A review by booksborrowed
So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky

challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

So Witches We Became is a YA horror that surprised me.

I was expecting spooky shadow monsters and creepy crawlies, which were there, but what is slowly built up are the real monsters of this story. Jill Baguchinski is wonderfully descriptive and is able to portray the setting and emotions of the characters in a way that makes the reader feel right there with them.The themes are dark and uncomfortable, yet they are so carefully written that the character development creates a sense of hope. 

The only disappointment I feel after finishing this story is a feeling of a possible plot hole. What happened to the mother, that our main character Nelly started seeing the shadow? I feel like the backstory was necessary and maybe forgotten along the way.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kristen James and Jeremy Carlisle Parker. Both of these narrators were able to differentiate tones carefully between the characters, and I enjoyed listening to them.