Bad Witch Burning by: Jessica Lewis
Release Date: August 24th, 2021
Publisher: Delacorte
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 352
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indigo | IndieBound
Synopsis
Content warning: minor body horror, threat of harm to animals and animal death. Some animal death is real and some is imagined.
For fans of Us and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comes a witchy story full of black girl magic as one girl’s dark ability to summon the dead offers her a chance at a new life, while revealing to her an even darker future.
Katrell doesn’t mind talking to the dead; she just wishes it made more money. Clients pay her to talk to their deceased loved ones, but it isn’t enough to support her unemployed mother and Mom’s deadbeat boyfriend-of-the-week. Things get worse, when a ghost warns her to stop the summonings or she’ll “burn everything down.” Katrell is willing to call them on their bluff, though. She has no choice. What do ghosts know about eating peanut butter for dinner?
However, when her next summoning accidentally raises someone from the dead, Katrell realizes that a live body is worth a lot more than a dead apparition. And, warning or not, she has no intention of letting this lucrative new business go.
But magic doesn’t come for free, and soon dark forces are closing in on Katrell. The further she goes, the more she risks the lives of not only herself, but those she loves. Katrell faces a choice: resign herself to poverty, or confront the darkness before it’s too late.
Review
Thank you so much to TBR and Beyond Tours and author Jessica Lewis for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Bad Witch Burning Tour Schedule can be found below!
Oh how I love this book… This story knocked my socks off and elicited so many emotions from me. Katrell’s back story is one that will definitely resonate with a lot of young people growing up in the hood. Her situation with her mom and her mom’s boyfriend is a sad reality that far too many young black kids go through and Lewis portrayed this situation very thoughtfully and tactfully. Katrell is pushed really far in this novel physically and mentally and there are rare moments when she is happy and content. However, her resilience comes through very loudly and I was rooting for her the entire time. She was such a likable character and I really wish there was a way for me to give her a hug. There were quite a few scary elements in this book as well. The ‘Revenants’ were not my cup of tea, but they added a nice frightening undertone to Katrell’s dilemma. The imagery concerning these monsters was astounding. I would definitely recommend this book to people who liked Blood Like Magic and Wings of Ebony, the vibes are sooo similar! I am so excited to see more from Jessica Lewis.
Mood Board
Meet the Author
Jessica Lewis is a Black author and receptionist from Alabama. She has a degree in English Literature and Animal Science (the veterinarian plan did not work out). She lives with her way-funnier-than-her grandmother, who answers all of her wild questions about ghosts and zombies and werewolves (even if she’s annoyed sometimes haha!). When she isn’t writing or working she enjoys watching cooking shows or HGTV-type home shows.
TBR and Beyond Tour Schedule: Bad Witch Burning
August 23rd
Nine Bookish Lives – Promo Post
The Litt Librarian – Review
August 24th
The Book Dutchesses – Promo Post
The Broke Book Blog -Top 5 Reasons to Read Bad Witch Burning & TikTok
Justice for Readers – Review, Mood Board
August 25th
Confessions of a YA Reader – Promo Post
Kait Plus Books – Journal Spread
AndOnSheReads – Review
August 26th
Devouring Books – Promo Post
The Ink Slinger – Review & Favourite Quotes
Rajiv’s Reviews – Review
August 27th
Stuck in Fiction – Promo Post
Forthenovellovers – Review
PopTheButterfly Reads – Review
August 28th
I Dream in Books – Fan Art
Sometimes Leelynn Reads – Review
Sadie’s Spotlight – Promo Post
August 29th
HerBookishObsession – Review
Monogamist Reader – Promo Post
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No idea how I missed the email for this tour! If I had seen it I would totally have been on it. Definitely my kind of book. Great review! x
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