Plot Synopsis – Two years ago, monstrous beings tore through Britain, leaving few survivors. Now Sara and her family live on the run, relying on scraps of folklore and fading pagan rituals to stay safe from the eldritch creatures they call “witches”.

Then a strange girl appears in the garden of their current camp. Her name is Parsley, and she cannot remember where she came from or why she’s there. Despite her family’s suspicions, Sara feels drawn to her.

But when Sara’s younger brother is taken by the Witches, she and Parsley must cross desolate moors full of merciless terrors to get him back. As their bond deepens, so do the dangers they face—and Sara begins to question whether anything is truly as it seems.

Song This Reminds Me Of – Crooked Ways by Motion City Soundtrack

Publication Date – April 7, 2026

Bookshop Link – We Call Them Witches by India-Rose Bower (I receive a small commission if you use my link)

Content Notes – This book has a lot of body horror and gore.

Rating – ⭐⭐.5 out of 5

Review – Is there a new horror sub-genre focused on plants that want to kill? Specifically, plants that want to kill queer teens? If not, there should be. I actually liked a lot of the story line of this book; it reminded me a lot of 28 Days Later and The Last of Us. Sara and her family (Mom plus four siblings and a spouse of a sibling) have been constantly on the move ever since the witches first appeared. The witches seem to be a combination of earth, animals, other humans, and whatever else they pick up along the way. The story is told with flashbacks interwoven, so we get a good idea of the start of the apocalypse.

The family dynamic was probably the best written part of the book. The way the mom has to kind of distance herself from her own children in order to protect them all is heartbreaking, but all too realistic. Danny and Sara as siblings really leap of the page between their bickering and banter. What really throws a wrench in things is the arrival of Parsley. Parsley is found outside of their wards and claims to have escaped from the witches. While her family is mistrusting Sara and her sister-in-law argue to bring Parsley in. If you’re a fan of post-apoplectic stories, you know this is when things take a turn for the worse.

One of the biggest glaring issues I had with this book is the folklore and location. Early on it establishes that the witches can’t cross moving water. So why are the characters never looking to live on a barge or a boat? They never mention living on the water or an island either. The book seems to be set in the UK where people frequently live on barges and boats. It seemed like such a simple problem to solve; either create lore that makes it unwise to live on the river or create a goal for the characters. There was no real goal for the characters other than survival. I didn’t really have a huge issue with that, but it felt untenable for the characters to have no plans. Also, there are the use of poppets or stick effigies at several different times. But there are no explanations as to why the family find effigies outside their ward lines. It seemed like an opportunity to build on the lore that was missed.

The story itself is bleak and I actually don’t mind that. I just really disliked that there seemed to be a pretty big plot hole.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.