To Drown a Witch

by Lindsay Olsson

A criminal and a royal guard are drawn into the hunt for a dangerous witch—and an unexpected romance—in this YA enemies-to-lovers romantasy, perfect for fans of Heartless Hunter.

In Orlonea, the Witch is feared above all else. Reborn into each generation, she is the only person with magic running innately through her veins, able to wield magic with a single thought.

So when guards across the city begin to drop dead, gruesomely murdered by violent and vicious magic, everyone knows the Witch has returned—and no one will be safe until she’s killed.

Toran is the Prince’s Crown, the most highly skilled fighter in the King’s Guard. Tasked with the responsibility of leading the hunt for the Witch, Toran tries to focus on his assignment to forget the ghosts of his past. And after he learns of Nes, a thief with an uncanny ability to sniff out magic, he forcibly recruits her into joining his hunt.

As the two face deadly magic and otherworldly threats, their mutual dislike soon turns to something more electric, and they find themselves drawn to each other in ways they’d never imagined. But the Witch is always a step ahead of them, and with bodies piling up, secrets threaten to come to light—secrets that could destroy everything from the fragile trust between them to the very city of Orlonea itself.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Witches, Fiction, Magic

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 14, 2026

About the author

Lindsey Olsson grew up in central New Jersey where she searched for magic in the mundane. From a young age, her stories were filled with magic wands, vengeful ghosts, and swoonworthy shapeshifters (even when she was instructed to write non- fiction).

After studying creative writing at Elon University, she went on to receive an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Hamline University. When she isn't covering the walls of her home with book ideas, she can be found skiing and snowboarding, climbing rock walls, or adventuring alongside her husband. She has yet to say no when offered a doughnut...or a dozen.

Reviews

[ellie (semi ia) · Rating 2 out of 5]

— 2.5 ☆ .ᐟ ⌗ 🌹 spoiler free + mini review
⤷ hmm it was going good but i didnt care enough

⋆˚࿔ 60th review of the year
arc review

⌗ ꒰ my thoughts ꒱🧹
⤷ ugh i SO wanted to love this but 🥲 it wasn't a bad book per say, it was just really hard to connect with anybody, and it was also super predictable. honestly a rip off heartless hunter 🙏 the first 200 pages were really fun, but the more i continued to read i just did not care. i knew what would happen and the writing wasn't my favorite either

overall i'd love to see what others think of this! also kind of disappointing to market this to 9th graders when it literally says for 'steamy romantasy fans'?? HELLO. please market your books right lol. overall, worth a shot but ehh. curious to see what the next book will be like!

again, thank you to the publishers for an arc copy. all ratings and opinions are my own.

----------------

🌹 — pre-read .ᐟ ⌗

𐔌 ♯┆6.12.26
⤷ AHH a fantasy for june 🙈 i can't wait to try this!! *for fans of heartless hunter* OKAY WELL SIGN ME UP HELLO?? thank you to the publishers for a physical arc! this is out in july 🫂

[Sophie ❦ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings with this one!

There is a lot to like here: the grisly murders and the witch hunt gripped me and were honestly the best part.

But the romance felt super rushed. They meet 25% into the book, and 25% later their interest is pretty clear. They’re enemies on paper only, and get along quite well almost immediately. The ‘enemies’ part does get better closer to the end because of all the twists, but it honestly made me hate them both even more… do with that what you will. I think Heartless Hunter did the romance way better.

Thankfully the mystery kept me entertained enough. Once the clues started coming together and the plot twists hit, I flew through the rest pretty fast. Some were pretty obvious, others not as much. I think there will always be at least one thing you won’t see coming.

The ending was super frustrating though, and ends on a confusing, open-ended cliffhanger. It made me bump down my rating from 3 to 2.5 stars.

─ ✦ ────

✎ᝰ.┊pre-read: You had me at enemies-to-lovers 🤭 I’m so excited to start this!!!

⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Words: THE BANTER.

[BookishKB]

🖤🔮 To Drown a Witch by Lindsey Olsson 🔮🖤

💭 Bookish Thoughts
I'll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.

✨What to Expect
• Enemies to Lovers
• Royal Guard MMC
• Thief FMC
• Witch Hunt
• Forced Proximity
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[tai ⋆☀︎.]

After finishing Part 1, I decided not to continue with this book.

I felt the author had plenty of time to establish a solid plot and give readers a better understanding of Toran's and Nes's motivations, making us invested in their journey. Unfortunately, that never happened for me within the first 28% of To Drown a Witch. The story lacked a firm sense of direction, both in its plot and worldbuilding. Even after reaching that point, I still didn't understand why resolving succession issues through a duel between the Prince and the Crown was considered a reasonable solution.

The writing style also didn't work for me. It often felt overly busy, especially during scenes that called for a stronger sense of urgency or action. While I can appreciate descriptive prose, here it frequently clashed with the pacing of the story.

I think the comparison to The Crimson Moth raised my expectations too high. Both books share certain elements, but in my opinion To Drown a Witch executes them less effectively, which made the similarities highlight the book's weaknesses rather than its strengths.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Andi]

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a read.

I liked the idea of this book, the execution of it ... well, it could use some work.

It's held up with this very flimsy tale of a witch who is out for revenge, muddled and mixed in a story about a prince and his alternate vying for the throne. The alternate is a captain of the guards and well, he has some emotional baggage when it comes to witches since a previous expedition to kill one caused his wife to die in a ship sinking.

He is paired up with a female who is spunky, but kind of has that hots for him (60% in and both of them have the hots for one another but it's not quite clear on how strong the hate is for one or the other). The female has a talent of seeking out other magical users in a world where witches exist, and people can leach magic from trees in a forest.

The world building is flimsy, the thing is billed as a romantasy so expect a lot of focus on how both parties can't stop thinking about the other (which is confusing since we saw the male lead trying to drink his sorrows away from what happened to his wife previously). She is anti-cop / government / guard because they kill a lot of witches by drowning them in a well. It just doesn't make sense but because, well, ROMANTASY, it will happen!

I really think that there could be a story here, but at 60% in I was getting too annoyed with it because it was all talk but no substance.

Out of respect, choosing not to rate due to not finishing.

[Jenn Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC copy of “To Drown a Witch”! This is my honest and completely voluntary review! 😊🖤

“To Drown a Witch” follows FMC Nes, a hired hand from “The Ditch”, and MMC Toran, the Prince’s Crown, an unlikely pair, that partner together to find the witch and bring her to the king. From there, the king will decide her fate. There are several bumps along the way but, the ride is well worth it!

The characters are intriguing and magnetic. The adventure that these characters go on is very interesting and compelling. The world is very well described and easy to picture. The story is beautifully written. There are several twists throughout that keep you on the edge of your seat. I read this book in one day, had it not been for having to work, I would have happily read it in a single sitting! The magic basis in this story is captivating. I went in blindly and so happy that I did! Jumping into this story was the absolute perfect way to spend an afternoon!

I absolutely cannot wait for the second book in the duology to continue this story! I will most definitely read from Lindsey Olsson again in the future. This book is well worth the read. I completely enjoyed my time with the characters and I wait for the conclusion of this tale with bated breath. Definitely recommend reading if you love fantasy! 😊🖤

5 🌟

[Haley ♡]

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

OOO immediately caught my eye once I saw
-enemies-to-lovers
-romantasy
-witches
- fans of Heartless Hunter

sign me up

[katiebbooks💌 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of To Drown A Witch.

Okay now THIS is exactly the Romantasy I’ve been wanting for so long!!!!!! The twists & turns. HELP!!!!! I’ve just finished it now and I am speechless. I need book two immediately as I fear I may not cope. This is one of my favourite reads of this year, I absolutely loved it. The ending?!?!?!?!?!?! MY jaw has still not been picked up from the floor. WHAT?!??

The plot and the magic system was so different to what I’ve read before, a much welcomed fresh take on one of my favourite tropes. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, as you find a lot of Romantasy has similar plots or magic systems, but this was so different, in the best way and I was invested from the prologue.

I also felt throughout reading I couldn’t trust the characters POV of everything (if you’ve read it you know exactly what I mean) and was weary of everyone, and the style of writing has you on the edge of your seat, but in the best way, I was almost nervous because I kept thinking hmmmm?!

This is a stand out Romantasy of 2026 for me and I absolutely will be recommending to everyone.

* screams *

[Kelly Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okaaaaaaaaaaay!!!! This is marketed as similar vibes to “Heartless Hunter,” which I LOVED. And while it is a similar witch hunt, the story and plot stands on its own! INITIALLY, I was going to give this a solid 3.5 stars. The beginning was a wee bit slow-going, but I’m a sucker for a witch book so I obviously kept going. It definitely does pick up the pace, however I was raising my eyebrow 🤨 at occasional ~situations~ that felt like glaring plot holes to me. But that’s MY BADDD. I didn’t recognize your game Lindsey Olsson. Everything does make sense in the end, I was just being a doubtful hater. And the ending… jaw on the floor. I’m obsessed and NEEEEED a sequel.

“To Drown a Witch” is YA, and lemme tell ya. If I was 15/16 & reading this… yeah. It would HIT. And don’t get it twisted, it still does hit at 28. But you have to have some whimsy about ya!!! So if you’re a whimsical adult who loves witches, enemies to lovers, betrayal, loss, and love… then you’ll like this!!! 4.5 stars overall 🌟

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK for the ARC of To Drown a Witch by Lindsey Olsson.

This YA romantasy hooked me straight away with its dark, witchy vibes and forbidden magic. The story follows Nes, who must hide her dangerous abilities while trying to free her imprisoned father, alongside Toran, a disgraced member of the King’s Guard tasked with hunting a deadly witch. Their uneasy partnership drives a plot full of intrigue, betrayal, and some genuinely shocking twists (that ending!!!!!).

The pacing kept me turning pages, and I loved that the story stayed mostly within the city, making it easy to follow without heavy world-building. However, the romance didn’t fully land for me—the shift in feelings felt a bit rushed at times, despite the slow-burn setup.

It did give me Throne of Glass vibes, which I enjoyed, though it lost a little originality because of it.

Overall, a twisty, addictive read and a solid 3.5/3.75 stars—I’ll definitely be picking up book two when it’s published .

[Ashley Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the chance to read this arc.

To Drown a Witch was ok. Nothing outstanding or memorable really. The book was fast paced but confusing a lot of the time. Im still not 100% sure how magic works. The final 15% of the book was very chaotic and I struggled to wrap my head around certain bits. I didn’t see the ending coming anyways so it definitely wasn’t a predictable read. What I did love was the chemistry and banter between Nes and Toran.

I’m assuming after that cliffhanger ending there will be a sequel but i’m unsure whether I’ll pick it up or not.

[Tyla 🧚 🗡️ ☠️ 🩸 🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Netgalley ARC ⭐
I absolutely ate this book UP. It was so addictive. Very fast paced!
I was like is it witch x witch hunter? Is it enemies to lovers? Is it even romance subplot? I literally didn’t know which way it was going. There’s a lot of twists in this, some I seen coming, some I didn’t!! The rope & well scene had me SAT.
I’m somewhat confused by the end. Was the woman at the very end made out to be Loriana or Nes? 🫣 and what happened to Nes after?! Abrupt ending and I don’t feel like it rounded up very well? UNLESS, There’s another book???? I need answers!!!!

[Carly K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

Wait….HOLD UP. That ending?!?!

I actually would not have guessed it. I thought I knew (a few times really), but it turns out I was WRONG. And I loveddddd being wrong because it made it that much better! This is a really solid YA romantasy debut.

I felt that the plot was fast paced and easy to devour large chunks of the story. There’s murder mystery, a darker fantasy edge to the setting, underground crime magic business, witch hunters, zombies…a whole lotta things going on, but not in an overwhelming way if that makes sense.

This is the type of story that when you finish reading you want to go back and see all of the hints and Easter eggs you missed. 😱

Combine Heartless Hunter, Prison Healer, maybe some Stolen Midnights, but also uniquely its own in many aspects (from what I’ve read at least) with inspiration from Witch trials back in the day.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! 💕

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

But.. is there a book 2 or is that the end?

[Risa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars rounded up

Well, this book was a rollercoaster, in both a good and bad way.


I love a story with twists and turns, and this book definitely delivers on that! However, I think some of the plot twists were placed too close together; I wish instead, the twists had more time to breath (i.e. readers had more time to really absorb and process each twist).

The banter between Nes and Toran was one of the best elements of this story. Hands down, their dynamic is what kept me reading as some story elements started to confuse me.


I really loved the grittiness of this world; it gave me Ketterdam (from Six of Crows) vibes in a lot of ways, which I adored. There were some specific elements that left me scratching my head (for example, Toran and Nes living in the same building all this time, and I struggled to visualize the tunnel scene).


Fans of Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli will find some elements of this book to be similar, but that don’t bother me, as there were other elements that were unique to this story.


While I will say that I did not correctly guess the identity of the Witch, I felt as though the story began to go off the rails (in a bad way) once that identity was revealed. Certain elements left me with more questions than answers, additional reveals felt very rushed, and I’m leaving this book still unsure of how the magic works in this world. (And I’m not sure that my questions will get answered in the next book, as they were pertinent to this book.)


All in all, I had a fun time reading this book, and I see myself reading the sequel in the future. But I’m bummed that this book won’t land on my favorites list like I originally thought it would.






NOTES I TOOK WHILE READING:


- The mysterious prologue with the Witch was interesting.

- The first chapter where New is basically Phineas’ bloodhound, finding people who use diluted magic in ways that would make them good fighters (dogs), is awesome. And of course her boss called her irreplaceable and wouldn’t hold up his end of the deal. Very compelling!

- I will say though, that this story already reads a bit more mature than YA (like new adult level); in a similar way that Six of Crows does. I personally don’t mind it, but it’s an interesting choice.


- Aww, Mikaud seemed like a nice guy. I knew he would die at some point though, because he’s not the real love interest. I am surprised he died so soon though, at the hands of the Witch it seems.


- Also, the fact that Toran is a drunk. Yeah…this isn’t really YA. But like I said, I’m enjoying the story thus far.


- Ch3: I’m fine with Toran having some dark past from his last mission… but it’s been reiterated that he has a secret that we aren’t privy to yet multiple times in his opening chapter, and it’s starting to get annoying. It’s fine to withhold the information from us for now, but you don’t have to keep reminding us that we don’t know the information.

- Okay, so Loriana is Toran’s former fiancee who drowned after her ship sunk… But I say, no body, no crime! (Also, now I understand why he’s so depressed and drunk. And doesn’t want to read her journal.)


- Oh, that’s interesting—Toran is the Crown to the Prince, meaning Kohen will duel him, and if Kohen wins then he becomes King (and Toren his advisor), but if Toran wins then he becomes King. That’s such a cool political component! No wonder they grew up rivals!


- Oh no—they caught Marnie with magic, and are drowning her as a witch! Dang, poor girl.


- 17% in: Maybe the witch isn’t a girl, but a guy this time. Like Captain Fell, who killed the last witch (and is now acting different).
- Or maybe it’s Loriana, who never actually drowned. We shall see!

- 18% in: Or maybe Suri is the witch—she seems too nice, haha. (Yeah—given she was at the drowning around the time of the explosion, she’s my number one suspect currently. ESPECIALLY given the Heartless Hunter comp!)


- Well that’s an explosive (i.e, the stage) way for our two main leads to meet.


- 20% in: Okay, so now there are shape-shifted, called Xell. They may be immortals of legend, but I have a feeling that the current Witch is using such shape-shifting abilities to her advantage somehow.


CHECK IN #1: I am now a fifth through the book, and I am enjoying this story a whole lot. There are a lot of similarities to Heartless Hunter (which is funny because the author of this book has the same literary agent as the author of HH). But it also a grittiness to it that reminds me of Six of Crows, in a great way.


- 24% in: Uh oh. Captain Fell (the bastard) arrested Nes! I bet Toran is going to use his statue to get her out of prison though! (Yep, I was right.)
- Also, I like this Genna girl joining Toran’s legion.


- I find it interesting that seawater is the only thing that can dilute magic. But I’m still confused as to how magic is even a tangible thing that can be diluted—like, where does the (diluted) magic come from?


- I like that Toran tricked Nes into exposing her power. But how did he know that she could detect magic using smell specifically? I guess he just guessed because she looked like she knew the smoke of the fire was coming before it did?


- 27% in: While I love Nes and Toran’s banter already, the bit where Toran gave Nes the Loriana’s engagement ring to prove his trust was silly. It has no monetary value, and Toran could still change his mind, have Nes arrested, and rip the ring off her neck to get it back. … I don’t know why Nes agreed just from him giving her the ring. (Having said that, I like that Nes said if I’m going down, I’m taking you with me—I don’t know how she would do that. But that’s a more compelling idea than the ring exchange.)

- Also, Nes said at the end the she’d join the witch hunt, which is a nice touch.


- 29% in: Interesting—Fell is the one who brought Toran to the castle, away from the mountain village. It makes me think that (1) Fell ordered some attack that killed Toran’s parents; and (2) perhaps Toran had some tie to the previous witch (maybe Toran’s mother?).


- I’m also very curious to know why the King wants the Witch captured alive. An old lover perhaps?
- What if Suri is a shapeshifter who is in disguise after being the King’s former lover? Or maybe the former Loriana?


- So the church teachings are that the Witch stole magic from the Goddess named Nephele. And it sounds like that magic that humans use is scraped off tress, somehow… I’d like more clarity on that.



- So no one knew that the trees in the Holy Triad had magic on them, as it’s a well guard secret. (And the King has the magic lichen removed.) But Nes knew, probably because Phineas knew. (And if Phineas knows, then Suri could surely know since she lives in the gambling den too!)
- Okay so… turns out Nes just sniffed it out herself. So it’s not a clue.

- (Also, I don’t really love the idea of magic lichen. I feel like we could’ve been more creative in terms of where the magic comes from.)


- 33% in: When Nes has Toran meet her at the brawlhouse (not in uniform), that “ass” joke felt a bit out of left field—she hadn’t been flirty like that before. And yeah, he’s dressed differently, but… Idk, it felt icky to me, and I personally prefer their banter where they poke fun at each other.

- I mean, it was pretty obvious that Nes planned to have Toran fight. The question is, why would Nes place a bet against Toran (and in Phineas’ name—so that he’d open the door)?


- Wait, does this book take place on earth (it’s mentioned on pg106 of the eARC)?


- 36% in: I was so ready for this brawl! I loved how Growlsabob could become intangible like a ghost because of magic. And I like how Toran used it against him, so that he rammed himself into the wall… but once Toran figured it out, the fight was so anti-climatic! It basically just said Toran let the man hit the wall 8 times and then he was out. What kind of fight scene is that?!?! I’m so disappointed.


- Also Toran’s obsession with drinking away his grief—how the hell is this getting published as a YA novel? This should be new adult at least! (I’m sure when this book sold a couple years ago, NA wasn’t as popular as it is now. But still!)


- 40% in: while Suri is still my primary suspect, another top suspect of mine is now Genna—the guard who joined Toran’s legion recently. Maybe she’s killing guards out of revenge for how they’ve treated her.

- I also cannot shake that throwaway paragraph about there being shapeshifters in this world. So I wonder if the Witch has masked herself as multiple different characters that we’ve already met.


- 42% in: Funny that the Xell came up in conversation again between Fell, Toran, and Nes. I think the Witch is in fact Xell. (Also, I’m a bit perplexed why Captain Fell is being so forthcoming with information in front of Nes. I understand speaking privately with Toran, but why is he allowing Nes to sit in when she’s technically not even part of Toran’s legion? Even if Toran is technically his superior, it seems odd to me.)


- So with all these magical trees dying, it sounds like the Witch takes the magic from nearby trees to launch her attacks, maybe?


- 43% in: So Fell lied about being attacked by the Witch (not surprised). But apparently Toran witnessed when he drowned the previous witch, when he was around 3 years old. Which further proves my theory that the previous witch was Toran’s mother (or some other loved one).


- Ah, so Suri was the one following Nes at Phineas’ order. I hope that she really is Nes’ friend.


- 44% in: I’m very fascinated by Phineas as a character. But why does Nes care about him anymore? She doesn’t work for him, he’s not going to get her father out of prison—and she already cut a deal with Toran to free her father. So why is she planning to go to Phineas’ secret meeting?


- We keep hearing about Prince Kohen in Toran’s POV, but have yet to meet him, which I find strange so deep into this book (even if it is a duology). (It makes me wonder if the King will die at the end of this book, and then Kohen and Toran will finally have to face off… and only then will we finally meet Kohen.)


- 46% in: I like this detail that Nes can’t swim (hence she lives in the only city sector without canals), and she’s thus afraid to get into the boat. (Though I must ask—how did Genna get this boat for them?)


- 48% in: Nes smells magic on Genna, how suspicious. I don’t think she’s consuming magic. I think Genna is one of the different forms the Witch shapeshifts into!


- I like that tie—drowning the Witch is the one way to kill her. And seawater is the one way to dilute the magic. A cool connection I didn’t pick up on. (Although, I guess it wasn’t clear to me before now that the well where they drown witches is full of seawater…)


- 50% in: And now there are actual sirens in this world. Interesting that the gambling den is called the Siren’s Hair, and Toran thinks (thanks to Loriana’s journal) that they an weaken the Witch by binding her with siren’s hair…


CHECEK #2: Halfway through the book, and I am still enjoying the story a lot. I really like the idea that the sea is the Witch’s weakness. I have a few suspects, with Suri and Genna being the top two. And I am thoroughly convinced that whoever the Witch is, she is using the shapeshifting abilities of the Xell (who are immortal) to stay hidden.
- Also, I THINK I like how the romance between Toran and Nes is developing… I don’t like how they suddenly are noticing how gorgeous each other are, but their more emotional conversations as great.



- 54% in: I like that Nes pulled out the heart of the undead, tying back to the scratches she mentioned on the corpse we found at the beginning of the book. But why did Nes tell Toran to cut off his head if she knew to go for the heart?


- 54% in: Wait—Toran rented a room on the third floor of the Siren’s Hair? So then Toran how had not met Phineas before? And how hadn’t he known it was a brawlhouse before?


- 56% in: Ruh roh—Toran has a symbol on his neck that’s a death omen? Not good.


- 56% in: Oh no—Genna is going to be drowned! She’s no longer a suspect then—Suri is still my #1 suspect anyway.

- (I will say that while I love a book with many twists and turns, I feel like having one after another after another can be a bit exhausting; I wish we had more time to sit and digest each twist a bit more.)

- 59% in: I’m glad there’s a tunnel to the Well, where Toran can rescue Genna. But I had a really hard time envisioning this scene. (I hate to say it, but I’ve really been struggling to visualize most of the action scenes in this book.)

- 60% in: I’m glad Suri showed up to help Nes. It makes you wonder how Suri knew that Nes was here. Suri’s probably going to say that she followed Nes. But I bet Suri is the Witch, and has used this tunnel in the past to help drowned girls escape (again, like Heartless Hunter)!


- I also find it hard to believe that Nes lives on the second floor (with Suri) int he Siren’s Hair, and Toran lives on the third floor, and yet they had never met before, and Toran didn’t know her name. I find that hard to believe. (And still do not believe Toran didn’t know the Siren’s Hair was an illegal brawlhouse all this time.)

- 61% in: Yeah, Suri owns all the different sized clothes because she’s a shape-shifting witch!


- 61% in: I like the idea that Nes gets into bed (both of them naked) with Toran to warm him up. (And Suri does the same with Genna.) It reminds me of Matthias and Nina from Six of Crows, when they were first stranded.
- And since Toran saved Nes from drowning before, now they are even.


- 65% in: I mean listen, some of these magical abilities are dumb. Like the man who could produce flowers, and now Genna who can produce money (Gadots specifically). But I do feel bad for Genna being used like that.


- Ah so Fell started the attack on the nomads, unprovoked. And then went crazy and killed members of his own legion once he realized the Witch was present. Well he’s a psycho.


- 66% in: Question: The story that was presumed to be true was that Captain Fell killed the last Witch (and he’s been acting differently ever since). We now know that’s not the case, since the Witch has been killing guards recently. BUT if society still thinks that Fell successfully killed the Witch (and this was no more than three years ago, since that’s when Genna joined the military), wouldn’t society assume that the current Witch is still very young, like toddler age? So then why are young women being killed?

- Or is the text saying that Fell changed after he killed the prior Witch (before the one currently killing guards), and that’s what made him snap and kill innocent people like the nomads? I think that might be it, but this story that Genna told could be clearer (and I think which Witch is being discussed should be clearer as well).


- 67% in: Oh..okay, we just learned that Nes has killed people, both for Phineas and twice for herself…


- Uhhhh okay…Keifer Harrow just killed himself…WEIRD.


- 68% in: Interesting, so Phineas now has red hair. And it sounds to me like he just may be a Xell shapeshifting immortal!



CHECK IN #3: As I mentioned before, I love the twists and turns in this book, but there are a lot of them, and not a lot of time for us to really sit with them to absorb them and process them. Thus, I don’t think they hit as hard or land with as much as an emotional punch as they could, which is a shame.
I’m also convinced that Suri is the Witch—I have been the whole time, though I threw some other suspects into the mix; but now there have been additional clues that have confirmed my suspicions!



- 70% in: Aw, the scene where they throw the shots of alcohol out the window was touching (and I like how Toran opened up to Nes about what he’s lost).


- 70% in: And we finally get to the sex scene, on page 213.


- 72% in: Dang, Nes said she could love Toran (but doesn’t yet), and Toran said she shouldn’t because he can’t love her, because he’s still broken from Loriana. Yeesh! (I mean, I know this is a duology, so maybe we need somewhere to go for the next book romantically. But I hope they move past this by the end of book1.)


- 74% in: Excuse me what? Nes is the Witch?!?!? I mean, that would explain why she hates the sea so much. But still, huh????

- I never named Nes as a suspect because it just seemed too obvious. Also… how the hell what she going to free her father via Toran’s deal is she’s the Witch???



- 76% in: Okay wow um… Wow. So Nes is the Witch. And she has access to the memories of the prior Witch. And while I am very confused about the whole killing nomad story now (it sounds like he killed the nomads, but a girl who isn’t the Witch following him home?), one thing is for certain: Toran is Embley Fell and the previous Witch’s son. And the previous Witch just made flowers bloom—she didn’t cause harm to anyone.

- But I’m still very confused—who killed all those guards? Was that Nes? And Nes has been drinking diluted magic (in seawater)… why? Why drink it at all?

- (I will say, Nes being afraid that Phineas would reveal her true name in an early chapter now makes sense. Her real name is Damari!)



CHECK IN #4: Um okay wow—I clearly was wrong about who the Witch was. I got it right that Toran was the previous Witch’s son… I should’ve guessed he was Embley Fell’s son as well.
One question I have, which may be answered later, is how did Fell learn that Nes is the Witch? He didn’t say.
Also, I feel like this leaves me with more questions than answers.

[I don't have space to include all my notes. So here are the highlights for the ending:]

-The plan to capture Damari in the Siren's Hair was confusing.
-I didn't understand why Nes thought Toran would release her father before Damari was drowned (proving she's the Witch).
-I question how many characters came to the conclusions they did. Many explanations weren't clear (or nonexistent).
-I wish Toran and Nes had been the ones on the quest to find siren's hair.
-Damari laying her whole plan out to Toran was dumb (as was the mark on his neck--a wasted opportunity).
-The use of magic is so poorly defined in this book, it’s so disappointing.
-Toran betraying Nes (and Nes doing it right back) was entertaining, though some logistics didn't make sense to me.
-I like the twist the Suri is an Aeosch spy.
-We introduced Sir Kendrik too late.
-I liked the cliffhanger ending, of Nes taking Toran down with her. (Though I'm not sure how Phineas knew to set him up.)
-I'm annoyed we didn't meet Prince Kohen one page until the After at the very end. But I'm intrigued that Kohen and Nes have met before.

Overall a fun read, but there are too many elements that need more explanation.

[The Little Black Cat · Rating 1 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC Review:

I requested an ARC of To Drown a Witch because I was drawn to the premise of a single witch being born each generation and hunted by the rest of society. It’s a compelling concept that I haven’t read in a novel before. However, after reading, it feels like this concept was used more as set dressing for a rushed romance rather than as the foundation for a fully cohesive and developed story.

The story reads like a series of loosely connected ideas with limited focus on structure or pay-off. The writing itself is uneven. On a sentence level, there are moments where the prose is nonsensical, for example: “Her gut turned solid as her heart melted into it.” The dialogue between the two main characters leans heavily on awkward, juvenile “banter” that feels more suited to middle grade than YA, including jokes about seagull “poo” and the characters saying the other “sounds constipated.” This tone made it even more jarring when readers were subjected to an open door sex scene between the 18 year old protagonist and her love interest. It feels like the author never fully committed to the intended audience for this novel.

Adequate time was not taken to develop compelling characters or relationships. The central romance relies heavily on the insta-lust trope, with the male lead quickly filling the emotional void left by the imprisonment of the protagonist’s father after only a few days of physical attraction and “banter.” When someone known to the protagonist is accused of being the witch and executed, it carries little emotional weight and is barely acknowledged afterward. Altogether, the character work felt overwhelmingly shallow.

The world-building is similarly underdeveloped, offering scattered ideas rather than a fully realized setting. Even what seems to be intended as a central mystery -the identity of the witch- is handled in a way that feels obvious from the outset, making the final reveal lack any real impact.

Ultimately, this reads more like a draft than a finished novel. With significantly more time and effort, this could have been developed into something compelling; however, as it stands, the story lacks direction and substance. I do not plan on continuing this series.

[Khristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for this one!

Characters: The main characters are Nes, a thief whose goal is to have her father released from prison, and Toran, the Prince's Crown and best fighter in the King's Guard. After drowning in alcohol while grieving the loss of his fiancée, Toran is approached by the king to hunt down and capture the Witch. Eager to prove himself after a previously failed mission, he agrees. After a near death disaster, he realizes he may need Nes's help, since she is able to sniff out magic. She agrees to help him if he releases her father from prison.

I felt like these characters were interesting, but I was looking for a bit more. We get glimpses into their pasts but not enough to get invested. The banter was fun at times, but I didn't feel like they had enough chemistry. I wanted to know more about how the characters felt about each other and how they felt about their interactions, but it never really delved deep enough for me to care. It started as a slow burn romance, but it was a little too slow. I felt like it took forever to get to the open door scene. I'm torn on whether this book should be labelled as Young Adult or New Adult because, while the scene was not graphic, it was very suggestive.

Other notable characters would be Captain Fell, a fellow member of the King's Guard that Toran does not get along with; Quint, another member of the Guard and Toran's friend; Genna, another member of the Guard who struggles to fit in; Suri, Nes's friend and roommate; and Phineas, Nes's boss, who deals with magic underground since it's illegal. None of these characters were particularly interesting except for Phineas, but he's not really mentioned much. I liked his domineering yet charismatic attitude.

Plot & World-building: Everyone in Gadore is afraid of the Witch, who can only die by drowning in ocean water but is always reborn. She holds an incredible amount of magic and has used it for harming others in the past. Members of the King's Guard are dropping dead in mysterious ways, so the city fears they must capture the Witch to prevent more from dying.

The story itself was good, with some crazy twists near the end. It mostly kept my attention, but I did fall into a bit of a slump at the halfway point. After continuing, it seemed like the author dumped a lot on the reader in the last quarter of the book.

The world-building could've used a little work. All you pretty much know is that this is a city ruled by a king, it is divided by wealth status, and the mere concept of magic causes unrest everywhere. Parts of the city are mentioned, like the Ditch and the Bark, which I feel is probably related to trees but it's never really talked about. I would've liked to know more background about all the places mentioned - Aeos, Konos Islands, etc.

Prose: Overall, I liked the author's writing (though "Toran's nostrils filled with snot" was a little off-putting). She is very poetic in how she describes the way Nes and Toran feel, especially during the love scene. I wish she would've leaned into that a lot more so I would've felt more connected to the story and its characters. Also, the pacing was quite slow until the end. It felt a tad jarring.

Ending: I'm not the best at predicting plot twists, so I was surprised by the ending. I suspect this might be why there wasn't enough revealed about the characters in the first half of the book. I still wish I could've connected to the characters more. Instead of gasping and crying and throwing my book across the room, I felt like I was watching a reality show and thinking, "Oh, no, he/she didn't!"

Final thoughts: The story was enjoyable and I look forward to reading the sequel since it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I assume it would introduce more about a character that was mentioned in passing, and I am eager to learn more about them.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4–4.25 stars)
witch hunt 🤝 small-town secrets 🤝 "maybe the real danger isn't the magic"
okay but...if a book promises me witches and folklore with suspicious townspeople and a girl everyone thinks is dangerous i am going to read it, it's basically inevitable.
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what i loved was THE ATMOSPHERE.
this book feels damp and i mean that as a compliment. everything feels soaked in mist, lake water, old stories and the kind of fear that gets passed down through generations from the very beginning there's this sense that something is wrong. not necessarily in a horror way. more in a"everyone knows a secret except me" kind of way. and honestly??? those are my favorite kinds of mysteries.
the folklore elements were easily one of the strongest parts for me, because this isn't just a story about magic it's about belief about the stories communities tell themselves about who gets blamed when something goes wrong and how quickly fear can become cruelty.
which made the story feel more grounded even when magical elements started appearing.
and THE MAIN CHARACTER.
i really liked that she wasn't perfect.
she's trying to figure out what's true, who she can trust and where she fits into a town that seems determined to keep its secrets buried and watching her slowly piece things together kept me invested the whole way through.
the mystery was also genuinely engaging, every answer seemed to create another question and i appreciated that the story trusted readers to sit with uncertainty instead of immediately explaining everything.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
BUT...
okay, the pacing is definitely on the slower side. this is much more atmosphere and character discovery with mystery kinda book than nonstop action.
so if you're looking for constant twists and dramatic magical battles, this might not fully deliver that.
i also figured out parts of the mystery before the official reveal, which didn't ruin the story for me, but it did lessen some of the surprise and while i enjoyed the characters, there were a few side characters i wished had been explored a little more deeply.
the romance (if you're reading for that) is definitely not the main focus.
it's there.
but this is much more interested in its mystery, themes and atmosphere than in sweeping romantic moments.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
overall this felt like wandering into a town built on old fears and realizing that the scariest things aren't always the monsters people talk about.
it's atmospheric, it's eerie, it's thoughtful and it asks some really interesting questions about fear, power and who gets labeled as dangerous. so if you like folklore inspired fantasy, witchy mysteries, small-town secrets and stories where atmosphere matters just as much as plot...
you'll probably enjoy this one.

My final thoughts;
i came for the witches...
i stayed because apparently i will always be vulnerable to stories where the townspeople are more terrifying than the magic 🫠🖤🌫️

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publishing House for providing me the ARC!

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were times when I really liked this book. It was easy to read, and it had at times the appearance of a complicated plot. When I was about halfway through, I thought it was going to be a five-star read. Then, I kept reading...

It had four main problems, which together were insurmountable:
1) While billed as a YA book, there were numerous references glorifying casual sex, and eventually, an open-door sex scene. I would not give this book to my young adult children to read. The sex scene was also unrealistic and made me uncomfortable.
2) There were too many "twists." Instead of being interesting, it became unrealistic and contrived. They sometimes didn't quite fit, and certainly were not adequately explained or wrapped up, like the story had been inadequately edited for plot concepts. This was to me the biggest failure of the book. I was really surprised to read this from a major publisher.
3) From the first chapter, we know that "the Witch" is not the villain that she is believed to be, and that is a continuing point in the story (without giving away spoilers!). However, the Witch also made selfish decisions that caused a lot of unnecessary deaths simply because she didn't want to die, which made her... a villain. The whole "villain-as-hero" concept really doesn't work if the reader is cringing away because of the villainy of the character after all. This is certainly a story full of morally grey characters (like, man, virtually every single one?) but in this case it just didn't work rather than being intriguing or adding realism. In this story, nearly everyone is just morally bankrupt, no matter who you root for, and unfortunately, the book seems like it is trying to portray some of them as "good guys" which just left a terrible taste in my mouth.
4) The story is not concluded in any satisfying way. There is clearly a sequel coming, and this is one of those books where it doesn't stand alone. It's a "part one." For a story that I was finding painful to read by the end, that was really disappointing, and unexpected. In fact, it is still listed as "Book 1 of 1" on Amazon, implying no sequel. But there were so many loose ends and such an open-ended conclusion that surely there must be.

The prose was really well-written, and I like the concepts the author was trying to get at -- of being open-minded, not judging a book by its cover, of how prejudices get engrained into a society, of the injustice of those in power... there was so much here I wanted to like. But in the end, the weaknesses of the plot and characters are just too severe and completely undermine the very concepts I was enjoying.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Fiction for the early copy of this book to review.

I had really high hopes for this book at the beginning - the idea of a single 'Witch' in a land that contains stolen Goddess magic that's uncontrollable and dangerous is quite cool. Having to drown them in saltwater in order to kill them and release the magic is also cool. A soldier in a really high position joining up with a girl who can smell magic to find this Witch, very cool.

But it didn't quite deliver how I'd hoped.

Romance:
For a start, the romance flipped back and forth too sharply to feel real. It almost felt like it initially was more of a friendship or camaraderie that the publisher/editor had convinced the author should instead be a romance and then it had to be wedged into place around the plot as an afterthought.

The feelings spring up nearly out of nowhere, and so they feel purely physical initally - like they're just crazy horny for each other off the bat.

But then it starts to imply that they can't live without the other? And this didn't have nearly enough build up to feel real.

And then when the ending twist happens and the guy is suddenly all hatred and betrayal for Nes - I felt like I just had whiplash and it felt really fake...

Characters:
Honestly, there were far too many of these to really get to know any of them. People popped in and out and honestly I only really got a good read on Phineas and that's because he was fairly one-dimensional douchebag evil.

I did however really like Nes - she seems to be the main character of this story, with the guy (can't even remember his name, apart from it beginning with a T, and I JUST finished the book!) just feeling like a side-character with more page-time. Nes felt like a real person with real goals and needs - her dad plotline was a little light but we can't have everything - and I cared about what happened to her.

Worldbuilding:
Maybe a lot of this was being left for a sequel, but the idea of a neighbouring kingdom that wants to use the Witch instead of kill her kind of felt like it went nowhere. It was really interesting, but just fell flat.

Plus, I'm not sure I get the logic of just killing the witch over and over and, what? Hoping the magic at some point just flies back to the Goddess? That green light just hits a new baby over and over and in the meantime lots of girls are killed for being vaguely witchy. (This could have been a better take on sexism or callback to the Salem Witch trials if it delved into itself a bit more...)

I'm not sure I'll keep an eye out for the sequel tbh, but it wasn't the worst book I've read in a while.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 STARS

Thank you to Netgalley, Lindsey Olsson and HarperCollins for the chance to review an ARC of this title.

This book is interesting as I broadly think it's good but not sure how I feel about some of the major elements of the book, namely the narration/POV and how that plays out towards the end of the book, leaving me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth when I finished.

To start, what I like: the magic system and the way magic can be weakened with sea water so it can be consumed and used, and how magic gives everyone a unique expression of its power basically like magic X-Men. I wish there had been a bit more depth to the world-building but perhaps that will happen in later books, especially concepts like the Xell.

Comparisons to The Crimson Moth duology are accurate as there are many similar vibes such as an anti-witch society, enemies to lovers romance, MMC is a big scary witch-hunter, etc. But I VASTLY preferred this to The Crimson Moth myself. The FMC and MMC in that series were annoying and stupid and none of their actions made sense and by the end of book 2 I hated them both. By contrast, I genuinely liked both Toran and Nes and their romance throughout this story. Both have their own struggles and goals and traumas that inform how their relationship progresses and presents them with realistic relationship challenges, not just a generic fight/misunderstanding/overhearing trope because "we need a third act break up or where is the drama?!" as so many worse books resort to. I really have to give Lindsey Olsson her flowers here for making them have a conflict in a relationship that felt like one real people would have that made sense and was not pointless and out of nowhere. Well done!!!

Things I didn't like as much: the last third overall. I predicted several of the twists, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in addition there were a few reveals to the reader which recontextualised the earlier story that I simply did not enjoy. No further details as I don't want to spoil but the recontextualisation confused me about everything I had read before and left me more baffled than shook from the drama of it all. Perhaps my failure of comprehension as a reader but it frustrated me enough to make me enjoy the conclusion of the book less. I do see how some other readers might have loved it though, just not my cup of tea.

On the fence as to whether I would read a sequel just because of how the final act annoyed me, but overall, I would recommend this book if you like the sound of a witchy world with enemies to lovers romance.

[Bobbi Kraft]

ARC Review - prepublication 4.25 rating

I thoroughly enjoyed this author's first novel.

The book jacket includes Read if You Love topics of: Steamy Romantasy, Enemies-to-lovers romance, Dangerous Magic, Mystery & Intrigue, and Dual POV. It also lists that it may be like "Heartless Hunter or Serpent & Dove," neither of which I've read. However, I'd say that the topics are accurate and compared to other titles I've read, I'd say that if you liked "Fable" you'll enjoy this.

I mostly mention "Fable" because it is part of a series of books. My only disappointment with "To Drown a Witch" is that there was NO indication that it is the beginning of a series. The writing and the mystery within the story is SO WELL crafted that I read the title in a mere 48+ hours because I was drawn in and wanted to find out how it ended. Instead, we merely uncover the details of the first mystery (who the real witch is) and thus are launched at the end of this book into the beginning of the next saga.

But, I loved it. It was a great ride that included some amazing writing with lines like:
"Anger was an avalanche inside her, sweeping sense and reason away" (p20) or
"The trees cast the bodies in shadow, the lines of the branches running over the faces of the dead like prison bars." (P104)

A confusing point, for me, is that the title is listed as YA, ages 14 up and Grades 9+. I would place the characters as being "of age" and the opening two chapters introduce us to the two main characters Nes and Toran. Nes is a thief who is working towards getting her father released from jail and we discover in the opening chapter is that she is sleeping with one of the guards to help her in her pursuit. The guard is killed in chapter 2 and we then meet Toran, the Prince's Crown, drowning himself in a bottle due to his beloved's death. Call me a prude, but these two opening scenes are nothing more than unnecessary tropes that did very little to carry the story forward.

Eventually, there are sexually explicit scenes, though not nearly as explicit as the "Fourth Wing" series.

Good character and world building. Good mystery with a few twists I didn't see coming. An ending that was not Hollywood "happy ending" but complex and further complicating the relationships and leaving a few unanswered questions. (Which could be frustrating for some.) I look forward to the next book.

I hope that the publishers list this title as "first of series" so that people know that this is where the story "begins."

[Henni (hshouldbereading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dark and atmospheric fantasy mystery where all magic is feared--and the Witch at its source needs to die. A haunting witch-hunt filled with secrets, suspicion, and unexpected twists where you can't trust your own friends-or even your own heart!

I commend Lindsey Olsson for this immersive and compelling story. We follow a group of people on the hunt for the hidden Witch, where we, as the reader, have to piece together the clues, twists, and atmospheric world-building to find out what, or who, the feared Witch is in the end. I enjoyed the mystery aspect, paired with the unreliable narrator and multiple POVs a lot. I did enjoy most of the book, however, the biggest shortcoming of the story was the romance. For a book marketed as enemies-to-lovers, this book really doesn't establish the enemies nor the lovers aspect well. At the heart of the story is the witch-hunt, and not the romance, which is only a subplot.

For roughly two-thirds of the novel, I was convinced this would be a 4 or even 5-star read! Nes was the perfect, morally grey character to carry this story. She is sassy, intelligent, funny and her flirty banter with Toran was so much fun to read! The mystery is carefully constructed, the clues are woven naturally into the narrative (scattered here and there like breadcrumbs), and the reveal of the Witch's identity genuinely caught me off guard. Unfortunately, the last third of the book didn't deliver the same level of satisfaction. The sudden cliffhanger left me feeling more frustrated than intrigued. I like cliffhangers, when done well, but cutting off the story abruptly just for the sake of "shock value" is really dissatisfying for the reader!

Overall, I wish this book had spent a bit more time on establishing the characters and their relations better. The intricate net of relations is really a central aspect of the story and the mystery, so the final reveal would've had a bit harder emotional impact, if we as the reader had more time to connect to the people. At the end, a certain character appears, who has only been mentioned throughout the story and never shown in action to us once. That is perhaps one of the reasons why I feel so disconnected by the cliffhanger.

As I suspect this will be a series, or at least a duology, I'm still excited to see how the story will continue!

Thanks to Netgalley UK and HarperCollins for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Sol✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Lindsey Olsson, and Penguin Young Readers Group for access to this advanced reader's copy of To Drown a Witch. This is my honest and unbiased review.

----
"It was the first thing she learned watching the card games in the Siren's Hair. The chances of losing were always higher. The game or the odds didn't matter. Once you put something you loved on the line, your focus lay with it. Not the game. So you'd lose. Every time."
----

I will be so honest with you: I am still reeling from the ending of this book. I feel like I walked into a room to meet someone and plunged into the icy well this book centers around. But I did, at the bottom of that well, meet someone. Nes, with all of her flaws, is an incredible FMC. She's an unreliable narrator and built of secrets, but she is as warm as spring as the center of her. Her frequently turbulent relationship with Toran was everything a forbidden relationship should be: full of yearning, heartache, and, of course, distrust.

This is not just a story of a witch hunt. To Drown a Witch is the story of what happens when humanity rebels against forces it does not fully comprehends, when it lashes out and creates scapegoats of the things that it cannot control. This is a story of failure and consequences, but it is also a story of forgiveness. Not forgiveness of those who have harmed you, but forgiveness of yourself of being worthy of life. The dreary seaside setting and every looming threat of doom position the reader at the precipice of drowning in that very realization. I'm still recovering from the plunge myself.

If you're hoping for a quick and simplistic romance, this isn't it. To Drown a Witch is full of twists and turns and moments that will inevitably make your heart break. Even so, the journey is worth the fleeting moments of warmth and comfort. Nes and Toran's story is one that will stay with me for a very long time.

That being said, I need a sequel in my grabby little hands right this INSTANT. I have never torn through the last 20% of a book as fast as this one, all the while whispering "Oh no, oh no, oh no" over and over again in my head. What a beautiful introduction to the city of Gadore and its wicked little inhabitants. 5 stars, easily. And throw in a few donuts for Nes, too.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I would like to thank both NetGalley and Penguin Teen Publishing for giving me access to this ARC copy in exchange for a fair and honest review! The following review is my own personal opinion of this book.

In Lindsey Olsson’s debut novel To Drown a Witch, we follow our main characters, Nes and Toran, who are said to be an enemy-to-lovers story as they hunt down the witch who left a trail of bodies in her wake. In a town where mothers were afraid for their daughters in fear that they would grow up to become the witch, that they would send them to their early graves themselves. In a town where ‘fear could do despicable things to a person's heart.’

Our main character Nes is a thief with a rare ability to smell magic, and luckily or unluckily, that ability comes in handy to our other Main Character, Toran. He is the Prince’s Crown, tasked with the job of finding and killing The Witch who has returned and left a trail of dead knights in her wake. A girl destined to save her father and a man turned to alcohol to cope with the death of his lover make for one memorable duo. What follows is a cat-and-mouse chase with an enemies-to-lovers arc wrapped up in the first book of a duology.

The beginning of the book, the dialogue felt clunky and cheesy at times. Meeting Nes, she seemed a little too cliché, the ‘not like other girls’. Because of that, I didn’t like her at first as she came off as annoying. I believe the clunky dialogue detracted from my enjoyment of the book. I didn’t feel any connection to the characters we were introduced to, and I believe we were hand-fed information that was important to their characters rather than being shown in a natural progression.

Eventually, I came around to her, but it took some time. Once the plot started to develop, my interest in the book peaked. The plot was fast-paced and well-written, keeping me hooked until the end of the book. The developing relationship between Nes and Toran was great. It was a natural progression, one built on the forced proximity they faced. My love for Nes grew stronger as the book went on. The ending of the book was just so good, that I had totally forgotten that it was the first book in the duology. The last couple of chapters of the book were the best part of the book.

Once again, thank you to Penguin Teen Publishing and NetGalley for this arc copy. Lindsey Olsson did a fantastic job writing this book, and knowing that this was her debut novel made me excited to read her future projects. It makes me happy knowing that Olsson was able to do what she had dreamed of since she was younger. It really inspires me to not only continue reading but to continue writing as well in hopes that I will be just like her someday- releasing my debut novel.

“Fear could do despicable things to a person's heart.”

[mytypeisfictional · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for the earc!

Your next fantasy obsession has arrived! To Drown a Witch was exactly what I expected, and more. Get ready for a next level witch hunting, with deception, secrets, promises and betrayal.

In Orlonea using magic is a quick way to the bottom of a well. They fear the Witch, someone can wield magic as no one else. It’s been 18 years since the last Witch, but once royal guards show up dead, there’s no denying, she has returned. Toran is tasked with finding her, and bringing her alive to his king. He meets with Nes, and thus starts the journey full of twists.

I really enjoyed the story. I love a good cat and mouse game, and it was very well done. The Witch was always one step ahead of them, no matter how well prepared they were. There are very many revelations in just one chapter about ⅔ in the book, and let me just say, some were obvious, but some took me by surprise. The last few chapters were very intense, and the very last scene was simply cruel. How should I wait patiently till the next book?

I loved the characters, and the side characters were amazing in this. Though there are a few, I’d love to learn more, hopefully in the sequel we’ll see more of them. My heart broke for Toran multiple times. He lost his friends, he lost the love of his life, and so he turned to drinking, hoping it’ll drown out the pain. But he gets a new assignment from the king, and he can’t turn it down. He has to pull himself together, and find the Witch before more innocent girls are drowned. Nes was smart, always one step ahead of everyone, doing whatever it took to get his father out of prison. If it means she has to work with the Crown, so be it.
I want to see more of Quint and Kohen in the next book!

The only thing I didn’t like is something that seems to be a problem with books lately. The relationship between Nes and Toran was so quick. I miss the build up, going from reluctant allies to friends and to lovers. Things just happen so quickly, one moment they are strangers, in the next they are trying not to fall for the other. Where’s the tension, the yearning? But it’s not the only book I noticed this, so I guess I’ll just have to accept this new trend.

Highly recommend if you want a fantasy world with forbidden magic, secrets and betrayals that’ll break your heart!

[Vanessa Godfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC.

To Drown a Witch is for the romantasy readers who loved Heartless Hunter. The plot is fast-paced, and I was holding on for the ride from the beginning.

The story moves quickly, with a consistent plotline woven throughout. Even though there is character development happening, I would still consider this more of a plot-forward book. The premise itself is easy to follow, and I appreciated that the world wasn’t overly complicated. I always recommend having a map in fantasy books, but the world was clear enough that I could imagine it easily while reading.

The prose was one of my favorite parts. The writing style felt unique without being overly poetic. It struck a nice balance between casual, descriptive, and literary, which made the book easy to read while still feeling atmospheric.

In terms of presentation, I would say this book leans grittier than whimsical. Any story that involves mass killings is going to feel darker, but the descriptions of drownings and water added an extra edge. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make this feel more brutal than the average romantasy.

The purpose felt more external than internal. There is some internal dialogue from Toran, but Nes feels a bit more like an enigma, so we don’t get as much of an internal journey from her. That made parts of the story feel more focused on what was happening around the characters than what was happening within them.

There were moments where the pacing worked really well, but some parts felt skimmed over. I would have liked more development in the relationships, the world, and the story overall. At times, the book told me what happened instead of fully showing it, and because of that, I didn’t love the romance as much as I wanted to. That made the ending more surprising, though maybe that was the point.

Overall, I think the plot was really strong. The concept is exactly the kind of story that would immediately catch my attention, but I wanted more expansion. A more fleshed-out draft with deeper character work, stronger relationship development, and more time spent in the world would have made this even stronger.

[Dotti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

Lindsey Olsson’s To Drown a Witch is a fun Romantasy novel with good twists and turns. Our story follows two characters, Nes and Toran, as they work together to hunt down a woman terrorizing the city. There is only one Witch, who has magic inside of her, and she is reincarnated at her death; the rest of magic users have to consume diluted, stolen magic. When guards begin to be killed and magic stories go missing, Toran and Nes search the city to unravel her motives and capture her.

First of all—this book is not a standalone. It wasn’t clear in the marketing for the book, but it ends on a cliffhanger, and the story is absolutely not resolved. I’m not sure how many books the author has planned, but I was expecting this to be a self-contained story and realized towards the end as the plot wasn’t resolving as expected.

The pacing in this story was solid, with good movement from beginning to end. The book does a good job of explaining various world building elements without over-explaining, and the story isn’t bogged down by extensive world building. This story had good twists and turns, though a few felt a little obvious, and the finale was action-packed and engaging.

The romance in this story was enjoyable, with solid reasons why our couple continues to push and pull. Oftentimes the back and forth can feel contrived, but both of our characters have legitimate reasons for their hesitancy. I know this book is deemed YA, which I disagree with; Nes is 19, Toran is older, and the characters have sexual relations off-page. I do think that the book should be categorized as New Adult rather than Young Adult.

I don’t know that the story didn’t enough to distinguish itself from the many other books in the genre; there’s been a few books similar to this in the last few years. The book was solid, but unfortunately, I don’t know that it brought anything particularly new to the genre.

Altogether, this was a fun book with solid twists and a good romance. I would be willing to continue the series, as I think the book left a lot of fun threads open. I think the author did a solid job of what she was trying to accomplish, though I don’t know that it felt fresh.

Thank you to Putnam, Lindsey Olsson and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy!

[Kate Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Down a Witch is 2026’s romantasy witch trail book. We’re plunged into Orlonea, a historic witch fearing town who spend their days at public executions, sipping watered down magic while watching innocent women murdered for public fear and government control.
Nes, a thief is employed by Phineas, a mafia type gangster who owns a series of brawl houses, full of gambling and underground crime. She hopes her service recruiting fighters for him will result in him helping her father break out of prison, but when he betrays her, she knows she needs to do it alone.
Our handsome protagonist, Toran has enough issues, being the Prince’s Crown he will have to challenge the prince, Kohen, for the throne whether he wants it or not. He is grieving the loss of his fiancé, the recent deaths of his squadron and is attempting to drink away his memories. When his father figure king asks him to find the witch who has been murdering his guards, Toran is determined to prove himself and save the innocent victims.
Nes and Toran reluctantly team up, aware they can help one another despite their political differences. Nes’s magical ability to locate magic will help guide him to the witch. As their trust and relationship evolves, we see some brilliant banter and remarks between the two. Sometimes romance can seem forced and rushed in novels, but I liked the pacing and the hesitancy between these two.
The twist at the ending threw me completely, I was not expecting that at all! I’ll be clambering to read Olsson’s follow up book. I was a little confused by Nes’s conclusion and parts of it left me with some questions. But I was impressed that her and Toran’s enemies to lovers plot element and to the end they were still fighting their power dynamic! Betrayal, unexpected connections and insane twists. I’m keen to find out more about Kohen, and Toran’s legion.
I've seen two styles of this cover and both are absolutely stunning, when this book is published I’ll defiantly be getting a copy for my bookshelf! Thank you so much to NetGalley for my ARC copy to read in return for an honest review, I loved it!