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Cover of The Black Witch

The Black Witch

by Laurie Forest

🥛clean·spoiler·The Black Witch Chronicles #1·✓ Series Complete

Why Read This?

A challenging but rewarding read that uses fantasy worldbuilding to confront real-world prejudice. Elloren's painfully slow growth from sheltered bigot to ally is uncomfortable by design—this is a book about unlearning hate, not a power fantasy.

Synopsis

A new Black Witch will rise…her powers vast beyond imagining. Elloren Gardner is the granddaughter of the last prophesied Black Witch, Carnissa Gardner, who drove back the enemy forces and saved the Gardnerian people during the Realm War. But while she is the absolute spitting image of her famous grandmother, Elloren is utterly devoid of power in a society that prizes magical ability above all else. When she is granted the opportunity to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an apothecary, Elloren joins her brothers at the prestigious Verpax University to embrace a destiny of her own, free from the shadow of her grandmother's legacy. But she soon realizes that the university, which admits all manner of people—including the fire-wielding, winged Icarals, the sworn enemies of all Gardnerians—is a treacherous place for the granddaughter of the Black Witch. As evil looms on the horizon and the pressure to live up to her heritage builds, everything Elloren thought she knew will be challenged and torn away. Her best hope of survival may be among the most unlikely band of misfits…if only she can find the courage to trust those she's been taught to hate and fear.

At a Glance

4.10 ★ Goodreads
Spice Level🥛clean
Endingspoiler
PairingN/A
Romance Pacingslow burn
Energyhigh

Top Tropes

enemies to loversforbidden lovelove triangleslow burnreluctant allies to lovers

Mood

darkintenseatmosphericepic

Book Details

Goodreads Rating

4.10 ★

Page Count

601 pages

Published

2017

Primary Genre

Young Adult

Pairing

N/A

POV

First Person

Romance Pacing

Slow Burn

Cliffhanger

spoiler

Audiobook

Available

Yes

Format

Single Narrator

Narrator

Julia Whelan

Narrator Count

Single

Narration Style

Single

Tropes

RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

Mood

Writing Style

immersiveatmosphericdramatic

Story Pacing

medium

Emotional Weight

heavy

Energy Required

high

Vibes

Harry Potter meets prejudice deconstructionmagical academy with real-world bigotry parallelsslow awakening to inherited hate

Characters

FMC Archetype

reluctant chosen onebookworm/scholar

MMC Archetype

mysterious strangerbrooding prince

Relationship Dynamics

enemies to loversforbidden loveslow burntensionclass difference
sexual assaultself-harmphysical abuseracismhomophobiaableismreligious intolerancemisogyny

World & Setting

World Type

academy / schoolhigh fantasy

Primary Setting

Verpax University, Gardneria

Fantasy Creatures

Representation

queerlgbtq+ rep

Reading Context

Emotional Payoff

N/A

Best Time of Year

anytime

When & Where to Read

rainy weekendcozy evening

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