"Strange Folk" by Alli Dyer is a novel that takes readers on a journey into the magical and mysterious world of Appalachia. The story follows Lee, who, after leaving Craw Valley at eighteen, returns with her children to live with her grandmother, Belva, in the magical community she had once tried to escape.

Lee had distanced herself from her family's tradition of tapping into the power of the land for healing and community support. However, when the target of one of Belva's spells is found dead, Lee becomes entangled in the magical world she sought to avoid. The novel unfolds as Lee, along with her family, delves into a world of strange phenomena and hidden family secrets, forcing her to confront her past and rediscover her own latent powers.

Set against the backdrop of Appalachia, "Strange Folk" promises a lush, shimmering, and wildly imaginative narrative. With elements of magic, mystery, and family ties, the story explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and the consequences of reconnecting with one's roots. It's recommended for fans of authors like Alice Hoffman, Deborah Harkness, and Sarah Addison Allen who enjoy tales of magical realism and family secrets.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

As someone who grew up in SE Ohio, so much of this book was nostalgic for me. Appalachian culture is something that permeates an individual . No matter if you're the type to move away and stay away, or the one who leaves only to return home, or the one who never left; it stays with you. The first half of the book made me feel SEEN in so many ways. I'm the one who left and stayed away. Dyer's line, "...she felt like one of those people that fantasizes about a rural life they could never stomach in reality. She knew better, she'd been gone too long". I was in tears from the harsh truth of my reality. There were too other lines that just shook my soul:

"...[I] can't imagine doing something so bold now." "I think a lot of people walk around wondering if they've moved backward. We're all trying not to fall apart after a certain age. It's hard enough to maintain the status quo. I think this constant need for moving forward and growing is exhausting".

"We'll all be so much happier if we admit what we want and allow each other to have that".

Seriously, A+ / 5 stars for the therapy session. I'll spend my whole life with this state of mind, but she put validation to my insecurities.

Now for the remaining 55% of the book is when we get into the true fantasy of the genre. I'm still parsing out how I feel about this and the magic in Lee's world. I loved the plot TWISTS, however! They just kept coming and honestly, it wasn't something I was expecting. The one big feedback that I have is around Lee's gift. It doesn't really seem super tied to the land whereas Cliff and Meredith have a more direct connection to their power source. This might be the biggest issue for me. Lee's magic felt convenient to the storyline and not necessarily adding to it. My recommendation would be to go back in and add more context and color around how Lee starts tapping into it. A few sentences of "the smell of decaying leaves in her nose, and she knew she'd fallen into Red" would help to draw more connections. Just something to not make sure so separate. (Yes, I know that's part of her core character, but it is distracting to the story).

Overall, I'll likely read this again to understand how I feel about it.

This book has more twists and turns than a steep mountain road. Lee’s poverty strewn childhood was traded for a wealthy but unhappy adulthood. On the brink of divorce, she returns with her children to her hometown to live with her grandmother.
This story of mountain magic and of intergenerational love and tragedy kept me engaged from beginning to end. It is an excellent story with lots to discuss. I am looking forward to its publication so I can recommend it to others.

‼️Content Warning: Death, Magic, Kid Napping

📖favorite line from the books is "No one is beyond forgiveness, my love.”

🌸I would definitely add this book to your list. It is an amazing book. It has a lot of twist and turns in the whole book but it is always based off something. You get to understand how other characters feel throughout the book as well. The main character Lee has to deal with a lot of things she never knew she would have to deal with. It doesn’t help that she has a special family. You guys know that i don’t like to spoil a book so I don’t want say to much. But if you Suspense Thriller books this book is definitely for you!!!

Strange Folk by Alli Dyer was a very great story with some mystery, magic and suspense along the way made for a very entertaining read.
I enjoyed this book. The characters were well thought out and the plot was paced in a way that made sense.
With its unique premise, great writing and interesting characters this story drew me in almost immediately.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This book is difficult to review. For one, minus the family magic elements (which aren't fully explained), this has nothing in common with Practical Magic. And except for Cliff, there aren't any really likeable characters. Which doesn't make a book unreadable or unenjoyable, but the willful ignorance to child trauma really kept taking me out of the story, particularly when the final villain was revealed. There just seemed to be a lopsided sort of grace given to certain characters, and that takes away from the narrative arc, which is why I'm only rating it 2.5 stars.

The magic isn't beautiful and engaging, there's a real darkness to the whole thing and these are people that truly need to work in their trauma, including the self inflicted ones. It also delves into addiction and its aftermath but only really surface level. Also there's one very disturbing reveal that goes by so quickly, and treated so fleetingly.

If the author abandoned the romance and the daughters POV, I think the book would've really had the right balance. This is a generational trauma story with magic as a minor subplot.

It just felt like there was more story here than what ended up on the page.

This is shining example of magical realism. There was a blend ofmagic, folklore and mystery that made thus book irresistible.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

“There is power in the land, and when we need it, we can call upon it humbly and respectfully. That is at the core of the work. We must respect and feed the land, so that it may feed us.”

“As she flipped through the pages, new spells cropped up—ones that Belva invented herself. Mixed in with these spells were diary entries and observations about the weather and the nature around her. Lee could see the evolution of a new spell through the diary entries that served as inspiration, then the need arising, and the formation of it through notes about plants and ideas for wording. Finally, there was the spell itself, which Belva liked to copy down word for word and enshrine on its own page. The spoken words of a spell took many forms—they could be like poems, or stories, or sometimes they were merely Bible verses. Belva’s spells were more intricate and imaginative than the older ones, and sometimes they used more modern materials like Dr. Pepper and pantyhose that she would have had lying around. This was a cornerstone of the work—you could make magic with whatever you had, no matter how meager.”


This was so phenomenally written and an easy 5 ⭐️ for me. The multigenerational aspect and point of views were done so so well. The descriptions of everything made it so easy to get truly lost in the pages of the story. Has a magical/witchy, superstitious, and mysterious vibe with a heavy dose of spells and family trauma. Will def be buying a copy for my physical book shelf. I do wish there had been more of a happy ending scene with Lee + It is but I realize this book is not a romance.

Excellent book. Relatable family dynamics with several generations involved. Magical realism at its best. Enjoyed reading it and will certainly keep this author in my list of favorites.

Lee has run from her roots her whole life but now she’s back home while going through a divorce. She’s determined not to let her kids be drawn into her family’s heritage and drama. Magic, moonshine and moonlight rituals collide!

Lots of fun and interesting characters against a backdrop of beautiful country and layers of superstition.
I literally couldn’t put it down even though I knew I had to work night shift! I was not prepared for a couple of the twists! Serves me right for thinking I knew what was happening!!

I received this book as an
ARC from net galley in exchange for my unbiased opinion!

As I snuck in reading the last few pages between my Thanksgiving cooking responsibilities, I found myself thinking “this is the book I’ve been waiting for.” Southern Gothic, magical, Appalachian traditions - this has it all. I feel as though I’ve read some terrific books this year, but this one speaks to me.

Characters are flawed and relatable. The story line is compelling and readable.

"Strange Folk" is an interesting blend of magic, mystery, suspense, and even a little romance. Lee left her drug addicted mother and her small hometown behind for college. She established a new life in California but her marriage falls apart and she needs to create a new life for her children. She travels back to her hometown to live with her grandmother. Lee and her family are not quite normal. Her son, Cliff, can see things, and her daughter, Meredith, can feel the land. Lee's family has a history of magical abilities. Even as her children start to embrace their gifts, Lee is still lost and turns to alcohol to help her deal. Soon things turn from bad to worse as tragic events begin happening. Lee must embrace who she is and confront her demons to keep her family safe.

This novel was told from different characters'perspectives which I really enjoyed. The magical elements were an interesting touch and I was never quite sure what was going to happen. The writing created a vivid setting which helped immerse me into the story. Overall, I found this an engaging story and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Atria Books for this ARC.

I relieved an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review. A atmospheric witches story woven with family trauma and steeped in generational magic.
This book has everything I live for in a book: mystery, love, heartbreak, spells, and even more magical writing.
I could not have loved this book any more.

I appreciate the chance at being able to read, and review this book. I was drawn in at the premise of Practical Magic, but it doesn’t quite hit that level for me. A little bit slower, and some of the information took me out of the read. It has some premise, but just fell short for me!

The author grew up in Virginia, in Appalachia, and her description, though often overblown and somehow inappropriately described, give you a sense of the setting. Lee, formerly known as Opaline, has left here for college and never returned. Her mother was an alcoholic and drug addict. Her grandmother, Belva, was a folk medicine practitioner who also dabbled in the spells and magic that is rooted in the ground itself and handed down from the generations of people who lived there and interbred with the Cherokees who were native to the land.

There is something frightening and suspenseful about what happens to Lee and her children when they come back. There is dark evil, moonshine and drug dealing, and also a man Lee loved in high school. The book tries to be both a mystery and a history of the area. Who is responsible for the death of the high school English teacher? And who killed the local drug dealer? In order to get to the answer, you have to suffer through a whole lot of spell casting and group humming (is that really a thing?). Though none of it really makes very much sense, there is an atmosphere created that some might enjoy. There are some odd goings on that create an atmosphere of magical occurrences and some chills as Lee figures out what to do with her life. But the answer, for me, was unsatisfying. No Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen is Ali Dyer.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the Arc copy.

Strange Folk is a rustic witchy story reminiscent of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman.

Lee left her eccentric family a long time ago, leaving behind their strange ways and special gifts. After her marriage falls apart, she reluctantly returns with her two children to the small Appalachian town Craw Valley, and is forced to immerse herself back into their wildcrafting, healing, folklore, and earthy conjuring and with it, something dark and shadowy that lurks in the memories and woods of the magical land.

Strange Folk read like an old grimoire full of botanical spells, herbaceous musings, and folk remedies. The intersection of nature and spirit in this story was supported by a wild country setting, with its splintery floorboards, chipped paint exteriors, and untamed landscapes. The roughness of the location was mirrored by the complicated relationships between several generations of the family. The homespun root magic helped the Buck women to get to the root cause of the mysteries that had deceived and threatened them for years. The power of nature to heal and to transform was the deep heartbeat thrumming within the land of the Buck women whose own hearts were inextricably tied to the natural realm.

There was a realness, a raw authenticity to the women and relationships featured in this story that made it feel as though I the reader was hiding out in the bushes watching the family's every move. The folksy charm of the story created an eerie atmosphere that was the most bewitching part of this book.

If you like the witchy multi generational tales of Alice Hoffman and the wild women magic of Willa Reece, then you will enjoy Strange Folk by Alli Dyer.

When you claim that readers who love Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen (my two favorite authors) will love this story, that’s a big claim. But whoever said that was right. This is an interesting book that keeps you turning the pages. Very imaginative, the weaving of magic and every day life. Love books that are like adult fairytales! Well done!

I received an ARC from Atria and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Warnnings: There is mention of child preditors and a rather graphic scene of SA done to a minor.

Who will love this book: Folks who enjoyed Practical Magic and want a mystery and story about dysfunctional families who are healing through learning about their history.

I really enjoyed this book and I personally wish I could have splurged and gone up to the mountains and read it there. I live in North Carolina so the Appalachian mountains are just a few hours away from me. Having been there I could see this fictional town and the magic that permeates the book. I do feel like the characters go a bit on the Wicca route (harm none do as you will), but that might be my paranoia as a folk practitioner. Oh, yeah, this is a review from a witch! As someone who has studied a lot of folk traditions, it's clear the author has a deep love and understanding of it, and it's rather clear in the story.

I think if there is any problem I have with the book, it's that the writing style threw me off at times. We'd have conversations but I'd have to backtrack and try to figure out who the character is talking to.. That's more of a personal problem and I'd still recommend this book.

Honestly, if you're looking for a book to read this fall and want to do a whole series of reads, Read the Practical Magic books, and then add this when you need a break from those characters. It'll be worth it.

Thank you to the publisher for my arc!

The premise of this sounded interesting however it just didn’t keep me engaged.

A magical book wherein the community in Appalachia where Belva, a grandmother, conjures up magic. When her granddaughter Lee moves back from California she becomes involved in the magic - no matter that she has previously disdained both the land and the magic.

Someone that Belva put a spell on has died. Lee investigates the death. In the course she digs up family secrets and more.

I enjoyed this book as it makes Appalachia come alive - as well as the characters. I was sorry when the book ended.