I was so excited to receive a copy of The Once and future witches by Alix E Harrow. After reading her first novel The Thousand Doors of January which blew my mind, I couldn’t wait to dive in.
It’s 1893 in New Salem North America there are three Eastwood sisters Agnes, Bella and James Juniper. They lived in a world that there once was witches but now is it forbidden. There tales and the spells are a now passed down from mother to daughter through fairy tales and books. It is also the time of the suffragist movement, where women who thought to be second best, want a voice and to be heard. But there is also the plague sweeping the city that is dampening their plans.
The three Eastwood sisters are completely different to each other and were separated years previously, now come together to have a voice with the suffragist movement and bring back witches. But a certain Gideon Hill will all his powers wants to put a stop to that and imprison the sisters and eventually burn them at the stake.
This is another beautifully written and magical story from Alix E Harrow. I loved the characters of the sisters. It had a great storyline, it flowed beautifully I liked how the author gave new meanings to the fairy tale and nursery rhymes I knew as a kid. 5 stars from me.

This book is a slow paced beautiful meandering tale. The writing is so beautifully descriptive that you can easily get lost in the story of a magical world of witches and witchcraft. The sensuous language draws you into the story and sweeps you along on its journey with three great sisters all uniquely flawed. The story weaves its way along perfectly mixing with fairytales and nursery rhymes.. If you love the Caraval Series by Stephanie Garber then I think you’re going to love this book too. And I would definitely recommend to fans of Young Adult fiction.

Thank you to netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When chance brings the Eastwood sisters back together in New Salem, they begin to dream of more for themselves, eachother and womankind. The renewal of witchcraft and the fight for suffrage entwine in this beautiful story of sacrifice and sisterhood.

Firstly, this is a really good book.

I was hooked immediately with the character of James Juniper and I fell in love with her fierce spirit. I was worried that this would make me prefer her point of view over that of the other sisters, but this was really not the case. Each sister is so likeable yet so wonderfully flawed, I was rooting for them all from the beginning. Seeing them come back together and watching their relationship mending was the most satisfying part of the book. I liked that the romance elements were more subplots and the main focus was on the sisters.

Each chapter is headed by a little couplet or quatrain of a spell linking to the chapter which I absolutely loved. It made it feel so authentic and just really helps to involve the reader in the story and to feel like part of their circle. The other addition I appreciated was the short fairytale retellings, and the way that they link to the present time of the characters and to the main crux of the book. At some points the pace can be a little slow, so it helps that these story snippets are always short as they take you back to the action quickly. This was so seamlessly done and I didn't feel it took me out of the main story at all.

I would probably describe the book as a mix of fantasy and little bit of historical fiction, but more leaning towards fantasy. I definitely felt like following the sisters journey and learning the will, the words and the ways gave me a little more fire in my belly, and I think that's what we all could do with a bit more of. So if you're a fan of witchiness and women's rights then this book is absolutely for you. I felt some Alice Hoffman vibes are the start, but Alix E. Harrow absolutely holds her own in this genre and I would like to read more of her books. I would also like a book about Mama Mags!

Plot - no spoilers
It is 1893, women are fighting for their rights and the only thing worse than a woman is a witch. The story follows the three Eastwood sisters; Bella, Agnes and Juniper, as they fight for both the women's and witches' movements. The sisters whom were once lost, now found, quickly learn that everything important comes in threes and boundaries must be challenged if they ever have a hope of bringing witching back. Through sisterhood and suffragettes, the women within this novel are continually fighting for power, to have their voices heard. Women are angry, they are tired, desperate and in some cases, they are trapped. Yet they stand together hand in hand, doing all that they can to end the cycle, gain an ounce of freedom, to speak for themselves and simply not be tossed aside. However, no narrative would be complete without its series of challenges, and ours arise in the form of the dark and mysterious Gideon Hill, a mayoral candidate who wishes to banish witching and will burn witches at any cost. Gideon wants to create a new Salem, flooded with light and cast away from the darkness, however the women have more than spells up their sleeves to combat Hill's forces. They have the will, the ways and the words; the strength of three.

Pros
I haven't read a lot of novels about witches in my time, perhaps one of the only series I've read about witches and folklore being The Winternight Trilogy. I was pleasantly surprised to find witch ways, rhymes, spells and folklore were embedded in this book from start to finish, with each chapter highlighting a specific spell or curse that would be used next in the sister's adventure. Harrow makes links to The Sister's Grimm, amongst other famous witches of the past, to further embed this way of life into the narrative and build a true history of these woman that spans centuries into the past.

Moreover, I enjoyed the use of women from all walks of life and occupations; mothers, daughters, mill girls, midwives, fortune-tellers, journalists and high-society ladies to truly show that regardless of your status, as a woman in the 1890s you had no rights, you had to fight for it. Harrow also writes characters of varying ethnicities and sexualities, delving further into the hardships the vast majority of people faced, that being if you were not a straight white man. These issues are faced in such a way that the characters will describe events and issues, that are either happening or have happened to them, as opposed to a backstory being told from a narrator's perspective. I found this to be a particularly clever writing strategy, specifically when there were pockets of raw emotion being dipped into.

Harrow has a clear structure for this narrative, from what she wants the reader to think when beginning a chapter, to what she wants them to feel as they further understand the difficulties women faced. I thought this was a brilliantly written piece and tackled some predominant issues of the time period along the way.


Cons
Occasionally I found myself confused between the sisters. Although the initial chapters focus on one sister a piece, I felt due to the change of name use, between their first name and their middle witch name, I got them mixed up. By doing so, this slowed the pace of the narrative down for me as I kept having to refer back to the initial chapters to pair up the middle witch name with the first name of the sister. It also meant that certain story lines became blurred as Harrow would use "the middle sister," rather than James/Juniper, which meant I was reading a chapter thinking of, say Bella, when actually it was about Agnes! I think picking a name, either first or witch name, from the start and sticking to it would have made things a little clearer, thus building the pace more efficiently at the start of the novel.

Lastly, a word on the storyline of the father. I won't spoil the plot, but I felt that the ongoing issue between the father and the sisters was never truly explained. Perhaps it was implied or explained via a spell or rhyme, but I am still left wondering what happened in the end... As above, I feel there are elements that are so doused in speculation, witchcraft and mystery, that they become unclear. Maybe I missed it, or maybe we aren't supposed to know the whole picture. But if I did miss it, please let me know!


Final thoughts
By using a lyrical style of writing, Harrow is able to grip readers and take us on a journey through dark and mystical storytelling. There are times of laughter, love and loss. Sheer rage contrasted against some of the purest souls. Harrow captivated me from the first line and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every page in this powerful feminist witchy combination. I am so pleased I had the opportunity to receive this ARC.

Synopsis: Three sisters separate. Three sisters reunited in New Salem 1893. There's no such thing as witches anymore. There used to be in the dark old days but witching, true witching is a thing of the past. Now the best kind of witching you'll see is that of cleaning or small spells to light candles. When James Juniper, Agnes Amarantha & Beatrice Belladonna, 3 sisters who lost each other, reunite and join the suffragettes they begin to discover the forgotten ways and how to bring the women's movement and witch's movement together.

I really wanted to love this book, the cover is beautiful and after The Ten Thousand Doors of January ended up being one of my favourite books of 2019 it was highly anticipated. Unfortunately, I just didn't love this one. The pacing was very slow and the three sisters very one dimensional. It also felt a bit too much like it was trying so hard to be inclusive of everyone and everything that the story got lost somewhere in the middle. 2.5* overall.

I have the Will and the Way but not the Words to fully describe how amazing this book is. The characters are brilliant and as one of a trio of sisters I also strongly related to the characters as the three of us match up with them really well (I'm definitely Bella with my love of books).

I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January and I'm so happy to see this was just as fantastic. I will happily devour any and all future books by Alix E. Harrow!

Synopsis:

In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

But when the Eastwood sisters--James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna--join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.

This story is just beautifully written, lyrical infact! I was totally captivated from the start (infact, I loved the dedication!). I fell in love with the Eastwood sisters, the bond they shared and what they were willing to sacrifice in order for women to gain. This book is just spellbinding (pun intended) and you have to read it!

I was sent this ARC as an e-book but this has to have a space on my bookshelf! I will read it again and again!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for the advanced copy.

This one took me by surprise, I would definitely read more by this author. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend.

Review to be published in website on the 1st of September.

After the remarkable success with The Ten Thousand Doors of January, including several nominations to the main awards in the genre, Alix E. Harrow is back to our shelves with The Once and Future Witches. This is a completely independent book from the first one and quite different as well. However, there are some similitudes with the first release such as how Alix treats the magic feature and her love for the classical fantasy stories. Also, this novel is a much more feminist novel, which is quite obvious since you read the book synopsis.

The Once and Future Witches takes us to New Salem, in North America. It is 1893, there are no more witches and witchery is in practice any more. It is forbidden. The only way for women to get some power in the way their lives pass by is by achieving the right to vote that has been denied to them historically. In this context we meet the three main characters in the book: the Eastwood sisters. James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth y Beatrice Belladona join the suffragist movement in New Salem to get this acknowledge.

Since the very beginning in the reading we see the three sisters are very different one to each other. Juniper is the youngest, more impetuous and energetic, while Beatrice, the elder, is more quiet but with further vision and knowledge. The three of them are also witches. A forbidden power that they will be forced to use to overcome the oppression that, as women, they will receive by a good part of the population of New Salem. Starting with the mayoral candidate and who will do as much as possible to kick them out from town.


There is a lot about feminism in The Once and Future Witches, mostly in the first half of the book. Although for some readers this part of the story can be a bit slow in pace, this is the key to understand the motivations of all event taking place in the second half of the story. Harrow introduces several topics that, literally, infuriates the reader. At the same time it is really fascinating to see all the comments and situations that the sisters need to overcome not to be oppressed by the overall women situation. How the Eastwood sisters face all kind of obstacles in order to achieve the right to vote and how this derivate into a witchy story is amazing. A significant amount of citizens in New Salem are also convinced that women´s right to vote will bring dark times to society and will defend what they call the traditional way of life. Doesn´t this sound familiar?


I have to say that the way all the small details on how women were treated in New Salem in this book reminded me a lot on how Mary Robinette Kowal described them in the multi award winning novel The Calculating Stars. All those gender and race issues, among others, found by Elma while trying to get to the stars in an old fashioned NASA are introduced in a quite similar way - IMHO, even better, to those found in The Once and Future Witches.


The Eastwood sisters will need to use anything in their hands to be seen as the women they are. Some of the tools will be magical while they try to avoid been saw as the evil witches they are not. In that sense, a downside about the book was that the rest of the cast was extremely white or black. Very few greys in how most of the characters played their role during the plot.

The Once and Future Witches is mainly a character driven novel. The three sisters take over the story and, even the first half of the story might be a bit slow, I really enjoyed this part of it and I did engage with the sisters. I felt it was essential to understand the whole picture and the motivations behind each of them. Same as in The Ten Thousand Doors of January the mix between historical facts – in a period Harrow knows very well, well known places and magic events worked for me perfectly. With the extra bit of having multiple points of view.

The Once and Future Witches is, definitely, an even better novel than the debut book. Which means a lot considering how I enjoyed the first one. Not only thanks to the main characters but also for the unlimited amount of details that enrich the novel. Even if you are not a fan of witchy novels, all the historical features added to the treatment of the magic given by Harrow makes the reading of The Once and Future Witches an extremely enjoyable time.

Better than anyone else, Alix describes this book in a sentence written in the book: Witchy as hell!

Thankyou to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC for review. I really liked The Once and Future Witches - the tone and description made it really absorbing and vivid, and the relationship and personalities of each of the three sisters was really interesting and I found I had favourite aspects of each of them. I loved the worldbuilding and the little gender-bent nods to famous 'witches' like the Sisters Grimm, and it really surprised me with how inclusive it was with both a lesbian relationship and a trans character. The plot was engaging and there were definitely twists I didn't see coming, but ultimately what made me rate it as 4.5 was the ending; though it felt like the character death made sense, compared with the other two relationships in the book it felt like there was no way to give the character a 'happy' ending - though I do like the epilogue, but I would have loved to have seen what the ending would have been like had the character stayed alive. Overall though I really enjoyed the book and the world and would definitely recommend this if you're in the mood for a great witchy, feminist autumn read.

I loved author's first novel The Ten Thousand Doors of January, so I knew that I have to give this book a chance and try to read it.

The story follows lives of three sisters that are all completely different from each other. One is quiet and loves book, second is brave and strong, and the last is fierce and willing to do anything to get what she wants. Their lives divided when they were younger, but then they suddenly met again, after a few years in Salem, during women's suffrage movement. And I have to say that I love the involvement of "witches" that is actually connected to "feminists" in this book! It gave me so many feelings about women strenght, independence and reedom!

The writing style didn't disappoint me and that made me so happy! I fell in love with Harrow's writing when I read TTTDOJ and this time it was even better. She can truly write so delightfully, even though she adds a lot of descriptions to her scenes. Yet, this book was easy to read. The only problem I had was with her writing style, was pacing. It was just too slow for me, the story seemed to stretch while I read it. And I could not enjoy it properly because of it.

I cannot say that I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed her debut. It was interesting, beautifully written story with amazing theme, but... that's all I can think of. If you love books with slow pacing and , I think you'll enjoy this one. If you don't, then I guess you'll have the same opinion on this book, as I do.

3,5/5*

With thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown UK/Orbit for the change to read this much coveted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was great I loved the themes in this book although it was based on witches in salem after the original witch burning had happen. I felt that a lot of the themes could be used in todays society as how the world still view womens and their rights.
Although slow paced in some places, I enjoyed the fresh take on fairy tales and nursery rhymes being the source of spells and how they have been passed down mother to daughter.
A really well written book.

After reading and loving her first novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I knew she would become an auto-buy author for me. After this book was announced, it instantly became one of my most anticipated book of the year as I have been in a serious witchy mood recently. It did not disappoint!

We follow the Eastwood sisters in Salem, 1893 during the women's suffrage movement. Beatrice Belladonna is the oldest; she is wise, nerdy, introverted, and a bookworm. Agnes Amaranth is the middle sister; she is independent, strong and determined. James Juniper is the youngest of the three; she is sassy, wild and fierce. Although they are all so different from each other, I found myself relating to each of them in different ways (but personality wise, I would say Beatrice is whom I relate to most). There is also some romance is here including a f/f romance, but it doesn't take up the whole story and the focus remains on the sisters, which I loved!

In my opinion, this was even better than her debut! Somehow, her writing became more beautiful, her characters became even more relatable, and the pacing was on point with beautiful world-building. This book was over 500 pages long and it is more character-driven, but it didn't feel like it dragged at any point, I was instantly sucked into the world and lives of the three sisters, and I didn't want it to end! It tackled feminism, self discovery, importance of sisterhood/family, fighting for equality, LGBT romance, whilst also being full of magic, witchcraft and pure perfection. I felt so empowered, but the feminism isn't just shoved down your throat as it's more subtle.

Thank you so so much to Alix E Harrow, Little Brown UK/Orbit and Netgalley for providing this ARC, all opinions are my own.

How do you know when you have a five star review worthy ARC in your hand? To avoid spoilers about specific plot points, I’ll tell you that I looked at the percentage-o-meter bar on my Kindle and clocked it at around 30% into the Once and Future Witches. And things slowed to a glacial pace because I knew I wanted to extract every second of enjoyment out of this delectable first read plum.

Author Alix E. Harrow has several hurdles to get over with this book. The first is reputational- her previous offering of the Ten Thousand Doors of January was quite rightly much celebrated and praised. Indeed, it was possibly my favourite book of last year. It’s hard not to feel wary of a follow up, and nobody likes to be disappointed that the author they love turns out to be a flash in the pan. I have to stress, this is a very different book from “January”, although there are some similarities- the lush, beautiful prose and twisty plot for example. But the Once and Future Witches is entirely capable of standing on its own- and more than demonstrates this author can deliver consistent delights.

The second challenge is that the plot and characterisation draws rather heavily in places on some well familiar tropes and themes in the form of traditional folklore, rhymes and fairy tales. In less able hands this may have come across a tired cliché. However Harrow positively elevates those elements, and turns it into something fresh and original. The three main characters, the Eastwood Sisters are typecast to a degree – there is the wild rebellious youngest sister, the protective maternal middle sister and the eldest is prim spinster librarian. But in case, there’s a good justification which serves the story well. There’s some good depth by way of character development as well as some interesting and diverse supporting characters. There’s a cracking and genuinely chilling baddies as well- Harrow does write good, creepy villains.

Again, with an eye to spoilers, it would be easy to summarise the overall plot as “suffragist witches”. That’s a massive oversimplification of course but it’s fair to say there’s a feminist roar running deeply and powerfully through the novel. If as a reader you can’t identify with the feeling that of being so angry some days as a woman that bees might pour of your mouth then this book might not be entirely your thing. As a person full of bees, I loved that aspect. There are strong themes as well exploring race, sexuality and class.

One note of caution is that after some initial sparks, this is something of a slow burn in terms of plot build up, if only to allow for some essential world-building. There are witches but the rules under which they operate, largely in secret and fuelled by three key factors (the will, the words and the way), take a little getting used to. The setting of circa 1800s New Salem feels familiar yet uncomfortable, all the more so when the history of what was Old Salem is revealed. There’s also quite a bit of cryptic referrals to certain past events, with many hints and inferences that these shaped the Eastwood women both as individuals and their relationships with each other. This drip-feeding can lead to an initial sense of not being sure of exactly what is going on and maybe a mild sense of irritation about missing a piece of the jigsaw for longer than necessary. However, once the magical system is established (made easier with the wee lovely introductory spells at the start of each chapter) and enough background offered to understand what went on in the past, the story really opens up- and then lets rip in something of a narrative fireball.

It is very long, clocking in at a hefty 528 pages and I did find there was another little pacing dip further on- there’s a lot of hiding and being pursued throughout which I began to find a tiny bit tiresome toward. But the ending is extremely satisfying.

A last comment is that the cover of the book is as gorgeous and lush as the prose inside. It will be a lovely addition to my collection.

With thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown UK/Orbit for the change to read this much coveted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alix E Harrow replicates the wondrous magic of The Ten Thousand Doors of January which I adored, in this character driven feminist adventure story in this fierce and beautiful homage to the power of women in all their forms, including the three female archetypes represented by the Eastwood sisters, the mother, the maiden and the crone. It is a time where the power of the history of witches and witchcraft has been diminished to virtually nothing, existing only in the below the radar voices and rhymes. It is 1893, the Eastwood sisters were once close, but splintered apart and estranged for many years, suffering at the hands of their abusive father, only to meet and be drawn together once again at a suffragette rally at St George's Square in New Salem, bringing their considerable strengths to join the fight for women's right to vote.

The three sisters are different and distinct characters in their own right, Beatrice Belladonna is the eldest, Agnes Amarath, and the youngest, James Juniper, have to face their personal history of pain and sorrow, and in order to deploy magic in the coming battle ahead, they will need the will, the words and the way, recovering the history and power of witchcraft to challenge the rule and domination of men. This is going to be no easy task, there are the widespread fears and divisions in the community and other obstacles on the dangerous path to changing and breaking the existing power structures that divide, discriminate and disempower, and there is a ruthless and menacing force that must be defeated too. In a twisted magical narrative, hope, unity and support is needed and sought amongst other marginalised sectors, such as the black and LBQT+ communities.

Harrow's prose is lyrical in her gripping, compulsive and spellbinding storytelling and her world building is stellar. I found myself totally immersed and caught up in the wide range of diverse characters, rooting for the sisters and their allies. One of the best things about the novel is how it echoes so many of our contemporary realities in the modern world and the issues that divide us, it is a thought provoking read on gender, women's rights, race, homophobia, sexuality, survival, feminism and more. This is a brilliant read, that for me felt so meaningful and captured my imagination, I loved all the Eastwood sisters, having to give up everything in order to gain the possibility of gaining everything. Simply wonderful and highly recommended. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

A thoughtful and fiery book about witchcraft, but also, more importantly, about solidarity, power, and sisterhood. I loved The Once And Future Witches not just as a fantastic adventure story (which it is) or as a tale of magic and resistance (which it also is) but ultimately as a hopeful picture of all the different ways in which women (and men) can work together to effect change. It made me wish for a more magical world to live in and a picket full of feathers and herbs to start hexing some choice targets! I was so excited when I was approved for an arc of this, and I wasn't disappointed. Very highly recommended indeed.

This is by far one of my favourite books I have read this year! After reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January last year I was extremely excited for Harrow's sophomore novel and I was not disappointed! Following these three sisters in a wholly feminist and empowering story was an absolute thrill, and I am sure to revisit this story many times in the future!

I am not sure I have words for this book... It was so beautiful, so powerful, and honestly, there is little question that this is a new favourite book for me!

The three sisters we follow in this book, Bella, Agnes and Juniper, are all so wildly different from one another, and begin the book in not the most positive place. But watching them reconcile their misunderstandings and learn to love each other despite their differences was truly beautiful to watch. I also loved every single one of them as individuals! They were each dealing with their own struggles, and they handled them in totally different ways, but I could relate to aspects of all of them and fell in love with each of them for different reasons.

There were also two gorgeous romances in this book, but I liked that they in no way stole the spotlight from the sisters' individual stories. They added to them, and really showed the development of certain characters, but it was still leaving the focus on each sister's personal development. Also, I was extremely happy to discover that one of the relationships was f/f, which I didn't expect at all! I had no idea this book had LGBTQ+ rep in it, but was thrilled to find it did!

The plot of this book did take a minute to reveal itself, but I loved just finding out about the sisters even before we knew what the motivation for the plot was, so I didn't mind at all! And once the plot got going it was very enjoyable, though I would definitely say this was still a character-based and character-driven book overall.

If you have read Alix Harrow's debut novel, you will know that her writing is beautiful and lyrical, but I could not believe how many gorgeous quotes and passages I was marking when reading this! And I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy so I can annotate it in person! The writing alone would make me want to reread this book, but luckily there are many other amazing features as well!

Finally, I wanted to say that this is such a gorgeously feminist book! Set with the backdrop of the suffragette and suffragist movement it was evident from the beginning that we were following strong women who would fight for what they deserved, but there was so much more to it! There were many times in this book where turns of phrase were updated to feature a female name or pronoun, and all these subtle moments really amounted to a very empowering book!

In case it wasn't evident, I highly recommend this book, and I think if you are looking for a fantasy novel which will make you feel everything from fluttery-hearted to empowered and motivated, then this is the perfect book for you!

This book follows the Eastwood Sisters, Juniper, Agnes and Bella, but it’s no cosy family saga. There are arguments, there are betrayals, there are three different paths towards freedom for these young women and they are all very different.
Set in New Salem in the 1880s, the plot arcs are steadily developed and at times the pace may seem a little slow. This all adds to the character development and the filling in of the setting, however.
At times the prose can be a tad flowery, but if you like the style that isn’t a problem. I would possibly have liked this book a little more as a young adult, but that doesn’t mean I dislike it now. I’ve just read so many books that tie women’s suffrage in with witchcraft that the subject seems a little jaded. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to a young adult reader who would revel in the unhurried pace and rich language.

4.75 stars

Once and Future Witches feels like the book of my soul. This book captures that hidden wild spark inside all our souls that longs for otherness and power. The writing is so atmospheric and lyrical, it feels like having a cup of tea outside in the autumn in a garden full of herbs and falling leaves. The witchy aspexts of this book really spoke to me as well, I'm fascinated by the whole idea of crafting power from words and herbs and this book just felt so magical.

We follow the 3 Eastwood sisters; Juniper, Agnes and Bella who are all such well crafted characters, and each have an important role to play in the tale. At the start of the book Juniper has just escaped home and is travelling to New Salem to start a new life, where she encounters her 2 older sisters, who left home a few years ago leaving unresolved conflict between each of the sisters.

Juniper - Is the youngest and deemed the 'wild one'. She is defiently the most reckless character and often instigates a lot of the conflict but she also has a lot of natural charm, as well as power!! At the start of the novel she joins the New Salem Sufferage movement and persuades some of the women to join her in starting a new chapter focusing more on witchcraft, called the sisters of avalon, which is what the book focuses on.

Agnes - Is the middle sister and deemed the 'strong one'. A large part of the book and one I was not expecting but pleasantly suprised by because I always love themes of motherhood, especially in witchy books was that agnes becomes pregnant and which watch her struggle with her priorities, in wanting to do what is best for her unborn daughter vs what her sisters want her to do.

Bella - Is the oldest sister and deemed the 'wise' one. Bella is very bookish and works in a library, she is also a lesbian (or at least sapphic, i'm not sure the word was used on page but she never expressed any interest towards men) and there was a very cute romance between her and another character, a journalist and fellow witch Cleo Quinn.

This book is a fantastic look at sisterhood, reconciliation, motherhood and the power of women/womanhood. I also wanted to comment on the pacing, this book felt slow but also not in a bad way, there way always plenty going on and the plot moved at a steady pace but also it felt introspective and gave the characters plenty of time to reflect which I really liked.

Some books stole my heart through the worlds they covey. Some books seduced me with two sentences of a prologue. This book - took hold of me with the dedication:

To my mother and grandmothers
and all the women they burned before us

As a side note - this book is a perfect example of how torturous ARCs can be: not being able to talk about what this book until after the release date. Thanks, NetGalley...

The blurb reads:
"In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the three Eastwood sisters join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote - and perhaps not even to live - the sisters must delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There's no such thing as witches. But there will be."

The story takes place in a town of New Salem in 1893. The City Without Sin is entering the Progressive Era, and women's rights movement is on the rise.
The magic is a relic of past, a cheap trick with no place for in modern society.

We arrive at New Salem's train station along with James Juniper Eastwood, a headstrong and a bit brash young woman on the run. As if by chance, she notices an ad on a board calling "All ladies who tire of tyranny". Needing a destination to avoid confrontation with a police officer, she decides to make way to the gathering, where the events will bring her and her estranged sisters together.
The sisters couldn't be more different from one another; the youngest - the wild and feral one, the middle - the tireless and the unflinching one, and the eldest - the listening one, the wise one.

They are joined on their journey by a wealth of characters, each of them with their own past and desires, strengths and shattered hopes.

The pace of the story is varied - comes in ebbs and flows; this may not be up to everyone's alley, but I found it well suited to the events.
The hints and snippets from characters' backstories are coming at just the right time and in just the right amount to keep the reader's interest.
Alix's writing captivated me. She perfectly touches on difficult subjects, like class, gender, and racial injustice, workers rights, domestic violence, abortion, and LGBTQ issues, in a compassionate manner, though her voice is loud.

I was expecting the feelings to come in waves while reading the story. What I felt, mostly, was anger - at the injustice, the acquiescence of those who resigned themselves to not wanting more because of the fear of repercussions or internalised belief of not deserving it. The history of witchcraft is a history of women - the headstrong ones, the smart ones, the daring ones; women whose views and opinions were too inconvenient, or dangerous, to be left unchecked by those in power.

"That temper will get you burnt at the damn stake. A wise woman keeps her burning on the inside."

I cannot say that there was an individual character that I could closely identify. Instead, I could relate to the experiences of all three sisters and a lot of the side characters as well.
How many of us downplayed our abilities or refrained from speaking up not to rock the boat? How many a time we have wished we had it within us to stand up for ourselves and others?

"Witching and women's rights. Suffrage and spells. They're both..." She gestures in mid-air again. "They're both a kind of power, aren't they?"