Absolutely brilliant. I loved the inspiration behind this story and the research that had gone into it. C.J. Cooke had this incredible way of writing that makes every story beautifully gripping, realistic and unputdownable. Loved every second of it, especially Alison’s side of the story and how it interlinked with Erin’s.

This is a case of if only one timeline was the main focus I would have loved it more.
I found the past tense chapters were slower and would take me out of the story. While the present tense intrigued me. I wanted to see where that story went. What went on and why.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is only the second book I've read by this author, but I'll definitely be reading more. This was a fantastic read, and fully deserving of five stars.

I've pre-ordered the special edition of this book!

How can an event from four hundred years ago impact the present? What lengths will a mother go to in order to save her daughter? And how do you rescue someone who doesn't want to be saved?

A single phone call shatters Clem's world. Her 19-year-old daughter, Erin, is in the hospital, critically injured and unconscious from severe burns. Erin had traveled to Orkley Island with friends to explore their family roots, but something went terribly wrong. Now, her boyfriend is dead, her best friend is missing, and Erin... Erin doesn’t even know who she is when she wakes up. She claims to be Nyx.

Clem has no choice but to go to Orkley Island herself, unraveling the mystery of what happened that night and figuring out how to save her daughter, and perhaps others, from whatever dark force lingers.

This book grips you from the very first moment, and as the story moves between the present day and events from four centuries ago, you can’t help but be drawn deeper into its mysteries. It's a tale of families torn apart, both then and now. On one hand, you have Clem’s fractured family, desperate to save their daughter. On the other, a loving family from four hundred years ago, cruelly ripped apart by their neighbors. There’s heartache, fear, and an overwhelming sense of impending doom that permeates every page. The vivid descriptions and raw emotions make it impossible not to empathize with Clem and Alison, keeping you invested until the very end.

That said, Alison’s chapters occasionally felt long and, at times, a bit dry. I understood their importance, but they lacked the same intensity as the rest of the story. However, those detailed scenes were essential to build the emotional and historical weight of the plot. Some of the torture scenes were so well-described, they felt chillingly real, leaving me stunned at how viscerally the author captured such moments. It's a testament to how powerful words can be.

I went in with small expectations and came out completely blown away. This is a haunting, heart-wrenching story that will stay with you long after you've finished it. I highly recommend it to fans of thrillers, witchcraft, and the supernatural. It's the perfect companion for a chilly autumn evening, and I’m already looking forward to exploring more of the author’s work.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, for this unforgettable reading experience and for the ARC copy!

Review in Estonian: https://brixieblog.wordpress.com/2024/09/23/the-book-if-witching-c-j-cooke/

I love CJ Cooke books. She is a skilled modern gothic/horror writer who always manages to send shivers down my spine with her truly atmospheric books. "The Book of Witching" isn't my favourite, as there are many similar witch books out there with mysterious and magical books. However, as the story developed, I really got into it and wanted to know who Nyx was and why they were haunting the main character, amongst other questions. Suitably creepy for this time of year.

The Book of Witching was an anticipated read for me, especially after loving The Lighthouse Witches, and while I enjoyed it as a whole, there were certain parts that just didn't work for me, namely the magic system that I felt was under-developed.

Told in a similar vein to The Lighthouse Witches, The Book of Witching flits between perspectives past and present. Our past perspective's focus on 16th century Orkney and center around true events, where we see Alison Balfour put on trial for a crime she did not commit, accused of witchcraft, of consorting with the devil and plotting to kill a man of power. The present focuses mainly on current day Glasgow and Orkney as we see Clem dealing with the fallout after her daughter and friends somehow had a fatal accident on one of the Islands off Orkney. Cooke makes us wait to see how these two stories are entwined, and you do have to be patient because it isn't until the last 15% or so that all the pieces start coming together.

While I did enjoy the reveal into how these stories were linked, I also felt the reasoning behind it seemed a little flaky, something that I think could have been developed more throughout the story, but just seemed to be dumped in towards the end. The focus was more on Clem trying to work out what exactly happened on Orkney that lead to her daughters hospitalisation, one friend dead and the other missing. And with the past perspective we spend a lot of time focusing on Alison's trial, how she tries to fight against the men accusing her of witchcraft, even whilst knowing the same men are behind the crime she was accused of. It felt more character focused, than magic/folklore which let it down a little bit for me, and when we did get into the folklore side a little more, there were just holes that didn't seem to want to knit together and I had way too many questions at the end to feel like it was a satisfying conclusion.

One thing that Cooke does incredibly well in her stories is really dig into the feminist themes, and the characters she focuses on. On Orkney we have Alison fighting for her life, accused of a crime she did not commit. Cooke delves into how women were treated at the time, how easy it was for Alison to be accused of witchcraft, of consorting with the devil, simply for being a healer, someone who used potions to help others. There is more of a fantasy spin on this story than I was expecting, especially when it comes to how the two timeline's link together, but Cooke still manages to show the depravity of what these women went through, how they were bullied and threatened into confessions, even by people who knew their innocence.

Cooke's writing style lends itself to a slower read story, and I did take my time with this one. Her descriptions easily transport you between timelines and having been to Orkney myself a few years ago, I enjoyed being able to traverse the land again easily, able to envision places in my mind. I do think the story took a little while to get going, there are a few twists thrown throughout that certainly keep you hooked, but it just took a little too long to get to how the two timelines were linked, and I felt that despite the build up and the horrific events that happened in both timelines, a little too easy of an ending.

All in all I enjoyed this one, maybe not as much as The Lighthouse Witches, but I feel that's more too do with there being too many plot holes in the magic and weaving of the timelines for me. Things just weren't explained enough, mainly I think because the author left so much to try and tie up at the end. I did like the characters, and felt that she managed to get that folk horror vibe across without it seeming too scary, but there were just too many things left unanswered for me to fully enjoy this one the way I had hoped.

The Book of Witching expertly blends historical fantasy with horror and mystery. I absolutely loved every word. It’s fierce, feminist and full of folklore. The story being based on true events just creates a more compelling read for me. The writing is exceptional as Cooke weaves the reader between two timelines smoothly. There’s subtle language differences that transport you into each time and place. The setting on Orkney is atmospheric and definitely makes me want to visit to see the beautiful landscape. I found the witchcraft really interesting and with the dark secrets slowly unraveling it is creepy and intriguing.
This is a must read for any fans of witchy revenge stories with haunting elements. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

If you’re interested in the history of the witch trials in Scotland then you’ll love the Book of Witching. I liked the historical section about Alison Balfour’s trial the most and was shocked to read the it’s based on true events in Orkney. I also enjoyed the modern day story and liked how it all tied together.
It's set between 16th century Orkney and present day Glasgow and the dual timelines were easy to follow.
CJ Cooke’s writing style is great and I loved the use of Scottish words throughout the text too and how much research clearly went into this book. This is my first book by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy.

This was my first book by C.J. Cooke but it won't be my last. It has three of my favourite things in a good book, a split time line, a mystery and a witchy theme. The Book of Witching is based on the Orkneys. Alternate chapters are set in the late 1500s and deal with the true story of Alison Balfour's trial as a witch. The rest are fictitious, set in modern times and deal with a mysterious fire leaving one teenager dead, one missing and one badly burnt. These chapters investigate how and why this happened. Throughout there are links between the two times and the Book of Witching suggested to add to the suspense. The research that has gone into this book is superb and really makes the book alive. I read it in one sitting and was holding my breath in parts with anticipation as to what was going to happen next. An altogether fabulous read I have no qualms about recommending.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own

I think I have definitely entered my Witchy Era, especially when it comes to books!

The Book of Witching is a dual timeline novel which cleverly weaves a witch trial in 1594 with a horrible accident in 2024. How are the two related and what does The Book of Witching have to do with it?

This was a great read and the desire to find out how the two stories intertwined kept me turning the pages long after I should have turned my light out.

In the past few years, ever since I reviewed The Lighthouse Witches, C J Cooke has fast become my favourite Gothic author and I have been lucky enough to review a few of her more recent novels on my blog. Her work is very atmospheric and often set in Scotland, which is what drew me to her novels in the first instance, so I was delighted when her publisher, Harper Collins, sent me an ARC of her latest novel. I fell on it immediately, putting everything else on hold until I had read the book.

The Book of Witching is a story of the witch trials that swept through Scotland during the 1500's. Set on the Orkney Isles, it follows the fate of Alison, a woman who is a skilled healer and herbalist who is inadvertently drawn into the political intrigues of the islands at that time. King James VI is on the throne of Scotland and he has recently made his feelings on witchcraft quite clear, having presided over the Berwick witch trials a couple of years earlier. So this is not a great time for a wise woman to come to the attention of powerful men with a political agenda! Even worse, Alison comes from a family known to be skilled at spellcraft, a family who hold a very special book of magic in their possession.

Fast forward a few hundred years to the present day and Alison's fate becomes entangled with that of a young girl, Erin, who is found very badly burnt on one of the islands after a trip to Orkney with her boyfriend and best friend. When Erin comes out of a coma, she claims that her name is Nyx and that she doesn't know who Erin is. As the novel slips back and forth between these two timelines, we begin to unravel just how Erin is connected to a woman accused of witchcraft four hundred years ago.

This is such a thrilling read! The chapters alternate between one timeline and the other so that you're never quite sure how it all fits together, but you know that it does. It skips along at a fast pace and the structural use of the turning points is designed to keep you invested in the story. As with all of C J Cooke's novels, the Gothic atmosphere is dark and ominous, the threat building throughout the story. Her way of creating tension in the reader is second to none. In many ways, C J Cooke's style of writing reminds me very much of contemporary Gothic masters such as Victoria Holt and Virginia Andrews - her stories have that same undercurrent of mystery, secrets and tension, akin to the Flowers in the Attic series, but with witchcraft attached!

The Book of Witching held me in its grip from the opening paragraphs, which is something that I look for in novels - I like a book that starts on the very first page and this one certainly does, dropping the reader into the midst of the action and catastrophe right from the start. It's the kind of story where you find yourself holding your breath as you read, because it does tackle some very dark topics such as torture, serious injury, incarceration, mock executions, and the powerlessness of women who were accused of something they didn't do, but who knew that the odds were stacked against them from the very first whisper of 'witch!' It brought tears to my eyes at times and I really felt for both the injured characters and their dual plight.

This Orcadian novel has all the eerie vibes of a witchy thriller, with secret cults, a coven of witches, an enchanted and indomitable book of magic and powerful men providing lots of menace. I wouldn't describe it as a cosy read for autumn, because it evokes such a powerful and indignant response in the reader for the crimes that have been committed against women for centuries. Having read lots of books about the witch trials over the years, I thought that I had become somewhat desensitized to the topic, but this novel really drove it home to me once again how lucky I am to be able to practice my Craft in safety, without fear of being tortured and burnt for it. There is the sense that Alison's fate could so easily have been mine, or yours, or our mother's and grandmother's. It is only the passing of time that keeps us safe.

While it might not be an especially comforting novel, The Book of Witching is a wonderful and disturbing witchy thriller that will keep your heart in your mouth from cover to cover, so if you are in the mood to be scared to death by the plight of witches past this October, this is the book for you. It's certainly a great novel to curl up with on Samhain night, when the pumpkins are gleaming and it's dark and cold outside. Light a candle in remembrance of the lost souls of historical women who were burnt as witches, and enjoy the safety of modern practice this All Hallows Eve. Blessed Be.

Marie x
To be published on my blog 8/10/24

The Book of Witching is CJ Cooke’s classic style of interlinked thrillers, but with a healthy dash of folklore and witchcraft to bring the novel to life. Following two separate storylines simultaneously from different eras, the book fantastically weaves together the plots and drops just enough clues to help you work out how the two stories are connected.

I think the setting and atmosphere of the Book of Witching is some of CJ Cooke’s best writing to date, particularly the Shetland segments of the story. The historical research gives the trial a very realistic feel that I could fully believe and become invested in, with real-world places and people from the late 1500s influencing the direction of the story. The elements of secret organization and cult that appeared in both timelines was really well executed - I thought it was fascinating to see how membership to these groups is accepted to different extents between the 1500s and the present day.

The emotion and empathy with both lead characters is excellently done, and I thought it was very impressive how the emotions Clem and Alison showed mirrored each other so well in their respective story arcs; despite the different circumstances they both show fear and uncertainty, unsure as to why events are happening to them. Critically though, they remained distinct characters whose internal monologues didn’t blur into one, which was very impressive given the similarities between the two.

I wasn’t as much a fan of the story end though, I must admit. Compared to her previous works, I thought the final revelation was a little simplistic, and rushed through with the dramatic change of pace in the final few chapters of the novel. That being said, Haunting in the Arctic and The Lighthouse Witches set an incredibly high bar, and I still really enjoyed watching the clues of the story fall into place.

Thank you so much to @harperfiction @harpercollinsuk @netgalley

Wow, I absolutely LOVED this book so much, but my gosh the female rage I felt for Alison and what she went through, I felt it so deeply, it brought tears to my eyes, for her children and family!! This was such an amazing read, my favourite witchy read so far!!

This book tells the story of two different timelines, Alison - Orkney 1594 and Erin - Glasgow 2024.
I loved all the strong female characters in this book!

Clem, is going through every mothers worst nightmare to find her daughter in a hospital bed, badly burned, she thought she knew her daughter so well, but what secrets has she been hiding...Erin was found on a beach in Fynhallow Bay, Orkney with catastrophic burns and only one memory, her name is Nyx. But how did she get these burns? And how did her boyfriend end up burned alive?

Erin, a teenage girl, trying to figure out her life and how she feels about her estranged father. While also bringing up a baby, Freya. Erin wants to feel part of a bigger family.
Erin and her friend Senna join a witchcraft cult where she meets Arlo. Which leads Erin being handed over The Book Of Witching...and a terrible fire accident takes place...Clem must fight for her daughters life, she travels to the site of where the accident happens, determined to figure everything out!!

Alison, accused of witchcraft, she awaits trial. The punishment, to be burned alive. A mother, a healer, a wife, accused of witchcraft by brutal horrible men for their own wrong doings, leading to the witchcraft trials that took place in Orkney in the 16th century.

The book binds these two timelines together.
Four hundred years separate them.
One book binds them.
One turn of the page, and you’ll be bound forever.
And the ending....

This was so gripping, thrilling, and enraging at the same time, my heart was racing and screaming at those men, my blood boiling!!
To all the women brutally tortured on the grounds of witchcraft!

I could literally re read this again already, and I will do so in the future!! Now to read more by this author!
5/5⭐️

Tense and haunting, the dual timeline added rich depth to the mystery of the story line. Set in 1500s Scotland and the present day, it brings to life the suffering of the women who were accused of witchcraft, and the corruptness of the men who accused them. A far from cozy read, but the characters and historical details are incredibly well written and researched. Highly recommend.

One of the most enraging books I have read in a while.

I even screamed with all my female rage at the prelude. C J Cooke is a master at evoking emotional tension and The Book of Witching demands the reader to recognise the horrific trials of women during the 16th century witch craze. Throw in a present day mystery and we have a tantalising thriller that had me gripped from the first page.

I loved The Haunting in the Arctic and The Ghost Woods, and The Book of Witching is another masterpiece. If this author wrote it, am gonna read it! Sensitive themes of gender, sexuality, social class, motherhood and more are woven into an intricate tale that made my heart ache with compassion but also a lot of rage against an intolerant world.

Book Review: The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke

I want to extend my gratitude to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Book of Witching. This novel truly captivated me from the very first page, weaving together a gripping narrative that spans four centuries.

Set in Glasgow in 2024, the story follows Clem, who is at her daughter Erin’s hospital bedside after a mysterious incident on the Orkney beach. Erin’s shocking burns and her fragmented memory, where she only recalls her name—Nyx—draw the reader into a chilling mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt Clem’s desperation and fear as she sought answers, making me invested in their fate.

In parallel, we meet Alison Balfour, accused of witchcraft in 1594 and awaiting a harrowing trial. The historical context adds a rich layer to the narrative, and I was fascinated by how Cooke skillfully tied Alison's fate to the present-day events. The dual timelines are seamlessly intertwined, and I found myself equally engrossed in both stories.

The atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, filled with a sense of foreboding that perfectly complements the themes of witchcraft and mystery. Cooke's writing is evocative, drawing vivid imagery that made Fynhallow Bay feel like a character in its own right. I could practically feel the chill of the sea air and the weight of history pressing down on the characters.

The unraveling of the mystery kept me guessing throughout. I loved how Cooke skillfully revealed secrets and connections between the two women, creating a sense of urgency as they raced against time to uncover the truth. The exploration of trauma and survival adds depth to the plot, and I appreciated how the author handled these themes with sensitivity.

What truly resonated with me was the bond that formed between Clem and Alison, despite the centuries that separated them. It highlighted the enduring nature of maternal love and the lengths one will go to protect their child.

Overall, The Book of Witching is an atmospheric, beautifully crafted tale that blends historical intrigue with modern suspense. It’s perfect for anyone

This is an absolute spectacle of a book. A triumph. A glittering, powerful, extraordinary tour de force of a book. Quite simply C.J Cooke has created a masterpiece.

I don't think I've read any of her books before, but I do have a copy of A Haunting in the Arctic that I will read at some point (as she says the same for all the other 1,200 books she owns).

It is mainly set between 1594 and 2024, with a couple of very short scenes in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

I am often iffy about alternative points-of-view but contradicting myself, I do enjoy alternative time periods. I love them individually but I also love the comparisons. I love a historical novel so I think that comes into play here, and as a fan of historical novels I enjoyed those sections a bit more. But the modern scenes are just as fascinating and well written, I just like being nosy about time long past.

Both time periods start with a bang and it instantly grips you. It's a historical novel obviously, but there's also bits of a thriller in it and I thought that worked really well. It can be hard to weave two very different time periods together seamlessly but she's managed it here, and they're both as enjoyable as the other. I wasn't sure at first how the two time periods linked, but she kept dripping in clues here and there which meant I was working it out like a puzzle.

I love books about witchcraft, until I remember these things actually happened. How men were barely in trouble for unexplainable things, but if a woman so much as looks at the wrong person, then they're clearly a witch and sentenced to death. It's fascinating and engaging but quite anger-inducing too. It shows this real power struggle, that if a man couldn't explain something, or if a woman was more powerful then them, then it had to be witchcraft.

I didn't realise that this, at least the old scenes, is based on a real story and I got lost in a Google black hole reading up on it. Mainly because there's a character called Patrick Stewart and I kept imagining the X Men would appear.

It is seamless writing, and addictive, taking me away from any other job other than reading it. Which meant I devoured it within a matter of hours, so desperate I was to get back to it when I put it down. This led to an exhilarating but intense reading experience, but I think that adds another layer to the storyline, and I would, if you can, absolutely recommend reading it in such a way that you get utterly absorbed by it.

I am a huge fan of C J. Cooke and when I got this ARC through I put off and put off reading it as I knew once it was done it would be a while before I had a new one to read. I both stand by and regret this decision.

This book was incredible. I inhaled it and enjoyed every minute. The characters are developed so well, I felt like I was right there on Orkney with Clem. Alison Balfour was very well developed and her storyline was very fitting for what we know of the time she lived. Some of how she was treated infuriated me and in spite of reminding myself it was fictional, I couldn't forget that things like this happened to her and to other women of the time.

C.J. Cooke has an incredible writing style, her writing flows so well that it's easy to slip into the story and forget that you're not there, watching it happen, with incredible imagery and descriptive scenery. Can't wait for the next one!!

This is really intriguing dual timeline /multiple POV set between the C16th and modern day partly based on real life events surrounding the witch trials in Orkney - Alison is a healer, arrested and accused of murder. Meanwhile Erin, a young mum in the present day has fallen into being a member of a pagan group week becomes increasingly dark and when a mysterious book appears which can't be destroyed she travels to the book's origin in Orkney to attempt to rid herself of it. Whilst carrying out their pagan ritual a member of their group dies and Erin herself is critically injured. Her mother Clem has to figure out what happened to Erin and her friends and eventually find a way to rid them all of the curse of the book.

A great read for autumn, and the fact it's partly based on real life makes the historical aspects even more fascinating. I enjoyed the strong female characterisation and the multiple POV have a good insight into their lives.

TW: Burns victims and disfigurement

C J Cooke is an autobuy author for me and this book reminded me why.

The plot is dark and tension filled throughout, it builds and kept you guessing. I much preferred Clem’s POV as I was so entranced by the mystery surrounding what happened at the beach, I had to know more.

This book has strong references to witchcraft, cults, persecution of women and folklore.