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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another banger from C.J. Cooke. She has such a way of bringing and all time periods to life, including modern day. Not as directly terrifying as some of her other work, but fits neatly with her other family- and witch-focused books. As always though it was a satisfying and intriguing read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
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
I wanted to give this book a solid 4. But I felt like the ending was a tad flat. Just maybe wanted a little more excitement. But really liked folkie witch feel for sure. I have enjoyed both books from CJ Cooke that I have read.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“People have secrets. Especially our children.”
The Book of Witching is a historical fantastical mystery about a woman accused of being a witch in the 1500s and a woman fighting to protect her daughter in the 2020s.
This was a really engaging story with a mystery I was desperate to unravel. Alison was a woman living in the Orkneys in the 1500s and she was a known healer and practitioner of magic. Her storyline was really interesting and so frustrating to read about. It really made me think about witch trials and how many women were wrongfully accused and pressured/tortured into confessing. Alison’s story was truly rage inducing!
Clem, meanwhile, was living in the present day. Her daughter’s hiking trip to the Orkneys with her friends ends in a tragedy. While her daughter heals, Clem and her ex-husband try to unravel what really happened. I was so curious about Erin’s secrets and enjoyed reading about how Clem dealt with it all.
Cooke’s writing is, as always, captivating and made me want to read “just one more chapter.” Although Alison’s story definitely stirred up the most emotions in me, I found Clem and Erin’s storyline more mysterious and captivating. I was really trying to figure out how it was all connected (because I know it always is connected somehow!) I think this book was a perfect mysterious Påskekrim (easter crime) read. I won’t say more. You must unravel it yourself.
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated