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Portrait of a Witch Undone
K. S. Shay's debut PORTRAIT OF A WITCH UNDONE, pitched for fans of Alix E. Harrow and T. Kingfisher, a contemporary fantasy about best friends and ambitious witches who investigate a dangerous entity who lurks in the marshes of Boston's North Shore—only to discover a magical connection to the most famous unsolved art heist in the United States, when 13 artworks were taken from the Isabella Gardner Museum in the 1990s.
Publication is slated for Fall 2026.
Publication is slated for Fall 2026.
Unknown Binding
Expected publication August 25, 2026
17 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
About the author
K.S. Shay
1 book18 followersK.S. Shay is a writer and lover of all things strange, creepy, and magical. Find her online at ksshaywrites.com or hang out with her on social media @ksshaywrites everywhere.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 25, 2025
Part Piranesi, part witchy coven sisterhood story that will steal your heart. The marsh-filled museum is a crazy (read: CRAZY) setting that is its own strange character seeping throughout the pages of this book just as it seeps through the empty, stolen frames from the very real Gardner heist. Truly one of the most unique books I've read in a long time!
I was lucky the author let me read an early copy, and this checks all the boxes of my favorite kind of book: contemporary fantasy, biting prose, nature magic, action and adventure, stolen paintings, a dash of body horror? Shut up and take my money! If you loved The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow, or Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs, you won't want to miss K.S. Shay's debut.
I was lucky the author let me read an early copy, and this checks all the boxes of my favorite kind of book: contemporary fantasy, biting prose, nature magic, action and adventure, stolen paintings, a dash of body horror? Shut up and take my money! If you loved The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow, or Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs, you won't want to miss K.S. Shay's debut.
December 17, 2024
The comps to Harrow and Kingfisher don’t lie, Shay is a *gorgeous* writer. I loved this book 🥹♥️
January 28, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up) This was such a unique contemporary fantasy, centered around the 13 paintings stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. The way the author blends witches and magic into a real life unsolved heist felt seamless and incredibly original. I genuinely haven’t read anything quite like it before.
My one critique is that there were moments where I struggled to fully picture the scenery. The writing is gorgeous and very intricate, but at times it felt almost too intricate, and I found myself rereading a few paragraphs just to be sure I was following what was happening. That said, it’s still a beautifully written, thoughtfully crafted story, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to read an eARC of it.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Erewhon for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
My one critique is that there were moments where I struggled to fully picture the scenery. The writing is gorgeous and very intricate, but at times it felt almost too intricate, and I found myself rereading a few paragraphs just to be sure I was following what was happening. That said, it’s still a beautifully written, thoughtfully crafted story, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to read an eARC of it.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Erewhon for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
June 20, 2025
Captivating world and character building that made for a book that I couldn’t put down.
It addressed some serious topics (namely loss, navigating relationships, decisions that aren't black and white) in a way that is digestible to adults or to teenagers/YA. The story felt fully fleshed out, incorporating real-world research about native people and covens. AND the (no spice) romance was catching and flowed with the plot.
Thank you, K.S. Shay for the opportunity to read this work of art prior to release! I loved it!
It addressed some serious topics (namely loss, navigating relationships, decisions that aren't black and white) in a way that is digestible to adults or to teenagers/YA. The story felt fully fleshed out, incorporating real-world research about native people and covens. AND the (no spice) romance was catching and flowed with the plot.
Thank you, K.S. Shay for the opportunity to read this work of art prior to release! I loved it!
May 30, 2025
Witches and art heists and the Power of Friendship!! Checked all my boxes. This novel had me on the edge of my seat, it was one of those rare ones that kept me up until 4am to finish it. I was thrilled to be able to read the early drafts and I’m so excited for everyone else to get to read it.
December 19, 2024
Can't wait for the release so I can relive the magic all over again! ✨ Thanks for kicking off my new obsession with art heists and the Gardner Museum. 💖
February 2, 2026
(I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for my review.)
Overall Rating: 4.2/5
Spice Level: 0.5/5
Character Growth: 3.5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Humor: n/a
Maeve, granddaughter of the coven's matriarch and the presumptive successor, has been struggling with her magic since a spell gone wrong. She's becoming unbound—a threat to her coven and those she loves. Maeve has a plan to fix the problem, but things go awry when her best friend thinks she can bring great power to their coven and find the missing Isabella Stewart Gardner paintings as well.
I had fun reading this. I was incredibly interested in the story and I couldn't wait to find out what happened to all of our characters. The plot was incredibly unique, and I liked that there wasn't a ton of worldbuilding or explanation of how their magic worked in order to understand the story. The author did an excellent job creating characters that weren't necessarily good, bad, or "morally gray". They simply were human, with human emotions and desires. Nobody was written as a caricature character—everyone had nuance.
One of the issues I had while reading was the author introducing every. Single. Character. By race/ethnicity. "A white woman with a black hat...a white boy with floppy hair...a black girl my age...a white lady...a white guy..." I think this was the author's attempt at being inclusive, but it was very jolting and in a novel that required a lot of imagination to follow the plot, it felt like the author didn't want us to have any imagination when thinking about the characters. The first chapter of the book used incredibly vivid language, but that style of writing faded quickly and made way for some seriously lame character descriptions.
The second issue I had with the story was that it was a little difficult to follow at times. The plot was strong, but there were a lot of moving pieces. I thought to myself at one point, "This reads like the author knows exactly what's happening and the back story of every single character, but they're having a hard time clearly relaying information to us." I was still able to enjoy the book a lot, but this isn't a book to read in a place with a lot of distractions.
Overall Rating: 4.2/5
Spice Level: 0.5/5
Character Growth: 3.5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Humor: n/a
Maeve, granddaughter of the coven's matriarch and the presumptive successor, has been struggling with her magic since a spell gone wrong. She's becoming unbound—a threat to her coven and those she loves. Maeve has a plan to fix the problem, but things go awry when her best friend thinks she can bring great power to their coven and find the missing Isabella Stewart Gardner paintings as well.
I had fun reading this. I was incredibly interested in the story and I couldn't wait to find out what happened to all of our characters. The plot was incredibly unique, and I liked that there wasn't a ton of worldbuilding or explanation of how their magic worked in order to understand the story. The author did an excellent job creating characters that weren't necessarily good, bad, or "morally gray". They simply were human, with human emotions and desires. Nobody was written as a caricature character—everyone had nuance.
One of the issues I had while reading was the author introducing every. Single. Character. By race/ethnicity. "A white woman with a black hat...a white boy with floppy hair...a black girl my age...a white lady...a white guy..." I think this was the author's attempt at being inclusive, but it was very jolting and in a novel that required a lot of imagination to follow the plot, it felt like the author didn't want us to have any imagination when thinking about the characters. The first chapter of the book used incredibly vivid language, but that style of writing faded quickly and made way for some seriously lame character descriptions.
The second issue I had with the story was that it was a little difficult to follow at times. The plot was strong, but there were a lot of moving pieces. I thought to myself at one point, "This reads like the author knows exactly what's happening and the back story of every single character, but they're having a hard time clearly relaying information to us." I was still able to enjoy the book a lot, but this isn't a book to read in a place with a lot of distractions.
February 1, 2026
The concept of this novel was one of the most unique that I have seen in a while. It is a fun combination of historical fiction and fantasy. The story is based around the largest unsolved art heist in America at the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston, Massachusetts. While this story is fictional, it was very cool to involve a real life event so prominently in the story.
Our FMC , Maeve, is a disgraced witch from the North Shore witch coven, which is one of the many witch covens spread around the states. There was an incident last year with her best friend, Ash, and she refuses to practice magic to the disgrace of her family. One day, Ash thinks she made of discovery regarding the missing artwork from the museum leading her to be involved in a dangerous plot. With the help of Gabriel, an uncovened witch from another coven, Maeve embarks on a journey to save her.
The heist vibes were immaculate. I love how we had a group of people that did not fit together whatsoever initially come together to find a way to save their coven. I am a sucker for found family. The lore of the coven was also explained fairly well in a simplistic manner that was easy to follow. I thought the pacing was great as well with a great balance of action sequences.
The only thing that left a little to be desired was the romance. I never felt much a spark with the characters, and I feel as if it didn't add much to the story. It could've been entirely omitted and I still would gave enjoyed the story just the same.
Really enjoyable witchy story. Perfect to read in the fall months!
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review!! All thoughts are my own.
Our FMC , Maeve, is a disgraced witch from the North Shore witch coven, which is one of the many witch covens spread around the states. There was an incident last year with her best friend, Ash, and she refuses to practice magic to the disgrace of her family. One day, Ash thinks she made of discovery regarding the missing artwork from the museum leading her to be involved in a dangerous plot. With the help of Gabriel, an uncovened witch from another coven, Maeve embarks on a journey to save her.
The heist vibes were immaculate. I love how we had a group of people that did not fit together whatsoever initially come together to find a way to save their coven. I am a sucker for found family. The lore of the coven was also explained fairly well in a simplistic manner that was easy to follow. I thought the pacing was great as well with a great balance of action sequences.
The only thing that left a little to be desired was the romance. I never felt much a spark with the characters, and I feel as if it didn't add much to the story. It could've been entirely omitted and I still would gave enjoyed the story just the same.
Really enjoyable witchy story. Perfect to read in the fall months!
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review!! All thoughts are my own.
February 2, 2026
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
I enjoyed this book, but at the same time, I struggled with it. I read it over the course of a week, flying through half of it in a single day and then finding it hard to push through the rest. I’m not sure if that was on me or the book itself. It’s definitely a unique story—the basic plot (though there’s nothing basic about it) centers on a witch, the granddaughter of the Coven’s matriarch, whose magic has recently started feeling wrong—“unbound,” as it’s called. Unbound magic is dangerous; it can transform you into a strange creature that feeds on magic, which is essentially the main “villain” of the story. There were plenty of elements I really liked, such as the incorporation of the real-world theft of paintings, which was an interesting touch, and the setting, which worked well. However, toward the end, when the action really picks up, it feels like there’s both too much information and not enough at the same time. This might be one of those books that benefits from a second read to fully take in all the details, but unfortunately, it’s not one I feel compelled to revisit
I enjoyed this book, but at the same time, I struggled with it. I read it over the course of a week, flying through half of it in a single day and then finding it hard to push through the rest. I’m not sure if that was on me or the book itself. It’s definitely a unique story—the basic plot (though there’s nothing basic about it) centers on a witch, the granddaughter of the Coven’s matriarch, whose magic has recently started feeling wrong—“unbound,” as it’s called. Unbound magic is dangerous; it can transform you into a strange creature that feeds on magic, which is essentially the main “villain” of the story. There were plenty of elements I really liked, such as the incorporation of the real-world theft of paintings, which was an interesting touch, and the setting, which worked well. However, toward the end, when the action really picks up, it feels like there’s both too much information and not enough at the same time. This might be one of those books that benefits from a second read to fully take in all the details, but unfortunately, it’s not one I feel compelled to revisit
February 4, 2026
I received an ARC through netgalley.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I made it 108 pages in before deciding this book is not for me. I’m still not sure if it’s me or the book.
I really enjoyed the premise of the novel, somewhat modern day witch craft meets a real life art heist, and a missing best friend. There is a lot of unique world-building in this book that I haven’t seen before. That being said, I think there was a lot of information and not all of it was helpful to the reader. The writing, at times, seemed like a steam of consciousness, which caused confusion and boredom on my part. I noted based on other reviews that I am alone in this opinion. I really felt like I was forcing myself to get through the book and it failed to capture my interest.
So to end my review, I would say if the plot intrigues you, definitely give it a go! Witchcraft x Art Heist is really unique and I can see how others might enjoy this.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I made it 108 pages in before deciding this book is not for me. I’m still not sure if it’s me or the book.
I really enjoyed the premise of the novel, somewhat modern day witch craft meets a real life art heist, and a missing best friend. There is a lot of unique world-building in this book that I haven’t seen before. That being said, I think there was a lot of information and not all of it was helpful to the reader. The writing, at times, seemed like a steam of consciousness, which caused confusion and boredom on my part. I noted based on other reviews that I am alone in this opinion. I really felt like I was forcing myself to get through the book and it failed to capture my interest.
So to end my review, I would say if the plot intrigues you, definitely give it a go! Witchcraft x Art Heist is really unique and I can see how others might enjoy this.
Want to read
January 10, 2025"For fans of Alix E. Harrow and T. Kingfisher, a contemporary fantasy about best friends and ambitious witches who investigate a dangerous entity who lurks in the marshes of Boston's North Shore—only to discover a magical connection to the most famous unsolved art heist in the United States, when 13 artworks were taken from the Isabella Gardner Museum in the 1990s."
January 5, 2026
(ARC provided by the publisher; opinions are my own).
Witches, a museum heist, and a creepy fable come to life. Written with stunning prose, a contemporary fantasy with twists and turns that will have you staying up late reading.
Witches, a museum heist, and a creepy fable come to life. Written with stunning prose, a contemporary fantasy with twists and turns that will have you staying up late reading.
August 8, 2025
Covens, art history, moody broody men and more—this book has absolutely everything you’d ever want in a fantasy based on the biggest art heist in history. The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the stunning prose hit straight to your heart.
I was so lucky to read an early copy of this book and K.S Shay is an author to watch because this debut is stunning! ❤️
I was so lucky to read an early copy of this book and K.S Shay is an author to watch because this debut is stunning! ❤️
Want to read
January 12, 2026*sees reference to Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum*
*slams add to TBR button*
*slams add to TBR button*
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews