Book Review: These Witches Don’t Burn | Isabel Sterling

A fun fall read that will definitely satisfy a few of those Halloween vibes!

About the Book

Hannah’s a witch, but not the kind you’re thinking of. She’s the real deal, an Elemental with the power to control fire, earth, water, and air. But even though she lives in Salem, Massachusetts, her magic is a secret she has to keep to herself. If she’s ever caught using it in front of a Reg (read: non-witch), she could lose it. For good. So, Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow Elemental Witch) Veronica, hanging out with her best friend, and working at the Fly by Night Cauldron selling candles and crystals to tourists, goths, and local Wiccans.

But dealing with her ex is the least of Hannah’s concerns when a terrifying blood ritual interrupts the end-of-school-year bonfire. Evidence of dark magic begins to appear all over Salem, and Hannah’s sure it’s the work of a deadly Blood Witch. The issue is, her coven is less than convinced, forcing Hannah to team up with the last person she wants to see: Veronica.

While the pair attempt to smoke out the Blood Witch at a house party, Hannah meets Morgan, a cute new ballerina in town. But trying to date amid a supernatural crisis is easier said than done, and Hannah will have to test the limits of her power if she’s going to save her coven and get the girl, especially when the attacks on Salem’s witches become deadlier by the day.

Reflection

Centering on teen witch Hannah, whose powers lie in manipulating and gaining strength from the elements, These Witches Don’t Burn is the first in a young adult series by Isabel Sterling that centers around a coven of witches who may not be as safe as they thought!

The book opens in the aftermath (I should say wreckage) of Hannah’s break-up with her first girlfriend and fellow witch, Veronica. Whatever went down between these two was explosive to say the least, and for about the first half I actually felt like I started in the middle of a story, rather than the beginning. I did see the Sterling went back and wrote a mini-prequel that explains the whole Manhattan trip that led to the break-up, and it would have been great if that could have been part of this book. I felt like I started mid-series!

In addition to her break-up troubles, Hannah also becomes convinced that a blood witch (one of the three types of witches in this world) may be after her and her coven. The problem is, no one believes her besides Veronica, and they aren’t exactly on speaking terms.

I really liked the world Sterling created here, and I loved having such a female-dominated cast of characters. In addition to women running the coven, I really enjoyed having an LGBTQ+ lead—it felt different than the standard teen witch book and added a really fun layer of complexity to the story.

I did feel that the first half was a bit heavy on the teenage angst and light on the witch-y fun. It was jarring to see how much the break-up impacted Hannah because we never really saw her and Veronica together. I think had I had that context it would have helped me connect with Hannah a bit more in the first part. I will say by the second half I really got into the story, and couldn’t put it down for the last section.

This was a fun fall read and fun to buddy read! I’ve already purchased the sequel and I’m excited to read it just in time for Halloween!