I really wanted to love this book and picked it up with high expectations - a queer, folklore, horror / post apocalyptic story set in the UK sounded perfect for me. Unfortunately, it didn't quite deliver. Whilst it had promise, I was left feeling confused most of the time.

I struggled with the pacing of the book. I found the first third of the book extremely slow and came very close to DNFing. The second third did pick up and I got a bit more invested, then the last third fell flat again for me. It felt like the author was in a rush to get to the end, sacrificing clarity and emotional depth along the way. The narrative also contained a lot of flashbacks which initially I found very confusing due to the disjointed writing style.

The characters were underdeveloped and I struggled to connect with them. I feel like Ma's character, in particular, deserved more exploration. At one point, a character mentioned "Sara" and it took me far too long to remember that was the name of the FMC!

The book has great promise and if there is a second book, hopefully this would provide more in terms of world building, character development and the folklore / history of the "witches".

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On paper, this sounded like a book just for me. However, I could not get over ithe weird writing style... I'm not sure if it was partially the way it was edited, or if the story just didn't grip me, this was just not for me.

I want more! I loved the concept; the mix of a post-apocalyptic, folklore in Britain. We don't get enough apocalyptic stories set in Britain. The characters were all interesting and very different and I enjoyed that they would clash like any normal family does. It is slow at the start but does pick up.

I kept getting confused because of the time jumps to the past back to the present, and I wish we got more about the 'witches' in one way I can understand why the author would do this but at the same time, I think knowing a bit more about them would have been good for me personally because I have finished the book wondering more. Maybe there will be a second book? The ending did feel rushed so maybe that is the intention.

I think I will probably reread this in the future if I want a quick read and I think it's a book that I will probably rate higher after a reread.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I have mixed feelings about this one! I found the beginning very confusing and couldn’t get a grip on the characters, I didn’t feel like I was able to visualise where they were and what was going on, and there wasn’t a lot of scene setting which I found confusing.

That being said, when I got to about 45% of the way through I got A LOT more invested. The story became more gripping because there was a lot more at stake. At this point we got a lot more insight into the world the characters are in. I enjoyed the book after this point and flew through it.

However, the ending felt rushed and Parsley’s end was very anticlimactic - I wanted more of a jaw-dropping moment when she confessed what her motivation had been.

It was an enjoyable read but I just wanted more!

🌑 ARC Review – We Call Them Witches by India-Rose Bower
📅 Release date: 22 Jan 2026
⭐️ 1/5 stars

#WeCallThemWitches #NetGalley

This was my first ARC on NetGalley, and I had really high hopes for We Call Them Witches. A queer, folklore-infused horror story set in a post-apocalyptic Britain. The premise and intriguing book cover made me excited to dive in. Unfortunately, the book didn’t land for me, and I almost DNF’d around page 72.

The writing style was my first major hurdle. It felt overly stylised to the point of being disjointed, as if every “creative writing” technique was crammed onto every page. The result was a chaotic mix of clashing metaphors, confusing sentences, and bizarre analogies that didn’t quite fit the tone or theme. At times, it seemed like the story was trying so hard to be different that it forgot to be readable.

The narrative itself was scattered and difficult to follow, with irrelevant snippets and moments that felt inserted purely for shock or quirkiness, without any real payoff. The constant film references felt similarly out of place, more like filler than meaningful insight.

There were also odd, disconnected moments, like the line “I think about the vibrator again,” which popped up with no explanation or context anywhere else. I even double checked, but it’s the only time it’s referenced.

On top of that, the character building felt flat. I never really got to know the main character, Sara, well enough in my opinion, and the world building was weighed down by so much “fluff” that both the story and characters ended up feeling lifeless. At one point, I felt like Bastian in The Never Ending Story, desperately shouting at the book to give me more.

Lastly, the handling of pronouns and language often made sentences clunky and unclear rather than enhancing character dynamics.

Overall, reading this felt like walking through a crowd of people waiting for a train, when all I wanted was to catch the bus. To quote the book itself, it was full of “ranting tangents that lose track of themselves halfway through.” A line that perfectly captures how the journey of this book felt for me, constantly veering off track and losing focus just when it seemed ready to find its feet.

Sadly, this was not the experience I was hoping for.
Offbeat, meandering, and just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. While this one didn’t quite work for me, I’m always grateful for the chance to explore new authors and perspectives.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one - I loved the title and devour anything about witches.

The book centres around Sara and her family in a type of post apocalyptic world - trying to survive and hide from the ‘witches’.

I really enjoyed the family dynamic between the siblings - the twins were written so beautifully and I could see my own two small children being very similar.

The use of different types of pagan folklore was interesting and I was freaked out at some points - especially while reading late at night!

I wasn’t expecting the great humour that came through the writing either, and some poking at our much loved romantasy genre: “I nudge Parsley. ‘could be worse. We could be at an inn that only has one bed.’ she grins. ‘And we could be enemies.’

It was great to read a book that had some fab diversity in terms of the romance plot. We have Sara’s sibling having once been Danielle, now being Danny and married to Lillian. While Sara herself starts a brief romance with parsley.

I wish there had been a bit more development on what the ‘witches’ were and what they wanted to achieve - perhaps there will be a second book? The ending came up quite quickly and to me ended a bit flat almost like the author was leaving it open for a second book.

Overall a compelling read. Liked how it was set in the U.K. with references to our culture, intriguing concept.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it

This is a creepy, atmospheric novel with a very intriguing premise - I really enjoyed the blend of traditional horror elements combined with folkloric references. I loved the descriptions of the witches and the mystery surrounding the post-apocalyptic setting. As a folk-horror fan, I found myself very invested in the world that Bower constructed.

The book is very character-driven and I was invested in the relationships right from the start. The sapphic romance was very well-done, and I also felt that the sibling relationship was well-written. As a younger sibling, I completely empathised with Sara's frustration and affection for Danny and thought this was portrayed beautifully!

Generally, the pacing was very good, but as some others have mentioned, the ending felt a little rushed. Overall, I enjoyed this read a lot and will be looking out for more from this author in the future.

~~thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to review early~~

Intriguing, unsettling & spooky.

It's a folklore/sapphic romance/spooky book so if you're into that kinda thing, you'll love this one. Will be going on my re-read list!

A gripping and unsettling read, so vividly described that by the end, you'll swear the trees are watching and your shadow has a mind of its own. I really loved the concept; it felt like a fresh, eerie twist on post-apocalyptic Britain, deeply rooted in ancient pagan folklore.
That said, I was left wanting more. The ending felt rushed, and I found myself rereading sections just to make sense of what was happening. Because of that pacing, the "big reveal" didn't hit as hard as it could have. I wasn't as emotionally invested in Parsley's true intentions or her end as I expected to be. A haunting premise, but I wish the final act had been given more room to breathe.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book was wild in the best way. It’s spooky, emotional, and totally unhinged in that folklore-meets-end-of-the-world kind of vibe. The sapphic romance felt soft and real in the middle of all the chaos, and the mix of horror and myth had me totally hooked. If you're into creepy creatures, witchy vibes, and tender moments in terrifying settings, this one absolutely delivers.

This was an enjoyable read I didn’t want to put down, however I felt it was missing something and I could never quite put my finger on what it was. The “witches” weren’t described enough for me to be able to picture them and that made it more difficult that I would like. I also felt like the book was missing an intro. Overall it was ok, I enjoyed it while reading it but wouldn’t recommend it as a bookseller.
2.5 rounded upto 3.

Description:
Britain, two years after they came . . .

Most people have been devoured by the eldritch creatures.

Sara and her family have been fighting for survival.

And the only thing that works against these monsters – these Witches - is their knowledge of folklore and pagan rituals.

But when a girl named Parsley suddenly appears in the garden of their current camp, she cannot remember where she came from or why she’s there.

As Sara and Parsley begin to develop feelings for each other disaster strikes, and Sara’s brother Noah is taken by the Witches.

They must find him and set out across moors full of merciless terror, to hunt the very creatures they’ve been hiding from.

But there’s one thing Sara hasn’t considered – can Parsley be trusted in a world where humanity is as scarce as humans themselves?

I really enjoyed this book, it kept me guessing and jumped between past and present from the POV of Sara. I really liked the gruesome elements that are woven in and how the witches adapt to their environment. The book does start slow but bare with it and it dos get better, the twist at the end was amazing I wasn't expecting it. The book reminded me of those post apocalyptic movies like the happening.... Overall I enjoyed this read.

Big thank you to #Netgallery & Indiarosebower for allowing me to read the ARC copy!

Arc review ✨

Wow that was something that’s for sure. I’m still absorbing everything but I devoured this book. I could not put it down. It grips you in from the start and does not let up. Absolutely thrilling and keeps you turning the page to find out what happens.

The character development was good, I was invested in this family and the horrible dystopian world they found themselves in. I do wish we got to know more from these characters and what made them tick.

The monster descriptions were something out of a fantastic nature horror movie. I was here for it! I would have loved more lore surrounding that but honestly like any event, the people are usually the last to know what is going on so figures they are in the dark here.

So yeah, following that I will just recap that I needed more. I don’t usually say that as I feel a lot of books are just too much fluff, but I really would have loved more here because everything had a great concept! It felt rushed. The ending hit me fast - ( note, the ebook file didn’t have page numbers or anything like that so it may not have helped it feeling so abrupt, I couldn’t tell where I was in the book or how much was left at any given point ) especially once we get to the manor, it just flew from there and I turned the last ebook page like .. wait, what ?!. I would have loved if more things were fleshed out.

Overall I really enjoyed this one. Was a great fast paced horror thriller with some stellar gore sprinkled in. I will absolutely read further works from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for a review! 🖤

I was very kindly chosen to be an ARC reader for We Call Them Witches. At a first glance, I thought I knew what to expect from the book and the characters but the further I read, the more I realised I had absolutely no idea what was coming next!

There was a big mix of current POV and past POV, which I found helpful when trying to understand things from Sara's position. There is a nice mix of horror elements in there, with the descriptions of the Witches being something so horrifying that they are hard to picture. I would definitely say don't read at night unless you want to picture the Witches in your sleep! (Silly move)

It really touches on things from a LGBTQ side as well, with some sapphic parts as well as Danny's history being non-binary.

A very enjoyable read and I definitely didn't expect that ending at all!! Would definitely recommend.

I'm afraid I dnf'd this book around the 35% mark, which I was disappointed in myself for doing.

I was really excited to have a chance to read amd review We Call Them Witches, given that it is so different to other books that are being published.

Sadly, I was unable to get on board with the writing style, which I found to be quite erratic and choppy, which lead to feeling confused.

Additionally, one of the characters using they/them pronouns, and while I am in no way against people choosing to use different t pronouns, it unfortunately, does not make for a good application of grammar.

These things combined meant that I,was unable to enjoy the book.

2 ⭐️ read

We Call Them Witches - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, so disclaimer first. I’m marrying the author, no, I mean quite literally. Next year, we have a fur son together. But, despite that I’m here to be unbiased and critical because that’s what’s expected of me.

We all know what we’d do in a zombie apocalypse, but what would you do when eldritch monsters emerge one night and take over the world? Yeah, it wasn’t something I had thought about until I read this book. Sara is every middle sibling, somehow an adult but somehow still a child. Put that into an apocalypse and you have an identity crisis.
Bower keeps you on edge. What starts as an eerie kitchen sink apocalyptic drama slowly unravels with each page you turn, grasping at your throat with tense moments, ripping your sense of security right from under you. Thought it does start quite slow, Bower edges you with suspense with the right amount of mystery, strange girls who show up at borders, monsters that howl & squeal in the dark and the fight for your own humanity.

The LGBTQ+ representation is wonderful, the seamlessness of the realness of the complex relationships between family members and new found friends and your own identity is something Bower has captured wonderfully. But what’s she’s done well is that it isn’t the main focus. Yes, there are queer characters and that adds layers to the narrative but it doesn’t take away from the bigger picture. There’s something out there. Waiting for them. Killing them.

I don’t read horror, I was foolish to think because I had known about all the plot twists (Bower, count your days for that ending by the way) I wouldn’t be scared. But what a fool I was. There were moments where I felt if I breathed too hard they would hear. They would somehow come crawling underneath my armchair or from the book itself to wrap around me, pulling me into despair. I felt watched reading this, eyes pressed against my skin constantly. I had to run up the stairs just in case the monsters did get me. I hadn’t felt that fear since I was a kid.

There were mistakes, some continuity errors which I actually had the privilege of giving this feedback straight to Bower in screenshots and mumbled voice notes and late night mutterings. But this is an unfinished version, we go into reading this knowing this won’t be the final edit as arc readers. But apart from those mistakes, this is all in all an enthralling, capturing, horrific read which will entrap you into family dynamics, first relationships, folklore, monsters and some excellently named chickens.

This book kept me guessing. It jumped between past and present, and even though it’s one POV, you start to question whether one character’s reality is consistent with another’s. I really liked the horror elements that are woven in and the vivid descriptions of how the ‘witches’ adapt to their environment with ease. It’s a story about a family trying their best to survive an apocalypse, and the self-discovery that comes with falling in love unexpectedly. There is great LGBTQ representation in the form of wlw and a non-binary character, touching on the challenges that that person has faced in the past. It starts out a little slow but gradually builds as more elements are brought in, and I didn’t expect the twist at the end. Overall a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

I’m not sure what to say about this book; it had me feeling so many different things. It was so different to anything I’ve read before, but I finished this book in a couple of days. I really felt for Sara and everything she went through with her family. The character and plot development are just enough to keep you hooked. Even though there isn’t a huge amount going on in the book, it still keeps you guessing about what’s going to happen. The whole way through, it has you second-guessing everything. There is a great twist near the end of the book. I really like the style of writing and connected with the story. I think this author is great and will be looking out for more

This is a gripping folk horror story.
Sara’s fight for survival—and her growing bond with the mysterious Parsley—adds emotional depth to a world stalked by terrifying eldritch creatures.

Blending folklore, fear, and queer romance, this book is as heartfelt as it is haunting. A must-read for fans of eerie, character-driven horror.