Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC! All opinions expressed are my own. 

Just finished Song of the Hell Witch and while it didn’t totally cast a spell on me, it had some real promise. The plot was cool and surprisingly fresh, with a dark magical edge and older main characters who actually got to be the stars instead of fading into the background. That alone earned some points. The writing felt a bit rough around the edges, like the author’s still finding their voice, but the bones of a great story are definitely there.

The book dives into themes of oppression, identity, and rebellion, which could’ve packed a punch, but instead felt a little too much like a speech. It’s not that the message wasn’t important, it just needed to blend more smoothly into the world instead of climbing up onto a soapbox. Still, I’m curious where the series goes from here. There’s enough potential bubbling under the surface to make me consider picking up book two.