Motheater had a lot of things about it that I loved: the setting, the language, the organic magic and the interesting plot where a mountain is a character. I've never read anything involving like this and enjoy it, for the most part.

What really didn't work for me was the romance. It felt rushed as if it was added at the last minute as a way to get an emotional reaction at the end (which it didn't). I had a hard time getting an idea for Motheater's appearance (at first, I thought she was old, but later, I think it said she was 28?), but all I really need to say is that she has moths perpetually in her hair and pointed teeth. With very little conversation or relationship building, Bennie is completely down bad and cannot stop fantasizing about fucking Motheater. Also, Motheater cannot remember her actual name, so you have to read the name "Motheater" like ten thousand times, and it's so annoying at a certain point. I really wish Motheater was just a nickname and that she went by her actual name for most the novel.

With some tweaks and maybe a little more time, this could have been a 4-star book for me. I think the romance needed work (or to be ditched) so readers could focus more on the story. The setting and idea of a mountain essentially fighting back against industry are so cool, and I found the magic to be really enticing to read about.

3 stars. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a bit of a different read for me— I don’t often find myself reaching for “witchy” books, but the unique setting and description left me wanting to give it a try… and I am glad I did. For a debut novel, I thought this book was excellent! This author’s writing flowed in an almost lyrical way; I loved their way with words. The characters were complex and flawed, making them feel real and easy to “connect” with (even if I didn’t feel like I especially liked some of them). The writer’s own admiration for nature really shines through, and I loved the imaginativeness of the entire story and villain.
What didn’t work for me? That said, some of the rules of the magic in this book felt almost too complicated, and I’m not sure I completely understand it all; at some point I decided to stop trying to get my brain around it and just ran with it. Witchy stories aren’t usually in my wheelhouse, so I’m not sure I was ever going to be the perfect reader, but I really enjoyed the ride and the fresh story unlike anything I’ve read before.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to check out this great debut early!

I have initially been wondering if this was a 4 or 5 stars read, but I am going to round it up, because I felt really, really captured by the story.
The prose was beautiful, and Motheater? THIS is exactly my kind of witch, strange creature from another century found inside a mine.
Past and present were very smartly woven in this book, and I mean, the mountain as a sentient entity got me to shiver. Especially when a lot of the book happens in the mines.
All the characters were so relatable (characters from the 18th/19th century discovering the 21st are my soft spot) and the relationship between Bennie and Motheater felt so natural! The ending... I have been longing for this sort of conclusion for ages, so I'd say this book is an amazing discovery!
Honestly, I have not been gripped by a book this way since some time, would 100% recommand.

Motheater by Linda H. Codega weaves a spellbinding tale that blends mystery, horror, and queer romance in the evocative setting of Kiron. Bennie's pursuit of justice against her former coal mining employer unfolds against a backdrop of Appalachian folklore and ancient magic. The prose is mesmerizing, immersing readers in the lush descriptions of nature and the town's dialect-rich atmosphere. While the complexity of the magic system may challenge some, its connection to nature adds a fresh twist to the story. The repeated use of Motheater's name throughout the narrative becomes grating, serving as a distracting annoyance rather than adding to the story's impact.

I don't think this book is for EVERYONE, but I think it accomplished what it set out to accomplish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with this digital ARC.
The cover sure is stunning, and the premises were nonetheless: a woman seeks vengeance for her best friends death investigating mining operations in Appalachia, and suddenly, she stumbles upon a witch who is tied to the mountain people have been disappearing in for the past twenty years. But she has no memories, only fragments of her power, and she need to regain both in order to control the mountain and satiate their thirst for revenge against the human that have been hurting her by excavating into her flesh.
This book is about the environment, corporations, capitalism, love, found family. The witchy parts, with the flashback to Motheater life 150 years ago were the most compelling to me, with an enthicing portrayal of paganism and religion and magic all intertwined to generate power coming and going to nature. Motheater and Esther, the same person but in two different timeline, is densely described, from the birth of her powers to her relations, her link to Kiron and the mountain Kire, her bargains, her fight against progress as a whole concept which, in depth, goes against mining. Such an evolution is not granted to Bennie, our other FMC: she followed love and got to Kiron, she lost a supposed best friend in the mountain, she lost her job because she wants to find the truth and ends up finding an even bigger truth she couldn't fathom. But I wanted to know more about her: who she was before Kiron, who she was with Zach and Kelly-Anne, because, in the end, her chacìracter struggles with her past and with her feelings for Motheater but I couldn't quite get what led her there. Her torments are mostly very well phrased interior monologues that tend to be repetitive towards half of the book, and I think Bennie deserved to be treated better.
I really enjoyed the portrayal of witches and their connections to nature, not sparing on even the most crude aspects of their practice, which made it believable, fascinating, and engaging. Perhaps, also a bit more on the nature of titans and a broader depiction of Appalachia would have helped, me being someone who has never been nor seen these places but only heard myths and legends surrounding them.
The ending was good, and overall I must say this is a well balanced book if taken as a whole - it's mostly Motheater and Esther who compensate for what lacks elsewhere, as stated before.
I liked it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Motheater follows two main characters, Bennie and Motheater, in an Appalachian mining town. When Bennie finds Motheater outside, she takes her in and learns the mystery behind a witch 100-plus years out of time, and her struggle with the mountain in the. town where more and more people seem to be going missing in "mining accidents."

I loved the writing in this book so much, and the book is a good speculative genre mix between folk horror and witchy fantasy. The narrative has some lighthearted moments, but ultimately is a heavy ecocritical tale, blending elements of folk horror and queer fantasy into an incredibly readable story. I enjoyed the characters a lot, and thought the dual timeline between Motheater in the present and Motheater in the past was a good narrative choice, with the reader uncovering the mysteries of the past along with Motheater in the present.

The only reason this isn't a true five star for me was at times the pacing felt a little off, with certain sections where a lot happened, and then stretches where not as much happened, and chapters occasionally felt slow to get through. The payoff was definitely worth it though, as I really appreciated the heft to the messaging of the ending.

Would 100% pick up anything from this author in the future. Beautiful writing, great narrative/characters, and interesting plot.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book! The author clearly knows a lot of about Appalachian culture and the myths/stories from those communities. I did not know much about them prior to this book, so it was fascinating to learn about. It really helped set the scene for the book and place the reader in this small town. I also loved the dual setting of past and present, it was an interesting way to have the story unfold and also provide the reader with answers as to what was going on. It didn't give too much away to fast, but was revealed at a good pace. I loved that the romance here was really subtle, it didn't distract from the story but did add to it but being there in the background.

My only issue was the ending. It felt a little lackluster in comparison to the rest of the book. However, I still really enjoyed getting to read Motheater!

Thank you kindly to Kensington Publishing and Linda Codega for providing me with an ARC to read and review. I truly appreciate the opportunity.

This was a truly wonderful read. Like so many books that I've read before, I went into it expecting one thing, and got an entirely different thing, but this book really held its own, even being different than what I expected and honestly what I wanted to read. I expected a witchy romance with a small amount of some not-so-important plot about mountains and mining to remind me just enough that there was SOME plot. I certainly didn't expect the journey of hurt, struggle and healing that I received.

Codega is a fantastic writer. Their command over words is amazing. I got swallowed up in this world; felt the excitement, the tension, the fear and love and grief all the characters were feeling.

The cast of characters was small, but the few that did show up in the books were so well written. They were pretty well rounded, interesting and fun to read about. Bennie, our main character, of course got the most development, and she was a delight to read. She just felt so real - all her thoughts and fears laid bare for us to take in, and I loved that. She was a character I really became invested in.

The banter between characters was great throughout the book. It made me laugh a lot, particularly the banter between Bennie and Motheater. The dialogue was so great throughout, too. Codega is great at writing very natural dialogue and including enough colloquialisms to set the characters apart from baseline boring without it making me feel like I was reading a totally different language.

I enjoyed the plot a lot. It's an issue that probably should have more traction in the world, and be spoken about far more than it is. I admit, I had little knowledge or interest in the dangers of mining, even with family in the industry, before reading this book, Framing the issue in a book like this could help it reach a wider audience and bring more attention and discussion about.

The magic system was quite interesting to read about. It wasn't super detailed, but it was good nonetheless. I did really enjoy both Motheater and Jasper lamenting the lack of easily available scrying fodder. I wholeheartedly support Jasper and his chicken coop!

My favourite part of this book was the romance, even if there wasn't a huge amount of it. I enjoyed both potential romantic avenues, but did have a favourite. Bennie's developing feelings were so much fun to read. It felt like a much needed sweet and wholesome distraction from the deeper darker plot. Seeing their relationship go from wariness, to friendship, to a crush to love gave me butterflies. As a voracious romance reader, I wanted more of it because we as people are never satisfied, but I didn't feel unhappy at all that this book didn't give me more. The romance wasn't the main focus, and that was more than okay because I loved what I did get. The romance is sweet, well-paced, naturally developed, and queer to boot. I loved what I read.

Overall this was an amazing read - my favourite of the year so far. The writing was fantastic, the characters compelling, the romance sweet. I'm very glad to have been given the chance to read it. Thank you again to Kensington Publishing and Linda Codega.

Thank you Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I came for the cover and stayed for the atmosphere. I thought I was in for a whimsical witch core tale, but in actuality it holds a whole lot more. The book follows Bennie, recently fired and single, in a small Appalachian mining town. Bennie pulls a half-drowned woman out of a creek and quickly realizes there is something more to this woman than meets the eye. They might be able to work together and bring down the mining company that may be behind the mysterious deaths of miners in the area. This fantasy, set in both the past and present, has ancient magic, serpent sermons, and a mountain awakening to claim what was taken from it. As the reader, you can feel the passion the author poured into this novel. It was a pleasure to read and I am excited to see future projects from the author.

Motheater is about nature fighting back against humanities overconsumption of naturally limited resources.

There are several things that worked very well with me but also a lot that definitely did not. Let's start out with the positive things:

I loved the setting and the very beautiful, if haunting, descriptions of nature. I think here lies the overall power of the book. The scientific and interest that the author shows in nature, flora and fauna, and the destruction that we cause. I could've read a hundred more pages about these topics and not have grown bored of it.

I also very much enjoyed is the overall atmosphere that was kept and brought closer through descriptions rather than spoken words by the characters. Like I said earlier, most of the time, the feeling was very haunting and bleak which gave a the book a great, somewhat unique, presence.

Things I did not like:

The writing when it wasn't description.
What I mean is the characters dialog or thoughts. The modern slang just didn't appeal to me and felt very awkward and clunky in the setting that otherwise felt eerie and uncomfortable.

Both characters felt rather distant and flat to me. Bennie and Motheater often felt lost, like they've lost all the agency that they constantly talk about. Also, the amount of times that the name "Motheater" is written is just obscene and felt so chewed out 100 pages in. More often than not Bennie and Motheater blurred together, like they're the same character with very minor changes.

I would not recommend this book to my friends but I don't regret reading it either. I will probably check out what the author comes up with next since this is their debut.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Publishing and Linda H. Codega for an eCopy of this ARC.

Linda Codega's "Motheater" is an absolute triumph. It is rich, decadent, and dripping in Appalachian culture and climate activism. Appalachia has long been storied and personified, but Codega's depiction is one so genuine and heartfelt that it bleeds with you. The plot pacing is stellar, each character real and true and individual, and the writing itself shows a level of mastery that is rare. Only someone who has lived and breathed and loved Appalachia their entire life could have written this story.

This was great. It rare I'm able to find stories about the Appalachian Mountains in the fantasy genre and so finding this one was great. I think the world that was presented and the characters were so much fun to read and I greatly enjoyed it.

I just returned from an adventure, feeling like I might not be entirely the same person. Witnessing this character's journey and growth has left me deeply moved. Getting to know all the characters has been both heartbreaking and enriching. Despite the emotional rollercoaster, I wouldn't hesitate to experience it all over again. The author skillfully weaved history into the narrative, making the story not only captivating but also educational. It felt effortless to immerse myself in their world, as if I were growing and learning alongside the characters. This book has undoubtedly earned a permanent spot on my recommendation list. However, now that I've finished it, I find myself in a reading slump, searching for a new adventure that can transport me like this one did. I'm afraid I won't find anything quite as captivating. Moreover, I'm anxious about the next book; how can the author surpass or even maintain the momentum of this one? I'm on edge, holding my breath in anticipation. I'm determined to acquire every version of this story as a token of gratitude for the journey it took me on. Thank you for sharing this remarkable story with me.

Thanks to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for my first ARC book!

I knew of Linda Codega from their time in the D&D spotlight, and was excited to give their book a try.

'Motheater' is an immersive story of witchcraft brought into the modern day, in the same part of America as 'Demon Copperhead' (which I loved). It follows Bennie, a queer Black woman, as she investigates disappearances surrounding a local mining operation.

I expected the novel to have a little more to say - about queerness, race, environmentalism, etc. - than it ultimately seemed to, sticking to surface level ideas. I wish Bennie could have been more personally connected to the region's past in different ways to strengthen some of these themes.

The other characters were good, though rarely felt as human as Bennie. Oddly, I think this might be the first 'Zach' I've read about and that was unique haha.

Another frustrating aspect of my experience was the combination of many typos with intentionally old language/phrasing. I usually enjoy adapting my mind to different forms of language (again, Demon Copperhead) but in this case I rarely knew what was written as intended vs. mispelled or had missing words.

Still a unique narrative clearly inspired by the author's passion and personal experience, and I enjoyed getting the chance to experience this story!

I saw Appalachia mountains and queer romance and I knew I had to read this book! There were so many interesting elements throughout including horror, queer romance, fantasy, and more!

Fun and engaging fantasy that provides a fascinating look at the Appalachians and their culture! Highly recommended to anyone who loves Americana fantasy! Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

While I give this book credit for a unique setting and some interesting ideas, ultimately, the story and characters don't rise to the occasion that the setting provides.

The story is set in a mining town in Appalachia and follows a young woman named Bennie, who post-breakup and post-job firing, finds a woman unconscious beside a river and decides to be a good samaritan and get her some help. The woman awakes and runs into the woods where Bennie follows, and she soon find out that she's a. actually a witch and b. from the 1800s. The woman doesn't know her real name, and only remembers a moniker of "Motheater". From there the book goes between present day with POVs either from Bennie or Motheater, and then POVs from Motheater when she lived in the past, as Esther.

I found myself liking the flashback sections a bit better, as the idea of a witch in Reconstruction era is an interesting one. The present-day setting is muddled, with the main character of Bennie going between her investigation of the mining company (which is quickly dropped) and driving Motheater around to places. There are lots of scenes of Motheater doing cool witch things, but I found them to be overwrought and too frequent. I wanted some more substance behind the magic.

The story is meandering and there's a supposed mystery (how did Motheater end up where she was?), but it's fairly obvious and the story leading up to it makes little sense. There's also a romance between Bennie and Motheater which makes even less sense. Motheater feels less like a person and more like an entity. She and Bennie barely talk and most of the time Bennie just watches her do some magical thing and then that's that. As the reader, we see the development of her character (sorta) through the flashbacks, but Bennie doesn't see that.

Also, the story seems to touch on some quasi-political concepts but doesn't really know where it stands. Is it anti-corporation? Anti-capitalism? Anti-mining? Anti-progress-in-general? Not that I'm asking for a fantasy book to be a diatribe, but I think you can explore political concepts in interesting ways, which this book fails at.

Overall, I did enjoy the setting and the concept of an Appalachian mountain witch. I kind of wish the author had just set the entire thing in the 1800s, as I just felt a lot more substance in those sections.

I was immediately enthralled into the story, characters and atmosphere from page one. I loved the earthy, pagan witchy vibe. The writing was so beautiful. You are really rooting for the sapphic love story. The ending was done well. There is a blue jay familiar!

The author used my name’s, Cassandra, meaning as a verb correctly and I’m honored to have come across that.

What I expected from this book: witchy fantasy. What I got: well-written literary fiction with fantasy, mystery, horror elements, and a sprinkle of queer romance.

The main character, Bennie, has been living and working in Kiron, a town in Appalachia known for "coal mining, oxy, and rockslides." From the first pages, we learn that Bennie is determined to bring the coaling company, her former employer, to justice, believing they are responsible for the deaths of dozens of workers, including her best friend. The novel starts when Bennie discovers a woman's body in a river – shockingly, she’s alive and is later revealed to be an ancient Appalachian witch who was buried alive in the mountain. If I would have been expecting a cutesy witch from my standard cozy fantasies, I might have been disappointed at this point. Luckily, my expectations were set by the title and the cover of the book already 🧙‍♀️

Highlights:
This was really well-written, especially for a debut novel. It was quite lyrical, with exceptional nature descriptions.
The sense of place was strong – the characters spoke the dialect, and the dual timeline of the town helped us get to know the locals and their beliefs much deeper.
The main characters, especially Motheater, were complex. I might not have understood their motivations all the time, but they felt genuine.
The atmosphere of this book was chilling, in the best way – the "witchiness," the wild ancient earthy magic, and the mountains that have stood for thousands of years added to this. Although not described as such, this story had strong horror vibes, I thought necessary for its impact. I also found myself with an unexpected phobia of mountains that could awaken? 🤓

What didn’t work for me:
The magic, while fascinating and fresh, felt too complex for me to keep understanding the rules and what was happening. I did like the connection of magical power from nature though – very pagan!
Motheater. The number of times the name "Motheater" was mentioned must be in the several hundreds throughout the book. The name was so overused that it felt intentional – if so, it didn’t work for me.
The ending. Reading is subjective, and different readers will react differently, but I didn’t feel the emotional impact of the ending, which was disappointing.

Final thoughts: I’d recommend this book if you’re interested in dark, atmospheric books or if you want to explore the themes of nature fighting back against overuse of its resources. Or if you like mountains.

Overall, for originality and the chills, I give this 4/5 ⭐.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bennie is not a native to the appalacian town. She came to this small mountain town for love. Bennie becomes suspicious that the mining operation is responsible for several deaths in toen, including her best friend. Now, her relationship is over, and her best friend is dead.
Enter Mothereater, a 200 year old Appalachian Witch who was found buried alive in the mountain and who doesn't remember her own name.

I was enraptured. The entire story drew me in, wrapped its roots around my heart, and fed my soul with its words. I love the close-knit Appalachian community, tales of Witches, and solving mysteries while falling in love. What's not to love?

Thank you to Kensington Imprint and Netgallery for the early release copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.