Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press, #partner for the advanced copy of Birth of the Witch in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Published: November 17, 2026
Summary:
First in the enchanting new epic by the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lost Bride Trilogy
Niamh McShane was born a witch and died a witch in the same moment, at the tender age of thirteen. A victim of the madness that spread from Salem Town to her home on Piety Island, her only comfort in her last hours came from the weavers imprisoned with her, who saw within her light and power and gave her some of their own.
Over three hundred years later, on the same island, Neve McShane wakes with excitement on her thirteenth birthday and unwraps gifts from her aunts: sneakers, an iPhone, and a stunning antique pendant. Then she receives something else: a revelation that will change her life.
Astonished, Neve learns that her aunts’ abilities go beyond simple kitchen magic and the potions they sell in their shop. Their tales of past lives aren’t just whimsical fantasies. They are witches, and so is she. Their lives–past and present–are bound together by that pivotal day centuries ago. Now Neve has been tasked with stopping a growing darkness. To prepare for the dangerous enemy that awaits, Neve hones her skills and searches for clues to aid in her quest. And at night, she dreams of a young man from Ireland whose eyes met with hers for a fateful moment, centuries ago…
My thoughts:
I have been reading Nora Roberts since high school and this book is the reason I keep coming back to her…it is classic Nora Roberts in that there is a bit of magic, some fantasy, a little history and family.
This book is a slow-burn, taking its time to set up the story and what is to come in the trilogy. I loved the overall structure of the book. It starts in the 1600s, introducing us to 13-year-old Niamh and then jumps to the present where it essentially begins again where we meet Neve who is turning 13 and just finding out about her powers as well as her memories of her past lives. From that point on, I was hooked and all in! I couldn’t put it down and loved getting to know the rest of the characters involved. As is typical in a Nora Roberts book, there is a strong sense of family and while this isn’t a cozy fantasy, the family unit still is important. I loved the theme of good and evil that played out, though I’m still a bit curious about Imogen’s character overall. I do hope we get more answers about her in the next installment. And then there’s that ending…what a cliffhanger!! Knowing the author and that it was book 1 in a trilogy, I expected some type of cliffhanger but I wasn’t expecting this…I need that next book ASAP!!
Audio thoughts:
This was brilliantly performed by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. She brought her A-game to this audio, giving each character their own unique voice.
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