Witch lit meets historical horror, and of course, it found me. It always does. With C.J. Cooke, one of my favorites, I knew I was stepping straight into the fire, and this may be one of her darker ones.

I am drawn to stories where women are branded witches simply for existing beyond the rules of men, for speaking out, defying, or daring to live without a husband’s “protection.” I love when these tales twist the curse into a crown, letting women reclaim witch as power instead of punishment.

The Last Witch takes us to 15th-century Austria, a time where women are property and silence and obedience are their only “duties.” Break those chains and suddenly you are fair game for the witch hunters. Father Kramer, obsessed and unrelenting, saw witches in every woman he looked at.

When Helena Scheuberin dares to defend a friend accused of witchcraft, she is locked away with six other women, targeted simply because they lack husbands. But Helena does not break. In the darkness, she listens to whispers of defiance. That secret current of otherworldly strength runs beneath the brutality, weaving a witchy and haunting energy through every page.

This story is rooted in real history, in blood and fear, in the terrible truths of what women endured, and in their refusal to be silenced. Helena reclaims the word meant to burn her and turns witch into fire, power, and resistance.

Witchy Mood Rating: ✨ Right Book, Right Energy — A spell that struck true, leaving me haunted and empowered.
Verdict: Place it on your altar, light a candle, and summon it whenever you want female empowerment to burn bright and far.

The story is a reminder that being called a witch now is meant to empower, and women everywhere, like me, are claiming it for ourselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Canada for a copy of the eARC for this book.

What a dark, chilling, yet inspirational read. I was blown away by the historical accuracy in this novel, only to find out at the end that it is based on real life events. The author's prose is rich and poetic. Devoured this book.

Five stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to HarperCollins for providing an ARC copy for review via NetGalley ✨

4.5 Stars 🌟
I’ve been looking forward to more of C.J. Cooke’s work after reading A Haunting in the Arctic last year, and The Last Witch did not disappoint.

It’s clear the author did extensive research before writing this novel, which provides an emotional feminist perspective of the origin story for the Early Modern era witch-hunting manual Malleus Maleficarum. The characters and setting felt true to their time period, but still translated well for a modern reader.

This was such a bingeable piece of historical fiction—the multiple perspectives really helped move the pace along. Cooke’s writing style is so enjoyable to read, and I think I expand my vocabulary every time I pick up one of her books.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a dramatic and slightly spooky feminist historical fiction to pick up!