I love a good witchy book. This one felt as though it was missing some key information, I was flipping back and forth between sections to try and follow along. The characters had fantastic insights into what was happening, I just wish the plot was a little more fleshed out.

Night of the Witch, written by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, is a dark fantasy where hexenjägers burn both magical and simply troublesome women at the stake. When the book opens, there are few true witches left. Their communities have been decimated and the few survivors have fled hundreds of miles to the safety of the Black Forest.

When the witch hunters brutally attack Birresborn, the last coven in their corner of the Holy Roman Empire, Fritzi is forced into hiding by her mother. She emerges to find a bloody battlefield, her mother burned, and her young cousin Liesel kidnapped. Full of guilt and sorrow, Fritzi is determined to find and free her cousin before she, too, is lost forever.

Along the way, Fritzi uncovers secrets hidden by family and by the goddesses she worships. Her understanding of magic is upended. But even facing so much betrayal, she puts her trust and life in the hands of Otto, a young hexenjäger.

At 416 pages, I expected Night of the Witch to be a standalone novel. I did enjoy the book (even though it was a darker story than I wanted at the time), and was satisfied with the ending. But then there was an epilogue which implied either a duology or a series. The epilogue was jarring to me. It felt like the book was completed as a standalone, but then the authors got the go-ahead to write a sequel, necessitating the addition of the epilogue to reopen the plot.

If you like your fantasies to be intense battles of good vs. evil, drawn from history, and flavored with romance, I think you, too, would enjoy Night of the Witch.

An interesting reimagining of the European Witch Trials. Fritzi and Otto at first meeting are enemies on principle. Witch and witch hunter quickly learn there is more to the other than they originally thought. As enemies turn into allies, something more blossoms between the two.

Night of the Witch is exactly the type of book that I love. It is a fantasy with fully fleshed worldbuilding, the characters are compelling, and the plot is full of twists and turns. With a reluctant enemies-to-lovers plot, Night of the Witch is the perfect book for anyone who loves their fantasy with a generous dash of romance!

I was intrigued by the plot but unfortunately the story felt a little boring to me. Maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea and that’s okay! The villains back story was confusing and the chemistry between the main characters felt a little forced. I’d consider giving this author another try though!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC and provide a review. I greatly enjoyed this book, I had not had the opportunity to read Sara Raasch's work and loved it. I can't wait to read more! This is an interesting story, and something that is a fun read. Loved the take on the witch trials and hope that others will love it just as much!

A great read! I couldn't put it down until the very last page. We love when the enemies find out that they aren't as different as they think they are.

Night of the Witch is the first book of a new young adult series. Dripping with hate, witch-hunters fueled with authority of the crown and church are eradicating accused witches through the empire. Fritzi barely escapes a brutal attack on her village but manages to survive and then heads on a journey to rescue her younger cousin from the hexenjägers. Her fate collides with Otto, a hexenjäger leader. This enemies to lovers story is done really well! High stakes, unique magical powers, historical fiction, and a budding romance had me devouring this book in one sitting! I cannot wait to see what comes next for Fritzi and Otto!

Night of the Witch is a historical fantasy with elements of paranormal romance set during the European witch trials in Germany. Fritzi is a sassy witch who survived an attack on her coven by witch hunters. Otto is a captain, second in command to the witch hunters, and the two are unexpectedly thrown together in a wild ride of tension and revenge. There's an interesting depth to the story and the villain, so this is one that fans of young adult novels, historical fantasy, paranormal romance, witchcraft, & European history would enjoy.

Usually I’m down for anything with witches but this unfortunately just wasn’t for me. I can’t pinpoint what it was about it that I didn’t like, which obviously doesn’t help from a review standpoint, but I just didn’t vibe with the book.

Another wonderful witchy book! I really liked this version of a witch story. It was an old European dark fairy tale type of enemies to lovers. I love that it took place over the holiday season which means that this book is great for the spooky season in the fall and the dark you will season as well. Exploring good versus evil, selflessness versus selfishness and navigating the role of protecting those that you love, this book had a bit of everything. Lots of fast adventure scenes and sneaky getaways, a magic world colliding with the Stark reality of the Witch trials. I will be watching out for the next installment in this series.

"Night of the Witch" is a wild ride of magic, revenge, and unexpected romance! Meet Fritzi, the badass witch on a mission for vengeance against the hexenjägers. Then there's Otto, a hexenjäger with a dark past fueled by family tragedy. When their paths collide, you know sparks are gonna fly! Fritzi's out to bring down the ruthless hexenjäger leader, Dieter Kirch, and Otto's got his own bone to pick with the witch hunters. Trust isn't their strong suit, but revenge? That's a language they both speak.

The plot thickens with secrets and a seriously sinister hexenjäger agenda. Every revelation amps up the suspense, and you can't help but get sucked into the drama. Now, the unexpected twist? The brewing romance between Fritzi and Otto. Who saw that coming, right? Their love story adds a whole new layer of magic to the chaos. It's like the author mixed up a potion of suspense and romance, and I'm here for it!

The world-building is top-notch. You feel the scarcity of trust and the uncertainty in every alliance. The pacing is spot-on, and the plot twists hit you like a surprise spell.

This book wasn’t for me. I understand why some people loved it but I had to put this book and step away. I will not be sharing a review on goodreads because I don’t think it’s fair for the author to get a 1 star review since I DNF it.

This book was so fun! I love the spooky vibe which feels perfect for the Halloween/fall season. The story is very fast paced and action packed! It kept me on the edge of my seat while reading and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! Wonderful characters, especially Fritzi who is my favorite! Dual pov structure was a great way to get the know them more personally. Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a witchy read!

As much as I tried to get into this book, I ended up marking it DNF after my attempt. I did skim read through the whole book after I couldn't get into it after multiple chapters. The premise was interesting and the writing style was very well done, it just wasn't the book for me. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This book is a true gem! From its enchanting plot to the unforgettable characters, I couldn't help but fall in love. A must-read for anyone seeking a delightful literary experience!

Pretty decent YA, Reminded me of Serpent and dove but German. Overall it was okay, it was lack luster for me and the romance seem flat and not convincing other than they were attractive to each other. Decent world building I’d be willing to read a second book.

Favorite quote(s):
“We are not born into our nature; we choose it. And although the people and places around us may influence our lives, our decisions seal our fate.”

Review:
Holy crap! I didn’t know what to expect from this book, other than witches and witch hunters. I loved Fritzi and how fierce she was and determined to do what she believed in. I loved Otto and honestly didn’t know what to expect from him, especially because I hated him at first. I thought Liesel was interesting, a young girl with interesting power. I did like the historical elements with the church and witch burnings, though I wish the book would have touched a bit more on it. I did feel like I was always guessing and on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would come next. I despised Dieter and kept wishing for him to die, especially for how he was to Fritzi. I did enjoy the magic and found that aspect of the book interesting, even when the goddesses annoyed me. There were moments when members of the council got on my nerves, but Cornelia was probably my favorite of that group. I loved how intense this book could be and also how it had sweet moments. The ending had my jaw dropping. I didn't expect that and am kind of annoyed it was kind of a cliffhanger.

This book was such a fun reimagining of the European witch trials. The world building was immaculate and the characters were fun and well rounded, and I loved the wild magic aspect.. however overall the story was slow and confusing at times, and while marketed as ya, some aspects were more adult themed and I feel like this should have been marketed as NA or adult

3.5 🌟


𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 (𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 #𝟏)
𝐁𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐡, 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟏𝟎.𝟑.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

I meant to get to this one during the spooky season, but alas, here I am.

I loved that this was set in Trier, part of the Holy Roman Empire 1591, a time when there was brutal persecution of witches - in fact, historically one of the largest documented witch trials in history. The author weaves the historical with the fantastical to create a world where the Witch and Hunter - enemies - must turn to allies and maybe something more.

I’m a huge fan of the witch and her hunter falling for one another, so I enjoyed this. Fritzi's entire coven has been destroyed, save her cousin, who has been captured. Determined to save her cousin, Fritzi runs into Otto, a captain of the witch hunters. But Otto has secrets; he is not what he seems - he is also on a mission. The two team up and venture deep into the Black Forest to try to dismantle the corrupt powers that be. Along the way, they find big truths about magic and how they feel for one another.

I felt it moved a bit slowly initially, but the dual perspective and the blend of history and magic moved the pace along nicely. Speaking of magic and what constitutes magic, the types, the uses, and even magic when it comes to paganism vs spiritualism were discussed most fascinatingly through the narrative. But prepare yourself for a cliffhanger in anticipation of book two.

Thank you @sourcebooksfire and @bookmarked for the gifted ebook.