I was somewhat disappointed by this. The premise sounded interesting, and I live in an area that feels similar to the setting, but the book itself fell a little flat for me. I think part of this was from the slow start; for as startling as the events are, I felt I should have been sucked in a bit more, or felt some sense of urgency. Overall, I am certain this will be a hit for someone, but I don't think it was for me.

A good book with a writing style that I adored, unfortunately the anticapitalism didn't went as far as I hoped, watering down the message (IMO) and I was not a fun of the romance.

Motheater is a story which is certainly rather unique. We’re immediately introduced to Bennie and Motheater as Bennie pulls Motheater’s lifeless body out of a river, only for Motheater to shortly regain consciousness and proclaim herself a witch. So that’s quite the start to a story. From there, we learn about the common interest of the two women in a mountain called Kire, which has been mined by the people of Kiron. People have mysteriously disappeared during the mining operation, including Bennie’s best friend, and well… Motheater came out of Kire. From here we embark on a journey of saving the mountain from the town, and saving the townsfolk from the mountain. Motheater slowly remembers her past as a witch in Appalachia, and works together with Bennie and Bennie’s ex-boyfriend Zach to handle the consequences of mining the mountain. In the meantime, Motheater has to come to terms with awakening in the modern world, while trying to remember who she was before so that she can regain her full powers. There is magic and love and adventure.

As cool as it all sounds, I really wanted to enjoy the story more than I did. Honestly, the pacing was just hard to get through, and the language didn’t help. While the story jumped right in with Bennie finding Motheater and almost instantly accepting that she had found a witch (a bit too quickly really), from then on the writing style was just a bit slow and even the climax was a bit of a trudge to read through instead of the epic finale it should have read as. It’s hard to put a finger on what exactly was off about it, but nothing seemed to happen quickly. That being said, it made for a nice slower read and had some ideas about the effects of mining on the environment vs the need for mining for the community which were interesting. I think I liked the idea for the novel a bit more than I enjoyed the execution, but it was still rather entertaining overall.

Well written. Darkish witchy fantasy! Different and weird - in a good way, and percfert for the upcomning spooky season.
Lots of mystery and a two story timeline that keeps you hooked.
Love det characteres development!

I truly adored this book. I think this is the first piece of Appalachian fiction that I've read, and and now I want to read more!

Bennie, a Black woman in the fictional town of Kiron in the Appalachians, is trying to find proof that White Rock Mining Company's unsafe labor practices are killing miners. When she finds a near-dead white lady in the mud of the riverbanks, she brings the stranger home and discovers her new guest isn't what she seems. Motheater is an Appalachian Neighbor who can do real magic with nature, and she doesn't remember her given name or how she ended up at the river, but she knows that she needs to stop the mining companies that are hurting Kire Mountain.

We alternate between a modern Kiron and a late 1800s one that is only starting to negotiate with the big mining companies. This book is deeply Appalachian, with its mining, small town community, and folklore. You can feel the love that Bennie, Motheater, and our author have for this region. The way that these mining companies killed its workers while stripping the land bare, leaving behind poor communities who might not have enough money to ever leave to find better opportunities. This is a beautiful story of love and revenge and fighting for those you love.

Also, this quote made me laugh: "Motheater was a centuries-old witch carved out of the mountain. She wasn't exactly available."

This book comes out on my birthday, and I think it's going to be my birthday gift to myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington/Erewhon for this ARC.

Beneathea "Bennie" Mattox has sacrificed everything to find out what is killing the miners on Kire Mountain. She finds a woman named Motheater, a witch of the Appalachian, who can't remember anything other than that she is a witch. They work to find Motheater's memories and try to change the fate of the mining town.

When I seen witch of Appalachian, in the synopsis, I was sold on this book. I was so excited to read it. I really enjoyed it. The way we get to see Motheater's past was well done. The magic and the history of the town and Kire Mountain were interesting to read. It is beautifully written, I could see the mountain setting perfectly.
I did find some of the chapters really long, which isn't my favorite thing. I also felt like there were some things that they kept going over, which I felt took away from the story a bit.

I received this as an ARC ebook from #netgalley .

Benny is a Black woman living in a small Appalachian mountain town, working to expose a crooked mining company after the death of her best friend. She comes across a barely breathing witch, Motheater, who is out of time from the 1880s, freed from inside a mountain during a mining expansion. 150 years later, they are bound by the same vow: to stop the deaths on the mountain.

A dark folk tale with a splash of fantasy elements, this story fails to deliver on its own message: anti-capitalist? Anti-progress? Or perhaps suggesting that progress is sometimes necessary at the expense of the environment? The sapphic elements would have been more enjoyable had they given both Motheater and Benny any real chemistry, rather than just a lot of internal pining. The queer and BIPOC elements, along with the impacts of living in a small, highly religious, and primarily white town, are mostly glossed over. It’s a hodgepodge of themes but never fully fleshed out enough for the reader to sink their teeth into.

This book was fine—it took some incredible folklore and delivered a novel that highlights an often overlooked demographic, leading to my own deep dives into Appalachian history. 3/5 stars.

Honestly, this was a great labor focused sapphic take on the people trying to save their town from the coal company, with a side of Appalachian and Bible focused witchcraft, and I'd definitely read more from this author in the future.

Amidst the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, Benethea "Bennie" Mattox discovers a half-drowned woman, later known as Motheater, shrouded in mystery. The Motheater is the last ridge witch but is suffering from amnesia. Bennie has been investigating the death of her friend after a coal mining accident. Bennie is convinced it is the mining company's fault, but Motheater believes something more sinister is happening on the mountain. They work together to reveal the truth.

Bennie's character is profoundly empathetic and morally driven, adding layers to her quest as she navigates through personal loss and the more significant battle between nature and industry. She is willing to blow up her life to find the truth. Motheater brings a magical element and a connection to the land that balances the industrial life of the time. The dynamic between Bennie and Motheater is complex and tender. The pacing could be faster and more varied, but it doesn't ruin the read. Overall, this Sapphic fantasy book is a beautifully crafted story.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing, Erewhon Books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing a copy in exchange for a review.

Motheater is an enchanting tale set in Appalachia, riddled with the past of the region and wondrous magic. It paints stories of beautiful landscapes, troubling circumstances, and those who may be able to reclaim what they once believed was lost forever. The changing in points of remaining in the third person, helps round out the narrative without it becoming confusing, as well as keeping the narration reliable. There are certain areas of the story that could benefit from a change in pace, either somewhat lagging or rushing, but the full story flows and comes to a fulfilling conclusion nonetheless. It may take some time to full develop your interest in the full story, but once you do, you'll want to see it through to the end. It is an interesting read if you are interested in fantasy with nature intertwined in the narrative.

hank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book to read. This took a while for me to get into and this is completely out of the norm of what I read. I think the bad first is that the word “motheater” was said at least 1000 times it was over kill, we get it we know who you’re referring too.
Also, a lot of the book was the same thing happening it needed to move at a quicker pace it wouldn’t have ruined the plot. Not to completely ruin the spoilers as I read a review and someone hit right on the nail but one of the parts it seems like motheater is an ethereal “being” not a human so to speak she’s hundreds of years old and I do love LGBTQ books but that part seemed a stretch. All in all I enjoyed this book and would rate it 3.5 stars and I would be curious to read something else in the future from this author.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This 416-page book features magical realism in the Appalachian mountains. Motheater is a witch out of time from the 1880s freed from the inside of a mountain during a mining expansion. Benny found her bottom at the bottom of a creek, presumably discarded by the mining company in an attempt to cover it up.

Benny has been looking to take down the mining company after they caused and covered up the death of her best friend. She and Motheater team up to get the witch’s true name (and thus her memory) back so she can soothe the mountain and stop the deaths.

This book is fast-paced and frenetic with multiple POV and a lively cast of characters. 4/5 Stars

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This was a nice book, I must admit. The writing was beautiful, enchanting even. It really transported me into the story, even though I was at times annoyed by the typos. I think the book delivered what it promised, however, I assume I wanted something more. Something outstanding, that certain spark to make me scream into the void about it.

Bennie's quick willingness to believe that Motheater was a witch seemed a bit weird and despite knowing that set up the story, I would've liked a bit more questioning. I loved Motheater. With my whole heart. The flashbacks were definitely my favourite part of this book, but that might be because I usually prefer the 1800's setting to modern times.

The romance was nice too. I rooted for our two main characters. They had chemistry and I love me a good wlw relationship.

There are not many things I can say about this. It was okay, but as I said it didn't have that something. Though, it gives off witchy vibes and I appreciated that.

love the setting, the characters were fascinating and i was invested the whole time. it dragged for a bit but it recovered quickly enough that i didnt get the urge to put it down for too long and i was always excited to pick it back up

Appalachia in all its glory with its unique magic and sleeping titan is something I hadn’t encountered prior reading Motheater but somehow this entire book made me fall in love with it.
Benny, Motheater, Zach and Jasper are strong main characters as in that they stand out a lot in their own ways which just makes me like them so much. All of them try to save Kiron from the awaken titan who has been sleeping in the form of Kire Mountain. All while Motheater tries to remember, all while some souls fall in love and all while the things you love, need to be protected most.

It was an adventure, a beautiful one.

I love this book! The supernatural seamlessly intertwines with the everyday, creating a narrative that is both eerie and captivating. Codega expertly blends the otherworldly elements into the fabric of the real world, making them feel both believable and integral to the story. The supernatural in this book isn't just an add-on; it's deeply woven into the plot and characters, enhancing the suspense and mystery at every turn.

The setting is another standout aspect of the novel. Codega’s descriptive writing brings the environment to life, making it almost a character in its own right. The locations are so vividly portrayed that you can almost feel the textures, smell the air, and hear the subtle sounds that create an atmosphere rich in detail and mood. The world of "Motheater" is immersive, drawing the reader in with its palpable sense of place.

Overall, "Motheater" is a well-crafted tale that balances the supernatural with a richly described setting, creating a story that lingers long after the final page. If you're looking for a novel where the supernatural feels real and the setting is brought to life with skillful detail, this book is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The first thing that needs to be said about this book is that it really is very pretty. The descriptions of the setting are perfect, and really do evoke a sense of being in the mountains with the characters. The landscapes read beautifully, and the setting absolutely fits the story well. Sadly, I just didn't find that I really enjoyed the characters in terms of them being fleshed out, and I did feel that there was just too much clutter in the story.

I also just felt like there was a lot of ground that was trodden over more than once in the book, and the characters seemed to be responding to the same actions over and over again. I think there's the bones of a great story in here, but I didn't get as much of a sense of it as I would have hoped. I also just feel like I could have had a lot more of a connection to the book if there was a solid thread of a narrative throughout, instead of the patchy approach to the events of the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley & the Publisher for allowing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was interesting! It was different than I thought it would be but for the better. It's got a really solid, unique take on an Appalachian folklore/magic & I really appreciated that.

The concepts of magic, how it works, what it does, etc. is so down to Earth realistic it's almost uncanny. It really makes you wish you could walk out in the woods and just barter with nature for favors. Ugh. However, something about the way the novel begins had me thinking "is this actually a murder mystery novel?" And that vibe never fully went away. This was probably just a "me" thing but it did feel a little odd, like I was expecting to uncover a greater mystery that never appeared.

I do think the characters and the plot were a little bland. From time to time I would feel the story dragging. I also wasn't a fan of the relationship in the book, it felt a little shoehorned in, though not un-likeable.

Overall a very solid 4 stars!

Motheater follows Benny, she used to work for the town's mining company but it killed her best friend. Now she is restlessly investigating and is convinced the company is knowingly killing people and she will do anything to stop it. And then one day she stumbles upon an amnesic half-dead woman who proclaims herself a witch and tells her it's not the mining company, it's the mountain. Kire is alive and pissed at being mined into. And they must find a way to stop it before it's too late.

Motheater is definitely an atmospheric novel. The way Codega crafts her setting and sentences is impeccable. And yet, I found myself struggling to finish the novel. I honestly think it was just fine. Every trope and concept used sounds excellent : folk horror, messy witchcraft, words of power, chaotic bisexuals... but I found the execution lacking. Maybe I just did not get the writing style but I just couldn't fully get into it. Moreover I found that the flashbacks about Motheater's past were clunky and hindered the pacing of the story. Motheater's past and life are very interesting it just did not fit well into the flow of the story. Also it was weird to learn everything about her before she could remember it herself.

I think it is a fine book if you like slow and atmospheric horror novels. Bonus points because the ending was very strong and the romance was cute.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book.

You can find my reviews on Goodreads, The Storygraph, and Fable.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book!

"Motheater" might honestly be my favourite book that I've read since discovering NetGalley. This story feels like a Mike Flanagan show in book form and I loved every second of it. All the bits of folklore scattered throughout the story made me feel like I was reading a fairytale with some of the most loveable characters as protagonists. The care and love with wich Codega wrote them and the discourse surrounding mining companies and how they affect Appalachia brought me to tears! I highly recommend this book to anyone that still isn't over the ending of The Haunting of Bly Manor!