Ready to discover another great book for this 2020? Take a look…

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Random Things Tours
Publisher: Bantam Press
Rating: 4/5
Amazon, Hive

About The Book

Born on the fringes of Bethel, Immanuelle does her best to obey the Church and follow Holy Protocol. For it was in Bethel that the first Prophet pursued and killed four powerful witches, and so cleansed the land.
And then a chance encounter lures her into the Darkwood that surrounds Bethel.
It is a forbidden place, haunted by the spirits of the witches who bestow an extraordinary gift on Immanuelle. The diary of her dead mother . . .
Fascinated by and fearful of the secrets the diary reveals, Immanuelle begins to understand why her mother once consorted with witches. And as the truth about the Prophets, the Church and their history is revealed, so Immanuelle understands what must be done. For the real threat to Bethel is its own darkness.
Bethel must change. And that change will begin with her . . .

My Thoughts

Sometimes I wonder how much the fantastic stories I love to read are fantasy or based on reality with some beautiful details to make it more amenable. This is the case for “The Year of Witching”, there’s no time period or geographic situation in this story, only the “lands of Bethel”. Even though there is no year to know exactly, you could relate between 1450 to 1750; but there are some points of the story that I could relate in the present, the way women are treated and how sometimes is more important superstitions than facts.
Just take a look at the reality we have now, we have scientific proof that Covid exists, but there are still some people that think it’s all a lie. Religion before science… for me is an easy choice, I am a scientist, but I see that religion and myths are always attractive to some people and this has always surprised and terrified me. How is it possible that you believe in a word from someone before actual facts that you can see? Mysteries of life, I suppose.
But let’s focus on this story, remember that is fiction and part fantasy, where demons and witches exist. Immanuelle Moore is the main character of this story, she was born with a witch prediction and all her life has been surrounded by myths of her mother and fear of the forbidden Darkwood. When one day she has to cross the Darwood by accident all her life will change forever, she will have the diary of her mother making her obsess more with the myths instead of facts and she starts to distrust everything that she always believe in. She will have an unexpected ally for the battle of the truth and to keep her family safe, the son of the prophet, but is he really an ally or has he his own agenda?
This is a book it kept me thinking and comparing to the reality we live, how is possible that no matter how much time has passed, some things are meant to repeat themselves. Be prepared for a slow-paced story, addictive and full of mystery. Ready?

About The Author

Alexis Henderson is a speculative fiction writer with a penchant for dark fantasy, witchcraft, and cosmic horror. She grew up in one of America’s most haunted cities, Savannah, Georgia, which instilled in her a life-long love of ghost stories. When she doesn’t have her nose buried in a book, you can find her painting or watching horror movies with her feline familiar. Currently, Alexis resides in the sun-soaked marshland of Charleston, South Carolina.