Anathema

The Eating Woods #1

by Keri Lake

From the author of Nocticadia comes a spellbinding gothic dark fantasy about a shunned woman who is forced beyond the mortal realm's forbidden boundary, into a terrifying world of cursed souls and grotesque creatures.

Only the banished know what lies beyond the woods ...

There are whispers about what lurks in Witch Knell—the forest where sinners go to die. The villagers call it The Eating Woods because what’s taken is never given back. Only those who’ve lost their senses would dare to go near it.

Or the banished.

Maevyth Bronwick knows better than to breach the misty labyrinth of trees, but a tragic turn of events compels her beyond the archway of bones, to a boundary no mortal has crossed before. One that cloaks a dark and fantastical world that’s as dangerous as it is alluring.

It’s there that he dwells, the cursed lord of Eidolon. The one tasked to keep her hidden from the magehood that seeks to crucify her in the name of an arcane prophesy. Zevander Rydainn, known to his prey as The Scorpion, is the coldest, most calculated assassin in all of Aethyria and he’d sooner toss his feisty ward to a pack of vicious fyredrakes than keep her safe.

If only he could.

Maevyth’s blood is the key to breaking his despised curse and vanquishing the slumbering evil in Witch Knell. Unfortunately for Lord Rydainn, fate has other plans for the irresistible little enchantress. And his growing obsession with her threatens to destroy everything.

Including himself.

Anathema is a full-length, gothic dark fantasy, the first book in The Eating Woods duology. Perfect for readers who enjoy a plot-heavy and atmospheric story with a unique magic system, a slow-burn romance and a touch of horror.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Gothic, Dark Romance, Dark, Fantasy Romance

624 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2024

About the author

Author of gothic romance who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists.

I love connecting with readers, so feel free to join my reading group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thego...

Reviews

[Noa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What is taken will never return."

What lies beyond the woods is unknown…
But feared all the same.
Myths and legends are spread around about the woods. About the witch. About the dark magic.
Maevyth Bronwick knows better than to go near them.
But when she is left with no choice - she goes where no mortal has gone before.
She didn't know what she would find there but it definitely wasn't him.
Zevander Rydainn.
The cursed lord of Eidolon.
The one tasked with keeping her safe.
But fate might have other plans for his little witch.
It doesn't help that he is growing more and more obsessed.
It might bring her down and drag him down too.

"There are those who fear flirting with death, while some of us find it utterly enthralling."

I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review 🖤🖤

"A cardinal rule of the forest: never answer to your own name."

I remember starting my Keri Lake journey with "Master of Salt and Bones" and absolutely fell in love with her style of writing. Keri Lake wrote another masterpiece where she brings you into this beautifully crafted gothic fantasy world with lore, twists and turns, and magic. AND THE TENSION AND SLOW BURN!! OMG MISS MA'AM - KERI LAKE HAD ME HOOKED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE THING!! I could not put this world down for the life of me and I was not ready to leave it!!

"Everything is poison with the proper dose. Even you."

All I'm gonna say is this book had so many moving parts that Keri Lake crafted absolutely beautifully and of course I am obsessed with Maevyth and Zevander (IYKYK) 😇😇

"She was beautiful. No, beautiful was too weak a word. She was intoxicating,. Exquisitely divine."

Keri Lake made an absolute BANGER of a playlist to go with this but these are the gothic witchy vibes that I added as well 💫💫

(Link - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qU... )

🎵 "Frostpunk Theme" - Piotr Musiat
🎵 "Dead Of Night" - Ruelle
🎵 "Run Boy Run - Instrumental" - Woodkid
🎵 "Way Down We Go - Epic Trailer Version" - Will Angus, Taylah Withers
🎵 "Black Sea" - Natasha Blume
🎵 "Black Magic Womqan" - VCTRYS
🎵 "Lilith" - Peter Grundy
🎵 "Pleasure" - Crosses
🎵 "Death Wish" - Royale Lynn, Danny Worshop
🎵 "Sodus" - Cemeteries
🎵 "Dark in My Imagination" - of Verona
🎵 "Never Tear Us Apart" - Bishop Briggs
🎵 "Some Magic" - LONIS
🎵 "labour" - Paris Paloma
🎵 "Mysteries of an Ancient Church" - Pafund
🎵 "Glass Heart" - Tommee Profitt, Sam Tinnesz
🎵 "Enter Sandman" - Rina Sawayama
🎵 "Battlefields" - 2WEI
🎵 "BLOSSOM" - RORY
🎵 "Vengeance" - Neoni, Saint Cardinal, Silberberg
🎵 "Scream" - Besomorph, RIELL
🎵 "A Little Wicked" - Valerie Broussard
🎵 "Girl With One Eye" - Florence + The Machine
🎵 "Seven Devils" - Florence + The Machine
🎵 "Moment" - Roses & Revolutions
🎵 "Devil Devil" - MILCK
🎵 "Ghost Town" - Layto, Neoni
🎵 "Hell's Comin' With Me" - Poor Man's Poison
🎵 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" - Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart
🎵 "THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND" - Bad Omens
🎵 "Us and Pigs" - SOFIA ISELLA
🎵 "Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene" - Hozier
🎵 "Bottom of the River" - Delta Rae
🎵 "Run On" - Jamie Bower, King Sugar
🎵 "Queen of Disaster" - LULLANAS
🎵 "Nightmare" - UNDREAM, Neoni
🎵 "It Will Come Back" - Hozier
🎵 "Parasite Eve" - Bring Me The Horizon
🎵 "Running Up That Hill" - MEG MYERS
🎵 "As They Bloom" - Unlike Pluto
🎵 "SWINE" - Demi Lovato
🎵 "The Hanging Tree" - Rachel Zegler
🎵 "Fire of Love" - Jesse Jo Stark
🎵 "I Of The Storm" - Of Monsters and Men
🎵 "To My Knees" - Two Feet
🎵 "Bleed" - Connor Kauffman
🎵 "Game of Survival" - Ruelle
🎵 "Until the Levee" - Joy Williams
🎵 "Come What May" - The Last Bison
🎵 "Beauty" - Layto
🎵 "Hard To Kill" - Beth Crowley
🎵 "Don't Make Me" - MALINDA
🎵 "Dream Girl Evil" - Florence + The Machine
🎵 "Violence" - Grimes, i_o
🎵 "That Other Girl" - Sevdaliza
🎵 "Not Afraid Anymore" - Halsey
🎵 "Spellwork" - Austra
🎵 "Pretty In The Dark (Slow + Reverb)" - Ashley Sienna, Ellise
🎵 "Enemy" - Imagine Dragons, JID
🎵 "Make A Move" - Icon For Hire
🎵 "Bad Spell" - Larkin Poe
🎵 "Poison - Acoustic" - Rita Ora
🎵 "A Grave Mistake" - Ice Nine Kills
🎵 "Dirty Hands (Gone Mad)" - Kendra Dantes
🎵 "Uprising" - Damned Anthem
🎵 "As Above, So Below" - In This Moment
🎵 "Fire On Fire" - Sam Smith
🎵 "Flames" - R3HAB, ZAYN, Jungleboi
🎵 "Fire Meet Gasoline" - Sia
🎵 "House of the Rising Sun" - Lauren O'Connell
🎵 "You Put a Spell on Me" - Austin Giorgio
🎵 "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" - Lorde
🎵 "Gods & Monsters" - Lana Del Rey
🎵 "Bring Me To Life" - Evanescence
🎵 "Evil Eye" - Franz Ferdinand
🎵 "River - Remix" - Bishop Briggs, King Kavalier
🎵 "Black Magic" - Magic Wands
🎵 "Running with the Wolves" - AURORA
🎵 "Back to You" - Twin Forks
🎵 "Queen of the Castle" - Victoria Carbol
🎵 "Me and the Devil" - Soap&Skin
🎵 "The Hunger" - Bat For Lashes
🎵 "Bones" - Imagine Dragons
🎵 "I'm Her" - Natalie Jane
🎵 "willow - lonely witch version" - Taylor Swift
🎵 "Addicted To Love" - Florence + The Machine
🎵 "LET THE WORLD BURN" - Chris Grey

And prepare yourself for a slow burn but don't worry because the things we are being fed with in this book…

"You look like a goddess right now, and you taste as divine."

"Cursed gods, you are a ferociously breathtaking creature when you're ravenous."

"Come for me, my little moon witch."

🐦‍⬛ Tropes 🐦‍⬛

🦂 Gothic Dark Fantasy
🦂 Horror Elements
🦂 Slow Burn
🦂 Enemies to Lovers
🦂 Forced Proximity
🦂 Found Family

Book Edit - https://www.instagram.com/p/C_S4pXZAe...

[Iqra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keri lake is mother. Keri lake can have all my money. Keri lake u will forever be loved by me.

Anathema delivered on everything I was asking for. The dark gothic atmosphere. The slow burn. Hauntingly beautiful writing.

Part one
Keri set the scene by rlly underlining the depressing nature of the fmc’s existence, the callous atmosphere, the dark tone, the cryptic aura 😋😋😋 I was devouring it all.

I loved the development of the characters. I rlly appreciated Keri Lake for really fleshing out the fmc, maevyth, and her background. Same with the mmc, Zevander. Giving them time individually to make their space in the story.

Part two
Loved it. Best part of the book imo. The plot was moving, the pacing was incredible and the world building had me gagged.

The burning tension. The chemistry. The build up was 👩‍🍳💋💋

I appreciated that there wasn’t an immediate rush of emotional attachment. There is lust at first sight and imo it wasn’t a deal breaker. I don’t get the hate on this “trope”. Also I think Keri lake is known for her mmc’s being attracted to the fmcs from the get go. What’s more important to me is the emotional slow burn and that was done rlly well in this part.

Part three
This is where the plot of the book really picks speed. The urgency in this part had me on edge. I did kinda loose some momentum bc it kinda dragged a bit for me and proved annoying at times but it didn’t deter me from finishing the book — I needed ANSWERS.

This part is also the heaviest on the romance. But it didn’t feel like it was out of place. It was gradual but it was hot.

The ending had me gagged tho Icel. my mind was (and still is) racingggg with theories. I had Ro screaming at me like HOW R U COMING UP WITH THE WILDEST STUFF 😭 bless her for putting up with me during the whole BR.

The buddy read was a success and I’m genuinely so happy I’m bouncing off the walls rn. Ro ily for jumping from app to app w me I’ll forever cherish u 🧸💋

BUT WE NEED THE NEXT BOOK RFN
WE DEMAND ANSWERS

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

When the BR finally makes it out the chat 😼

First BR w Ro pls don’t disappoint 🙏
Update: it didn’t 🤭😋

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

My copy is coming in TODAY 🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Don’t mind me, imma just be waiting in keri’s walls till this releases 👹👹⛺️

Release date: Sep 10th 2024 ‼️

[Laura Greenhalgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟 one thing about me is i am going to eat up a dark gothic fantasy EVERY 👏🏼 DAMN 👏🏼 TIME 👏🏼. i am so obsessed with Keri’s writing and how she always creates such atmospheric and immersive worlds. i loved the witchy/horror vibes in this and the romance subplot has me on my knees. i LOVE a good slow burn and mix that with a dark, tortured, brooding MMC?? I AM DONE FOR

[Sloan MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

OBSESSED!!!

[manas (suffering) · Rating 1 out of 5]

➳ crime against humanity ☆

the only reason i got through this damn book was was because i constantly ranted to my favorite girl, gry. i love you queen!! you’re my favorite buddy reading bestie.

i genuinely wanted to be immersed in this story + characters, but everything felt bereft and inadequate. having a unique magic system and a detailed world are not solid moving traits to carry an almost 700 page story. this was an arrant display of nothing, filled with repetition, redundancy, jarring jumps, and the MOST useless romantic entanglement. authors need to stop force-shoving a romance narrative up our asses in the last 10% of the story. this should've been a FANTASY novel, not some soap opera, i need to fuck her now bullshit that was thrust onto us for no damn reason. when they kissed, i was about to fall asleep as none of that buildup was relevant, it made me somnolent. their relationship was superfluous and incongruous to the prose that were given. the biggest joke is these hoes only start interacting at the 50% mark, and in the FIRST scene—he wants to fuck her so bad. there is no shame in skipping a romance plot, as not every story needs one.

zevander & maevyth had no chemistry, no banter, no thoughts, no competent characteristics, and no reason to be that obsessed after ONE piss poor interaction. zevander constantly being compared to rhysand is embarrassing for both characters, while maevyth had the personality and mannerisms of a spoiled baked potato. i had no credence that these two cared about each other, let alone to be panging and banging with zero indication of how we got from point A to point B. all in all, this was a complete wasted potential on an idiosyncratic concept. once they ⌞got together⌝ officially after five MID interactions, all hope for a passable progression of the narrative... EXTINCT.

we both lost years of our lives by the time this book ended... never again will we be doing such things.

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You are mine, moon witch. For all eternity and whatever lies beyond it. No soul has ever been more intricately woven into mine than yours."

This turned out to be far more complex and beautiful than I expected it to be. Beautiful not in the normal sense but rather how eerie and at times horrifyingly captivating the atmosphere of this world was. The world building is no doubt complex and it took me a while to really begin to grasp at how deep and intricate it is. I was quite impressed with it. But I'm ngl, there were bits I still didn't really understand that well by the end of it and it is why I rate it four stars instead of five.

It also starts off slow which I didn't really have an issue with given how immersive the book is. I was completely in it after the first 50-70 pages despite the pacing. Its quite easy to binge once you really get into it. The characters are all so interesting except for the obvious creeps. The side characters have depth and compliment each other quite well.

🩶 Maevyth , I adored her. She's both strong and has an innocence that doesn't put her down but rather lifts her up in a way that makes her stand out. I'm so excited to see where her character arc leads though I have a suspicion or rather prediction already.

🦂 Zevander on the other hand is morally grey and exactly what us book girlies love in a book. Except he also fell hard behind that mysterious and aloof demeanor. I didn't even realize how much I swoon for this man especially towards the end. Like I love him with my all and idk when he had such a tight grip on my heart? What kind of sorcery was this?! I'm on my knees for this man and he doesn't even have to say much.

"I want you. I want you so desperately that I'd kill anything with a pulse just to have you for one night. This insatiable craving I feel... I can't fucking breathe. I ache for you, Maevyth. Believe me when I say this."

I loved the slowww burn, the attraction and the intense romance that's still young and building up. The bantering and bickering was hilarious once they get to know each other or rather tolerate each other more and I loved it. Like yes this is how it's supposed to be done. It's a realistic progression especially with the spice and Zevander's... problem. Iykyk 👀🫣

Absolutely adored the way it ended. Gonna have to jump right into the next one. I already have a vague idea or rather a prediction of how it's going to unfold but let me find out 🤭


~•~•~
Slow burn gothic romantasy with a touch of horror? This is calling to me and I need to devour it. Please be good

[Marianna Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so so much to Keri Lake and Give Me Books for this ARC! Anathema is a gothic dark fantasy romance with elements of horror.

Keri Lake is the QUEEN of dark gothic romance and I have absolutely loved every book I have read of hers so far! She is truly a master of her craft and if she writes it I’m absolutely reading it! Which is why it absolutely pains me to say this, but this definitely wasn’t my favorite books of hers.

First off, just like all her other books, the spooky, gothic world Keri Lake built in this book was phenomenal, so immersive and she has this way of making you feel like your submerged within the story, watching everything through the characters eyes. The haunting witchy vibes were CHEFS KISS!

Now as Keri Lake disclaimed in the beginning of the book, this story is one of her first where she leans into a heavier fantasy plot line focus, with the romance still being very much so present but not the main focus like all her other books so it is very important to know that going in! And I was incredibly excited for this as a fantasy lover however I think this is where the book as a whole really fell flat for me and just seemed to be lacking.

I did love how unique the magic system was and it was absolutely unlike anything I had ever read before. However that being said, though I loved the overall premise, the execution of the fantasy plot felt kind of messy and bit all over the place to me. There were many times where I felt like there were a bunch of big fantasy elements introduced that had no true meaning or purpose in the story making it feel drawn out at times.

It was also really slow to start for me as well. Around the 40% mark things picked up which is why I gave this 3 stars because it did definitely have its stand out moments I really enjoyed. There was definitely a lot of telling and little showing though.

Onto the characters. I was incredibly intrigued by both our FMC Maevyth and MMC Zevander! Keri lake is incredible at writing complex and unique characters. Maevyth is a mortal and finds herself amidst a tragic turn of events that compels her to go into the dreaded and forbidden Eating Woods which ultimately leads her to a new world. It’s there where she meets Zevander, the cold and deadly assassin who requires her blood to break her curse. Both of them have traumatizing back story’s and have been through hell and back. I really loved Zevander throughout the whole book, to be honest he absolutely carried for me and my heart breaks for him. But Maevyth our FMC I was indifferent towards. Don’t get me wrong I’m really intrigued by here but I think I just wanted more depth from her which I think we’ll definitely get in book 2.

The romance… this is advertised as an extreme slow burn which again Keri Lake is the queen of so I was very excited for this, however the romance flat for me. BUT with how they ended I think there’s so much potential for me to love them in book 2. Now I love a good long and painful slow burn however i wouldn’t at all say that’s what we got here. The couple had their first conversation around the 50% mark and then we really didn’t even start to get those tell tale signs of a slow burn (angst, tension, longing) until around the 65% mark so I wouldnt really describe this as a slow burn because everything happened really fast between them. Again this will be a duet so I think we will get more of the burn in book two. I think going in with the right expectations would have made me appreciate their romance more, but I really struggled to connect with it until the very end.

I also want to note that Keri lakes writing was phenomenal as always! Just because this book completely for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you, I know so many people that loved this and I can see why. Again there were still moments I really liked and can see the potential, I’ll definitely be reading book 2 to see how things progress!

[Maddy ✨ ~The Verse Vixen {AFK brb} · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚔️Bound by fate, yet worlds apart, a monster’s hands, a witch’s heart.
A crimson debt, a shattered spell—will love arise, or burn in hell?? ⚔️

A book with a cursed assassin, a reckless witch, and a dark, gothic setting? Yeah, I was already seated. Anathema delivers an immersive world filled with eerie forests, ancient curses, and a slow-burn romance filled with banter that had me grinning. The pacing had highs and lows, but the story kept me hooked, especially with how the tension between the leads built up.
He is 211 years of silence, sharpened by grief. She is defiance wrapped in fire, a girl who should have known better. But when she steps past the bone arch and into his cursed world, their fates tangle like ivy around a gravestone—tight, unyielding, impossible to sever.

🥀Characters~

Our MMC Zevander Rydainn – A Brooding Menace Wrapped in Mystery-
ZEV My New Book Obsession. The broodiest, most dangerous man with a tongue as sharp as his daggers and a heart that you know is buried deep under all that darkness. A killer with a code, a monster with something to lose.Zev is equal parts infuriating and intoxicating, the kind of silent, storm-eyed force that lingers even when he’s not on the page. A man bound by duty, wrapped in secrets, and carrying the weight of something far darker got 10 metal piercings—what’s not to love? He’s exactly the kind of morally gray MMC I live for

Our FMC -Maeyvth— A Heroine with Bite. She’s tough, she’s determined, and she doesn’t just roll over when faced with danger. A girl who steps into the dark with fire in her veins and death at her heels. She is reckless but unyielding, a storm in a world that wants her silent.

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🗡️Part One: Shadows & Sorrows (⭐ 3.5/5)

The first part of Anathema sets the foundation for a world drenched in mystery, power struggles, and a tension so thick it’s suffocating. Zevander and Maevyth are thrown together in a deadly game of survival and strategy, where trust is a luxury neither can afford. But what truly kept me hooked.

Though beautifully atmospheric, this part does take its time building up. A little too much time, maybe. Did I love the gothic vibes? Yes. Did I wish the plot moved faster? Also yes.

🗡️Part Two:Blades & Shades(⭐ 4.5/5)

Here’s where Anathema truly sinks its claws in. The stakes rise, emotions ignite, and the chemistry between Zev and Maevyth shifts from smoldering tension to something dangerous and consuming.

“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Lunamiszka.”
“Do I still annoy you?” she asked.
“Endlessly.”

Lunamiszka. A word he speaks with irritation at first—until it curls into something softer, something far more dangerous.
The moment he called her Lunamiszka, I knew I was in for some prime grumpy x feisty tension. She keeps pestering him for the meaning, and his refusal to tell her? Hilarious.

“You never answered my question. What does Lunamiszka mean?”
“It means you’re persistently frustrating and you ask too many questions.”

-Liar.

Part Two gave me everything I wanted—angst, chemistry, and tension sharp enough to cut.




🗡️Part Three: The Fall & The Fury(⭐ 3/5)
This should have been devastating, but I saw the twist coming from a mile away. I was ready for my jaw to drop, for my heart to be ripped from my chest. Instead, I just…nodded.But I did enjoy one bed though.

-the moment where his restraint shatters:

“You consume me entirely, little moon witch.”

Screaming, crying, throwing up. This is what slow-burn is supposed to feel like.
Their conversations hold weight—some like a dagger to the throat, others like a whisper in the dark that lingers long after it's gone.




What I Loved:
✔️The Banter? The Bread and Butter of This Book.
The push and pull between Zev and Maevyth is absolute perfection. Every word is a weapon, every exchange laced with sharp-edged tension, barely contained attraction, and defiance wrapped in wit. The slow-burn isn’t just a flame—it’s a wildfire creeping through dry land, inevitable and devastating.They don’t just talk—they provoke, challenge, and set the page on fire with their chemistry.

✔️Rykaia Zev's Sis– The Real MVP. Listen. If Keri Lake wanted to make Rykaia the main character, I wouldn’t even be mad. She is the charismatic, scheming, lil-sister energy that I absolutely ADORED. Zev’s sister, Rykaia, is the kind of side character who doesn’t just steal scenes—she owns them. Charismatic, sharp-witted, and utterly unapologetic in her matchmaking, she is a mid reader,she brings a spark of light to the book’s brooding atmosphere.I Really loved her and mayveth's friendship.If she had her own novel, I’d devour it in a heartbeat.

✔️Siblings love-I love how Keri Lake doesn’t just focus on romance but also deep, heartfelt sibling dynamics. Zev’s fierce protectiveness over Rykia had me kicking my feet—he’s that overbearing, grumpy elder brother who acts like she’s a nuisance but would burn the world down for her in a heartbeat.The way she pushes his buttons for fun but also knows exactly when he needs support? The way he watches over her with that silent but deadly kind of love? Aghh. My heart!!

Favorite Moments:

🔮The Immortal's’ "Mortal Cunt" Comment Had Me HOWLING.
When Maevyth was being checked out, one of them mumbling:

“I heard mortal cunt have teeth.”

I lost it. The sheer absurdity, the comedic timing—gold.

🔮The Aphrodisiac Scene – Rykia, You Little Menace.
Rykia knew exactly what she was doing, and I love her for it. The tension in this scene? Exquisite. Zev's barely contained frustration? A masterpiece. I live for this kind of slow-burn torture.

🔮The Training Scenes – that felt like Foreplay.
Nothing says “I want to break you but also worship you” quite like sparring with barely restrained tension simmering between every movement. The way Zev watches her, the way he pushes her, the way it feels like a fight neither of them wants to win?
That’s the kind of energy I crave in Slow-burn..



What Stabbed Me in the Back 🩸:
🔪 A Slow Start That Took Its Time.
The first few chapters were a bit heavy on internal monologues and worldbuilding, and it took a while for the plot to fully sink its claws in.

🔪 The Twist? I Saw It Coming.
I wanted to be shattered, but instead, I just nodded in quiet acceptance. The revelation was predictable, and when it finally dropped, instead of a gut-wrenching moment of devastation, it felt more like a soft sigh of inevitability.

🔪 Pacing could’ve been tighter.
The middle section dragged a little, but once things picked up again? Unhinged chaos.



~Final Thoughts:

Anathema is a beautifully gothic, slow-burning tale of fate, fire, and the sharp edges of devotion. The banter is perfection, the chemistry is lethal, and the writing is hauntingly poetic. But a slow start, predictable twist, and frustrating cliffhanger held it back from being unforgettable.

⭐ 3.5 / 5 stars – Dark, lyrical, and brimming with tension. A love story written in fate and fire, but missing the final, devastating blow I craved.
Lastly, I really enjoyed buddy reading this with Katerina! Nothing like sharing the mutual agony of a frustrating scenes and screaming about fictional men together.🤍



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PRE-READ~
~WELCOME TO WITCH KNELL: ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK ✨🏹🌲
There's a warning: 🕷️⚠☠️“YOU SHOULDN’T BE HERE.”☠️⚠🕷️
"The forest is cursed, Monsters lurk, magic is forbidden, the assassin 211 years old, cursed & brooding and the FMC has zero self-preservation and his only key to break it!!" -Great! Sounds like my weekend read. Entering dramatically🤸‍♀️

⚔️BR with -Katerina✨

🎭 What awaits / Tropes & Vibes:
✔️ Grumpy x Feisty (he'd rather throw her to monsters, but oops, feelings)
✔️ Age gap? Try centuries. (211 vs. 19—he’s basically a fossil at this point.coz coughs!- she thinks she needs someone older-a lil bit colder.)
✔️ Touch him/her and you die 🗡️
✔️ Gothic atmosphere so thick, it’s basically a character (Dark, creepy, and definitely haunted.)
✔️ Cursed assassin who’s done with life 😤
✔️ Banished heroine who said, fine, I’ll just go past the creepy bone arch
✔️ Forced proximity,"ONE BED.” but make it deadly
✔️ Slow-burn romance so intense, you’ll scream at them to just kiss already (They won’t. Not yet.)
✔️ Magic, mayhem, and monsters lurking in the dark 👁️

The woods are hungry. The curse is waiting. And me? I’m walking straight into this gothic nightmare like I wasn’t warned
~Grab your popcorn, we're going in." 🍿💀

[bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

➸ 3.75/5 stars

I devoured this book for two big reasons:
1) It's Gothic, and I'm straight-up obsessed with the genre. Like, serve me a Gothic tale with a side of poison, and I’ll chug it without a second thought.
2) My bestie Iqra wanted to buddy read it, and of course, I was like, HELL YES!

This was my first Keri Lake book, It’s a promising start. Her writing is lush, dramatic, and just so exquisite. The way she uses language had me fully hooked I don’t even care what she’s writing about, it’s just gorgeous. Plus, she’s got that spooky, chilling touch with words that I absolutely loved. If I pick up more of her books, it'll be for the writing alone.

and Speaking of vibes... the Gothic vibes in this was Chef’s kiss. It delivered. The setting is eerie, smoky, and darkly atmospheric. it wraps around you and pulls you in. It’s everything I want from a Gothic dark fantasy with horror elements, and I ate it all up.

But... okay, let’s talk about the issues. Because as much as I enjoyed it, it wasn’t perfect. If you’ve read my reviews before, you know I’m picky about pacing and monologues. These two things can make or break a book for me, and unfortunately, both were shaky here.

First, the pacing. It wasn’t terrible. it wasn’t rush-rush or crawl-slow. But with 700 pages, it started feeling sluggish, especially in the second half. There were scenes that just dragged and didn’t really move the plot forward.

second, the monologues, they were beautifully written, don’t get me wrong. But there were just too many, and at some point, they started to feel like homework. The first half of the book had me thinking “four stars, easy,” but the second half brought the vibe down a notch.

Another thing is that at times, the book read more like a draft or a manuscript. There was so much repetition and filler info that the plot sometimes felt stuck in neutral. And the fantasy elements fell a little flat. I get what the author was going for, but the overuse of obscure, fancy words to build “depth” just didn’t land for me. It felt more like decoration than substance.

The main Characters:

Okay, let’s get into the tea.
Zevander. Rydainn. “The Scorpion of Nyxteros” Lord of Eidolon. My man. My man. My man. Who said this guy is like Rhysand? Zevander is just ✨better✨ Or maybe that’s my inner Rhysand hater showing. Either way, Zev is all kinds of broody, sexy, and sharp tongued. His filthy poetic mouth, I was living for it. Their banter was absolute Perfection.

“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Lunamiszka.”
“Do I still annoy you?” she asked.
“Endlessly.

Maevyth had so much potential. she comes from this badass lineage and has the wild ability to control “death”. But somehow, she spends most of the book as a damsel in distress, constantly needing Zev to save her. Girl, come on! It was frustrating to read, especially over 700 pages.

now for the side characters:

Dolion I’m Obsessed!! 😭 He’s hilarious, unhinged, and brilliant. a total scene stealer. And Rykaia and Aleysia? I’m screaming!!! please, can we get a spinoff or FF romance for them? They’d be everything. And that ending?! That cliffhanger. I can’t lie, even with all the flaws, I need the second book immediately. I had so much fun reading this. it wasn’t perfect, but sometimes i like messy books!


───────────


Thank you for my baby iqra—we Finally buddy read something after being friends in here for almost two years lmaoo we did jump from tt to fable to here, it was a chaotic br but so fun and I can’t wait for us to read book two!!

[Gry ☾ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 ★’s
This book feels a bit like it doesn’t want to be read and willfully tries to confuse you…
It’s kind of like being dropped into someone’s dream with little to no context, but the dream is also in a foreign language…
It was unique? Creative, and that’s probably the only positive thing i can say about it.

“Idk what she laced this with!!!” I do, sleeping pills. I can’t tell you how many times I fell asleep reading this, not necessarily because I was tired but because this was so boring and unnecessarily complex.

I don’t know how something that is so smackfull of a million different plots, characters and is over 600 pages can feel this empty, soulless. I can appreciate thorough world-building but I don’t need detailed description of every floor in a castle that they visit once. Sure, it was atmospheric at times but mostly it just made me frustrated, confused, gave me a headache and/or made me tired.

It was so completely all over the place.
If you’re looking for an overly complex book with mermaids, deimosis(idk what they are either), small rat like people, magical ravens and bird-dragons, like thirty different kinds of magic and so many different species that doesn’t even makes sense, then this might be for you… It wasn’t for me.

I pushed through the boring parts(aka most of it) in hopes that the romantic connection would give me at least something to enjoy… Spoiler alert, it didn’t. The entirety of their “connection” is him being turned on by her smell, but apparently so is everybody else in their realm?! There is no chemistry, the words between them feel so empty due to the lack of an actual connection and let’s not even talk about the fucking atrocious smut scenes. This was how I described their first sexual encounter to manas: “wdym her having a magical seizure/demonic possession being high as fuck of the sex wine”…. And that is in no sense an exaggeration on my part.

I know for a fact, I wouldn’t have made it through this if it wasn’t for my girl Manas. 🧡
The best part about reading this was definitely ranting with her, even though this book took literal years of our lives. Time will tell to see if we push through and read the sequel, but as I literally do not gaf about these characters(branimir is the only exception, ily bb), I’m probably gonna go with no.
_____________
⌞Pre-read:⌝

buddy reading this with my beautiful bestie manas<333
sry in advance if we spam ur feed with hate

[Deepak · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was great. But it was also boring.

It’s darkly, elegantly, and beautifully written.

It’s also painfully repetitive.

A great three star read. But a relief that I’m done with it too lol.

Allow these contradictory opinions of mine to fully sink in on just how mixed I feel about it all 🙋‍♂️.

Anathema is truly a remarkable gothic fantasy that serves right with an eerie atmosphere and engaging magical lore.

The environment feels unsafe , cursed and deadly. Fittingly so. Loved it. I would love to live here.

The magical lore? An absolutely twisted sick treat. Learning about enchanted symbols and hexed bloodlines was ambitiously thought out. And I couldn’t get enough of it.

Until i did.
hahaha.

Intermission of 300 pages for a near 700 page book comes on, and I get frustrated as fuck with everything because at that point the book drags on with no added suspense and page filler material that doesn’t benefit anything or anyone.

Maeveyth’s tale from the beginning has a magnetic pull. It really does, but in the middle of the book, there are literally stacked chapters containing essay’s that restate the same thing about her situation.

It felt like one of those basic techniques where you are hit with that “Ah keep waiting for it. Hold on. Nah wait for it a bit more, it will get good now”.

Well fuck waiting, but I did read on so safe to say I was tricked.

Zavender is also another great love interest that fits the formula well, but even his chapters became painfully predictable and similar.

Basically mid way everything lost its allure.

50% good,
50% this is really testing my patience.

Alas I did finish all 700 pages just to know it ends with a cliff hanger.

Let me take points off that real quick 😂.

[anh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was such a snoozefest. I was invested at the start because I liked the gothic mystery aspect and the setting of the Eating Woods. I was invested for maybe the first 20% and genuinely curious where the plot was going, but then it got boring so fast. Everything fell apart, the pacing dragged, the plot progression stalled, and none of the characters held my interest. When Zevander was introduced and other plot points were shoved into the story, it felt so obviously forced and ruined what little potential the book had. The rest of the book was a whole lot of nothing.

But the romance in this was what gave me the biggest ick. The first time Zevander sees Maevyth, he wants to fuck her. Immediately. NO. They interacted approximately four times throughout this 700-page book. I think this book should've been a fantasy novel, given how unbelievable the romance was. I didn’t sense an ounce of chemistry between these two. Why are we forcing romance here? Zevander and Maevyth don't even interact until the 50% mark, and when they finally do, I felt nothing.

I guess the plot did move, but I was just insanely bored because nothing was interesting. Genuinely cannot believe I managed to drag my ass through the whole thing. I will not be reading the next book because apparently it's even worse.
______
I've been wanting to read this for ages, and the time has now come! Lesson learned: never be excited for a book again.

[Erika Braga · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

The only reason this book wasn’t a 5⭐️ for me it’s because it was SUCH a slow burn and I am NOTTT a slow burn kind of girl. I don’t need it a book where there’s spicy from the very beginning, but I also don’t enjoy a slow burn like a lot people, here they just have a kiss after chapter 40 something and they only have “some” action on chapter 58 and the book is literally 62 chapters, and when i say “some action” i mean they didn’t even fully have sex yet, it was just some hot foreplay ……… so ……….. me here not being a fantasy reader and so use to the craziness of dark romances, you can imagine my frustration 😂😂😂
But besides that this book gave me everything I was expecting from a gothic romantasy ? 🤷🏻‍♀️ i don’t even know if that’s the classification of this book so please don’t come for me for “misrepresenting “ .
I loved it ! It gave me spooky, gave me a complex world with interesting characters, gave me an eating woods, gave a FMC that’s is kind and is learning her origins/powers. Gave me a broody delicious MMC aka the Sexy Scorpion King (that’s not his nickname, I named him that) Hahahahhahahha! I can’t wait for book 2 and I HOPE there’s more romance in it and a lot more spice cause you know me and I am not one to read a non spicy book 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 what am I , 12 yrs old ? 😂 give me the dirty talk and all in between. So now I’ll wait !

[évieane · Rating 4 out of 5]

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . 4.8 ☆ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ I want to start by saying that the only reason I haven't given this 5 stars is probably just because I am a pretentious little bitch that wants to be picky; this book is amazing (but I am waiting to read the second one too to see if I might be compelled to change my rating)
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ This book slithered under my skin and refused to leave. Keri Lake has crafted something so grotesquely beautiful, so hauntingly immersive, that I found myself both terrified and addicted; it's the kind of fantasy-horror combination that makes you check the dark corners of your room at night while also deciding to read “just one more chapter.”


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ “Emotions I was forced to keep hidden for fear of looking possessed by evil, as girls were often perceived when they felt too much.”

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ short summary
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Welcome to a world carved out of nightmares and stitched together with blood, ash, and gothic grandeur. At its core is Maevyth, the girl no one trusts, the girl who carries whispers of ruin in her blood. Feared by her village and considered a witch for only being different, she finds herself forced into the very woods everyone fears; unknown to her, not only the woods await her, but a whole new, magical world. And somewhere inside it waits a man stitched together by curses and centuries, whose shadows reach for her even as his blade does, Zevander
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ This is not a story that rushes. It coils around your heart, grips it and keeps it captive to both fear and salvation. It feeds you fragments of sisters being torn apart, nightmarish creatures crawling to light, alliances being formed on the basis of conflicted feelings, and a much greater, darker mystery looming, waiting to be discovered. You’ll often wonder if it’s survival or damnation pulling Maevyth forward and if the difference even matters.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ The world-building? Utterly insane in the best possible way. I haven’t been this enraptured by a fictional world in ages. Yes, I was flipping to the glossary (because YES, THERE IS A GLOSSARY!!!!) every other chapter, but instead of frustrating me, it made me fall harder for the complexity and the magnitude of this imaginary world. This book demands your full attention, your brain cells, your notes in the margins, and you will definitely have to THINK and remember all the things you are reading about; but isn’t that exactly what the fantasy genre is meant to do? pull you into a place so intricate you forget your own?

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ I would normally mention this briefly while talking about the world-building, but for this book, I think this needs an entire paragraph all for itself. The gothic-horror vibes in this are elite. A perfect ten out of ten; maybe even eleven out of ten. I swear I could feel spiders crawling on my skin, the damp chill of ruined halls sinking into my bones, and the hair on my neck rising as I waited for some unspeakable thing to emerge from the shadows. These scenes are described so vividly, so viscerally, it felt less like reading and more like surviving. (and it probably wasn't very smart of me to only read this at night, but it does wonders for experiencing this book)

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ I might have liked for the plot to move a bit faster at times, and I might have felt like the book was unnecessarily dragging some scenes here and there, but honestly? I did not mind. I couldn't care less, even. Every breadcrumb of lore, every eerie revelation, every grotesque detail was so enthralling that I was devouring pages with the kind of hunger that should be illegal; I was flying through this book, and without even realising it, it was already 2AM and I couldn't put the book down.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ Another thing that impressed me was how vividly this book depicted the situation of women in the harsh, passionately religious medieval times under the authority of a fake god. The violence, the silencing, and the way males deprived women of autonomy were so infuriating to behold, but they also feel uncomfortably familiar. I liked how Keri Lake incorporated these subtle, terrible realities into the plot, making the wrath they elicit impossible to ignore.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ The romance? Witchcraft. Absolute witchcraft. My god.... I genuinely don't know if this is the type of romance I would normally go for in a fantasy book, or if I would genuinely enjoy it any other time, but Keri Lake bewitched me. Every glance, every brush of skin, every restrained, aching moment had me feral. This wasn’t just trauma-bonded lust; this was something darker and richer, and it ✨simply worked✨.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ The romance was, somehow, actually such a breath of fresh air and a welcome pause from the general "enemies-to-lovers" and the dynamic of the relationship, especially considering what you learn later on, was absolutely magnificent. Would I tweak small aspects of it? Maybe. Did I care while reading? Absolutely not.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ While I can't say I didn't expect the ending and didn't see it coming, I still think it was really good for the book. It tied everything together while cracking the door wide open for the next instalment, leaving me desperate for more. I closed this book and immediately picked up the sequel, because that’s the level of addiction we’re dealing with here.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ These characters are COMPLEX; they are tortured, dangerous, and strangely intriguing. They are so addicting that they become exactly the kind of people you’ll follow into ruin, wonder, and anywhere else without another question, just for the sheer feeling of curiosity they stir in you.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ 🕸 Maevyth – she is both vulnerable and unbreakable, formed by exclusion, whispered humiliation, and an intrinsic magic she scarcely knows. Shunned in her village, she bears a burden most would fall under, but she does so with quiet, uncompromising determination. Maevyth's bravery is not expressed in great gestures but rather in small decisions. Her loyalty shines like a small light in a dark world, and her fragility makes her heartbreakingly real. The contrast between her naivety and the dark power inside of her creates such an intriguing character. Maevyth is the type of protagonist whose triumphs and stumbles ring true because she is completely, achingly alive.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ 🕸 Zevander – the type of man who fills a room with both menace and desire. He holds curses that span centuries, each of which binds him to darkness and obsession. He is dangerous, haunted, and SO UNEXPLICABLY FUCKING HOT LIKE YES CHAIN ME UP TOO DADDY, yet beneath the cold façade is a man searching for redemption. Zevander's relationship with Maevyth begins with scepticism, duty, and cautious calculation, but it progresses to a slow, almost painful bond of empathy and understanding. He is predator and protector, curse and salvation, and a complete daddy and seeing him navigate the delicate balance of fear and want, trust and constraint is one of the book's most compelling themes. His story and the mystery that surrounds him make him both dangerous and captivating.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ 🕸 Rykaya – she has been damaged by trauma and is dealing with loss and addiction, and despite being jagged, she is unexpectedly compassionate. Her relationship with Maevyth develops into a quiet, tenacious sisterhood that perfectly brings forth the book's found-family concept. I badly want to see more of these two together and their shenanigans that make Zevander age 50 years in a minute.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ 🕸 Dolion – Eidolon's mage, scholar and reluctant father of the group. He is a bright, pragmatic, and morally ambiguous character. He understands Zevander better than most, and his insight is probably what keeps everyone from losing their head constantly. Please let him truly be a good character because I am getting attached to him....

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ 🕸 Khazimyr, Ravezio, Torryn – the other three Letalisz that sharpen the book's wit and humour, providing momentary warmth in a plot shrouded in shadow. However, beneath the banter are wounds and secrets that hint at darker pasts I'm SOOOO EAGER to uncover. Their passionate loyalty to Zevander is evident, and I can't wait for the next book to reveal the complexities of what bonds them so tightly to him and to one another. My dear found-family...🥺


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Do you crave a lush, horrifying yet beautiful fantasy world? Do you want goosebumps crawling down your arms as you read, flipping back to the glossary with a mix of fear and delight? Do you want romance that is less “fluff and banter” and more “unholy devotion that might consume your soul”? Then yes, PICK THIS BOOK UP RIGHT NOW!!!
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Personally, this is one of the most immersive, atmospheric books I’ve read in years. The world is stunning, the prose is addictive, the vibes are perfection, and the romance is bewitching. Was it flawless? Maybe, but I might be a bit too pretentious to admit that yet. Did I love it with my entire being? Absolutely.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Don't mind me tho, I am already neck-deep in the sequel.

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ📖‧ ˚ ₊⊹ The Eating Woods series reviews:
⋆˚࿔ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍Eldritch (4.2-4.4 ⭐)



⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍㆍ✿ㆍㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ✿ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍pre-reading ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⪼ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ started ┆05-September-2025┆
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⤿ since i am really trying to cure my reading slump, decided to start this late last night and OH MY GOD IT HAS A GLOSSARY??? Already has my full interest 😩 also, the second book is coming out in a few days, so why not

[shaelinslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO WHY WAS NO ONE YELLING AT ME TO READ THIS?! Y’all are gonna be SICK of me.

This book was fantastic, and is now my new personality, so buckle up. The atmosphere, magic system, and characters were all equally impressive to me.

The depth of the characters, and the things they went through were so awful, and hard hitting. The way they are makes so much sense because of those things, I loved everything about this.

Also, damn. I am down so extremely bad for Zevander.

Now, this book with its macabre themes, and dark atmosphere is not going to be for everyone… If you want a dark, spooky, and lush read, this is for you. 5 glowing stars! ⭐️

[Kezia Duah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm somewhere between a 3.5 and 4⭐️.

Books like this really show how twisted my brain can get because I absolutely loved every nasty, scary, creepy, horrific scene. As long as a book includes trigger warnings, I'm all in. I know I make this sound worse than it actually is. it’s really not that bad, but it definitely had that dark, gothic vibe I occasionally love to sink into.

The romance was okay. I don’t think Maevyth and Zevander really built something deeply passionate, but I did enjoy the tension between them. I’m curious to see how that develops in the next installment.

My biggest issue, though, is that by the end of it, it felt like... nothing really happened. The worldbuilding was exceptional, and the buildup had me hooked, but it all felt like setup for the next book. And I don’t know…..leaving everything for the sequel doesn’t always work for me.

The reveals were fine. Not shocking, but not disappointing either. It's a very slow burn kind of read, but overall enjoyable, and I’m definitely looking forward to the sequel.

[Ri ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

“I find it interesting that any time a girl is unusual, or dare I say, unique, she’s deemed evil, or cursed.”

Anathema marked my first adventure into dark gothic fantasy, and I absolutely loved it. The dark, intense, mysterious, haunting atmosphere was so vividly crafted, and Keri’s descriptions were incredible, though a bit repetitive at times. The world-building had so much depth, and Keri’s writing is beautifully haunting and whimsically poetic. Keri uses a lot of complex vocabulary, which is not usually my preference in fantasy, but I actually loved it because it added a rich, textured, and poetic quality to the story.

“Some women are fire in your veins and hell between your teeth.”

This book has one of the most unique world-building and lore I’ve encountered in dark gothic fantasy. The mysterious, haunting atmosphere was executed so well, and Keri’s explanations were woven beautifully into the story. The way she foreshadowed and built up the intertwined mysteries of Zavender and Maveth was brilliant. The entire world was hauntingly beautiful, and while some parts were disturbing, I loved how Keri blended elements of horror with dark fantasy to enrich the narrative.

Zavender Rydainn, the Scorpion of Nyxteros, is dangerous, lethal, and a formidable hunter in their world, with fire in his veins that can destroy anything. His broken past immediately reminded me of Rhysand from ACOTAR, the grumpy, cold-hearted, and ruthless type of man I always love. His uncontrollable urges when he was with Mayveth were so compelling, and how he tried to despise her yet still saved her every time she needed him. The push and pull, the undeniable attraction, the reluctant yet inevitable way he kept helping her despite wanting to hate her, pure perfection. Zavender’s past and complexities made him one of the most intriguing characters, and I desperately want to know more about how he became this ruthless hunter. I really hope the author does justice to his backstory in the next books.

“You are mine, moon witch. For all eternity and whatever lies beyond it. No soul has ever been more intricately woven into mine than yours.”


Mayveth was an interesting character. She was not a badass heroine from the start, but she knew when to fight for herself and her loved ones. Her curiosity about everything made her stand out, yet she also held herself back because of how people in her world treated her like a curse. What I loved most was how she fully embraced herself in Zavender’s world, how she trained, learned, and discovered more about her powers. Her bond with Rykaia was absolutely beautiful. Their friendship was special, two strong women leaning on each other in hard times, supporting one another in ways no one else could. I adored every moment of their connection and how genuine their relationship felt.

“I’d learned at too early an age that the sound of a girl’s scream drew nothing more than apathy.”


Mayveth and Zavender’s love story was complex yet utterly impressive. The slow-burn romance was so well done, and I loved how Keri carefully unraveled the intimacy between them. They are perfect for each other, yet their intertwined past made it almost impossible for them to be together. The push and pull was hilarious and agonizing, and watching them push each other away while secretly yearning for one another was so satisfying yet so painful at the same time. Their training lessons were my absolute favorite, the tension, the lingering touches, the unspoken emotions between them in those scenes were everything. They are slowly trying to understand each other, and I cannot wait to see them fully realize their true feelings in the next books.

“I want to show you the way you make me feel.” Keeping his eyes on me, he turned just enough to kiss my palm.
“A man should not long for madness with such enthusiasm as I feel right now.”

The last few chapters were packed with action, which I enjoyed, but something about the third part of the book felt a bit off, maybe the pacing or certain plot developments that didn’t land as strongly as the rest of the book. And that cliffhanger at the end was absolutely illegal. I need book two right now! And knowing this is going to be a trilogy just makes me so happy because I want more of this dark, gothic world Keri has created.

~~~~~~~

that cliffhanger was absolutely illegal!! Rtc...

buddy reading this beauty with bestie giuls 🖤

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story with really good fantasy/magic bringing everything alive. My only issue is that it's way to long and could have been shorten. But I loved the gothic world building and hands up pictured The Witcher, dark mysterious and oh so handsome, yes please!
Have to admit Eldritch, Book 2 is looking very daunting with its 700+ pages, but I will be back for more Zevander time!

[Laura Jane ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

༻*ੈ✩ "The girl with the moon in her eyes and fire in her soul."✩*ੈ༻

4 stars ᯓ★

Keri Lake never disappoints with her dark, gothic and eerie settings. It is one of the main reasons I love her books so much! She creates the best dark atmospheres!! She really knows how to draw you into these mysterious and spooky worlds. I will admit this is a slower start with a lot of world building and introduction to different worlds and types of magic etc. However, once you settle into this the plot is so unique. The pacing was a bit up and down for me but I was never bored. Plus, I love anything with witchy vibes! 
As for the romance, it was, chefs kiss! It was actually quite refreshing to spend some time with our FMC and MMC separately before they crossed paths. I mean they don't meet until over the 40% part and then you are in for a stolen glances, simmering slow burn!! But this is heavy on the fantasy, so know that going in!

Maevyth lives in a world where women are bound by the rules of men and brutality. The village she was abandoned in as a baby, she is cast aside and branded a witch by the community who are basically some deranged cult who fear the unknown outside of their own ideals. The punishment for going against them is to be banished into the eating woods, where no one comes out alive....

I really enjoyed Maevyth's character, there is so much more to her than meets the eye. She is feisty but kind at heart. I love an absolute badass fmc, but sometimes it is nice to meet a fmc that is determined, strong willed, stubborn but is still quite dominated by her sweeter side. 

Zevander, obviously I am obsessed with the dark, broody, tortured soul! Every time I will fall for the morally grey mmc who has his own internal battles through what he's endured but is also battling with the fact he is completely and utterly captivated by the fmc.

Maevyth and Zevander relationship was so good. Keri truly knows how to do a slow burn!! I adored their relationship build up, the banter and the tension! So many giggling at my kindle moments! 

"Do I still annoy you?"
"Endlessly"

Also Zevander, this man has all the lines that make me so weak! Like please read the quotes!!!!!

'She was chaos wrapped in fine silk. The embodiment of trouble that's nearly brought him to his fucking knees when he's first laid eyes on her across the ballroom. So achingly beautiful, his chest hurt.'

'He'd lived too long with the practicality of knowing the stars were too far out of reach, and yet, in his arms lay the brightest of them all.'

"You consume me entirely my little moon witch".

"I have killed in a variety of ways, Maevyth, but anything that dares attempt to harm you tonight will suffer the most violent of them all'.

I also absolutely adored Maevyth and Rakia's friendship!!
"I have slept for a very long time. But since you arrived, I don't want to sleep. I want to jump and dance and breathe again" Female friendships like this >>>

I really do not not know what to make of that ending, it wasn't what I was expecting but I also really cannot decide where it is going to go now... but all I know is I am itching for the next book! Please check triggers with this book as it does have dark themes.

I also cannot leave without these parting quotes that really stuck out to me! 

"How tragic that a woman's worth equated to the depth of a man's pockets."

“I find it interesting that anytime a girl is unusual, or dare I say, unique, she’s deemed evil, or cursed.”


-----------------------
Pre-read:
Yep I’m starting another book cause I had to DNF my last one! Returning to fantasy and this one has been high up my TBR for a while… & it won a poll I did on IG 🫶🏼

’For those who feel lost in a dark and pathless wood. Believe in the magic beyond the trees’

[BookishByTammi · Rating 5 out of 5]

New favourite romantasy!
New favourite book boyfriend!
The plot was SO good and deliciously dark. With creatures like Cadavros and Branimir
The world feels so rich with history and as long as this book was we barely scratched the surface.
I wanna know more about the dragon/bird creature.
I wanna know more about Maevyths ancestry
I wanna know more about Zevanders history
I loved Rykaia, she added comical relief to the story while also having her own traumatic backstory.

The story felt layered and complex in the most satisfying way
The romance was a painful slow burn in the best way. The way Zevander yearns for her yet still occasionally puts his sister first was so realistic to me.

I could honestly go on about this book but i’ll leave it here
Keri Lake had a new fan in me

[Bailee Latham · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the entire year. Spooky, gothic and witchy fantasy.
Now, thankfully I had a friend who got an ARC copy and she told me before I started to know that it was VERY fantasy forward and the romance was a subplot until closer to the end. The slow burn doesn’t really start until later in the book, and honestly, I think that helped me to kind of pivot my expectations and it saved me from being disappointed in the romance.

Everyone in Maevyth’s cult-like town knows better than to venture into Witch Knell, a forest where once you go in, you never come back out. But, when circumstances cause Maevyth to run headfirst into the terrifying woods, a whole new world opens up to her. Literally. She’s thrust into a world of dark magic, terrifying creatures, and mages that want nothing more than to see her dead. Will she make it out alive?

I LOVED the fantasy aspect of this book. The world is dark and macabre and it is wholly immersive. The creatures were creepy, the magic was dark, some of the plot lines were honestly insanely dark, and there were times where I was thoroughly creeped out. Everything I want in a gothic fantasy from that angle. There were times where I thought that maybe we didn’t need world building to describe such minuscule things, but that’s a me problem, not a book problem.
The pacing was slow in parts, but because of the gothic atmosphere drawing me in so early on, I didn’t mind it as much as I typically would’ve.
The plot did feel a little rushed at the end, it was like 373749 things happened all at once and my head was swinging left and right trying to keep up with all of the plot twists. BUT it did leave me more excited for the next book.

All in all, I really enjoyed this. Keri Lake delivered for me.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“She was beautiful. No, beautiful was too weak a word. She was intoxicating. Exquisitely divine.”

“‘Do you know how the scorpion chooses his mate? Promenade à deux. By asking her to dance.’”

“‘If preventing this plague means sacrificing your life, then I’ve no interest in saving everyone else. The whole world could perish of disease and famine, for all I care.’”

[Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the atmosphere and gothic themes of this one, but it felt like it went on for 17 years.

[Emma Halbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

SIX STARS 🤯

This is for the dark romantasy girls who love a slow burn with a plot, magic system, world building, and lore that goes DEEP.

It’s creepy. It’s gothic. It’s romantic. The banter & slow burn tension is 10/10.

The last sentence??????? I’m sorry, I need book 2 immediately.

[Tatianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

BE STILL, MY GOTHIC HEART.

There are five star reads, and then there are Keri Lake books. This. Was. Epic!

Grim and enchanting, Anathema is the first book in The Eating Woods series: a gothic FANTASY from the brilliant mind of Keri Lake. What was my most anticipated read of the 2024.. is now my favourite.

“Il captris nith reviris. What is taken will never return.”

I'm a huge fan of the Brothers Grimm, and this story had me feeling as though I stepped through a portal right into one of those atmospheric and disturbing tales. But more complex and intense... and romantic. This exceptional blend of true darkness and horror with classic elements of fantasy and romance is absolutely intoxicating to me and exactly what I want when I reach for "dark fantasy romance"!

What to expect:
- gothic fantasy
- horror elements
- plot driven
- slow burn (for real)
- shunned FMC
- cursed, tortured MMC
- forced proximity
- found family
- intricate world & magic system
- cliffhanger

Keri Lake's writing is always immersive and vivid, but she really flexed her creative mind with this fantastical and disturbing world that has unique languages, lore, bloodlines, creatures and a fascinating magic system... All in the backdrop of a compelling plot with incredible characters and a swoon-worthy slow burn. It honestly leaves me awestruck.

So many scenes gave me actual, hair-raising, CHILLS. There are seriously dark aspects of this book that had my heart pounding and my stomach sinking. The plot itself is enthralling with many moving parts and flawless pacing. I could not get enough!!

“I also know that the delicate black rose doesn’t grow well in these parts. Our winters are far too cold for its fragile roots.” …

“Where do they grow?”

“Where the gods see fit to plant them.”

I adore these characters — the outcasted, curious Maevyth Bronwick who loves so fiercely and leads with her heart, and the morally grey Zevander Rydainn, ruthless assassin on a rogue quest to rid himself of a dark curse.

Zevander is closed-off and broody with a backstory that makes my heart ache. I could understand his ruthless nature, absolutely, and wanted to see him succeed no matter the cost. There is something so delicious about his disdain for Maevyth (or rather, the way Maevyth makes him feel), and the unique vulnerability required of him in allowing her past his defences.

And his supernatural abilities!? I'm obsessed!! I’m calling it now: shadow daddies are out and fire daddies are in.

“The whims of fate are an irksome intrusion, and yet … Who could’ve predicted that one touch of your pounding pulse would be so disarming.”

This is the slowest of slow burns but it’s not without unbearable tension, hilarious banter and electric chemistry. These are truly two characters that bring out the best in each other and I can’t wait to see how their relationship evolves in the final book.

I can't finish this review without mentioning the absolutely phenomenal cast of characters. I found myself wanting to know more about each of Zevander's assassin brothers, Rykaia, and Raivox (!!!!!)… The villainous characters, as well, I found to be alluring and interesting even when I just wanted to hate them. They all added so much to this incredible story.

I've honestly written and re-written this review countless times but I've decided that I will never get it right. I have SO MANY thoughts about this book, I truly could go on and on. Though this book is 700 pages, I could have easily read 700 more... and I'm absolutely desperate for the next book!! Keri Lake is a master of her craft — Anathema is everything I hoped it would be and more.

I would recommend this book to any dark romance readers that appreciate intricate fantasy worlds, grimdark and horror elements, complex characters, unique plots, torturous slow burns, broody antiheroes, immersive writing and impactful stories.

Extras:
Official playlist on Spotify

I am so grateful to Keri Lake for providing an advanced copy for review.

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

— ( 🕸 ) 3.5 stars ⊹

wowza, this book was a total page-turner. it’s like the perfect pumpkin spice latte for your brain during spooky season. i absolutely adored it 🫶

[Eloise Blaise | Bibliophel · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO NOTES. Just as good as the first time!!! I missed Zevander <3

[sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars . ⊹ ･ﾟ𖥔 ₊ ˑ

⤷ I absolutely devoured this! Almost 700 pages and I did not want it to end. Anathema is my first book by Keri Lake and it has really set the bar. I loved loved loved the dark and eerie setting that made up this gothic world. I genuinely got creeped out at so many parts. The horror elements in this kept me on my toes and absolutely nothing felt safe. Also an honourable mention to Keri's beautiful and lyrical writing.

“Nothing mattered in this place where death loomed beyond the walls. We were sketching an illusion of normalcy in a world too dark to imagine. A place that longed to devour us. Here, in this little hovel, with our bodies entwined and our hearts beating in sync, we transcended death, existing on our own plane.”

I loved so many of these characters. The start of the book really fleshed out the history and upbringing of both Maevyth and Zevander. Even though I found Zevanders chapters at the start a bit overwhelming and confusing as his world was a lot more complex than Maevyth's, it still was a necessary addition to the story and to understanding his character and the world. I love that the author gave them both space in the story individually to build on their characters. The romance was definitely a subplot and the build up was very slow but it was oh so worth it! Ya girl ate up EVERY interaction and crumb they provided.

“The whims of fate are an irksome intrusion, and yet … Who could’ve predicted that one touch of your pounding pulse would be so disarming.”

I will recommend this book to anyone wanting a dark, fantasy romance. The writing was immersive, the magic system unique, the plot and world building both immersive and complex. Cannot wait to get these grubby little hands on book 2!

[Seeraaa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥."

“𝐈𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞.”

“𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.”
“𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬?” 🤣😅

Anathema by Keri Lake is set in a dark world full of curses, pain, and magic. The city of Dystenium hides a lot of secrets, dark magic, and death. It’s a scary place, but some people still try to stay strong and fight back. ⚔️🖤

Tropes:

✔️ Gothic Dark Fantasy
✔️ Slow Burn Romance
✔️ Cursed & Tortured Hero
✔️ Quiet, Strong Heroine
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ One Bed
✔️ Found Family


This book took me on a dark and mysterious journey. The beginning was a bit slow, but it helped me understand the world and how everything works. It’s full of curses, danger, and magic. ✨🤌🏻

When the story started moving faster, I couldn’t stop reading. The creepy and gothic vibes were really strong, and I loved that feeling of danger and suspense. ⏳

The characters?
Mayveth 🪶🐦‍⬛ was quiet and hurt, but also strong in her own way. I liked how she grew stronger through the story.
Zivander 🦂 was dark, cold, and angry, but interesting. Still, I wish his character changed more by the end.

Their relationship?❤️✨
There was a lot of tension, but I didn’t feel real love between them. It felt more physical than emotional. I don’t really enjoy when a relationship starts with lust and then suddenly becomes love. It didn’t feel natural to me. ⚡️

The ending?🤚🏻
It wasn’t as strong as I wanted. After everything, I expected more. But it was still interesting enough for me to want to read the next book.

So yes, it’s a dark and emotional story, with magic, curses, and broken people trying to survive. If you enjoy gothic fantasy and slow burn stories, I think you’ll like it.🤭🫶🏻
And of course… I’ll be reading the next book to see what happens next.🕯️☠️


Finally diving into Anathema! ✨ With book 2 dropping on April 1st, I need to catch up before the hype kicks in! 🔥 Super excited for the dark vibes and all the mystery—let’s gooo! 👀📖💀

🫶🏻🫶🏻Buddy reading this with Leena 🤩📖, which makes it even more fun! Can’t wait to freak out over all the twists and dark vibes together! 😆🖤🔪

[Sam | Haus of Fables · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had a feeling I would like this book, the gothic setting, masked mmc (my kryptonite!) and overall vibe had me very intrigued, but I had no idea just how much I would LOVE IT!
Honestly this is one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
It took its time to establish the world and for us to get to know the two main characters (before they even meet each other) which made it the world feel full of depth and the stakes high.
The magic and lore was fantastic and it even had a lot of elements (and creatures) that bordered on horror… spooky AF tbh!
I adored the characterisation of the FMC and the MMC’s backstory is so heartbreaking!! but I loved seeing that trauma represented from a males pov.
Another thing I absolutely adored was the found family and female friendship. It felt EARNED! It felt real. Ugh I swear I could go on and on about this book forever.
This is a true slow burn in the romance with a little spice, but the spice we do get it ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
This is now one of my god tier books and I can’t wait for the second and final book in this Duology to release!

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ That cliffhanger though… lol! Great book! Full review to come. 🫶