Acorn Library

Dark, seductive, and steeped in magic—a dive into a world of revenge and survival.

Set against a gritty backdrop of the 17th-century Londoner underbelly brothels and the occult, the novel explores the fate of Mary Sparrow, a woman cursed at birth, Toby Chyrche, a tailor’s apprentice seeking a better future, and once again a love triangle.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its richly developed setting. Slade’s portrayal of London in 1632 is as immersive and haunting as her eloquent writing brings out great depth to it. The contrast between the mundane struggles of Mary’s life and the eerie, magical undercurrents gives the novel a distinct gothic flavor that fans of dark fantasy will appreciate.

Mary’s journey, in particular, is compelling as she seeks revenge after her friend is driven to madness. Slade delves into themes of female agency and oppression, making Mary’s story more than just a tale of magic but also a reflection on survival in a patriarchal society. However, while Mary is a well-developed character, the supporting cast, especially the other girls in the brothel, lacks depth. They serve more as a backdrop than fully fleshed-out individuals, which detracts from the richness of the world.

The book balances strong occult themes with moments of raw sensuality but the author doesn’t shy away from graphic content, which can be polarizing. I know, this is a standalone novel and should be judged as this but if have read the first novel in the series you will have seen the plot before. At this point, the explicit scenes feel a little excessive to me and divert attention from the more suspenseful and occult elements of the plot that I wanted to know more about since the first installation.

Where the novel truly shines is in its atmosphere. The magic is dark, seductive, and unpredictable, with an ancient book at its core. However, the rules of the magic system remain a bit vague, and I wished for more clarity about the book’s powers and limitations. A feeling I had as well on the first novel of this series. This lack of detail sometimes makes the story feel untethered, especially during the final magical conflict.

The pacing has been a point of contention for me, as it was in the Touch of a Witch before. While the first half does a good job of building tension and establishing character motivations, the latter half shifts too quickly into a fast-paced series of magical events. This felt like a shift that was too sudden, with not enough time to absorb the increasing chaos fully.

In summary, Kiss of a Witch is a dark and captivating read that fans of historical fantasy and magical realism will likely enjoy. Its strengths lie in its gothic atmosphere, its exploration of complex themes, and its ability to draw readers into its shadowy world. While it does stumble with pacing and character depth at times, it offers a good blend of dark magic, historical intrigue, and sensuality that will leave an impression. If you’re looking for a fantasy novel that doesn’t shy away from the darker sides of both history and magic, this one’s worth a read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.