Watch Over Me: A Witch's Tale

by Ajay Bell

Watch Over A Witch's Tale follows the unraveling of witchcraft in the fictional New England village of Warren Hollow. Protagonist Emelie Williams becomes less content with her simple existence as she approaches the transition from childhood to adulthood. There must be more to life than chores and abiding by restrictions. Year after year the village continues to decline, struggling through harsh winters and now trapped in the middle of witch hysteria.

Perhaps this desire for a better life among Emelie and her friends is shaped by Rose Adie, the village's primary apothecary. Rose is a free spirit, a wonderful individual who has befriended all the children and taught them to lead their own lives. And to the surprise of none, Rose is the first to be accused of witchcraft when it inevitably spreads to this peaceful village.

And so our tale begins. All Hallows Eve approaches and chaos has hit Warren Hollow. Emelie and her friends soon find themselves engulfed in the witch hunt first-hand, facing unimaginable cruelties and hardship at the order of Reverend Thomas, an arrogant and savage head of the church. Court officials and parents have fallen silent as Thomas leads the charge in cleansing the village of bewitchment, all in the name of faith.

Through the eyes of the damned, join Emelie and her friends on this dark tale of witchcraft. Discover the struggle with faith, abuse of power, adolescence, unprovable innocence, freedom, murder, deception, and all the pain that surrounds these unfortunate occurrences in history.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2024

About the author

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ajay graduated from La Roche University in 2022. Holding a lifelong passion for the horror genre, alongside the gained knowledge and respect for literature through his education, Ajay found inspiration and decided to become a first-time author. Ajay presents a unique writing style, honoring the darker side of literature with an articulate focus on the grim and gothic nature of the world. When Ajay is not obsessing over all-things horror, he can be found practicing martial arts.

Reviews

[Trinity Garbacz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderfully written. Everything was explained in immense detail and the entire book had me on my toes. I could not put it down and read it in one day. I highly recommend it to anyone!

[Nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly brutal but heartfelt historical fiction novel set in 1800s New England. The small town of Warren's Hollow was once peaceful and quiet, but is now being consumed by witch hysteria. As the first resident is branded a witch by the town's zealot reverend, it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe.

This is a journey steeped in sorrow, loss, and brutality. I’ll admit I wasn’t prepared for some of the subject matter, but it made the story feel all the more authentic. It fully immerses you in the fear and paranoia people might have felt during that era, caught up in the chaos of witch hunts.

The main protagonist, Emilie, makes the story shine with her resilience and strength. She's a fierce female lead you’re rooting for the whole way through. Her perspective adds depth as she processes wave after wave of tragedy, navigating her own growth and emotions as she also fights to protect those around her.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys strong female leads, close-knit friendships, found family, challenging authority, and historical fiction that doesn’t shy away from the darker realities of the time. Huge trigger warning for the death of children.