Rise of the Witches

by M.L Jewell

This man, Mallrie, just saved my life, but how do I know I can trust him? After all, no one in their right mind is out after dark, yet here he is.
Here I am.

***

The residents of Datura have been told all their lives to follow these basic rules.
Never leave your home after nightfall. The streets are plagued by nocturnal flesh-eating monsters. Anyone foolish enough to venture out after dark will meet a gruesome end.
And the Melsheim Forest is a place to be avoided at all costs. The creatures that live there make living in a town filled with Flesh-Hunters look like a fairy tale.

There is no escaping this small town, this life. Unfortunately, Eliana knows this all too well. The only good things about life in Datura are the waffles and gin, a temporary escape from the pain of her past. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when she accidentally breaks the cardinal rule of being caught out after dark. With a race against the monsters stalking her every move, Eliana tries to get home in one piece.
Suddenly, she finds herself breaking all the rules ingrained into her since childhood and even the ones she’s created to protect herself, to find answers and protect Datura.
In this small town, there is no escaping the danger, but Eliana refuses to let fear control her.

Trigger Warnings
This book contains graphic violence, coarse language, human sacrifice with depictions of hangings and torture, parental death, sexual content, scenes of domestic violence, and mentions of rape, past trauma and suicide.
Some contents within this book may be triggering or disturbing for some readers. Reader discretion is strongly advised. All characters depicted herein are over 18 years of age.

Genres: Fantasy

530 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2023

Reviews

[Jaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured this!! I cannot wait to read the backstory of the boys 👀🖤 Cyan and Winnie are my favourite characters 🤭

[Charmi Zielinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have some beef with M.L Jewel on ending this book on a cliff hanger. But I’ll let that slide as long as book 2 makes it worth it.

I loved her writing, and how she used Australian slang in it, but it didn’t take away from the fantasy aspect of the story. I’m loving the characters and how the story progressed you felt like you were uncovering layer after layer of mysteries.

I enjoy that the witches are not just females, it’s rare you read books where the males are described as witches too.

Honestly loved it, once I got past the world building I was able to lose myself into the story

[Dannii Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, the prologue had me “to everyone stuck in the dark, remember, at the edge of darkness there is light.”

This book was phenomenal from the way it was so easy to read, from the way the characters interacted with one another and the emotional toll that it made you feel. You know a book is a 5 star read when you simply need days to find the words to say to write in a review, when you can't stop thinking about it and you make collages for it in the hope that it will convince others to read it. If you like the following, this book is for you.

🧇 Witches
🍷 Magic
🧇 Found Family
🍷 “Mine”
🧇 Magical Companions
🍷 “Who did this to you?”

Please pick up this book!!! You wont regret it

Some of my favourite quotes are:

There is little to enjoy in this god forsaken town, but at least they make good gin.
“Good girl,” he growls
Just because you cant see something doesn’t mean it isn’t real
“So emotional,” He whispers

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved absolutely everything about this read team Cyan ❤️

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from this lovely debut author and let me tell you, I could not put it down!

So y’all know how obsessed I am with faeries. But witches have always lived in my heart long before I discovered the Fair Folk, so I devoured this book, loving the urban fantasy setting, the elemental magic, the interesting and unique magical creatures, the ancient witches, secret government organisations and conspiracies, the flippin scary as hell flesh-eaters, gah I loved it all.

Rise of the Witches has an Insta-love trope that is perfect with a dual POV so we get to also read about the MMC, Mallrie, being besotted with the FMC, Eliana which of course I love because I can’t get enough of pining fictional men.

In terms of writing style, I found myself preferring to read in Mallrie’s POV, it felt like the author had a deeper understanding of his character and there was an ease to his thoughts that I didn’t see in Eliana’s POV. Although, Eliana is quite mentally traumatised by her past, so her thoughts were harder to follow due to her trauma.

I also found the beginning a little slow, again, I’m a very impatient reader so it’s just my opinion, so it could just be me but I thought the pacing was a bit jagged with Eliana running from the Kailadon, the scene seemed to last longer than I expected.

The last 200 pages really had me hooked and I found myself falling for Cyan and am now fully committed to #teamcyan and really hope there is more of him in the 2nd book!

In all, I found this book to be an enjoyable read, it kind of reminded me of the movies, Fear Street on Netflix which I loved. I’m excited to read the second book!

[Jessica Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I want to say a major thank you to Mel for choosing me to alpha read her incredible book!

I absolutely loved Rise of the Witches. That first chapter had me completely hooked. The way she described the creatures terrified me and I loved it. The characters were likeable and well written and the storyline was immersive.

Omg the mention of cheeseburger spring rolls had me missing the delicious ones they sold at Woolworths and pulled from the shelves 😭😂 I miss those (bring them back please Woolworths haha).

I may be completely off but Mallrie and Cyan give me Tamlin and Rhysand vibes and I’m here for it if that’s true. If you loved that in ACOTAR you’ll love Cyan and Mallrie. (Ngl, I found this book heaps better than the ACOTAR series. Don’t be mad y’all) haha

The most memorable page for me was 383. It pulled at my heart strings. 😭

Honestly, it was a five star read for me. I loved it and I can’t wait to tell everyone about it. I’ll also purchase my own copy. Which, if you’re on tiktok, head over to Mel’s page. In her bio you’ll find a link to purchase a signed copy. 🙌

Mel, I need the next book immediately haha 😂 I am obsessed with the world you created.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw the blurb for this, I knew I had to read it. This book had a little bit of everything:

- Fantasy
- Romance
- Morally grey characters
- Sassy FMC
- Cute animal companions
- Trauma rep
- Horror
- Action

I fell in love with Eliana. Her sassy inner monologue was fab. She has had some trauma in her past and is not completely through it or dealing in a healthy way but reading her journey and seeing her character develop was so good.

Winnie absolutely stole the show though, what a good girl!!!

And the men. Mallrie and Cyan. Both morally grey but in different ways. “Two friends, two brothers, but who chose the right one?”

The horror element of the flesh hunters gave me anxiety! So well written. They are creepy AF.

The only reason this isn’t a 5 star is because I wasn’t completely sold on the romance. It felt a little unnatural. I actually think this may be because I’m biased and want a different option.. IYKYK! But I genuinely think the plot was strong enough that the spice was not needed. And I cannot believe I have actually said that. Me, who loves spice! The plot is so good and intriguing that is what kept me hooked.

I am very excited for the next book to see what is going to happen!

[Bethsbooksau · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - rounded UP 🫶

Oh my I enjoyed this THOROUGHLY!!

Witches, elemental powers and strange creatures 🤌🤌

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a sook and the Kailadons (flesh-hunters) are probably going to haunt my dreams for some time to come 😅 I also laughed so hard at the end reading the glossary and forgetting that our Australian slang needs to be decoded for international readers 🤣🤣🤣🤣
"Bottle-O" I am dead

I loved our FMC Eliana 💕 and how REAL her coping mechanisms were finding peace down the neck of a bottle. So relatable, I really felt for her.

The books plot was fantastic - so much going on in this world and I was constantly unsure of what was going to happen next! LOVE books that I don't see the ending in the first few chapters. It's also not a super spicy book, if thats what you look for in a book. Some spice scenes but not too much.

The attention to detail and world building was next level and I actually felt like I was there (unfortunately with some parts 😅)

Also I dunno about Mallrie, he isn't the one I'd pick 👀👀 Just sayin 🤷‍♀️

I'm dying to see what happens next and dive into the 2nd book!

[kie-dizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever read a book, let it be this one. This is an indie novel which occasionally became apparent for grammatical reasons, HOWEVER, the world this is set in is SO depthy and captivating that’s it’s unbelievably difficult to put down. The characters are so multifaceted which makes them every single one of them loveable while simultaneously being deeply human and flawed. This book is so complex but not in a way that is hard to follow and comprehend. New auto-buy author!!

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A very promising start. Idk if the author was trying to get the Delena/Stelena love triangle vibes but they were giving and I am NOT mad.
I enjoyed the panic attack representation, don't see a lot of that in fantasy books.

Kailadons will now be featured in future nightmares though woo."

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Dahné "anotherbookchick" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Star so round up 💙

WHAT A BOOK. Literally after the first chapter I could tell I was gonna love this book. I was hooked. This book has some dark themes with DV and gore which I love in stories as it adds good debth. I loved all the characters and there were a few unexpected twists I didn't see coming. This book made me cry towards the end too! Can't wait to read more from this Aussie author!

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a 2 year reading slump I devoured this book in a matter of days and I was really impressed with it, especially for a debut novel. I loved the unique cross of like, an urban - or almost modern - fantasy romance. I can’t wait for book 2! :)

[Lillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a fantasy romance, with witches that's full of horror, then look no further.

Rise of the Witches is such a gory, atmospheric, witchy book that is perfect for Halloween.

The world building and magic system are done so well, I loved the way it revealed information and showed you what was going on. The monsters in this are so creepy and unsettling too and some of the scenes with them are super gory and sickening. The fight scenes are so well done and engaging, I loved the conflict between everyone and seeing how they navigated it.

The romance and spice are really fun, even though I don't entirely route for Mallrie (something in my gut doesn't trust him). I did however, LOVE the bath tub scene (IYKYK).

I can't wait for book 2 and too see where everything goes and what happens with the characters.

Thank you Mel for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Bicycledayreads]

Use your words

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have you ever wanted to read a book that embodies the spirit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer so completely (sans vampires). This entire read just felt like The Gentleman epsiode from Buffy, and the feeling of the same terror - I loved it so much.

It's such a wild ride following Elianas story, the feeling of dread and no escape, the helplessness and the eventual acceptance she finds adds depth to her journey.
Mallrie is such an enigma, at first you find yourself questioning his motives, and then slowly unfolding his secrets. I still get some weird vibes from him, but he does protect which is nice.

Cyan has such brat energy, I love him, and the trauma and anguish he suffers from is so prevalent in his actions and how he interacts with the crew, despite the stakes.

🍄 Morally grey MMC
🐦‍⬛ Instalove
🍄 Dual POV
🐦‍⬛ Scary monsters
🍄 Dark romantasy x horror elements
🐦‍⬛ Found family vibes
🍄 Horrorp*rn

"Maybe she likes that? The picture of me covered in blood, fresh from a fight, has her little body writhing with desire?"

I can't believe after everything this is how book one left off, I have a love/hate relationship with cliffhangers. (I need book two now)

[Janette Hosein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the privilege of being a beta reader for this book. This story is the start of a great up and coming author who has very impressive world building skills. The villains in this book are so well described and vicious that you feel the same fear and dread the heroine does when facing them. The backstory of the heroine gives you deep in-site and inspires you to root strongly for the heroine. I can’t wait to read the final product and get my hands on the second book of the series!

[Alexcis Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC copy of Rise of the Witches.
I was highly anticipating reading ROTW thanks to all of the little snippets on Mel’s socials and I was not disappointed.
This book is by far one of my top reads of the year.
Firstly, the world building was perfect. Witches, Fae, Elementals, Flesh Eating Monsters.. I mean, what more could you honestly want.
The tension between Eliana and Mallrie was HOT. The spice was even hotter! It wasn’t heavy focused on spice but it was definitely there and I enjoyed that aspect.
Now to the plot. What can I say? I was gripped from the first page. I loved the dynamics each character had with each other. There were so many twists and turns.
If I am honest, I hated Cyan for most of the book. But like Eli’s grandmother said, he is not as he seems and I absolutely changed my tone on him in the last 10% of the book.
Tulips.
I balled my eyes out.

This book had me laughing, crying, kicking my legs and screaming like a 12 year old at a Justin Bieber concert. I couldn’t put it down. I already want to reread.

Well done Mel. A truely incredible book for a debut novel!

[Kaitlyn Newell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rise of The Witches is a dark fantasy that lures you in with its lush, atmospheric settings and haunting monsters. It hooks you with its characters, and their journeys. It is romantic, spooky and tense — perfect for those looking for both scares and romance this spooky season.

Eliana’s journey throughout is a tough one, she’s learning more about herself than she ever thought possible, all while navigating her growing feelings for the mysterious Mallrie. She’s been through a lot in her life, and enjoys finding joy in the little things to get her through. She is brave, and powerful and a little lost.

We have so many incredible characters, my personal favourites are Tyler and Cyan. Eliana learning to love, both romantically and platonically, is lovely to see.

Let’s not forget about the Flesh-Hunters, Kailadons. They are creatures that will live in your nightmares with the way the author has created their bone chilling anatomy, right down to the Grudge-esque clicking sound they make when they’re stalking you.

I highly recommend this if you are someone who lives Romantasy, with a (heavy) dash of horror and spooks.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK!

It kicks off hard and fast! Don't be scared off. It is worth the read 100%.

Has you feeling all the feels and on the edge of your seat! Absolutely moreish the whole time you read. It is a struggle to put down.

With characters, you will love, hate, and love to hate, as well as feeling so connected to them. The MFC feels so real with everything she does and says, her mistrust in those around her due to a hard past 💔 shows and does not instantly drop just because of a incredible sexy and giving Salvatore brother vibe male characters.

M.L Jewell has written one of my fav books of 2024! I am absolutely recommending to everyone I know.

With spice, drama, whitches, deadly creatures, banter, and so many hilarious moments. There are so many quotes to pull from this book!

From waffles to vibrators named Anita dick 😁 😂

🌶🌶🌶 out of 5

[Liana Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

For all my friends who analyse every sentence of a book… keep scrolling this might not be for you. 😂
For all my friends who read for vibes alone and a tall dark fantasy man is your vibe, this is totally for you.

Eliana, the FMC has suffered major trauma at the hands of some creepy ass flesh-eating night creatures (Kailadon’s). This gothic, witches & fae, horror, mildly spicy story was so much fun.

We have touch her and die, we have almost forbidden love, we have cutesy found family, we have some gripping spice 🌶️ and we have character development with trust? Love.

Although at times I felt things dragged, while others were skipped over with bare minimal explanation… I am notttt one of those kinds of readers. It kept me hooked from the start, and that’s all I ask in a fantasy read.

Also, can not wait to dig into the next book. The fae are in my bad books. IYKYK.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is amazing! It had me hooked from the start. I love the urban setting that also isnt realistic urban. Eliana is so well written, you created a character who is relatable, she has experienced grief, domestic violence, alcoholism, self-loathing and loneliness and yet she never gave up. I loved seeing how Eliana struggled with trusting Mallrie and the others whilst on page we could see the positive impact that having human conenctions back in her life were having on her. I love that Mallrie isnt the clear cut hero and Cyan isnt written as the cookie cutter bad guy. The depth of the characters is what makes this book so good. I enjoyed guessing how the story would unfold even tho they were all wrong....at one point I was convinced Cyan had been turned into a mutant Kalidon! I will be driving straight into The fall of the Witches

[Thea Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot - 3/5🌟
Spice - 2/5🌶️

✔️Small town secrets
✔️Forbidden Romance

Eliana's life is upended when she accidentally breaks the rule of never being out after dark, leading to a showdown with creepy nocturnal monsters. The book does a great job of building an intense atmosphere and keeps you hooked with its suspenseful moments. Eliana’s transformation from a cautious resident to a fierce protector is both relatable and intriguing.

The world Jewell creates is super immersive, though the pacing can feel a bit off at times. The dynamic between Eliana and Mallrie, who swoops in to help her, adds a nice touch of complexity and mystery to the story. Still, some parts might feel rushed, and the romance is more on the sweet side rather than steamy.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book to support a first time novelist and I wasn't wholly committed to read it to be honest. I started reading and soon became interested and invested in the story! I haven't read any of the current fantasy dystopia genres but really loved the humanity within the characters ( as well as their supernatural sides) .
I actually cared about the outcome and will definitely buy and read the next instalment. I totally value story telling for pure entertainment but appreciated the deeper issues at play in both main characters pasts... will be interesting to see where things go next !

[Ellie Bozzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It could have definitely been a 400 page book. The cozy vibes of this were immaculate while still being action packed. The timeline magic didn’t add up for me, but this could just be a personal thing as I always struggle with time altering / time travel. Not sure if I just forgot, but also could have used more of an explanation on why the magic needed to be freed from the Enkanti tree in the first place. Keen to read the next book, to see what happens with the lil love triangle happening, and hoping there’s some more fun magic!

ALSO, it was fabulous FINALLY having about a strong and chunky fantasy FMC, instead of a tiny skin and bones one!

[Cybercherri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now, hopefully, before anyone is annoyed. The FMC has trauma, and it is handled differently for everyone. She may give you whiplash, but it's to be expected.

We are presented with two handsome men, with their own agendas. Mallrie is dark, handsome, sword wielding Witch. Who has secrets and plans up his sleeves that give me serious trust issues. He is lucky with the type of reaction he is getting from Eliana.

Cyan is another gorgeous man appearing in Eliana life. He who isn't as he seems.

While I love story, it felt a little rush in areas and lack information that could've been interesting to the story. Hopefully, it's explored more in the next book.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Krystal Macey · Rating 4 out of 5]

i truly loved this book! great story! great world building. The only thing knocking it down 1 star is that i feel like the planning of the timeline in the book is off a bit. Alot of big character building moments are glanced over and just mentioned quickly in a one paragraph flashback/catch up. It felt like the only time the story started "playing" again, was filled with lots of the FMC's thoughts and feelings.
It really was the only thing that took this book from a 5 star for me. Otherwise the story was great, and I mostly couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know what was going to happen.
on the downlow, I really wanted Eliana to get end up with Cyan 🤣

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book not quite knowing what to expect, but I am so glad I picked it up. I think this was the authors debut novel? But you couldn't even tell, it was so well written (and by an Aussie author!)
I have recommended this book to my reading buddy and am eagerly awaiting part 2.
The world and characters were well written, and it was easy to picture the scenes in your head, I felt like it was a very original take on all things witchy and fae and adore the world created here.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky to receive an arc of this debut novel by M.L. Jewell.

I loved the spooky vibes and the Kailadons are goosebump worthy. There is such an interesting mystery plot and the romance is well written, the spice is 👌🏻. I am Team Cyan, and I'm interested to see how the relationships evolve in book 2.

[Aleshia Chalklen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very hard to write a review when I'm still processing! Firstly I loved the action, the fantasy, the magic, the romance, the struggles and the characters. I was definitely taken on a wild ride with this and the ending......well let's just say I need more please.....haha apologies to anyone who sees the annotations I made in this book (ahem M.L Jewell, hope your prepared for more in your inbox lol)

[Strauberry Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little hard to get into at first but once it picks up its a very fun read, even if the main character is annoying at times. I ended up getting quite invested in the characters as the story went on.

There are a few grammatical errors here and there but overall a very good debut book, I couldn't put it down towards the end. I'm excited for the sequel!

[Lottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing!
Completely original, filled with so much excitement and it had me captivated from the start.

If you like witches, fae, monsters and town mysteries, this is totally a book you need to read.

I cannot wait for the second! 💕

I just want to add, I’m totally team Cyan.