Beautifully written story. I love everything witches but this book was about more than witches. It was about strong, powerful women standing up for each other against the control of men. Worth reading.

A very well written historical novel about witchcraft. One of my favorite tropes. This is a new author for me, and look forward to more.

This books prose were incredible to read. Stunning, suspenseful and easy to grip into.
I really loved the main character and the arc she had, and with the back drop of Edinburgh this book was nothing but perfection and gorgeous.

I want to thank the author and netgalley for this ARC. A really good read and good pace. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you for the ARC! I loved this story, it was extremely well written. I love historical fantasy so I was very interested in this one. Will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!

Different than anything I have read and so unique. I think the author set out to write something new, and it shows.

I enjoyed most of this book. The story was great and well written. It was a story about women rising up against men and the patriarch so it had a powerful message. I fell in love with all the characters. The story is first in 1824 Edinburgh and then jumps to present day about halfway through. The author is an incredible writer, Every sentence was beautiful. I am definitely a fan of this author.

I think it was a bit too long for me and some of it was redundant. There were a lot of long paragraphs that I think could have been condensed to help the story speed up a bit. Otherwise it would have been a 5 star.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington publishing letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed the feel and the vibe this book gave me. The writing is beautiful!
The characters were incredible and I really connected with them.
I have a strong interest in historical fantasy and this book gave all the feels
Thank you.

Everything was wonderfully done and enjoyed the concept of the story and thought it was a great alternate history book. The characters were everything that I wanted and thought the overall feel of the story worked. It uses the witches element perfectly and thought the Scottish folklore worked well overall. Marielle Thompson has a strong style and was glad I got to read this.

I should have read more of the description. There are a lot of things about this book that I would thoroughly enjoy; however, I just don't care to read about queer lover and the potential for sexually explicit scenes.

So I'm not a big AU type but I was pretty interested in anything set in the Victorian era or thereabouts. I was pleasantly surprised by how the story was told and the world/character building

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I loved Alix E. Harrow’s Once and Future Witches and this book actually lived up to the tagline “for fans of.”
This book is excellent. I loved how deeply researched and rich the historical aspects are and yet that it has that alternate history setting that creates a new and interesting story.

This fantasy is deeply based in the history of women and witchcraft in Scotland, creating an alternate 1824 Edinburgh where women are still being hanged for witchcraft. Nellie is a motherless young woman trying to support her little brother and abusive father in a society that wants women to be meek and obedient. The story unfolds with twists and turns that show that women's liberation is an ongoing struggle, a cycle without end. It is an interesting exploration of women's history and fantasy blended in a neat little balm.

The Last Witch in Edinburgh
By: Marielle Thompson

Publication Date: Aug. 20, 2024

In Edinburgh in the 1800s women are being accused as witches and being hanged. Nellie is young, motherless, and just trying to keep her head down while she takes care of her drunk father and younger brother. After losing her job, she has a run in with the Rae women of the ladies Apothecary and learns about the winter deity, the Cailleach. The Cailleach calls upon her followers to help usher in the winter season by being an independent woman, unruled by men, who knows her worth, and takes up space in the world– in short, she learns what it is to be a witch.

But, it is never easy for women- and anti-women sentiment rises and so too does the confines of patriarchy, as an ancient summer deity- hellbent on bringing about the destruction of women and their independence- begins to stir. Forcing Nell out of the city, and away from those she loves, this deity keeps her on the run for centuries. While blessed with a long life, she again finds herself back in Edinburgh in modern day- where it feels as if patriarchy is once again stirring and threatening the independence that has been fought for. Will she run or will she stay and fight?

I must confess this was a fun read- I loved the parallel between women historically being hunted as witches and what is happening now with the attack on women's rights. Both are and were just means to control women. I also enjoyed the openness of this book- with its LGBTQ love story and acceptance of all types of people being “witches”- as it is a state of mind. This definitely feels like one of those authors that you read and then want to read all their other books! SO definitely be on the look out for this one when it is available!!!

The Last Witch in Edinburgh by Marielle Thompson is a harrowing tale of fear, survival, and women's rights. Set in Edinburgh in 1892, we get a peek into the dangerous lives of women as an evil force convinces mankind that all women are witches. In reality, there are only a few, but they are strong and resilient. They are the women of Cailleach, the winter deity, and as they aid her, they gain lifesaving powers.
Nellie and Jean Rae, with the support of Cailleach, face down the evil that seeps through Edinburgh in a centuries long battle.
I felt all the emotions with this book. Although it is a fantasy novel, it is based on truth and lore. For centuries, women all over the world had to fight accusations of witchcraft or cultural equivalents. I love books that fight or at least document this history and portray women heroins. I definitely shed tears for this gripping story.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for early access to read The Last Witch in Edinburgh in exchange for an honest review.

This incredible story takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland in the year 1824, where every woman lives in fear of being the next witch to be hung. This story takes you through the eyes of Nellie Duncan as she encounters the Rae Women's Apothecary, looking to find more about herself as well as her past. This book breaks your heart and heals it at the same time.

It is a hard time for women in Edinburgh in 1824 where they are accused of witchcraft for no apparent reason, however Nellie Duncan wants to be one of them and at Rae Women's Apothecary she finds her chance.
From Nellie's hand we will discover her fears and hopes, we will also learn about the mythology of the Cailleach. It is a character with whom I found it difficult to empathize because I found her thoughts repetitive and sometimes boring and she does not evolve too much over time.
It is not a bad novel and it has entertaining aspects, surely I was not the target audience, but I missed something that made it stand out.

Super unique story combining real historical events with a magical fantasy twist. The core theme here is the trials and tribulations of living in a patriarchal society and how that has been persistent over centuries specifically taking place in Edinburgh for the majority of the book. I love historical fiction and fantasy so this was up my alley.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy.

The description of the book is really good, very well written but I don't feel I read a book as good as that description. And the cover... Most women spent their time cowering and trying not to be noticed vs. that powerful looking woman on the cover. The Last Witch in Edinburgh <spoiler> ran and hid for 180 years. #reasons but the cover doesn't properly represent the story inside. </spoiler>

Things I liked... I burned through much of the first half of the book with only some issues (sorrow for the child who watched his mother hang, ache for the brother abandoned, annoyance by the instalove with someone who was a bitch). The first part of the book showed us old Edinburgh and taught us the lore and of the women who became witches by honoring the goddess Cailleach. We spent a lot of time in an apothecary as the first part of the story was told.

Things I didn't like... For one thing, the time jump. Any fans of Survivor? Jeff Probst is out in Fiji and walks from a jungle to a stage in Hollywood in a matter of moments? That was what it was like as our character advanced 180 years. For all those extra years you'd think we see her wiser. We'd see a stronger witch but no she was <spoiler> the witch that ran and hid for 180 years and not much else. Oh, she upped her "tea" skills. </spoiler> I skimmed much of the last third of the book as we re-encountered the "evil" character which was a deity keeping women down (patriarchy).

If anyone can tell me if <spoiler> the necklace was returned and if the recipient explained why it was lost in the first place and why our MC didn't return it right away, I'd appreciate it. </spoiler> I didn't come by that with all my skimming to the end.
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I received a copy via NetGalley therefore I feel bad leaving this less than favorable review but I appreciate being given a copy to offer my opinion.

First half was 4*, second half 1.5*. Marking it as 3*.

Men are accusing women of witch craft in Edinburgh during the late 1800's. If that's not enough for Nellie, age 22, to worry about, her dad could lose his job again due to being too drunk to go to work. Nellie is always worried about getting her 10 year old brother enough for to eat. Her dad works at a graveyard to prevent people from stealing bodies and Nellie goes to work for her dad one night. There, she witnesses a woman crawl out of her grave even though Nellie saw her hung for witchcraft. That's how she meets the owners of an apothecary and begins her own journey toward believing in herself and becoming a witch herself.