The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches: A Novel

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, Historical, Adult, Historical Fantasy

352 pages, Hardcover

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

[Eilidh Houghton]

⭐️⭐️ 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.

[Siavahda]

Reader, I seriously considered DNFing before we even got to the first page.

See, this book has an epigraph, but it isn't a quote, it's something written by the author. This is what it says;

Southern women are known for their hospitality and honey-laced words.
Southern witches are not.
Down in the South, where the temperature is closer to that of hell, one would expect the witchcraft to be just as sinister.

Reader, I paused.

I will allow that, if you have picked up this book, you understand that when the author says 'the South', they mean the Southern states of the USA, so it's okay not to specify that. But... 'one would expect the witchcraft to be just as sinister'? As sinister as what? You have not described anything sinister.

Presumably I'm supposed to understand that the author means, as sinister as the temperature. But that's nonsensical. How is temperature sinister? Because it's hot? Hot temperatures are inherently sinister now? Wtf are you talking about? That's such a stupid thing to imply/say!

My heart sank. If the epigraph was already badly-phrased and nonsensical... But still, you can't really DNF before you even get to the first chapter. That would be outrageous. That wouldn't be a did-not-finish, it would be a did-not-start. So I turned the page.

In the first paragraph of the first chapter, one of our main characters slices open her palm to get blood for a spell. This is an unbelievably stupid thing to do and I hate how common a thing it is in Fantasy. If you don't have superpowered healing, this will render your hand semi-useless for DAYS. Only a dumb-ass would do this. This did not bode well for either the main character's intelligence, or the author's - one or the other. (It could be that we're meant to take away from this that the main character is an idiot, in which case it wouldn't be the author being thoughtless/stupid.)

Especially when you tell us, in the same paragraph, that magic has only ever required a few drops from a pricked finger. So you're screwing up your hand for no reason at all?! (Don't even get me started on, this woman has lots of physical chores to do around a farm, so she will NEED HER HAND CONSTANTLY. Making her decision to cut open her palm even dumber than if she at least had reason to think she wouldn't need that hand much in the near future.)

Reader, I should have DNFed right there. It only got worse.

The quotations below are all taken from my advanced reader copy, so they might be edited or even removed from the final, published edition of the book.

Blood bubbled up.

This is what happens after she cuts her palm. Ma'am, is something grievously bodily wrong with you? Blood doesn't BUBBLE UP from a human's wound. From the wound of any living thing I'm aware of. Wtf.

An unusual wind cut through the humidity of the Alabama summer heat.

What's 'an unusual wind'? In what way is it unusual? I think the author probably means a rare wind, as in, wind is not common in this place at this time of year. But that's not what was written. (This is doubled down on a few times, as the wind is called 'strange' later in the chapter.) 'Unusual' can mean 'uncommon', but I just don't think that's the right word to use here, I don't think the intended meaning is clear at all, at least not without elaborating a little.

The cicadas' and bullfrogs' screams screeched louder

They what? The screams...screeched louder???

A lifeless body lying in my arms, caused by my own hands.

'caused by my own hands' is such an awkward way to phrase that.

Sharp leaves scraped my skin, making small, bloody cuts as I ran through the rows of corn. I barely felt them against my flesh, toughened over the years, like the hard shell of a boll weevil.

Yeah, that's not how toughened skin works. If your skin was actually like the shell of a weevil, you would not be getting cut. Unless you have proper nerve damage, you don't get bloody cuts and just not feel them.

As I burst through the last of the stalks my body collided with another.

From context, what this means is that she ran into another person. This is such terrible, clunky phrasing!

I ran at the sound of my name again, heavier, angrier, demanding my presence.

What you probably mean is that the voice calling her name is heavier, angrier, demanding. What you've written is that her running is heavier, angrier, and demanding.

Chipped paint, missing shingles, and half-fallen shutters appeared even more improper when reflected off the carriage's spotless black paint.

There's a shiny new carriage, and in contrast the broken-down house looks even worse. I don't know why you would phrase it the way the author has phrased it. Why describe it as 'improper'? Why say 'reflected off' when you presumably mean 'reflected in'?

Pa hadn't taken well to that either.

When you say 'either', it means there is at least one other thing you're referencing. Pa is unhappy about this thing, but also some other thing. Except there ISN'T another thing being referenced here. There's just one (that this character cut her hair short). What does the 'either' here mean???

She made tea so sweet one could practically taste the Southern hospitality infused within it.

This could have been a really great image if you had just tweaked the phrasing a tiny bit. 'infused within it' sounds so awkward.

Reader, I DNFed this book. Which is heartbreaking, because I was really, really looking forward to it. Sigh.

[Abrianna Rasco]

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this free ARC! All opinions are honest and my own!

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

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches is a Southern gothic historical fantasy that blends feminine rage with the courageous and unending fight for women’s rights that’s relevant today. We follow the lives and stories of three women from three different walks of life as they become a part of the group of the first ten women to attend a university in Post-Civil War Alabama.

When I tell y’all I SOBBED… the physical against I felt as each injustice was doled out and the immense pride I felt as I witnessed the women fight back… it’s indescribable. This book is a great reminder of the capabilities of women. Let this be a reminder of the sacrifice that came before us and the work that still needs to be done!

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I fell in love with Lucille, Catherine, Victoria, and their interconnected stories. Especially Lucille, with her stubbornness and tenacity. I was able to see aspects of myself in each character. I adored getting to explore their growth as characters and how they learned to love and trust again after each betrayal and heartbreak as women in the South. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief each time they got revenge for the injustices against
them. I thoroughly enjoyed the witchy elements and the incorporation of the Superstitions. There was romance included as the story unfolded, but this book is more plot-driven. It made me smile, though!

Setting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m a huge fan of speculative historical fiction and Southern Gothic stories in general. I loved how we not only got to see the university in descriptive detail, but
also the small town as a whole. It was vivid enough that I could immerse myself in Post-Civil War Alabama.

Readability: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The pacing was phenomenal and I loved how we got each character’s backstory. I found this book hard to put down! I appreciated the writing as it pertained to
the spells and the witchcraft.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was dark where it promised to be and uplifting when it mattered most. If you like Southern gothic historical
fantasy and you’re looking for a speculative twist, I recommend this book! I’m looking forward to more from this author!

[Anna]

2.5 rounded up for goodreads.

I love witches, vengence and rage so I had high hopes for this novel.

I felt like the author tried to talk about so many social issues that it couldn’t really get into the granular of each. We have women’ rights, racism, abortion issues and queer and trans issues all in one book.

There's a tendency to "tell" and not "show," and I often wished the author had let me come to my own conclusions rather than spelling it out. It read more YA than adult to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle]

These men made women’s college admission conditional on surviving their nonsense, and the women eventually decided, fine, we’re doing witchcraft about it. Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria arrive at an Alabama university during Reconstruction as part of a trial semester for women, except “trial semester” is doing a LOT of work because if enough of them fail or leave, apparently women everywhere can just go back to not having educations. Very normal system. Definitely designed for success.

And the male students immediately act like a woman carrying a textbook is a direct attack on their bloodline. The women are mocked, harassed, humiliated, and repeatedly reminded that plenty of people would be thrilled to watch them fail. Meanwhile Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria are supposed to keep their heads down, make perfect grades, smile politely, and prove women belong there while several men are actively trying to make belonging impossible. I lasted approximately twelve pages before I was ready to start hexing people myself.

The three of them also arrive carrying completely different bags of personal disaster. Lucille wants out from under her father’s control and away from a first love who already taught her some unpleasant lessons about trust. Catherine is being shoved toward an arranged marriage because her family has noticed she likes women and has selected “husband” as the cure.
Victoria is trying to outrun the guilt she carries after another mill girl dies. Nobody is arriving at university fresh-faced and carefree. These women have barely unpacked before life is already asking for a group therapy session.

At first they genuinely try to do things the respectable way, which was adorable. Study harder. Ignore the harassment. Be unimpeachably good. Give nobody an excuse. Basically perform womanhood so perfectly that the men will have no choice but to respect them, and we all know how well THAT historically tends to work. Eventually somebody realizes that perhaps institutional misogyny does not deserve another strongly worded response and the secret sorority starts becoming a coven. FINALLY. Ladies, I have been waiting with my shoes on.

And the magic is where this got really fun for me because it comes out of Southern folklore and superstition. All those little rules people inherit without knowing exactly why. Don’t do this. Never put that there. Your grandmother swears something terrible will happen if you ignore this one extremely specific warning. Everybody says they don’t believe any of it while still refusing to test the theory. That becomes the backbone of their witchcraft, and suddenly the things women have quietly passed down to each other for generations have teeth.

The women themselves are also messy enough that the sisterhood actually has to be earned. They do not join hands and immediately become the Feminist Avengers of 1870. Their class differences matter. Their backgrounds matter. Catherine especially has to figure out that privately believing something is wrong is not the same as being willing to lose something by saying it out loud. They misunderstand each other. They screw up. They learn. And eventually they start showing up for one another in ways that actually cost them something.

I did spend part of the first half staring at the title like, excuse me, I was promised WITCHES. Because the men would pull another stunt, the women would suffer through it, everybody would regroup, and I was sitting there tapping the table like a woman waiting on appetizers. How many sexist incidents do we need before someone lights a candle and gets weird? Once the coven really gets moving, though, things get darker and bloodier very quickly, and apparently I should have been careful what I wished for.

The part that got me is why they keep fighting. It isn’t only about Lucille or Catherine or Victoria getting their degrees. They know another woman is supposed to come through that door after them. They have been given this tiny opening and told they should be grateful while half the institution is actively leaning against the other side trying to close it. Watching them finally stop trying to squeeze through individually and start pushing together hit me right in the chest.

The ending wraps itself up a little faster and cleaner than I wanted after everything these women survived, and there were side characters I wanted to grab by the sleeve and keep around longer. But The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches still gave me 3.5 stars of Southern folklore, sapphic longing, female rage, university politics, friendship, blood, and women realizing that maybe the patriarchy has simply not been hexed enough.

Whodunity Award: For Forming a Secret Sorority Because Apparently “Please Stop Sabotaging Women Who Want an Education” Was Too Advanced for the Men’s Curriculum

Huge thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC and for teaching me that if the administration refuses to handle campus harassment, the escalation ladder apparently goes complaint, committee, folklore, coven.

[Debbie]

Lucille, Catherine and Victoria know that there are three essentials to casting a spell: 1) The Spirit; 2) The Sacrifice and 3) The Superstition. Lucille’s mama passed it along to her, Victoria had a notion about it, and Catherine’s “high cotton” upbringing made her clueless. These three ladies are among a group of 10 women hand-picked to form the trial run of Brinham University’s co-ed trial program.

It’s hotter than Hades in post-Civil War Alabama and about to become hotter as the women check into the rundown quarters they’ve been assigned. Each has her own reason for wanting to attend. But it isn’t long until they collectively begin to feel the ire of the men who wish they would just go home and be polite ladies of society. Reporting events to the professors and headmaster prove pointless. It’s almost as if no one wants this program to succeed … Retaliation by the men is swift and ugly, and soon the women are in fear for their lives. Lucille, already known for her outspokenness, gathers a coven/sorority of women to attempt evening the playing field.

Chapters alternate between the POVs of the three primary females. As the plot gallops along like a horse that’s ditched its buggy, the characters and their back stories become fully fleshed. Some discover love (including sapphic), some break ties, while others discover aspects of themselves, they didn’t know existed.

There is a lot of “spit flying”, scarred palms, and “strange wind” which at times gives the story a bit of camp. However, overall, Ortiz has crafted a novel of female empowerment. In it she has included echoes of pioneers in women’s fight for equality that began in the 19th century and continues today. If you enjoy a good Halloween read/thriller with historical aspects, you will undoubtedly love The Southern Society. 4 Stars.

Many thanks to @LibrayThing, @AlcovePress and @KatieOrtiz for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. Opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Angie Battle]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4 ⭐️ for GoodReads

10 young women have been selected to attend college Brimham University for the first time in a trial run of allowing women to join men in college programs for the entire state of Alabama. If the women do not follow the rules or are unable to keep up with the program, then no other women in the state shall have the chance to attend a University to earn a higher education degree.

The men that attend the college do not want the women there at all and begin to terrorize them and try to get them in trouble so the administration will end the women’s trial.

As the torment toward the women escalates, they decide to take action - they create a sorority - a coven - where they can use witchcraft to fight against the men and for their rights.

This was such a fun book to read! Having lived in Alabama for a significant period of my life, it was fun to read a book where that was the setting.

The 3 main characters that Katie Ortiz created were all enjoyable, layered and unique in their own right. I learned after reading that Katie modeled some of the characters and events in the book after real people and situations which I loved that she drew inspiration from real people who fought for equality for women. It makes the book feel that much more special.

There were some parts to the characters and events in the book that felt a little repetitive, but it didn’t bother me much. I thought the ending might have wrapped up a little too easily and neatly. I think some earlier parts of the book could have been scrapped so more time could have been spent on the ending.

This book is a tribute to women and the battles they have fought for their rights and continue to fight for, wrapped up in some amazing witchy vibes!

[Abbott]

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]

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

[Jessica Hockaday]

Did this just become a top read me for? ABSOLUTELY.

Historical, feminism, and witches.

Some parts of this book, as a woman, were hard to read. Not because the book wasn't great but because they were moments so many women can relate to still til this day.

Our FMC's were incredible, strong but stronger together. The way they learn to be intersectional with their feminism was beautiful. True heroines for anyone to look up to.

The 3 narrators did a fantastic job and really brought their character's personalities to life. They made experiencing this story richer.

I highly recommend this book!

[Amanda]

When my bestie sent me a reel that went "You wanna read a book about a coven of southern women disguised as a sorority using witchcraft to hex the patriarchy?" I first laughed and then ran to request an EARC. I read this book in two sittings, it was so much more than I thought it would be! The story is told from the POV of three main characters, Three women from wildly differing backgrounds and experiences forced to work together in order to make something for future generations. I loved the witchy aspects of this and loved the found family and self-acceptance themes. I'd have loved to see more from Alice and more nuance from the bad guys but hey, evil is evil....

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my EARC.

[mika]

[thanks to netgalley, the author and publisher for the e-arc!]

this novel had everything to be great. i’m saddened to admit it wasn’t.

i have to start by highlighting that it is advertised as follows: witchy, feminist and sapphic historical fiction. i didn’t need to know more to request an arc! little did i know, (1) the witchy stuff (aka the promise of the premise) only truly starts at like, a quarter of the book; (2) there is an alarming amount of ‘not all men’ vibes; and (3) only two main characters are explicitly sapphic and dating by the end of the book. that last point was probably the most disappointing for me, as i truly believed everyone would be queer (i mean. witch and lesbian are basically synonyms in my book). the jump scare i had when i realised lucille was straight, had an ex-boyfriend AND began an obviously flirty epistolary exchange with a man (who was basically the incarnation of ‘not all men’) (though i did like him; he’s nice and actually genuinely not misogynistic)

the main plot is actually interesting, as is the whole concept of the book. basically, we’re in the 1870s, and a few women get to try university for a semester, and their success will decide the fate of women’s education all over the state. except everyone is working against them, so it’s a little bit of a lost cause. however, one of our main characters lucille is nothing but determined and stubborn, and also a witch, so she gathers all the women students (and others) into a sorority/coven to make men pay for their misogyny and ensure women are finally listened to. perfect plan!

the story is shared between three povs: lucille, who had to quit school as a child to work on her father’s farm and whose mother was a witch; catherine, our token explicitly queer MC, whose high-cotton family is decidedly racist and homophobic; and victoria, a mill worker whose health, both mental and physical, suffers from that environment. i have to say they made a nice combination as we get vastly different perspectives from the 19th century. their personal histories couldn’t be more different, which allows several very interesting subplots and character arcs. their narrative voices at times tended to blend a little, but they are haunted by memories that helped set them apart. that’s an aspect of the novel i definitely enjoyed, because the characters sort of repressed those memories and therefore only slowly granted access to their past, and left me begging for more!

the main theme of the novel is of course women’s rights and their battle against systemic misogyny. that being said, i have to warn you: if i had to choose one (1) feeling that was overly present throughout my reading, it would be frustration. ALL the men are ALWAYS trying to set up the women students. yes, i knew there would be attempts at discouraging the women, but boy was it unnerving to see them ALWAYS get away with it!!!! and it wasn’t just sexist ‘jokes’ or filthy remarks (those, i expected); there were LITERAL CRIMES!!!! and they still got away with it!!!!
which makes the ending all the more unbelievable, to be honest. i was glad to get a happy end, but. how/why does everyone all of a sudden just support women’s education and right to be seen and heard and considered? (i should mention there is a literal ‘applause’ scene after they voice their complaints, which felt a little silly, in my opinion)
on that note, i should mention the antagonist, whom i recognised from a mile away. he is quite obviously the only option, but not because he has any depth or motivation (unless you count misogyny as a motivation), more so because no one else makes sense. i wish he would’ve just been a supporting, ally character.

another unbelievable thing: the witchcraft. i’m all for angry women seeking vengeance against men, don’t get me wrong, but all the time i had one (1) thought: they will definitely pay some kind of price for using all that magic, right? i feel like it would make sense in the context of 19th century south america, where religion is central and witchcraft is a literal crime and will get you burnt/hanged. lucille (our legacy witch) repeatedly mentions how dangerous witchcraft is and how it shouldn’t be spread around like a silly secret. but no. nothing. no repercussion. and it does get spread around like a silly secret because the sorority (that is called a sorority precisely to avoid calling it a coven, which would get them in trouble) keeps on growing as the story goes on. and none of the women who gets invited into the sorority reacts badly towards witchcraft, somehow. granted, no character is said to be religious, but i felt like it was heavily implied, so i was surprised how easily everybody just accepted it.

so: childish vengeance and bullying, overly cliché happy end and antagonist, practical acceptance of witchcraft… the suspension of my disbelief has an extent. which makes me wonder why this book isn’t young-adult, retrospectively. i would definitely categorise it as such if it weren’t for all the (content and trigger warnings ahead) blood, death, murder, self-harm (for witchcraft purposes), assault (physical, sexual, psychological, + graphic scene of force-feeding).

all that might be summarised as this: the broad idea, the themes, the specific histories of each character, and the amount of research that has obviously been done to create this novel are very, very good. however, the way it was written and executed made the result fall flat, in my opinion. the relationships didn’t feel genuine, most things were told to the reader instead of implied, every resolution felt too easy, there was simply no tension at all even though the stakes are supposed to be high. i wouldn’t say i didn’t like reading this novel, that would be a lie. each character’s subplot, having to do with their repressed memories, had me invested—perhaps more so than the main plot. i liked how the superstitions (heading the chapters) weaved into the story. the author’s note at the end was also enjoyable and proved how much thought was put into this book. which is why i’m so sad i didn’t love it.

i still would recommend giving it a shot, though. yes, it might not be as great as it could’ve been, and i might have wanted to throw my e-reader against the wall a few times because why do men always win??? but i wouldn’t say it was a waste of my time. and it’s definitely an important topic to explore in times such as today, when women’s rights feel on the verge of collapsing.

[Alexandra Elek]

Thank you to Alcove Press and Katie Ortiz for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A book about a coven disguised as a sorority fighting oppression? Sign me up!

This book is perfect for fall, with its witchy vibes, feminine rage, lovable characters, and incredibly intriguing premise. The sense of sisterhood is one of the book’s strongest elements, adding emotional depth to the story and making the relationships between the characters especially compelling. I also loved the atmosphere—the setting has a cozy, mysterious quality that feels especially fitting for fall. There were plenty of moments when I found myself genuinely invested in the story and eager to see how everything would unfold. The premise itself is creative and compelling, and there is a lot of potential in the story and its themes.

I really wanted to love this book. I also appreciate that the author drew inspiration from actual historical events, women, and the ways they were treated. Knowing that some of the gruesome treatment in the book is rooted in things that truly happened makes those moments even more disturbing and meaningful. However, while the story draws from real history, I felt that the execution did not always reflect the time period it was meant to portray. The historical inaccuracies, anachronisms, inconsistencies, and overly explanatory prose became too frequent to overlook.

My biggest issue is that the book does not always feel like a story set in 1870. At times, modern ideas, language, social attitudes, and feminist concepts seem to be placed directly into the historical setting. This was especially noticeable in the way certain social ideas were discussed. So, while I appreciated the historical inspiration behind the story, I found myself frequently pulled out of it by elements that felt too modern for the time period. For example, one character says:

“Well, isn’t beauty subjective, anyway? Just something society created for advertising and monetary purposes?”

This is presented as a rhetorical observation, but the framing feels extremely modern. The book is set in 1870, yet this passage seems to assume the existence of the modern, advertising-driven beauty industry. Mass advertising as we understand it developed much later, particularly toward the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the large-scale corporate beauty industry and major cosmetics brands we associate with modern beauty standards simply did not exist in 1870 in anything resembling their current form.

This becomes especially noticeable in the book’s treatment of feminism, social issues, and language. The ideas themselves aren’t necessarily implausible for the period, but the way they are phrased and discussed often feels distinctly modern. Historical characters can absolutely hold progressive views, but the language used to express those views should still feel believable for the time.

The treatment of body image is another example. One of the main characters is repeatedly described as “plump,” and other characters are frequently fatphobic toward her. This characterization would make considerably more sense in a later historical period, but it clashes with the specific setting of the 1870s. At that time, being plump, substantial, rounded, or well-fed was often associated with health and prosperity, while thinness was generally associated with illness or a sickly appearance. Fashion also emphasized a fuller silhouette, including the use of bustles. There was even popular literature around this period promoting the idea of becoming plump, such as How to Be Plump, published around 1878. Having a character from the 1870s treated as though “plumpness” carried a negative connotation therefore feels like the author has imported modern attitudes toward weight into the past.

The historical issues are compounded by inconsistencies within the text itself, particularly in how characters’ accents and abilities are portrayed. These inconsistencies sometimes made the story feel less cohesive and pulled me out of the narrative.

The prose felt repetitive at times, with emotions and descriptions often explained more than necessary. Characters’ physical traits and the book’s secrets are frequently reintroduced, which sometimes lessened the impact of the mystery.

While the book didn’t fully work for me, I think it has an interesting premise and explores compelling themes. I found the ideas surrounding feminism, race, secrecy, and social expectations especially interesting. I can see the potential in the story and think there are strong ideas at its core.

Note: A more in-depth review was provided to NetGalley and the book’s publisher.

[Gee]

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]

*** 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.

[Kayleigh]

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches brings us a group of women who have been chosen as the inaugural class at a university in post-civil war Alabama. It closely follows Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria who, unfortunately, blended together easily throughout the book. The women are challenged by those who do not believe they should be allowed to attend university, including their fellow students, the headmaster, and the people of the town.

The magical realism aspect was pretty well done, channeling the rage and spirits of women before them, but I could not get over how constantly they spoke about their magic being dangerous to do (should they be found out) but then they never stopped telling people about it. I felt like I was waiting for something significantly more sinister to happen because they’d been found out. I felt for each of them as they faced the injustices put before them.

Overall, this was a nice and easy read, but I struggled to connect with the women at times.

Publish Date: October 6, 2026
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for my review.

[Alicia Moulton]

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.

[Lauren]

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!

[D E Y J]

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 😕

[Nina van der Kooij]

Thanks Netgalley & Alcove press

Overall I really enjoyed this historical fantasy set in the 1870s American south, but I did have a few gripes with it. In this book, a first trial semester has been set up for women at a university in Alabama, and 10 young women have been selected to attend. If the trial fails, that means no women will be allowed to attend university anywhere in Alabama. Unfortunately for the women trying out, the university dean, many of their teachers and many of their male fellow students are strongly opposed to the female students, and will go out of their way to sabotage them.

The book follows three of these women with very different backstories as they navigate this situation. It really is rage inducing to see how these men attempt to sabotage the female students, essentially setting them up for failure with nowhere to go for help.

The book is written in three different first person POVs and I think this is also a major weakness. While the characters are all distinct in their backstories, they did read similar enough that I regularly lost track of what POV I was reading and in this case third person POV would have worked better.

This book was advertised as sapphic. If this is the reason you want to read it, it's good to know the romance is only a very small part of the book. Of the three POV characters, one has a sapphic romance, one has an m/f romance, and one has no romance (and appears uninterested in one). None of this was the main focus.

Most of the male characters in this book suck. Other reviews described them as very one dimensional and they're for the most part not too complex, but I don't think misogynist men are all that complex in real life, so this was not an issue for me. I did appreciate not all the men were the same, and I did really like Henry. He is the love interest of one of the main characters, and he is from the start more supportive of the female students.

There's also a trans woman character who initially seems like another one of the more supportive male students. Once it is revealed this character is actually trans, the female students are largely supportive. While it's nice to see support for a trans woman, I do think this was resolved a bit too fast and might be unrealistic for 19th century women. I'd expect these women who are fed up with misogyny to be very confused at why someone male presenting would want to be a woman, and I think drawing this out could also have been used to explore that being a woman is more than dealing with all this misogyny.

As this is set in the American south not too long after the civil war, there was some exploration of racism too, and two of the 10 women selected to join for this first semester were Black. To my recollection there were no Black men in the book. One of these Black women is Alice, and she is the love interest of the sapphic plotline, and I do appreciate how racial relations were centered here, especially as the main character who falls in love with her is the daughter of a rich man and former slave owner. While the main focus of the book is on women's rights, the intersection with race is also explored, which I think is important to do especially when setting a book like this in the American south.

This is largely a grounded historical book, but there are fantasy elements as well. Lucille, one of the three mains, is a witch who was taught by her mother. Victoria, another one of the mains discovers witchcraft in the university library where she works. Together, they start a sorority for the female students (and eventually also male allies) where they teach other women witchcraft and start using this to fight back against the men trying to sabotage them. These men don't play fair, so why should they?

The characters all have interesting backstories that do intersect towards the end, even though the characters did not meet before the start of the stories. While I liked these backstories, their reveals did not always feel as organic, especially towards the end, with sometimes characters just telling their entire story so that everything could finally be pieced together.

Towards the end there's a villain reveal, and I also didn't like all that much how this was done. This villain essentially has an unprompted classic villain monologue for no reason in one character's POV. Then in the next POV, where this character was more relevant, she actually discovers this character is the villain and gets the same monologue again. Cutting the first monologue would have made this aspect of the book much stronger.

Overall, I did enjoy this book despite the issues I had with it. Would recommend to people who enjoy historical feminist stories and who are interested in the focus on the American South

[Lilith Gray]

I would like to thank Alcove Press, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book went in a different direction than the one I had initially expected, and I found myself in a story line I did not exactly see coming.

However, I must admit that there were several distinct thematics being addressed, all so pertinent, all so important, and most of them so heavy.
And I felt as if this book was a huge shout into the world, with a message to convey, a point to be made and something to defend (or several somethings).

I enjoyed every ugly detail that was explored, in this world so filled with injustice - and I recognize how the author worked hard to bring up several issues into the light, walking an heavy path while trying to balance it with hope and righteousness.
Learning how this was inspired in real people and some real events made me appreciate that even more and I am curious to investigate these people and their lives further!

But, while I felt that there was so much to be said, and so many different topics to be explored and addressed, I also felt that it was a little too much, with a lot different things going on at the same time, and that hurt my focus and emotional connection to the characters, on a deeper level.

Do not get me wrong, there was enough emotional response to the several events I got to witness and felt as powerless as our main characters, or even more, and there was a lot of anger and outrage for the circumstances, but the engagement was to the injustice of it all, not exactly the plot, or the characters, as I felt these could have both been explored further and on a deeper level, but instead it felt like these were secondary in a way.

The fact that it was 3 POV was quite interesting, specially being focused on characters from such different backgrounds, and that would be key to everything else that followed, and yet I felt it underdelivered in the way each character explored their own internal drivers and in the way their relationships developed - the elements were there, but I wish they would have been explored deeper.
The main plot line overall was intriguing enough to keep you engaged and looking for the answers, while there was side stories to keep an eye on as well, and it was all weaved together in the end in a way that, unfortunately, felt a bit too neat and convenient.

Despite that, the writing was light and easy to read and the pace was good, so that enabled me to progress along the story effortlessly.
The messages were loud and huge - and that made it special for me.
Still, I trust it had potential for more.

[Zara Astrid]

I have been waiting on an ARC of this for SOOOOO long, OMG, you have no clue. A perfect blend of southern gothic atmosphere, historical fiction, and witchy magic, HELL YES. Give me 14 of them.

This is set during the Reconstruction era. This story follows three women from very different walks of life as they fight for the opportunity to receive an education in a world determined to keep them from having one. Lucille, Catherine, and Victoria each brought something completely unique to the story, and I loved how their different experiences shaped the way they viewed the world. The multiple POV structure was beautifully handled, with each woman having such a distinct voice that I felt completely connected to all three of their journeys. This book reminds me of my favorite author's work -- Silvia Moreno-Garcia & Emelia Hart which means I will be reading the next book of Katie Ortiz's too! Because I love the writing style.

What stood out most to me was the way this book balanced its magic with its message. The witchcraft felt deeply connected to the setting, folklore, and superstitions of the time, creating a magic system that felt earthy, mysterious, and whimsical yet gothic (Maybe that's not the best way to explain it, but I assure you that you won't be disappointed). The coven itself became so much more than a witchy magic society. It represented female friendship, female resilience, and women finding strength in one another when society tried to silence them. When I say I LOVE THIS... Like I can't. My flabbers are gasted on this one.

This story explores difficult themes like sexism, racism, class divisions, and the fight for equality, but it does so through a compelling and emotional narrative rather than simply presenting a message, and I love that the author has the ability to touch on such topics while drawing empathy from the reader, which I think is true storytelling. The struggles these women faced felt both historically accurate and painfully relevant today. Their determination to create a better future, not just for themselves but for the women who would come after them, made their journey incredibly powerful to read.

I especially loved the sense of sisterhood throughout the book. Watching these women overcome their differences and become a true found family was one of the most rewarding parts of the story. Each character grows in such meaningful ways, and I found myself cheering for them all the way through.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for the ARC!

[Fraxinus]

Some books tell a story, and others lay history bare at your feet and says "Welcome to the struggle." This is one of THOSE books.

Much like the South, this book is steeped in trauma.

It is set after the Civil War, when a small group of women are offered the chance to get an education. Of course, instead of being welcomed, they are met with men behaving badly. But instead of running for the hills, the women band together to help each other through. Because if they don't succeed, it is not just their chance that will be wasted, but they will squander this chance for every other woman to come....

And so it starts.

This book is narrated by three women, Lucille, Victoria, and Catherine. It shares why they are pursuing this education, their dreams, their struggles, and what is at stake for them if they fail. Lucille is a farmer's daughter, Catherine is a woman of high-cotton, and Victoria is a woman who has spent her life working in the mills. Each comes to the University looking for a better life, but must deal with the heat, humidity, and unmitigated fury of men who don't believe they belong there. While they try to navigate the treacherous ground in front of them, they band together and form a "sorority" to keep themselves and their fellow students safe from the vitriol of the men who don't want to share and are doing everything they can to close the door behind them.

I love how the author weaves together superstition, manners, and magic to create a magical system that is both plausible and simple. "The Spirit, the Sacrifice, and the Superstition" becomes a rallying cry, even if it is only in the narrator's mind. Each woman is painted vividly, both through her dreams and goals, but also through the traumatic events of her past that make her the force that she becomes once she is given a chance. I also loved how Victoria, the former mill worker is celebrated and becomes a sheer force of feminine power as her experiences as a student and a mill worker intersect and her vast skill set becomes the way that the women are able to communicate and disseminate information.

At the end, you see the immense amount of research that the author put into this story. I am particularly in awe of how the author has woven together fact and fiction. This book is an incredible endeavor of love and truth-telling that will stay with you long after you put the book down. As a Southerner myself, this is the kind of heritage that I will be happy to share with my daughters.

I received an advanced reader copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Abby]

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.

[Mandi Cloete]

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed this story, even though there are a few aspects that I think could have been executed a little better. The premise alone immediately caught my attention: a group of young women in the American South in 1870 fighting against the patriarchy through witchcraft is such a fantastic concept.

We follow Lucille, Victoria and Catherine as they enter the first programme for women at a local university. Unsurprisingly, they face considerable hostility and bullying from both the male students and members of staff. Eventually, they decide to fight back by forming what appears to be a sorority, which is actually a coven of witches.

I loved the overall plot and the direction of the story, but there were a few aspects that didn't work quite as well for me.

Firstly, some of the events felt highly unrealistic for the time period and setting. I understand that this is a work of fiction with supernatural elements, but there were moments when I struggled to believe that certain situations could realistically have unfolded in 1870.

Secondly, I found the three main characters' voices quite difficult to distinguish from one another. Because the novel shifts between their perspectives, I would sometimes have to check the chapter heading to remind myself whose point of view I was reading. I would have liked each character to have had a more distinctive voice and personality on the page.

I also felt that the stakes surrounding the bullying and hostility from the male characters were sometimes a little juvenile for an adult novel. Similarly, many of the male characters felt very black-and-white. They are largely portrayed as villains, with very little nuance or complexity to their personalities. I think giving some of these characters more depth would have made the conflict feel more compelling.

Despite these criticisms, I genuinely enjoyed the story. The premise is fantastic, the historical setting is intriguing, and I loved the idea of women using witchcraft to challenge the patriarchal society around them.

Considering that this is Katie Ortiz's debut novel, I think there is a lot of potential here, and I expect many of these elements will become stronger as her writing develops. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for her future books!

[Mylee J.]

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.

I was privileged to receive an ARC of this novel and read it in advance. Packed with queer yearning, female rage, and the power of women united, it was a wonderful social commentary on the corruptness of exclusion and oppression, and how people who are oppressed and excluded can overcome and defeat those who target them.

I have never read anything by Oritz, but I had high expectations, and even those were blown out of the water! With sharp prose, deep characterization, and a cast of women worth fighting for, Oritz weaves an unforgettable tale of love, friendship, and overcoming. Camille, Victoria, and Lucille were to die for, and so was this story!

I loved how each of the narrating women had to defeat their own inner turmoil and grow throughout the narrative, and I loved the brutal reality with which Oritz writes the historical academic setting. It might seem exaggerated, but it is true (as a history buff, I can confirm - things were even worse than what was depicted). It was beautifully written and carefully handled, with an eye for authenticity and emotionality. Oritz wrote a powerful collection of women characters who were strong because of their weaknesses, not despite them. Wonderfully done and well-written!

[Annette Jordan]

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches immediately caught my eye because of the intriguing and memorable title but once I read the synopsis I knew that I had to read this book- a Southern Gothic historical fiction set in post Civil War Alabama that tackles issues like misogyny, racism and homophobia seemed like a perfect fit to me.
The book focuses on a group of young women who are the first female students to be admitted to one of the city's most prestigious colleges on a trial basis. They come from different backgrounds but all three are trying to escape something , from an arranged marriage in the case of Catherine, to an overbearing father (Lucille) or a guilty conscience following the death of a fellow mill worker (Victoria) and hope that this opportunity will be the thing that changes their life for the better. There is also pressure too though, this trial will go a long way towards deciding if women will be allowed to attend other universities in the future, and most of the faculty and the male students are not exactly welcoming the female students with open arms, rather they are doing everything they can to ensure they fail. However they have seriously underestimated the power of sisterhood and female friendships, and when you add in a little magic and a dash of folklore the men may have bitten off a little more than they can chew.
I really loved the setting of this book, the way the author incorporated Southern traditions, superstitions and folklore into the storytelling, it was an integral part of the story and really made the book feel grounded in a real place. The characters were really interesting, their backstories really tugged at the heartstrings and I loved the growth they all experienced as the book unfolded. I do have to say however that I wish the author had done a little more to make their "voices' more distinct from one another, at times I found myself having to check back to the chapter opening to see which character's perspective I was in. The writing was a little clunky at times, especially the descriptions, which took me out of the book as I tried to work out what the author was trying to say, but in general the story kept me invested and engaged while I read.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Rekha O'Sullivan]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches has such an interesting premise: post-Civil War Alabama, a prestigious university opening its doors to women for the first time, and a group of female students discovering witchcraft while navigating an institution that seems determined to prove they don’t belong there.

Lucille, Catherine and Victoria come from very different backgrounds. Lucille is a farm girl and already a practising witch, Catherine comes from wealth, and Victoria is a mill girl who discovers a grimoire while working in the university library. All three carry grief and turmoil from their pasts, and together they begin forming a sorority of witches that gradually expands to include some of their fellow students.

There is a lot this book wants to say about women’s anger, powerlessness and the long fight for equality. Women’s autonomy over their bodies, education, work and lives is at the heart of the story, and its parallels with issues women still face today are very deliberate. This is certainly not a book that is subtle about its message.

For me, though, the historical setting and the characters didn’t always feel entirely convincing. The writing has quite a YA/New Adult feel, and the protagonists often seemed to have very modern attitudes and language for women living in 1800s Alabama. At times it felt as though the historical elements were being manipulated to accommodate the contemporary themes rather than those themes emerging naturally from the period.

I also found some of the characters, particularly the male characters, quite caricaturish. The women themselves had more complexity, with genuinely interesting histories involving grief, loss and hardship, but I would have loved more time spent developing the friendships between them. Considering how important their sisterhood becomes, I wanted to feel those relationships more deeply.

By the end, things became a little too over-the-top for me, even allowing for the magical elements.

There are worthwhile ideas here, and I can absolutely see what the author was trying to explore through this combination of historical fiction, feminism and witchcraft. I just wish the characters, relationships and historical setting had been given a little more nuance to support those ideas.

[Liz]

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]

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!