Cooke did it again. I’m one of the hobgoblins that is obsessed with The Nesting, so The Lighthouse Witches naturally is one of my most anticipated books. Thank you Berkley very kindly for the arc via Netgalley!

I’m not going to be very wordy, because the less you know about this book, the better you’ll enjoy it. Trust me. If you are looking for a supernatural thriller with plot twists and mysteries spanning multiple timelines with a bonus factor of witches lore and nordic mythology, pick this and read it NOW. Its so good!! There wasn’t a single moment that lacked amazement. Every chapter is coherent, and the pacing is perfect to binge read. The book is going into my 2021 favourites pile.

C.J. Cooke is the queen of atmospheric thrillers. The blend of Norse mythology and the legend of witches collide in this book set on a remote Scottish island.

Luna is notified that her sister, Clover, has been found. But that can’t be the case as Clover has been missing for 20 years, and this newly found girl is still seven.

That’s all you need to know. Go in nearly blind, enjoy the ride, and let the themes of grief and family love speak to you.

What a great tale to get you into the spooky season vibes. The gothic feel of this one transports you and I highly enjoyed it!

I am new to C.J. Cooke's work, but I was very pleasantly surprised! I read this as part of my October spooky/witchy spell, and I was very impressed with the writing style and plot. I will be seeking out more of this author!

Witches? Multiple timelines? Plot twists? Elements not revealed until the last minute?? Check, check check. This book was so much than I anticipated. Picking it up I kind of assumed it would be more mystery with a simple resolution. But the fantasy elements took me by surprise in the best way possible! I really liked the different characters even when they were making dumb decisions. I can't wait to read more from CJ Cooke.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

I will admit, I’m not much of a horror reader. I don’t really get into those kinds of books, and it takes a very specific kind of scary to get under my skin and actually make me feel much of anything. I do, however, love gothic stories. I love the slow creep of the abnormal, the subtle spread of darkness. Mostly, I love the atmosphere, that oppressive, looming vibe that permeates gothic books so well. If there is one thing gothic horror authors have mastered, it’s atmosphere.

The Lighthouse Witches is a slow burn book. The story is told with three different timelines and it will take you some time to be able to figure out how they all mix together and impact each other. This isn’t a book that hands you all the answers right away. Rather, it makes the reader work for them. Not everything is clear, and you won’t understand all the details you’ll want to understand until sometime later in the book. However, once that “ah ha” moment strikes, things move forward at a breakneck pace, picking up momentum until that breathless, unforgettable ending.

The book begins with one Olivia Stay, an artist who is hired to paint the inside of a lighthouse on a Scottish island. She, along with her three daughters, travels up there to do the thing. The lighthouse itself is supposedly built atop the ruins of an old prison where witches used to be kept. Sapphire, Olivia’s teenaged daughter, ends up finding an old journal which detailed the events that transpired there hundreds of years ago, the witch burnings which transpired in the 1600s.

The village outside of the lighthouse is a place that almost becomes a personality unto itself. The people there are friendly, but deeply superstitious, believing in changelings and various other magical creatures. It’s a small town, and remote, almost closed off by its location, which really allowed C.J. Cooke to lean into its development, and ultimately, use it as a tool to really layer in that subtle, creeping darkness that gothic horror is so known for. And it works in spades. The town, on its surface, is delightful, but it doesn’t take long to realize that not everything is as it should be, and that division between how things appear to how things are, is really where this novel flourishes.

The cave under the lighthouse was supposedly where witches were held before they were burnt at the stake. Lore has it, that once upon a time, witches haunted the island, creating a whole host of otherworldly nasties, like changelings and wildlings. The lore of this cave, and the events that transpired there, mix with the quaint town and all its oddities quite nicely, creating an ominous stew that gave the entire book a certain, dark feel that I just loved. That creeping, ominous dread I felt so acutely throughout.

Soon, two of Olivia’s daughters go missing, and another thread of the story picks up some twenty-two years later, when the one daughter who did not go missing, Luna, is pregnant with her first child, and still dealing with the trauma of what happened when she was younger on that island. She gets a call from the police that they’ve found one of her sisters, only her sister is still seven, not an adult as she should be. As you can expect, that is quite an event. Luna goes up there to see what’s going on. Ultimately, she has to return to the place where it all went wrong to figure out what happened, and how she can move forward in her own life.

Woven in through this is the third timeline, which details events as they transpired in the 1600s. All of this mixes together to create a fascinating slow-burn story, carefully written to not only engage readers, but to wrap them up in a multi-layered mystery that spans generations. The interplay of past to present fascinated me. I really enjoy books that explore how past events impact present situations, and so this timeline hopping as readers go from one thread to another, to another, each in different times, kept me quite engaged.

One of the things that I really ended up appreciating was just how well the author wove clues throughout the various narratives, which I didn’t even pick up at the time, but ended up looking back on with appreciation for just the subtle cleverness of them. This is one of those books where things matter that you might not think matter, and as you start drawing conclusions, you’ll look back and see things differently.

The moody, quaint landscape also ended up being a huge boon to the story. I don’t know many places much more gothic than a lighthouse on some Scottish island, so the place was chosen well for the story that needed to be told. Woven throughout are bits and pieces of mythology, folklore, things you may or may not recognize from myth and legend. Reality, history, and lore all mix together to create a story that is as moody and broody as the landscape itself.

The Lighthouse Witches was a compelling, clever, subtle story told with an artistry I truly appreciated. Beautifully written, with a lot of emotional depths and layers, this book is sure to please any fan of gothic horror.

☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ + 1/2
My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A perfect melding of mystery and the supernatural all intertwined with an unforgettable tale of consequences to actions and what family means.

THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES is what a gothic supernatural mystery should be. Cooke eloquently unravels a story over centuries with expert precision and compelling prose. There is beauty to the humanity and the spookiness the author brings to the page.

In a book like this, there are so many ways for the author to get lost in the back and forth of the timeline. However, Cooke did the opposite. Each journey the reader makes through time informs the narrative, explores the characters, and adds to the overall chilling atmosphere of the tale. What is so great is the way the author brings the history of the island into the present day. We get to see what lengths people go to when they truly believe in something like curses and Wildings.

Personally, I loved having Luna and Liv’s perspective as each are navigating family life in such different ways. Whereas, Saphire’s chapters bring a bit of teen angst into the mix. Then you have the bonus of the journal/grimoire’s accounts of what happened back with the burning of the witches, and you have one addictive read.

From the beginning to the end, THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES is a fabulous read. The thrills, chills, and heartwarming moments are exactly what you want.

I DNFed this around 50%, I couldn’t push myself to keep reading. I was actually intrigued in where the story was going but the writing style didn’t pull me in.

This is a well-researched and atmospheric book set across multiple timelines on a remote Scottish island.

After leaving their home for unexplained reasons, Liv and her family settle down in a bothy, near a lighthouse called the Longing, where Liv has been commissioned to paint a mural. While the definition of a bothy is "a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge" this one seemed a little homier smelling of fresh baked bread and tomato soup upon the family's arrival, with enough bedrooms for all of the girls.

C. J. Cooke has a way of pulling you in to the local lore, spinning a story of witchcraft, fae and wildlings. Even if you weren't a believer going into the book, you might be drawn into the possibility of other than human explanations for the events that take place. The accounts of magic, superstition and witchcraft are rooted in real historical fact, adding an authenticity that rings true.

For me, the characters in the book didn't seem fully realized (except for Saffy, who rebelled in the way that is every mom's nightmare). However, I had a visceral reaction to the description of isle of Lon Haven, the slimy water that pooled in base of the Longing, and the rocky beach, winds, and waves along the coastline. I cringed as Liv entered the lighthouse, even at night. Despite the bats and odd happenings, she was determined to finish her mural of an ancient rune commissioned by the mysterious owner, adding her own flair to make it colorful and descriptive of the surrounding land.

As the story advanced, it took a completely different turn. I'm still undecided if that was a good thing, a bad thing, or the only way the story could end. But at the very least, it was a creative ending that put into perspective all that happened previously. And even as I resisted the pull, C.J. Cooke had me hooked on this tale of The Lighthouse Witches.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an advance reader's copy.

The Lighthouse Witches by CJ Cooke hit my radar simply because witches was in the title. Also, the cover is so bold with the yellow-green colors. I had been in the mood for a mysterious, atmospheric read and particularly a book about witches. So, I eagerly dove into this book from Netgalley. Turns out it took me what felt like forever to get into and through.

It is a little bit hard for me to explain the plot of The Lighthouse Witches because there is a lot going on. There are three different timelines in this book. We have Luna’s timeline set in 2021. We have Liv and Saffy’s timeline set in 1998. Then we have Patrick’s timeline set in the late 1600s. Set on the island of Lon Haven in Scotland, this book follows all three timelines and a curse. You see at one point Luna’s sisters Clover and Sapphire “Saffy” disappeared, along with her mother Liv. But then 20 years later, Clover shows back up but at the same age she was when she disappeared 20 years ago. Luna isn’t quite sure what’s happened.

Meanwhile, in Liv’s timeline, she has been hired to paint a weird mural in the lighthouse on Lon Haven. In Patrick’s timeline, the witches are rounded up and burned. They curse Lon Haven. Legend has it that there are these creatures called wildlings who look exactly like the disappeared children. You have to kill the wildling or they will destroy your entire bloodline. So, things are a little bit intense in The Lighthouse Witches.

This book just was not it for me. I felt like it took too long for me to get into it and gel with the plot. It feels very meandering and slow. I also thought there was just too much going on. So, I would have appreciated a focus on one timeline. The ending was neat. However, it was too little too late. The threads came together really well but I did not care for the build up. I believe that this book should work for more patient people or people who actually sleep at night and can concentrate. For me, it is on to the next one.

WOW! I love it so much and didn't want it to end. I'll be adding this to my favorite shelf.💜 A perfect read for the spooky season, "The Lighthouse Witches" is chilling, and captivating. It's an outstanding suspenseful witchy story that weaves Scottish folklore, local history, legends, and family drama together beautifully.

Set in 1998 Lòn Haven, The Black Isle - Scotland, a mother of three daughters, Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a century-old lighthouse built on an ancient Scottish broch. It's owned by the island's mysterious millionaire whom she's yet to meet. As a single mother, Liv thinks she finally catches a break with this commission. Little does she know about the island's dark secrets and history.

This is a multiple timelines/POVs story - 1998, and 2021 with historical part, 1667, read from a grimoire found at the bothy where the family is staying. Atmospheric and spoooky... I loved it!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley for an ARC for review.

This book was a slow, but satisfying read. There's a decent amount of time jumping throughout the book, and at times I did have trouble following it. Overall it was worth reading,

I don't read much horror, paranormal or spooky stories, but this one called to me and being October and Halloween around the corner, I thought I would give this one a go. Well, I am glad I picked it up. This was an atmospheric, mysterious story told over three timelines. The first was during the witch hunts when several women were put to their deaths and they cursed the island. The second was in 1998. Single mother Olivia or Liv, was commissioned to paint a mural on the walls or a 100 year old lighthouse. She and her three daughters head to the remote Scottish Island of Lòn Haven, where Liv and two of her daughters vanish. The third is 22 years later, when Luna, the remaining daughter gets a call that her sister Clover has been found. The thing is, Clover is the same age she was when she disappeared. Is Clover a Wildling? Luna had heard the residents of of Lòn Haven refer to the many Wildlings that appeared on the island years after children had gone missing and needed to be killed. What was she to do?

The Lighthouse Witches was a perfect read or listen for these cool and darker autumn nights. It is a story that takes history, legends and family and rolls it into an atmospheric, spooky story. The setting of an abandoned lighthouse on a remote island adds to that feel and the lighthouse becomes a character in itself. There were tense, ominous feelings while reading this one. With the family itself scarred and dealing with issues, it adding to that menacing feeling I got while reading. I do not want to give any of the plot away, so will tell you that this is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys a spooky, atmospheric, well developed story. All three storylines come together in a somewhat unexpected, yet perfect ending. I recommend this book will keep you interested from the first page until the last

This was a delightfully creepy book. The characters were interesting and there were several reveals that I enjoyed. The biggest issue I had with this story is that children being replaced with wildlings or changelings is strong enough in Scottish lore that I don't know how realistic it is - for values of "realistic" in a story about witches and magic - for people to not understand immediately what is going on.

That said, it was a quick and engaging read and I have recommended it to others already.

This is such a great book for the spooky time of year! While I have another book by CJ Cooke on my shelves, I haven’t picked it up yet, but that will be changing sooner than later. THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES is equal parts atmospheric, Gothic, and enchanting. I was a little concerned with the three timelines but there was zero confusion because Cooke so perfectly wove them together. Knowing the history behind why the author chose this is unsettling and made this even more eerie to read. Highly recommend giving this a try!

I loved The Nesting by C J Cooke and I was super excited for this one!!

It was a great October spooky read, but I was expecting a little bit more spook. The Nesting was veeeryyy creepy and I was expecting something more like that. It's a great book for beginners or if you don't want to be THAT scared by a book.

This book is great and unique. The idea of being “stuck in a certain age” is so interesting!

I LOVED this for Halloween! A mom (Liv) and her three daughters arrive on a remote Scottish island. She is commissioned to paint an old lighthouse. When they arrive the lighthouse is run down and there is history attached to it. The land was used to keep women accused of witchcraft and when the witches were murdered they cursed the island.


There are tales of children disappearing and "wildings" taking their places.
Then Liv's two daughters go missing.

The story also has a present day version where Luna (one of the daughters) has grown up and is contacted that one of her sisters has been found. The thing is...she has not aged.

I loved the setting and back history of this book! And for a horror book the ending did not tick me off horribly. (At first it did and then I remembered if I can forgive Stephen King a million times for shitting the bed on an ending that I can get over stuff.)

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Lighthouse Witches

Author: C.J. Cooke

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended For...: fantasy, paranormal, horror, thriller

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Genre: Paranormal Horror

Recommended Age: 16+ (death, violence, gore, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, grief, trauma)

Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of mention of death, violence, and there is some gore. Sexual abuse scene. Abuse in both physical and emotional. There is also grief and some trauma shown.

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 367

Synopsis: When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it's an opportunity to start over with her three daughters--Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she's frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed.

Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she's initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers--except she's still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she'll have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she doesn't realize just how much the truth will change her.

Review: Overall, I liked the story to an extent. It was well plotted and it was an interesting story. I also enjoyed the world building.

However, the book is almost excruciatingly slow and it’s hard to stay into the book. Mid-way through the book I had to stop and read another book because it was still very slow, but I was determined to finish the read. It was a bittersweet ending, one that I saw coming a bit. The characters, while developed, are also hard to connect with. There was also some oddball moments in the book, like with the 2021 numbers where everyone was wondering if they were a mysterious number. It was just a very odd and slow book.

Verdict:

Lighthouses have always been a beacon of hope for sailors but also a place of demise.. we are fascinated by them because of what they represent. They are intriguing to look at and to walk through and wonder what they were like in their hay day. I’m Erin Escaping Reality and THIS… is ‘The Lighthouse Witches.’ (You were supposed to read that in the voice of Aaron Manke 😅😅)

It’s 1998 and a single mother of three daughters is commissioned to paint a mural inside a lighthouse on a remote island off of Scotland. When two of her daughters go missing she learns of an ancient witches curse that (maybe?!) is the reason for the disappearances. Now fast forward to 2021, daughter Luna is older. Her younger sister Clover has been found!!! Hooray right?? Wrong. She is STILL the same 7 year old she was from the 90s. What the heck is happening and why are there scratched in numbers on her skin? Was it the witches? Is she a witch? Is she a doppelgänger? Did she come back to murder people?! I DON’T KNOW!!! (Well- now I do, I finished the book 😏)

This book was a lot. So much happened! A lot to sort through. I loved that it was inspired from history and the Scottish witch trials. The author said something super interesting which I will quote now:

“Cooke said in an interview with Crime by the Book that “there was a witch trial 20 minutes from my home and there’s barely any commemoration for the women who were murdered. Four thousand people–mostly women–tortured and murdered, their names and memories tainted forever…It fascinates and disturbs me, because four hundred years later we still use the term ‘witch’ to slander women.”

As much as I loved the creepy story, the ending wasn’t. I was like, oh, that’s heartwarming and kind of sad. 🤷🏼‍♀️ This is also a book that alternates chapters between 3 different people during the 1990s and 2021 so kind of hard to keep track of. But once you get it- it’s great.

‘The Lighthouse Witches’ just came out on October 5th so if you enjoy a witchy read it’s a great one to check out! I sure got my witch fix for the month!! Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for this gifted digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!

‘As you’ll see, cause and effect in this tale do not fit easily together. The pieces are odd and misshaped because truth is messy and porous’. ― C.J. Cooke, The Lighthouse Witches

Perfect Halloween story!

Darkly atmospheric this reminded me of a Stephen King novel. At no point did I feel like I knew how it all would end, which kept me looking forward to reading on. Warning that this does bounce around a lot between people and years, but I felt invested enough in the story to let it play out. The ending was well done and I thought everything wrapped up satisfyingly. 4 stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.