3.75 stars

Atmospheric and enchanting, I loved that the book centred around powerful women, intergenerational trauma and connection to/power of the land. What I didn't like as much was the murder mystery and the number of half-developed characters. I felt that I couldn't keep the characters and their backstories in my head except for Belva, Lee and her kids. This was fine for most of the characters and the story, but I think the ending would've been more compelling if two in particular were easier to differentiate.

Overall, this was a really solid debut. I enjoyed being immersed in the Appalachian mountains and this family's land-based magic system.

Thank you to NG and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.