A review by r_bookish_rambles
The Witch who Trades with Death by C.M. Alongi

adventurous slow-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

3.0

 

I was not expecting this to read as a historical fantasy but it ended up being a happy mistake. I really enjoyed the story and almost wished that it wasn’t a standalone.

I really ended up loving the magic system as it felt incredibly unique compared to others I have read about. Anything with Death being portrayed as a type of being always intrigues me and I was not let down! There is a ton of history and world building packed into this story, none of which felt overwhelming but instead added layers on layers to the plot and allowed for a fantastically well-rounded standalone novel. This is where the historical fiction tag truly comes into play. This spans over a decent chunk of time and I liked the timeframe as it felt entirely natural. I ended up being incredibly surprised that this was a debut novel as well, I didn’t notice the hiccups I normally see with first time authors.

There is romance but it is pretty clean, just as a heads up for smut lovers like me!