Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Witch of Tin Mountain

Characters: 9, I think Dierdre felt the most real as a character- being both tough and flawed. But the dual POV storyline with Gracelynn helped give us perspective on Dierdre's evolution as a person. Each character felt like their own person, and most of them contributed to plot and/or atmosphere, so I'd say they were additive.

Atmosphere: 9, between the colloquialisms, the realistic mass hysteria, the wild weather, and the ever-present threat of poverty in every character's life, the atmosphere was very much on point. As was the tension. I live at the foothills of the Appalachians, not the Ozarks of Arkansas in which the story is set- so I only have vague understanding of the crags and deep hollers and wending rivers that shape the geography of this story. However, I could picture it pretty darn well.

Writing: 10, I thought the writing felt effortless, with a good balance of internal dialogue narration and external dialogue. The villain had motivations and foibles, and at times a humanity that made his monstrous nature even more unsettling. I wouldn't say I found it scary, but disturbing in that "people are so easily manipulated" way. I also felt the romantic tension well, and the representation felt organic.

Plot: 8, the overall plot was on par with expectations, though at times the pacing dragged for lack of investment in current storyline. I think that might be a common issue with multiple POV/timeline stories. Nevertheless, by about 70% in I was hooked and had difficulty putting it down.

Intrigue: 8, I did think the ending wrapped up too neatly and happily- but then, there was plenty of suffering for the MCs before their epilogue so perhaps I'm just mean. I expected some very end hat-tip suggestion of freaky events, but alas.

Logic: 9, the characters all acted in accordance with their motives and fears, which seemed generally along the lines of anger, pride, fear, short-sightedness....all the very human things. There's terrible trauma and tremendous grit, and nobody was purely a villain or purely a hero.

Enjoyment: 9, For the most part, I felt engaged and intrigued by the story as well as the atmosphere.

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greenclovers75's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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teatunesandtales's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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rylee2157's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.75

I had this book in my TBR list waiting for it to release, and I checked my email the to find it was a first reads pick from Amazon. I read this in one sitting and it was fantastic.

" Hidden inside his grandfather’s trunk, the boy remains. And the book remembers. "

The dual timeline is set in 1881 and 1931 and follows two girls. I liked how the magic wasn't the main focus considering it was the premise of the book. The author did a great job of explaining everything as it went along (medicine, tinctures, a succubus etc.) without making it feel like a textbook.

" What the hell kind of name is Bellflower, anyway? "

It was almost a fairytale ending which wasn't bad but I wanted to be emotionally destroyed after reading it. Overall, I think it was a great book, it isn't advertised as a queer book but that is the underlying plot in some areas. It worked well, but again was a bit fairytale.

" “Life’s just one burden after another, till we die. But it’s the happy things—the good things—that make it all worthwhile. Things like kisses.” "

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roaringmamalion's review against another edition

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dark hopeful tense fast-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? No

5.0

A solid, witchy, historical read with the usual strong female overtones of witchy fiction.

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mhairi_reads's review against another edition

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dark 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? No

4.5

Do yourself an favour - DON’T READ THE BLURB - IT CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

A definite 5 star read❤️! If you love yourself a witchy tale I would highly recommend Paulette Kennedy’s The Witch of Tin Mountain.

Steeped in Ozark folklore this story was hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric. A fantastic work of historical fiction, dipped in horror and fantasy. Steeped in witchcraft, dark folklore and full of powerful women this book is bound to keep you turning the page and will stay with you long after you closed the book.

An unforgettable story of family, witchcraft, love and power. I read this bad boy in two days. This is a story you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

POV: Dual - Deirdre (YEAR) & Gracelynn (YEAR)

⚠️ Content Warnings: As provided by the author. References to child abuse and neglect (including sexual and physical abuse). Sexual assault, dubious sexual consent, self-harm/suicide, addiction, alcoholism, death and dying, racism, homophobia, murder, attempted murder, fire/arson, and abortion.

Adoption, and childbirth are also mentioned within this novel.

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bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

Set in the Ozarks in Arkansas, the book focuses on three generations of women. I really enjoyed the switching timelines between Deirdre in 1881 and Gracelynn in 1931.

I was happy to see that the author included trigger warnings in the beginning of the book. Kennedy said she was inspired by the Bell Witch haunting in Tennessee, which is one of my favorite legends! She also included stories from her own family and their history in the region. Her writing clearly shows this as she puts her heart into the setting and folklore descriptions!

I was pulled into the story right away! I loved the characters and plot twists-Each character is strong and has their own voice, I loved all 3 women equally. I also loved the main antagonist! He showed how charming and clever evil can be and how it can be used to manipulate others.

Although this is a historical horror novel, there’s a little romance (mainly sapphic!) as well, but it’s not a main focus. The story builds up to the climax and resolution but without making it too slow leading up to the big events, and also not rushing the ending. The pacing was really well done!

I loved the folklore and forest witch vibes which added to the haunting atmosphere of the novel! The nature and weather descriptions added to the spooky vibes of this book, creating tension in the plot. To the point where I couldn’t have my YouTube “haunted woods” ASMR video playing in the background because I ended up scaring myself 😂

Finally I liked the happy ending, and closure. It’s rare to have a “happily ever after” in a horror novel but I liked that bit of hope in the end!

Just wow- I loved this book so much and the cover!! 😍 I just have so many feelings and indescribable words for how much I adored this book! This is definitely my top read of the month💗 I just hope I don’t end up with a book hangover after this and I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy to add to my shelves! Plus I can’t wait to go back and read Kennedy’s debut.

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jenmcreads's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This book was a wonderful and immersive read. The sense of setting is extremely vivid and atmospheric, and it is clear the author writes from a lot of deep knowledge and respect for the region. I found the voices of the women to be distinct and nuanced. The gender dynamics of the book were very moving, particularly the difficulties of queer love in the times this book was set (1881 and 1931, primarily). The folkloric style of the magic involved felt right to the setting and the story. I loved this book, and look forward to its release date so I have others to discuss it with!

I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

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