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Gallows Hill
Salem, Massachusetts - 1692
Thomas is marked as an outcast the moment he steps off the ship from England. As a Quaker, he’s outnumbered and distrusted by Salem’s Puritans. And as an orphan without any useful skills, he has nowhere to live and no way to earn his keep. In a stroke of luck—perhaps good, perhaps not—he’s taken in by the aged widow Prudence Blevins, who’s rumored to be a witch.
Patience has tried all her life to be a good Puritan—obedient to God and to her elders—and all her life, she has come up short. But her orderly world is upended when her younger sister, Abigail, falls victim to a mysterious affliction. The same torments have stricken other Salem girls, who claim they’re being bewitched by servants of the Devil. Soon the girls, including Abigail, begin accusing neighbors of witchcraft.
As the community becomes consumed by suspicion and fear, Thomas and Patience search for the truth. To protect those they care about, they will have to question everything they think they their faiths, their loyalties, and their places in Salem.
Thomas is marked as an outcast the moment he steps off the ship from England. As a Quaker, he’s outnumbered and distrusted by Salem’s Puritans. And as an orphan without any useful skills, he has nowhere to live and no way to earn his keep. In a stroke of luck—perhaps good, perhaps not—he’s taken in by the aged widow Prudence Blevins, who’s rumored to be a witch.
Patience has tried all her life to be a good Puritan—obedient to God and to her elders—and all her life, she has come up short. But her orderly world is upended when her younger sister, Abigail, falls victim to a mysterious affliction. The same torments have stricken other Salem girls, who claim they’re being bewitched by servants of the Devil. Soon the girls, including Abigail, begin accusing neighbors of witchcraft.
As the community becomes consumed by suspicion and fear, Thomas and Patience search for the truth. To protect those they care about, they will have to question everything they think they their faiths, their loyalties, and their places in Salem.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published September 5, 2023
3 people are currently reading
2854 people want to read
About the author
Lois Ruby
25 books87 followersLois Ruby is the author of fifteen books for middle-graders and teens, including STEAL AWAY HOME, SKIN DEEP, and THE SECRET OF LAUREL OAKS. She and her husband live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the foothills of the awesome Sandia Mountains. Lois explores lots of haunted places, including ghostly locations in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and even a few spooky spots in Australia and Thailand. No spirits have tapped her on the shoulder yet, but she hasn't given up hope.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 1, 2024
There was nothing new or exciting about this Salem witch story. It was good, but cliche. Christian puritans damning women to death because other women and children seem to have “afflictions” in their town.
October 1, 2023
3.5⭐️
Loved how the characters were written as well as the overall story especially considering it is YA. It didn’t feel like that at all, and I was so invested. The old lady Prudence had so much spunk! And Abigail is beyond frustrating which is the point. I wouldn’t say this is super unique when it comes to the witch trials. It’s overall a pretty standard story, but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless. Like others, I too agree it felt a bit rushed towards the end.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review!
Loved how the characters were written as well as the overall story especially considering it is YA. It didn’t feel like that at all, and I was so invested. The old lady Prudence had so much spunk! And Abigail is beyond frustrating which is the point. I wouldn’t say this is super unique when it comes to the witch trials. It’s overall a pretty standard story, but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless. Like others, I too agree it felt a bit rushed towards the end.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review!
November 1, 2024
Halloween book, I guess? There are at least two other books with this same title and I kind of wonder if I added the wrong one to my TBR. Eh. Decent Salem Witch Trials story, but nothing extra about it.
Read by Michael Crouch and Jess Nahikian (I like both of their voices, so maybe I was just following one of them?) #booksin24
Read by Michael Crouch and Jess Nahikian (I like both of their voices, so maybe I was just following one of them?) #booksin24
August 7, 2023
Almost perfect book…..the ending felt rushed and incomplete. This story takes place during the time of the Salem witch trials. The story is told from 2 points of view, a 15 year old Quaker newly orphaned and a teenaged Puritan whose sister is bewitched. I was invested in the characters and was drawn to continue reading from chapter to chapter. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this book
February 2, 2024
The book shows how easy it is for average people to be swept up in the madness of crowds, and sort of reckons with the very odd way different kinds of Christians hate one another.
May 22, 2023
I would more accurately give this book a 3.5 out 5 stars. The Salem witch trials are always an intriguing and horrifying topic to read about. Gallows Hill has an interesting take on these witch trials by combining both fact and fiction into one story. Using factual names and even certain events as key points in this fictional tale in which provides an interactive way of storytelling for the authors original characters.
This leads me to my next point about the characters. While some are straight from the history books, the many fictional characters are what creates a personalized feel to the story. Even including two main characters with supporting siblings to show how each became motivated throughout the story.
In the end, I do wish the story was a bit more fleshed out or had more room to develop. It feels as if the story begins to ramp up in each arc only to be quickly resolved and the overall progression of the story concluded.
All in all I do feel like I was with each character on a personal level and truly believe many of the obstacles they each faced are quit true and relevant today!
This leads me to my next point about the characters. While some are straight from the history books, the many fictional characters are what creates a personalized feel to the story. Even including two main characters with supporting siblings to show how each became motivated throughout the story.
In the end, I do wish the story was a bit more fleshed out or had more room to develop. It feels as if the story begins to ramp up in each arc only to be quickly resolved and the overall progression of the story concluded.
All in all I do feel like I was with each character on a personal level and truly believe many of the obstacles they each faced are quit true and relevant today!
August 2, 2023
A great book set during the Salem Witch trials. A young brother and sister are thrown right into the drama when they arrive on shore. The story being told from younger voices make for an captivating read. In the mix is everyday life, trials, and religious differences. I read this book in one sitting. I think anyone who likes history and that time period would find this book a good read. Thank you Netgalley.
July 9, 2023
This book was so intriguing to read as I didn’t really know what it was about at first. I got it from the library as a part of a program and didn’t expect to like it so much. The only thing about the book that I didn’t like was the ending. It just seemed a bit rushed and it left me unsatisfied. Though the ending wasn’t what I hoped, I will always enjoy a good book about the Salem witch trials.
July 27, 2023
A historical fiction type novella detailing two perspectives of townsfolk experience the salem witch trials.
September 17, 2023
I listened to the audiobook and it was just meh. Nothing new, nothing caught my attention and the ending was extremely rushed and bland. Thank you @libro.fm for my gifted ALC.
April 22, 2025
*Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group and NetGalley for this eARC; the review is my own.*
From the time I first read Arthur Miller's The Crucible when I was younger, I have been found the Salem witch trials to be darkly fascinating. I still find it disturbing how easily people convinced themselves that they or others were witches and how easily neighbors turned against one another. Then again, we see similar phenomena in every period of history (including today), don't we?
Gallows Hill observes the witch trials from the viewpoints of two teenagers: Quaker newcomer Thomas (15) and Puritan Patience (15). Although I don't feel like anything particularly new was brought to the discussion about the events, I think the story and writing make it a bit more accessible for the younger end of middle grade readers. Unfortunately, although the book does describe the despicable conditions of the prison and mentions several times the hangings of those executed for witchcraft, I never got quite same sense of despair and fear that I think the subject deserves. The ending was rather abrupt after a quick switch in gears that had the characters anticipating their futures rather than focusing on the atrocities of what had been happening. It left me a bit off kilter.
I was initially rather frustrated that Thomas and Grace used the word thee as a subject pronoun throughout the book instead of using thou (because the former is an object pronoun, and the latter is a subject pronoun). But after doing a bit of research, I discovered that Quakers (or Friends, as they prefer to be called) largely stopped using it by the late 18th century/early 19th century, and the use of thee in its place began somewhere in the 1600s. So it appears my irritation is with the continual metamorphosis of language. As always, I continue to struggle finding a balance between my conflicting prescriptive and descriptive grammarian ideas. All of this to say that Lois Ruby must have done some research into the Friends' usage of thee and thou, which I appreciated.
Although I found this book lacking in certain areas, I think it would be a good introduction to a young middle grader just beginning to learn about the subject and the time period. I think the weakest part was the ending.
How it ends:
Language: None
Violence: Talk about hangings
Physical intimacy: None
Drugs: None
LGBT: None
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
These authors suited the characters well. Sometimes they (especially Nahikian) spoke extremely quietly, to the point that I had to skip back and turn up the volume.
Narrators: Michael Crouch and Jess Nahikian
From the time I first read Arthur Miller's The Crucible when I was younger, I have been found the Salem witch trials to be darkly fascinating. I still find it disturbing how easily people convinced themselves that they or others were witches and how easily neighbors turned against one another. Then again, we see similar phenomena in every period of history (including today), don't we?
Gallows Hill observes the witch trials from the viewpoints of two teenagers: Quaker newcomer Thomas (15) and Puritan Patience (15). Although I don't feel like anything particularly new was brought to the discussion about the events, I think the story and writing make it a bit more accessible for the younger end of middle grade readers. Unfortunately, although the book does describe the despicable conditions of the prison and mentions several times the hangings of those executed for witchcraft, I never got quite same sense of despair and fear that I think the subject deserves. The ending was rather abrupt after a quick switch in gears that had the characters anticipating their futures rather than focusing on the atrocities of what had been happening. It left me a bit off kilter.
I was initially rather frustrated that Thomas and Grace used the word thee as a subject pronoun throughout the book instead of using thou (because the former is an object pronoun, and the latter is a subject pronoun). But after doing a bit of research, I discovered that Quakers (or Friends, as they prefer to be called) largely stopped using it by the late 18th century/early 19th century, and the use of thee in its place began somewhere in the 1600s. So it appears my irritation is with the continual metamorphosis of language. As always, I continue to struggle finding a balance between my conflicting prescriptive and descriptive grammarian ideas. All of this to say that Lois Ruby must have done some research into the Friends' usage of thee and thou, which I appreciated.
Although I found this book lacking in certain areas, I think it would be a good introduction to a young middle grader just beginning to learn about the subject and the time period. I think the weakest part was the ending.
How it ends:
Language: None
Violence: Talk about hangings
Physical intimacy: None
Drugs: None
LGBT: None
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
These authors suited the characters well. Sometimes they (especially Nahikian) spoke extremely quietly, to the point that I had to skip back and turn up the volume.
Narrators: Michael Crouch and Jess Nahikian
September 18, 2023
Maybe more like 2.5.
Set in 1692 in Salem (in what is now Massachusetts), this book follows Thomas, a Quaker, and Patience, a Puritan, and their experiences during the time of the Salem witch trials.
The publisher's summary promised so much more than this book actually delivers. I assumed that Thomas and Patience would team up to expose the truth that the devil was not active in Salem Village and that the women (and a few men) who were accused of witchcraft were truly innocent.
Instead we get two first-person accounts of what it was like to be a young person in the colony at the time--or at least what Thomas and Patience were thinking and doing. The story in general fell flat.
Here's what I liked: ** I was interested in the little bits we learned of what it would have been like to be a Quaker in the predominately Puritan settlement. ** We learn about unspeakable conditions of the local jails.
Here's what I had trouble with: ** It was nearly impossible to fully grasp the horror of what it must have been like to have been accused of witchcraft. ** We didn't meet any of the women who were hanged, so we developed no empathy for them. In addition, all the hangings happened off the page, so we didn't have any connection to these people's deaths. We get to know only one of the accused women, and even then, we don't get any sense that the old lady is panicked or scared. ** The courtroom scene lacked tension, so when we learn the verdict, we're not moved one way or the other. ** We also meet a young child who is accused of witchcraft, but the descriptions of her imprisonment were so similar to the those of the other women, that we soon forget that the girl is supposed to be only 5 years old (also: why would a child this young be put in a cell alone, whereas the other witches were housed together?). ** There's a hint of a love story, but it goes absolutely nowhere. ** The solution to Thomas's eventual fate was somewhat unbelievable.
Note too that there was a brief mention that contaminated food may have been the real reason for the afflicted girls' symptoms, but it went by so fast, most readers/listeners would have missed it. Not sure why it was included in the novel if it wasn't developed more fully.
Note that there are plenty of very positive reviews about this book.
The audiobook was nicely narrated by Michael Crouch (who read Thomas's chapters) and Jess Nehikian (who read Patience's parts). Their performances blended well. I'm sure if I had been reading this with my eyes, I wouldn't have finished.
Thanks to Libro.fm and Dreamscape Media for the review copy.
Set in 1692 in Salem (in what is now Massachusetts), this book follows Thomas, a Quaker, and Patience, a Puritan, and their experiences during the time of the Salem witch trials.
The publisher's summary promised so much more than this book actually delivers. I assumed that Thomas and Patience would team up to expose the truth that the devil was not active in Salem Village and that the women (and a few men) who were accused of witchcraft were truly innocent.
Instead we get two first-person accounts of what it was like to be a young person in the colony at the time--or at least what Thomas and Patience were thinking and doing. The story in general fell flat.
Here's what I liked: ** I was interested in the little bits we learned of what it would have been like to be a Quaker in the predominately Puritan settlement. ** We learn about unspeakable conditions of the local jails.
Here's what I had trouble with: ** It was nearly impossible to fully grasp the horror of what it must have been like to have been accused of witchcraft. ** We didn't meet any of the women who were hanged, so we developed no empathy for them. In addition, all the hangings happened off the page, so we didn't have any connection to these people's deaths. We get to know only one of the accused women, and even then, we don't get any sense that the old lady is panicked or scared. ** The courtroom scene lacked tension, so when we learn the verdict, we're not moved one way or the other. ** We also meet a young child who is accused of witchcraft, but the descriptions of her imprisonment were so similar to the those of the other women, that we soon forget that the girl is supposed to be only 5 years old (also: why would a child this young be put in a cell alone, whereas the other witches were housed together?). ** There's a hint of a love story, but it goes absolutely nowhere. ** The solution to Thomas's eventual fate was somewhat unbelievable.
Note too that there was a brief mention that contaminated food may have been the real reason for the afflicted girls' symptoms, but it went by so fast, most readers/listeners would have missed it. Not sure why it was included in the novel if it wasn't developed more fully.
Note that there are plenty of very positive reviews about this book.
The audiobook was nicely narrated by Michael Crouch (who read Thomas's chapters) and Jess Nehikian (who read Patience's parts). Their performances blended well. I'm sure if I had been reading this with my eyes, I wouldn't have finished.
Thanks to Libro.fm and Dreamscape Media for the review copy.
August 22, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lois Ruby for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC of Gallows Hill coming out September 5, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Thomas is deemed an outsider the moment he gets off the ship from England. As a Quaker, he’s outnumbered and Salem’s community of Puritans don’t trust him. And as an orphan without any useful skills, he has nowhere to go and no way to earn money. With some luck, he’s taken in by the aged widow Prudence Blevins, who people say is a witch. Patience has worked all her life to be a good Puritan―obedient to God and to her community. But she always felt like she was failing. Her way of life is turned upside down when her younger sister, Abigail, comes down with a mysterious affliction. The same sickness has tormented other Salem girls, who claim they’re bewitched by servants of the Devil. Soon the girls, including Abigail, begin accusing their neighbors of witchcraft. As the community becomes caught up by suspicion and fear, Thomas and Patience search for the truth of what’s really going on. To protect those they care about, they will have to question everything they think they know: their faithfulness, their duties, and their places in Salem.
The topic of Salem and the witch trials has always been fascinating to me. I love to read about them whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. I’ve been to Salem and it’s an amazing place to visit. This book didn’t really offer anything new to the topic, but I enjoyed reading it. The writing felt more like poetry. I liked the two points of view. I did find it interesting that Thomas was a Quaker because the stories are usually focused more on the Puritans.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys learning about the Salem witch trials!
Thomas is deemed an outsider the moment he gets off the ship from England. As a Quaker, he’s outnumbered and Salem’s community of Puritans don’t trust him. And as an orphan without any useful skills, he has nowhere to go and no way to earn money. With some luck, he’s taken in by the aged widow Prudence Blevins, who people say is a witch. Patience has worked all her life to be a good Puritan―obedient to God and to her community. But she always felt like she was failing. Her way of life is turned upside down when her younger sister, Abigail, comes down with a mysterious affliction. The same sickness has tormented other Salem girls, who claim they’re bewitched by servants of the Devil. Soon the girls, including Abigail, begin accusing their neighbors of witchcraft. As the community becomes caught up by suspicion and fear, Thomas and Patience search for the truth of what’s really going on. To protect those they care about, they will have to question everything they think they know: their faithfulness, their duties, and their places in Salem.
The topic of Salem and the witch trials has always been fascinating to me. I love to read about them whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. I’ve been to Salem and it’s an amazing place to visit. This book didn’t really offer anything new to the topic, but I enjoyed reading it. The writing felt more like poetry. I liked the two points of view. I did find it interesting that Thomas was a Quaker because the stories are usually focused more on the Puritans.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys learning about the Salem witch trials!
September 23, 2023
A glimpse into the events of the Salem Witch Trials. This piece of historical fiction lays out the true events of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, while also providing several interesting fictional characters to follow. At the start, Thomas and his sister arrive in Salem, newly orphaned and with nowhere to go. Being Quakers, they are already mistrusted. Luckily they find a home with the cantankerous widow Blevins. Patience and her Puritan family have lived in Salem her entire life. Her sister Abigail becomes one of the afflicted and joins in when accusations of witchcraft begin flying around. In this is a time of fear and mistrust, both Thomas and Patience will fight to seek the truth.
I am always intrigued by fiction set during the Salem Witch Trials. Such a horrifying time to imagine, but such an interesting look into the effects of mass hysteria and our fear of women who are different. I love how the author combined the true historical events with young fictional protagonists that you can easily connect with. Both Thomas and Patience have to fight for those they believe in, when it's definitely easier to just go along with the crowd. An enjoyable little read for anyone interested in YA fiction set during this time. Obviously it does discuss the deaths of several of the accused and the disgusting conditions of the jails in which they were held, but nothing is graphic.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I am always intrigued by fiction set during the Salem Witch Trials. Such a horrifying time to imagine, but such an interesting look into the effects of mass hysteria and our fear of women who are different. I love how the author combined the true historical events with young fictional protagonists that you can easily connect with. Both Thomas and Patience have to fight for those they believe in, when it's definitely easier to just go along with the crowd. An enjoyable little read for anyone interested in YA fiction set during this time. Obviously it does discuss the deaths of several of the accused and the disgusting conditions of the jails in which they were held, but nothing is graphic.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 22, 2024
As someone who loves everything Salem witchcraft trials - I've seen every documentary, movie, mini-series and probably read every book out there on it, I just could NOT get into this one. I tried my hardest, I really did. I think I went back to this maybe 3 or 4 times and I just could not get into it.
The synopsis made it seem like this book was going to be amazing, so kudos to whoever wrote that, but this book did not live up to the hype. The little girl, Abigail I think her name was, was so annoying. Thomas' POV wasn't half bad, but Prudence, it was breathtaking how boring some of her dialogue was.
This is actually the second book I've 'read' by this author. The first one, The Secret of Laurel Oaks was alright. It is another YA book, I basically read it because it is about the Myrtle Plantation and ghosts, both of which I love, and I had difficulties reading that one as well, but not nearly as bad as this one. Maybe the author's writing style and I just don't mix. I read a ton of YA and NA, so I don't think it has anything to do with the genre.
The synopsis made it seem like this book was going to be amazing, so kudos to whoever wrote that, but this book did not live up to the hype. The little girl, Abigail I think her name was, was so annoying. Thomas' POV wasn't half bad, but Prudence, it was breathtaking how boring some of her dialogue was.
This is actually the second book I've 'read' by this author. The first one, The Secret of Laurel Oaks was alright. It is another YA book, I basically read it because it is about the Myrtle Plantation and ghosts, both of which I love, and I had difficulties reading that one as well, but not nearly as bad as this one. Maybe the author's writing style and I just don't mix. I read a ton of YA and NA, so I don't think it has anything to do with the genre.
May 31, 2023
If you love anything about the Salem Witch trials then this is the book for you!
Told in diary form it was a little harder to get into than past tense I still enjoyed the book.
I cannot imagine living in those days afraid to make a move or even breathe for someone making an accusation against you and all because of a group of young girls.
I must say I felt sorry for young Dorothy. I feared for her very being!
Those girls were wicked!
I love how the parents were called Mr.Good/Goody for Mrs. My how the words have changed since then!
I finished this book in a couple of hours. I couldn't put it down. A whole evening passed by before I knew it!
5 stars for a job well done!
My thanks to Netgalley and publishers for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Told in diary form it was a little harder to get into than past tense I still enjoyed the book.
I cannot imagine living in those days afraid to make a move or even breathe for someone making an accusation against you and all because of a group of young girls.
I must say I felt sorry for young Dorothy. I feared for her very being!
Those girls were wicked!
I love how the parents were called Mr.Good/Goody for Mrs. My how the words have changed since then!
I finished this book in a couple of hours. I couldn't put it down. A whole evening passed by before I knew it!
5 stars for a job well done!
My thanks to Netgalley and publishers for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 4, 2024
If I were writing historical fiction, I would probably research the proper usage and conjugations of thou/thee/thy/thine. This author didn't, and just used thee across the board. That the editor and proofreader allowed this to persist into the published version is inexcusable.
The overall plot was fine, if a little bland. There was one scene in particular that felt very out of place (an actual witches' gathering of ~50 people signing their souls over to the Devil in blood??) in a narrative that generally considers the witchcraft accusations to be hysteria rather than actual magic. Not really sure what to make of that inclusion, but whatever.
Not the worst thing I've read this year, but not fabulous either.
The overall plot was fine, if a little bland. There was one scene in particular that felt very out of place (an actual witches' gathering of ~50 people signing their souls over to the Devil in blood??) in a narrative that generally considers the witchcraft accusations to be hysteria rather than actual magic. Not really sure what to make of that inclusion, but whatever.
Not the worst thing I've read this year, but not fabulous either.
September 5, 2023
This was a great story, set during the Salem witch trials. I loved Thomas and Patience, and I like the twist of Thomas being a Quaker, as usually you here about the Puritans when reading about the trials. My only real complaint is I’m not crazy about the use of present tense. It didn’t flow very naturally, and I think first person narrating with the use of past tense would’ve worked better. That said, the story is compelling, and Ruby does an excellent job of bringing characters and setting to life. If you have a teen/YA reader who has an interest in the Salem witch trials, this is a great fictional read to gift them!
November 10, 2023
What is so interesting with the Salem Witch hunt?!? Everything, especially to my 12 year old 👧🏻. She read this few weeks ago but I kept forgetting to post.
👧🏻 review: I love Salem Witch’s story and this one is a different one from another POV. It is a short-book and easy read. A perfect book for this spooky season and I always enjoy a good witchy story of historical time. I remember reading about Quakers and Puritans, but this book made it better. I like how the author built the story of Thomas and Abigail and evolved from there. It is a great book. I hope others will have the opportunity to read this historical fiction.
👧🏻 review: I love Salem Witch’s story and this one is a different one from another POV. It is a short-book and easy read. A perfect book for this spooky season and I always enjoy a good witchy story of historical time. I remember reading about Quakers and Puritans, but this book made it better. I like how the author built the story of Thomas and Abigail and evolved from there. It is a great book. I hope others will have the opportunity to read this historical fiction.
November 30, 2023
I am always on the look out for stories that are centered around the Salem witch trials. It always surprises me how neighbours can turn on each other, how friends can stand seeing each other burnt alive, all due to a suggestion that a woman is not following what is deemed to be socially appropriate.
We see the same theme in Gallows Hill with women, children and some men condemned to hang by mere accusation by another person. It was interesting to see how people ostracized people from other religion while there were some who helped them out of the goodness of their souls.
I wish the relationship between Thomas and Patience was explored more but what I really wish was that they solved the mystery. A brief mention regarding the possibility of contamination of food causing hallucinations was seen but not explored.
The book was a wonderful read until the last few chapters where things moved too abruptly and the ending left me wanting more.
We see the same theme in Gallows Hill with women, children and some men condemned to hang by mere accusation by another person. It was interesting to see how people ostracized people from other religion while there were some who helped them out of the goodness of their souls.
I wish the relationship between Thomas and Patience was explored more but what I really wish was that they solved the mystery. A brief mention regarding the possibility of contamination of food causing hallucinations was seen but not explored.
The book was a wonderful read until the last few chapters where things moved too abruptly and the ending left me wanting more.
May 26, 2023
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I am fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials. This book was good. It was a quick read. It is about a brother and sister, who are Quakers, who come to America and are orphans. It is also about a Puritan girl. This takes place in Salem during the witch trials and their take on them. I enjoyed this book for what it was. I wish there were more about Grace, Thomas’s sister. She was feisty and I liked her. If you are looking for a quick read and enjoy books about the Salem Witch Trials, I would give this book a shot.
October 1, 2023
This is a novella centered on the Salem Witch Trials, told from two perspectives. While a quick read, it falls flat and deviates from the blurb/summary. It was implied that both Thomas and Patience were outsiders, looking to deviate from their cultures and upbringings in some way. Neither one ever really did and what follows is a pretty stock-standard Salem fiction. I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher via libro.fm.
September 20, 2023
Fascinating! Witches in Salem. It is a great premise for a book. We get two perspectives of young people who are embroiled in scandal and fear. The author did a great job bringing us into this intriguing time in history. Such fear and misinformation was spread so quickly. Many lives lost and so many lies spread. I loved the mystery and a bit of fantasy mixed in. It was a fun book!
May 19, 2023
This books falls right in the middle for me. An interesting tale set during the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Solid characters, a good backdrop for the story and a slightly intriguing but forgettable story.
Thanks NetGalley for a ARC.
Thanks NetGalley for a ARC.
September 19, 2023
Gallows Hill was a goodreads giveaway book and it was fantastic. I started reading it and got caught up in Patience and Timothy's stories that I could not put it down. I wanted to know what happened to Baby Dorothy and Goody Pru so I just kept reading. Great read. Thank you.
October 20, 2023
Thanks to libro.fm for the advance listener copy. This is a short, cute YA novel told in alternating points of view during the salem witch trials. It’s a quick listen and enjoyable, but nothing amazing.
October 30, 2023
Gallows Hill is set in Salem during the witch trials. It goes back and forth between a girl with a sister who has been attacked by witches and a Quaker boy who has recently come to Salem with his sister. The story is interesting without getting too graphic.
November 27, 2023
3.75/5
This was a really simplistic view of the Salem Witch Trials and how religious “freedom,” meant very little in colonial times. To me, this was too short to cover the myriad of topics talked about in the synopsis. While not bad, I think there should’ve been more.
This was a really simplistic view of the Salem Witch Trials and how religious “freedom,” meant very little in colonial times. To me, this was too short to cover the myriad of topics talked about in the synopsis. While not bad, I think there should’ve been more.
December 17, 2024
Meh. This was fine. I suppose it would be the perfect book for the YA reader looking for an alternative witch book to the crucible. It was nice enough but definitely nothing new or special, and certainly not a book for adults which it’s attempting to moonlight as.
September 20, 2023
Review to come.
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