Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Motheater follows main character Bennie, a woman living in a fictional mining town in rural Appalachia, grieving the death of her closest friend after a supposed mining accident. I was instantly hooked by her Bennie’s personality and characterization, as well as by the setting (a first for me), and the themes of magic and the roll capitalism has on the destruction of the environment.

Esther’s narrative in the past was incredibly well written and such a unique take on magic. I loved her relationship with her friend Jasper, as well as the interweaving and coexistence of queer relationships and religion. Esther’s relationship with her father and the men of her town was tense and well done as well.

Bennie and Motheather’s relationship did feel a little rushed to me – but not to point that it disrupted by experience as a reader. I wish we had gotten a bit more of resolution with Bennie and her ex, Zach’s, relationship – as well as what happens with Jasper in the end.

While the ending fell a little flat for me, I loved the fantasy/horror/folktale atmosphere throughout the entire novel. I truly felt transported to Appalachia during different points in the region’s history, which is a huge testament to Codega’s writing. Looking forward to reading whatever they write next!

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Actual rating: 4.5

Linda H Codega (they/them) presents Motheater, a queer fantasy rooted in Appalachian folk magic and conjure. Readers follow Benethea "Bennie" Mattox as she seeks to discover what is causing miners to die on Kire Mountain. When Bennie finds an unconscious woman in the river, she quickly learns that the woman, Motheater, has lost her memory but not the power that ties her to the mountain. A dual timeline perspective follows Esther a century and a half earlier, fighting the same fight against industrial mining that Bennie fights in the present day. After so long enduring insult, the mountain is prepared to fight back.

I am a resident of Maryland who works in Virginia, but my inherited family homestead is in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Appalachian Virginia. My grandparents married on the Natural Bridge. The mountains that make up Appalachia are one of the settings I run to for peace and rest. I acknowledge that this book probably spoke to me in ways that wouldn't happen for people without those ties, but that makes it all the more special for me.

It is inherently obvious that Codega
has done solid research into the land and the culture of Virginian Appalachia. I have never before read a fiction book that so seamlessly weaves together the influences of the church and the land. The pacing of the book is slow and the writing is rich with description. It's a Southern drawl of a book. It can't be rushed and it has plenty to say, even if the message is only truly picked up on later reflection.

Bennie and Motheater are easy leads to follow through the disorientation of the woods and the wild. I appreciate that Codega let the book be naturally queer rather than forcing a front and center romance that would have been unnecessary and potentially detracted from the core plot.

My only real complaint was a bit of a fast wrapup at the end compared to the relatively steady build to that point. This ultimately was the reason for the half star deduction, but I have reason to think this story will take root and grow to be one I only love more over time. I have already pre-ordered a physical copy.

I am thrilled to have had the joy of reading this book and am even more excited to escape into the mountains. Looking forward to whatever Codega writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

Unfortunately, I had to DNF @ 30% :(

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. The pacing was too slow for me and it felt like at times it just dragged on. I also didn't find the characters that interesting nor relatable but that is not to say that the book was entirely bad. I liked the writing style, it flows nicely and it's easy to read and at times it has a poetic quality to it. The theme of the book is also interesting and current but it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

DNF @ 60%

I just couldn't get into this. The plot moved incredibly slowly, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when the pacing is slow I need to be able to care for the characters in order to be invested in the story. And I just couldn't connect to them. Bennie is just... there, I guess. She has a noble motivation of wanting to prevent more miners from dying on the mountain, but she's weirdly passive. Her narrative is heavily focused on helping Motheater, which makes sense, Motheater is supposed to be the big mystery, but it makes her own backstory feel kind of shallow and unexplored. Speaking of Motheater, I did not care for her at all. I couldn't help feeling annoyed by how she is so stubbornly against progress just because she wants to protect her mountain, but at the same time doesn't give a shit about the other mountains getting mined. (Or, like, the environment in general. She only cares about HER mountain, and that's it.) I also found the romance to be really forced. It was not necessary at all, and Bennie and Motheater have zero chemistry.

Anyway, I don't think this book is bad, it just really didn't work for me.

This book seemed right up my alley, mystical, dark and really atmospheric and then I was really disappointed while reading. I get what the author was trying to say and I appreciate the depth in which they went about this but the book just couldn't retain my attention. I never felt particularly interested in the unraveling of the story, nothing gripped me and with this my time slot on netgalley ran out and I couldn't finish the book.

“And then, under her hand, Bennie felt Kire breathe.”
3.25☆|5

Sometimes there are books out there that you want to read so much and that look really nice, and full of potential. So you try and try, but for some reason, it just doesn’t entirely make it. I fear that Motheater by Linda H. Codega might fall into that category for me.

I wouldn't say that I have disliked it, but let's say that I was expecting to love it and that instead I simply liked it. However, I don't have big issues with this book; if anything, I have positive things to say.

First, I really, really liked the setting and the story ideas. The themes of nature and witches were interesting, and it was really nice to read! Likewise, I really liked some characters. I had some troubles with Bennie at some point — she seemed a bit… inconsistent somehow? — but I have ended up liking her as well. And Motheater, oh dear gods. I adore her. She was bewitching, lacking better terms, and I think the flashbacks were my favourite parts of the novel. Also, for some unknown reasons, I really liked Jasper; he seemed nice!

The point that is responsible for the fact that this hasn't done it for me was probably the pacing. The author had everything. A charming plot idea; good characters; their writing is fascinating and makes you want to go deep down into the book, but it seemed to me that the main problem was the pacing. The first half was… a bit slow? It took me a really long time to get into this book, and it's a shame because the potential was there! I really got into it for the 2nd half, and yet, I have found some parts to go too fast. But it was mostly the slowness that broke it for me, preventing me from fully entering the plot.

But also, I do think that this is Codega's debut novel, therefore I am still looking forward to their next one, as I really liked their writing style and the way they constructed their plot. I do believe that some people can and will enjoy this book. In fact, I did enjoy it, just less than I thought I would. So I would still recommend it, somehow. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC, this one goes out on January 21st!

I have a lifelong love for Southern Appalachian, so I may be slightly biased! This was a delightful magical and queer story with strong anti-opression/ anti-capitalist vibes.

I ended up reading it in like two and a half days because I wanted to see what would happen. The author does a wonderful job of giving you an inkling of where the story will go while still throwing some curve balls on the specifics.

Overall I highly recommend it!

Having relations with Appalachian ties and strong feelings about "Appalachia spooky" stereotypes, I came into this witchy fantasy with some skepticism. I think it borders on that "heir to hillbilly Hogwarts" territory at times but is ultimately rooted in a respect for the natural world and good representation.

That representation extends to a Black heroine, a major character with Native heritage, and some absolutely primo queer longing, though I do think the story leans too far into romance.

There are moments of excitement and intrigue throughout the book, but a need to continuously up the stakes makes the ending spiral a bit out of control. The final 10-20% of the book felt very different from the vibey dark fantasy I'd been loving.

And I do think dark fantasy is the term. Some readers consider this horror-tinged, a kind of Appalachian Gothic and I see where they're coming from, but those elements of darkness and suspense don't go so far as to justify a horror subgenre in my eyes. At many points, I felt like this was an edgier, Appalachian Weyward.

There are prominent themes of man vs. nature, and thoughtful about the distinction between community and industry. The author uses language to strong effect, given the setting and history informing the story. The characters are deep and well-crafted. The plot is just a bit rocky at times... er, pun not intended.

3.75 rounded up

CW: a few brief moments of self-harm, animal death (snakes, baby possum)

This was an absolute masterpiece showing the power of love, speaking intention, and the acceptance of grief. I finished this book the last day of the year and it easily became my favorite read of 2024. This rewrote my entire being twice over and broke my soul in the very best of ways.

There is a very strong religious undertone present here, but I didn’t feel it to be preachy or over the top. Instead, it added a deep level of mysticism and familiarity to the plot, one that I found myself loving over and over again. The magic system is one that I can confidently say is the most unique one that I have ever experienced in a novel. This is deep Appalachia at its core- it’s gritty, it’s powerful and it is filled with love and mystery. It took a while to grasp onto the concept since it is also very philosophical, but the more we learn about Motheater the deeper we dive into the mountain of both her life and her magic call to Kire Mountain.

I fell in love with these those two quicker than they did themselves. Both are so unique and at times worlds apart, but both have deep and unfathomable pain that brings them together. It is very slow burn, but I loved every moment of Bennie’s falling for Moth and how she tries to gain traction on not catching feelings. She fails but of course it’s cute 😂

The overall plot in itself was a masterpiece. I really like the split timeline between my theater’s life before and after bunny and I think it brought so much depth to the story. Prepared to be confused till about 50% of the way through, but I promise everything makes sense the end, and it is a journey in itself to discover the end of their story.

I asked for this from NetGalley when I saw it in the Aardvark picks for the month because it sounded right up my alley--witchy, creepy Appalachian fiction? Bring it on. Unfortunately, I am going to DNF at 10%. My head about snapped around when the author identified Bennie as Black because nothing about her had indicated that she was Black up until that point, and I was pretty sure the author was not Black. You don't necessarily have to have a certain identity to write about it, but I think being Black in Appalachia would require a lot of care and sensitivity readers to do well if that's not your lived experience. From reading other reviews, this is not the case here.

**My thanks to Kensington Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy via Netgalley**

5 stars

<i> Motheater </i> is one of the best books I read in 2024, a spellbinding saga of Appalachian folk magic and the place of tradition in a modernizing world. Appalachia is shown to be an ancient place deserving of respect, as are the hardy people who inhabit its hills and mountains.

The approachable but beautiful prose made me feel like I was right there on Kire mountain with these characters. Bennie is a richly drawn woman I found myself consistently rooting for, and Motheater—the half-dead witch she inadvertently scoops up—is endlessly fascinating. Her magic is based in bargains with the natural world, and every bit of power or profit extracted from that world has its price. The stakes feel weighty, and the setting itself comes alive.

I can’t praise <i> Motheater </i> enough. Between the characters, the awe-inspiring setting, and the impressive groundedness of the story despite its magical roots, this has become a new favorite.

This was beautifully written but was slow paced and slightly too slow for me. "Esther had come into her life like a hurricane, but had left it bigger, more expansive." I loved Bennie and Moths relationship how one was soft where the other hard. I enjoyed seeing Esther and Jaspers story too. I liked the ending but i wish we had a slightly different one but I liked the message it gave. Love is enough.

This had a lot of potential but just didn’t seem to get there. It felt like it didn’t really know what it wanted to be which ended up being messy and strange. The whole thing was all over the place.

The characters felt very flat and the relationships were shallow. I expected more spookiness from Motheater but instead her character and actions seemed a bit ridiculous at times, verging on humour.

Perhaps my expectations for this book were unrealistic for what it was. I wanted spooky Appalachian mountain witch vibes with a bit of romance but I felt like I got Sabrina.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for my eARC.

An immediately gripping tale of capitalism vs nature on the surface, this book delves deep into Appalachian tradition and the myths and legends we surround ourselves with in modern society, as well as our capacity to love. It's a deeply felt and hopeful book. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started and I loved it.

A visceral and unearthly venture in the subtle horror of the Appalachian Mountains and the might of those who will not be consumed by capitalism.
When a woman turns up from inside the bedrock of a mine on Kire mountain, Bennie seeks her out, searching for answers to her friend who died in that mine, and the mining company covered it up. Motheater has lost her mind to the mountain, why she was imprisoned and what happened to her a century ago. Together the pair work to restore Motheater’s mind and magic, to save the mine and small town of Kiron from the ire of the mountain Kire, who will bite back at those to seek to plumb its depths.
This appeared to be a beautiful haunting tale, and the early part of the book really does give a sense of the unearthly, as speculative twists amp up the horror of what has been done in this small mountainous town, and what will come next. I enjoyed the rich writing style, thought it did end up becoming repetitive, but bogging down in it’s prose towards the midway point and ending.
The opening story arc with the two perspectives of Motheater and Bennie was then infused with a third arc, Esther, though it was clear from the start that Esther was Motheater before she lost her memories. Shuffling between these perspectives started out well, but became increasingly confusing especially when at several points the narrative isn’t from the right character for that chapter.
The romantic arc of the story between Motheater and Bennie spent about 70% of the book being hinted at and then ended up becoming a central theme to the story’s climax which didn’t sit well with the flow of the story. Bennie’s drive to support Motheater, and who ends up liking her, seems more an observation of awe towards Motheater’s power, and not out of a growing love. Mothewater/Esther herself spends a large portion at the start of the story being rather arrogant and presumptuous to the point of making her almost unlikeable. She also doesn’t appear to think on Bennie very much until the climax of the book, her interest tied to a character from her past. There are many character interactions, and some flashbacks that don’t seem pertinent to the plot, such as when Esther goes to visit a witch in another town.
On that note the magic and world building around it shifts across the book and isn’t always clear. I did love the blend of traditional “witch” magic with bones and herbs and scrying, whilst adding in the more biblical psalms, creating a vivid imagery of how strongly witchcraft is tied to will. But too many times Motheater has nothing left or can’t remember her magic, but somehow still uses magic to solves her problems.
I was also concerned over the portrayal of one of the main characters as black, with references to police and her braids that appeared in the story rather randomly, didn’t make sense, and then was never referred to again.
Ultimately the story here becomes sacrificed to the prose lending itself a more literary air. Rich, lyrical as it was, with a world building in it’s magic systems that struggled to deliver clearly and concisely. I wanted very much to love this story but couldn’t due to the execution of the book’s ending.

Lush, thought-provoking, and eerily enchanting. “Motheater” is a rural fantasy that reads like folklore, woven with mystery and sapphic romance. I was obsessed right from the first page. The writing is incredible - full of rich imagery and profound prose. The subtle horror elements and the portrayal of magic + witchcraft were superb.

I love the two protagonists. The moment Bennie pulled feral-seeming Motheater out of the river, I knew I was in for a unique treat. I found both Bennie and Motheater’s personal goals and histories to be really interesting, complex, and authentic. Also, I enjoyed the romance that gradually blooms between them. It was really sweet seeing them grow closer, exchanging tender touches and helping each other emotionally. It wasn’t always smooth sailing - they had moments of tension and disagreement that made the situation more believable and enticing. And they had some silly moments too that made me laugh out loud. Overall, I got butterflies (moths?) reading it.

Moreover, this book has a heavy focus on the impact of industrialism and corporate greed on the environment. It’s a nuanced conflict between the unyielding, ever-growing ferocity of modern industry against the deeply-rooted might of nature’s magic. (The ending was rather bittersweet, but I can understand why.) The side characters were fleshed out well and contributed to the development of the conflict in interesting ways. And I cannot state enough how impressively the author describes the natural world. You can tell they really did their research. The mountains, the culture, etc. - the author definitely has a deep love and understanding of it, which is reflected in such a mesmerizing way through their writing.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC! I want to note the copy I had (which I obtained August 2023) had some typos, and I believe chapter 33 was in Bennie's POV but labelled as Motheater's. I imagine these will be resolved by the time this is finally published, but wanted to mention it just in case.

Motheater is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve read the last page. Set in the hauntingly beautiful Appalachian Mountains, it’s a queer fantasy that feels deeply rooted in both history and the land itself. The story centers on Bennie Mattox, a tough, determined woman grieving the loss of her best friend in a mining accident. Bennie’s search for answers leads her to something—or rather, someone—she never expected: a strange woman who calls herself Motheater.

Motheater isn’t just any woman; she’s a witch with ties to the mountain’s past, though she can’t remember much of it. What she does know is that she was bound to protect the land, and her failure to do so still haunts her over a century later. Together, Bennie and Motheater find themselves caught in a battle between industry and nature, with the choices they make threatening to change their entire community.

What really stood out to me was the way the book captured the soul of Appalachia. The mountains felt alive, almost like characters themselves, and the way the author blended local folklore with fantasy was seamless. You can feel the tension between the beauty of the land and the destruction caused by coal mining. The story doesn’t shy away from these hard truths, and that makes it feel raw and real.

Bennie is such a strong, relatable character. She’s flawed and stubborn, but she’s also brave and loyal, which makes her the perfect counterbalance to Motheater’s otherworldly, mysterious vibe. Their relationship is one of the highlights of the book—a mix of mistrust, chemistry, and a slow-growing understanding that’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

If I had to critique anything, I’d say the pacing drags a bit in the middle. There are moments where it feels like the story gets caught up in its own atmosphere, but honestly, I didn’t mind too much. It gave me time to soak in the world and really connect with the characters.

Motheater was a thrilling story that ensnared the reader with it's mystery and witchy presence enveloped in an Appalachian setting. I adored Motheater, it's characters were easy to root for and the story pulled me in. I'm excited to read more worlds and characters inspired by Linda Codega.

3.75 stars out of 5.

Thank you to Netgalley and x for for the free copy of this book and the opportunity to read it before release.

Motheater is one of those books you pick up because you like the cover, and the synopsis sounds intriguing enough for you to hope for a hidden gem of a story. On many points the book does deliver exactly this; a fantasy and horror with a lot of folklore elements set against an Appalachian backdrop with a lot of important themes discussed and shown as the story progresses.

When Bennie’s best friend dies in Kire Mountain, Bennies decides to take matters into her own hand and find out what’s killing the miners. During one of her expeditions to uncover more clues, she finds a half-drowned woman in a dirty mine slough and brings her with. Simply because it’s the right thing to do. Instead it brings yet another mystery to Bennie’s front door, as the woman can’t remember her true name, nor how she’s gotten there. All that is known to her, is the name Motheater, that she is a witch and that she has a connection to the mountain. Suddenly uncovering the deaths of Kire Mountain isn’t just about getting justice for the lost, but also about uncovering Motheater’s memories.

In many ways Motheater is very good at creating an atmosphere and a culture I would expect in a smaller, disconnected town. It’s hard to say how realistic it is, because my cultural reference point is different to the American one, but as an outsider looking in, I think the book does a very good job at not being too shallow in its intended audience, while still having things strewn in, I would assume, would be smaller love letters to the area the book is set in. It unfortunately never really connected with me.

I have a big love for the usage of flashbacks and the current setting, and the parallels it creates in the story. The theme of industry vs. nature, and to some degree the environmentalism and connection to folklore works really well, and makes for a rich story with a lot to offer.

This book had a lot of promise. So much about it ticked a lot of boxes for me but over all the execution left a lot to be desired. I went into it excited that Bennie was going to be the main character but quickly the whole story became focused on building up Motheaters character and her backstory and Bennie was sort of left in the dust.

It really felt like a YA book at times and I was excited for the romance that was advertised with this and was left wanting so much more. It was very lacking.

The book was very repetitive and kind of confusing at times although most of the writing was quite beautiful. It just wasn't gripping enough.

I would have loved so much more from this story.