Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was so excited to read Within these Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood because it promised gothic horror vibes with a Black protagonist. I truly enjoy a well written atmospheric read with magic involved. I've never read Jane Eyre so I can't compare but this one is truly special. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy from Wednesday Books for review.

Andromeda has finally found a job that will get her out of the hot desert sands and keep her well fed. She works as a debtera, an exorcist who cleanses homes of the Evil Eye. She must cleanse the home of wealthy chocolate heir Magnus Rochester. He's gone through many debtera in search of the right person to break the curse.

When Andi first gets to the house she is immediately advised of the most important rules in her contract: Don't leave your room after ten o'clock at night and social time after dinner is mandatory.  And the strange rules don't end there.  But as much as she thinks she's ready, she's not prepared to battle evil forces or her stubborn housemates and eccentric employer.

This was the haunted house story I needed. I thought this opening of this story just pulls you in.  I'm not one of those readers who pictures everything like a movie so I need just enough descriptive writing for me to picture the setting but without the language being too flowery. That's something a lot of writers struggle with. Either they're overly descriptive to the point where they're telling you ever little thing their characters ate or you have no idea what anything looks like because of the lack of descriptions. Lauren Blackwood finds just the right balance.  I could picture the creepy manor with the blood thirsty demon hyena on the prowl and bleeding walls. 

Romance can be so hit and miss for me at times especially in fantasy. I wasn't sure I would like this one especially since it played on the idea that they shouldn't be together because Magnus is her employer and betrothed to someone else. I'd describe it as both fast-paced and slow-burn at the same time. It's instant attraction but hits just the right beats. Andromeda is longing for someone to love her after a life without experiencing open affection.  Magnus is a few years older and has Kelela around who is desperately in love with him though he doesn't have the same affection for her. He too is longing for someone to get close to after having to push people away for their safety.

The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the familial relationship between Andi and Jember, her guardian. It was complicated and hard to discussion without spoiling. I felt like initially it was described as abusive and Magnus even called it out as such. Then it's painted as misunderstood. Jember was definitely cold and emotionally detached from her displaying some toxic behavior. I understand why there would be some attachment on Andi's end but I wasn't able to fully buy Jember's excuses. 

I found this a very quick and easy to read young adult story with a magic system that wasn't overly complex. It actually feels written for a teen audience instead of occupying a weird space in between adult and teen read. This is a solid debut that hits just the right romantic, dark, and fantastical beats for someone just getting into the genre and genuinely feels unique.