I liked The Nesting enough, but I really enjoyed The Lighthouse Witches. I especially enjoyed the answer to the question of "just what is happening on this island?" While never really veering to the fully eerie or even scary side, it is pervaded with the kind of delicious uneasiness I was craving from an audiobook. The narrators did an amazing job too; definitely listen to this if you feel like getting immersed in something gloomy and twisty.

2021 for me is the year of finding new amazing authors and C. J. Cooke is one of them! I enjoy a lot the legends/old stories elements in the book and, of course, multiple POVs and different timelines. Ideal choice for spooky season!
I was hooked by the very first chapter and couldn't put the book down until the very last page.
In my opinion "The Lighthouse Witches" should be read as a paper/e-copy. I was sometimes confused by the change of chapters in the audiobook, probably this wouldn't be the case if you see the text in front of you.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc audiobook in exchange for honest review!

Audio review first: great choice of narrators who really brought the characters and setting to life.

Book review: This one was a bit of a surprise for me. I was hesitant initially because I didn't immediately gel with the main character, Liv. And then as the story unfolds, you see that her reasons for dragging her three daughters to a remote Scottish island in the middle of the night make a sad sort of sense. The familial dynamics are fraught - one teenage daughter, who hates the happy-go-lucky hand-to-mouth way Liv runs their lives, two younger daughters who recently lost a father and then escaped an abusive (potentially) stepfather figure.

This volatile family unit arrives at Lon Haven, a place full of myths - both Gaelic and Nordic - where the old ways are still practised and a dark island history clashes with the present. I don't want to give away spoilers but this was the perfect gothic/ folk horror offering with a little slip stream snuck in for good measure. The characterisation was excellent and the relationships between characters were rich and believable. Overall, this was a story about love and loss, and eventually finding each other again. About having faith that things can be made right. Really enjoyed this multi-layered, intricate tale.

Very rarely does a book grab me with such ferocity as this one did. I became all consumed in the tale that presented itself. I was routing for the various characters and totally invested in their lives and outcomes of their individual stories.
So well described and imagined that I was convinced this was a story that must have been set in a real place and told by someone who had lived the events portrayed.
Absolutely brilliant, totally recommend to all!
#wildling #lighthouse #netgalley # witchcraft

Amazingly gripping This is dark, twisted and addictive. I couldn't put it down once I started.
Full of so many plot twists, and false leads.
Fantastic characters and really well written too.
I'll certainly be looking out for more from this author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had not seen this book around at all, but decided to give it a request. I was very excited when I got approved for it because after reading the synopsis it sounded super interesting. And it was really good!
We get several POV's in this book as well as several timelines. This was super confusing at first especially listening to the audiobook. So we have Robert (his grimoire) in the 1700's (I think), Liv and Sapphy both in 1998 and then Luna in 2021. In 1998, Liv and her 3 daughters Sapphire, Luna and Clover are in Scotland while she is commisioned to paint a mural. We get this year's POV from both Liv as the mom learning to be weary of "wildlings" who pose as children but they are dangerous and must be killed, and Sapphy who hates her mom for uprooting her and her sisters and bringing them to this island. In 2021, we have Luna who has mysteriously lost her whole family in 1998, but her sister Clover is found. She is still 7 years old like she was in 1998. Then in the 1700's we have Robert kind of putting all the puzzle pieces together of how this whole thing (no spoilers) started. It ended up coming together so brilliantly. It was almost scary in parts and just really kept my interest the whole time.
I loved Luna as an adult as well as a child. It was very heartwarming that she never gave up looking for her family and never believed them dead. Sapphy was a...teenager. She made some bad choices, did some bad things. Liv was believed to have been this horrible mom, but she was really trying her best to protect her daughters.
Like I said before, it really took me a minute to get into the groove of the story having 3 separate timelines and 4 POVs with 2 of them being the same time. But once I got it, I got it and I didn't want to stop. It was so easy to listen to, the writing style was great. It really felt like being in 3 different times.
As it is now October, this is the PERFECT book for spooky month!

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook of ‘The Lighthouse Witches’ by C.J. Cooke in exchange for an honest review.

The audiobook has four narrators: Eva Feiler, Lesley Harcourt, Jess Nesling, and Joshua Manning and a running time of 10 hours, 13 minutes at 1x speed.

This was an outstanding literary gothic thriller and one that I would suggest reading without too much prior information. I had loved her 2020 novel, ‘The Nesting’, so this was a must read for me. Therefore, I will only say a little about the plot in order to avoid spoilers.

It is primarily set on a remote Scottish island, Lòn Haven. In 1998 Liv had come to Lòn Haven with her three daughters. She had been commissioned by the wealthy owner of a weathered lighthouse to paint an elaborate mural in its interior. There are plenty of unsettling incidents and the most of the islanders are very insular. Definitely ‘Wicker Man’ vibes.

Throughout the years mysterious and terrible events have happened on the island including disappearances. They began with a witch hunt in 1662…. Liv doesn’t believe in witches, curses and hauntings but when has scepticism ever protected a character in a spooky novel? Never.

The narrative is split between events in 1998 and 2021, when one of Liv’s daughters, now an adult, returns to the island seeking answers to what really happened at the lighthouse all those years ago. There is also the occasional flashback to historical events.

This is the kind of gothic horror that I love. It is well written with vivid descriptions and strong characterisations. In addition, its author is respectful towards the subject of witchcraft and the occult, seeking to educate as well as penning a cracking genre-spanning tale.

In her Author’s Note C.J. Cooke writes about her interest in the history of the Scottish witch hunts and includes some research sources for anyone wishing to learn more about the subject. Also, she notes the justice initiative seeking a posthumous legal pardon, apology, and national monument for the approximate 4,000 people, overwhelmingly women, who were accused, tortured and executed in Scotland under the Witchcraft Act. That number genuinely shocked me.

With respect to the audiobook, while its narrators were new to me, I felt that the ensemble approach served the story well. I also feel that a novel as rich as this benefits from the immersive experience of combining reading with listening to professional narration.

Overall, ‘The Lighthouse Witches’ was an atmospheric, gothic novel that also served to highlight the tragedy of the Scottish witch hunts. It had me completely hooked from start to finish.

Highly recommended.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for approving me for an ARC of this book. In all honesty I was drawn in by the amazing cover and decided to request as I fancied something spooky and witchy, this delivered on all counts!! Once again I was blown away with the narration, especially those that narrated the voices of children. Each voice was easily recognised and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one.

This story is told from many POV and flicks between three different timelines, 1600, 1998 and 2021, set on the fictional island of Lon Haven, Scotland. In 1600 we witness the horrendous witch trials that took place and what happened to Lon Haven after it was cursed. This part of the story was told by Patrick, a young man whose mother was burned at the steak after being found guilty of being a witch. I found it heart breaking to listen to his story and how he went on to survive after.

The main part of the story is told in 1998 where all the action happens. After arriving on Lon Haven Liv and her three daughters try to settle into their new life but it’s obvious from the start that it be won’t easy. I really felt for Saffy during this part, she was clearly lost and crying out for attention. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and give her the guidance she was lacking from Liv. I also sympathised with Liv as she wasn’t having the easiest time of it. Whilst she may not of had her eye on the ball the whole time she loved all of her children dearly.

I thought Luna’s story in 2021 was very interesting. I can’t imagine how I would feel to find my lost sister and then discover she’s not aged in 20 years! Whilst Luna has experience dealing with children that have been through traumatic times I don’t think she expected Clover to react the way she did. Whilst Luna did her best to manage Clover and her outbursts I could tell Luna was exhausted and wondering what she had taken on.

The story builds and the author does a brilliant job of drip feeding us information, I wasn’t entirely sure what had happened to Lunda’s sisters and mother. One thing I was sure about was that the final scenes would be dramatic. They had me on the edge of my seat and I didn’t dare do anything other than sit and listen for fear that I might miss something. As the story came to a close I felt a mix of emotions. I was mainly happy for Luna and all that she had achieved but there was a tinge of sadness in there too. If you’ve read this they you will know what I mean. This was a truly atmospheric read that showed the strength of love and family bonds, all wrapped up with a sprinkle of witchcraft that gave me all the spooky vibes I craved.

“We are not just made of blood and bone - we are made of stories”

Liv is an artist who is commissioned to paint a mural in a lighthouse on a remote Scottish island. It’s the perfect opportunity to run away from a situation she doesn’t want to face, so she heads to Lòn Haven with her three daughters, Saffie, Luna and Clover. When she arrives on the island, she finds a community steeped in superstition, a unnerving history and a sinister, decrepit lighthouse called The Longing. Twenty years later, Luna is the only family member left with a haze of memories and a list of unanswered questions about what happened to her family at The Longing. Not for long though as one phone call is all it takes to rake up the past - can Luna face the truth of her time on Lòn Haven?

This is the perfect read for spooky season in the lead up to Halloween. Thrillers are my go to genre and because I read so many of them, I find not much creeps me out these days.
But “The Lighthouse Witches” is the exception to that! It’s a deeply atmospheric and unnerving read. Whether it’s the diary from the past illustrating the ruthless witch hunt that occurred on the island , or Liv discovering the cruel and sinister traditions of the island community or Luna encountering someone 20 years younger than they should be, the reader is guaranteed something within the pages which will send chills down their spine.
I really enjoyed reading the book and the brilliant writing which managed to dip and out of three genres and always kept me guessing until the end.

I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to review both the audiobook and the book and though both were brilliant, I thought the audiobook was exceptional. It’s the best audiobook I have listened to in a long time. I really enjoyed the fact there were multiple narrators, each distinguish their character from the others in the book and bring them to life for the listener. The accents were carefully crafted and authentic sounding too.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest opinion.

First of all, this Audiobook is fantastic!
We, as readers, get a mystery thriller with a
gothic setting and atmosphere that is intriguing
and well-written.
"The Lighthouse Witches" is told from multiple
perspectives and timelines, set on a remote
island in Scotland in 1662, 1998, and 2021.
However, most of the story takes place in 1998
and 2021.
The story follows the single mother Olivia and
her three daughters: Sapphire, Luna, and
Clover, in 1998. In 2021, Luna returns to the
lighthouse to figure out how and why her
mother and her siblings disappeared.
Nonetheless, the three timelines are
interdependent and needed to get to the
bottom of the lighthouse's mysteries.
Concluding, this book is an excellent read for
the upcoming spooky season because of the
gothic setting, thriller elements, and the
disentangling of mysteries Q
I want to thank the author @cjcooke_author,
the publisher @harpercollinsuk, and @netgalley
for the Audio ARC in exchange for an honest
review!

In a Nutshell: An interesting gothic mystery with some outstanding twists.

Story:
This tale comes to us from distinct perspectives and multiple timelines.
1998: Single mother Liv has been commissioned to paint a mural in the lighthouse of a remote Scottish island. Liv takes it as a golden opportunity to make a fresh start with her three daughters. She soon discovers that the island harbours dark secrets. But who in this modern day can believe in those old ladies tales and supersittions? Not Liv, for sure. Until things take a dark turn.
2021: Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mothers for more than two decades. When she receives a call that her youngest sister has finally been located, she is on cloud nine. But imagine her shock when she discovers that Clover is still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished twenty two years earlier. With Luna’s hazy memory about the past, will she be able to figure out this bizarre situation?
The other two perspectives are that of Sapphire (Liv’s eldest daughter) and a mysterious grimoire that contains a man’s narration of the witch hunts in Scotland during the 1660s.

This is one of those books where I can’t write anything much without going into spoilers. And as I hate spoilers with a vehemence, I’ll try to keep the feedback specific and brief.
• The plot is fairly twisted and quite convoluted. There are some loopholes in the flow but nothing too major that will take away from your enjoyment. I enjoyed the constant surprises that the author kept throwing time and again. There are many creepy moments too. At the same time, some parts were very farfetched and there were too many coincidences towards the end.
• The grimoire’s story was my favourite, though it was the most horrifying at times. The idiotic thinking behind the witch hunts were written very well.
• Many of the characters are quite intriguing, even though I couldn’t connect with the decisions of a few of them. To pinpoint one, Liv’s reason for wanting to escape London and go to an unknown island seemed utterly illogical to me. Then there is this big hullabaloo about some mysterious numbers. But tell me honestly: if you see the numerals “2 0 2 1” appear somewhere, will you think “Oh, what a mysterious number!?” or will you think “Why is the current year mentioned here?”
• Though there were multiple timelines and character perspectives to follow, the narrative felt pretty smooth to me. The writing keeps you hooked.
• A couple of reader friends found the plot dragging in the middle but I couldn’t detect any dip in pace. Probably because I was listening to it than reading it.

For me, the biggest pro points of this book were its plot idea and its ability to spring surprises almost till the end. Where it could have worked a little better for me was in making the characters, especially Liv, seem more realistic. Luna was the best etched character, but even her arc contained some wild stretches at times.

I heard the audio version of this book and I think that made my experience much better. The four perspectives are voiced by four different narrators and this brings a nice individuality to their narratives. I loved all the narrators as they rendered the characters perfectly. The audiobook is 10 hrs 13 min long, and that’s 10 hrs 13 minutes of a captivating hearing experience. Of course, you’ve already seen that the plot is fairly complicated. If you find your mind boggled by too much of a to and fro in the timelines, better go for reading. But to experienced audiobook listeners, I’ll recommend the audiobook wholeheartedly.

4 stars from me to this engrossing story. (It might have been 3.75 had I read the book. The bonus is for the narrators.)

Thank you, HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Super atmospheric, gothic and interesting, rich of lore and myths, but also very modern. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is a really fantastic audiobook, which I thoroughly enjoyed and I highly recommend. I found it mysterious, thrilling, secretive and magical.

The story, which really kept me entertained, enthralled and hooked, is about witches who live in a lighthouse and what happens to them over the years. The story is told in different timelines, with the main characters being Olivia, the mother, and her three daughters, Sapphire, Luna and Clover. We are shown the story from 1998 and 2021. Some of the main characters go missing and the others are searching for them. Mysterious things happen to them and I was always excited to listen on to find out what happened next. The book left my skin crawling and the hairs on my arms standing on end. It was so creepy.

The narrators of the book were outstanding and they all done a great job of conveying the story, the horror, the mystery and the magic. I felt like I was watching a movie and I was immersed in it.

This is a book that is perfect for the autumn time, especially at Halloween, or even at any time of the year.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Well, the synopsis of this book hooked me right in - witches, a spooky lighthouse and a remote Scottish island! Just my cup of tea. I listened to this audiobook in one sitting (yes all 10+ hours!), completely immersed in the story, so no housework got done that day :-)

In 1998 Liv travels to the island, with her three children, to paint a mural in the lighthouse. But the island has a strange atmosphere and Liv finds out that the lighthouse is built on the site of a prison in which witches were held and tortured in the 17th century before they were burned. There are also tales of 'wildlings', unnatural creatures who look like human children.

This is a superb Gothic thriller, told on three timeslines - 1662, 1998, and 2021 - but was never confusing and I particularly enjoyed the excerpts from the 17th century grimoire. The setting was wonderfully creepy and the island and the lighthouse became characters in their own right. The plot is intricately written with all the threads coming together effortlessly. This was my first book by C J Cooke, but I have now bought her back catalogue on Audible.

The four narrators, Eva Feiler, Lesley Harcourt, Jess Nesling and Joshua Manning, did a great job with the narration.

Part fantasy, part Literary fiction this book is perfect for those who love rural atmospheric books. I'm normally not one for changes in time lines but it worked really well in this and keep me guessing. I was not expecting the revel to be what it was! It was an interesting take on changelings and witches that I haven't seen before. I was expecting it to be scarier or at least more creepy so was disappointed by that.
All in all it was a great read though! I would recommand for those that enjoy Laura Purcell books.

*****I.gave five stars to the book******

I am only knocking off one star here because the female narrators just didn't do the book justice, in my opinion. The male narrator was fantastic.

It didn't keep me from enjoying it, though.

----- As for the book itself----
Full five stars
---
What do I even say?

I may have to come back and add more because I finished it in one day, last night and I'm still all discombobulated.

“Anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” -Voltaire

Wow! I really liked this book and the cover is gorgeous. This was a fantasy, mystery-thriller about witches and wildlings. Cleverly spun this tale pulled me in and had me on the edge of my seat almost the whole time. A was a great story with a intriguing plot that left me very satisfied at its conclusion.
I was pleasantly surprised and will be thinking about this for awhile. I highly recommend it.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and the the narrators were excellent. They contributed to the story, making it even better in my opinion. This was a pleasant 10 hours and 13 minutes of easy listening.
Thanks HarperCollins Audio via Netgalley.

4.5 stars.

This was a satisfying and well written story with enough things to guess and feel clever about and a few surprises thrown in to keep it feeling fresh.

The different timelines all come together perfectly and there's some beautiful sentences particularly at the end.

I listened to the audio version and found this strongly narrated with each voice actor doing a good job at portraying the different characters. As the book became either creepy or emotional the voice actors were able to portray these feelings well.

Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK audio for the review audiobook of The Lighthouse witches by C J Cooke.

This at times creepy and downright disturbing book is set mostly on a small, remote Scottish Island where occasionally people disappear and sometimes re appear days, weeks or even years later.

The story jumps between three different times the "witch" hunts of the 1660's, 1998 and 2021 and is told from the points of view of several female members of the Stay family who are visitors to the island plus through extracts from the diary of the richest man in town.

The story is a mix of the modern day, the near past (1998) and historical fiction. And a mix of magical realism and folk lore where the creepiest thing isn't the disappearances but instead what disturbs most is the reaction of the villages when the missing persons come back.

This is my first C J Cooke novel but I own The Nesting and plan to read it soon.

4⭐️
A new author to me. I had the audiobook version 🎧which has a cast of authors. The voices are great,especially Patrick.
It’s difficult to know where to start describing this story as it has 3 intertwined time lines. One in the 1620’s at the time of King James VI and the witch hunts with one of the witches children being a main character.
1998 Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in an old lighthouse in a remote Scottish island. She is a single mom with her 3 daughters Luna,Sapphire, and Clover.
2021, 22 yrs later when one of Luna’s 2 missing sisters turn up. She has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. The problem is Clover is still 7, the age she was when she went missing.
The locals tell the myth of wildings supernatural beings who are created by witches for revenge which mimic human children. They are said to be dangerous.
The lighthouse is the thing that ties the 3 threads together as the witches were jailed in a cave beneath the lighthouse.

Because the time frame jumps it takes a little while to figure out what’s happening in the story. But it soon comes together. To get the most of the book read the book blurb as you start reading. It gives the premise of the book so you can follow what’s going on. I often go into a book blind. I like that there’s no duplication of the story in the different time frames which is a testament to good planning.


I know with this genre you have to suspend your logical thinking. I bought into the supernatural elements.

The characters are likeable. Liv was a favourite.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I love it’s originality.