure if it was like this as well. I found myself skimming with around 50 pages left because I just wanted the book to be over.

To this day, I am still not sure about how I feel about the book. The author's writing and storytelling were wonderful. The emotion balanced well with creepiness and the eerie atmosphere. However, this was said to be a re-telling of JANE EYRE (my favorite novel of all time), and I just didn't get that from it. It was a well-crafted story, just not what I was expecting.

Within These Wicked Walls, which is set in a desert region of Ethiopia, introduces Andromeda, an unlicensed debtera, who exorcises the manifestation of the Evil Eye. When she is hired to cleanse Magnus Rochester's mansion, she leaves Jember, her mentor/father figure and moves into the mansion. Her relationship with her moody employer quickly heats up and complicates the exorcism. She loses confidence in herself when she finds out several other debtera have failed and Jember refuses to help her. It turns out he has a prior relationship to the situation and is reluctant to get involved. The fast-paced battle against the evil spirits and Magnus and Andromeda's angst-filled romance will keep readers turning pages until the dramatic final conflict.

This was amazing. The humor, the magic...everything about this book was amazing. Blackwood comes out of the gate as an incredible voice to the fantasy genre.

The book was pitched to me as a Jane Eyre with fantasy retelling and it had me stoked to read it!

However, I don't quite think it was a Jane Eyre retelling. The elements were there but it's loosely and so I think it's much more than that. The story itself is really entertaining and keeps you flipping the pages to find out what happens next!

It was gothic and beautifully written, a very promising debut and it has solidified the author as someone who's other work I look forward to reading in the future!

Overall, I would highly recommend this beautifully written book to fans of gothic and fantasy literature!

“He had no charm to speak of and all of it at once, made of unruly hair and awkward pauses and shy smiles.”
― Lauren Blackwood, Within These Wicked Walls

This was such a sweet and spooky story about believing in yourself and finding the courage to love and hope.
I really love the very unique magic system of the Evil Eye.
Our main character Andromeda has been trained all her life to exorcise and cleanse houses of dangerous curses that lurk inside and can manifest itself in different ways
After being called to a nearly impossible job by the young and quite handsome Magnus Rochester, Andromeda is determined to be successful and get her official license
However, she quickly realizes the horrors that lurk in his home and how difficult this task will truly be
With her curiosity towards Magnus and desperation for success growing, Andromeda makes the decision to stay and get the job done
Will she be successful or will the true horrors overtake them all?

Eeeeek this book! I have a very hard time with stand alones but this was such a solid one with very warm underlying themes of forgiveness, hope, perseverance, and love. It was also spooky and super unique, watching Andromeda in action was super cool and I was at the edge of my seat many times. The romance was SO swoonyyyyy… it has one of the most beautiful declarations of love I have ever read. Magnus is seriously a cinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs. He is charming and clueless and hilarious and his banter is top notch. This book has one of the best sunshine\grumpy tropes ever!
I also got emotional at one point which I loveee when books put me in my feels
Overall, this was such a great debut and I cannot wait for more from this author

This book immediately captured my attention. I cried actual real tears twice 😳
Definitely an auto buy author from now on.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood is a fantastic Ethiopian-inspired fantasy retelling of the classic Jane Eyre. In the novel, readers follow Andromeda, a debtera – an exorcist trained to purge households of cursed manifestations of the Evil Eye. On her own, after being abandoned by her mentor and guardian, Jember, Andromeda is recruited by Magnus Rochester to cleanse the castle he has inherited from his father. This YA novel does not hold back on the elements of gothic horror and romance in the midst of Andromeda finding her way on her own.

The Ethiopian Influence
Within These Wicked Walls extends readers’ landscape of fantasy and mythology past Greeks, Romans, wands, and staffs. The details of the magic system in the novel and its ties to religion are well-explained. Debteras are, in fact, legitimate components of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Andromeda’s natural calling to the craft allows for intimate moments that reveal its intricacies. Fittingly, these moments slow the pace of the story down, which allows the reader to get a better understanding of the world Blackwood has built; it creates tension in high-stakes, action-heavy scenes.

Within These Wicked Walls broadens the readers’ landscape of fantasy and mythology past Greeks, Romans, wands, and staffs.

Blackwood skillfully introduces the profession of the debtera by incorporating their other duties at the periphery of the narrative in a way that leaves the reader intrigued but not distracted. This choice of a magic system worked well within this “haunted house” genre, reinvigorating the standard exorcism procedure.

Bring On the Gothic Romance
Magnus Rochester, the filthy rich, spoiled, but haunted host appears in the midst of Andromeda’s cleaning of his far too large castle. Magnus delivers the snarky banter, pompous outbursts, and requests whilst having some disturbing secrets that unfold throughout the story. The chemistry between Andromeda and Magnus is undeniable and the rising stakes as mysteries unravel and the Evil Eye unleashes its wrath, make their relationship worth rooting for. When Andromeda recognizes a power imbalance between the two, Blackwood takes care to give Andromeda enough agency to look past her feelings for Magnus. The collision of their lives keeps the last third of the book intense with emotion, revelations, and sacrifice.

The Concept of Family
A major theme throughout the book is the need to feel loved. Outside of the romance, familial ties are vital to how Andromeda and Magnus, interact with each other and the world around them. Their ideas on what makes a “good parent” are often at odds with one another and believably so. It is revealed early on that Andromeda was sold by her birth parents when she was five. Her guardian, Jember, not only raised her but also trained her as a debtera. Their tumultuous relationship is littered with “tough love”, and unspoken feelings. Because Jember suffers from nerve damage, making all skin-to-skin touch unbearable, Andromeda has never experienced a true embrace until Magnus. This lack of physical affection morphed into the aforementioned “tough love” as Jember would dole out harsh lessons, brash reprimands, and often simulate dangerous situations, such as drowning, to build Andromeda’s survival skills. Blackwood really leans into the complexity of the relationship through Andromeda’s mixed feelings of both resentment and love. We see her often think about her harsh upbringing while unable to deny how much Jember provided for her. Magnus, in contrast, has no desire to empathize with his father and finds more constructive forms of love in his housemaid, Peggy. At no point does the book preach a right or wrong way for a family to exist, thus endearing us to these depictions that feel flawed but real.

The chemistry between Andromeda and Magnus is undeniable and the rising stakes as mysteries unravel and the Evil Eye unleashes its wrath, make their relationship worth rooting for.

Within These Wicker Walls includes both horror, with its threats of death, dangerous Manifestations, and surprising on-page gore, and romance in an unexpected meeting under unfortunate circumstances. Gothic is the perfect umbrella to wrap this narrative in, blending an attention-grabbing fantasy with enough mysteries to keep you turning the page. Lauren Blackwood leaves her mark on the fantasy genre with this solid debut.

I wanted to enjoy the book, but I found myself so bored and did not finish it. The pace was too slow moving for my tastes.

I am a big YA fan. I think that YA novels can be just as intense and nuanced and important as adult novels. BUT I also think it's important to judge them by their own standards. If you are a YA fantasy fan, I think you will really enjoy this book.

For me, it's not enough to just have a book starring a female character - she needs to be strong, determined, interesting, flawed, and driven. I am not a huge fan of "girl overcomes trauma" but I do like "girl has to work through some $hit." 

Within These Wicked Walls has an incredible protagonist in Andromeda. She has a complicated backstory, a flawed relationship with her father, and a chip on her shoulder. Oh yeah, she's also an exorcist. She's smart and driven and capable and you will find yourself cheering for her throughout the entire story.

This book also had some of my favorite elements: a creep factor, that combo real world/speculative fiction setting (is it the past? is it the future?), and :: tiny spoiler :: a female nemesis who turns out to be on the right side after all.

I can't forget to mention the romance between Adromeda and Magnus, the boy whose home she has come to exorcise. Honestly, it was my least favorite part of the novel. That isn't to say it was bad! I like Magnus, and I like the slow burn romance - I just didn't like it as much as Andromeda getting stuff done.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books, and the author for access to this title in exchange for my honest review.

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Thank you to Netgally for an early ARC of this book.

This was pitched as an Ethiopean-inspired retelling of Jane Eyre, but with many a twist to the plot line. Our main character Andromeda is a debtera (someone who is trained to attune themselves with the spirit world deeper than anyone would dare to). To everyone that hires her she is simply and exorcist.

The main character definitely had Jane Eyre energy. She was orphaned at a young age, well educated, independent and outspoken to a fault and also starved for attention and affection.

Andromeda gets hired by Magnus Rochester to get rid of some very evil, very dangerous spirits inside his house. He is rich and is demanding, secretive and a bit selfish. He radiates Mr. Rochester energy.

Other than the energy our main characters radiate, there isn't a ton this book has in common with the original telling if Jane Eyre. There are so many differences between this story and Jane Eyre, and it is pretty much too many differences to see much relation to the classic tale.

I also found this book super insta-lovey. We got 25% of the way into the book when they suddenly became completely in love with each other. We only had a handful of account of them interacting.

The character growth transitions were a very weak point in my opinion. The transition from aquatances to true love was one. It felt a bit unhinged in terms of how characters developed and grew. It was more like stairs instead of a smooth ascending incline.

I did fall in love with some of the side characters though. Although Jember was overall likable, he was extremely endearing and flawed. He was a gray character that was pronounced in his imperfections, but in many ways felt I felt more understanding towards him than Andromeda and Magnus.

We also had a long time servant, Saba who is a long time servant in the house of Magnus. She was such an endearing friend to Andromeda and I loved her. For me all the side characters is what made this book for me.

The overall atmosphere of the relationship between Andromeda and Magnus was way more playful at times than the relationship between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. It lightened the overall atmosphere of the book and kept it from swan diving into a full out dark read.

Overall I did enjoy this book and the characters. I enjoyed the desert setting and how Andromeda has a father figure. I enjoyed the outright spookiness and the dark hauting we got from this.

Wow! This book was nothing like I was expecting, but I was fun and spooky ride! Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorites, so when I saw this was a retelling, I was immediately interested. This loose retelling takes you on a journey of expelling manifestations/evil eye. The world building is phenomenal as was the character building; the setting is atmospheric and the hauntings definitely provide the creep factor. The relationship between Andromeda and Magnus was a slow burn that did not disappoint. Overall Lauren Blackwood did such an amazing job with this!

Loosely based on Jane Eyre, with Ethiopian inspirations, *Within These Wicked Walls* also brings to mind Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic. Andromeda (Andi) is a debtera, a healer-in-training with exorcist-type skills and responsibilities. She’s been contracted to rid Mr. Rochester’s mansion of its curse — in which walls bleed, books fly at your head, and other nasty, scary Manifestations occur courtesy of the Evil Eye. This YA fantasy novel’s plot is action-packed, but the insta love story seemed super-sappy. I was not a fan.

Within These Wicked Walls can best be described as a young adult horror fantasy novel. Horror is not usually a genre that I pick up, but I was intrigued by the description of an Ethiopian-inspired fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre, and this book delivered on that. Overall, I enjoyed this read.

Andromeda, the main character, is a debtera, a person trained as an exorcist and hired to cleanse households from spirits and the Evil Eye. When she’s hired by a young heir in a castle, she’s quickly thrown into a job like nothing she’s ever seen. There’s horrifying manifestations throughout the building, and it’s clear that from the beginning that she’s not getting the whole story from everyone in the castle. As she sets of to cleanse the castle of the Evil Eye, she’s faced with the hardest challenge of her young life, and the cost of failure may be death.

The story takes place in a castle, and the gothic, haunting vibes were present from the first time we see the castle. The story had its creepy moments, but I wouldn’t call it too heavy on the horror. Personally, I loved the magical system that developed in the story, and I enjoyed the relationships between the characters, both in the platonic and romantic sense. The people living in the castle are some of the highlights of the story for me, and it was enjoyable seeing them interact with Andi as she sets about trying to save them all.

I didn’t immediately feel that this was a Jane Eyre retelling as I was reading it (and it’s been a long time since I’ve read Jane Eyre myself), but I wasn’t looking for a very accurate retelling in the story. The world and premise were enough to draw me in, and this is the perfect atmospheric read for autumn.

Warning: This book discusses some sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers including blood, violence, gore, death, and murder.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Since Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classics, I was intrigued but ultimately disappointed by this reimagining. I know, objectively speaking, there’s nothing inherently wrong with an adaptation whose roots in the original are barely recognizable … but this was so unlike Jane Eyre — completely different plots, completely different character names, arguably very different moods — that I felt baited and misled by the marketing.

Setting all that aside, unfortunately I couldn’t get into this book on its own merits either. The fantasy elements felt disjointed, leaving me confused as to how it all fit together and how it affected the story. The drama felt one-sided and overexaggerated in many scenes. The romance, one of the pillars of Jane Eyre’s appeal, wasn’t particularly compelling either: the chosen terms of endearment were more awkward than endearing, banter seemed to take the place of much-needed relationship building, and I just wasn’t convinced that there was actual chemistry between the Jane and Rochester analogues.

within these wicked walls is an intriguing ethopian inspired gothic fantasy debut. with the backdrop of an imposing, mansion cold and scary on the inside, is brought to life with the spooky descriptions. this definitely didn't miss on the horror part!

my main complaint is the insta love. sure magnus has a sad backstory along with being tied to haunting events and the mansion but i would've liked this a lot if andromeda and magnus were given some time before jumping into the attraction, which was a main aspect of the story. but overall a good book and easy read!

Touted as a fantasy reimagining of Jane Eyre, Within These Wicked Walls in truth bears little resemblance to the classic, but it does have its own merits to speak of.

Andromeda, or Andi, is a fierce protagonist. Raised by a strict disciplinarian in stark poverty, Andi also benefited from training with the only debtera in recent history to ever vanquish an Evil Eye and live to tell the tale. It was clear from early in her childhood that she had an uncommon talent for building amulets - a skill few even begin to practice until the age of 16. But now, having barely reached adulthood, Andi finds herself alone and living on the streets, without a debtera license, and desperate for any work that may come her way.

Magnus is an equally desperate fool, but a rich one after inheriting his father's chocolate empire. Having gone through ten debtera before Andi, he has now exhausted nearly all other options and needs to find someone as desperate for his patronage as he is to have the evil Manifestations expelled from his creepy castle. Otherwise, he is doomed to repeat being drowned alive in a room of blood or watching his house guests get devoured by hyenas. And while Andi was raised to ignore even the slightest burgeoning affection or desire, there is something irresistible about this man, his easy banter, and the deference he shows to her despite being her employer. They both allow themselves to start wondering what their future may hold...if only they can make it out of the house alive.

Overall, I struggled to figure this book out. I couldn't tell if the author intended a deeper allegory at play or if the story should be taken at face value. Regardless, the portrayal of Andi and Jember and their relationship left me thoroughly uncomfortable. It's one thing to love people despite their flaws, in the way that all people are flawed. It's another entirely to excuse abuse and even glorify abusers in the name of having suffered oneself. The idea that the only way to adequately prepare children for a harsh world is discipline and deprivation is a fiction that perpetuates true vulnerability of young girls entering adulthood. Maybe Magnus is really a great guy, or maybe Andi was just raised to fall for the first man who showed her a hint of respect and affection - that's truly dangerous, and it's a direct result of the way Jember raised her; it's not a relationship I could root for, and it ruined this story for me. Perhaps others can look past that in a different way. Regardless, my thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood is an engaging, fresh Gothic thriller that recasts the story of Jane Eyre into an Ethiopian YA context. Readers follow the journey of Andromeda to claim her role as a debtera - no matter the cost.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

my quest to get through old Netgalley arcs before 2021 has begun~
I had no idea this was a Jane Eyre retelling so once I found that out I went into it with lower expectations. That being said, it still wasn’t bad but nothing memorable unfortunately. I thought this would focus more on the fantasy but there was a lot of romance and it was insta-love. I don’t know even know what Andi saw in Magnus. He was a spoiled brat and I feel like their romance was forced so I didn’t care for that. Overall, a solid book that was also a quick read. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.