I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A rebellious teen witch hoping to avoid the patriarchal pitfalls of Wicca society finds herself drawn into a dark world after a magical prank goes horribly wrong in author Holly Rhiannon’s “A Time When Demons”.

The Synopsis

Life as a witch isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

While it’s true that Aeres Cadogan has inherited a host of powers other young women could only dream of harnessing, these abilities come with a heavy burden: the burden of Wicca society.

Wicca society’s got it all: standards set by an ancient magickal patriarchy. Arranged marriages. Even familial expectations to care for dangerous paranormal anomalies which would otherwise terrorize the mortal population.

Rebellious and head-strong Aeres has managed to avoid these aspects of her society for 19 years.

But one fateful night at the club, a magickal prank goes terribly wrong.

When a man nearly dies, Aeres is plunged into a dark new domain where betrayal and death are all too real. To get out, she must harness her abilities and set her world right once again… all while avoiding an impending marriage and facing off against one of the greatest serial killers the world has ever known.

Trigger warnings:

Death and graphic depictions of murder

Self harm and near-death (for magickal, not suicidal purposes)

Drug and alcohol use, incl. mention of GHB

Temporary non-consensual imprisonment in a small space

The Review

This was such a rich and beautiful story. The author did an incredible job of balancing world-building with thoughtful character development. The imagery and rich settings the author brought to life on the page felt alive in the reader’s mind and allowed the mythology of the author’s story to feel more natural and engaging overall. The balance didn’t stop there, however, as the author found a great harmony between the horror and fantasy elements of the mythos with the YA drama and emotional character growth that made the reader truly care for this story. 

As someone who is greatly interested in different cultures, history, and true magick and Wicca society in my personal life, I was in love with the character development and mythos that the author built up in this novel. The way the magical society of Wicca reflected so many things in life, from family expectations to a more patriarchal society and the need to adapt and grow as a people so everyone feels represented, was so refreshing to see in this type of story. Aeres in particular was such a well-rounded protagonist, and the steady evolution of her character over the course of the story kept me entranced as a reader.

The Verdict

Creative, entertaining, and mesmerizing, author Holly Rhiannon’s “A Time When Demons” is a must-read occult horror and fantasy drama of 2022. The rich chemistry between these characters, along with the chilling atmosphere and shocking twists and turns in the narrative all lead to an explosive conclusion that will leave readers eager and wanting more from this incredible author. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Holly Rhiannon is a life-long writer born in the frozen climate of Winnipeg, Manitoba. There, she spent her formative years hiding out indoors avoiding colder-than-Mars temperatures and tearing through multitudes of notebooks, constantly creating.

During her time in Winnipeg, she became certified in photography, attended a few years of Fine Arts at the University of Manitoba, ran a successful alternative art event and self published one novella and two graphic novels.

In the vein of other artists hailing from this strange Canadian city, Holly attributes much of her skill to regular hibernation and introvert tendencies. Also like many artists from Winnipeg, Holly moved away.

The year 2015 brought with it the opportunity to relocate to Montreal – a move which brought fresh inspiration into Holly’s life and allowed her to hone and rediscover her creative brand. Most importantly, the field which has always been closest to her heart: literature.

These days, Holly is a NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison, a promoter and marketer of romance authors, and devotes as much time as she can to helping fellow writers succeed via her YouTube channel and Discord community.

A Time When Demons is her debut full-length novel for young adults.

https://www.hollyrhiannon.com/

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