One of the book's strengths is the way it explores the concept of magic and the consequences of using it. Furthermore, Haley's character is very well developed and grows credibly as the story progresses.
The author does an excellent job in creating a magical and convincing world, and the plot is full of unexpected turns and moments of excitement and tension.
"The Witchling's Girl" is a fantasy novel that captivates and catches the reader, who will surely enjoy the world and the characters created by Helena Coggan.

This book is so good
The writing is beautiful and intriguing
The atmospheric setting is so good
I loved the interaction between the characters
The ending was so emotional
A great book

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Get your witchy vibes here! Dark, haunting, atmospheric, it's beautifully written and a captivating tale.

This was a book that I requested a while ago and am ashamed to say that I’m only just getting to it however I am glad that I finally did pick it up as it was a brilliant read. This book was also a great example of why you should give authors a second chance as while I DNFed one of Helena Coggan’s previous books I feel in love with this one.

This book very much focuses on the life of one character, Haley, who at the age of 7 is discovered to be a Witchling and who is given up by her mother to become the current Witchling’s apprentice. A witchling is essentially a person with death magic, there is one in every town and the townspeople will go to them when they are ill or injured, having a baby or when they are dead and the witchling will do what they can to either save you or they will ensure your spirit make it to the underworld or will resurrect you if that’s what your family wishes.

Haley was a very interesting character to read from and I love the way we are taken through her life, she is a really complex character and love her character development. She was forced into a life that she never wanted from a very young age and watching her try to cope with that and make the best of what she was given was really enjoyable. She definitely isn’t a perfect character and makes mistakes throughout her life but she is never malicious and is very self aware when it comes to her weaknesses.

This is a really slow build read but this really adds to the story. The world building is really well done and interesting to read. The plot is also really intriguing however really isn’t the main focus of the book which is about how Haley grows and reacts to the world and people around her.

That ending as well was one of my favorites and fit so well for the overall story. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars and it’s perfect for this time of the year.

Trigger warnings for death, grief, violence, mentions of sexual assault, depictions of blood magic, abandonment.

I’m afraid to say this book as not for me, I could not get into it. I wish the author all the best for the future. I’ll rate is 3 stars as possibly to some people this book will be right up there street. Just unfortunately not for me.

This was beautifully written! The writing is lovely and so easy to read without being too lyrical and over the top. The story itself is very atmospheric, and I think that was one of my favourite things about the book.

In this story, we follow Haley as she's looking back over the events of her life. I loved the way that it was told, as if she was telling us a story, and felt that really fit the atmosphere of the novel.

Overall I really enjoyed this one!

⚠️ Content warning for off-page rape, off-page abortion, gore, war, graphic descriptions of illness and injury.

Even if it's well written the story didn't keep my attention and it fell flat.
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Witchling’s Girl follows the the town’s witchling, or healer, and the witchling’s girl - the one who will take over once the current witchling dies.

This book was so atmospheric, so intriguing. I didn’t want to put it down - it had so many things I love in stories about witches. It was a little slow paced at times but I still really enjoyed this. I also liked how it was a contained story - fantasy standalones aren’t that common.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

I failed to get involved in the storyline, it seemed too reminiscent of the stories of Baba Yaga and her house on chicken legs that lives in many dimensions. (In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga is a supernatural being who appears as a deformed or ferocious-looking old woman. Baba Yaga may help or hinder those that encounter her or seek her out). So having read stories about Baba and her disciples before and quite enjoyed them, i needed to read a story which was completely different - except this one wasn't. And death magic is quite common too in stories and comes across better in a humorous format I find.
This is my personal view as someone who reads and has already read, far more than the 10,000 lifetime books - as I read 400 books a year. So you really have to be good and original especially when delving into folk-lore or faritytales.

TW: death and anything relating to it

This story sucked me in from the start and it is unlike anything I have ever read before. Sure I have read books about witches but not like this. The uniqueness and just the whole concept of the story and the magic system... I doubt I will ever encounter anything like this again. The whole story is our MC, the witchling's girl, her name is Haley, so this is a very character focused story and because we see the world from Haley's POV there isn't much world building because we know only what Haley knows. (Though I won't lie the world intrigued me very much and I would love to know more about it, maybe like a spin off). I really like the characters in this story, they all give off such comforting and soothing vibes, despite death being a very prominent subject in the book (it's everywhere) and just reading the book gave me the feeling of comfort on the inside (i don't know if this makes any sense but i don't know how else to describe it). But also this book hit home for me, it talked and mentioned some things that are very private and deeply rooted inside me and even I don't know how to phrase them and because of this it's a 5 stars for me.


I would recommend this for people who like dark but whimsical and very character based stories.

The Witchling's Girl is an amazingly beautiful read. It was heartbreaking at times, the vows so harsh she must make to forsake all loved ones and the chance of a family and relationship. The writing is absolutely beautiful, the world building fantastic and I was so hooked, such a dark and atmospheric read. Thoroughly and highly recommended

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The role of the witchling is that of a healer, a midwife and a conductor of the dead to the underworld. When seven year old Hayley's death magic becomes apparent, her mother takes her to the village witchling, to be trained as her successor. From then on, she must have no contact with her family, must form no personal relationships. Her purpose is to serve the village only. I was intrigued by the description of this novel, as I love stories about witches and magic. Other reviewers have been simply raving about this, but I found it quite hard work at times. I just felt as if the story dragged a bit.. I did finish it, as I don't like to stop half way through a book, but I wasn't as blown away by it as I expected to be. Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind for this, as I can see I am in the minority. Overall, a good premise, just a little slow for me.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A strange and usual read that may not be for anyone.
An OK read.

An remarkable and intensely felt story of a girl whose unique magical powers force her into a life of service to her village as a Witchling, to heal the sick but also to take the dead to the underworld ... or to resurrect them if their families wish it. You feel every scrape of Haley's soul against the harsh reality of her life, hear every ghostly whisper and hear every creak of her magical house. But most of all you feel the pain of her impossible choices as she tries to reconcile her love of family with her oath as a witchling.

This book was hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric. The writing carries you on a journey through the story. It's lyrical and flowing, without being overly descriptive or flowery.

The story is told by Haley, recounting her own life from the moment her death-magic was discovered and she became the witchling's girl. It's a story of magic, of living, of love and pain and how you learn to deal with a life you haven't chosen for yourself.

This isn't a happy story. It's haunting, somewhat bleak, and the ending left a painful hole in my chest. Yet it was magical, impactful, and I won't be forgetting it for a long time.

This was a really enjoyable read. The writing was beautiful, with whimsical descriptions that transport you straight into this magic House of the Dead near the woods. The house is one of my favorite aspects of this story, how it adapts and learns to protect its residents, how it sounds just absolutely magical and alive.
Marian was probably my favorite character. She was an exceptional mother-figure to Haley and watching their relationship flourish and Marian caring so deeply for this young girl that was left at her house really melted my heart. As a nurse, I can definitely relate to the dedicated way she cared for her patients, whether they were alive or dead. Her backstory was heartbreaking! The cruel father, the boy blackmailing her, how she had to leave her siblings with her father when she became the witchling... But she turned it around and lived a full life as one of the best witchling's for miles.
Haley was not my favorite. I loved her relationship with Callum & Aron, with Ira and Adriene, but I just did not really enjoy her obsession with Leah. It just became unhealthy, causing her to make questionable decisions and put her loved ones in danger. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely understand Leah's motives and found her to be a very interesting character, but it just rubbed me the wrong way...
I found the possession plotline super entertaining and would have loved to read more about it, to have seen it be a little more explored. It was such a cool "sickness" and it would have been cool to see Haley looking for answers and ways to save those afflicted.
The only thing that took away from the story was how slow-paced it was... The lack of dialogue and the slow burn action made the book a little hard to read at times. If it was a bit more fast-paced and a page-turner, it would have made it an even better book.
Overall, my first ARC was a success!

This book was beautifully written. Haunting, evocative and just stunning. The world building and the character development was truly superb and I became completely immersed in the place, events and relationships. Haley was a wonderful character and the way she developed and grew, both in age and maturity, over the course of the story made me feel like I truly knew her. The relationships between the characters felt real in the way that trust had to be built and each one was fallible, their mistakes creating a sense of guilt that never truly left them. The depth of the story telling was incredible, ensuring that you feel every single emotion that the characters felt. Great descriptive writing, without becoming overwhelming or overbearing. The ending was beautiful, emotional and thought provoking. This was my first read of this author but it will definitely not be my last. A solid five star rating for this book.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Witchling’s Girl’ by Helena Coggan in exchange for an honest review.

Hayley is the girl of the title. After bringing her pet cat back to life, her mother abandons her at the House of the Dead in the care of Marian, the local witchling. Over time Hayley grows into this vital role of healer, midwife, and conduit between the dead and the underworld, that is reached through tunnels under the eight-hundred year house.

I had expected this YA fantasy to be a good fit and yet I found myself feeling very little connection to its characters and found the setting very vague with the result that the world building, aside from the concept of the witchlings and the Death House, felt absent. I don’t usually mind a slow burn but so little actually happened that its nearly 400 pages just dragged and dragged.

I did find the Death House built from the roots of an ancient tree with its branches growing through the house and link to the Otherworld a potent symbol but it wasn’t enough. Perhaps its themes were more relevant to a YA readership, I just know that it didn’t work for me.

Clearly, I am in the minority with my disappointment with this novel as many readers found it relevant and engaging.