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Within These Wicked Walls
by
What the heart desires, the house destroys...
Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.
Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying m ...more
Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.
Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying m ...more
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Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication:
November 9th 2021
by Wednesday Books
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I wrote this with my own two hands (and a keyboard).
If you love kissing, creepy stuff, and banter for days PULL UP A CHAIR YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. ...more
If you love kissing, creepy stuff, and banter for days PULL UP A CHAIR YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. ...more

Oct 09, 2020
Emily Duncan
added it
A delight!!!

Jun 11, 2020
sol
marked it as mehhhh-maybe
ETHIOPIA
that's as close to my country (eritrea) as I'm gonna get
G I V E I T T O M E
edit: not a fan of the cover
kinda disappointed but you can't win 'em all ...more
that's as close to my country (eritrea) as I'm gonna get
G I V E I T T O M E
edit: not a fan of the cover
kinda disappointed but you can't win 'em all ...more

Tense, eerie and romantic by turns, WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS is more than just an homage to Jane Eyre--it's a reimagining that improves on the original in numerous places. An absolute standout read for me.
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June 05, 2020: Authors says it's "an Ethiopian-inspired YA Jane Eyre retelling" and I'm ALL HERE FOR IT.
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I got to read an early copy of this book, and I'm so glad, because WTWW is my FAVORITE kind of book, combining magic, romance, banter, humor, and atmospheric creepiness to create a story you can't put down and characters who will stick with you! I loved it from start to finish!
...more

Apr 02, 2020
Celia McMahon
marked it as to-read
A fantasy Jane Eyre retelling? *gimme gimme gimme*

I got to read an early version of this beautiful book and it has everything I love and want--magic, romance, dark twists and turns, and... Black leads! Stories covering oppression and brutality are relevant and needed, but it's SO refreshing to just read a story where Black people can just have an adventure without racism being a focus point. Andromeda feels so authentic and you can't help but root for her and WTWW's dynamic casts. Just a phenomenal book--can't wait 'til it's on shelves!
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Within These Wicked Walls has everything I love in a story: witty banter, so much romantic chemistry, and a cursed house with an equally cursed (and also very cute) owner. I adored Andromeda's forthright voice, her stubborness, and her sense of humor. This book weaves a perfect blend of spooky atmosphere with heartfelt emotions. I can't wait for everyone to read it in Fall 2021~
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Jan 15, 2021
Mjspice
marked it as to-read
EXCUSE ME @ THE COVER!!

Within These Wicked Walls is a fantastic tale of the supernatural and explores relationships of all manner. I am a sucker for Gothic Horror and dark fiction, so the setting here and the castle with the curse really drew me in. This an Ethiopian-inspired retelling of Jane Eyre, but I found it different enough to stand entirely on its own. I found the concept and execution of the Evil Eye and its servants particularly of interest. I appreciated the opportunity to learn a little bit about the Ethio
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Apr 07, 2020
Umairah | Sereadipity
marked it as to-read
An Ethiopian-inspired Jane Eyre retelling?! Yes please!

Oh. My. God. This book captured my attention from the very beginning and would not let me go. Andromeda is hired by Magnus Rochester to excise the Evil Eye that has been cursed on his house. Ten others have tried before her and failed. At first Rochester seems distant and cold, but as Andromeda starts to work, they fall for one another. This book is packed with action, drama and it is so smart. I absolutely love that it got straight to the plot and then slowly revealed who Andromeda was and what
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Apr 12, 2021
megs_bookrack
marked it as to-read
ARC received!! An Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. There's an exorcist cleansing houses from the Evil Eye.
I'm intrigued as heck!

Thank you so much, Wednesday Books. I am so excited for this! ...more
I'm intrigued as heck!

Thank you so much, Wednesday Books. I am so excited for this! ...more

Pleasantly surprising. I love a good retelling, but "Jane Eyre but in Ethiopia and with a legitimately haunted / cursed house" sounds like a bridge too far... it isn't. I can't explain how this book works but it does and it is SO GOOD.
(Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.) ...more
(Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.) ...more

I LOVE Jane Eyre, so though I was already excited for a retelling, I can tell you that I was more excited the moment I finished the first chapter and realized this is a magic system I had never seen before. I’m not usually a scaredy-cat when it comes to books, but certain aspects of the plot were deliciously terrifying in the BEST way. (Come talk to me when you get to the hyena, ‘kay?)
And buckle up for a super swoony romance with a strong heroine and a Very Good boy who just wants to be Good. (W ...more
And buckle up for a super swoony romance with a strong heroine and a Very Good boy who just wants to be Good. (W ...more

I absolutely loved this book. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect when I started it, but saying I was surprised is an understatement. This was everything I wanted and more.
Within These Wicked Walls is an Ethiopian inspired retelling of Jane Eyre. Andromeda is a debtera, tasked with creating amulets to banish Manifestations. After accepting a dangerous job in a cursed house, she is dragged into the center of a dangerous battle against evil.
I do want to start this by saying that I’ve never read ...more
Within These Wicked Walls is an Ethiopian inspired retelling of Jane Eyre. Andromeda is a debtera, tasked with creating amulets to banish Manifestations. After accepting a dangerous job in a cursed house, she is dragged into the center of a dangerous battle against evil.
I do want to start this by saying that I’ve never read ...more

“What the heart desires, the house destroys...”
Andromeda is a debtera- a hired exorcist. Not being in the position to pick and choose her jobs, she ends up hired by Magnus Rochester to cleanse his castle of the Evil Eye. Andi quickly discovers she is in over head, and doesn’t possess the skill necessary for this job. She must make a tough choice- run for her life, or save her new employers.
Touted as an Ethiopian-inspired YA Jane Eyre retelling, this book had me that the word “exorcist.”
With a f ...more
Andromeda is a debtera- a hired exorcist. Not being in the position to pick and choose her jobs, she ends up hired by Magnus Rochester to cleanse his castle of the Evil Eye. Andi quickly discovers she is in over head, and doesn’t possess the skill necessary for this job. She must make a tough choice- run for her life, or save her new employers.
Touted as an Ethiopian-inspired YA Jane Eyre retelling, this book had me that the word “exorcist.”
With a f ...more

Wow, wow, wow! I massive thank you to Wednesday Books for an early copy. I loved this fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. Not only was there an awesome horror/fantasy twist, there was also plenty of romance (the banter! So much amazing banter!). Andromeda was both vulnerable and a fighter, staying true to herself throughout the entire book. The dialogue flowed easily, and I couldn't put the book down, desperate to know what would happen to Andromeda and Magnus (such a cinnamon roll). I can't believe
...more

Rating could change***
I really loved this twist on Jane Eyre (a story I personally find a bit boring?). Andi is rough around the edges, talented, and strong. She is the Black, exciting Jane Eyre we honestly deserve.
***I read the uncorrected manuscript of this, and there were some continuity errors and dialogue that I am waiting to see in an edited, finished version.
I really loved this twist on Jane Eyre (a story I personally find a bit boring?). Andi is rough around the edges, talented, and strong. She is the Black, exciting Jane Eyre we honestly deserve.
***I read the uncorrected manuscript of this, and there were some continuity errors and dialogue that I am waiting to see in an edited, finished version.
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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YA Buddy Readers'...: Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood --> Starting April 24th, 2021 | 1 | 4 | Mar 30, 2021 09:41AM | |
Challenge Corner: Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood --> Starting April 24th, 2021 | 1 | 6 | Mar 30, 2021 09:30AM |
Lauren Blackwood is a Jamaican American New Yorker living in Virginia who writes Romance-heavy Fantasy for most ages. When not writing, she's a PTA and violinist who really doesn't know how to settle on one career field. Within These Wicked Walls is her debut novel.
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