Set across two time lines 1594 and the present day. A charred body is found on an uninhabited island off Orkney after 3 teenagers go hiking, one dead, one missing and one horribly burnt. That one is Clems daughter Erin.
1594 Alison is accused of witchcraft and if found guilty, she will face the flames.
Can these two families be connected by the oldest relic known to magic, The Book Of Witching? Can these circumstances be coincidence or was Erin dabbling in things so dangerous it meant death?
Exciting, thrilling and absorbing. I loved this book from start to finish. The different time lines kept me hooked and kept the pace moving. Beautifully haunting.
Suse.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and it is truly one of those books that you don’t expect. The story threads together the tales of a healer accused of witchcraft in 1594 (based on a real-life victim of the Orkney witch trials) and a teenager from a broken family in 2024 who is found severely burnt on a beach in Orkney after going away on a hike with friends. It is ultimately a story of the love of family and the human need to build our community. It’s well-written with fleshed out characters and for me it was an unputdownable page turner. I loved the author’s note at the end that told us more about the real-life history that she based the story on.

This is the third of CJ Cooke’s books that I’ve read and, like the others, I really enjoyed The Book of Witching. I liked how the paced ramped up the further I got into it, as I became more invested in what happened to the characters from 2 different timelines: a witch trial and a family at the bedside of a young burn victim whose injuries appear to have happened when she and her friends carried out a fire ritual on the same island where the witch in the earlier timeline was set to be burned. This tense mystery’s being released in October, just in time for Halloween!

This was a great read, part historical novel, part contemporary family drama with a magic twist. I must say, however, that I was expecting the book to be a bit more gothic (like its predecessors) and was a bit sad that it wasn’t. It is still an engaging and moving read with a mysterious, witchy vibe. Definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed The Book of Witching. I’ve read all of C.J. Cookes books and they never disappoint. I will be buying a copy when it’s released.

A mother must fight for her daughter’s life in this fierce and haunting tale of witchcraft and revenge from the author of A Haunting in the Arctic.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Loved this book. Another fab historical fiction novel to follow her previous books style.
Really enjoyed the dual timeline and mix of characters.
Highly recommend any of this authors books!

A well written, researched novel based on true events weaving the past, 1594 and the present day which ties up nicely to a satisfying conclusion. A must read if you are interested in historical fiction and the persecution of witches.

Finding your child unconscious and having survived an accident is devastating.
Though, the plot is not as it seems.
Minor spoiler: witches

I normally struggle with dual timeline narratives and find them formulaic and repetitive or forced.
This was not the case here, thanks to Cooke’s writing, the interesting mood and the different layers in the story.

Dual timeline which is really well executed. A must read if you’re interested in historical fiction, witches or just looking to break into something new!

A brilliantly, chilling tale with a dual timeline, where a witch trial from 1594, plays a dangerous role in events in 2024.
Honestly, my heart was in my mouth from the opening pages until the final paragraph and I couldn't guess just how events would end, as C.J. Cooke takes readers on another chilling journey. This time around our story begins with Alison Balfour, living in Orkney in 1594 and about to face a trial for witchcraft. While in 2024, three young friends are victims of a fire - one is missing, another dead, and the third has horrific burns.
As the chapters swop between the timelines, the reader is given a glimpse into the horrors of the Witch trials (and Alison's story is inspired by real events), and the impact that our fascination on witchcraft can have today.
I raced through this book in one day and absolutely recommend for anyone who loves a chilling read, especially one with a historical basis and witchy topic.
Full 5 stars.

Based on true events, this dual time line hits the mark if you are interested in historical fiction, witchcraft, wise women, haunted objects and great characters. An excellent well written read with a beautiful cover and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the review copy.

I've enjoyed all the books by this author I've read, but I really felt her last, A haunting in the artic was a step up.
Thrilled to say this one is equally good.
Chilling, creepy, atmospheric... and that's just present day.
Let's not get started on ye olden days.
I was fully invested before someone mentioned the C word, but it was great to throw that in there.
Really well done.
Also big thanks to C.J.Cooke for having put a placebo song in my head on repeat for days 🤣

Dual timeline PERFECTION! I was hooked from the very first page and couldn’t put it down. It’s atmospheric, witchy, magical, mysterious and thrilling and I felt compelled to read on after every chapter as I was fully invested in both timelines/stories. Everything was depicted so vividly (especially in the courtroom scenes) that I actually felt like I was there watching it all unfold in person. My first CJ Cooke read and it definitely won’t be my last. This was absolute perfection! 🤌🏻

I’ve loved all of CJ Cooke’s work, The Lighthouse Witches being one of my favourite ever reads. With characters to root for across dual timelines and mysteries that kept me guessing to the end, The Book of Witching is now another firm favourite. Tense, intriguing and heartbreaking.
Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins and CJ Cooke for this ARC.

This novel follows different time periods most notably 2024 and 1594. In 1594 Alison Balfour waits trial for witchcraft in Orkney. If she is found guilty she will be burned alive. In 2024 Clem waits by her daughter, Erin’s hospital bed. Erin was found in Orkney with burns all over her body and a memory saying she is called Nyx. The book of witching binds these two women together.

This was just okay. It didn’t do much for me generally but I appreciate the messaging particularly because Alison was a real woman in that time period. I just didn’t find it all that interesting.

My Book thoughts:)

A 5 star read!

- Surprisingly this is my first CJ Cooke novel. After reading this, I know this she is gonna be my new auto-buy author!
- A super fast paced storyline that gripped me from the get go.
- Big twists and a duel timeline that kept me turning the pages.
- The transitions between the two timelines was really great. I liked how they bridged together nicely towards the end of the book.
- This is gonna be the perfect spooky read for witches this October! I was too impulsive (and way too excited) to wait to read this one.
- The characters are super compelling and I was routing for both the two female leads.
- There is a cult!! Say. No. More!

Thank you sooooo much to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an ARC copy of this book.

Well, I've just finished this book, it didn't take me too long because I couldn't put it down and wow! What an excellent story, the well written characters flowed from the page telling of a time of ancient and modern witchcraft from the 1500's till the present day, leaving, with I hope, a chance of continuing. This was certainly book of the year for me, bravo!

3.5 The Witching proves that the Cooke who captured our attention with The Lighthouse Witches and The Ghost Woods is back and just in time for spooky season with this one slated to hit the shelves in October! 🎃

Story and Cadence:
● The premise was strong: while witch persecution in fiction is a popular theme, the addition of the Book of Witching and the mystery made this a compelling read! You will need to suspend disbelief and not look too closely at police procedure and some world-building inconsistencies, but it’s not enough to be significantly distracting.
● While dual-timeline isn’t my favourite structure, these two stories were artfully intertwined and expertly done. Instead of being a device, the use of dual-timeline felt intentional and purposeful.
● The pacing was slightly off in the beginning but it picks up!

Characters, Setting, and Atmosphere:
● I preferred Alison and her family as our MC. Because Erin was incapacitated for most of the book, we didn’t get to know her quite as well as Alison but what we did learn about Erin made her difficult to root for (where Alison was strong and took charge of what limited choices she had, Erin was naïve and mostly a passenger for all the things that happened to her). I found the trio of Erin, Arlo, and Senna infuriating.
● Couldn’t stand Clem and Quinn with their bickering, interfering with a murder inquiry, destroying evidence, and plethora of interpersonal melodrama
● I loved Nurse Bee’s upbeat, collected, and cheerful characterization!
● The setting of Orkney/Glasgow were both well done. Again, I prefer the Orkney setting of Alison’s story simply because that’s not a place I’ve spent very much time in fiction!
● This is an excellent vibe or mood read for Spooktober!

Language, Writing, and Presentation:
● The opening Alison sections take some getting used to: they’re written in the present tense and trying so hard to be old timey (read: no contractions, dated language, excessively verbose sentences); the result feels clunky and overwrought. As a reader I struggle with the attempts to replicate archaic writing because, to me, it sucks all the emotion and feeling out of words (for example, “it is maddening to think upon” is too passive to convey anger, to me.) I’m not sure if this becomes less pronounced as the book carries on, or I just got used to it, but I only really noticed it in the first few Alison sections.
● UK cover looks very similar to 2019’s aggressively marketed “The Binding”, and plenty of subsequent lookalikes. I prefer the North American cover by Berkley - it’s much witchier and it has its own unique look and feel!

If you enjoyed The Lighthouse Witches, I bet you’ll like this too! My only caution comes as a human who has suffered third degree burns, some of the imagery and narrative around Erin’s injury was difficult to read.

I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thank you so much, HarperCollins UK! 💫

Devoured this book! I loved the duel pov across different timelines and a awesome look into witchcraft
The characters were believable and the story just flowed I loved it

A completely fresh perspective on witchcraft - which is a very difficult thing to find nowadays - based on facts. A truly astonishing read.