Witch Of the Red Thorn by Maria DeVivo

In the town of New Haven Harbor, It has been three years since the last of the Salem Witch Trials ended. Reverend Boone is aging, and a new priest will soon be arriving to replace him. While Barbara and her sister are out in the woods collecting flowers to decorate the church, they come across What appears to have been a ritual sacrifice. Hoping that it isn't a sign that Salem's evils are now targeting their town, Barbara sends Tansy back with a warning not to reveal what they had seen. Then she returns to clean the site of the remnants left behind of the evil ritual before the new reverend arrives, hoping it was just someone's idea of a prank. But she will soon learn the truth.

I received a review copy of this book. It is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it a great deal. It is a rather dark tale that takes place in a time when there had been great hysteria over suspected witchcraft and devil worship. In this story, we once again find both. In the beginning, everyone in town appears to be good and godly people. And while many of them may be, there is always something hidden inside that doesn't quite follow the norms of society. And in this case, not only does that prove true, but there are also evil and demonic forces living among them. Some of whom are only beginning to discover their power.

I found this story very interesting. While It is book two in the series, it takes place both well before book one but also directly references some of the events in that book. Be warned, this book does contain a fair amount of graphic sex, violence, Satanic rituals, and gore. It is not a book meant for younger readers. 

But if you have read and enjoyed the previous book in this series, then I believe you will also enjoy this one. If you enjoy stories that, while not about the Salem witch trials themselves but that are similar and do reference them, or if you enjoy horror stories, then this book is one that you will Likely enjoy as well.

https://amzn.to/3PIpVvW (Amazon Link)

https://4horsemenpublications.com/product/witch-of-the-red-thorn-dawn-of-the-blood-witch-2/ (Link to the book on the publisher's website)

https://books2read.com/u/bwVW1Z (Books3Go links to other Vendors)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Witch Of the Black Circle by Maria DeVivo

Josephine (Joephie) is a teenager who was cursed by a witch before she was born. Her mother has moved the two of them often. They never really stay anywhere long enough for them to set down roots, and thus Joephie expects that this town will be no different than any other location where they have lived so far. In each town, her mother sends Joephie to a private school and a church youth group, hoping that evil influences can be kept away from her daughter. But in the 1980s, during the height of the “Satanic Panic” and the “sex, drugs, and rock & roll” era, that’s all but an impossible task, when one was already cursed.

I received a review copy of this book and enjoyed reading it. I was in high school during this time period. And as someone who played Dungeons & Dragons at the time, I can’t tell you how often I had to explain to people that it was just a game; it wasn't going to influence me to go out & kill anyone. Having lived through that time period as a teenager, I couldn't resist seeing this author's representation of a group of teenagers in the 1980s.

I enjoyed reading this book. While I was a little disappointed that there was no mention of the game Dungeons & Dragons, MTV, or a myriad of other 1980s specific items, this story was focused primarily on other aspects of the 1980s Satanic Panic. So I do understand why such things were not included in this book, though I would have like to have seen them mentioned. There was still more than enough of the other parental fears and teenage activities that were common back then; some of which went much farther than most teens did back then when it came to exploring the occult. These teenagers sought to actually open a portal and summon Satan

This is a horror novel with all the sex, drugs, and rock & roll that one might expect from a book set during that time period. Throw in some teenagers learning about the occult, the forces of Satan, and some graphic sex, violence, death, and gore, and you've described this book. Be warned that it is not a book meant for younger readers as it does contain some very graphic sex and a fair amount of violence and bloodshed. But for those who enjoy horror novels set in the 1980s, you should enjoy this one. I certainly did.

https://amzn.to/3IDyzaS (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/m2KGe6 (Books2Go link to other Vendors)

https://4horsemenpublications.com/product/witch-of-the-black-circle-dawn-of-the-blood-witch-book-1/

(Link to the book on the Publisher's website)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.