The Witch of Tin Mountain is an atmospheric historical fiction set in the Ozarks. Three generations of women are connected by power and evil in a town of superstitious people. Elements of witchcraft and religion weave through the storylines. What the author does well is in the setting; the atmosphere and detail. The story is steeped in curses, folklore, and healing. I also enjoyed the resilience of the women in this story. But where this read struggles is in its characters and subplots. Its dual POV and timeline are difficult to distinguish, particularly in the beginning. The emphasis of the story itself gets a little muddled in the numerous subplots and additional characters. However, the author does offer clarity and resolution.

This started off very slow to me and I almost DNF at 20%. However, I did persevere and the story did pick up about half way through.

The dual timeline could be a little confusing as the characters voices and storylines were very similar and it was hard to differentiate.

The supernatural elements were interesting but I felt it was very difficult to keep track of all the characters involved and their relation to each other.

Overall, it was an interesting read from about the half way mark but quite confusing at times.

Set in Arkansas and spanning a century, The Witch of Tin Mountain is historical fiction with a paranormal twist. The story follows generations of women from a single family—women with powers that many others do not understand. The dual timelines follow Dierdre (in the late 1800s) and Gracie (in the 1930s) as they navigate the emergence of their powers and grow from teenagers into adults.

Each of their lives are upended with the arrival of a mysterious preacher who causes a stir in the town of Tin Mountain. While these preachers perform miracles within the community, they are not what they seem.

Gentry haunts Dierdre, even as she flees Tin Mountain to escape him. He ultimately lures her into a trap, and she makes a deal she will later regret. Bellflower has come to Tin Mountain to collect on Dierdre’s debt. Gracie is forced to rely on herself and her ancestors as she works to thwart Bellflower’s designs.

This book is a tangle of love and loss, power and sacrifice. Ultimately, I felt this book is about the power of women. I thought the author did a great job with characterization and the overarching storyline. Things get a bit muddy because the stories of the various characters have so many similarities—at times the coincidences felt too contrived.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I think fans of the genre will enjoy it as well. Sensitive readers should know there are references to witchcraft, sexual assault, murder, suicide, and abortion in this novel.

The Witch of Tin Mountain comes out on February 1!

I wanted to like this but I found it confusing as it switched timelines and narrators -and the narrators felt too similar to keep track of. The Ozark setting is atmospheric and I suspect others will enjoy this for the locals legends. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A rare DNF.

𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴!

There’s something about Witch stories that I can’t resist, and this story was fantastic.
Full of mystery, dark, atmospheric and beautiful setting in the Ozark Mountains this magical story captivated me.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 by Paulette Kennedy releases February 1, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

THE WITCH OF TIN MOUNTAIN is a book about family, home, and persecution hiding in the guise of religion as a town turns swiftly on Gracelynn.

This book is part historical, part gothic horror, with demons in human skin and villages turning on isolated women. It has more supernatural elements than Paulette Kennedy's first book, weaving it into the harsh but beautiful landscape. Gentry (a preacher from Granny's timeline) is very creepy, appearing like a visitation at times, with a promise of menace about him.

The book alternates between Gracelynn and Deirdre (her granny), fifty years apart but facing the same evil in a small town that readily shuts out those who are different, even if all they've done is help people. Not only are Gracelynn and Deirdre both women, but they're both queer (as are other characters in the book) and are threatened for both reasons. Like PARTING THE VEIL, THE WITCH OF TIN MOUNTAIN brings LGBT+ people back into the history they've been erased from.

The book starts with a slow burn unease at what's happening in the town as the preachers arrive. There's a creepy sense of dread that something awful will happen and then - particularly in Gracelynn's chapters, where the climax of both timelines occurs - the threat accelerates into a gallop of mortal danger and unfair persecution. The acceleration across the book starts off almost imperceptible, so that you're pulled along without noticing the ratchetting tension until it's taut and ready to snap.

The "preachers" of this book are vile. Not only are the arriving ones literal demons in flesh form, but all of them pressure women into sex - and still go about hypocritically accusing women of sin if they have sex outside of marriage. There can be such hypocrisy within religious (and secular) institutions and this book shines a light on them with most of the villains of the book being part of an institution.

I am looking forward to her next book!

I so so so wanted to love the Witch of Tin Mountain, but I am afraid I just didn't. Don't get me wrong, Paulette Kennedy's writing is amazing and the scenery she creates is just beyond atmospheric, but in this case it is the story that just couldn't keep me focused. The two storylines, one set in 1881 and one in 1931, were too similar for me, the woman's emotions hard to keep apart, and the problems/issues they were facing extremely alike. At to that the enormous host of characters and I just couldn't keep up. Many readers have absolutely loved the story of Deirdre and Gracie though, so please go ahead and give this book the chance it deserves if you like strong women protagonists (who also have their flaws) and atmospheric historical fiction reads.

I absolutely loved this book. I enjoy reading about strong women, wise women and healers. This book has it all.
Paulette Kennedy writes beautifully and her story telling drew me in. Read in a single sitting.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a southern gothic novel set in the Ozark Mountains. It has timelines set 50 years apart and two main narrators, Deirdre and Grace.

In 1931, a preacher comes to Tin Mountain, Arkansas performing miracles. This is bad for Grace and her Granny’s business as they normally cure the townspeople of all that ills them.

But this isn’t the first time a preacher has shown up and caused chaos. In both 1831 and 1881, a preacher comes to town and the results were devastating.

If you like gothic stories, the supernatural, LGBTQ representation, generational curses, history, atmospheric reads, and a town nowhere near water that has a lighthouse then you need to read this book.

I loved the Author’s Note at the end of the book that ties in Paulette’s personal connection to the setting and shares some VERY interesting background.

Thank you so much Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. I loved it! Beautifully written and an incredible story. I'll definitely be recommending to friends!

Folks acted their best on Sunday morning— all smiles and hands clasped in prayer. But the same hands hurt and killed, then buried their sins in shallow graves so they might dig them up late at night, after they’d put God to sleep. There was darkness everywhere in Tin Mountain. You just had to know where to look.

This story captivated me from the very beginning! It is full of magic, religion superstitions, folklore and secrets. The descriptions of the sceneries are so atmospheric, made me want to live with those strong, fearless and powerful women. I really loved the way the story evolved and the suspense it had, it is a page turning story.

This book is about strong women who use their knowledge to help and cure. But they live in a time when religion does not allow such knowledge and men are the leaders. They are always in danger and that's why they try to hide their powers. But a dark force knows who these women really are and will hunt them until it gets what it really wants.

If you like historical fiction stories, witches, dark forces, demons, atmospheric sceneries and mystery you should definitely read this book. And don't forget to read the author's note, it is really interesting and gives information about how this story was written.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for giving me this ARC. I will definitely read more of this author

I seem to be on a witchy roll with NetGalley ARCs at the moment.

The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy, is a multigenerational story of good versus evil. Separated by half centuries, three women, three witches, battling a relentless wickedness.

Set in the Ozarks, the writing is very tense and I gobbled down 50% of this book without coming up for air. Kennedy has written some wonderful characters with real depth. The setting, reminded me, in a subtle way of John’s Steinbecks, The Grapes of Wrath.

At first I was a little confused of the relationship of the women, as it switched back and forth between the 19th and early 20th century, but as the story progresses, information is drip fed, until it’s clear exactly what the bond is between them.

The second half of the book leans heavier on fantasy and the plot was perhaps a small bit predictable, getting all sown up sweetly in the end. But it didn’t bother me a whole lot as I really delighted in the journey of these strong, vivid women.

The Witch of Tin Mountain is being marketed under the genre of General Fiction (Adult) but I think it would be a great novel for Young Adults with lots of important coming of age content.

DNF at 20% there was just too many timelines and characters with similar problems, I was getting confused and not enjoying picking up the book so I stopped reading.

Thank you for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first experience reading a book by Paulette Kennedy. The Witch of Tin Mountain I found to be a fabulous read. I was really quite surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It’s one of those books that once you start, you don’t want to do anything else but just keep reading. It’s a dual timeline historical novel that takes place in the Ozark Mountains. There is a bit of fantasy or magical realism involved and it’s considered gothic. I loved almost all of the characters. They were so caring and protective of each other. There was an evil force that came to the mountain and the women had to rely on each other and the previous knowledge of their ancestors to make the evil entity or spirit disappear. The author writes this story referencing many different topics which I feel only adds to the stories greatness. This is a book that I would recommend and I feel that it would make an excellent choice for a bookclub. It’s definitely one that I can see myself rereading and I’d love to have a copy in physical book form for my home library. I’d like to thank NetGalley for the arc that I received off the Read Now section. I’m giving this a 5 star rating and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Starting off 2023 with a bang, The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy is a knockout work of historical fiction with a mix of witchcraft, religion, LGBTQ+, romance, and family drama.

Set in the duel timelines of Depression-era Arkansas and 50 years earlier, we meet two young women struggling for acceptance in a town full of hateful people. They are all quick to run to the women for cures but also quick to cast out the same women when a "holy" man appears. Both holy men have darkness surrounding them and the two women know it.

What follows is a story of the fight between good and evil, of love and family, truth and honor, loyalty and romance, and the power of true family.

This book was highly recommended by one of my favorite authors, Hester Fox. I received an ARC from NetGalley but neither of these factors affected my review of this book.

Why 5 Stars:

1. writing style: I loved the two different POVs and that they were in different time lines. This made the story more realistic and I enjoyed the way they talked.

2. Characters: I loved all the characters and their diversity

3. The plot: I was intrigued by the blurb and enjoyed every twist and turn of the story line.

4. Cults, Witchcraft, Folklore are everything I love in a book!

5. Chilling and spooky story which will make you leave on the light at night!

Set in a mountain town in Arkansas, this book focuses on three generations of women in the same family. The main focus is Gracelynn, living in depression times with her Granny. When a new revival preacher comes to town, he threatens life as they know it. An interesting book! Less outright magical than I expected it.

This book fueled my current witch itch. I devoured this book, it took me longer to finish because I didn’t want to finish the book. I absolutely loved Gracie and Deirdre’s character & they’re development throughout their journey! I loved the romances, the embracing of who you are and how it was against the norm, but why be ashamed. The readings of two perspectives on the same difficult mission was absolutely phenomenal. I give the book 4.5 stars, truly one of the better reads of my 2022.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I liked the Witch of Tin Mountain. It was a great time-passer. Once I started reading, I stayed up to finish it. It's kind of tropy and the MC could be dumber than believable, but the main story was pretty intriguing. It kept me wanting to know more, which is how a book succeeds. I like that it's set in a little-talked about place (the Ozarks) and that it shuffled back and forth between timelines. I love that the supernatural stuff is left pretty mysterious with just enough explanation to satisfy.

I'd recommend The Witch of Tin Mountain to fans of historical fiction and supernatural fiction.

In a Nutshell: An interesting story. Too many characters with similar problems, so it becomes a tad confusing. But overall, a good atmospheric read.

Story Synopsis:
1931, Arkansas. Nineteen-year-old Gracelynn helps her adoptive granny in the work of being a healer and midwife to the citizens of Tin Mountain. Though there are rumours that the two are witches, people still approach them for cures. This changes when a travelling evangelist Josiah Bellflower comes to town and claims to be a miracle healer. There is something strange about him, but the residents of Tin Mountain don’t see it. Only Gracelynn and her granny realise that the danger is far worse than it appears.
The story comes to us in two voices and two alternating timelines, with Gracelynn’s 1931 perspective being written in first person, and another key character Dierdre’s pov coming from 1881 in third person. There are also minor interludes from a grimoire.

NOTE: Don’t read the Goodreads blurb. It reveals too much.

Where the book worked for me:
😍 The prologue set in 1831 provides the right introduction to the main events. I love it when a prologue is used to spur the story on rather than just revealing something that is to come later in the book.
😍 This is a woman-oriented book, but unlike what you would expect, the female protagonists aren’t just strong but also flawed. They live, they err, they learn, and they fight. Always better to see realistic women than perfect role models. The book is like an ode to womanpower.
😍 The imagery is outstanding. The writing brings alive the Ozark Mountains and the beliefs and lifestyle of their people. Even their dialogues are written in the local dialect, lending a touch of authenticity to the proceedings.
😍 The content is atmospheric, while not being outright horrifying. The spooky elements add to the fun. There is a fair amount of magical realism too.
😍 Through the various reverends/preachers in the story, the author highlights the flaws of blind faith in humans who claim to be proponents of a higher order. While I was initially unsure of the target of her writing, this line in the author’s note makes her opinion clear – “This novel is in no way an indictment of Christianity or religion, but of hypocrisy.” Brava, author! This entire track was written well.
😍 The story begins slowly but proceeds at a steady pace.
😍 There are interesting LGBTQ subplots in both the timelines.

Where the book could have worked better for me:
😑 The events and circumstances in both the timelines are quite similar. Even the people recur in both timelines, the only difference being in their respective ages. As such, keeping the two tracks distinct in your head becomes quite tricky. Having two voices (first person for Gracelynn and third person for Dierdre) helps to some extent, but except for the pronouns, there’s nothing much to distinguish the emotions of the two women.
😑 Adding to the confusion is the sheer number of characters in each timeline, some of whom have a major role to play and some are just minor passers-by in the plot. Some of them are even interlinked through the timelines.
(I must add: The reason for the repeated characters and their interconnections between timelines becomes clear at the end of the book. But this doesn’t make the journey easier.)
😑 There are a few plot points that stay unexplained till the end.

This is the author’s second novel. After reading her debut work ‘Parting the Veil’, I had had somewhat mixed feelings, but I remember how good she was with the paranormal bits and her scene settings. I am happy to say that these two elements are strong even in her second book, AND she has improved upon most of the points I had mentioned. This was a far better reading experience, and I will surely try more of her works.

3.75 stars.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Witch of Tin Mountain”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.