3.5 stars.

as a standalone fantasy, this was pretty solid. the fmc Khana is a witch whose magic revolves around draining aji (life force), from people and the environment around her. i thought her abilities were interesting, especially since the aji can be used for different things: healing, reviving, weakening someone, etc. but each time Khana does this, she makes a trade with death.. therefore, she’s losing bits of herself the more she does it.

i love when death is personified, so i enjoyed that aspect of the story. the romance between Khana and Sava was also really beautiful— Khana has some sexual trauma due to being a concubine to the emperor (who’s also related to her🤢), and Sava is so intentional and patient with Khana because of this. he doesn’t push her into anything and offers his support in whatever way she may need it.. i loved them so much. the found family is another thing that stood out to me with this book, Khana’s friendship with Haz was platonic perfection. it was fun seeing Khana learn to be a soldier and not only depend on her witchy abilities too. my main issue with this one was really just the pacing.. it was very uneven, the beginning and end sections were so good but the middle kind of waned with the overflow of training sequences and sitting around. but even saying that, i still liked this a lot and thought it wrapped up nicely.

What a welcome surprise in the world of fantasy standalones!
I cannot express how happy I am that it's a standalone (after being disappointed by several books without knowing they are not a standalone...) and that it's good.

It had tropes that definitely got to me, most of all found family, which was done so well here. The story took care of Khana and all the side characters, not sidelining them at all but giving them a moment to shine and the opportunities for us to get invested in them. I'd even go to say that the author really took care of the way she wrote the entire story? There are no loose ends and the ending gives such satisfaction (although it will grip your heart a bit!)

This may be my fave read of the year so far! Solid 4.5 stars.

Really enjoyed this read! I particularly loved the relationship between FMC Khana and ‘Death’. It truly felt like a unique story with excellent world building for a standalone.

I did not give 5 stars as the pace felt quite slow in the middle in comparison to the start and end

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 0.5 🌶

The Witch Who Trades With Death is a fantasy novel with strong found family vibes. There's a war, an evil emporer, a ragtag group of underdogs who persevere against all odds, and a survivor learning to face her greatest fears. It gave strong Mulan vibes and was a good read, but I don't think I'm going to be screaming from the rooftops about this one.

It was slower paced than I prefer, giving it the feel of a book you'd pick up and read a couple chapters at a time rather than one you consume in a day or two.

If fantasy is your go to genre, and you like Mulan, I'd give it a go. It'll probably be more up your alley than mine.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

The Witch Who Trades with Death is a gripping story about Khana, who flees the immortal emperor she was forced to be a concubine for, and has to fight to remain free of his grasp.

"Give yourself the kindness of healing on your own terms.”


I hadn’t heard about this book before stumbling across it via the publishers newsletter and I was super intrigued by the synopsis of this book! Thankfully my request got approved and I could jump into this story!

The opening is done very strong and paints an immediate picture of the harsh live witches live under Emperor Yacatl’s rule, forced to do his bidding and having no free will. Khana’s escape and the events leading up to those were heartbreaking and heavy to read, but necessary to set the stage.

The plot was gripping, engaging and I loved getting lost in the many pages! While the pacing is slow and it doesn’t read as quick, I was never bored with the story and all that was happening! The writing was really discriptive, which I loved. I also liked the alternating POVs from different characters aside from Khana’s POV!

Khana is such a force to be reckoned with! She is still way too young for all that happened for her, but her character arc and growth is truly beautiful and inspiring to read! She becomes the awesome, courageous and strong woman she was meant to be by overcoming the many trials thrown in her path.

The found family trope was another beautifully written aspect in this book! Unit Nine of the Poison Dart Frogs stole my and Khana’s heart! It was amazing to see this bunch of strangers come together, fight together and love each other so fiercely! It truly showed how important it can be to have a strong support group surrounding you and helping you along in life.

I loved the ending and how it all wrapped up in the end! I had to told my heart there for a moment, tears in my eyes but the ending was beautiful and I am so glad it ended like it did! it made me smile and happy.

Overall, The Witch Who Trades with Death is truly an amazing story! it was addicting, captivating and shows a great journey of self-discovery.

A round of applause for this fantastic standalone fantasy.

My first thoughts when reading this book were about how well the author set up the story. We are given a full rundown of the Empire, the characters and the gods within the first few chapters and it didn't feel like to much or info dumpy. The writing is so smooth.

Khana is the main point of view throughout, with occasional chapters from others. She has had everyone she cares about ripped away from her, she is made a concubine and has to live at the whims of the emperor. She is raped and ostracised. Her magic is something she tries to avoid using, she hates it as it's what makes her valuable to the emperor. When she accidentally uncovers the secret of the emperor's immortality, she finally has what she needs to escape. But there is nowhere the emperor won't go to hunt her down.

Found family is one of my favourite tropes and this book did it so well. It's like the author took the trope and turboed it up to 100. Each character was fully fleshed out and i really enjoyed reading about them and watching them grow.
There is some romance, but it's not the most important part of the book, it doesn't overshadow the other characters at all. The friendships were the most important part of this story for me and the way they all helped each other at different stages of their lives really brought the characters to life.

The way this book deals with all kinds of grief and how it looks different for people was really well done. It was subtle and poignant. The way the story moves around what it means to be you and how even taking away one small memory can change who you are and how much of yourself you are willing to give up for power is brilliant.

The story flowed really well, the first half really setting the scene, forming friendships and learning about the characters and their trauma so that when we dived into the action the stakes were high and i was on the edge of my seat. There were so many important moments in the book that showed this group coming together, becoming friends and little things that were then mentioned throughout the second half to really show the feelings and depth of the characters and how far they have come. From the cliff diving to the symbol of the frog and how Khana's passion and love of music was what kept her sane throughout her life, nothing was mentioned or happened for no reason. It felt like every word and moment was intentional and there was zero filler.

The Witch who Trades with Death is an all round solid read. It has all my favourite tropes and I love that it's a stand-a-lone.

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for this arc

This was so wholesome, but it also had a tiny amount of delicious spice that still managed to feel soft and slow.
The characters were heart-warming, and the journey of self-worth and recovery was tender. It showed that people can heal from the worst things that they’ve experienced, even if sometimes it might take time and strength.
Khana is one of very few who have discovered how to trade with the god of death. In doing so, she's capable of healing others on an epic scale. She's even capable of the one secret Emperor Yamueto has guarded so carefully, she could potentially achieve or grant immortality. But is it worth it, when what she has to give is part of her soul.
Always check trigger/content warnings before reading, just because there is things that some people might not be okay reading

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

PLEASE CHECK ANY AND ALL TRIGGERS.

I was really surprised at the depth of the world and true darkness it contained. As a fan of the author, this was another solid read and did not leave me disappointed. It wrapped up nicely, though I did find the middle to be a bit long and I didn't feel as connected to the main characters then I usually am.

The Witch Who Trades with Death is a heavy novel. Following the story of a witch named Khana who escapes the Immortal Emperor and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, dealing with grief, and navigating the world she came from while reconciling the community and relationships that she is building. #TheWitchWhoTradesWithDeath explores mortality, power, choice and found family in a unique world. Fans of dark fantasy, philosophical dilemmas, and complex character arcs will find this novel to be a rewarding experience. Leaving me with the question; what would I trade to Death itself. Thank you @angryrobotbooks #netgally for the Advance Reader Copy @c.m.alongi congratulations on this amazing novel. I hope to see more set here soon! #netgalley #netgalleyarc #arc #thewitchwhotradeswithdeath #angryrobotbooks #books #reader #bibliophile #bookreview

Thank you to C.M. Alongi, Angry Robot, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of The Witch Who Trades With Death in exchange for my honest review.

The Witch Who Trades With Death is a story about survival and about fighting back even when every cell in your body is telling you not to. As a witch, Khana was forced to be a concubine to the immortal emperor, something that she hates with every ounce of her being. When something happens that forces Khana to run, she ends up over the mountains as a refugee in the only area that is outside of the emperor's control. However, Khana knows the emperor's secrets, and he is not willing to let her go so easily. Determined to save the town that reluctantly saved her, Khana goes to war and along the way, gains more than she could have ever expected.

I truly enjoyed this book. The first 15% or so was somewhat slow because it had to set the scene both currently and how we got to this point. There is a lot of backstory that is woven in well. However, it is not a quick read. Once you get past that backstory, though, this book quickly picks up. I loved the character development throughout the course of this book. As readers, we got to see Khana heal from her trauma, learn to trust herself, and learn to let herself both trust and love others. The development of the side characters was also amazing, and I loved seeing the underdogs save the day. There are so many great tropes that are found in this book, including found family. While there is potential for other books to happen in this world, and I would for sure read them, I really appreciated the fact that this book was a standalone. It made the journey so much more impactful. Sure, the plot could have dragged out and technically still could be, but I love the story as it is. It drew me in, and I cried for the characters and the family that Khana found. This is a story about survival and acceptance, both of which are necessary stories to tell.

This book is one of my favorites I've read this year. The characters were well fleshed out, the plot was intense, and the magic system was incredible. Past that, the themes of recovering from abuse, trauma, and grief mixed with the found family of it all make it overall one of the best books I've read in a long time. I absolutely recommend this book to those that think it sounds like it's up their alley!

4.5 ⭐️

I’m absolutely blown away by The Witch Who Trades With Death. At its core, this is a found family story done right! These characters and their relationships are just so precious. The way the bonds between all the members of this little found family blossomed is genuinely heartwarming.

Despite the heavy subject matter at certain points, this book does ultimately come away feeling very much like a cozy fantasy. It is a story of healing not just for our main character Khana, but for basically the entire group. Each character had some sort of trauma or emotional scarring to overcome, and I think this book is the journey of that.

I found a genuine enjoyment in each of the “main” characters in Khana’s found family. The only characters I found myself disliking were the ones we’re very much meant to dislike. I definitely have a soft spot for the characters that had POV chapters, so Khana, Sava, and Neta, but I really loved Haz as well. He provided some comic relief during otherwise heavy parts of the plot. He is really the sunshine of the group. Each character possesses a special kind of strength that, when grouped together, creates such a strong team of characters that you just have to admire.

Overall, The Witch Who Trades With Death is a really wonderful story of healing and found family. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone!

Thank you Angry Robot for the early copy of The Witch Who Trades With Death. All opinions are my own!

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book for MONTHS, so when I discovered that it was available on NetGalley, I knew I was going to drop everything to read it. First things first, make sure you read the trigger warning list. The main character is healing from long-term abuse and trauma, and it is a huge part of the storyline. I personally think the author handled the healing really well, especially when two of the characters discussed how different people handle it. It made Khana's journey feel very realistic to me.

The found family in this were exactly what I needed. A ragtag team of misfits that the community was intentionally trying to get rid of, but managed to band together, despite the odds? Count me in. I also really enjoyed the magic system; I'm a huge fan of the healers that can also kill premise, so I found this fascinating. I also LOVED that this was a standalone fantasy. Would I be open to another story told in the same world? Yes, absolutely, but if this is all we get, I will be a very happy camper.

I personally enjoyed this book, but if you are a vibe reader, I imagine it's a lot harder to get into. The pacing was a bit odd. We started in the present, but with a few chapters, we jumped backwards a year and got all of the backstory, before jumping back to the present. It was an interesting way of presenting it, but for me, it impacted how long it took me to get into the story. In addition, the world building was a little rough. There was a lot of hatred between different groups of people, but the ARC didn't include a map (I assume there will be one in the book), so I was left unsure if the different groups of people were cultural, racial, geographical, or some collection of some/all.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed this book and will likely purchase it.

A concubine with magical gifts decides to escape the immortal emperor who has been abusing her for years in search of a way to destroy him and make a bargain with death. The story revolves around Khana, a witch who is also a concubine to a ruthless emperor... an immortal emperor who happens to be her great-great-great-great-great grandfather. Everyday, every month, every year he tries to breed her to get a heir, amongst his 200+ concubines, who are all also witches. He is determined to create an army of gifted witches to do his bidding. Khana has been keeping her powers a secret and has been taking birth control to try and stop it from happening but when another concubine finds out and kills Khana's friend and is going to torture Khana and tell the emperor... Khana kills her and discovers that she can also contact the god of Death and make a bargain. Every bargain has a cost but Khana will do anything to escape... so when she does the emperor is now hell bent on getting her back. Khana has no money, no friends, and is being hunted but finds new friends and a home in a small village.. and even a new love. But with an emperor hunting her down, and putting everyone she loves at risk, she'll have to bargain with death again if she even wants a chance at escape.. but it just might cost her her very soul. This book was just not for me sadly. I really wish I could have liked it more but I kind of just didn't really feel that the story moved me in a way and I just didn't really vibe with the characters as much as I would have liked. It might just be a me thing, but I just didn't really find myself vibing with this book as much as I would have liked but I do think maybe other fantasy readers might have a better time with it than I did.

Release Date: March 11, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Angry Robot for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was just not for me. I made it about 70% and ended up putting it down. I think it's an important and hard hitting story, but I just could not get into the writing. It was totally a me problem and not the books problem. I think that a LOT of readers will absolutely LOVE this book and story.

2.5stars. I hate when a fantasy book harps endlessly on how small the main female is. Like get over it already, she's tiny and mighty we get it. Sava felt like the safe choice for to be with given its supposed to be dark romance so that left me a little bummed. I liked alm the other characters in the book though and they helped make the story better for sure thankfully cause I struggled to get through it around 50% and fought the need to dnf it.

The title first caught my attention, I normally love picking up books with witches and with themes of death and the underworld. The magic system and world was quite intriguing and different. Character development was evident, Khana was interesting, she also faced personal tragedy and was able to become a strong FMC. I personally struggled to read this book, however, I do want to note that it wasn’t the writing or themes within the story. I think that it was just not the right fit for me and/or was not something that interested me at the time. I definitely would try this book again when I was in a different reading mood, as I think that potentially I could enjoy it a bit more. Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for giving me the ARC to review.

Thank you Netgalley, and C.M. Alongi for sending me this advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was fantastic in every way, and I enjoyed every minute of it!

The story ran deep with trauma, hope, healing, and even a little bit of love. It shows us it's possible to fight through our fear and survive. There comes a point where running away again, won't solve our problems and we have to face them.

What is there to live for if all our empathy, compassion, memories and passions are surgically cut away to grant us immortality? I can't imagine a worse way to stay alive.

I love how diverse the characters are, and how the author went the extra mile to research, and have sensitivity readers check over the content. The found family elements really hit a deep part of my soul, and reminds me so much of my own strange little found family.

Be sure to check the TW list. There were a LOT of moments in this book that can be hard to deal with. There is a whole boatload of trauma, processing it, and healing happening.

The cruel and immortal Emperor Yamueto controls all witches in his empire. When Khana kills one of his favorite courtiers with magic and discovers the secret to his immortality, she makes a deal with Death herself. She flees the empire for a small mountain town filled with warriors. Though she heals the sick and injured, the people ostracize her because of that magic. Khana fights back against the emperor, but every deal with Death takes another piece of her soul. The more she gives away, the more she turns into the very monster she’s trying to destroy.

Witches have all kinds of skills, but first among them is the ability to manipulate life force or âji. It can prolong life or heal, and the Emperor can even use it to manipulate bodies into night creatures, misshapen combinations of people or animals to do his dirty work. At over three hundred years of rule, the emperor cares about nothing but conquest. He collects wives and concubines out of the witches of his conquered lands, killing any who try to escape, refuse to bear a child, or refuse his whims. Children and grandchildren are not exempt from his rule, and the ones that excel in his court are those with cruelty, casual racism, and the capacity for torture like him. This is what Khana escaped, going into the mountains where it's difficult for him to invade. A year after her escape, there are signs of his impending army.

Khana deals with ostracism due to mistrust of witchcraft and casual racism, taking it initially because she feels it's all she deserves. It's the mentality of the abused, which slowly fades as the novel progresses. She bonds with the family that took her in, her army unit, and the crush that likes her back. The horrible past is still there, especially when war comes to the village, but is never dismissed as irrelevant by those who care for her. It's a restorative experience, helping her grow and become more of the woman she would have been otherwise. The final quarter is the most tense and emotionally driven part, and I was just as fearful as she was. Seeing her and the war from other perspective chapters helps to flesh out the story, characters, and the world. The story really grabbed me and refused to let go.

By far one of my favorite reads and have plans to purchase this book the moment it is released. C.M. Alongi knows how to tell a story and make you crave for more. This is perfect for people needing a slow burn romance and found family.