The Witch Who Trades With Death quickly shot to being one of my favourite reads of the year so far, within a couple of opening chapters. Khana's story instantly drew me in.

In this world, witches are people who have the ability to draw life force from living things and redirect it - either for healing, for advanced physical stamina or for resurrection. Anyone who develops the power must be sent to serve the Emperor, with him taking lots of the women as concubines and forcing the men into arranged marriages. And this Emperor - he lives forever. A master of aji (lifeforce), he has lived 400 years, can create warped creatures from body parts and has conquered a big chunk of the world. Displaying little emotion, passion or warmth, he lives only to conquer.

Honestly, he's actually a really terrifying villain - one that lacks any sort of conscience or emotion. Gaining very little pleasure from his Empire, his many wives and children, you really have to question what the point in living is!

When Khana (one of his young concubines) is forced to flee from him, she accidentally discovers the secret to his power, and it adds a moral question to a large chunk of the book - if you had the ability to trade with Death itself, what price is to high? For freedom, to heal people...to resurrect somebody you love? It's a question that Khana grapples with a bit - which parts of yourself are tradable, and which are intrinsic to the person you are. How much has the Emperor actually traded away, and is there a point where you have nothing left to give?

With found family, slow burn romance, healing and hope it was a fantastic read! And may I say, it's always a joy to find a standalone fantasy book!

A witch on the run. A deal with Death. A past that refuses to stay buried… 🖤✨

A witch on the run. A deal with Death. A past that refuses to stay buried… 🖤✨

This book was a rich and immersive standalone that hooked me from the first page! The worldbuilding is infused with folklore and mythology, making the universe feel vibrant and alive. The magic system is as much a strength as a danger, forcing Khana to walk a fine line between power and self-destruction.

At its heart, this is a story of healing—both for Khana and for others who have suffered under the cruelty of Emperor Yamueto. I really appreciated the dual perspective on trauma, as we see both male and female survivors navigate their pain in different ways, something not often explored in fantasy.

The found family vibes? Absolutely top-tier. Khana may be feared as a witch, but she slowly finds a place among warriors who become more than just allies—they become her home (cheers to the Poison Darts Frogs). And of course, there’s romance! A slow-burn, forbidden connection with a touch of spice, adding just the right amount of tension to the story. 👀🔥

If you love dark fantasy with deep emotional stakes, magic that comes at a cost, and a heroine fighting to reclaim her fate, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Instagram post coming up Tuesday 11th.

Usually, I most enjoy romance as a subplot if I enjoy it at all, but it was my favorite thing about The Witch Who Trades With Death. As someone who’s been through years of SA and has a lot of trauma, Khana isn’t ready to jump into a romantic relationship with anyone, and the kind and gentle understanding of Sava gave me butterflies in the way hot MMCs with muscles never do (though to be clear: I’m pretty sure Sava is hot as well). I loved Khana and Sava’s interactions, that they weren’t always flirty but I still knew that it was going somewhere. Khana’s inner turmoil was well-written and Sava’s willingness let her lead was sweet and endearing. When a Khana/Sava scene began, I was always excited.

I felt that while Khana’s friends/found family were a fun bunch, they were a bit one-dimensional. They had more personality when they started training for battle and then sort of faded into background characters that I couldn’t really tell apart. For example, when the unit first got together, one of them was grumpy and unfriendly. Once the unit bonded and everyone became friends, the grump was basically never grumpy again and I confused him with other members of the unit several times because his biggest character trait was gone now that he liked everyone. Most of the others were also defined by one or two simple traits: the married one who likes animals, the young shy one, etc., and I wish that as Khana’s besties who were integral to the story, they’d had a little more depth.

When I started the book, I didn’t realize there would be war and battle scenes. There’s quite a bit of them between training for battle and going to war with the emperor who forced Khana to be his concubine. I’m not a big fan of long battle scenes and luckily for me, Khana and her unit spent their downtime back home rather than at a camp or something, but I found myself less interested in the action scenes even though they did include some exciting moments.

The magic system, âji, was interesting. I like the idea of witches who draw life force from one living thing to transfer to another as a way to heal them, it’s very cool. I’m a bit torn on it though as there were other parts of the magic that were conveniently mentioned only when they were needed in the moment, like suddenly Khana could do something with the âji that she hadn’t brought up or done a single time before.

So while my overall enjoyment of the book was a bit lopsided, I think it would be a good match for anyone who likes a lot of tense fighting scenes on a grand(ish) scale alongside stories of found family and a bit of slow burn romance.

I received an ARC of this book from Angry Robot via Netgalley.

My second five star read of the year!!!!
I ADORED this book. I went in blind and it was such a pleasant surprise of how good this story is. It follows Khana, a witch who escapes serving her immortal emperor and attempts to escape. She finds herself in a small mountain town where people fear her for her magic but still signs up for war against the emperor. Found family? Yes. Magic? Yes. Sweet MMC? Yes. Hilarious side characters? Yes. It actually had everything that I look for in a fantasy book. Can’t wait to buy a physical copy and I want to read more books by the author. Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for the arc!!

I loved this story.

The beginning hits you in the face with a lot of confronting images and scenes, but then as the story evolves it turns into a gorgeous story of camaraderie, self discovery and healing from trauma. With a whole lotta training, politics and war thrown in 👌

The magic system is a terrifying thought! Being able to take life with just a breath, but the way to make trades with death was so intriguing.

And Sava. Oh Sava 🫶

This was a really good book, but it did take a little while for me to get into. I think I was thrown off by going immediately into the past after the first chapter, then slowly catching back up to the present timeline. The ending was also a little flat, I think because all the action just sort of ended and I was waiting for something else to come up. But overall an enjoyable read.

The Witch Who Trades With Death was a captivating high fantasy novel. I really like how the author illustrates Khana, initially, as timid and weak only to have her show just how clever and fierce she is. She learns the emperor's secrets about bargaining with Death for power, and then utilizes this knowledge for herself to escape a forced marriage and then to try to stop the emperor. The emperor is a typical tyrant in this story, which some readers may find triggering unless they're used to fantasy novels. As someone who loves high fantasy, I was beyond happy that this book had some really good action scenes, especially because they were well-written and created balance with the pacing. The world building is excellent and I loved the author's development of magic within this world.

A gripping and emotional journey that will captivate readers who crave stories of found family, romance, and self-discovery, particularly those who enjoy fantasy tales of strong, complex heroines navigating the darker aspects of life, trauma, and the struggle for identity.

I was enthralled with Khana's journey !
What appears to us as a frail and frightened young witch who was forced to be one of the emperor's concubine, runs away and finds herself in an enemy land where she learns compassion and kindness from others, and joins the militia to kill said emperor (emperor who made himself immortal seeking power and control of everything and everyone)
The military training, the bonding with fellow outsiders, the trauma healing, the emotional growth, makes a compelling story. I was afraid that the end could be rushed but it was very well paced.

4,25⭐
- women learning to become stronger
- witchcraft based on life force (and sometimes trading with Death)
- bonding in training
- LGBTQIA+ rep (bi, nbi, queer side characters)
- trauma healing
- found family

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for the ARC!

While I really enjoyed the magic system, the plot did not feel as "deep" as I would have liked while centering around themes of death and trauma. The world building did feel fully fleshed out, but I did appreciate the developed side characters.

When Khana discovers she is a witch she is sent to serve the Emperor as his concubine. For four years she endures abuse and torture until her friend is brutally murdered. That night Khana escapes, killing the Emperor's favorite concubine and learning the secret to his immortality. The Emperor is trading with Death for his powers, and now Khana knows how to as well. Khana is able to find a small mountain town full of warriors to hide. They ostracize her, despite using her powers to heal the sick and injured. When the Emperor shows up demanding her back, Khana must use her powers to help defend her new home. But every deal she makes with Death eats a part of her soul, and she has to be careful before she becomes like the monster she is running from.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book but was pleasantly surprised. Although the book did lag a bit at times for me it was still a good read. Khana was really well written and her growing more confident in herself and her powers was a hell of a ride. I enjoyed that this book was more focused on her own self growth for healing instead of just falling into bed with the love interest. And whilst that does happen it isn’t made the main focus of her story. After everything she endured, her finding safety and family and even love was just so satisfying.

Rating 4 stars

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for providing an e-ARC of this one. All thoughts are my own.

Ohhh I loved this book so much. There’s so many small things to love amongst the big things. Xopil and his pets, De*th and their odd combination of kindness and sass, Haz and his never-ending cheer. Little moments that made me laugh, made me tear up, filled my heart so much.

Khana is SUCH an incredible MC. She’s so scared, she’s dealing with so much trauma, she doesn’t think much of herself and most of the people around her don’t think much of her either. But my gosh, she’s brave. She has this quiet confidence that comes from the depths of her soul, this sheer bravery to stand and fight when all she wants to do is run and hide.

The relationships Khana forms in this book are what found family dreams are made of. These people love her, they bolster her, they have her back no matter what. They help her find her courage, help her see how strong she is. God, I loved them so much.

The small romance plot with Sava and Khana made me so giddy. It’s a bit of a slow burn, popping up occasionally amongst everything else until Khana finally dares to make a move. The love and respect between these two was so strong.

A part of me does kind of wish the author had leaned into the de*th side of things a bit more. It’s always sad when favourites d!e but I think it would have had a deeper impact if there was no loophole, so to speak.

But I can’t deny I love a happy ending, and it’s what these characters deserved.

Do be warned, though, this book deals with some very heavy topics so please check the trigger warnings.

Death is one of the few inevitables in our world. In Khana’s world, Death is open to a good bargain. Centuries before Khana’s birth, Yamueto began to trade with death for power and immortality. Now he conquers country after country. Nowhere is safe for long. Khana’s only hope for escape in C.M. Alongi’s highly original new novel, The Witch Who Trades With Death, is to harness the emperor’s most closely guarded secret and attempt to change the world.

Khana is one of the most reluctant heroes I’ve ever read about. I can’t blame her for her cowardice, however. Ever since she was discovered to be a witch and sent to Emperor Yamueto as a girl, Khana has kept a low profile. Yamueto frequently tortures, rapes, and kills people who displease him. Unfortunately, Khana fails to avoid the emperor’s eye on one very bad day. That very bad day leads Khana to attempt a frantic (and nearly futile) escape from Yamueto’s palace. The only thing that saves her life is a deal with Death.

No one—not even someone who can bargain with Death itself—can survive on their own. After her impossible escape, Khana finds refuge among the people who guard the mountain passes against Yamueto and his monstrous night creatures. She works and uses her magic to heal the injured and sick in exchange for food and shelter. She makes friends, even a kind of adopted family. It’s a good enough life, at least until word reaches the mountains that Yamueto is looking for his lost concubine. Once again, Khana is torn between her fear of Yamueto and her terror at fighting back against an unbeatable enemy.

There was a lot I enjoyed about The Witch Who Trades With Death. I’m a big fan of originality in fantasy and this book avoids a lot of the tired tropes of the genre. Men and women are soldiers. Khana is (for much of the book) the only damsel in need of rescue and sheer desperation pushes her to figure out her next move before anyone else manages to swoop in. Khana struggles with cowardice and has to grow a lot in order to find her courage—which I think is a much more challenging road than heroes who charge right out of their homes to do battle.

All that said, there were two things that bothered me about The Witch Who Trades With Death. The first thing is a trifle: I was annoyed by the lack of effort Alongi made to have the dialog sound like people who live in a different world. I winced whenever a character said the word “okay.” The second thing still troubles me. Because Khana can make some extraordinary deals with Death, I wondered if magic cheated the emotional toll of actual death. I don’t want to say too much and ruin the book, so I’ll wrap up by saying that there are a few bargains in this book that I felt took a lot of the emotional punch out of the plot.

“Courage can only exist in fear”

Little did I know that I would find within this story a tale of building friendships, no judgements, just people loving you for who you are and not what you can do for them. In this story we met a group of “social misfits”. All they want is to fit in in their community, to be of service in their community as well. Khana is a young woman who has not had an easy life so far. And sadly has no family to protect her. The beginning of this story was very slow paced for me I felt. However I kept pressing thru and I am so glad that I did. This is a story of determination, strength, love, loss and bonds that are built for a lifetime. Giving of oneself to save those you love and care about speaks volumes of the person you are inside.

Trading with Death has it’s consequences as Khana finds out. There is a cost every time she does this and the cost is on her soul. Would you give up a part of your soul for a friend? I am very interested in Death, so it would be nice to have a book about them. I adore all of Red Frog 9, they love each other so much. Yamueto is crazy. Totally nuts! I adore Haz, a sweet character. Sava is so patient and understanding, Neta she is so strong. Lueti LOVED her. Many more that I loved and some I disliked but what is a story without some b’s lol.

Thank you NetGalley and author CM Alongi for allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC.

What would you trade away for power or to bring someone back from the dead? That heavy question brings up some issues in "The Witch who Trades with Death" by C. M. Along (out 11 March 2025).

Having an Emperor around for 300 years while he expands his land and turns people into monsters kind of sucks. Especially if you are a witch. Inside the empire all witches are to be reported and made concubines of the Emperor so he keeps the reigns on magic. Khana is one of these women, she has lived with the horror for years until it all come stop ahead. She finds out how he gained his powers. Just a deal with Death, well two can play that game.

Reasons to read:
-The side characters, Xopil mostly
-Overcoming your trauma with learning to stab the heck out of folks
-Putting up reasonable limits to prevent exploitation
-Comeuppance

Cons:
-Maybe a bit too much levity by the end

What an amazing book and a seriously captivating read. If I didn't have responsibilities then I would have easily devoured it in as little as a day. I tried going to sleep at one point only to have to turn over half an hour later and pick the book back up because I couldn't stop thinking about it.

The Witch wo Trades with Death was so immersive. It sucked me right into the world alongside the characters, who are extremely realistic. They are relatable and believable. They have true relationships with friends, family and foes. The politics was easily understandable and interesting. The villain was truly horrible, with no redeeming qualities. He was actually terrifying, which is what I love to see in a fantasy book.

The world was beautiful and vibrant and the magic system was unique and extremely well developed and thought through.

The main character, Khana, had such a beautiful healing journey from past traumas (read the trigger warnings at the beginning please) and a soft, respectful slow burn with the love interest. There is ONE spicy scene in this book, and it was a good one!

The side characters in this book were as brilliantly fleshed out and animated as the main character, which helped bring the world, culture and story to life with great effect. The writing flowed seamlessly, and was so effortlessly compelling without the need of lyrical or flowery prose.

I will take NO criticism on this book. Everything was perfect and I wouldn't change a thing.

This book delivered. Dark, immersive, and gripping, The Witch Who Trades with Death is a haunting tale of survival, vengeance, and the cost of power. The empire, its magic system, and the deep-rooted fear of witches felt so real. Every detail was carefully crafted, making it easy to get lost in Khana’s journey. This story moves. There was never a moment where I felt bored or like things were dragging. Every chapter had a purpose, whether it was building tension, exploring Khana’s past trauma, or setting up the next big moment.

Emperor Yamueto—The Worst...Hate is not a strong enough word. Loathe might be better. He’s a truly despicable villain, especially in the beginning, and his cruelty makes Khana’s struggle all the more painful and powerful. This book does not shy away from the darker themes. If you’re thinking about picking it up, check the trigger warnings first. The abuse and trauma Khana endures are brutal, and her path to reclaiming her agency is a hard-fought battle.

This was a phenomenal dark fantasy with high stakes, an unforgettable heroine, and a magic system that carries real weight and consequences. It’s raw, it’s painful, but it’s also empowering. If you love witches, morally gray heroines, and revenge stories with real emotional depth, this one is so worth the read.

The story wasn’t quite what I expected, but I did appreciate the author's detailed world-building and engaging writing style. The setting was immersive, and the prose was enjoyable to read. However, I didn’t feel very invested in the romance, and I was surprised by the amount of animal death in the story—something to keep in mind for sensitive readers. While it wasn’t entirely for me, I can see how others might really enjoy it.

Thank you to Angry Robot for the opportunity but this book is not resonating with me. The synopsis caught my eye immediately but the world building is not there to support it. A lot of talking without much description.

Our FMC Khana is a witch who was forced into a relationship with the Immortal Emperor. One day she escapes so that she can try start a life of her own, however the Emperor will stop at nothing to track her down.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It starts out strong, very action packed in the beginning. Towards the middle the pacing does slow down quite considerably, however that's where we get the meat of the story. Lots of world building and fabulous character development before it picks up again in the last 30% and will have you on the edge of your seat.

The author does such wonderful work with these characters. They are all incredibly diverse with varying degrees of trauma which the author handles with such care.
I also really enjoyed the authors take on death, a Grim Reaper of sorts. It got me thinking about what I would be willing to sacrifice if I was in some of these characters predicaments

Overall I absolutely loved this story and am thankful I got the opportunity to read it.