You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Motheater follows Benny, she used to work for the town's mining company but it killed her best friend. Now she is restlessly investigating and is convinced the company is knowingly killing people and she will do anything to stop it. And then one day she stumbles upon an amnesic half-dead woman who proclaims herself a witch and tells her it's not the mining company, it's the mountain. Kire is alive and pissed at being mined into. And they must find a way to stop it before it's too late.
Motheater is definitely an atmospheric novel. The way Codega crafts her setting and sentences is impeccable. And yet, I found myself struggling to finish the novel. I honestly think it was just fine. Every trope and concept used sounds excellent : folk horror, messy witchcraft, words of power, chaotic bisexuals... but I found the execution lacking. Maybe I just did not get the writing style but I just couldn't fully get into it. Moreover I found that the flashbacks about Motheater's past were clunky and hindered the pacing of the story. Motheater's past and life are very interesting it just did not fit well into the flow of the story. Also it was weird to learn everything about her before she could remember it herself.
I think it is a fine book if you like slow and atmospheric horror novels. Bonus points because the ending was very strong and the romance was cute.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book.
Motheater is definitely an atmospheric novel. The way Codega crafts her setting and sentences is impeccable. And yet, I found myself struggling to finish the novel. I honestly think it was just fine. Every trope and concept used sounds excellent : folk horror, messy witchcraft, words of power, chaotic bisexuals... but I found the execution lacking. Maybe I just did not get the writing style but I just couldn't fully get into it. Moreover I found that the flashbacks about Motheater's past were clunky and hindered the pacing of the story. Motheater's past and life are very interesting it just did not fit well into the flow of the story. Also it was weird to learn everything about her before she could remember it herself.
I think it is a fine book if you like slow and atmospheric horror novels. Bonus points because the ending was very strong and the romance was cute.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. In all matters of fair discloser, Lin Codgea and I have mutual friends, though I myself have never met them.
Motheater is a delightful book exploring what it means to belong to a land and what happens when that which capitalism eats, decides to eat back. I recommend this book for people who love queer witches, the Appalachia’s, and really fucking hate capitalism.
To get my criticisms out of this way, this book is a slow dry start, that will make you wonder why you’re reading it. The first 75 or so pages of this book honestly failed to capture me. So much so that I put it down for 2 months planning to DNF, and only just came back yesterday and pushed through to the second 1/3 of the book. Furthermore, (spoilers for the conclusion)while the story initially goes in on the anticapitalist themes of unfettered industrialism, in the final 1/3 Codega pulls back to center it around the follies and hate of one of Motheater, the titular character. Which I feel like diluted whatever message Codega was going for, for a half-way hybrid between both. Finally, while the romance was sweet, I personally did not find it convincing. It somewhat appeared out of nowhere. While it worked because of the strength of both characters, together I found them less appealing than individually.
For the things I enjoyed however? Those were far more innumerous. Lin Codega has clearly done their work both in researching for this book, and in how to write a book, because for a debut novel, it is spectacular. Many of the pitfalls, such as flat characters, poor pacing, and uneven prose, Codega has managed to masterfully avoid. Nothing about this book felt tired, or rote, or like I had read it a thousand and one times before. Furthermore, while the initial 1/3 of the book was quite dry, after that the book became a much easier read, so much so I finished it in a matter of hours. Both Motheater and Bernie are fantastic characters to following, and I found them both delightful and well-defined.
TLDR; This book is a fantastic debut, and delve into a genre of fantasy I honestly don’t think we get enough of. Hell yeah! Weird Appalachian magic!
Motheater is a delightful book exploring what it means to belong to a land and what happens when that which capitalism eats, decides to eat back. I recommend this book for people who love queer witches, the Appalachia’s, and really fucking hate capitalism.
To get my criticisms out of this way, this book is a slow dry start, that will make you wonder why you’re reading it. The first 75 or so pages of this book honestly failed to capture me. So much so that I put it down for 2 months planning to DNF, and only just came back yesterday and pushed through to the second 1/3 of the book. Furthermore, (spoilers for the conclusion)
For the things I enjoyed however? Those were far more innumerous. Lin Codega has clearly done their work both in researching for this book, and in how to write a book, because for a debut novel, it is spectacular. Many of the pitfalls, such as flat characters, poor pacing, and uneven prose, Codega has managed to masterfully avoid. Nothing about this book felt tired, or rote, or like I had read it a thousand and one times before. Furthermore, while the initial 1/3 of the book was quite dry, after that the book became a much easier read, so much so I finished it in a matter of hours. Both Motheater and Bernie are fantastic characters to following, and I found them both delightful and well-defined.
TLDR; This book is a fantastic debut, and delve into a genre of fantasy I honestly don’t think we get enough of. Hell yeah! Weird Appalachian magic!
Something I wish I had known before I picked up this book is that it contains two storylines, one set in the present and one set a hundred fifty years ago because two timelines rarely do it for me and this book proves it yet again.
The first few chapters were great. I got a good sense of the setting and theme and was excited to read on. But then the timeline of the past came along and somehow I did not care for it at all. I lost my motivation, resulting in me ending up in the downward spiral of not grasping what I've read and thus getting even less motivated, even for the parts set in the present day, and I DNFed the book.
Thank you NetGalley and Erewhon Books for giving me access to this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There’s just something about rural settings with messed up magical things happening there (and being based on real life places and problems) that really compels me, and this book was no exception.
The story is told in dual perspectives/timelines - in present day we follow Benny, a woman trying to figure out the unusual disappearances - her best friends’ amongst them - of miners on the mountain of Kire. Her hunt for discarded bodies turns up a strange, alive, woman calling herself Motheater, claiming she is a witch with missing memories. Could this chance encounter be the way to unlocking the mystery being deaths of those living and working on the mountain?..
This book might not be for everyone, with the amount of scripture being cited, but I personally found that to be an interesting take on how religious texts can be blended with natural world magic, and the fact that it’s based on real life churches in Appalachia? Chef’s kiss. I truly appreciated how the author took just a few characters and a pretty limited setting, and managed to make a fleshed out, full story, without making it feel constricted.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a culturally rich, atmospheric read, and especially for the fans of Quinn Connor!
I received an advance review copy from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington publishing for an E-arc in exchange for an honest review
When Bennie’s best friend disappears in a mining accident, Bennie loses her job, and her boyfriend Zach, trying to determine the truth. Kelly-Anne isn’t the first person to disappear in the mines, but Bennie is hoping she’ll be the last. Then Bennie finds a woman trapped in some dirty mine runoff and saves her, trying to do the right thing, but also hoping she might finally get some answers. The woman doesn’t remember her name, only that she’s a witch from 150 years in the past, with some major unfinished business.
This book had so many things I loved; folk witchcraft, an immersive setting, queer romance, horror adjacent elements, and an interesting connection between religion and paganism that I found fascinating, and dual timelines.
Motheater and Bennie were both such passionate characters, and I loved that they were both fierce female characters. The setting was eerie but immersive and the use of language and phrases that matched the setting really evoked that immersive feeling. The wild-earth magic, the omnipresence of the mountain, and the folklore weaved in were truly masterful. The romance subplot felt a little bit last minute, but even it had me rooting for Bennie and moth-eater. I really liked this book, and the ending broke something in my brain and my heart. It was one of the most interesting and original books I’ve ever read.
Overall, read this book if you like
- heavy atmospheric settings
- Queer romance
- Folklore and wild magic
- Appalachian settings
- Dual timelines
- Nature fighting back
When Bennie’s best friend disappears in a mining accident, Bennie loses her job, and her boyfriend Zach, trying to determine the truth. Kelly-Anne isn’t the first person to disappear in the mines, but Bennie is hoping she’ll be the last. Then Bennie finds a woman trapped in some dirty mine runoff and saves her, trying to do the right thing, but also hoping she might finally get some answers. The woman doesn’t remember her name, only that she’s a witch from 150 years in the past, with some major unfinished business.
This book had so many things I loved; folk witchcraft, an immersive setting, queer romance, horror adjacent elements, and an interesting connection between religion and paganism that I found fascinating, and dual timelines.
Motheater and Bennie were both such passionate characters, and I loved that they were both fierce female characters. The setting was eerie but immersive and the use of language and phrases that matched the setting really evoked that immersive feeling. The wild-earth magic, the omnipresence of the mountain, and the folklore weaved in were truly masterful. The romance subplot felt a little bit last minute, but even it had me rooting for Bennie and moth-eater. I really liked this book, and the ending broke something in my brain and my heart. It was one of the most interesting and original books I’ve ever read.
Overall, read this book if you like
- heavy atmospheric settings
- Queer romance
- Folklore and wild magic
- Appalachian settings
- Dual timelines
- Nature fighting back
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Before anything, I would like to thank Linda H. Codega, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fine read, intriguing at some points, creative, and fascinating in concept. However, it fell flat. The plot was boring and dragged at some points, and many opportunities for a positive message were missed.
Pros:
This was a fine read, intriguing at some points, creative, and fascinating in concept. However, it fell flat. The plot was boring and dragged at some points, and many opportunities for a positive message were missed.
Pros:
- The different timelines are nice and intriguing.
- The characters, magic, and worldbuilding are interesting and unique.
- Nothing attracts me more to a book than female rage and confidence.
Cons:
- The chapter headers are confusing and not cohesive.
- Bennie has a job, but she is conveniently never at work.
- A lot of the same sentences are repeated over and over again.
- The characters are shocked by the same thing multiple times, sometimes even within the same chapter. I get it, I'm supposed to be shocked!! I'm not, move on.
- The pacing dragged many times and some chapters were daunting to read.
- I hated how there could have been more focus on mining companies and the consequences of their actions, and instead, we ended up blaming a witch.
- This is probably because of my early copy of the book, so it won't be considered in my evaluation. Still, I thought it was important to point out that there were a lot of typos, a few grammatical mistakes, and many repetitions that the author might want to check before the book comes out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Self harm
Moderate: Death
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
thank you to netgalley for the eARC.
this was one those reads where i took my time reading through it rather than speeding through it.
the synopsis sounded both interesting and odd to me when i first read it which is something i really like. i did enjoy the storyline and the characters, even the ones where i was probably supposed to dislike other than that one woman at the beginning. she kinda sucked.
the romance was written as a subplot for a majority of the book which i know many don’t like much, but i think it worked perfectly with this story. it was a slow burn which is my favorite. there was yearning, tension, and a tiny bit of jealousy.
i really liked the writing style. it fit really well with the vibe of the storyline which is something i really adore in books. i might read more from this author the future.
this was one those reads where i took my time reading through it rather than speeding through it.
the synopsis sounded both interesting and odd to me when i first read it which is something i really like. i did enjoy the storyline and the characters, even the ones where i was probably supposed to dislike other than that one woman at the beginning. she kinda sucked.
the romance was written as a subplot for a majority of the book which i know many don’t like much, but i think it worked perfectly with this story. it was a slow burn which is my favorite. there was yearning, tension, and a tiny bit of jealousy.
i really liked the writing style. it fit really well with the vibe of the storyline which is something i really adore in books. i might read more from this author the future.
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Motheater by Linda H. Codega wasn't what I was expecting, but a good read. The first chapter pulls readers in, and the ending of the book is beautiful. However, the middle of the book, the plot becomes a bit lost and messy. Codega provides detailed description which allows readers to be fully immersed within this world. The characters are loveable and Bennie's inner monologue is very relatable.
Within this world, readers get to experience the love one has for others as well as the love of the land. The love for both, causes tension and mystery as Bennie and Motheater try to follow their moral compass, try to right their wrongs, and try to put themselves first.
Within this world, readers get to experience the love one has for others as well as the love of the land. The love for both, causes tension and mystery as Bennie and Motheater try to follow their moral compass, try to right their wrongs, and try to put themselves first.