The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches

by Katie Ortiz

In this spellbinding Southern Gothic novel, three women weave together old Southern folklore and magic to fight sexism and educational discrimination in post-Civil War Alabama, perfect for fans of Hester Fox and Louisa Morgan.

When Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria are invited to participate in a trial semester for women at Alabama's most prestigious university, they each have their own reasons for accepting. Lucille wants freedom from both her father's control and reminders of her traitorous first love. Catherine wants to escape an arranged marriage meant to halt her attraction to women. And Victoria wants to run from the guilt that haunts her after the death of one of her fellow mill girls.

The trial semester will determine whether or not women across the state will be allowed to attend other universities. But the enrolled women quickly learn that success is not guaranteed, and some of their male cohorts are determined to see them fail. When the men's pranks go too far, Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria form a coven under the guise of a sorority and call upon witchcraft steeped in the traditions of southern folklore to fight back.

As they gather their fellow witches, they discover there is something darker at work at the university, a force that is determined to expel all the women at the university, and they'll need all the allies they can get if they want to succeed.

For fans of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Weyward, this historical speculative novel explores the darker side of human nature and the ways in which women navigate—and survive—oppressive, male-dominated societies.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Witches, Fiction, Adult, Lesbian, Queer

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

Katie Ortiz is a writer, teacher, wife, feminist, and cat mom from Alabama. She’s a member of the Alabama Historical Association and writes accessible historical fiction with a speculative twist. Her writing often explores the darker sides of human nature and the ways in which women navigate and survive in oppressive, male dominated societies. She attended the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Alabama Writing Day Workshops and the 2023 Atlanta Writers Conference. When she’s not writing at her favorite local coffee shop, she fights for the right to education every day as a public school teacher, reads witchy books, or takes her two cats on walks.


Katie is represented by Alexandra D’Amico at The Rights Factory

Reviews

[Abbott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher, so thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read it early!

I met fellow Alabama girly Katie Ortiz at a writing conference, and her enthusiasm and joy for writing, for women writers, and for education really grabbed my attention. So I was excited to read her debut!

For the first ~75% of the book, it was pretty good! I love witchy women fighting the good fight with a coven of besties at her side! Bonus points for the sapphic elements! #wlwrule

For my criticisms… The voice is a little heavy handed (leaning a little too hard into the southern-isms, as to almost feel like an actor feigning a southern accent but we all know they’re not from ‘round here). The characters are also a bit too black and white for my taste (the men especially were too much the evil villains with no nuance; maybe that is historically accurate, which it’s my failing not to understand, but typically enjoy the tension if there is a dash of moral grey).

However, around the 3/4 mark the writing style seemed to change a bit. Perhaps it will get a more thorough edit before final publication (needed as there are several typos and many instances of grammatical errors, subject/verb misalignment, etc.). But the tone seemed a bit more haphazard, more figurative/poetic, and a bit more difficult to follow.

I will applaud the author though, because the climactic scene did make me misty! To get an emotional reaction means she is doing something very right!

I will look forward to this author’s future works. I think she will grow into an author whose work I really love!

[Vanessasbooksta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning debut that is equal parts atmospheric Southern Gothic and fierce feminist rallying cry. Set in 1870 Alabama, the story follows three women, Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria. They enter a high stakes trial semester at a prestigious, male dominated university.

The magic system feels grounded, muddy, and raw, mirroring the atmosphere of the post Civil War South.

The triple POV was so well done! Left me cheering for these women to survive!

🏛️ Southern dark academia
🌾 Southern gothic magic/ folklore
👥 Multiple POV
🏡 Found family cove.
👩‍❤️‍👩 Sapphic- but subplot
✊ Feminist

[Genny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, rounded up.

“The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches” follows a trio of young women who have been selected for various socioeconomic backgrounds to be the first women to attend a prestigious university in post-Civil War Alabama. The ability for any woman to attend college is dependent on success of the extended group of women, who are faced with people trying to undermine their education at every turn. Ortiz tackles the misogynist, sexist, & homophobic rhetoric that Christians justify through their interpretation of the Bible. The juxtaposition of the occult elements with the Christian elements really set the mood for the entire book.

That being said, I really enjoyed the historic, postbellum Southern vibes happening here, but parts do feel redundant and as the book progresses the pacing starts to become a little stagnant for me. I loved these characters fighting for equality and their beliefs, although at times I felt like I was being told a checklist of things about them instead of letting their actions and behavior demonstrate it.

Lastly, a life-long Southerner, one of my favorite things about this book is how our terminology and colloquialisms just jump off the page so naturally. I could hear their accents and nuanced inflections in my mind without thinking twice about it.

Be sure to grab a copy when it’s released on October 6, 2026!

Thank you to Alcove Press and Katie Ortiz for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Sabrina Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** I received an e-ARC of this book from Alcove Press through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review***

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches by Katie Ortiz is a fantastic and timely novel that blends magic with powerful social commentary. Ortiz does an excellent job highlighting the inequalities women continue to face in multiple aspects of life, while weaving those themes into an engaging and entertaining story.

The book hits hard, especially given the current climate surrounding women's rights and gender equality. One of my favorite parts of the book was the note to the reader at the end, which added an extra layer of connection and significance to the novel's message. Overall, this is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a little magic mixed with an important message.

✨ Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley.

[Alicia Moulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be an advanced reader for this book to provide my feedback and this book was such a good read! I really liked the three POVs and the twist! I did not see that coming! If you like some female rage and justice, you’ll love this book!

The only areas I felt like the book fell short was abandoning some of the side characters after we meet and fall in love with them, and then the ending felt too fast for me. I would have loved to slow down during the main climax of the book around the town square and better understand WHY the antagonist chose to do what they did.

Overall, this was a great book and I cannot recommend it enough.

[D E Y J · Rating 1 out of 5]

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖

“𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.”

🫖🧹✉️

This book was an unfortunate DNF for me.

I would like to start by saying that I would still reccomend this to people: it has a very interesting premise, comedy mixed with seriousness when required and a few tropes swirled into the mix that I know people swoon for.

No hate to the author as writing a book is an incredible achievement and I love that they used their craft to raise awareness on issues such as mysogyny, racism and homophobia. Applause for representation, for sure! 🙂‍↕️

•••

Moving onto what exactly made me DNF. This may be long as I have a few points to get through so I’m just going to list them with small bullet points.

1) Too many tropes / Too little time

This steered me off the book because whilst there are tropes involved that I enjoy such as enemies-to-lovers, there are so many crammed into what I consider a short book that we don’t have time to grasp them. The tropes seem forced instead of natural and what we all love and this then made the relationships between characters seem dull and uninteresting too. The tropes were always kicked off in a very random way too, for example, a character mid-chapter suddenly thinking about another’s skin when no mention of attraction or them even talking had been mentioned prior (as far as I can remember.)

2) Telling not Showing

Show not Tell is a big thing for me in books, I believe as a writer you should be able to convey things to your readers without having to straight up say it unless it’s necessary. Unfortunately, I found that this novel had a lot of telling and basically no showing from what I could see. Nothing was implied or left to the imagination, it was all literal and thrown in your face and then moved away from before you had time to process which was quite confusing and overwhelming to read.

This leans into another point of mine which was that the message behind the story was so rushed and exaggerated. It was a beautiful message, don’t get me wrong, I will always adore women empowerment and fighting for rights of minority communities, but this novel didn’t execute the message well for me. It seemed like the writer was rushing or perhaps anxious that we wouldn’t get the meaning and so decided to repeatedly tell us instead? I’m not sure, either way, it sadly wasn’t for me.

3) The Writing

For a book that I saw as Adult, the writing style is very similar to that of YA or something of that youth level. The bullying from the male characters was described in a very childish and unrealistic way that took me out of the story completely and the way the book would go from one thing to another so quickly made me completely lose track of what was happening.

For example: One chapter they’re in the woods, a paragraph later they’re at the dorms and in the next sentence they’re in a bedroom speaking with completely different people? I think this may tie into the whole pacing and rushing thing because if this novel was longer and more detailed, I think it would improve drastically, though I know some people prefer their books short and sweet.

4) Random Info Dumps

This was what got me more than anything. I was way too confused all the time because of the constant random info-dumping in regard to the characters. They could be casting spells or making out then randomly speaking about dead relatives or their hatred for another character which is completely irrelevant for the current scene. Or they could be in class and a character will suddenly mention an old lover or how they hate themselves and their grief and it’s like… what on earth is happening? Why does this have any relevance?

Of course, if this is beneficial to the story, then absolutely include it but I think it would be so much better had it been done in a different way during more impactful and emotional scenes rather than sprung on you awkwardly mid-paragraph and then mentioned repeatedly at odd times throughout the remainder of the novel.

•••

I am so heartbroken about this because I adore and still do adore the idea of this book from the premise to the characters to the cover and I wish this author all the success in the world because their creativity is incredible, however, I really couldn’t push myself to finish it so this will stay an unfortunate DNF for me 😕

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've lived in the south and was in a sorority and was excited for a book about those things...with witches! Unfortunately, I didn't think this book had much of a lot of those things. I think the historical fiction premise is a bit of a misnomer here as well.

This book follows three POVs, all in first person, and I didn't find their voices distinct enough at the start to differentiate them. Lucille wears pants and wants women to have rights. Catherine is plus-sized and naive and starts believing in herself more as the book goes along. Victoria, whose name I almost forgot just now, worked in a mill and was poor and is the primary character to bring witchcraft into the story.

In the afterword, Katie Ortiz makes the point that she was writing this book as an issues book. I found that pretty plain with the handling of things like equality, abortion, and gay issues. I think I would have found this more enjoyable if the book took advantage of its setting a little more. The characters are meant to be in Alabama in 1870, 5 years after the Civil War. Much of the time, it feels like the sensibilities the characters are expressing would be more suitable for 2025 than 1870. Lucille is based off of a real woman, Lucy Snow, who was the first woman to attend Oberlin College in 1843. After reading more about Lucy Snow, I see her reflected in the character of Lucille. The primary difference is Lucy spent most of her life in the North (Massachusetts and Ohio) which was an area that was historically a hotbed for the suffrage movement and for anti-abolitionist sentiment. I just really struggled to believe that a character raised in Civil War era Alabama would have so easily accepted something like having mixed races courses at a university. So, I looked it up when I started reading this and the first black woman to attend the University of Alabama wasn't until 1956. The first woman to attend a co-ed university (University of Alabama) wasn't until 1893, a full 23 years after the setting of this book. Women were welcomed to women-only universities before that, so it's not like they couldn't get an education. They just couldn't get the same education as a man. So, Lucy Snow was much luckier in the more liberal north. I just didn't find it to embrace the southern setting that's touted in the title.

All that being said, I liked the use of the letters between Lucille and Henry and the work that was put into fictionalizing their historical relationship.

My other primary issues are witchcraft did not show up in a substantial way until around the 40% mark. I found the characters to be paper thin, though they grew more as the book continued. All three POV characters had someone that was fridged giving them their motivation, which ended up being a bit of a repetitive point for me.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches
by Katie Ortiz

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026

First of all, thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches.

This book was such a powerful blend of magic, sisterhood, and very justified female rage—and I absolutely loved it.

Katie Ortiz takes the concept of witches and uses it to explore very real issues surrounding inequality, injustice, and what happens when women are pushed too far. The magic makes the story entertaining, but the message behind it is what makes this book stand out.

I really enjoyed experiencing the story through three different perspectives. Each woman felt unique, fully developed, and brought her own experiences and emotions to the larger story. Their individual struggles and shared purpose created such a strong sense of connection, and I found myself invested in every one of them.

And that twist? I did not see it coming.

One of my favorite things about this book is how it captures that feeling of wanting to scream, fight back, and ask, "What if we just did witchcraft about it?" The anger, frustration, and determination throughout the story felt incredibly timely, and the parallels to real-world issues made the book hit even harder.

My only critiques were that I wanted more time with some of the side characters after becoming attached to them, and the ending felt a little rushed. I would have loved more exploration during the final confrontation and more insight into the motivations behind the antagonist's choices.

Overall, The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches is a smart, magical, and meaningful read. It’s entertaining, thought-provoking, and filled with women who refuse to stay quiet when the world tells them to. If you enjoy witchy stories with a strong message, female friendships, and a little bit of righteous fury, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.

[Hannah Magie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you are a fan of fierce, witchy, feminist rage against the patriarchy stories, then The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches is definitely a book for you. The story is a 3 person POV and centers around a group of women chosen to attend a trial coeducational program at a previously only male university in Alabama in 1870. The women chosen must finish the program or the trial will be labeled a failure and the “experiment” will be canceled for all women, statewide. There will not be another chance.

The plot follows Catherine, Victoria and Lucille as they battle against the not-so-welcoming male students and the societal view of women in general during the 1800s southern Alabama.

I loved that the author based the characters off real women in history that fought for women’s rights. The author states she based her characters off the inspirational Lucy Stone, Christabel Pankhurst, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Victoria Woodhull, Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul. Many of the public shaming almost torturous scenes were based off actual experiences these women had.

Of note, this is fiction, so while the characters and scenes are based off real people and true events, the author states she did alter and dramatize to fit her narrative. So sticklers of historical accuracy beware.

The story does have a wide spread representation in the characters including a sapphic subplot, disability rep, BIPOC characters and trans representation. While it did not exactly feel like a “checklist”, I would have liked to see a bit more depth and background to the side characters. There were also many settings, side characters and “issues” discussed throughout the book, due to the 3 person POV, so at times it felt a bit chaotic. Nevertheless I was able to follow and really did enjoy this book.

I can’t wait to see what this author has in store next!

[Eilidh Houghton · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ 2.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️


When I read the synopsis of the Southern historical witch academia story, I was all in but unfortunately, this book fell a bit short.

The book follows three main characters: Lucille, Catherine and Victoria as they take part in an experiment to be the first women to join university at the state but have to use alternative (read: spooky) methods to overcome their difficulties. Each of their voices felt the same and at times, it was difficult to remember who was speaking.
I loved the sorcery elements with a magic system based on using superstitions. Under each chapter title was a different superstition and I enjoyed all of these and how they tied into the story. I wish I could have read more about this. (Minor annoyance: despite mentioning the danger of practising witchcraft, they were absolutely terrible at keeping it secret!).
While I love the feminism, minority representation and LGBT components of this book; it was very much ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’. The characters don’t seem like voices of that time period, both in their speech and in their views. None of the coven had any religious views, unusually for the South at that time, and no qualms about taking up sorcery and witchcraft. The characters were either super feminist or completely misogynistic. LGBT issues were very casually accepted. While I love that there was a trans character, it was instantly accepted by the group with a flawless transition to preferred name and pronouns which seems incredulous for the time period. It felt a bit of a shoe-in to then be hardly discussed again.
The characters were very much black and white: the antagonists were very, almost unbelievably, evil for no real reason and the protagonists had little flaws.
The ending was literally an “and then everyone clapped” moment.
It was a fun read but overall not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC.

[storriebooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sense of feminine rage and vindication I felt reading this book is exactly why The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches should be on your TBR. This is fiction that stops being fiction when you dig into it and see how many of these themes are entirely too prevalent today: religious and patriarchal suppression, fear and lack of resources connected to marginalized groups, abuse of power and collective silencing of victims... it's a story that we never seem to learn from.

Now, I can't speak for the author to know if Katie Ortiz INTENDED my takeaway to be "So, what if we just do witchcraft about it," BUT here we are and I support every wrong and every right the women in this story ever took into their slightly-sullied-and-maybe-still-bleeding hands. And these women feel so tangible and whole. They're unique in their own right but united in their purpose and their pain, and it's impossible to read their story without feeling all of it and identifying with at least one of them in some way. That fact makes this book cut on such a visceral level, and the parallels to things we're seeing today should terrify you if it doesn't.

If you haven't pre-ordered, requested with your favorite local library, and added to your TBR yet, you have some time. The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches is set to release 10/6/26, and it's going to be a must read for fans of Southern gothic settings, sapphic vibes, fuck the patriarchy energy, witchy empowerment, and my new favorite scene involving communion. Also, do NOT skip the author's note at the end- it's the icing on top of this book of just desserts.

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Alcove Press, & Katie Ortiz for this complimentary copy.))

[Katherine Holder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did, because the premise was so interesting! Unfortunately, I feel like Ortiz's eyes were bigger than her stomach. This book had so much going on at once that I felt I couldn't give enough consideration to each. Abortion, civil rights, worker's rights, the patriarchy, Reconstruction in 19th century South. All of these are such complex pieces of Southern history that could have worked, but felt too jammed into the story. And I worry that some of these elements were misrepresented for the story, which dulled their overall impact.
If the plot had been more contained to the campus of the university, rather than bouncing back and forth to several locations, I feel that a better, more rounded image of the setting could have been presented. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, which detracted from the scenes at hand.
Additionally, I worry that elements of the story were included simply for inclusion's sake. Transgender characters and disability representation were introduced, but then quickly disappear from the plot all together. Again, it feels as if the author wanted to write about a lot of different things, but wasn't able to write one cohesive narrative with room for all of it.
Again, the premise of women fighting the patriarchy with witchcraft in the 19th century is very alluring. There were parts of the book I did enjoy! But all in all, I think the effort fell a bit flat. I'd like to revisit the author later when more of her works are published!

[Terri Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood magic/gothic magic
Multiple POV
Found family
Sapphic
Feminist
Southern setting

This one got my southern feminist hackles up almost right out of the gate. As a 55 year old woman born and raised on the buckle of the Bible belt, I was ready to fight like hell. It is a perfectly timed book, given the current state of the country and the continuing attack on women’s rights. In full disclosure, I had to step away a few times because I was so riled up.

As always, I’m a sucker for a quote.

“To all the women whose rights are debated like theory and fears are treated like weakness. Let your fear fuel you, and fight like hell.” ~ Katie Ortiz

And

‘“If you want to fight for women,” she said, “you must decide which women you mean.”’

And

“You don’t keep a bird in a cage because you love it and you want it to be happy.”

The story follows Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria as they are admitted to a prestigious post-civil war Alabama college, previously only for men. Theirs is the first foray into co-ed and the future of the program rests on them–and on the bullies and administrators who would love nothing more than them to fail and doom future co-ed endeavors. As you can imagine, it is a hard row to hoe (see how I used my southern there?!). What can you do when the deck is stacked against you from all sides and even friendly faces can’t be trusted? You magic about it.

This book will make you laugh, cry, scream, and possibly cast a baneful spell or two. As a bonus, you’ll get a southern colloquialism at the beginning of each chapter. It’s a lot of fun to see things that we say down here in the dirty south in a book.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of the e-book!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a satisfying, sharp-edged read - equal parts atmospheric Southern witchiness and righteous feminist fury. What really worked for me was how unapologetically the story centers women: their friendship, their rage, their resilience, and the quiet (and not-so-quiet) ways they learn to fight back against misogyny and the patriarchy. It’s the kind of book that reminds you feminism isn’t abstract- it’s personal, it’s historical, and it’s STILL necessary.
Ortiz creates characters who feel *stunningly* alive. They’re messy, brave, complicated, and often carrying generational wounds that don’t just disappear because magic exists. I loved seeing them choose each other, choose themselves, and choose justice, even when it costs them. The “sorority” element especially hit for me: not in a shallow, aesthetic way, but as a statement about solidarity. Women surviving in a world built to diminish them is powerful; women banding together to dismantle what’s hurting them is even better.
One of the most meaningful pieces for me was the clear thread of real history woven into the fiction. Knowing these characters were inspired by historical women—those women who suffered, resisted, and fought for women’s rights—gave the book emotional weight. The heart of the story is strong, and the message is clearer than ever: women are not here to be controlled, silenced, or consumed by systems that fear them.
If you love witchy feminism, historical echoes, and stories that let women be furious and magnificent, this one is absolutely worth it.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“No man shall make me yield. My words may come off as angry but anger is far more desirable than quiet indifference.”

A fantastic novel depicting the suffering of women past, and a reminder that these things are still so heavily linked to our present. ‘The southern sorority of superstitious witches’ bewitches its reader with tales of female gallantry, sisterhood, and family. Through methods of witchcraft these ladies take charge of their lives and their futures, but more importantly to them, of future women’s lives. Standing their ground and alongside one another in places where their male counterparts want to keep them out, refusing to go, refusing to carry on through life as unseen, meek creatures of sub-servitude.

All three main characters are absolute badasses, and Alice has my heart for the magnitude of her bravery. Although fictional, these women were based on real life people with real life experiences extremely similar to what the characters go through in the book. Witchcraft or not, this is our history. This is real life. And it’s devastating and hopeful all at the same time.

I am such a sucker for ancestral witchcraft so this book really did it for me, it was exactly what I thought it would be and I am sure it is going to stick with me now. It’s just one of those books you’ll be left thinking about for a while.

Thank you so much to Alcove Press for this ARC!

4.5⭐️

[Alanna Metz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches is truly the perfect book for our political climate in the US as of 2026. The book is about a group of women who are picked to get a higher education during the Reconstruction era. The catch? If half of them leave or fail, then no woman in the entire state can ever attend in the future. Of course there are many determined to see them fail and the odds are highly stacked against them. To combat it, they start a secret coven: the Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches. The book delves into many issues of their time and ours: sexism, racism, and classism to name a few. Most of the events depicted in the book are loosely based on real life events as well.

This was such a good book. I genuinely felt for these women and rooted for them the whole book. The book is told through the point of view of three different women of three different classes. This really helped to showcase how different the world is for different classes, even if they all were women. No matter your background, you can see yourself in at least one of the women while the others will help you see past your own view of life. This wasn’t quite the book I expected it to be, it ended up being so much more.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches follows three women in the 1800s: Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria. They are part of a pilot program at a Southern university, becoming the first women in their state to attend college.

As they’re hazed, ridiculed, and constantly reminded that they don’t belong simply because they want the same rights and opportunities as their male classmates, they decide to fight back…with witchcraft.

I loved how this story explored their struggles, fears, grief, and determination while weaving their individual journeys into a powerful sisterhood. Their bond became the heart of the novel, and I found myself rooting for all three of them as they refused to back down.

The only reason this wasn’t a five-star read for me was the ending. It felt like everything wrapped up a little too neatly and too quickly after everything these women endured. I would have loved a bit more time to sit with the different twists before the conclusion.

Overall, this was an interesting blend of historical fiction, feminism, and witchcraft with a sisterhood that was easy to love. If you’re looking for a story about women refusing to accept the roles society has assigned them, with a little magic mixed in, I definitely recommend this read!

[Tee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was a really intriguing read!

I thought the blending of witchcraft, Puritan beliefs, and the aftermath of the American Civil War was really compelling and well done. To tell this story with such strong atmospheric vibes and from a feminist lens was also really great, as it made this historical, Southern Gothic feel fresh. I also thought the magic was woven well throughout the story, and really felt authentic to the setting.

I enjoyed the exploration of women fighting for access to education in a misogynistic society. It was great to see Catherine, Victoria, and Lucille come together to fight the good fight, despite the different forms of oppression that they face. Their friendship and unity as they became each other’s support systems was truly the heart of the story.


Having said all of that, there were some sections of the story that felt a bit repetitive to me, and used more telling than showing for my personal tastes. I also felt like the pacing slowed a bit too much in the middle of the novel.

But all in all, I still really enjoyed this book, and I think other readers will too if they are looking for a magical, historical, feminist read.


Thank you so much to Alcove Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read the eARC!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story features three women who are invited to participate in a program at a local and prestigious Alabama university allowing women to study alongside male students. They fight sexism, abuse, educational discrimination prevalent during post-Civil War times by creating a sorority with the other women who are willing to lean into the superstitions that can easily become spells for those willing to work against the transgressors using a touch of witchcraft. I loved the use of multiple POVs and epistolary storytelling. While the attitudes a decade ago would have considered the trials the Sorority went through as efforts remaining in the history of modern Western culture, the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the U.S. in 2022 and the subsequent attempts to rollback laws supporting the autonomy of women in the U.S. dating to the mid- to late-1970s, this story reaches a new audience who the first time in over a generation might have to fight for once again. The author mentions how these political and legal changes played a part in the telling of this story in the author’s notes (which I highly recommend giving those pages a read as well). I enjoyed the book. The story can be a little slow at times, but the story itself was engaging.

[Chelsea Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and the author and publishers for providing me an arc copy of this book. Now what I will say is, I always encourage people to read things for themselves and to form their own opinions because reading is really important and subjective so just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean it’s a bad book. It just means that I didn’t like it. You might love it and that’s good for you. Not everything has to be black-and-white and they can exist a medium for a lot of people.

So getting into the story, I found it to be a great concept, though it took me a while to get into it. I think it would’ve been great to see the craft at the forefront instead of the struggles. The girls were facing in the school first, so that’s one of the critiques I have another critique as I feel like there was too many tropes and things were too rushed, even though I was surprised by the ending on who was the big bad villain everything after that just felt like two rush and not well thought out I would’ve loved to see it developed more. The epilogue was OK. I wonder if the author will continue this with the next group of girls but yeah overall my opinion is that it’s just too much is going on in this book. There’s too many tropes and it’s just not done well.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever picked up a book that seemed like it was written just for you…and it simply never quite clicked?

That was my experience with The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches.

Southern Gothic, folklore, witches, and women fighting for the chance to attend university after the Civil War is such a compelling premise, and I especially enjoyed the rich atmosphere and the way Southern folklore was woven throughout the story.

For me, though, I never fully connected with the three main characters, and there were a few moments where I found myself questioning the believability of certain events instead of becoming immersed in the story. I also found myself wishing for a little more nuance in some of the conflicts, as the historical setting already provides so much natural tension on its own.

I appreciated that the novel ended on a hopeful note, even if the resolution felt a bit tidier than I expected after some of the darker moments along the way.

This one wasn’t quite the right fit for me, but I think readers who love historical fantasy, Southern Gothic, folklore, and witchy stories may have a very different experience.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rhiannon Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Southern Sorority of Southern Witches - Katie Ortiz

This might be one of my favorite reads of the year. Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria are such strong women. And so are the other female characters like Alice, Rebecca, Susan, and Chrissy. I loved this sisterhood so much and I loved the characterization and the history and the research that went into writing this story. I loved the writing and the atmosphere that the author created. This is definitely a much read from me and I need to read more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️

🫑/ Spice Rating ☀️

# of Pages 🌙 352 Pages

Release Date 🌟 10/6/26

Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy

Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable

Genre/Tropes ✨ Historical Fiction, Dark Academic & Southern Gothic Folklore, Found Family, Queer characters, feminism, romantic sub-plots

Favorite Character ☀️ Lucille

Favorite Line 🌟 ‘The rush speaking up had given me. The feeling of making a difference. Like I was doing something Mama would reprimand me for. Something slightly dangerous. It felt good. Powerful.’

[Tori (EighthHouseBooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars!
Fabulous debut and I'm a sucker for a witchcraft as means to channel our feminine rage trope...but seriously this book does what I love about books: tackles real world issues in a way that gives us hope. I loved the women and their coven. I know this book was taking on SO many topics (yes for intersectionality!!!) and was trying to speak on each, but there were times it felt slow, I think I clocked around 34% it really started to pick up - don't be discouraged by that, we have 3 POVs and their back stories. Great for fans of historical fiction (yes several characters are based on real women), magical realism, feminine rage, sisterhood & asshats getting their dues.

POTENTIAL SPOILER BELOW

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DON'T READ THE NEXT LINE

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I REALLY loved how our villain did the thing then lost control - like how very patriarchal of them. I just adored that little bit!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Let your fear fuel you, and fight like hell”

Wow! This was such an empowering story! It takes place in Alabama in the 1800’s, where women are treated like secondary citizens. A university creates a trial women’s program, allowing a small group of women to attend the university.

The women suffer disgusting displays of sexism and create a coven in disguise as a sorority to fight oppression and improve things for themselves and women in the future.

The bond of sisterhood was so strong. The characters, all unique in their own way. I especially resonated with Lucille. I’m not a girly girl. Give me comfy clothes over high fashion. I also am fluent in sarcasm and if provoked, will lash out and fight for what is right.

This book is perfect for fellow feminists who won’t put up with patriarchal bullshit.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early

[AJ Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis: 1870s Post-Civil War Era. A group of women are invited for a trial receiving a higher education. Their success or failure will set the state’s precedent. They quickly realize that the world is run by men, and are determined to carve their own space in it… with witchcraft.

I enjoyed this book, particularly the character Lucille Rockwell. I compared Lucille to “Idgie Threadgoode from Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes if she were a witch.”

There are many issues addressed in this book.
As speculative fiction, it must be read with a willing suspension of disbelief.

For a debut it’s very ambitious and gets its point across well… Also with witchcraft that is unique and feels grounded.

I’ll be watching this author over the years, because I have a feeling she’s just getting warmed up with SSSW.

[TealsyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this title up hoping it would be an ideal recommendation for lovers of women’s fiction for the upcoming fall season. Overall, it still absolutely meets that expectation. I loved the gothic vibes and Southern, post-Civil War setting. I am a sucker for a storyline that brings women together to explore their power and roles in society, which is a key point of this book. I felt the story may have tried to take on too many tough topics at once and was not able to fully delve into any single area, but I appreciate that the author was thoughtful enough to include such a wide variety of challenging issues. There is a sapphic subplot, and the university setting was fabulous for those of us who love an academia-style read. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Dadreadsanreviews (james) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. The author set us in reconstruction – era Alabama, and gives us an imagine story with historical president. We meet a cast of young women blazing a trail towards higher education. They face significant barriers, and overcome them with magic. The story touches on patriarchy, racism, sisterhood, and the power of community to be together. The characters are engaging, and I found myself and engrossed in their stories. One drawback is that some of the verbiage is a bit anachronistic, and I noticed as the novel went on that some of the speech patterns shifted from the original southern draw and spelling to more modern words. It’s not a huge critique, but it drew me out of the story.

Overall, this is a wonderful debut novel. If you love, magical realism, southern Gothic fantasy, and smashing the patriarchy, you should pre-order this as soon as possible.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖤ARC Book Review🖤

I absolutely devoured this book! Everyone knows I love witchy reads, but The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches by @author.katie.ortiz was so much more than just magic. This captivating blend of Southern Gothic atmosphere, folklore, and feminist history follows three women determined to claim their place in higher education during a time when the odds were stacked against them. Along the way, the story explores themes of sexism, equality, female empowerment, LGBTQ identity, friendship, and courage. I loved how the magic felt deeply rooted in Southern tradition, adding an enchanting layer to an already powerful story. This is a perfect read for fans of historical fiction with a witchy twist, rich atmosphere, and strong female characters.

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We, the Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches, will use the craft to help pave the path for the women of the future, and the retribution of women past.”

You sneaky little authors, so clever bringing characters and their backgrounds full circle! I won't say much more than that, but I will say how much I enjoyed seeing our main characters; Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria overcome the traumas of their pasts by standing up for the women in their lives that couldn't stand up for themselves.

The fact that we are still fighting many of the same patriarchal ideas today is heartbreaking and rage-inducing. The women mentioned at the end of the book that inspired the author are heroes and I intend to research them further.

[Nancy Pearl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Ortiz and Alcove Press for providing me an advanced reader copy.

I saw a reel on Instagram made by the author and I knew immediately I had to read this. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a feminist and one who is full of rage, this book really spoke to me.

In The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches, we are met by three young women - Lucille, Catherine and Victoria. They are invited to the first women’s collegiate program in the state of Alabama, along with 7 other women. Along the way, the women are met with resistance but also unlikely allies. The author tackles really heavy topics, such as: misogyny, sexism, and homophobia.

I immediately fell in love with this trip. The women are all from different socioeconomic backgrounds but become bonded as they try to fight for female rights. The secondary characters are great assets to the story as well.

I do recommend this book and have given it 4 out of 5 stars.