4.25 stars!!! This book has EVERYTHING: female rage, a mute child, a diverse collection of hell witches (both in gender, orientation, and power), a waterfall called Pete, stupid stupid men, brilliant brilliant women, and a crazy cool political/religious world!

The concept of a hell witch, a woman who changed and developed magic earned from the goddess mother based on how their feminine rage burst out of them in a moment of need, is so incredibly relevant today. As Taylor swift (and many others) have said, F the Patriarchy!!! And that is exactly what Prudence and her sisters are trying to do - from fighting back in small ways against the men that oppress them personally to full scale dismantling the system meant to keep women seen and not heard.

Prudence’s anger and fire, driven by love, is relatable and important in today’s world - to fight back but to keep who you are at the heart of it all. Her second chance with Thief King Puck is a subplot, but one that is so very earned by two people who have been apart for more than a decade and grown into who they were meant to be - and finally able to choose each other, as well as the lives they’ve built. The respect he shows for her and the other women is wonderful - if only all men could be like him!!

After that ending, I simply cannot wait to see what happens next! Thanks so much to Taylor Hartley and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Aspects of this I really enjoyed (powerful woman who sleeps her way to the top, unapologetically fierce in her ambition even as she despises the environment that caused the need to do so in the first place? I wanna read more of that) but it took me a very long time to actually get engaged in the story. There were so many things happening that it was difficult to know what was going on and who to care about.

The magic system was incredibly interesting, and I dug how much utter rage was imbued throughout the story -- I'm angry, you're angry, we're all angry, yeah? YEAH.

The second-chance romance was sweet, unfolding throughout, with Puck being dad first and foremost, and Mari was an absolute beauty of a character. Trans-representation is all-too-rare and this was done very well.

In the end, the pacing was a major impediment for my enjoyment of the book, but I'm happy others aren't as bothered as it really seems to be a great read and an important one for many folks.

I am obsessed with this I really like Pru and Puck and their dynamic. I loved the Hell witch premise and how the women transformed into the different types of witches and that all the supernatural creatures fell under the title of hell witch. The coven was super fun it was a sort of mix of domestic shelter/ Amazonian warrior clave and i loved how the two were meshed together. I also really like Puck and his desire to be a good father and that he always put Beatrice first as he should. Overall it was a super fun book with a fun premise and a more unique take on witches and their abilities. Overall would recommend. 10/10.

The beginning was rocky and a huge info dump. I was very confused and had to keep rereading what I had just read. Ultimately, this led to me not continuing the book. This book isn’t for me, but I do think a lot of people will enjoy it because the premise is very intriguing.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy!

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡
𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐲
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟗𝐭𝐡

- - -

Thank you, Netgalley and Alcove Press, for the ARC.

The story had a great beginning, there was already a lot going on. It was action-packed and fast-paced. You get to know the main characters and the unique magic system. But then, throughout the story, it was uneven paced and sometimes could not follow the story. At some moments, a lot was going on, but then suddenly, it was a bit confusing and slow-paced. The pacing finally picked up at the end of the book. And what an open ending?! I was on the edge of my seat, and it left me flabbergasted. The last 10% of the book was the best part!

Also, the cover of this book is so stunning. I love the colors!

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I was very excited by the premise but struggled to get into it. The opening and rapid exposition felt like this was the second book in a series and the opener was being summarised - I actually had to check this wasn’t a sequel to something I’d missed! Details were spoon fed and quickly summarised without proper explanation so the world-building just felt flat. The pacing was off, veering between quick summarisations and long-winded description, and I really struggled with it.

NEVER MANAGED TO GET OFF THE GROUND

The premise had me intrigued, but the execution didn't work for me.

What I didn't like

👎Inconsistent: There were several times, where the information given about the characters or the world directly contradicted previous statements. When I catch them, they really take me out of the reading experience and makes it hard for me to come back

👎Info-dump: So many paragraphs of this book was just straight up info-dumps and exposition. It slowed the plot down and made it feel very static and heavy at times. It needed a lot more showing and a lot less telling.

👎Rocky start: The beginning was... rough. A lot of background information coupled with every single character thrown into the first two chapters just made it too all over the place and slightly confusing.

👎Dialogue: Some of the dialogue was so stilted, because they were so focused on exposition and info-dumping. Nobody would talk like that in real life, it felt almost cartoonish.

when i saw this book was about witches, survival, and power, i knew i had to read it. those themes are really the heart of the story.

the story follows prudence merriweather, once a street rat and now a duchess hiding her monstrous magic, and puck reed, a former thief lord turned single father desperate to cure his daughter bea’s mysterious illness. when prudence’s magic slips out, she’s forced to run, and puck steps in to help her escape. Together, they set out for Stormlash, a distant haven where witches can live free and where bea might finally find a cure.

i really liked the magic system, especially how it connects with trauma made the story feel different. there’s also a strong theme of women standing up for themselves and fighting back, which i thought was one of the best parts. the side characters were interesting, each with their own struggles. and I enjoyed the found family element. the queer rep was handled nicely as well. there were moments where i got a little distracted by uneven pacing and some of the writing confused me. these parts pulled me out of the story a little.

overall, i had a good time with this book. the mix of dark magic, adventure, themes of rage and resilience, made it worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Alcove Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I came for the cover, stayed for the blurb and fell completely in love with the unique magic system, and the kickass women that hate men and fight against an absolutely disgusting misogynistic fascist society. The empowerment, not just of women, but for all humans that suffer injustice at the hands of these men was just done so incredibly well. These women bonded together because of shared trauma and holy hell - count me in! I AM READY TO FIGHT.

There is a beautiful second chance romance in here as well - it's well written and beautiful, but the female rage is what shines here and is the central topic!

The ending however? THAT WAS EVIL. Like. How. Why. What did we do to deserve such madness? Be prepared to be livid and then foaming at the mouth for book 2.

I really liked the plot of this book, but there were so many details and choices that I just couldn't love. First was the pacing. The first chapter of the book is like being dropped into a series that has already started and somehow, you've picked up the second book. There should have been a prologue or even a getting ready scene with Pru that shows her backstory and starts the worldbuilding. Being thrown into a scene where she is the Duchess and hearing grievances from people in her territory was jarring. Unfortunately, I had pacing issues like this throughout the book. Either there wasn't enough backstory or too much. Like I enjoyed the backstory between Pru and Puck, but I'm not sure including all the little side stories was necessary to the plot. We get it there is a woman hating religion on the rise (sound familiar?).

I also had an issue with the magic system of the book. Women only come into their magic when experiencing a great negative event like war, death of a loved one, etc. Their powers (succubus, banshee, etc.) manifest as a result of the horrible events they've endured. I think the intent was to show that no matter what we endure we can become stronger, but it really kind of felt like getting beaten by your husband was the only way to have power.

I did like the bad guys in the story and how the novel portrays religious zealots. Is it a little heavy handed? Yes, but the portrayal easily shows how people in power will use religion to twist the public into believing measures that don't actually benefit them. I loved the relationships of the women in this novel and that it showed how easy it is to include trans and nonbinary folks into our communities. Pru and Puck are fun characters to follow, and I do want to finish the series, I just hope the next book has better pacing. Also, I love that a lot of the characters have names I associate with Shakespeare.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

Song of the Hell Witch is a feminist romantasy with strong Robert Jordan feels. Perfect reading for Wheel of Time fans who would like a little more romance and a little less length! It’s a second chance romance between Prudence Merriweather (once thief, now duchess) and Puck Reed (once thief, now thief lord) in a bleak dystopian world.

The magic system in this novel is unique. I love the infusion of shape-shifting and how that shapes the women’s magical abilities. The allegory where women are being subjugated by ‘holy’ men isn’t subtle but it’s effective. The worldbuilding is also strong, bearing significant parallels with the our world despite being low tech, but with more up to date attitudes. The whole book reads as a wake up call for the modern woman – a reminder that we are powerful and work best together.

That said, this is not a man-hating novel. Quite the opposite, as our love interest Puck is portrayed as a doting father. His desperation to save and protect his daughter is the driving force of the narrative. His respect for the women in his life shines through and there’s a hint that he looks out for more than just his daughter and close friends. He’s certainly not the hero, the women around him are far too capable, but he’s a safe person and that’s all he needs to be.

My personal highlight from Song of the Hell Witch is the diversity. Non-binary and trans representation is alongside bisexual and polyamorous relationships. They’re given a generous amount of time despite not being central to the plot. This novel doesn’t just have diverse characters, it explores them with delicacy, creating natural dialogues to engage the reader. With the ongoing theme of oppression throughout, this diversity felt complimentary. It’s a reminder that minorities need to support each other and combines well with the clear directive to work together.

I did not care for the ending, unfortunately. The ending was a cliff-hanger and nothing is resolved. I am a big believer that a novel should be wrapped up neatly by the end, perhaps with a hint of more adventures to come, but always with the main objective achieved. For those who agree with me, it might be best to wait until the series is complete before committing.

Luckily, the story and strong writing is enough for me to be happy I read this. The characters lead the way and the romance feels natural (I didn’t roll my eyes once, a rare achievement!) The whole book has a rich, revolutionary atmosphere and I am desperate for the second book.

This review will be published on Pending Plays on Monday 8th September. Thank you for the opportunity to read in exchange for this honest review.

I absolutely love the concepts of this world. A patriarchal society, heavily influenced by an old religion that puts men above women, and sees these gifted women as monsters to be feared. An ancient female archetype bestowing the perfect tools for revenge on the wrongdoings of men, whose story is skewed by men to be seen as the original villain. And, of course, men putting themselves above others and influencing society to see them as the saviors to be welcomed in their cities.

Pru is a badass FMC with a massive heart. Puck is a strong MMC who isn't afraid of his emotions. Their love story is a second-chance tale, fraught with moments of both peace and danger. The secondary characters are well-developed with backstories of their own. I was captivated with this story and am hoping the sequel reaches the same level of storytelling as this one.

A huge thank you for the advance copy of this novel.

Song of the Hell Witch made me feel rage for the injustices portrayed in the story against women. But I loved how they survived through sisterhood and kindness.

Prudence is powerful and strong and has made it to the top by hiding a secret. Puck is a single dad who knows about Pru and her secret. There is a unique magical power system of how women obtain their power. I really enjoyed their world, and the main characters had their own history and their own lives and integrated themselves into everything around them without overshadowing the other things going on in the book. There was also Trans representation, which was so nice considering all that is going on in our current climate with women's rights and LGBTQIA rights on general. I loved seeing these strong, resilient women in action, and they never lost their kindness, warmth, and respect for each other even while they suffered.

Thank you, Netgalley and Alcove Press for this eArc. All opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you so much to Alcove Press, Taylor Hartley and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of Song of the Hell Witch to review!

Song of the Hell Witch follows Prudence, a young woman who came from an impoverished background who worked her way to become the wife of the Duke of Talonsbury, an influential Lord in the world of the Silks, the noble class. However, she has a secret; she is a Hell Witch, a woman who went through a traumatic incident that caused her to develop magical abilities. Hell Witches are demonised and hunted, so when Pru finds herself on the run for a crime, she must avoid the soldiers of the Lightbringer at all costs. She teams up with a love from her past, Puck Reed, and together they shelter and protect Puck's sick daughter, Bea, who may be more than she seems.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the representation of female rage in here; the magic system around the Dark Mother and the Spectabra crystals giving women magic when faced with a traumatic event was such an interesting and unique idea that I've not read of before. I loved how different women gained different powers depending on what they needed in the moment of the traumatic event, like Pru and her need to just survive when she lost her sister. The world and the opposing religion, the Lightbringer's religion, were also quite well fleshed out, but I definitely wanted to hear more about the Dark Mother and the Spectabra Daughters. Hopefully we'll get more in depth detail about the lore and history of the Dark Mother in the second book.

The characters in here really endeared themselves to me; I especially loved Bea, Puck's daughter, and Arcadie, a hotelier that helps the Spectabra Daughters to flee from persecution. The main characters felt well fleshed out and had their own strengths and weaknesses, some which did irritate me a bit, but they helped to humanise the characters more. I also enjoyed the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters, Mari and Arcadie especially; hearing their stories made me really feel for them, and I especially would like to see more of Arcadie's background and life story in the sequel.

The theme of sisterhood and women stepping into their power was so strong here, and I really enjoyed seeing the inclusion of more Spectabra Daughters as the book went on. As I said, female rage is very present here, and having that rage be a fuel for magical abilities I thought was done very well. Also the aspect of men weaponising religion against women feels very close to real life, and the deep level of zealotry that the Lightbringer's soldiers go to also felt relatable to real life and to our history.

The romance in this was fine, although their constant miscommunication and arguing with each other did get on my nerves a little bit. One would snap at the other and say stupid things to hurt them, and then wonder why the other person snaps back. It felt almost high-schoolish, even though Puck and Pru are supposed to be in their late-twenties/early thirties. Also aside from Puck being called a thief, I didn't really see him doing a lot of thieving in this. I get that he's probably more focused on his daughter when we see him, but he kept being called the Thief Lord of Talonsbury, and we didn't get much background about why he was called that, aside from helping some people avoid being conscripted into a war. Just a minor thing that I noticed; maybe we'll get more of that backstory in book 2.

I think the main thing that let this book down for me was the pace; it was quite quick in some areas but then others dragged quite a lot. The battle scenes are super intense and fast, but then we'd have more slower moments of travelling, which I understand are needed, but some of them just dragged a little bit too much. The beginning was also quite slow to open, which I did enjoy, but I can see why some people wouldn't enjoy that.

Overall I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a good dark, feminist fantasy with lots of sisterhood and female rage. I'm very excited to read the sequel when it comes out!

There were many aspects that I appreciated about this novel. I loved the representation of the LGBTQ community stood out, and for that reason alone, I believe the story will resonate with many readers. The magic system offered a refreshing twist on the fantasy genre, as the author crafted a vivid world of magical abilities emerged in women who had endured trauma. I also value stories rooted in female empowerment, and "Song of the Hell Witch" delivered this in abundance - its pages saturated with themes of solidarity, rage, resilience, and survival.

While I appreciated the emphasis on the strong female roles in this book, the portrayal of men felt overly one-dimensional, with nearly all of them depicted negatively. This imbalance made it difficult for me to stay engaged, especially since Puck was clearly intended to embody a positive male presence. Combined with pacing issues and the limited development of interactions between Puck and Prudence, their romantic relationship ultimately felt unconvincing.

The counterpart to the female magic system felt somewhat underdeveloped. The progression between the magic itself and the faith-based elements seemed slightly misaligned, which made it challenging to fully grasp the timeline of the deities and their concurrent magic. Specifically, the emergence of the deity they prayed to, the introduction of the female magic, the rise of male religious fanatics and their god, and the systematic eradication of the Hell Witches all felt disjointed.

Overall, "Song of the Hell Witch" is a solid debut that introduces a fresh and distinctive voice to the fantasy genre. Thank you to Netgalley, Alcove Press and Taylor Hartley for the e-ARC. I appreciate the opportunity to read this novel prior to its release and to leave an honest review.

This was such an interesting way to write a story about witches, I don’t think I have ever read anything like it!

I loved the feminisme and the whole sisterhood in this book, as well as the take on gender and sexuality.

This book had amazing worldbuilding and very well written characters. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance, but I really loved the main male character and the way he showed that you can be a big masculine and muscled man and still believe in feminism!

I will definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a well written dark fantasy with lots of feminism, sisterhood and found family!

I enjoyed the book but there wasn’t anything in particular that stood out to me about the story or the characters. I think the concept of the Spectabra Daughters is really cool and while the story utilizing women’s oppression and religious zealotry is important to reflect what’s happening currently in real life, this book almost felt like it was trying to talk about too many things while not giving much substance to any of them in particular.

I really enjoyed this story! It follows Prudence, a Dutchess and Hell Witch on the run, and Puck - single dad, Thief Lord, and Pru's ex. Prudence needs Puck's help after losing control of her magic, and Puck needs Pru to help save his dying daughter. They need to work together, along with the other Hell Witches, to do what they need to do, but also to save all the Hell Witches against religious zealots that want to see their power burn.

The characters were great, the story was fast-paced and original, and I was invested in their journey. I love me some feminine rage, and this was such a great "down with the patriarchy" kind of read, showing the corruption of religion regarding the silencing of women throughout history. Even tho it's a fantasy novel, that part was all too real - from the mention of burning women at the stake to lobotomies and asylums. There was diverse characters, original magic, and a cliffhanger ending!!! I really liked how all women had the potential for magic, and magic developed through trauma, transforming women into magical beings. I can't wait to see how this continues in the sequel!

Song of the Hell Witch has some really interesting world building and the relationships between the women were brilliantly written. The romance was my least favourite part of the plot, but it was still ok. Overall not a bad book.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I think I went in waiting for something this book was not. Marketed as a new romantasy that empowers women, and then I had to read pages and pages of a man... And man who was so perfect that he could never do wrong, and who had made the fmc fall in love with him so badly that 12 years later she still loved him with no questions asked.

I think the start of this book was strong, but after that it wen't mostly downhill. I really liked the premise, with strong women who turn into these "witches" to save themselves and other women. But somehow these super powerful women just kept on losing and had to run all the time. The pacing was not good, after a very interesting start, the husband is suddenly dead and then we run, and nothing happens until they stop for a minute, and then they were found again, they fight and then this same goes over and over again, until we reach the end.

Although I really enjoyed some of the women characters, and the LBGTQ+ rep, the men in this book weren't written very good. Puck's only thought in this book was basically "my daughter this, and my daughter that". not very multi dimensional. Pru wasn't a lot better but at least she had cool wings. The romance between them didn't seem to have any tension or chemistry, and to call this romantasy would be lying. We could have survived without the whole romance plot.

All in all, I think the world building was spectacular and the premise amazing, but somehow the excecution failed this book. but I have to admit, some of the fights were pretty epic. 3 stars.