Night of the Witch was interesting and enjoyable to read. The setting of the witch trials and the landscape of Germany was very well crafted. The fantasy aspect of the story was also good. However, the villain should have been more worked upon. Overall, a nice read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

This is a fictitious and fantastical tale that takes a look at the witch trials in Germany. My favorite aspects of this book were the rich descriptions of Germany and the fascinating information about history.

However, this tale left me wanting more from the characters. While this was so interesting, I still found myself not completely pulled into the story at many points. At times, I was losing interest.

I still think this is worth checking out!

Out October 3, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc! 🙏 I am full of thoughts about this! This is a very unique telling of the European witch trials, it is very fast paced, decent world-building, the characters likable and for those reasons, I have allowed three stars. However, despite the fast pace, I often felt like I could fall asleep; it can feel terribly dull. And yet I was jerked awake constantly by the VIOLET purple prose.

1. This is an extremely overwritten book. An example is they introduced the head witch hunter and “everything about him screams strength and power.” That kind of writing makes me grind my teeth. I need more Daniel Day-Lewis, less Nicolas Cage, as fun as Nicolas Cage is. Prose like that drives a reader with taste absolutely bananas. Also there’s a great deal of telling not showing.

2. Wow, the action is nonstop! And I do credit the writers, for never leaving us in a duller chapter, but in so many ways the reader is going to be bored, because the characters feel quite caricatured. Even though they are likable, not a tremendous amount is built into the characters development, so that when they are in life-threatening circumstances, the reader (me) can feel almost ambivalent. Like why should we care?

3. Romance is nothing to write home about. The female main character is 18 and the male main character is 19, so a lot of this reads like young adult. I’m not sure how they want to market this yet, but the cover of the book, which is extremely beautiful, has a bit of a KU romantasy vibe to it, and I think those types of readers will not find that same vibe in this book. Also? there is a shoehorned in sex scene that feels uncomfortable to read because, while they are no longer minors, they are very young people. I don’t know. Didn’t necessarily give me nausea, but I didn’t love it. Also, I better not see this book as described as enemies to lovers because while they are a witch and a witch hunter, they are only enemies for about a third of the book. And also, SMALL SPOILER: he is like a secret agent witchhunter that doesn’t want the burnings/trials to happen and he’s working on a secret plan to combat all of this horrible patriarchal genocide. So… the ETL of it all falls flat.

If I had read this book when I was 16, I think I would’ve loved it! Even though there is a short sex scene, I feel like this is the type of book that should be marketed to young adult readers. And I say that as a lover of YA fantasy!! But there are a lot of books in the genre that are just not that great of a read, but a teenage reader can still appreciate the qualities in it! If you read this genre and you are an adult, you know what I’m talking about. There are YA fantasy books that speak to readers on every type of level, whether they are 16 or 36. But then there are YA fantasy books that really only work if you were a teenager, and this is one of them.

I'm a big fan of Beth Revis but I wasn't really into this one. The pacing was all over the place and the characters were inconsistent. I was honestly disappointed.

The world is interesting in concept: it's a fantasy retelling of 1570s Germany, where the war on witches is more violent. The church has a corps of hexenjägers who are armed to the teeth to bring down witches (though most of the hexenjägers seem aware that witches are not actually real, and it just keeps women from being too independent.) I liked the use of real historical facts in the setting, such as the women brewmasters and their pointed hats, which is where we got most of our modern witch lore today.

I think my problem was mainly the characters: Basically, Fritzi is... not the smartest. I think she's supposed to come off as caring too much and putting everyone else before her, and yes, she is naive, but it's to the point where her self-preservation just forgets to kick in. It feels more like she makes bad decisions for the sake of the plot rather than logic. And she isn't the only one: the witches and gods wave away their bad decisions in the same way. The antagonist was disappointingly one-dimensional, as flat as the page he's written on. I kept waiting for there to be some complexity to his character, but... no. Spoilers: he's evil because he's evil. He's just a psychopath and there's nothing more to it. Maybe this is also intentional: we keep hoping, like Fritzi, that there's more to it, but there isn't.

The story itself felt very rushed. This book was promoted as a slow-burn + enemies-to-lovers, and I ton't think it's either: they were enemies for maybe a day until true motivations are shown, so he was never actually the enemy. The rest of the action in the novel also didn't leave much time for things to develop.

One of my qualms though is the romance. It feels like they wanted to add 'spice' to the book because that's what sells, but it just clashes! These are two very inexperienced characters and the second things get heated, they start speaking like romance novels for people twice their age. It completely took me out of the story. Like, entirely. This is YA and it made me super uncomfortable to think of these characters suddenly acting this way!

Maybe it's a case of "It's not you, it's me", but this book wasn't my cup of tea.

Sara Raasch is one of my favorite authors and I was really looking forward to this new book. The plot sounded right up my alley and I was expecting a great enemies to lovers plot with all the witchy vibes.

Unfortunately this book fell very flat for me. The plot was easy, predictable and the magic system didn’t really seem to have any rules. There were so many things that were not explained well and it all felt very rushed.

The romance was incredibly disappointing. From the synopsis, I thought it would be enemies to lovers, but it was more like insta-love. There was no build up or tension and I would have liked more of the slow build enemies to lovers gives us. I didn’t feel much chemistry between Fritzi and Otto.

Overall I just did not enjoy the story much and could not connect with the characters. I will not be continuing this series.

Content: one open door scene (vague description)

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the eARC!

First, I would like to thank Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for early access to Night of the Witch in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Second, I would like to thank the authors because omg, WOW! I loved this book!

This story felt action-packed and the tension between the two characters was scorching! Fritzi is a witch, a truly magical witch, who feels the world on her shoulders after she survives a brutal witch hunt. Her family is gone, either dead or taken, and she must do everything in her power to save those she can from the witch hunters who terrorize her country.

Otto is a witch hunter, although he doesn't believe actual witches exist. Not when his mother was burned at the stake for selfish desires that had nothing to do with witchcraft. (I loved the speculation of why so-and-so would accuse another for witchcraft.)

When Fritzi and Otto's paths collide, everything they know comes into question. Especially if they can trust one another in a desperate bid for justice, or is it vengeance?

One of my favorite things about this book is the setting and actual history that went into crafting this story. There is heavy nods to German and Celtic culture, the witch trials that came before Salem, and all the descriptions of the tasty food has me craving my favorites from my local German restaurant.

I also enjoyed the magic. There were some elements that were a little predictable, and in a few instances I was confused on how the magic was supposed to behave. But overall, I thought it was interesting and only wish there had been more magic being cast. Well, more good magic anyway.

So why four stars instead of five? I'm hoping the authors will consider putting some warnings in the beginning of the novel, because there was some graphic violence that I was not prepared for. It also felt like the ending came out of nowhere. This is more of a personal preference, but I felt like the ending was abrupt and took a weird turn, and I wanted so much more than what we got.

Regardless, this was a fantastic read and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a darker YA book with that supernatural, witchy feel.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of Night of the Witch in exchange for my honest feedback.

The premise of this book by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis checked all my reading wheelhouse items, and I was particularly intrigued in a witch-hunt story set in Germany as opposed to the more common Salem and colonies. The authors did a good job at introducing the reader to both main characters and developing them separately through their alternating points of view, however the romance between Fritzi and Otto did not resonate with me as well as I thought it would.

The book is an easy read, yet I still felt as if something was missing so I did not clamor to read through this as I initially intended. It very well could be that I am not the appropriate audience for this YA book despite having read other similar YA books. Even still, the book was atmospheric even when the pacing did not perfectly coincide.

I still will recommend this book to my younger cousins who are interested in fantasy, witch trials/hunts, and romance with some history thrown in.

I was genuinely engaged with the story. The writing was enjoyable, and the characters showed potential. However, there were few things that I didn't like. The chemistry between Fritzi and Otto felt forced. The instant romance felt unrealistic and lacked depth. Also, the plot was abit chaotic and the magical elements in the story were confusing.

I really liked the concept and the premise, I am still not sure if I will be continuing this series

I wanted more from this book than we got. The pace was both too slow and too fast. And yet nothing really happened until the last 25% or so. I thought the romance was forced and they alluded at secrets that weren't actually anything. Just overall disappointing.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc!

Why is everything in this book just a giant mess? The story is all over the place and the villian is a joke. You expect me to be scared of this person? No. A kitten is more terrifying.

"Night of the Witch" presents a captivating premise of vengeance, magic, and love in a world where witches and hunters collide. Fritzi, the determined witch seeking justice, and Otto, the hexenjäger with a hidden agenda, make for compelling protagonists in a story filled with twists and turns.

The novel excels in creating an atmosphere of suspense and intrigue, keeping readers engaged as Fritzi and Otto navigate their complex alliance. However, it falls short of a higher rating due to some pacing issues and the predictability of certain plot elements.

While the story successfully explores the themes of revenge and trust, it doesn't quite reach its full potential in terms of character development and world-building. Despite this, "Night of the Witch" is an enjoyable read for fans of supernatural romance and those who appreciate a mix of magic and vendettas in their tales. It earns a solid three stars for its intriguing premise and the sparks that fly between its conflicted leads.

If you’re looking for a witchy read for the month, you got one right here. This is written by 2 well know authors Sarah Rasch and Beth Revis. It’s a fantasy take on the witch trials in Germany and we follow Fritzi who survived an attack on her coven by witch hunters and Otto who is the leader of the witch hunters and the two of them end up working together in unusual circumstances. I liked this! It was a fun read and something of a palette cleanser for me from my more serious brutal reads.
Full review to come on YouTube

Night of the Witch
by Sara Raasch, Beth Revis
YA Fantasy Paranormal
Ages: 16+
NetGalley ARC
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
SourceBooks Fire

Fritzi is one of a few survivors of an attack on her coven by the hexenjager, witch hunters, led by Kommandant Dieter Kirch, who branded then burned those they caught.

Otto is a hexenjager, second in command to Dieter Kirch, but Otto is planning to destroy the hexenjager because they burned his innocent mother alive, and as he poses as one of them, he finds that his mother isn't the only innocent they are killing, and Dieter Kirch and those of the church know it, but don't care.

When Fritzi gets tangled up in Otto's plan, Otto is shocked to discover that witches are real and some have real power, but they are not all evil as portrayed.


Another story based around the witch-burning times that puts good against evil, and those traits are in the eye of the beholder and those with power to threaten and instill fear into others.

It wasn't a bad story, I think it was influenced by the 'Serpent and Dove' series, but it was slow, and sometimes it seemed as if it was backtracking so to give it more word count. And while the wild magic was a change, there wasn't really anything else added to the world to bring it out from the widely known shadow of the witch hunts of the past.

This is a violent story, and the descriptions, while not highly detailed, could still bother those under 16, and there is also the romantic aspect that while tame, might not be that suitable for younger readers.

While it was an okay of a read, and the cover is cool, it will be a toss-up if I pick up the second book in this series.

2 Stars

Night of the Witch follows a pretty classic witchy plotline, with two family members who must team up to defeat a witch who has become power hungry and is destroying people to fuel his power. What sets it apart is its loveable characters, action packed pages, and it's setting in 16th-century Germany. A super fun, magical read that reminded me of Alix E. Harrow's 'Once and Future Witches'. I've been in a bit of a reading slump and this has definitely broken me out of it. 4.5/5 stars!

I don’t even know where to begin with this book. I flew through the pages and was 100% obsessed with this book from the beginning. Every twist and turn of this novel had me hooked. I easily fell in love with all of the characters and could not put this book down. The story follows Fritzi a witch and Otto a witch hunter. The dual POV gave this book so much more depth. I cannot say enough good things about this book, but also can’t say too much with fear of giving some of those twists and turns away! Let’s just say I hung on to every single word of Night of the Witch and cannot wait for book 2! The ending cliffhanger will have you begging for more. I will be thinking about this book, talking about this book, and convincing my friends to read this book for the foreseeable future.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for my review.

2.5 stars

One faithful day in West-Germany Fritzi's coven gets attacked by a troupe of Hexenjäger, leaving her and her cousin as the sole survivor's. However, while Fritzi is able to flee, her ten year old cousin, Liesel, gets taken by Kommandant Dieter Kirch. Meanwhile, Otto Ernst, Kapitän in this army of Hexenjäger tries to take down this institution from the inside out. In this journey, Fritzi and Otto might make unlikely allies at first, but they decide to band together in their common goal: save Liesel and the witches (which are almost all innocent people) and take down Kommandant Dieter Kirch.

This is a pretty interesting reimagining of the European Witch Trials that too place in Trier, Germany, and were the predecessor of a wave of witch trials across Europe and eventually of the Salem Witch Trials as well.

I was definitely into the premise and I enjoyed the writing. A couple of things that I didn't enjoy as much were the pacing and the character "building". At the start I was feeling this book: I enjoyed the writing and the characters seemed promising. However, I didn't feel like there was much chemistry between Fritzi and Otto, and for them to fall in love within a day, was a bit much. Too insta-lovey for me.

The plot is kind of all over the place. The way the magic works in this book is honestly kind of confusing. And not in the sense that I didn't get it, I feel like it was more the authors' fault for not creating a consise enough magic system. The things that were happening weren't really explained or were simply brushed aside. I feel like a lot of the explanations of how the magic in this world works, were simply there to advance the story or solve things very conveniently. It just doesn't make for a very well thought-out world to me.

I'm not sure I will be picking up the second book. There's a tiny bit of FOMO in me that says "Yeah, you probably will. You'll want to know how it ends."

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The perfect YA fantasy. Easy to fall into with characters you love to hate and a rich lie that sucks you in. The distinction of writing styles between authors still meshes well and brings the world alive.

This is such a adventurous story. I loved the two main characters and the world building is great too. At times the story felt slow but that did not deter me at all. I did take issue with how the communication between characters in the story. It didn't make sense for them to leave everyone in the dark all the time.

I would like to thank Sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC.

I really wanted to like this book. It has a fantastic premise, but I just couldn't get into the story. Overall, I feel like this book wasn't for me. I didn't find the worldbuilding or characters to be very compelling. I believe they could have been developed more and this would have been a book I would have fallen in love with. There were moments in the book that felt like they dragged on for too long and some aspects felt like they were rushed over.

i really tried to get into this book, but i had to dnf it. it's sad but i hope other people will find it enjoyable!