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A Spell for Saints and Sinners
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26Like a gender-flipped You but dripping with Southern Gothic atmosphere, a young psychic on the verge of losing everything becomes obsessed with a wealthy, beautiful heiress in this clever, darkly atmospheric novel of psychological suspense set amid the lush, moss-draped beauty of Savannah.
In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she’s going to lose them both.
Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling. . . . Until Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty—part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining—and Ingrid’s reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be’s confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells—using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.
As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers’ inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they’ve always wanted . . .
In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she’s going to lose them both.
Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling. . . . Until Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty—part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining—and Ingrid’s reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be’s confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells—using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.
As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers’ inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they’ve always wanted . . .
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 31, 2026
6009 people want to read
About the author
Emily Carpenter
18 books1,234 followersEMILY CARPENTER BIO:
Emily Carpenter is the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling author of suspense novels, Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, The Weight of Lies (which received starred reviews by both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly), Every Single Secret, Until the Day I Die, all released by Lake Union. Her most recent release is REVIVING THE HAWTHORN SISTERS, which Publishers Weekly called a “refreshingly modern gothic tale” and Kirkus called “an exciting, gothic-tinged quest.” After graduating from Auburn with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication, she moved to New York City. She’s worked as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant for the CBS shows, As the World Turns and Guiding Light. She’s a member of Tall Poppy Writers, International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her family. You can visit Emily at emilycarpenterauthor.com and on Facebook and Twitter (@EmilyDCarpenter) and Instagram (@emily.d.c).
Emily Carpenter is the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling author of suspense novels, Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, The Weight of Lies (which received starred reviews by both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly), Every Single Secret, Until the Day I Die, all released by Lake Union. Her most recent release is REVIVING THE HAWTHORN SISTERS, which Publishers Weekly called a “refreshingly modern gothic tale” and Kirkus called “an exciting, gothic-tinged quest.” After graduating from Auburn with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication, she moved to New York City. She’s worked as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant for the CBS shows, As the World Turns and Guiding Light. She’s a member of Tall Poppy Writers, International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her family. You can visit Emily at emilycarpenterauthor.com and on Facebook and Twitter (@EmilyDCarpenter) and Instagram (@emily.d.c).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Emily Carpenter does it again. A SPELL FOR SAINTS AND SINNERS is a Southern gothic with witchy vibes that delves into the closed-ranks of the old money Savannah elite. Ingrid does her best to continue her grandmother, Edie's, work while doing light magic, but when she gets sucked into the Loeffler family's orbit, she begins to question everything-- not just her own morals, but her family history, and what she would do to get ahead and seize what she wants.
I kept thinking I'd guessed the twists of this book and then I'd be proven wrong a few chapters later. It was like being repeatedly slapped, but, like, in a good way. Carpenter's books are often slow to start, much like a traditional gothic is, because so much time is spent building character and atmosphere. Because fast pacing tends to be a selling point these days, fewer and fewer books really take the time to hone in on their setting and characters like this, and sometimes it feels like a lost art. I really appreciate that Carpenter takes the extra time.
As with her other books, this has so many of my favorite tropes: dark love story vibes, morally grey and complex FMC, hot bad guys, oppressive setting, and lots of fun surprise twists that subvert the genre or at least play with it a little. For anyone who likes thrillers with unique plots and modern-setting gothics, I'd highly recommend this book and GOTHICTOWN.
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy!
4.5 stars
I kept thinking I'd guessed the twists of this book and then I'd be proven wrong a few chapters later. It was like being repeatedly slapped, but, like, in a good way. Carpenter's books are often slow to start, much like a traditional gothic is, because so much time is spent building character and atmosphere. Because fast pacing tends to be a selling point these days, fewer and fewer books really take the time to hone in on their setting and characters like this, and sometimes it feels like a lost art. I really appreciate that Carpenter takes the extra time.
As with her other books, this has so many of my favorite tropes: dark love story vibes, morally grey and complex FMC, hot bad guys, oppressive setting, and lots of fun surprise twists that subvert the genre or at least play with it a little. For anyone who likes thrillers with unique plots and modern-setting gothics, I'd highly recommend this book and GOTHICTOWN.
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy!
4.5 stars
November 11, 2025
A Spell for Saints and Sinners drops you straight into the damp, haunted streets of Savannah. Here’s Ingrid White, a young psychic clinging to her grandmother’s crumbling shop, her reputation hanging by a thread. Things shift when Sailor Loeffler walks in, a rich heiress with deep local roots, and suddenly Ingrid’s world gets messier. She’s caught between desperate hope and the dangerous magic she’s willing to risk. At its core, this is a story about survival versus morality, unspooling as a slow-burning thriller, thick with atmosphere. The story sometimes can’t untangle all its own threads, but that’s part of its charm.
Ingrid’s struggle stands out, especially when her beliefs crack under pressure. She’s ready to cross lines to keep what she loves, even as reality and magic blur together. Her connection with Sailor pulses at the heart of the novel, it’s both anchor and snare, obsession and dependency weaving together. The side characters bring color, though a few drift by without much depth, their motivations foggy, which can soften the emotional punch in spots.
The novel leans hard into themes of class, ambition, and power, all tangled up in that Southern Gothic setting. You feel the weight of old money, social divides, and personal sacrifice. Witchcraft here isn’t just spellwork; it’s a stand-in for the tough choices people make when they’re cornered. The mood hangs heavy, moss and tension everywhere, though sometimes the atmosphere takes over and the plot slows down, which might try the patience of readers who want a tighter, more propulsive story.
Emily Carpenter’s style is lush and poetic, painting Savannah in all its faded glory. She’ll pull you into quiet, intimate moments, then jolt you with sharp bursts of drama. The rhythm isn’t always even; sometimes the story lingers when you want it to move, but the language sticks with you. When it clicks, it’s immersive. When it stumbles, you wish for more focus, especially in the way Ingrid’s inner battles play out.
In the end, the book carves out its own spot in Southern Gothic suspense. Psychic powers, tangled family loyalties, a heroine wrestling with identity and power. The story doesn’t tie up every loose end, but it’s a moody, thought-provoking read for anyone who loves flawed characters and murky moral ground. Even when the narrative stretches itself thin, it’s clear Carpenter knows how to cast a spell.
Ingrid’s struggle stands out, especially when her beliefs crack under pressure. She’s ready to cross lines to keep what she loves, even as reality and magic blur together. Her connection with Sailor pulses at the heart of the novel, it’s both anchor and snare, obsession and dependency weaving together. The side characters bring color, though a few drift by without much depth, their motivations foggy, which can soften the emotional punch in spots.
The novel leans hard into themes of class, ambition, and power, all tangled up in that Southern Gothic setting. You feel the weight of old money, social divides, and personal sacrifice. Witchcraft here isn’t just spellwork; it’s a stand-in for the tough choices people make when they’re cornered. The mood hangs heavy, moss and tension everywhere, though sometimes the atmosphere takes over and the plot slows down, which might try the patience of readers who want a tighter, more propulsive story.
Emily Carpenter’s style is lush and poetic, painting Savannah in all its faded glory. She’ll pull you into quiet, intimate moments, then jolt you with sharp bursts of drama. The rhythm isn’t always even; sometimes the story lingers when you want it to move, but the language sticks with you. When it clicks, it’s immersive. When it stumbles, you wish for more focus, especially in the way Ingrid’s inner battles play out.
In the end, the book carves out its own spot in Southern Gothic suspense. Psychic powers, tangled family loyalties, a heroine wrestling with identity and power. The story doesn’t tie up every loose end, but it’s a moody, thought-provoking read for anyone who loves flawed characters and murky moral ground. Even when the narrative stretches itself thin, it’s clear Carpenter knows how to cast a spell.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Desperate to save her crumbling Savannah townhouse, psychic Ingrid White becomes obsessed with Sailor Loeffler, a wealthy heiress. To maintain her role as Sailor’s confidante and secure her own future, Ingrid turns to the dangerous, dark magic her grandmother once forbade. As her hexes seemingly clear her path, the lines between supernatural power and cold-blooded obsession blur into a haunting Southern Gothic descent.
The novel features a slow start, with the pacing only improving in the second half. While there are some exciting parts with a lot of drama and death, the book is just okay overall.
The characters are generally difficult to like, making it hard to feel any empathy for them. I understand Ingrid’s obsession with the Loeffler family is a central theme, but her behavior often feels desperate and uncomfortable to read.
Finally, the end is underwhelming; rather than focusing so much on the mother, the ending would have been more satisfying if it provided more closure regarding Ingrid and Sailor.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and comments are my own.
The novel features a slow start, with the pacing only improving in the second half. While there are some exciting parts with a lot of drama and death, the book is just okay overall.
The characters are generally difficult to like, making it hard to feel any empathy for them. I understand Ingrid’s obsession with the Loeffler family is a central theme, but her behavior often feels desperate and uncomfortable to read.
Finally, the end is underwhelming; rather than focusing so much on the mother, the ending would have been more satisfying if it provided more closure regarding Ingrid and Sailor.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and comments are my own.
December 9, 2025
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a review.
I'll start by saying that this book just wasn't for me. I went in expecting "gothic horror" - which is how the book is categorized on Goodreads - and didn't find a trace of horror at all. Savannah as a location in and of itself could be considered gothic, but it was very surface level and gave no sense of dread other than "there are ghost tours here." Sure, our MC is a witch, but besides others telling us she's really good at spells and getting feelings about people, it seems like her grandmother's ghost does most of the work and it's unreliable at best.
I think my biggest critique was plot and pacing. Plot points seemed tossed in to make the book longer rather than having anything to do with character motivations or common sense. I feel like one person can only make so many bad decisions before we start rooting against them, and that's what happened for me in this book with the MC. There was a level of immaturity to the MC too when it comes to actions and consequences, but I digress.
Character relationships were also very surface level. There was a lot of telling - "she's my best friend," or "she was evil" = but nothing reflected in the character's actions/dialogue to show the reader that was the case. It's one of my biggest pet peeves in books and it was delivered in spades here.
I really had to push through to reach the end, and even then the twist wasn't worth the effort, unfortunately.
I don't want to discourage others from reading this because I know some will enjoy it; just don't go in expecting "gothic horror" because that isn't what this book is, in my opinion.
I'll start by saying that this book just wasn't for me. I went in expecting "gothic horror" - which is how the book is categorized on Goodreads - and didn't find a trace of horror at all. Savannah as a location in and of itself could be considered gothic, but it was very surface level and gave no sense of dread other than "there are ghost tours here." Sure, our MC is a witch, but besides others telling us she's really good at spells and getting feelings about people, it seems like her grandmother's ghost does most of the work and it's unreliable at best.
I think my biggest critique was plot and pacing. Plot points seemed tossed in to make the book longer rather than having anything to do with character motivations or common sense. I feel like one person can only make so many bad decisions before we start rooting against them, and that's what happened for me in this book with the MC. There was a level of immaturity to the MC too when it comes to actions and consequences, but I digress.
Character relationships were also very surface level. There was a lot of telling - "she's my best friend," or "she was evil" = but nothing reflected in the character's actions/dialogue to show the reader that was the case. It's one of my biggest pet peeves in books and it was delivered in spades here.
I really had to push through to reach the end, and even then the twist wasn't worth the effort, unfortunately.
I don't want to discourage others from reading this because I know some will enjoy it; just don't go in expecting "gothic horror" because that isn't what this book is, in my opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A Spell for Saints and Sinners is a Modern contemporary novel which follows the adventures of a young physic named Ingrid I will admit I found this novel to be very cute. We are introduced to Ingrid who is very passionate about the. Work that she does and will do just about anything to keep this tradition going. While some of her motives and ideas are little risky you have to sympathize and realize that she is doing it to save the work that she is so devoted to.
She is on the verge of losing her building due to massive property taxes and expensive upkeep. However a plan to get involved with some money makes this the perfect opportunity for Ingrid to rise to the opportunity. Will she succeed or is she in way over her head.
She is on the verge of losing her building due to massive property taxes and expensive upkeep. However a plan to get involved with some money makes this the perfect opportunity for Ingrid to rise to the opportunity. Will she succeed or is she in way over her head.
March 22, 2026
Ingrid is a psychic/witch in Savannah that learned her craft/skills from her grandma Edie (who I adore). When she befriends wealthy Savannah heiress Sailor she enters the world of the rich, successful and famous. But what looks good on the outside isn’t always the way it is on the inside. Many secrets from the past threaten to change the course of events happening around Sailor’s wedding. Shocking events and twists and turns kept me reading this book late into the night!!!
Another Emily Carpenter masterpiece with all the feels of a Southern Gothic story with a little witchcraft and magic thrown in.
I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator Cassandra Campbell was absolute perfection!!!
Another Emily Carpenter masterpiece with all the feels of a Southern Gothic story with a little witchcraft and magic thrown in.
I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator Cassandra Campbell was absolute perfection!!!
January 19, 2026
This southern gothic thriller delivers a slow-burn mystery with a moody, atmospheric setting. While the pacing is deliberate, there are several surprising twists and strong whodunit moments that kept my attention along the way.
I especially enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and sense of place, which added depth to the story. However, despite its intriguing elements, the book ultimately didn’t fully click for me. Fans of slower, atmospheric mysteries may appreciate it more than I did.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I especially enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and sense of place, which added depth to the story. However, despite its intriguing elements, the book ultimately didn’t fully click for me. Fans of slower, atmospheric mysteries may appreciate it more than I did.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Emily Carpenter makes a triumphant return with her latest engrossing Southern Gothic thriller, A SPELL FOR SAINTS AND SINNERS, following the success of Gothictown, (a top audiobook of 2025).
This gripping tale revolves around Ingrid White, a down-on-her-luck psychic and witch in the enchanting yet shadowy streets of Savannah. Desperate to change her fortunes, Ingrid employs dark and unpredictable magic to infiltrate the opulent world of the city's elite, particularly becoming enmeshed in the life of the wealthy heiress, Sailor Loeffler.
At its core, the story is a fascinating exploration of toxic obsession, perilous spells, and the chilling secrets that lie within families. As Ingrid navigates the treacherous waters of Savannah's high society, she finds herself ensnared in a web of intrigue, where each spell cast pulls her deeper into a world filled with danger.
The increasing intensity of her magical acts will leave readers frantically turning the pages, eager to uncover the dark truths hidden beneath the surface of glamour and privilege in this unforgettable journey.
The Vibe: A sultry, Spanish moss-draped descent into the dark heart of Savannah high society.
Highlights...
Ingrid White inherits her grandmother’s run-down townhouse and struggling psychic business in Savannah, facing crippling debt with past-due property taxes.
She performs a reading for Sailor Loeffler, a wealthy bride-to-be from a prominent family ("Savannah Sauce" empire), and becomes obsessed with her privileged life.
Sailor pulls Ingrid into her inner circle, using her for readings and companionship, while Ingrid relies on and becomes addicted to using dark spells/hexes to maintain her status.
Ingrid uses her dark, forbidden, "baneful" magic passed down by her grandmother to protect her position, while uncovering the dark, treacherous history of the Loeffler family. The line between reality and witchcraft blurs as the Loeffler family’s secrets turn dangerous.
My thoughts...
A baneful masterpiece of Southern Gothic suspense that asks: What are you willing to sacrifice to belong? In a city where ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation.
In Emily Carpenter’s sultry and sinister city of Savannah, the Spanish moss hides a hard truth: Privilege is the most dangerous magic of all.
In a hauntingly atmospheric Southern Gothic narrative, this tale delves deep into the complexities of obsession, envy, and the shadows of class disparities, all woven together by the threads of humanity's deadliest sins.
The author, at the pinnacle of her craft, brings to life a captivating array of characters that linger in the mind.
The audiobook...
Narrated with exquisite dread by (favorite), Cassandra Campbell, this is a must-listen for anyone who likes their thrillers seductive, dark, and dripping with humidity. Campbell’s narration is the 'secret sauce' here; her sultry, grounded performance turns Emily Carpenter’s prose into a living, breathing Southern Gothic nightmare.
Campbell is a legendary voice in the Southern Gothic and thriller genres! Her narration style—often described as languid, atmospheric, and soulful—is a perfect match for Emily Carpenter’s "sultry" prose.
The author and narrator perfectly nail the social chasm between the two women: Ingrid’s voice is a frayed nerve of desperation, while Sailor’s is a sultry, polished weapon of privilege.
Characters...
Ingrid, a desperate psychic, navigates her turbulent existence, grappling with her own haunting visions and unfulfilled desires. In stark contrast stands Sailor, a cunning and manipulative heiress, whose charm masks her ruthless ambition. Adding layers to this intricate story are a host of dysfunctional family members, each grappling with their own vices and secrets, further enriching this dark yet compelling exploration of wealth and morality.
The story takes a "twisted" turn as accidents and even murders begin to occur. Ingrid eventually discovers that her grandmother and the Loefflers share a dark secret past that returns to haunt her. Ingrid must confront whether her growing powers are truly witchcraft or other forces and decide how far she will go to keep the life she has built.
Savannah...
The city of Savannah itself is a central force, defined by "moss-draped oak trees," "heavy humidity," and "historic townhomes" that hide dark secrets. It is a place where "ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation.
The author uses classic Southern Gothic tropes like generational trauma, family legacies, and the sharp contrast between the "privileged elite" and the "spiritually ambitious".
Themes...
A primary theme is the blurring of boundaries—between magic and madness, "homespun witchcraft" and earthbound greed, and the "seduction and salvation" offered by the city’s upper class.
Emily Carpenter deftly explores several dark, interconnected themes typical of modern Southern Gothic suspense.
~Class and Privilege
~Obsession and Possession
~The Price of Ambition
~Magic vs. Madness
~Legacy and Family Secrets
The characters often look to magic or money as a means of salvation from their past or present failures. The atmosphere is heavy with menace, decay, and dread.
The takeaway...
The ultimate takeaway ofA Spell for Saints and Sinners is that privilege is the most dangerous kind of magic. The sultry humidity hides a hard truth: when you play with baneful magic to reach the top, you might find that the 'saints' are the most dangerous demons of all.
The ending is a macabre reminder that some legacies aren't meant to be claimed, and the price of 'belonging' might be your soul. Cassandra Campbell’s voice drops to a chilling, languid whisper in the final chapters that will leave you questioning who the true 'saints' really are.
Recs...
If you want a thriller that feels like a slow-burning fever dream, this is it. Between Carpenter's lush writing and Campbell's masterful narration, A Spell for Saints and Sinners is a must-listen for anyone who likes their Southern Gothic dark, humid, and deeply obsessive.
Special thanks to Recorded Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
March Newsletter
A Spell for Saints and Sinners and Gothictown:
While A Spell for Saints and Sinners focuses on personal obsession and modern witchcraft in Savannah, Gothictown centers on a family trapped by the sinister traditions of a small Georgia town (think Paradise). Both novels expertly use Southern Gothic tropes to explore how the past and privilege can corrupt the present.
Highly recommend both audiobooks (narrated by Cassandra Campbell). Her signature style—that rich, atmospheric quality she brings to Southern suspense—makes her a perfect match for Emily Carpenter's Gothic thrillers.
This gripping tale revolves around Ingrid White, a down-on-her-luck psychic and witch in the enchanting yet shadowy streets of Savannah. Desperate to change her fortunes, Ingrid employs dark and unpredictable magic to infiltrate the opulent world of the city's elite, particularly becoming enmeshed in the life of the wealthy heiress, Sailor Loeffler.
At its core, the story is a fascinating exploration of toxic obsession, perilous spells, and the chilling secrets that lie within families. As Ingrid navigates the treacherous waters of Savannah's high society, she finds herself ensnared in a web of intrigue, where each spell cast pulls her deeper into a world filled with danger.
The increasing intensity of her magical acts will leave readers frantically turning the pages, eager to uncover the dark truths hidden beneath the surface of glamour and privilege in this unforgettable journey.
The Vibe: A sultry, Spanish moss-draped descent into the dark heart of Savannah high society.
Highlights...
Ingrid White inherits her grandmother’s run-down townhouse and struggling psychic business in Savannah, facing crippling debt with past-due property taxes.
She performs a reading for Sailor Loeffler, a wealthy bride-to-be from a prominent family ("Savannah Sauce" empire), and becomes obsessed with her privileged life.
Sailor pulls Ingrid into her inner circle, using her for readings and companionship, while Ingrid relies on and becomes addicted to using dark spells/hexes to maintain her status.
Ingrid uses her dark, forbidden, "baneful" magic passed down by her grandmother to protect her position, while uncovering the dark, treacherous history of the Loeffler family. The line between reality and witchcraft blurs as the Loeffler family’s secrets turn dangerous.
My thoughts...
A baneful masterpiece of Southern Gothic suspense that asks: What are you willing to sacrifice to belong? In a city where ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation.
In Emily Carpenter’s sultry and sinister city of Savannah, the Spanish moss hides a hard truth: Privilege is the most dangerous magic of all.
In a hauntingly atmospheric Southern Gothic narrative, this tale delves deep into the complexities of obsession, envy, and the shadows of class disparities, all woven together by the threads of humanity's deadliest sins.
The author, at the pinnacle of her craft, brings to life a captivating array of characters that linger in the mind.
The audiobook...
Narrated with exquisite dread by (favorite), Cassandra Campbell, this is a must-listen for anyone who likes their thrillers seductive, dark, and dripping with humidity. Campbell’s narration is the 'secret sauce' here; her sultry, grounded performance turns Emily Carpenter’s prose into a living, breathing Southern Gothic nightmare.
Campbell is a legendary voice in the Southern Gothic and thriller genres! Her narration style—often described as languid, atmospheric, and soulful—is a perfect match for Emily Carpenter’s "sultry" prose.
The author and narrator perfectly nail the social chasm between the two women: Ingrid’s voice is a frayed nerve of desperation, while Sailor’s is a sultry, polished weapon of privilege.
Characters...
Ingrid, a desperate psychic, navigates her turbulent existence, grappling with her own haunting visions and unfulfilled desires. In stark contrast stands Sailor, a cunning and manipulative heiress, whose charm masks her ruthless ambition. Adding layers to this intricate story are a host of dysfunctional family members, each grappling with their own vices and secrets, further enriching this dark yet compelling exploration of wealth and morality.
The story takes a "twisted" turn as accidents and even murders begin to occur. Ingrid eventually discovers that her grandmother and the Loefflers share a dark secret past that returns to haunt her. Ingrid must confront whether her growing powers are truly witchcraft or other forces and decide how far she will go to keep the life she has built.
Savannah...
The city of Savannah itself is a central force, defined by "moss-draped oak trees," "heavy humidity," and "historic townhomes" that hide dark secrets. It is a place where "ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation.
The author uses classic Southern Gothic tropes like generational trauma, family legacies, and the sharp contrast between the "privileged elite" and the "spiritually ambitious".
Themes...
A primary theme is the blurring of boundaries—between magic and madness, "homespun witchcraft" and earthbound greed, and the "seduction and salvation" offered by the city’s upper class.
Emily Carpenter deftly explores several dark, interconnected themes typical of modern Southern Gothic suspense.
~Class and Privilege
~Obsession and Possession
~The Price of Ambition
~Magic vs. Madness
~Legacy and Family Secrets
The characters often look to magic or money as a means of salvation from their past or present failures. The atmosphere is heavy with menace, decay, and dread.
The takeaway...
The ultimate takeaway ofA Spell for Saints and Sinners is that privilege is the most dangerous kind of magic. The sultry humidity hides a hard truth: when you play with baneful magic to reach the top, you might find that the 'saints' are the most dangerous demons of all.
The ending is a macabre reminder that some legacies aren't meant to be claimed, and the price of 'belonging' might be your soul. Cassandra Campbell’s voice drops to a chilling, languid whisper in the final chapters that will leave you questioning who the true 'saints' really are.
Recs...
If you want a thriller that feels like a slow-burning fever dream, this is it. Between Carpenter's lush writing and Campbell's masterful narration, A Spell for Saints and Sinners is a must-listen for anyone who likes their Southern Gothic dark, humid, and deeply obsessive.
Special thanks to Recorded Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
March Newsletter
A Spell for Saints and Sinners and Gothictown:
While A Spell for Saints and Sinners focuses on personal obsession and modern witchcraft in Savannah, Gothictown centers on a family trapped by the sinister traditions of a small Georgia town (think Paradise). Both novels expertly use Southern Gothic tropes to explore how the past and privilege can corrupt the present.
Highly recommend both audiobooks (narrated by Cassandra Campbell). Her signature style—that rich, atmospheric quality she brings to Southern suspense—makes her a perfect match for Emily Carpenter's Gothic thrillers.
December 1, 2025
‘Like a gender-flipped You but dripping with Southern Gothic atmosphere, a young psychic on the verge of losing everything becomes obsessed with a wealthy, beautiful heiress in this clever, darkly atmospheric novel of psychological suspense set amid the lush, moss-draped beauty of Savannah.’
Unfortunately, A spell for Saints and Sinners missed the mark for me. It read like a children’s book that just so happened to be centered solely around adults. Adults who were immature in a myriad of ways; their actions, their thoughts and oh man, the dialogue... the dialogue was so cringey and painful.
Overtly cheesy, convenient and trite.
As a whole, this one was just too jejune for my personal tastes.
Thanks to NG and Kensington for this arc in exchange for review. I am always grateful.
Pub: 3.31.2026.
Unfortunately, A spell for Saints and Sinners missed the mark for me. It read like a children’s book that just so happened to be centered solely around adults. Adults who were immature in a myriad of ways; their actions, their thoughts and oh man, the dialogue... the dialogue was so cringey and painful.
Overtly cheesy, convenient and trite.
As a whole, this one was just too jejune for my personal tastes.
Thanks to NG and Kensington for this arc in exchange for review. I am always grateful.
Pub: 3.31.2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In A Spell for Saints and Sinners, Emily Carpenter basically said, what if we dropped a financially desperate baby witch into the world of Savannah’s glittering rich elite and then watched her slowly convince herself she’s not the problem. And I, personally, love a woman who makes one bad decision and then says, well, I guess I live here now.
Ingrid White is barely holding it together. She inherits her grandmother Edie’s psychic shop and townhouse, which sounds romantic until you remember property taxes exist and roofs cost money. The house is paid off but spiritually and structurally on life support. She’s clinging to Edie’s Book of spells, doing palm readings, trying to believe she has real power and not just good intuition and better vibes.
Enter Sailor Loeffler. Rich. Beautiful. Savannah royalty via the “Savannah Sauce” empire. Engaged. Magnetic in that way where you’re like, I would ruin my life for her but I would also check her credit score first. Ingrid gives Sailor a reading that hits a little too close to home and suddenly she’s not just Miss Edie’s granddaughter, she’s the personal psychic to the heiress. And let me tell you, proximity to wealth is the most intoxicating drug in this book.
The relationship between Ingrid and Sailor is where this thing really hums. It’s obsessive. It’s co-dependent. It’s giving gender flipped You but with Spanish moss and wedding planning. Ingrid starts justifying darker and darker spellwork to keep her place in Sailor’s orbit. Baneful magic. Hexes. The kind of rituals Edie explicitly warned her about. And when obstacles in Sailor’s life start disappearing, sometimes violently, Ingrid is forced to ask… is this my magic? Or is something else moving the chess pieces?
Here’s where I both loved and wanted to gently shake this book. The atmosphere? Immaculate. Savannah feels humid and haunted and socially predatory. The altar room scenes are cinematic. The class tension is sharp. You can feel how badly Ingrid wants to belong, how intoxicating it is to be chosen by someone like Sailor. That craving for validation is so real it made me uncomfortable in the best way.
But oh Ingrid. My chaotic little ethically flexible witch. She is frustrating. And I mean that with affection. She makes choices that made me physically sit up and go, Girl. GIRL. At a certain point the bad decisions stack like Jenga blocks and you’re just waiting for the whole thing to collapse. She oscillates between sympathetic and deeply delusional. Watching her convince herself she’s justified is honestly the most psychologically interesting part of the book.
If you’re expecting full blown gothic horror, this is more psychological Southern suspense with witchcraft seasoning. The horror is less ghosts jumping out and more watching a woman rationalize her descent into moral quicksand. The first chunk is a slow simmer. Once the darker turns hit, especially when accidents escalate and secrets about the Loefflers start surfacing, it gets juicier. There’s a twist toward the end that absolutely reframes things, and I gasped. Out loud. Alone. In my living room.
Where it lands at three stars for me is depth. The vibe is strong. The themes of class, power, and desperation are juicy. But some side characters hover instead of fully landing, and I wanted just a little more emotional devastation in the finale. Give me one more gut punch. Ruin me properly.
Still. A morally messy psychic. A rich heiress bride. Dark magic that may or may not be real. Generational grief. Social climbing via spellwork. That is a cocktail I will absolutely drink.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side Eye Every Rich Girl With a Wedding Pinterest Board
And a big chaotic thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. You handed me a humid little spiral of witchcraft and social climbing and said, have fun. I did. Even while I was yelling.
Ingrid White is barely holding it together. She inherits her grandmother Edie’s psychic shop and townhouse, which sounds romantic until you remember property taxes exist and roofs cost money. The house is paid off but spiritually and structurally on life support. She’s clinging to Edie’s Book of spells, doing palm readings, trying to believe she has real power and not just good intuition and better vibes.
Enter Sailor Loeffler. Rich. Beautiful. Savannah royalty via the “Savannah Sauce” empire. Engaged. Magnetic in that way where you’re like, I would ruin my life for her but I would also check her credit score first. Ingrid gives Sailor a reading that hits a little too close to home and suddenly she’s not just Miss Edie’s granddaughter, she’s the personal psychic to the heiress. And let me tell you, proximity to wealth is the most intoxicating drug in this book.
The relationship between Ingrid and Sailor is where this thing really hums. It’s obsessive. It’s co-dependent. It’s giving gender flipped You but with Spanish moss and wedding planning. Ingrid starts justifying darker and darker spellwork to keep her place in Sailor’s orbit. Baneful magic. Hexes. The kind of rituals Edie explicitly warned her about. And when obstacles in Sailor’s life start disappearing, sometimes violently, Ingrid is forced to ask… is this my magic? Or is something else moving the chess pieces?
Here’s where I both loved and wanted to gently shake this book. The atmosphere? Immaculate. Savannah feels humid and haunted and socially predatory. The altar room scenes are cinematic. The class tension is sharp. You can feel how badly Ingrid wants to belong, how intoxicating it is to be chosen by someone like Sailor. That craving for validation is so real it made me uncomfortable in the best way.
But oh Ingrid. My chaotic little ethically flexible witch. She is frustrating. And I mean that with affection. She makes choices that made me physically sit up and go, Girl. GIRL. At a certain point the bad decisions stack like Jenga blocks and you’re just waiting for the whole thing to collapse. She oscillates between sympathetic and deeply delusional. Watching her convince herself she’s justified is honestly the most psychologically interesting part of the book.
If you’re expecting full blown gothic horror, this is more psychological Southern suspense with witchcraft seasoning. The horror is less ghosts jumping out and more watching a woman rationalize her descent into moral quicksand. The first chunk is a slow simmer. Once the darker turns hit, especially when accidents escalate and secrets about the Loefflers start surfacing, it gets juicier. There’s a twist toward the end that absolutely reframes things, and I gasped. Out loud. Alone. In my living room.
Where it lands at three stars for me is depth. The vibe is strong. The themes of class, power, and desperation are juicy. But some side characters hover instead of fully landing, and I wanted just a little more emotional devastation in the finale. Give me one more gut punch. Ruin me properly.
Still. A morally messy psychic. A rich heiress bride. Dark magic that may or may not be real. Generational grief. Social climbing via spellwork. That is a cocktail I will absolutely drink.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side Eye Every Rich Girl With a Wedding Pinterest Board
And a big chaotic thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. You handed me a humid little spiral of witchcraft and social climbing and said, have fun. I did. Even while I was yelling.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A dread-fueled story that mixed a Southern Gothic atmosphere with both psychological suspense and social commentary, A Spell for Saints and Sinners was layered with a sinister feel and plenty of side-eye-inducing suspicion. Leading with a strong sense of foreboding as the thought-provoking themes went to work on my brain, I was easily wrapped up in this supernatural-lite tale. You see, this book did a magical job at exploring family, ambition, privilege, and class tension with a satirical brush. I do have to say, though, that the evocative prose was the strongest part of this novel. Carving a lush, eerie landscape out of words, Savannah came to life right before my eyes. On top of that, the final twist was a true *mic drop* type move. Flipping the script 180 degrees, my jaw was on the floor as a big, giant grin took over my face. After all, I didn’t see this mind-blowing reveal coming at all.
There were, sadly, a few things that irked me just a bit. Topping the list was the slow-burning pace and brief, abrupt ending. While the sedateness did drive home the steamy, moss-covered Southern atmosphere, it made me yearn for more action. When it finally arrived, though, it came and went in the blink of an eye. Don’t get me wrong, I ate up every word of this 400+ page novel. Thanks to a flawed narrator with a sad past and a motley crew of characters who ran the gamut from likable to outright villains, I was quickly pulled into their world. It was, however, the found family vibe that drove this book home and had me ripping out my hair towards the end. You see, between the Loefflers’ dysfunctional family behavior and Ingrid’s morally gray decisions, who to root for had me going insane. All told, while it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed every word. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted sign: Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she’s going to lose them both.
Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling…Until Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty—part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining—and Ingrid’s reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be’s confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells—using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.
As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers’ inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they’ve always wanted…
Thank you Emily Carpenter and Kensington Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: March 31, 2026
Content warning: abandonment, infidelity, getting drugged, alcoholism, blood, murder, mention of: bullying, adult/minor relationship
There were, sadly, a few things that irked me just a bit. Topping the list was the slow-burning pace and brief, abrupt ending. While the sedateness did drive home the steamy, moss-covered Southern atmosphere, it made me yearn for more action. When it finally arrived, though, it came and went in the blink of an eye. Don’t get me wrong, I ate up every word of this 400+ page novel. Thanks to a flawed narrator with a sad past and a motley crew of characters who ran the gamut from likable to outright villains, I was quickly pulled into their world. It was, however, the found family vibe that drove this book home and had me ripping out my hair towards the end. You see, between the Loefflers’ dysfunctional family behavior and Ingrid’s morally gray decisions, who to root for had me going insane. All told, while it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed every word. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted sign: Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she’s going to lose them both.
Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling…Until Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty—part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining—and Ingrid’s reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be’s confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells—using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.
As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers’ inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they’ve always wanted…
Thank you Emily Carpenter and Kensington Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: March 31, 2026
Content warning: abandonment, infidelity, getting drugged, alcoholism, blood, murder, mention of: bullying, adult/minor relationship
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Emily Carpenter’s “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” casts you into an evocative version of Savannah, which is humid, haunted, and brimming with secrets, where psychic Ingrid White is barely holding her life together. After inheriting her grandmother’s shop and legacy, Ingrid is desperate to preserve both her reputation and her roof. When a reading for wealthy heiress Sailor Loeffler opens the door to steady income, Ingrid grabs hold, even if it means wading into deeper, darker magic than she ever intended. What follows is a tale of ambition, class divides, and the messy moral choices made when survival and power begin to blur.
Carpenter writes Ingrid as a compellingly flawed protagonist; she is determined, lonely, and willing to cross lines in ways that both frustrate and fascinate. Her relationship with Sailor forms the story’s emotional center: part lifeline, part trap. Sailor’s lavish but rotten world contrasts sharply with Ingrid’s precarious reality, and their dynamic raises the stakes as favors turn into demands and magic becomes a currency Ingrid can’t quite control. Their connection often lands somewhere between dependence and obsession, giving the story its slow-burning tension.
Atmosphere is one of the story’s strongest spells. Carpenter paints Savannah with lush, sensory prose: crumbling storefronts, moss-choked cemeteries, dimly lit altar rooms where power and belief intersect. The supernatural elements are relatively restrained as they’re more like a flickering suggestion than full-blown horror, but I still found myself drawn in by the suspense. If you’re looking for an overt gothic terror, then you may feel underwhelmed, especially as the mounting dread comes more from social pressure and moral decay than specters or scares.
The pacing shifts throughout: the opening grips tightly, immersing you in Ingrid’s world and the eerie implications of her spellwork, but the middle sections wander as plot threads multiply and not all are fully resolved. Some character relationships feel told rather than shown, and secondary figures, particularly those outside the Ingrid–Sailor orbit, could have benefitted from more development. Still, the story delivers twists that genuinely surprise, even if the ending felt a bit abrupt.
What lingers after closing the book is less the magic itself and more what it represents: the choices we make when pushed to the brink, the way power seduces and corrodes, and the cost of wanting something, like security, love, belonging, badly enough to bargain with forces we barely understand.
Overall, “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” is a moody Southern Gothic thriller where psychic visions mix with class tensions and moral compromise. Though not as haunting as its setting might suggest, it offers an atmospheric, twisty exploration of ambition, desperation, and the shadows cast by privilege. This book is perfect for those who love flawed heroines, murky magic, and stories where the biggest mysteries aren’t always supernatural.
Emily Carpenter’s “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” casts you into an evocative version of Savannah, which is humid, haunted, and brimming with secrets, where psychic Ingrid White is barely holding her life together. After inheriting her grandmother’s shop and legacy, Ingrid is desperate to preserve both her reputation and her roof. When a reading for wealthy heiress Sailor Loeffler opens the door to steady income, Ingrid grabs hold, even if it means wading into deeper, darker magic than she ever intended. What follows is a tale of ambition, class divides, and the messy moral choices made when survival and power begin to blur.
Carpenter writes Ingrid as a compellingly flawed protagonist; she is determined, lonely, and willing to cross lines in ways that both frustrate and fascinate. Her relationship with Sailor forms the story’s emotional center: part lifeline, part trap. Sailor’s lavish but rotten world contrasts sharply with Ingrid’s precarious reality, and their dynamic raises the stakes as favors turn into demands and magic becomes a currency Ingrid can’t quite control. Their connection often lands somewhere between dependence and obsession, giving the story its slow-burning tension.
Atmosphere is one of the story’s strongest spells. Carpenter paints Savannah with lush, sensory prose: crumbling storefronts, moss-choked cemeteries, dimly lit altar rooms where power and belief intersect. The supernatural elements are relatively restrained as they’re more like a flickering suggestion than full-blown horror, but I still found myself drawn in by the suspense. If you’re looking for an overt gothic terror, then you may feel underwhelmed, especially as the mounting dread comes more from social pressure and moral decay than specters or scares.
The pacing shifts throughout: the opening grips tightly, immersing you in Ingrid’s world and the eerie implications of her spellwork, but the middle sections wander as plot threads multiply and not all are fully resolved. Some character relationships feel told rather than shown, and secondary figures, particularly those outside the Ingrid–Sailor orbit, could have benefitted from more development. Still, the story delivers twists that genuinely surprise, even if the ending felt a bit abrupt.
What lingers after closing the book is less the magic itself and more what it represents: the choices we make when pushed to the brink, the way power seduces and corrodes, and the cost of wanting something, like security, love, belonging, badly enough to bargain with forces we barely understand.
Overall, “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” is a moody Southern Gothic thriller where psychic visions mix with class tensions and moral compromise. Though not as haunting as its setting might suggest, it offers an atmospheric, twisty exploration of ambition, desperation, and the shadows cast by privilege. This book is perfect for those who love flawed heroines, murky magic, and stories where the biggest mysteries aren’t always supernatural.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
If you are going to promise me a gender-flipped version of "You" with Gothic elements you have to bring it. I don't know what this was, but it was not that and I got to 49 percent before I DNFed this book. I just could not and would not go on. I got to chapter 32 and said that's it. I don't care enough about any of these one note characters and just hope something bad happens to mostly every character at this point.
The overall plot to A Spell for Saints and Sinners is that Ingrid needs money to save her grandmother's house and then managing to do a fortune for the town's rich girl, named Sailor and becoming her new best friend (pet) just didn't bring it at all. And when Sailor decides that she's going to bring Ingrid into her inner circle to push her to more fame and fortune, Ingrid decides she will do whatever it takes to stay Sailor's true best friend.
Ingrid was annoying and kept saying "Oh Goddess" every five seconds that I started having flashbacks to 50 Shades of Grey. It didn't help that every man in the area was in love with her it seemed. And I know it wasn't supposed to be funny, but the book synopsis calls Ingrid a psychic, but the actual book has her calling herself a witch and she goes around just telling people I am a witch. I don't know why, but it made me crack up each time.
And her so called best friendship with Sailor was aggravating. Neither one of them seemed to have any coping mechanisms. We hear about Ingrid's other friendship with her roommate and others and it felt like every chapter she was discovering people had feelings. Not one person felt even a trinkle developed while I was reading this.
I also am ticked that I got told there's Gothic horror elements in this. Not so far. This is just magical realism (which I love) that is not exactly done to perfection either, but it's definitely not Gothic horror.
The flow was bad. I am at 49 percent and it just kept going on and on. I guess I am supposed to care that Ingrid is now in with the rich but there's no tension. Just scenes of her going from place to place and not wanting her poor friend's to embarrass her.
All that to say, not really worth it to me to read to the end for a twist some readers called out.
If you are going to promise me a gender-flipped version of "You" with Gothic elements you have to bring it. I don't know what this was, but it was not that and I got to 49 percent before I DNFed this book. I just could not and would not go on. I got to chapter 32 and said that's it. I don't care enough about any of these one note characters and just hope something bad happens to mostly every character at this point.
The overall plot to A Spell for Saints and Sinners is that Ingrid needs money to save her grandmother's house and then managing to do a fortune for the town's rich girl, named Sailor and becoming her new best friend (pet) just didn't bring it at all. And when Sailor decides that she's going to bring Ingrid into her inner circle to push her to more fame and fortune, Ingrid decides she will do whatever it takes to stay Sailor's true best friend.
Ingrid was annoying and kept saying "Oh Goddess" every five seconds that I started having flashbacks to 50 Shades of Grey. It didn't help that every man in the area was in love with her it seemed. And I know it wasn't supposed to be funny, but the book synopsis calls Ingrid a psychic, but the actual book has her calling herself a witch and she goes around just telling people I am a witch. I don't know why, but it made me crack up each time.
And her so called best friendship with Sailor was aggravating. Neither one of them seemed to have any coping mechanisms. We hear about Ingrid's other friendship with her roommate and others and it felt like every chapter she was discovering people had feelings. Not one person felt even a trinkle developed while I was reading this.
I also am ticked that I got told there's Gothic horror elements in this. Not so far. This is just magical realism (which I love) that is not exactly done to perfection either, but it's definitely not Gothic horror.
The flow was bad. I am at 49 percent and it just kept going on and on. I guess I am supposed to care that Ingrid is now in with the rich but there's no tension. Just scenes of her going from place to place and not wanting her poor friend's to embarrass her.
All that to say, not really worth it to me to read to the end for a twist some readers called out.
November 1, 2025
A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter is a psychological Southern Gothic about just how far one psychic is willing to go for money and friendship.
Ingrid White has inherited her grandmother’s psychic business after she passes away, leaving her with a cryptic message. Ingrid is struggling to make ends meet until a wealthy Savannah heiress, Sailor Loeffler receives a psychic reading and immediately hires Ingrid to be her personal fortune teller. Ingrid is financially desperate and willing to do Sailor’s bidding, even if it involves dark magic. As Ingrid becomes tangled in the seedy web of Sailor’s wealthy family, she discovers that her grandmother and the Loefflers have a shared past that comes back to haunt Ingrid with a vengeance.
I always enjoy a good psychic thriller, and this book definitely checked the box. I thought Ingrid was a strong complex character whose desperation for acceptance and money made her do some unethical things which made the stakes high in this story. Sailor’s dysfunctional family and privilege was a good contrast to Ingrid’s situation. There was always a feeling that something sinister was going on as the Loeffler’s were written with a lot of suspicion.
Despite the supernatural aspects being pretty tame, it was the thrilling backstabbing and whodunnit elements that pulled me into this story. I do think the ending could have been better and I almost wish there was something paranormal that was ultimately responsible. I also think some of the characters could have been explored a little more such as Cas and Edie. The twists genuinely shocked me and overall I think the author could have played up the spooky things of Savannah a bit more.
This book reminded me of the Netflix movie The Perfect Couple, but with a psychic element.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers about the wealthy, and are looking for a supernatural twist, I would recommend A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Ingrid White has inherited her grandmother’s psychic business after she passes away, leaving her with a cryptic message. Ingrid is struggling to make ends meet until a wealthy Savannah heiress, Sailor Loeffler receives a psychic reading and immediately hires Ingrid to be her personal fortune teller. Ingrid is financially desperate and willing to do Sailor’s bidding, even if it involves dark magic. As Ingrid becomes tangled in the seedy web of Sailor’s wealthy family, she discovers that her grandmother and the Loefflers have a shared past that comes back to haunt Ingrid with a vengeance.
I always enjoy a good psychic thriller, and this book definitely checked the box. I thought Ingrid was a strong complex character whose desperation for acceptance and money made her do some unethical things which made the stakes high in this story. Sailor’s dysfunctional family and privilege was a good contrast to Ingrid’s situation. There was always a feeling that something sinister was going on as the Loeffler’s were written with a lot of suspicion.
Despite the supernatural aspects being pretty tame, it was the thrilling backstabbing and whodunnit elements that pulled me into this story. I do think the ending could have been better and I almost wish there was something paranormal that was ultimately responsible. I also think some of the characters could have been explored a little more such as Cas and Edie. The twists genuinely shocked me and overall I think the author could have played up the spooky things of Savannah a bit more.
This book reminded me of the Netflix movie The Perfect Couple, but with a psychic element.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers about the wealthy, and are looking for a supernatural twist, I would recommend A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
February 14, 2026
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Some people will burn it all down just so they can rise from the ashes.
I have a sick fascination with protagonists who truly believe they’re in the right while ruining their (and everyone else’s) lives. Ingrid falls firmly into that category, but I don’t think she got there on her own; the people she surrounded herself with as a young adult, particularly Miles, made her believe she was much more powerful than she actually was. Once Ingrid meets Sailor and gets involved with the Loefflers, it only gets worse. She has a group of incredibly rich fanatics feeding into her delusions of grandeur - paying for her life, treating her to expensive gifts and getaways - and when that attention stops, she’ll do anything to get it back because she has come to think of it as her right.
I will say that it’s difficult to sympathize with Ingrid, even at her lowest, because she reaches a point about halfway through the book where a lot of the bad things happening to her are simply the consequences of her own actions. She picks up and discards people as she needs them, can’t decide which man she wants (because she can’t decide which man will give her more power), refuses any help she may get if it doesn’t fit into “the Goddess’s” (her) vision, and becomes so drunk on her own power at one point she attempts to curse a child before she’s stopped. That’s not to say the people around her are paragons of virtue, entirely undeserving of the pain and suffering she inflicts (aside from her neighbors. I think her neighbors were just trying to help.), but one person does not have the right to play judge, jury, and executioner. (Although it does make for a deliciously twisted plot.)
This was my first Emily Carpenter book, and while I was interested, I felt a bit misled. It was advertised as a gothic horror…which it is not. There are mentions of ghosts and some grisly scenes, but it reads more like a mystery with a foreboding atmosphere than a true spine-chiller. That said, there’s definitely a market for that type of book, and I enjoyed it! Just not as much as I probably would have if it had been marketed correctly.
Some people will burn it all down just so they can rise from the ashes.
I have a sick fascination with protagonists who truly believe they’re in the right while ruining their (and everyone else’s) lives. Ingrid falls firmly into that category, but I don’t think she got there on her own; the people she surrounded herself with as a young adult, particularly Miles, made her believe she was much more powerful than she actually was. Once Ingrid meets Sailor and gets involved with the Loefflers, it only gets worse. She has a group of incredibly rich fanatics feeding into her delusions of grandeur - paying for her life, treating her to expensive gifts and getaways - and when that attention stops, she’ll do anything to get it back because she has come to think of it as her right.
I will say that it’s difficult to sympathize with Ingrid, even at her lowest, because she reaches a point about halfway through the book where a lot of the bad things happening to her are simply the consequences of her own actions. She picks up and discards people as she needs them, can’t decide which man she wants (because she can’t decide which man will give her more power), refuses any help she may get if it doesn’t fit into “the Goddess’s” (her) vision, and becomes so drunk on her own power at one point she attempts to curse a child before she’s stopped. That’s not to say the people around her are paragons of virtue, entirely undeserving of the pain and suffering she inflicts (aside from her neighbors. I think her neighbors were just trying to help.), but one person does not have the right to play judge, jury, and executioner. (Although it does make for a deliciously twisted plot.)
This was my first Emily Carpenter book, and while I was interested, I felt a bit misled. It was advertised as a gothic horror…which it is not. There are mentions of ghosts and some grisly scenes, but it reads more like a mystery with a foreboding atmosphere than a true spine-chiller. That said, there’s definitely a market for that type of book, and I enjoyed it! Just not as much as I probably would have if it had been marketed correctly.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.75 STARS
TW: panic attacks/ disorder, child abandonment, terminal illness (cancer), death of parent/ guardian, grief, death, murder, blood
As interesting as the plot and setup of this book was, something was lost in translation for me as this book progressed. I’m not very used to reading books of this genre but I have read enough thrillers to see that something here was slightly off. Maybe its simply my own personal feeling, but as interesting as these characters where and as good as the chemistry was, there were too many moments where I couldn’t convince myself to believe in the character’s actions. This happened so often and disrupted what otherwise was very good character work.
I always enjoy the rich/ poor character dynamic, and this was done very well to the point of being shocking at times. The magic was very cool, I loved the descriptions of the work and the MC’s connection to it. Author also did a wonderful job at painting the scenes of the town, making the settings very palatable and enjoyable. Many plot points were interesting and well written but the pacing meandered a bit too much for my taste and the complications with the characters made it so difficult for me to empathize with them. Just before the ending, the story certainly picks up, I just wish I didn’t feel like there were so many conveniently loose threads, threads that don’t actually get tied up by the end.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
TW: panic attacks/ disorder, child abandonment, terminal illness (cancer), death of parent/ guardian, grief, death, murder, blood
Nobody was one thing, were they? Wealthy, poor, bully… witch. People were complicated.
As interesting as the plot and setup of this book was, something was lost in translation for me as this book progressed. I’m not very used to reading books of this genre but I have read enough thrillers to see that something here was slightly off. Maybe its simply my own personal feeling, but as interesting as these characters where and as good as the chemistry was, there were too many moments where I couldn’t convince myself to believe in the character’s actions. This happened so often and disrupted what otherwise was very good character work.
He’d always looked at her like she was something out his reach. No one had ever looked at her that way. And part of her liked it. Really liked it.
I always enjoy the rich/ poor character dynamic, and this was done very well to the point of being shocking at times. The magic was very cool, I loved the descriptions of the work and the MC’s connection to it. Author also did a wonderful job at painting the scenes of the town, making the settings very palatable and enjoyable. Many plot points were interesting and well written but the pacing meandered a bit too much for my taste and the complications with the characters made it so difficult for me to empathize with them. Just before the ending, the story certainly picks up, I just wish I didn’t feel like there were so many conveniently loose threads, threads that don’t actually get tied up by the end.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ingrid is a seer, medium, and witch. Running her late grandmother's psychic business is not quite making ends meet. Until Sailor comes into her life. Sailor Loeffler is one of the heirs of a huge Savannah local company, and the reading that Ingrid does for her as part of her bachelorette party leads to Sailor bringing Ingrid into the fold. She pays off Ingrid's property taxes, pays for the remodeling of Ingrid's apartment, and invites Ingrid to live with her in the family mansion while the remodeling is taking place. Ingrid is riding high on the high life, benefiting from Sailor's family wealth, and netting $1000 weekly as payment for being Sailor's on-call seer and witch. But while the grass is often greener on the other side of the fence, it's usually because there's something buried underneath. Everything might not be all sunshine and roses for Ingrid, as long as she stays within reach of the Loeffler family.
I was completely baffled as to why this book was categorized as a mystery/thriller until about 75% in when the mystery actually takes place, and it's very clear from the beginning of the incident "whodunit". Until that point it seemed to be more of a class/family drama. The Loeffler family has very few redeeming qualities, and beyond the money I do not understand why Ingrid was so drawn to them and so desperate to be within their sphere. Particularly after she learns the history between them and her family. Throughout the book Ingrid is naive and spineless, just constantly yearning to be near "the light" that is the Loeffler family.
The narrator was good, but lacking in the southern drawl one would expect for lifelong Savannah natives (all of the characters save 1) to have. It was particularly noticeable when the text indicated something was said with a particularly strong drawl, because it usually hadn't been.
I received an ARC of this audiobook from #NetGalley
I was completely baffled as to why this book was categorized as a mystery/thriller until about 75% in when the mystery actually takes place, and it's very clear from the beginning of the incident "whodunit". Until that point it seemed to be more of a class/family drama. The Loeffler family has very few redeeming qualities, and beyond the money I do not understand why Ingrid was so drawn to them and so desperate to be within their sphere. Particularly after she learns the history between them and her family. Throughout the book Ingrid is naive and spineless, just constantly yearning to be near "the light" that is the Loeffler family.
The narrator was good, but lacking in the southern drawl one would expect for lifelong Savannah natives (all of the characters save 1) to have. It was particularly noticeable when the text indicated something was said with a particularly strong drawl, because it usually hadn't been.
I received an ARC of this audiobook from #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
Ingrid White's grandmother Edie dies, leaving her the Savannah townhouse and her business that she ran from it as a psychic. However, due to mounting debts, costly home repairs, and lack of income coming in, Ingrid is in danger of losing it all. Then one day Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party stops by so that Sailor can get a reading. Sailor & her family are local celebrities - part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, Ingrid's reading is so spot-on that Sailor immediately takes Ingrid under her wing, paying to have renovations done to Ingrids's home, introducing her to all of her and her famiily's rich and powerful friends to give her a bounty of new clients, to inviting her on trips and having her stay with her until the wedding. Ingrid is elated with her good fortune. So what if Sailor keeps asking for Ingrid to cast little spells here and there to help the wedding of her dreams come true. But when Sailor asks Ingrid to do rhe unthinkable, and Ingrid balks, Sailor threatens to take everything away. So Ingrid agrees...and then when the consequences hit the fan, and Sailor throws her under the bus, Ingrid will do anything to get that friendship back.
This book was excellent. It was very long... 432 pages...but that was the only downside to this book. It was like a disaster that you can't look away from. You are horror-struck, and helpfess to do anything, but you can't tear yourself away either. I kept wanting to reach through the book and shake Ingrid and tell her to just stop already! But of course, I couldn't, and Ingrid was bent on self-destruction. I don't know when I have ever seen any one person make so many terrible choices in that short of a timespan. Bless her heart. I highly recommend this one!
Ingrid White's grandmother Edie dies, leaving her the Savannah townhouse and her business that she ran from it as a psychic. However, due to mounting debts, costly home repairs, and lack of income coming in, Ingrid is in danger of losing it all. Then one day Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party stops by so that Sailor can get a reading. Sailor & her family are local celebrities - part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, Ingrid's reading is so spot-on that Sailor immediately takes Ingrid under her wing, paying to have renovations done to Ingrids's home, introducing her to all of her and her famiily's rich and powerful friends to give her a bounty of new clients, to inviting her on trips and having her stay with her until the wedding. Ingrid is elated with her good fortune. So what if Sailor keeps asking for Ingrid to cast little spells here and there to help the wedding of her dreams come true. But when Sailor asks Ingrid to do rhe unthinkable, and Ingrid balks, Sailor threatens to take everything away. So Ingrid agrees...and then when the consequences hit the fan, and Sailor throws her under the bus, Ingrid will do anything to get that friendship back.
This book was excellent. It was very long... 432 pages...but that was the only downside to this book. It was like a disaster that you can't look away from. You are horror-struck, and helpfess to do anything, but you can't tear yourself away either. I kept wanting to reach through the book and shake Ingrid and tell her to just stop already! But of course, I couldn't, and Ingrid was bent on self-destruction. I don't know when I have ever seen any one person make so many terrible choices in that short of a timespan. Bless her heart. I highly recommend this one!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was kind of like reading a good old V.C. Andrews 80s melodrama. You know how we all read those back when we were teenagers and secretly felt thrilled at the guilty secret of them? Deep down we knew they were trashy but still had some fun with them? Well, that’s kind of the feeling I got from this novel. It’s sort of billed as a gothic horror but it barely grazes the horror aspect.
As an adult it doesn’t quite work for me as the characterizations were tragically typical and unoriginal. Absolutely none of them were likable for me, and some were excruciating in their over-wrought villainy. As a whole they seemed remarkably thick in their actions and reactions to events happening around them.
It’s got that whole southern gothic trope thing going for it: deep secrets, dysfunctional family that are all pretty much abhorrent. A stupid, naïve young woman who is a “psychic-witch” who gets swept up in the money and privilege of a wealthy Savannah family dynasty that’s laced with all the stereotypes and rather predictable.
The main character is Ingrid, our psychic, whose desperation to be a part of this wealthy family is cringy and cloying. She’s stunningly dense when it comes to the motivations of the family she so desperately wants to join and honestly, I didn’t give a fig whether she wound up a victim of their machinations or not.
It wasn’t absolutely horrible, and as long as I pretended I was still a fourteen-year-old, it was just entertaining enough – mostly because I had a mild curiosity to see what other silliness could be added to the rather chaotic plot.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily; all opinions are my own.
As an adult it doesn’t quite work for me as the characterizations were tragically typical and unoriginal. Absolutely none of them were likable for me, and some were excruciating in their over-wrought villainy. As a whole they seemed remarkably thick in their actions and reactions to events happening around them.
It’s got that whole southern gothic trope thing going for it: deep secrets, dysfunctional family that are all pretty much abhorrent. A stupid, naïve young woman who is a “psychic-witch” who gets swept up in the money and privilege of a wealthy Savannah family dynasty that’s laced with all the stereotypes and rather predictable.
The main character is Ingrid, our psychic, whose desperation to be a part of this wealthy family is cringy and cloying. She’s stunningly dense when it comes to the motivations of the family she so desperately wants to join and honestly, I didn’t give a fig whether she wound up a victim of their machinations or not.
It wasn’t absolutely horrible, and as long as I pretended I was still a fourteen-year-old, it was just entertaining enough – mostly because I had a mild curiosity to see what other silliness could be added to the rather chaotic plot.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily; all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 Stars, rounded up.
Once I picked this book up, I found myself unable to put it down. I was as enmired in its twists and turns as Ingrid.
I have never visited Savannah, but the vivid setting descriptions made me feel as though I was there. The time and research put into describing Ingrid’s practice and beliefs was evident, and in my opinion, very well done. The ambiguity of the success of her spells versus the actions of other characters was really interesting and I’d love to have explored that even more.
I had hoped for an additional twist that Ingrid’s sinner was Sailor or Scoot, to add another level to the intrigue and frankly messed up family dynamics. I also wish we had seen more of Ingrid’s messages with her sinner to really sell why she became so enamored with him, and in turn obsessed with Cas. I am also a romantic at heart, but it took some suspension of disbelief.
There were times where I felt like I was told more than shown, especially in relation to Ingrid’s feelings toward her circumstances (and her willingness to go along with the Loefflers). She gets caught up in everything very easily, which makes her seem naive at times. Regardless, seeing her come into confidence, gain closure for Edie’s death, and secure her future was immensely satisfying. I also hope she continues to build her friendship with her neighbors, community is everything.
The Miles reveal had my jaw on the floor, but made complete sense in hindsight. Ingrid doing what was right by Boney and for Edie was very satisfying. Is it wrong I want her to go on to solve more murders with Detective Shannon? I think their dynamic would be very fun.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Once I picked this book up, I found myself unable to put it down. I was as enmired in its twists and turns as Ingrid.
I have never visited Savannah, but the vivid setting descriptions made me feel as though I was there. The time and research put into describing Ingrid’s practice and beliefs was evident, and in my opinion, very well done. The ambiguity of the success of her spells versus the actions of other characters was really interesting and I’d love to have explored that even more.
I had hoped for an additional twist that Ingrid’s sinner was Sailor or Scoot, to add another level to the intrigue and frankly messed up family dynamics. I also wish we had seen more of Ingrid’s messages with her sinner to really sell why she became so enamored with him, and in turn obsessed with Cas. I am also a romantic at heart, but it took some suspension of disbelief.
There were times where I felt like I was told more than shown, especially in relation to Ingrid’s feelings toward her circumstances (and her willingness to go along with the Loefflers). She gets caught up in everything very easily, which makes her seem naive at times. Regardless, seeing her come into confidence, gain closure for Edie’s death, and secure her future was immensely satisfying. I also hope she continues to build her friendship with her neighbors, community is everything.
The Miles reveal had my jaw on the floor, but made complete sense in hindsight. Ingrid doing what was right by Boney and for Edie was very satisfying. Is it wrong I want her to go on to solve more murders with Detective Shannon? I think their dynamic would be very fun.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.*
Let me start by saying that the premise, setting, and overall vibe promised in this novel’s blurb are genuinely intriguing. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to those expectations; in fact, it fell quite flat.
We follow Edie, a psychic who struggles to distinguish between friend and foe, and who becomes fixated on an heiress who clearly only tolerates her when it’s convenient. Along the way, we meet a cast of characters that feel more like clichés than fully realized people: the father with an unsettling interest in younger girls from the same family, the overly religious brother, the stereotypically jealous rich mother, and the ever-supportive housemate. None of them are particularly compelling, and most of their actions are easy to predict.
The book is marketed as a gender-flipped "You" meets "Saltburn" in a Southern Gothic horror setting, but what we get instead is a story weighed down by one-note characters and a plot that drags on far too long. At times, reading it felt more like a chore than an engaging experience.
Harsh? Maybe. But when a book promises one thing and delivers something entirely different, disappointment is inevitable. That said, I do think there’s an audience for this novel.
My advice for those readers would be to go in without expectations; ignore the comparisons and experience it on its own terms. You might enjoy it much more that way.
Let me start by saying that the premise, setting, and overall vibe promised in this novel’s blurb are genuinely intriguing. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to those expectations; in fact, it fell quite flat.
We follow Edie, a psychic who struggles to distinguish between friend and foe, and who becomes fixated on an heiress who clearly only tolerates her when it’s convenient. Along the way, we meet a cast of characters that feel more like clichés than fully realized people: the father with an unsettling interest in younger girls from the same family, the overly religious brother, the stereotypically jealous rich mother, and the ever-supportive housemate. None of them are particularly compelling, and most of their actions are easy to predict.
The book is marketed as a gender-flipped "You" meets "Saltburn" in a Southern Gothic horror setting, but what we get instead is a story weighed down by one-note characters and a plot that drags on far too long. At times, reading it felt more like a chore than an engaging experience.
Harsh? Maybe. But when a book promises one thing and delivers something entirely different, disappointment is inevitable. That said, I do think there’s an audience for this novel.
My advice for those readers would be to go in without expectations; ignore the comparisons and experience it on its own terms. You might enjoy it much more that way.
March 25, 2026
Southern gothic atmosphere with witchcraft, secrets, and the blurred lines between magic and desperation.
Carpenter transported me to Savannah with a heady atmosphere that combined charm and sinister undertones perfectly. This was my favorite element of the book.
Ingrid White inherited her grandmother's psychic business but was drowning in debt. When she gave an uncannily accurate reading to Sailor Loeffler, a bride-to-be from Savannah's wealthy elite, she became part of the inner circle. To keep that access and all its privileges, Ingrid turned to darker magic - the kind her grandmother warned against.
The book explores deep emotions of abandonment and the need to belong. Ingrid's actions made me cringe at times - her desperation to be part of friendships and relationships blinded her to the bigger picture. She's a difficult character to connect with because her choices felt extreme. But I empathized with her loneliness, especially the kind that comes from a parent leaving you. I know that feeling.
I loved the witchcraft ambiguity. Is it real magic or something else? The book made me question and double back, especially when revelations came to light.
The twist caught me completely off guard. Family drama, complex relationships and buried secrets unraveled in ways I didn't expect. The ending felt rushed, though. I experienced frustration, pity, and ultimately relief when she let go.
You'll love this if: You want southern gothic atmosphere, witchcraft with moral ambiguity, and flawed protagonists making questionable choices.
Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the advance copy.
Carpenter transported me to Savannah with a heady atmosphere that combined charm and sinister undertones perfectly. This was my favorite element of the book.
Ingrid White inherited her grandmother's psychic business but was drowning in debt. When she gave an uncannily accurate reading to Sailor Loeffler, a bride-to-be from Savannah's wealthy elite, she became part of the inner circle. To keep that access and all its privileges, Ingrid turned to darker magic - the kind her grandmother warned against.
The book explores deep emotions of abandonment and the need to belong. Ingrid's actions made me cringe at times - her desperation to be part of friendships and relationships blinded her to the bigger picture. She's a difficult character to connect with because her choices felt extreme. But I empathized with her loneliness, especially the kind that comes from a parent leaving you. I know that feeling.
I loved the witchcraft ambiguity. Is it real magic or something else? The book made me question and double back, especially when revelations came to light.
The twist caught me completely off guard. Family drama, complex relationships and buried secrets unraveled in ways I didn't expect. The ending felt rushed, though. I experienced frustration, pity, and ultimately relief when she let go.
You'll love this if: You want southern gothic atmosphere, witchcraft with moral ambiguity, and flawed protagonists making questionable choices.
Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was so excited to get approved for the Netgalley Audio ARC of A Spell For Saints And Sinners. This book promised all the elements of what I normally look for in a book! Gothic Horror Thriller with Psychic elements.
I will start by mentioning the pacing of this book. I STRUGGLED to get into this. It did not pick up until well into the second half of the book. I wouldn't even say the first half fit the described genre. We had mostly family drama. I did get into the last 25%.
The Characters in this book were also really hard to care about. They were very surface level and all kind of sucked lol. The relationship between the MC and one of the Laughlers also gave me huge ick. Sleeping with multiple generations of the main characters female family members. I can not for the life of me figure out why the main character even wanted to be apart of the Laughlers family. I qm not sure why she even wanted to be besties with Sailor beyond the money aspect. I had a hard time understanding the main characters thought processes. Maybe it was the immaturity of the main character but there were just so many moments I didnt get her motives.
The who dun it moment was enjoyable and I was invested once the plot points started moving. Even though predictable it was the most enjoyable part to the story.
I thought the narrator did a good job but I think the narrator was a strange choice when they are described as having Southern accents.
I think this book could be enjoyable to another audience but I expected more of the Gothic, Thriller, Horror aspects earlier in the story.
I will start by mentioning the pacing of this book. I STRUGGLED to get into this. It did not pick up until well into the second half of the book. I wouldn't even say the first half fit the described genre. We had mostly family drama. I did get into the last 25%.
The Characters in this book were also really hard to care about. They were very surface level and all kind of sucked lol. The relationship between the MC and one of the Laughlers also gave me huge ick. Sleeping with multiple generations of the main characters female family members. I can not for the life of me figure out why the main character even wanted to be apart of the Laughlers family. I qm not sure why she even wanted to be besties with Sailor beyond the money aspect. I had a hard time understanding the main characters thought processes. Maybe it was the immaturity of the main character but there were just so many moments I didnt get her motives.
The who dun it moment was enjoyable and I was invested once the plot points started moving. Even though predictable it was the most enjoyable part to the story.
I thought the narrator did a good job but I think the narrator was a strange choice when they are described as having Southern accents.
I think this book could be enjoyable to another audience but I expected more of the Gothic, Thriller, Horror aspects earlier in the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2025
ingrid is a psychic witch struggling to make ends meet after her grandmother has passed away and left her the house. the reality of this is the house is paid off, yet she is still burdened by the taxes and repairs. to help with costs, she lets a friend in another similar circumstance move in with her and continues her grandmother’s palm reading service.
the first reading ingrid does with sailor (a girl from one of wealthiest savannah families) was magical. i felt as if i was in the room with them in the altar room. the atmosphere of this book is really unmatched and reading it felt as if i was watching a movie unfold.
sailor ends up hiring ingrid to be her personal psychic as she has a wedding coming up and everything must be perfect. ingrid channels her grandmother’s spirit doing spells and manifesting at her altar. at first as a reader you are skeptical-but then the spells start coming to fruition and you’re hooked into the story.
eventually there are accidents (and even murders) as the stakes rise for ingrid to please sailor. she finds out there are other forces at play to help with her spells and a plot twist i didn’t even imagine hits like a truck just as ingrid is about to make a life changing decision.
if you’re looking for a southern gothic atmosphere filled with magic and mystery, i wouldn’t hesitate to pick this up. thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc!
the first reading ingrid does with sailor (a girl from one of wealthiest savannah families) was magical. i felt as if i was in the room with them in the altar room. the atmosphere of this book is really unmatched and reading it felt as if i was watching a movie unfold.
sailor ends up hiring ingrid to be her personal psychic as she has a wedding coming up and everything must be perfect. ingrid channels her grandmother’s spirit doing spells and manifesting at her altar. at first as a reader you are skeptical-but then the spells start coming to fruition and you’re hooked into the story.
eventually there are accidents (and even murders) as the stakes rise for ingrid to please sailor. she finds out there are other forces at play to help with her spells and a plot twist i didn’t even imagine hits like a truck just as ingrid is about to make a life changing decision.
if you’re looking for a southern gothic atmosphere filled with magic and mystery, i wouldn’t hesitate to pick this up. thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Spell for Saints and Sinners nails its Savannah setting: moss-draped streets, crumbling old money, that thick Gothic atmosphere that seeps into everything. Emily Carpenter clearly knows this city, and the mood she creates is the novel's strongest asset. The psychic shop, the haunted corners, the weight of Southern history, the references to "The Book" - it all works beautifully.
Unfortunately, the characters never matched the setting's depth. Ingrid White feels inconsistent, her choices shifting without clear motivation, and the side characters drift through scenes without much substance. The central relationship between Ingrid and Sailor should anchor the story, but neither woman develops, and both display erratic (and sometimes ridiculous) tendencies. Even more frustrating, the plot stretches credibility too far. The magical elements and thriller aspects don't quite mesh, leaving the story feeling unfocused.
Carpenter's writing is beautiful, but style can't fully compensate for characters who don't grow and a narrative that doesn't hold together. If you're drawn to Southern Gothic settings and can overlook underdeveloped characters and a meandering plot, there's something here. For me, though, the atmospheric spell wasn't quite enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, the characters never matched the setting's depth. Ingrid White feels inconsistent, her choices shifting without clear motivation, and the side characters drift through scenes without much substance. The central relationship between Ingrid and Sailor should anchor the story, but neither woman develops, and both display erratic (and sometimes ridiculous) tendencies. Even more frustrating, the plot stretches credibility too far. The magical elements and thriller aspects don't quite mesh, leaving the story feeling unfocused.
Carpenter's writing is beautiful, but style can't fully compensate for characters who don't grow and a narrative that doesn't hold together. If you're drawn to Southern Gothic settings and can overlook underdeveloped characters and a meandering plot, there's something here. For me, though, the atmospheric spell wasn't quite enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2026
Thank you so much MBC and Kensington for the gifted ARC! Thank you RB media for the ALC through Netgalley ! This does not affect my honest review and all thoughts are my own.
The setting is said to have a southern gothic atmosphere and it ABSOLUTELY DID!! Emily Carpenter executed this so well as she mixed elements of class imbalance and power seeking characters. It felt like I was living in The Great Gatsby with old money, grand parties, and a touch of magic. Sailors family is full of wealth and she’s the royalty of Savannah while Ingrid is just trying to keep her family’s business and home afloat. The unlikely pair become fast friends when Ingrid does a scarily accurate reading for Sailor.
Ingrid becomes so immersed in Sailor’s world and family. She genuinely cares for these people but she also gets used to having the luxuries of the wealthy class. I loved watching Ingrid grab onto this life she always wanted and fight tooth and nail to keep it. Again, what made this so powerful was that she genuinely found feelings for these people and didn’t want to see them hurt by her actions (or someone else’s lies…)
The narrator did a great job brining Ingrid alive and while the pacing was moderate, it felt true to the time of the story and the atmosphere that Carpenter was creating. It was full of suspense and the plot twists will surely get you!
The setting is said to have a southern gothic atmosphere and it ABSOLUTELY DID!! Emily Carpenter executed this so well as she mixed elements of class imbalance and power seeking characters. It felt like I was living in The Great Gatsby with old money, grand parties, and a touch of magic. Sailors family is full of wealth and she’s the royalty of Savannah while Ingrid is just trying to keep her family’s business and home afloat. The unlikely pair become fast friends when Ingrid does a scarily accurate reading for Sailor.
Ingrid becomes so immersed in Sailor’s world and family. She genuinely cares for these people but she also gets used to having the luxuries of the wealthy class. I loved watching Ingrid grab onto this life she always wanted and fight tooth and nail to keep it. Again, what made this so powerful was that she genuinely found feelings for these people and didn’t want to see them hurt by her actions (or someone else’s lies…)
The narrator did a great job brining Ingrid alive and while the pacing was moderate, it felt true to the time of the story and the atmosphere that Carpenter was creating. It was full of suspense and the plot twists will surely get you!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC.
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
A Spell For Saints And Sinners really took me by surprise in the sense that I had conflicting feelings regarding everything that was happening... and there were quite a few things.
Ingrid has lost her grandmother in a battle with cancer and now she is almost penniless, relying on Miles, her best friend to help with the house, the only thing she has left from her grandmother. Just when she thought there's not hope to make some money, here comes Sailor Loeffler into her home, for a reading. They hit it off and slowly life starts to get better for Ingrid.
The first 30% of the book felt pretty slow, average and uneventful and I was not sure exactly where's the drama and horror of the story. But then, at some point, it took an interesting turn and I was hooked! It got better when it became devious, suspensful and twisted, in a way that I didn't expected.
For me, Ingrid wasn't a pleasant character most of the time. It felt like she had multiple personalities, wanting to do good and help but also getting revenge and doing harm. By the end I didn't know what to feel for her, pity or anger.
Overall I enjoyed the story, it ended up being a good one because of the way it was written and the turns it took.
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
A Spell For Saints And Sinners really took me by surprise in the sense that I had conflicting feelings regarding everything that was happening... and there were quite a few things.
Ingrid has lost her grandmother in a battle with cancer and now she is almost penniless, relying on Miles, her best friend to help with the house, the only thing she has left from her grandmother. Just when she thought there's not hope to make some money, here comes Sailor Loeffler into her home, for a reading. They hit it off and slowly life starts to get better for Ingrid.
The first 30% of the book felt pretty slow, average and uneventful and I was not sure exactly where's the drama and horror of the story. But then, at some point, it took an interesting turn and I was hooked! It got better when it became devious, suspensful and twisted, in a way that I didn't expected.
For me, Ingrid wasn't a pleasant character most of the time. It felt like she had multiple personalities, wanting to do good and help but also getting revenge and doing harm. By the end I didn't know what to feel for her, pity or anger.
Overall I enjoyed the story, it ended up being a good one because of the way it was written and the turns it took.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Spell for Saints and Sinners is a richly atmospheric tale of obsession, class envy, and perilous magic. The Savannah setting perfectly complements its moody, Southern Gothic tone, immersing you in a world where old money lingers, Spanish moss drapes the oak trees, and the heavy humidity presses down on every scene. The story’s atmosphere is its standout feature, and the premise is compelling: a generational witch practitioner is hired by a wealthy heiress and gradually delves into darker, more dangerous magic.
My main problem was with the MC was I just couldn’t connect with her. Without that connection, I couldn’t fully immerse myself in her story and mostly found myself frustrated. The heiress, while charismatic and mysterious, comes across more as a symbol of wealth, power, and desire than a fully realized character, leaving her somewhat under-explored. So, while the idea of the character development was intriguing, the execution felt uneven to me.
Overall, A Spell of Sinners and Saints is visually rich, atmospheric story with an intriguing concept, though it didn’t fully land for me. Still, it’s perfect if you’re craving something dark, moody, and a touch witchy, with hints of dangerous magic.
My main problem was with the MC was I just couldn’t connect with her. Without that connection, I couldn’t fully immerse myself in her story and mostly found myself frustrated. The heiress, while charismatic and mysterious, comes across more as a symbol of wealth, power, and desire than a fully realized character, leaving her somewhat under-explored. So, while the idea of the character development was intriguing, the execution felt uneven to me.
Overall, A Spell of Sinners and Saints is visually rich, atmospheric story with an intriguing concept, though it didn’t fully land for me. Still, it’s perfect if you’re craving something dark, moody, and a touch witchy, with hints of dangerous magic.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A Spell for Saints and Sinners is a Southern Gothic tale set in modern day Savannah, GA.
Ingrid is a psychic/witch struggling to keep her grandmother’s home (that she inherited) and business afloat.
Everything changes when Ingrid meets Sailor Loeffler-a wealthy Savannah heiress.
Ingrid is lonely and desperate! She wants to become a member of the Loeffler family and will do almost anything to make it happen.
Ingrid also finds herself clinging tightly to her connection with Sailor and the Loefflers-even using black magic which was frowned upon by her grandmother.
A Spell for Saints and Sinners is filled with layers and twists. Once one layer is unraveled, another appears.
It covers most of the seven deadly sins- pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth.
The characters are interesting, but they are difficult to trust. I’m not sure any of the characters are likable, but they sure are fascinating!
Supernatural elements are woven throughout the story, but they are fairly tame.
The family drama and backstabbing made this read entertaining for me.
I highly recommend A Spell for Saints and Sinners and give it 4/5 stars.
Thank you Emily for giving me this ARC!
Release date is March 31, 2026
Ingrid is a psychic/witch struggling to keep her grandmother’s home (that she inherited) and business afloat.
Everything changes when Ingrid meets Sailor Loeffler-a wealthy Savannah heiress.
Ingrid is lonely and desperate! She wants to become a member of the Loeffler family and will do almost anything to make it happen.
Ingrid also finds herself clinging tightly to her connection with Sailor and the Loefflers-even using black magic which was frowned upon by her grandmother.
A Spell for Saints and Sinners is filled with layers and twists. Once one layer is unraveled, another appears.
It covers most of the seven deadly sins- pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth.
The characters are interesting, but they are difficult to trust. I’m not sure any of the characters are likable, but they sure are fascinating!
Supernatural elements are woven throughout the story, but they are fairly tame.
The family drama and backstabbing made this read entertaining for me.
I highly recommend A Spell for Saints and Sinners and give it 4/5 stars.
Thank you Emily for giving me this ARC!
Release date is March 31, 2026
March 26, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I found this to be a really interesting perspective on South America and the implications of class, as well as the damage that tourist towns can do for those who live in them. There’s a lot of underlying commentary in this book if you know where to look for it (some more subtle than others) but at the same time, I did find that it ended up coming up a little bit short.
I really enjoyed the focus on Ingrid and her story, and I felt like there was a lot that was left unexplored in the end for her closure. The drama with Sailor was intriguing at the start, but I did find that it started to drag as we got further along.
I think my biggest fundamental issue with the book was how everything ended up coming together at the end. I found myself shocked by the twist, but not in a way that was comfortable or fun- rather, it felt a bit like someone had spoilt something I was really looking forward to.
I did enjoy the atmosphere, and I found the writing of the town to be really well done, and the characters were all very much brought to life, but I just found the resolution was a little meh for me.
I found this to be a really interesting perspective on South America and the implications of class, as well as the damage that tourist towns can do for those who live in them. There’s a lot of underlying commentary in this book if you know where to look for it (some more subtle than others) but at the same time, I did find that it ended up coming up a little bit short.
I really enjoyed the focus on Ingrid and her story, and I felt like there was a lot that was left unexplored in the end for her closure. The drama with Sailor was intriguing at the start, but I did find that it started to drag as we got further along.
I think my biggest fundamental issue with the book was how everything ended up coming together at the end. I found myself shocked by the twist, but not in a way that was comfortable or fun- rather, it felt a bit like someone had spoilt something I was really looking forward to.
I did enjoy the atmosphere, and I found the writing of the town to be really well done, and the characters were all very much brought to life, but I just found the resolution was a little meh for me.
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