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Lunar Shadows #1
Witcheskin
Following the disappearance of his father, Owen returns to the Welsh village where he was raised to live with his mother and her boyfriend. While pursuing the mystery of cattle mutilations in the area, he meets Maredudd, an old friend of his mother's, and learns something about his parents that they've never told him…
♦ 110,000 words.
♦ 110,000 words.
444 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2018
3 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 22, 2018
I’ll be honest, I had to DNF after around 5%. The editing (or the lack of?) was simply atrocious, but that wasn’t my main issue. It was the racism. The first time the white protagonist called his Middle Eastern future love interest ‘donkey lashes’, I jerked in my seat. I was confused and hurt. Comparing Middle Eastern people to cattle is horrible in any context, even if you’re trying to give a compliment (I think it was supposed to be a complimentary nickname? It’s not actually used in a positive way, I just realized). I was already upset, but I thought ‘okay, this might be a one-off thing’. It wasn’t. Maybe a page later, the protagonist continues with this
:
“Everyone else called him ‘the Persian’ or ‘that Iranian fella’; I had never heard his actual name, and had only ever seen him from a distance when he was working in the fields. It was also in that respect that he reminded me of a donkey, because it seemed no matter how much work-load the farmers piled on top of him, he continued to toil away in all weather.”
So wait. You’re saying that because the farmers around you are apparently racist and treat Maredudd like shit and he doesn’t fight it, he’s like cattle?? Donkey, especially? There’s so much wrong with this situation. The race component to calling poc cattle is so horrible, how has nobody caught this in proof-reads? Betas? Editors?? Anyone??? After that, I had to check how many times does he get compared to donkey and according to the kindle search function, it’s four times. Four times this Middle Eastern character gets compared to a donkey.
Why use donkey as example for long lashes, instead of the commonly accepted cow, which, by the way, has no racial connotations?? Saying ‘he’s as hardworking as a mule’ is fine, saying he ‘reminds you of a donkey because farmers treat him bad’ is Very Much Not.
My family is Middle Eastern. I got called much worse than just donkey, growing up. But I don’t expect to read something like that in a romance. If anyone compared me or anyone in my family to a donkey, I would break their face.
:
“Everyone else called him ‘the Persian’ or ‘that Iranian fella’; I had never heard his actual name, and had only ever seen him from a distance when he was working in the fields. It was also in that respect that he reminded me of a donkey, because it seemed no matter how much work-load the farmers piled on top of him, he continued to toil away in all weather.”
So wait. You’re saying that because the farmers around you are apparently racist and treat Maredudd like shit and he doesn’t fight it, he’s like cattle?? Donkey, especially? There’s so much wrong with this situation. The race component to calling poc cattle is so horrible, how has nobody caught this in proof-reads? Betas? Editors?? Anyone??? After that, I had to check how many times does he get compared to donkey and according to the kindle search function, it’s four times. Four times this Middle Eastern character gets compared to a donkey.
Why use donkey as example for long lashes, instead of the commonly accepted cow, which, by the way, has no racial connotations?? Saying ‘he’s as hardworking as a mule’ is fine, saying he ‘reminds you of a donkey because farmers treat him bad’ is Very Much Not.
My family is Middle Eastern. I got called much worse than just donkey, growing up. But I don’t expect to read something like that in a romance. If anyone compared me or anyone in my family to a donkey, I would break their face.
September 5, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
So first off, I will say that this is an incredibly creative world. The mythos that the author chose to weave into the tale was amazing and well chosen. There are a lot of elements that piqued my interest, and the magic is complex and interesting. I have to give Rowan credit for the elements they chose, and there was a certain whimsical nature, even when the story got dark, that were really clever. However, there was something lacking in the execution here that failed to keep my attention. I had issues with how easily Owen accepted things, and then how easily he fell into his role. To be honest, this might be nitpicky of me, but since Owen had not shown any natural talent toward magic prior, it was a little hard to believe that he’d first believe it so readily and then secondly have no qualms about jumping in.
The characters themselves were interesting. Owen was the narrator, and we certainly got to know him best. He’s troubled, and has an incredibly rough time of it. But he grows throughout the novel and learns to embrace his newfound talents.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
So first off, I will say that this is an incredibly creative world. The mythos that the author chose to weave into the tale was amazing and well chosen. There are a lot of elements that piqued my interest, and the magic is complex and interesting. I have to give Rowan credit for the elements they chose, and there was a certain whimsical nature, even when the story got dark, that were really clever. However, there was something lacking in the execution here that failed to keep my attention. I had issues with how easily Owen accepted things, and then how easily he fell into his role. To be honest, this might be nitpicky of me, but since Owen had not shown any natural talent toward magic prior, it was a little hard to believe that he’d first believe it so readily and then secondly have no qualms about jumping in.
The characters themselves were interesting. Owen was the narrator, and we certainly got to know him best. He’s troubled, and has an incredibly rough time of it. But he grows throughout the novel and learns to embrace his newfound talents.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
January 12, 2020
Witcheskin had such a vivid and creative world. I really loved the magic and the unique perspective of it. I am not used to this kind of folklore and myths and I enjoyed reading about them. It had some dark elements and gore-y parts that gave the story a darker shade that went so well with the wind that was blowing out my apartment.
I liked all the characters for different reasons and my favorite one has to be Maredudd. He was very interesting from the beginning to the end and had a great voice -I hope I’m explaining this right. I couldn’t wait for every scene with him in it.
I liked Owen too and his journey got me reading some articles and threads so I can understand it better. He is strong but everyone breaks at some point and I liked that he was so open to everything new, it suited him well.
I won this book in an Instagram giveaway by April and I have to say a big thank you! I want to read more books with LGBT+ characters and this was such a great start.
I liked all the characters for different reasons and my favorite one has to be Maredudd. He was very interesting from the beginning to the end and had a great voice -I hope I’m explaining this right. I couldn’t wait for every scene with him in it.
I liked Owen too and his journey got me reading some articles and threads so I can understand it better. He is strong but everyone breaks at some point and I liked that he was so open to everything new, it suited him well.
I won this book in an Instagram giveaway by April and I have to say a big thank you! I want to read more books with LGBT+ characters and this was such a great start.
March 2, 2018
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
This book picked my interest when I saw it on my Twitter timeline, when the author was searching for more reader and made pre-release advertisement. I read the blurb - and honestly I wasn't sure what to think about the book. Sure, the blurb is interesting but very vague. When I also got the information that this book is pretty dark, has supernatural elements, the use of magic and witches appear, I was capured. But I also pondered if the trigger and content warnings (to be find on the publisher's website, here under "content notes") of verbal abuse & transphobia, the graphic display of animal mutilation and other heavy parts would be something I could endure. When I decided yes, I'll give the book a try and read further the first page I was hooked.
Yes, the author Nem Rowan describes the scenery in a very graphic way, the natural beauty is visible before your inner eye, which - of course - makes the graphic, gory scenes and description of the dead animals less pleasant. It's the mix and the curiousity you feel as a reader; I admit I liked it because it was totally making sense to be this graphic, although I've to say it was almost poetic and lyrical and that had a special appeal. It's kind of a morbid curiosity, something you either like or not.
From the first page on I was with Owen, our protagonist. He is suffering living in the isolated, pretty bigot and transphobic acting village in Wales, where his mother has her roots. On the one hand he feels connected through the village with his dead/missing father, on the other hand he is confronted with people who know about his transition and have a distant behaviour towards him, whereas his mother's boyfriend/lover Geraint is the worst in calling him by his old name & never acknowledging his new identity. In fact he is fueled by hatred and tries to rile up Owen whenever he can.
The main problems and the thrilling parts are all connected to Geraint but I won't tell how because it would take a majority of the suspense. ;) I can just say the revealings are surprising, it's really captivating how Nem Rowan is able to hook you as the reader. Within one book there are so many (new) things you learn, but you aren't this overwhelmed because the connection is there, the explanation is given & the way how it's displayed is fascinating and intriguing together.
I also loved the romantic relationship between Owen and Maredudd and I laughed so often when both behaved humorous and had their small banter and witty comments. I want to stress out that Maredudd and Owen have an age gap of 15 years, so if this isn't your thing, you should maybe not read it. If you love things like this, go and get the book. :)
I was also totally fond of Maredudd's father Morcant - and his appearance is a pretty remarkable, just saying ;) - and Owen's mother Wenda was a great secondary character too.
I really loved how Owen and Maredudd's realationship grew within the book and how connected they are. There is an intimacy which is different than Owen has to his mother for example and for the first time he feels understood, feels connected to someone truly. If you expect really explicit intimate scenes between them, there are a few but the majority is a display of their affection through kisses and touches, very tender and sweet, although there is enough innuendo. I loved this balance & I can't wait to see more of them together, of their daily life.
This debut work totally nailed it and I can recommend it wholeheartedly. If you are okay with on-page transphobia, verbal abuse, graphic display of violence, animal mutilation, talk of suicide and on the other hand be fond of dark(er) magic, supernatural elements, love age gaps, you'll probably want to pick the book up & maybe even love it as much as I did. 5 out of 5 stars for it.
Review originally posted on my blog with added content Mikku-chan / A world full of words
This book picked my interest when I saw it on my Twitter timeline, when the author was searching for more reader and made pre-release advertisement. I read the blurb - and honestly I wasn't sure what to think about the book. Sure, the blurb is interesting but very vague. When I also got the information that this book is pretty dark, has supernatural elements, the use of magic and witches appear, I was capured. But I also pondered if the trigger and content warnings (to be find on the publisher's website, here under "content notes") of verbal abuse & transphobia, the graphic display of animal mutilation and other heavy parts would be something I could endure. When I decided yes, I'll give the book a try and read further the first page I was hooked.
Yes, the author Nem Rowan describes the scenery in a very graphic way, the natural beauty is visible before your inner eye, which - of course - makes the graphic, gory scenes and description of the dead animals less pleasant. It's the mix and the curiousity you feel as a reader; I admit I liked it because it was totally making sense to be this graphic, although I've to say it was almost poetic and lyrical and that had a special appeal. It's kind of a morbid curiosity, something you either like or not.
From the first page on I was with Owen, our protagonist. He is suffering living in the isolated, pretty bigot and transphobic acting village in Wales, where his mother has her roots. On the one hand he feels connected through the village with his dead/missing father, on the other hand he is confronted with people who know about his transition and have a distant behaviour towards him, whereas his mother's boyfriend/lover Geraint is the worst in calling him by his old name & never acknowledging his new identity. In fact he is fueled by hatred and tries to rile up Owen whenever he can.
The main problems and the thrilling parts are all connected to Geraint but I won't tell how because it would take a majority of the suspense. ;) I can just say the revealings are surprising, it's really captivating how Nem Rowan is able to hook you as the reader. Within one book there are so many (new) things you learn, but you aren't this overwhelmed because the connection is there, the explanation is given & the way how it's displayed is fascinating and intriguing together.
I also loved the romantic relationship between Owen and Maredudd and I laughed so often when both behaved humorous and had their small banter and witty comments. I want to stress out that Maredudd and Owen have an age gap of 15 years, so if this isn't your thing, you should maybe not read it. If you love things like this, go and get the book. :)
I was also totally fond of Maredudd's father Morcant - and his appearance is a pretty remarkable, just saying ;) - and Owen's mother Wenda was a great secondary character too.
I really loved how Owen and Maredudd's realationship grew within the book and how connected they are. There is an intimacy which is different than Owen has to his mother for example and for the first time he feels understood, feels connected to someone truly. If you expect really explicit intimate scenes between them, there are a few but the majority is a display of their affection through kisses and touches, very tender and sweet, although there is enough innuendo. I loved this balance & I can't wait to see more of them together, of their daily life.
This debut work totally nailed it and I can recommend it wholeheartedly. If you are okay with on-page transphobia, verbal abuse, graphic display of violence, animal mutilation, talk of suicide and on the other hand be fond of dark(er) magic, supernatural elements, love age gaps, you'll probably want to pick the book up & maybe even love it as much as I did. 5 out of 5 stars for it.
Review originally posted on my blog with added content Mikku-chan / A world full of words
April 6, 2018
DNFed at 31%.
This book was kinda a baffling read for me. Based on the summary, I should love it, but it was hard for me to get into it.
There were two big problems I had with this book:
First, the... racism? Listen, I am white as mayonaise but I don't think its appropriate to call your love interests "donkey" or any variation thereof. That was a big WTF moment when I got to it and I almost put the book down.
The second was the disprepancy between the showing and telling. I am not sure if the was bad writing or if it was supposed to show that we cannot believe the main hero's POV, but i sure as hell didn't enjoy it.
"My mom really loves me and supports me!" - his mother has a partner who is abusive and transphobic towards her son and she does nothing about it. Me: ?_?
Or "the whole towns hates me" - the same chapter we meet three characters who are very nice and welcoming to the main hero.
"I never cry!" - cries twice in the chapter
I would wave this whole thing away if the main hero was 17-19 years old. If the book didn't mention the actual age, I would say he is a teenage hero full of angst. It would also explain why he still lives with his mom and doesn't have a job. I would say, fair enough.
But the main character is... 27 years old??? Why the hell is almost 30 year old man staying with his mother in a town where he can't get a job? Wouldn't it be easier to return to Bristol where he was accepted, had friends and where he has good chances of finding employment? Where he wouldn't have to face abusive transphobic asshole(s)?
...
Well.
I wouldn't say this book is badly written (though it could use an editor who would catch thing like "donkey eyelashes"), but its definitely not my cup of tea at all.
This book was kinda a baffling read for me. Based on the summary, I should love it, but it was hard for me to get into it.
There were two big problems I had with this book:
First, the... racism? Listen, I am white as mayonaise but I don't think its appropriate to call your love interests "donkey" or any variation thereof. That was a big WTF moment when I got to it and I almost put the book down.
The second was the disprepancy between the showing and telling. I am not sure if the was bad writing or if it was supposed to show that we cannot believe the main hero's POV, but i sure as hell didn't enjoy it.
"My mom really loves me and supports me!" - his mother has a partner who is abusive and transphobic towards her son and she does nothing about it. Me: ?_?
Or "the whole towns hates me" - the same chapter we meet three characters who are very nice and welcoming to the main hero.
"I never cry!" - cries twice in the chapter
I would wave this whole thing away if the main hero was 17-19 years old. If the book didn't mention the actual age, I would say he is a teenage hero full of angst. It would also explain why he still lives with his mom and doesn't have a job. I would say, fair enough.
But the main character is... 27 years old??? Why the hell is almost 30 year old man staying with his mother in a town where he can't get a job? Wouldn't it be easier to return to Bristol where he was accepted, had friends and where he has good chances of finding employment? Where he wouldn't have to face abusive transphobic asshole(s)?
...
Well.
I wouldn't say this book is badly written (though it could use an editor who would catch thing like "donkey eyelashes"), but its definitely not my cup of tea at all.
September 30, 2019
3.5 stars
Witcheskin is an intense, atmospheric book that starts out very slow. It took me several weeks to get through the first 40%, but after that it got intense and I flew through the rest.
Content warnings include: transphobia, animal mutilation and gore, injury through falling, body horror in a witchy context, various horror elements, racism.
The format of the book is familiar: tiny village where everyone knows everyone, a mysterious beast roaming the woods, killing and gruesomly mutilating animals, and all the villagers pretend it's just a rabid dog or wolf rather than something vastly more horrifying.
The main character Owen feels like an outsider in the tiny Welsh town. His parents might have been born and grown up there, but be grew up in Bristol until his father's death brough him and his mother back to her roots. It doesn't help that he's dependent on his mom's new boyfriend, who's an abusive a**hole and outed him as trans to the village community, many of whom are small minded.
His only solace is his camera and the mystery of the mutilated animals that he's trying to solve, even if the villagers don't want him to. And then there's Maredudd, an old friend of his parents, who suddenly turns up injured in their house and seems to know much more than he lets on.
The atmosphere of the book was what drew me in. It's bleak and heavy, like a smothering blanket that chokes you but provides too much warmth and twisted comfort to leave - which very much reflects Owen's situation.
The rampant transphobia he faces was hard to swallow at times, but there were bright moments too. His mother is very supportive, but doesn't always speak up for him, even if the love between mother and son is palpable. Not all of the villagers are bigoted d*ckheads and there are several friendly and even warm interactions too.
It wasn't always clear to me why Owen, who's 28, doesn't just leave. He lives with his mother and Geraint, her horrible boyfriend, and is entirely dependent on the latter. It's hinted that Geraint outing Owen to the village community is the reason that Owen doesn't have a job and thus can't earn money to support himself, but there is little textual support as to why the one causes the other.
It's also hinted that Owen's shyness and lack of self-worth is part of the rift between him and the villagers, but again it's not something clearly elaborated or established.
These were minor questions marks that came up while reading but didn't impede the reading experience overall.
The minor romantic sideplot was well-done in some areas and lacking in others. I liked Owen's internal monologue and how he felt as he was getting closer to Maredudd. I could relate to him a lot but the actual falling in love/developing a crush part was flimsy at best. Owen simply states what he likes about Maredudd, but the reader doesn't get to see any of those qualities that early on. Maredudd is mostly smiling silently for that part, barely ever talking, and I was surprised to find how early Owen expressed interest in Maredudd when he was still such a unknown variable to the reader.
The mystery of the beast stalking the village wasn't always as prominent as I had hoped, and mostly develops in the second half of the book. That's also when the witchy stuff starts to happen.
I liked the overall mystery, though the conclusion was a lot smaller-scale than I had anticipated and there weren't a lot of clues, foreshadowing or build-up previous to the big reveal.
Witcheskin is ownvoices for the trans rep, which felt very raw and authentic.
There were also several editing errors, typos and some cases where I think the wrong words were used/words switched places accidentally, which was confusing at times.
The writing was good and easy to read, with mostly vivid descriptions save for a few extremely awkward ones, like describing Maredudd, who was born in Iran, as "donkey lashes" which I found questionable.
Witcheskin is an intense, atmospheric book that starts out very slow. It took me several weeks to get through the first 40%, but after that it got intense and I flew through the rest.
Content warnings include: transphobia, animal mutilation and gore, injury through falling, body horror in a witchy context, various horror elements, racism.
The format of the book is familiar: tiny village where everyone knows everyone, a mysterious beast roaming the woods, killing and gruesomly mutilating animals, and all the villagers pretend it's just a rabid dog or wolf rather than something vastly more horrifying.
The main character Owen feels like an outsider in the tiny Welsh town. His parents might have been born and grown up there, but be grew up in Bristol until his father's death brough him and his mother back to her roots. It doesn't help that he's dependent on his mom's new boyfriend, who's an abusive a**hole and outed him as trans to the village community, many of whom are small minded.
His only solace is his camera and the mystery of the mutilated animals that he's trying to solve, even if the villagers don't want him to. And then there's Maredudd, an old friend of his parents, who suddenly turns up injured in their house and seems to know much more than he lets on.
The atmosphere of the book was what drew me in. It's bleak and heavy, like a smothering blanket that chokes you but provides too much warmth and twisted comfort to leave - which very much reflects Owen's situation.
The rampant transphobia he faces was hard to swallow at times, but there were bright moments too. His mother is very supportive, but doesn't always speak up for him, even if the love between mother and son is palpable. Not all of the villagers are bigoted d*ckheads and there are several friendly and even warm interactions too.
It wasn't always clear to me why Owen, who's 28, doesn't just leave. He lives with his mother and Geraint, her horrible boyfriend, and is entirely dependent on the latter. It's hinted that Geraint outing Owen to the village community is the reason that Owen doesn't have a job and thus can't earn money to support himself, but there is little textual support as to why the one causes the other.
It's also hinted that Owen's shyness and lack of self-worth is part of the rift between him and the villagers, but again it's not something clearly elaborated or established.
These were minor questions marks that came up while reading but didn't impede the reading experience overall.
The minor romantic sideplot was well-done in some areas and lacking in others. I liked Owen's internal monologue and how he felt as he was getting closer to Maredudd. I could relate to him a lot but the actual falling in love/developing a crush part was flimsy at best. Owen simply states what he likes about Maredudd, but the reader doesn't get to see any of those qualities that early on. Maredudd is mostly smiling silently for that part, barely ever talking, and I was surprised to find how early Owen expressed interest in Maredudd when he was still such a unknown variable to the reader.
The mystery of the beast stalking the village wasn't always as prominent as I had hoped, and mostly develops in the second half of the book. That's also when the witchy stuff starts to happen.
I liked the overall mystery, though the conclusion was a lot smaller-scale than I had anticipated and there weren't a lot of clues, foreshadowing or build-up previous to the big reveal.
Witcheskin is ownvoices for the trans rep, which felt very raw and authentic.
There were also several editing errors, typos and some cases where I think the wrong words were used/words switched places accidentally, which was confusing at times.
The writing was good and easy to read, with mostly vivid descriptions save for a few extremely awkward ones, like describing Maredudd, who was born in Iran, as "donkey lashes" which I found questionable.
December 15, 2018
It's one if these hidden gems that deserve way more attention. Wales, witches, and a mysterious beast. Add own-voices trans-rep and a cute, healthy m/m romance. What more can one possibly want?
I'm probably the only person who's read "The Rough Sleepers" before "Witcheskin" and I thought I knew to expect from Nem Rowan. I was wrong. It's a very different sort of a story, and while they are both urban fantasy, they manage to escape the restraints of the schematics of the genre and, at the same time, remain very different from one another. I've no idea how Nem Rowan achieved it but he did. But while the stories are very different, "Witcheskin" still has the best features of "The Rough Sleepers": inclusiveness and rough, believable characters.
Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this one.
I'm probably the only person who's read "The Rough Sleepers" before "Witcheskin" and I thought I knew to expect from Nem Rowan. I was wrong. It's a very different sort of a story, and while they are both urban fantasy, they manage to escape the restraints of the schematics of the genre and, at the same time, remain very different from one another. I've no idea how Nem Rowan achieved it but he did. But while the stories are very different, "Witcheskin" still has the best features of "The Rough Sleepers": inclusiveness and rough, believable characters.
Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this one.
March 16, 2018
I received this novel from the author as a giveaway on Twitter. I entered because the description caught my attention, and I couldn't wait to read it. Witcheskin went far beyond my expectations. It grabbed me from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. The main character comes to life as you watch him struggle with his personal demons, low self-esteem and self-worth, and a close-minded community that doesn't understand him or his motivations. All he wants is to help those around him, and as he takes on an investigation into a string of animal mutilations, he finds himself way over his head. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what else Nem Rowan will bring to his readers.
March 3, 2018
3,5/5
Though I'm not used to Horror Fantasy, I liked this book, especially thanks to the great main character!
review to come very soon, it's basically written but it's very late and I don't trust what I write at night!
Though I'm not used to Horror Fantasy, I liked this book, especially thanks to the great main character!
review to come very soon, it's basically written but it's very late and I don't trust what I write at night!
March 23, 2019
Loved it! Magic, romance, and a relatable main character... the last of which is super uncommon for me to find, so thank you! My trans masc heart needed this.
October 17, 2018
I was contacted by the author and offered an eARC of this book in exchange for a review. This has in no way influenced my opinion.
This book is a queer romance, featuring a trans main character (with ownvoices trans rep), a POC love interest, witches, Welsh accents and spooky, mysterious ongoing murders. 10000% my jam. No idea why it took me two months to get through the first half, or why I waited so long to get back to it, because I've barely stopped reading the second half since I finally opened this book again two days ago.
I couldn't guess at any of the mysteries so every twist and turn was a big surprise, especially the one at the very end. That one was so good that it nearly made this 5 stars - nearly; we'll get back to that. The atmosphere of a small, close-knit and seemingly close-minded Welsh village was extremely real, and described so carefully and with such skill that I really felt like I was there. The characters' dialogue is written in vernacular, which made my brain mimic the Welsh accents as best as it could (which is much better than I can do it out loud, let me tell you). "Here" was written as "yere" almost every time, which I found especially charming.
All of the characters were well-put together with motivations that eventually all made sense, even if I had to wait til the very end to get there. Everyone had logical reasons for being the way they were and doing the things they did, and it wasn't so binary as Bad People and Good People. That was nice.
Content warnings: the murders are animals being torn apart by another animal, and the deaths and corpses are described in detail. Owen is occasionally maliciously deadnamed by Geraint, and sometimes others in the village, which seemed...a little strange to me tbh, but in the beginning he's not treated very well (not abused, just not exactly accepted) in the village, but the deadnaming stops fairly early on and things look up in the end. Owen occasionally experiences dysphoria, and he describes his body in gendered ways, which I would take issue with if this wasn't ownvoices; but it is, so... not my place to criticise. Still bears mentioning though.
The romance was nicely slow burn-y and believable, and the way it was easily accepted, and the way Owen was easily accepted by the end, was very nice. Aside from the handful of deadnaming occasions, and Geraint being a gigantic arsehole generally, there was very little queerphobia in the village which I greatly appreciated.
As I mentioned above, this was very nearly a five star read but ultimately there were two remarks that kept it down. Both of them were off-hand in the story, but just left me feeling uneasy about the way the characters see the world:
1) Maredudd is adopted. His dad is the only dad he's ever known and they have a very good relationship and love each other, and Maredudd was raised well. Great!! But at one point he calls his adopted dad "not his real dad." ...Not so great. Biological connection does not make a family more "real," and being adopted does not make a family less real.
2) Owen's parents were in a polyamorous relationship with a third person (who I won't name, even though they're present in the story. You'll find out.) Great!! Upon finding out this fact, Owen immediately calls the relationship "gross" and "weird," and not just because it involved his parents, nor because the third person wasn't exactly a shining beacon of humanity. His mum's explanation was "your dad and me were raised as hippies" and then goes on, "not that that excuses it." ...Not so great. Polyamory is not something that needs excusing. It's a normal kind of relationship that many many people engage in and it needs normalising, not stigmatising further.
Ultimately both of those instances were relatively small, but they both speak to an internalised way of thinking that I think should be examined by everyone who reads this review and this book.
Anyway, overall it was a very good read, full of surprises, very atmospheric, and exceedingly satisfying. I can see myself reading it again, and if it sounds at all like something you'd enjoy, you should definitely go for it.
This book is a queer romance, featuring a trans main character (with ownvoices trans rep), a POC love interest, witches, Welsh accents and spooky, mysterious ongoing murders. 10000% my jam. No idea why it took me two months to get through the first half, or why I waited so long to get back to it, because I've barely stopped reading the second half since I finally opened this book again two days ago.
I couldn't guess at any of the mysteries so every twist and turn was a big surprise, especially the one at the very end. That one was so good that it nearly made this 5 stars - nearly; we'll get back to that. The atmosphere of a small, close-knit and seemingly close-minded Welsh village was extremely real, and described so carefully and with such skill that I really felt like I was there. The characters' dialogue is written in vernacular, which made my brain mimic the Welsh accents as best as it could (which is much better than I can do it out loud, let me tell you). "Here" was written as "yere" almost every time, which I found especially charming.
All of the characters were well-put together with motivations that eventually all made sense, even if I had to wait til the very end to get there. Everyone had logical reasons for being the way they were and doing the things they did, and it wasn't so binary as Bad People and Good People. That was nice.
Content warnings: the murders are animals being torn apart by another animal, and the deaths and corpses are described in detail. Owen is occasionally maliciously deadnamed by Geraint, and sometimes others in the village, which seemed...a little strange to me tbh, but in the beginning he's not treated very well (not abused, just not exactly accepted) in the village, but the deadnaming stops fairly early on and things look up in the end. Owen occasionally experiences dysphoria, and he describes his body in gendered ways, which I would take issue with if this wasn't ownvoices; but it is, so... not my place to criticise. Still bears mentioning though.
The romance was nicely slow burn-y and believable, and the way it was easily accepted, and the way Owen was easily accepted by the end, was very nice. Aside from the handful of deadnaming occasions, and Geraint being a gigantic arsehole generally, there was very little queerphobia in the village which I greatly appreciated.
As I mentioned above, this was very nearly a five star read but ultimately there were two remarks that kept it down. Both of them were off-hand in the story, but just left me feeling uneasy about the way the characters see the world:
1) Maredudd is adopted. His dad is the only dad he's ever known and they have a very good relationship and love each other, and Maredudd was raised well. Great!! But at one point he calls his adopted dad "not his real dad." ...Not so great. Biological connection does not make a family more "real," and being adopted does not make a family less real.
2) Owen's parents were in a polyamorous relationship with a third person (who I won't name, even though they're present in the story. You'll find out.) Great!! Upon finding out this fact, Owen immediately calls the relationship "gross" and "weird," and not just because it involved his parents, nor because the third person wasn't exactly a shining beacon of humanity. His mum's explanation was "your dad and me were raised as hippies" and then goes on, "not that that excuses it." ...Not so great. Polyamory is not something that needs excusing. It's a normal kind of relationship that many many people engage in and it needs normalising, not stigmatising further.
Ultimately both of those instances were relatively small, but they both speak to an internalised way of thinking that I think should be examined by everyone who reads this review and this book.
Anyway, overall it was a very good read, full of surprises, very atmospheric, and exceedingly satisfying. I can see myself reading it again, and if it sounds at all like something you'd enjoy, you should definitely go for it.
March 30, 2018
(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews.)
This story was quite a surprise. From the blurb I really had no idea what the book was about. The title led me to believe it involved magic but I wasn’t sure.
What I didn’t expect was the main character being a transgender young man named Owen. Owen is portrayed as a very insecure young man who has been tormented since he and his mother moved back to Wales after the disappearance of his father. His mother has moved in with a man who treats Owen badly, constantly calling him by his former name. He has also told everyone in the village that Owen is transgender, and Owen has been unable to find a job because of it.
Something strange is going on in the village though and only Owen seems to be paying attention to just how many animals are being slaughtered by some strange beast. That is…until he meets a friend of his mother, named Meredudd. I remembered that double d is prounced totally different in Welsh so I googled it. It was so much easier after I figured out the name was prounced Mereduth. But I digress.
Once the two meet sparks seem to fly but Owen is afraid of wanting something he has never had. What will Meredudd, who is beautiful, think of Owen’s scars. Will he be disgusted?
I liked the interaction of the characters and the building of the story and its magical components. It kept me reading. I’ll be honest, I figured out one of the surprises before the reveal, but it didn’t hurt my read.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the story. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes a story with a central mystery, and a few interesting side characters riding along beside the MC. I really liked Owen. I was rooting for him the entire way through the story, and no spoilers, but I was really happy with some things that happened along the way and near the end of the story.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2018/03/2...
This story was quite a surprise. From the blurb I really had no idea what the book was about. The title led me to believe it involved magic but I wasn’t sure.
What I didn’t expect was the main character being a transgender young man named Owen. Owen is portrayed as a very insecure young man who has been tormented since he and his mother moved back to Wales after the disappearance of his father. His mother has moved in with a man who treats Owen badly, constantly calling him by his former name. He has also told everyone in the village that Owen is transgender, and Owen has been unable to find a job because of it.
Something strange is going on in the village though and only Owen seems to be paying attention to just how many animals are being slaughtered by some strange beast. That is…until he meets a friend of his mother, named Meredudd. I remembered that double d is prounced totally different in Welsh so I googled it. It was so much easier after I figured out the name was prounced Mereduth. But I digress.
Once the two meet sparks seem to fly but Owen is afraid of wanting something he has never had. What will Meredudd, who is beautiful, think of Owen’s scars. Will he be disgusted?
I liked the interaction of the characters and the building of the story and its magical components. It kept me reading. I’ll be honest, I figured out one of the surprises before the reveal, but it didn’t hurt my read.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the story. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes a story with a central mystery, and a few interesting side characters riding along beside the MC. I really liked Owen. I was rooting for him the entire way through the story, and no spoilers, but I was really happy with some things that happened along the way and near the end of the story.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2018/03/2...
April 11, 2018
I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley, thank you!
Suspenseful and well-written horror fantasy with an engaging romance (m/m) on top of it- I really enjoyed it!
Suspenseful and well-written horror fantasy with an engaging romance (m/m) on top of it- I really enjoyed it!
May 31, 2018
3.5 stars
May 21, 2018
I first found out about Witcheskin by Nem Rowan through instagram, and was intrigued by the snippets I learned about the book there. A supernatural mystery including an m/m romance with a trans lead? And it’s ownvoices? The title has ‘witch’ in it? Set in Wales? When the author approached me with an eARC, I couldn’t say no! I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed.
My rating: 4/5 stars.
Full review: https://puttingwingsonwords.wordpress...
My rating: 4/5 stars.
Full review: https://puttingwingsonwords.wordpress...
April 8, 2026
i won’t lie the ending made me laugh so hard
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