The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Description: A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.

Genre: Fiction Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal Witches 

Rating: 5/5

Book review: The Story of Emmanuel kept me hooked right from the first chapter and I completed it in less than a week. The book spooks about the evil in the woods, which was home to four witches. The city outside woods was looked after or I’d say ruled by The Prophet, to whom people worshiped. The father claimed that his actions were directed by the Father in Heaven's and people believed and obeyed everything as the Prophet demanded. Everyone feared the woods, everyone but Emmanuel. 

So who was this Emmanuel?? Well if I have to define her character I'd say she was the hero and the villain (or maybe not) but surely valiant, self-aware, altruistic, and a witch. The girl who lost her parents before she could know them, living with her mother's parents. She was drawn to the forest by some ghostly power. Until one day she encounters the witches of the woods and was gifted her mother's journal (it always has to be a secret book). The Journal hints her towards the upcoming Apocalypse, which had 4 phases- Blood, Blight, Darkness, and Slaughter. And it all came true with Emmanuel's first bleed.

The story then takes us through how Emmanuel finds the origin of the apocalypse, how she deals with the plagues and brings things to an end, and what all will she have to sacrifice to save everyone. Will she help fulfill Mariam’s (her mother's) revenge or obey the Prophet of the Great hall’s orders or will she do what she feels is right? Will she fight the great witches of the wood or team with them to take revenge?

Well, the story wasn’t exactly horrifying but was surely morbid and dark. It was perfectly Dark Feminist Fantasy. This was also shockingly the work of debut author Alexis Henderson. And there possibly will be a sequel.  

I loved 2 other exceptional details about Emmanuel’s story. 

1) Friendship of Emmanuel and Leah and Leah's story

2) Love story, of Emmanuel and Ezra which was so unfocused yet so beautiful and so pure

It's so hard to not give spoilers. I loved this book and I loved the little details the twists and turns in the story.