*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Thrown into the river and left for dead by the mining company on Mount Kire, Motheater was pulled from the waters by Bennie. A former employee and current investigator, Bennie hopes that this unidentified woman will be the lynchpin for exposing White Hills for their deadly mining practices that have killed dozens of people since the early 1990s. However, while Motheater struggles to remember her full name, her bones remember Kire and the power she pulls from the land.

Lyrical and atmospheric, MOTHEATER tackles the idea of what people are willing to sacrifice in the name of progress and who has to pay the fee. Part literary fiction, part fantasy, part eco-horror-- this book brings together the old practices and lore of Appalachia Neighbors and the continued struggle with environmentalism v. progress.

This book moves slow, but deliberate; the best parts for me were the flashbacks to Ester's life, while the modern-day plot line with Bennie began to feel monotonous by the end. The characters were well-developed and motivated, and I think Codega did a wonderful job explaining actions through character-building and dialogue. But the best part by far was the world building-- the magic system was intriguing and rooted in old practices, the Appalachian setting was an excellently executed character in and of itself, and the eldritch horror component of this world kept me on my toes.