I once read that the key to happiness is to lower one’s expectations in life. That the feeling of happiness is often more dependent upon whether life is better than originally hoped, rather than how well one’s life is flowing along overall. (Or something to that effect.) It was true. She was nearly seventeen years old and she'd never once had her flow. All of the other girls her age had bled years ago, but not Immanuelle. Never Immanuelle. Martha had all but declared her barren months ago. She was not to bleed or be a wife or bear children. She would remain as she was now, and everyone else would grow up, pass her by, and leave her behind, as Leah would in a few short weeks. It was only a matter of time. My rating is purely selfish (driven by my love for Ezra 🙈). The last 30% was nail bitingly intense. The fate of our characters hanged in the balance. I was ready to raise hell and make sure the rating would suffer just as much if anything were to happen to him. Has a classic setup but updates the olde puritanical tale to deal with issues of racism and sexism."-- The Washington Post he has also caused his youngest wife leah to die in an absolutely HORRENDOUS graphic birth scene in which a midwife is forced to cut her baby out of her womb while she dies screaming -- because he wanted to keep it a secret that he was boinking her while underage and not married.

The Year of the Witching is Alexis Henderson’s debut novel, but you’d never know it.... The story is enchanting, enticing, enthralling, enigmatic.”–Tor.com

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Well wasn’t this the historical horror/fantasy story that we’ve all been secretly craving?? A dark and twisting novel about religion, patriarchal structures, othering and reclaiming your power, The Year of the Witching was quite a debut from author Alexis Henderson. Grappling to make peace with the truths revealed by the diary, Immanuelle slowly begins to uncover the harsh reality of the history of the Church. The time for change has come – and for the sake of Bethel, Immanuelle will fight tooth and nail to ensure that the archaic, injurious rule of the Prophet and the Church is permanently transformed. Immanuelle wanted to believe her, but she was too good at spotting lies, and she could tell there was some falsity in Leah's voice. Still, she made no mention of it. No good would come of it anyway: Leah was bound to the Prophet, and had been since the day he first laid eyes on her two summers prior. The ring she wore was merely a placeholder, a promise wrought in gold. In due time, that promise would take the form of the seed he'd plant in her. Leah would birth a child, and the Prophet would plant his seed again, and again, as he did with all his wives while they were still young enough to bear its fruit.

The Year of the Witching is a gripping and powerful debut filled with horror and macabre recommended for fans of dark (feminist) fantasy, religious cults, and witches tearing down the patriarchy. Forget my poor attempt at a review and go read the book!!!! I know, bold statement. I might be tempted to revoke my claim later, but for now can we talk about how bloody PHENOMENAL and REVOLUTIONARY this terrifying wtichy culty puritanical tale is???? Yes, this book is the sh*t I want everyone to rave about. This novel is a gripping work of fiction that deserves a place on every horror reader’s bookshelf. It isn’t only the writing, however, that sets it apart. It is the subject matter itself. in terms of atmospheric set dressing and imagery, this book is a delight; dark and brooding and dangerous. lots of blood, violence, and other disturbing imagery keep you on your toes and serve its branding as horror rather well.

And Leah was right: It was a good day. It would have been nearly a perfect day, if not for the fact that it was one of the last of its kind, one of the last Sabbaths they would have together. Handmaid’s Tale meets Salem: Born of rebellious feminist resistance by a girl who is branded as cursed because of her mother’s sins and facing the dark powers to make definite and concrete changes at the dystopian, puritanical, secluded society consisted of hypocrisy, ignorance, illogical and unfair laws. After a mishap leads Immanuelle to the forbidden Darkwood that surrounds the settlement, she encounters the spirits of powerful witches killed years before. These spirits gift Immanuelle the journal of her dead mother.

This book will haunt your dreams.”—Christina Henry, National Bestselling author of Aliceand The Ghost Tree I found this to be a very fast engrossing read which had me on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put this down. The ending was intense (who can see this being made into a movie?) Plus, I'm with other reviewers feel/want/hope for a sequel. Readers are not left hanging at the end of this book and yet, I wanted more!decades ago, there was a holy war between the prophet and apostles of bethel and the witches of the nearby darkwood, and the prophet won. the inhabitants of bethel follow the teachings of the holy father, and the witches the teachings of the dark mother -- the latter of whom is, of course, demonized by the prophet. a witchy fantasy-horror about a teenage girl trying to break a curse while living under the yoke of an oppressive patriarchal regime. The Year of the Witchingtells a universal, timeless story about women's power.” – O, The Oprah Magazine The small country of Bethel lives by the Prophet’s law: submission, purity, piety and conformity are the rule, and Immanuelle’s mere existence is proof of her mother’s sin. She tries to live a pious life but the ominous Darkwood calls with its promises of another world. The witches that once plagued Bethel are said to reside there still, waiting for a chance to take their revenge on the Prophet that doomed them. When Immanuelle wanders in the Darkwood she discovers secrets that never should have been uncovered, and what follows is plague of plagues that will doom Bethel unless she can stop it. But as secrets come unraveled Immanuelle must decide: does Bethel deserve to be saved?

A haunting, unique read I couldn’t put down—a story that cuts to the heart.”—Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Timesbestselling author of Tempests and SlaughterBefore I read this book, I had no idea what it was about. I just know two things that made me want it; that it has witches and it got such an aesthetic beautiful cover. And I was sold! This is more revolutionist, reformist and outstandingly brave and powerfully feminist dystopian story! This is about a young woman’s fight to change the system, not to be victimized, harassed, abused by the men who used the law and religion to justify their wrongdoings. It’s bold, moving and fascinating.