(I apologize for the very late review, I lost my password)
I had to DNF this one, I went in thinking it was a scary witches story instead it was very annoying.
It felt like it was moving way too fast and then very slow and the characters were unlikeable

Set in a small town in Connecticut in one of the worst winter storms imaginable, a community led by the sheriff will face a witch straight from their worst nightmares. The scene is especially dark and the witch one of traditions most evil. The story.....one of the best, scariest tales you'll read.

I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and Oblivion Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Witch 13. Being selected to explore this captivating story before its official release has been such a treat, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you. A huge thank you to the teams at NetGalley and Oblivion Publishing for their generosity and for making this advanced reading experience possible.

A special shout out to Patrick Delaney who I have connected with in this past after reviewing The House that Fell from the Sky.

On the eve of her resignation, Sheriff Sterling Marsh prepares for a bleak winter in Drybell, Connecticut, after a string of bad decisions leaves her life in shambles. Two weeks before Christmas and expecting a long night of paperwork and quiet celebration with the friends she’s grown to know and love, she’s surprised when an unnerving stranger appears in the form of a witch.
A silent, menacing figure, the witch appears to be ripped straight out of a fairy tale, complete with a tall, pointed hat and black clothing. But when strange things begin happening all over town, Sterling begins to suspect that there may be more to the witch than meets the eye.

As she works to maintain order as the world crumbles around her, the witch’s mysterious presence throws her world into a frenzy, threatening to send the sleepy town spiralling face-first into the darkest night it’s ever seen.
Patrick Delaney has done it again! What a gripping story this is. I devoured this book in a day, pretty much.
Witch 13 has a strong group of characters to follow along during this nightmarish story and of course there are plenty of twists, turns and revelations throughout.

The pictures in this book really add to the eerie setting and really help you truly picture what the characters are seeing.

I loved the mention of Silvers Hollow and though this book can be read as a standalone, it’s part of a whole universe and I can’t get enough of that. I only have one more book to read within this universe and I so hope there are more to come.

This book had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Amazon.

Not my complete cup of tea, but still a good horror/witchy book.

In the small town of Drybell, just before Christmas we encounter Sheriff Sterling Marsh - resigning from her position after a series of ill-fated choices, and unsure of what the future holds for herself.

Enter the witch.

As this supernatural entity begins to tear apart the minds and bodies of everyone in this unsuspecting town it is up to Sheriff Marsh to solve what the witch wants and learn how far this creature will go to get it.

<i> Witch 13 </i> is a blend of psychological, gore and supernatural horror. The characters slowly devolving into madness after witnessing the gruesome deaths of friends and from the witch's powers. Some moments definitely had me pausing to steel myself to continue reading as they were at my limits for horror books. The characters didn't really go through any development or arc through the novel, so it felt like I was entering the story halfway through. It also means that the pacing is somewhat off and scattered. Great for emphasising the psychological horror aspect, but ends up feeling cut off and rushed at points.

Overall, a decent spooky read especially if you are looking for a horror to read leading up to Christmas.



Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.



#indigoemployee

I tried several times to read this and unfortunately I just could not get into it. I was waiting for the “hook” moment that would drag me in and even after a few chapters, I wasn’t getting that!

This horror story is one of the most chilling reads I’ve encountered in a long time. It follows Sheriff Sterling Marsh on what should have been her last day on the job. Exhausted and ready to leave her career behind, she’s just counting the hours until she can go home. The weather reflects her mood—gloomy, with a powerful storm raging outside.

But what starts as an ordinary day quickly turns into something far more sinister when Sheriff Marsh gets a call from city hall. There, she encounters a woman who is so strange and unnervingly eerie that it sends shivers down her spine. Something about this woman isn’t right, and despite the growing sense of dread, the sheriff decides to arrest her and bring her back to the station—a decision that irrevocably changes her life.

This book builds an incredible atmosphere of suspense and unease, turning the mundane into something terrifying. The sense of dread grows with every page, making it one of the most haunting stories I’ve read in a long time. It’s the kind of book that lingers with you, leaving you unsettled long after you’ve turned the last page.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! I loved it. I will make sure to check out other books by this author. When I requested this I was just intrigued by the concept of it and I loved how it turned out. This story had a great plot and if you have read this and enjoyed it, This was so much. It was such a great story. I would say give this one a try. I will continue to follow this author. Way to go to this author for not letting me down.

I highly enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. Kept me listening.

This book was a great mixture of horror and a thrilling mystery!

This page turner starts with a female sheriff wanting to retire and live in peace in her small Connecticut town. One day a witch from the storybooks comes into her office and town and mayhem commences. The sheriff needs to figure out the connection between the witch and the town before it's too late.

This was a great mix of old school witch tales in a contemporary setting. I didn't see some of the twists coming.

DNF @ 40%.
So i picked this up because I totally forgot I don’t read horror. I think the premise is really interesting and if it was more focused on the mystery aspect over the horror, I would have been better suited to this.

That being said, I do think it’s well written and has some interesting twists and turns. I didn’t care much for the POV of the 8 year old, but I think that’s mostly a me thing. I just don’t care at all for that kind of juvenile way of thinking. But I liked the other POVs. I also found this to be creepy as fuck, which is a good chunk of the reason I noped out of this.

Witch 13 is a chilling and addictive thriller that puts a dark twist on fairytales and small town life. On the verge of resigning as sheriff, Sterling Marsh's plans for a quiet holiday season are upended when an ominous witch arrives in town and strange events begin plaguing the community. Sterling races to uncover the connection between this foreboding figure ripped from storybooks and the growing chaos threatening everything she knows. The twists and turns will keep you guessing until the satisfyingly sinister end. An atmospheric page-turner proving evil comes in many forms.

Witch 13 is a thrilling and spellbinding tale that delves deep into the world of witches, magic, and dark secrets. Set in a world where witchcraft is both feared and revered, the novel follows protagonist Ava, the thirteenth witch born into a powerful coven, as she grapples with her destiny and the ancient forces that threaten to tear her world apart.

Delaney's writing is atmospheric and immersive, drawing readers into a richly imagined world filled with mystical creatures, ancient rituals, and hidden dangers. From the eerie forests of the witching woods to the bustling streets of a bustling city, every setting is brought to life with vivid detail and imagination.

At its core, "Witch 13" is a story about power, betrayal, and the choices we make in the face of darkness. As Ava navigates the treacherous waters of her own coven and confronts the sinister forces that seek to destroy her, she must rely on her own strength and cunning to survive. With its gripping plot, complex characters, and twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end, "Witch 13" is sure to cast a spell on fans of dark fantasy and supernatural thrillers alike.

I don't typically read horror, but when I do, I tend to gravitate towards witch stories. And this one definitely has the cover to draw in readers like me! I was also surprised and pleased to find that there were images scattered throughout the book. I always love when stories include mood-setting images like this; they added an additional layer of creepiness to the entire thing.

As I'm not a big reader of the genre, I can't evaluate it perfectly for how it would stand up to tried and true fans of horror. As a casual reader, I very much enjoyed it however. I thought the overall tone and atmosphere of the book was creepy and pervasive, doing more to slowly build my sense of horror than any of the actual action scenes. I also appreciated the moments where the characters acknowledged some of the tropes of their own decisions, for example commenting on how they probably shouldn't go certain places, etc. etc.

The story definitely had a slow build up as far as the witch herself went, with very little actual action on that front until later in the story. I thought the backstory, when it came, was mostly interesting and I was satisfied with the reveals we had here. I also really enjoyed some of the twists and turns that came at the very end of the book.

Overall, I thought this was a successful horror story, especially for readers who aren't necessarily steeped in horror fiction.

Also psychological horror with supernatural twists. This was such an interesting concept. When I read about it on the cover makes it seem dark and mysterious so I did book up although it is usually the genre. I read a Maura romance Gali, but I thought I would take my time am I ask you did find this quite good I think it made me feel uncomfortable which it was meant to and drew out like a darker part in the story and I would highly recommend. I think the writing style of this book was dead, and especially for the genre makes you get in the fields and reading this at night, or a spooky.

Witch 13 was an interesting mix of fantasy, intrigue and horror. I'm not a horror reader, so it was nice that it wasn't too heavy handed in the name of being horror. The overall pacing seemed to struggle but the moments of suspense definitely kept my attention. Not a bad read, but nothing I would insist a friend read.

Despite an atmospheric and unsettling opener, I felt this lacked momentum so although Sterling was a compelling protagonist, this felt more like a series of horror vignettes that are strung together with a narrative that takes the backseat. The claustrophobic horror scenes are really well done and I literally couldn't stop reading those due to tension. Thought interesting to set in later months rather than the anticipated Halloween.

This book gave me vibes of a cold, isolated, wintry place from which I couldn't escape. Twin Peaks meets The Void. A terrifying story with a relatable protagonist, absolutely gripping from beginning to end. I've already been recommending it!

Very atmospheric and unsettling. I really enjoyed this horror read a lot. Can definitely recommend it for fall / spooky season. An unpopular diamond.

While the story itself wasn't the most original, the tone was eerie, and I felt a creeping dread the whole time I was reading. I became very invested in the protagonist, a down on her luck cop, and her survival. The pacing was slow moving especially toward the beginning when introducing the cast but rewarding in the end. I also appreciated the illustrations that are included throughout the book; each one was deliciously creepy and added a lot to the reading experience/general atmosphere of the book.

The prose was a bit juvenile at times especially when it came to the dialogue, which isn't my preference. But it fit with the small town horror movie kind of vibe I'm assuming the Delaney was trying to go for, so I think it would work for other readers who like that sort of read.

Sheriff Sterling Marsh, worn down by recent events, reaches a pivotal decision to step down from her position as the Sheriff of Drybell, Connecticut, after a decade of dedicated service. On her last night of duty, amid the tumultuous backdrop of a once-in-a-century storm, Sterling anticipates a quiet evening. Yet, an unusual calmness surrounds the town, even as the tempest rages outside. In the spirit of making the best of her farewell, Sterling and her colleagues gather for a Going Away Party.

However, the tranquillity is shattered when their first call comes in. A troubling report from her deputy’s wife details an intruder at City Hall. Upon arrival, Sterling is confronted by a figure straight out of a fairy tale—a witch sporting a whimsical hat and an air of peculiarity. Sterling’s decision to arrest the witch unwittingly unleashes chaos upon her small sheriff’s office. With communication lines severed by the storm, Sterling’s sole mission becomes safeguarding her team until daybreak.
As unsettling events unfold throughout the town, Sterling begins to suspect that there’s more to this witch than meets the eye as it threatens to plunge the once-tranquil town into the darkest night it has ever witnessed.

This was a creepy read that I enjoyed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.