I truly enjoyed these characters and love the time period they are in! This author is a tremendous writer and I will be reading other books they’ve written and future one thank you NetGalley!

This book was just okay for me. I love historical fiction and mysteries. I feel that the story dragged on without really advancing the story any. I gave this one 3 stars and although it wasn't my cup of tea, I know its readers are out there.

There's so much to say here...

First, I have been enthralled with gemology since childhood and when I read the description of the book, I had to read it. And what a wealth of lore it had! Who knew that stones were purported to have so many powers?

The powers of the malocchio were frightening and so was the horror of the Black Plague. The unregulated power of the church was also shocking.

My only complaints about the book: first, the gore, which was off-putting. Isn't there a way to be less gross but still obvious?

Second: there were some oddly modern words used by the characters. "Go get that guy!" (What?)

A historical fiction novel with plenty of drama and intrigue. An interesting and believable story of a woman in the Middle Ages during the time of plague in Italy. Told with multiple interwoven story lines this kept my attention throughout.

Ginevra is a woman who can harness the power of gemstones to heal the sick. After being exiled from Florence for witchcraft, she's asked to return as the plague has decimated a large swath of Italy. However, she's not asked to heal the sick, but find out who's been stealing the religious relics from the city. Ginevra's past and present are told in alternating parts as we see her training, younger years in Florence, and her current objective. I enjoyed this book, it was an interesting look at 14th century Florence and the ideas of gems having certain properties to heal.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great and enchanting story. I loved the way in which the story was told and wanted to know all about the stone magic and how it worked. I loved this book and enjoyed it so much.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row, HTP Hive, and Anna Rasche for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! I unfortunately did DNF this book after realizing I was not the target audience for it.

Based on the description, I anticipated a unique blend of historical fiction and fantasy with hints of mystery and an interesting magic system. The gemstone magic was very intriguing, which initially pulled me in. However, I had trouble getting invested in the characters, and I struggled with the pacing of the story.

While this book was not for me, I would recommend to readers who like:
Morally grey characters
Medieval setting
Witchcraft
Mystery

This is a lush, historical fantasy set in Renaissance Italy that leans into gothic atmosphere and artistic mysticism. The protagonist—a witch navigating a society that fears both her magic and her independence—is layered and compelling. I loved how Rasche incorporated real-world history with magical embellishments, especially around art and alchemy. The pacing is a slow simmer, but the build-up pays off, and the writing is beautifully immersive. It’s one of those books that feels like a painting—rich in color, texture, and emotion. Perfect if you want something moody and intellectual, with feminist overtones.

I had really high hopes for this one that it just didn't live up to. Ended up DNFing. I love historical, witchy stories but this one just didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
I had no idea how much I’d end up actually enjoying this book. When you hear “plague and magic gemstones”, you might be initially a little hesitant, but this was truly delightful throughout, with such a satisfying ending. Great, relatable characters, and a fantastic setting. Big recommend!!

The Stone Witch of Florence was a beautifully atmospheric read that completely pulled me into its world. I loved how richly detailed the story was—you can really tell that Anna Rasche is both a historian and a gemologist. Her background adds such depth to the setting and the descriptions, especially when it comes to the art, architecture, and of course, the jewels and stones. Florence practically came alive on the page.

The story blends historical fiction and dark fantasy in a way that felt unique and compelling. There’s a slow-burn mystery here, with just the right amount of magic woven in. I really enjoyed following the main character as she navigated a society full of secrets, power struggles, and danger, especially as a woman trying to find her place and power.

Definitely recommend this one if you enjoy historical fiction with magical realism, strong female characters, and immersive, sensory writing.

Interesting blend of historical mystery and magic realism. Vivid imagery transports readers to a dark time in history. Ms. Rasche's historical detail of Florence and its surrounding area during the Black Plague is top-notch. The descriptions of the churches and their relics were realistic and full of detail.

I found the magic attributed to the relics and stones added an intriguing element to an otherwise dark story, one filled with little hope. Ginevra is an interesting choice as the main character, a strong woman, in a world that does not value her sex. She is tasked with an investigation into some missing religious relics. The investigation quickly turns a mystery that leads to corruption of power at the highest levels. While the plot was interesting, I felt that it dragged at times.

I do think that overall this is a good debut. The author has a beautiful writing style. The only thing that I did not care for was the vulgar language, that I realize was most likely an accurate portrayal of the real people some of the characters represented.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed the premise of this, but some of the execution fell flat. A few of the beats were paced too quickly where I would’ve enjoyed a but more explanation. I love the historical elements, though. I can tell this was well researched. The dialogue felt clunky.

It’s funny how people hate you until they need you.

The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche is a standalone novel and is an interesting take on dealing with the plague and being used for your gifts.

I’m not a huge historical fiction reader, but this one kept my attention fairly well. I had no idea what I was getting into prior to diving into this book and it wasn’t what I was expecting. Part of this is a good thing, and part, a bad thing.

While there is a really good story here and it brings up tons of crazy situations for the witch and the people who love/hate her, the pacing could be a bit faster. I don’t like how they treated her, but that’s just part of the conflict within the story, of course. I really liked that there were passages throughout the story that gave information about the different types of stones.

If you like the slow burn, magical stories with a taste of dark eras from that past, then this is for you!

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of The Stone Witch of Florence from Anna Rasche via NetGalley

I have to say my favorite historicals usually take place in Medieval and Renaissance Italy. One of them is the story of Ginevra, who became famous for her ability to heal the people suffering from the plague in Florence, and then notorious, tortured and exiled for being a heretic. More than a decade later, Florence again comes under attack by the plague and they want Ginevra back….
Immersive, insightful prose tells of Ginevra’s apprenticeship, romance, and fall from grace, how and why she returned to the place and the person who hurt her so. Highly recommended for lovers of historical novels.

“Magic, medicine, and religion were all tangled up with each other; it could be difficult to tell where one ended and the other began.”

Plot: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★

The Stone Witch of Florence was a great time. It has a mix of witchery based on actual magical beliefs, medieval Italy, Catholicism, and the Black Plague combined to create an intriguing tale that kept me reading.

I haven't quite read anything like The Stone Witch of Florence before. If you enjoy fantasy based on actual historical events, women finding their own power in impossible situations, and underlying dry humor, I'm sure you will enjoy this book.

The writing was immersive, yet it felt a bit distant and impersonal. Rather than being a bad thing, I felt like the distant writing fit perfectly with the time period and made it feel more realistic and immersive.

I enjoyed each character (including Giancarlo and the gravedigger). The underlying humor was great - when the plot started feeling even a bit dragged on, some goofy medieval character would say something stupid, and I was right back in it.
"He is not whole. Not quite. Whoever heard of an evil spell using eleven of something? He will need twelve pieces. One for each of the apostles." "Well, there seems to be one part missing and it is not a loaf of bread." "Not THAT. Perverted woman. And besides, the left buttock of San Paolo is rather more complete than the right if you know what I mean.

Ah, yes, a penis joke in my historical fantasy. 10/5 stars.

Lastly, you can really tell that Anna Rasche put tons of effort and research into writing The Stone Witch of Florence. Kudos to you for writing such an interesting fantasy novel based on actual historical events.

5/5 stars! Thank you Anna Rasche, Park Row Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I wanted to love this book, but the pacing was so slow that it was hard to stay focused on the narrative. The whole book felt like it moved at a glacial pace. I love a good description but there were times when the author would spend too much time focusing on minute details (like every single food available) and not so much on what would have been more interesting.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

The Stone Witch of Florence is an engaging and well written historical political fantasy by Anna Rasche. Released 8th Oct 2024 by HarperCollins on their Harlequin Trade imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out from the same publisher in Aug 2025. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

Set in mid-14th century Florence, MC Ginevra has been exiled as a witch, but it called back to heal the sick, using her powers to tap the essences of precious stones. There's a geopolitical machinery in motion in which she's soon ensnared at great risk to herself.

The author has a good grasp of characterization, with clear, intelligent protagonists and a range of secondary characters. There are some issues with scene and dialogue (it's a debut novel), and there are long passages with a lot more "telling" than "showing". The only major, potentially deal breaking, issue is the pacing. It's glacial at points and it's not a short book, by any means. There are parts that were a slog to get through. Honestly, the author's *truly* impressive background research is admirable, but unless the reader is a fairly zealous history nerd, will likely prove an overabundance. The denouement and resolution felt rushed, for a book of this length.

Three and a half stars. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition, or for historical fantasy realism fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche presents an intriguing premise with elements of magic and mystery, but it falls short in execution. The world-building is rich, and the characters have potential, but the pacing feels uneven at times. While it has its moments, there were a few plot twists that felt predictable and left me wanting more depth. Overall, it’s an okay read, but not something I’d rush to revisit.