#Blogtour The Burial Witch by Cari Thomas

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Burial Witch; a Threadneedle Novella by Cari Thomas, published by Harper Voyager 5th of June 2025.

If you've read Threadneedle and Shadowstitch, The Burial Witch fits between the two previous books, along with The Hedge Witch - it's novella length.

About the Author

Cari Thomas has always loved magic, inspired by her upbringing among the woods and myths of Wales’s Wye Valley. She studied English and Creative Writing at Warwick University and Magazine Journalism at The Cardiff School of Journalism. Her first job was at teen Sugar magazine, where she ran the book club and quickly realised she wanted to be the one writing the books instead. 

She went on to work at a creative agency, spending her spare time researching magic and accumulating an unusual collection of occult books. She wrote her first novel, Threadneedle, while living in London, wandering the city and weaving it with all the magic she wished it contained. She now lives in Monmouthshire with her husband and son, who bears the appropriately Celtic name of Taliesin. Follow @carithomas_auth on X

About the book

“The unopenable box. A mythical object that appears in fairy tales and folklore across all cultures around the world. Sometimes the box can only be opened by the right person at the right time, such a rightful heir, and in other tales it is considered a warning. A test given to the protagonist who are typically forbidden from opening the box. When they eventually succumb, what they unleash cannot be put back in.”

We follow Miranda Richardson, a highly strung, highly driven member of the covens who discovers a mysterious, unopenable box in her parent’s loft.

Taking place between events in Threadneedle and Shadowstitch, this is a perfect magical read for fans of the series, collectors and all dreamers.

Review 

The Language of Magic world has been opened up to include novellas, which allows both author and reader to experience characters individually. The magical worldbuilding began with the popular Threadneedle book. In a way it reflects the hive of magic, the coven and the connections, whether they be great or small, and how the entirety can be explored even when following the smallest link.

I love that aspect of the series, and that it is written with an emphasis on younger readers, yet also leaves space for the older readers who enjoy a great magical yarn.

In this novella length story we learn more about Miranda and her struggle to align the magical secrets she encounters with the devout rigidity of the religious dogma she and her family follow. The imbalance and anxiety she experiences when the taught evil reveals itself as something curious and non-threatening. It makes her question herself, what she believes and the family history.

I found that core element interesting, however the short read is heavily laden with preachy pious dialogue and interactions. The magic was never given a chance to emerge, shine and enchant. Instead it's an angsty, dark, fearful chapter in an otherwise adventure laden magical series. I won't even start with the other aspects of Miranda's arc that could have been written in a better way.

For me this was a case of 'what it says on the box doesn't reflect actual contents of said box' and perhaps what it said on the box is was what it should have been. Not sure how this has passed editorial - just from a worldbuilding, plot and character arc perspective - and the sensitivity reading, without setting off a few alarm bells.

I'd go as far as to say, whilst I have highly recommended the previous Threadneedle - The Language of Magic books and adventures, including buying them for younger readers as gifts, I would hesitate to recommend this one. 

The cover art and design of this book series is par excellence though - they are beautiful, they would look great in a clothbound version.

Buy The Burial Witch at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HarperVoyager; pub date 5th June 2025. Buy at Amazon.com.

#Review The Hedge Witch by Cari Thomas

 

The Hedge Witch: A Threadneedle novella -a small slice of the Threadneedle universe, with more to come! And the cover is amazing.

About the Author

Cari Thomas is author of the Sunday Times Bestseller, Threadneedle - her debut novel and the first in her language of Magic series.

Cari grew up in the Wye Valley area of Wales and, after studying English Literature & Creative Writing at Warwick University and Magazine Journalism at the Cardiff School of Journalism, moved to London. She worked as a journalist and at a creative agency, before finally doing what she'd always wanted to do: quit her job and write a book about magic.

The result was Threadneedle. Be introduced to a world of wild, ancient witchcraft hidden within today's London; where libraries made of books breathe dusty pages beneath the city, where witch clubs serve up magical cocktails and vintage shops sell memories. A world where magic gleams light and very, very dark.

Cari now lives in Wales with her husband and son. Discover more on her website: carithomas.com, Follow @Cari_Threads on Twitter.

About the book

Rowan is visiting her aunt – Winne the hedge witch – in the Welsh countryside, to get back to nature and hone her skills, as well as taking a break from her annoying sisters and enjoying some peace and quiet. However, Rowan soon comes to realise that hedges are a serious business and this isn’t quite the opportunity to rest and escape she thought it might be.

Not only that, but mysterious events around the town are causing panic in the secret magical community and cowans – non-magical folk – are starting to take notice. Can Rowan hone her hedge craft, try to make some friends and solve the riddle of the mysterious goings-on, or is magic about to be revealed to the world … or at least Wales?

Review

This is a novella that fits into the Threadneedle universe, a world of magic and of self-discovery. If you haven't read the first book I would certainly suggest doing so. Saying that, this can absolutely be read as a standalone story and there are more to come.

Rowan is sent to spend her summer holidays with an aunt in the country, very reluctantly I might add. She would rather be spending it pretending to be part of a large social group at school - the truth is she is an outsider who struggles to fit in everywhere.

Part of the holiday regime is learning what her aunt has to teach about being a hedge witch, learning to respect the hedge and communicate with it, to harness the power that flows within her. Power that needs structure instead of erratic emotions and lack of focus, but Rowan is a teenager who would rather discover new friends and break the rules.

It's a lovely story, a sort of tentacle that reaches from the hive - one of the many threads of magic of this series. It's also a story for both the young and old.

Buy The Hedge Witch at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏:‎ HarperVoyager pub date 7 July 2022. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Harper Collins.

#BlogTour Threadneedle by Cari Thomas

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour Threadneedle by Cari Thomas.

About the Author

Cari Thomas has always loved magic, inspired by her upbringing among the woods and myths of Wales’ Wye Valley. She studied English and Creative Writing at Warwick University and Magazine Journalism at The Cardiff School of Journalism. Her first job was at teen Sugar magazine where she ran the book club and quickly realized she wanted to be the one writing the books instead. She went on to work at a creative agency, spending her spare time researching magic and accumulating an unusual collection of occult books.

She wrote her debut novel Threadneedle while living in London, wandering the city and weaving it with all the magic she wished it contained. She now lives in Bristol with her husband and son, who bears the  appropriately Celtic name of Taliesin.

Follow @Cari_Threads on Twitter, Visit carithomas.com

About the book

Anna’s aunt has always warned her of the dangers of magic. Its twists. Its knots. Its deadly consequences. Now Anna counts down the days to the ceremony that will bind her magic forever. Until she meets Effie and Attis. They open her eyes to a London she never knew existed. A shop that sells memories. A secret library where the librarian feeds off words. A club where revelers lose themselves in a haze of spells.

But as she is swept deeper into this world, Anna begins to wonder if her aunt was right all along. Is her magic a gift…or a curse?

Told through spells created with knots and threads, this is a story that is both innovative and based in traditional witchcraft.

Review

Anna has always been taught that obedience and constraint are what is most important in life. She hides her true self to such an extent that she falters at even the simplest steps when trying to use magic. Her aunt has convinced her that she needs to give herself fully to become a Binder - no matter the price.

But there is also the world beyond that of her aunt's dictatorship, a world that Selene lets her taste now and again. A world that Effie opens the door to and Anna needs to be brave enough to walk through said door, regardless of the consequences. There are the consequences and there are also dark, disturbing secrets that are being hidden from Anna.

I hope this is the first of a series, there is so much more to explore after all that meticulous world building. All the secrets and hidden people in a world full of magic, a world that also tries to curb and bind the natural flow of magic and witchcraft.

For me this is a story of sisterhood, but more importantly about how that can be defined depending on the relationship. Blood bonds, bond through the common denominator of being a woman, bonds in relation to societal expectations. 

Simultaneously the story also shows what happens when the threads of sisterhood are torn and women don't behave in a supportive way with each other, which is actually more of a realistic take on the complicated world of female relationships. They, other women, can be the biggest critic and enemy of women, especially when they adhere to patriarchal rules in order to get validation.

What is at the core of witchcraft and the fear of witches though? It's not just a fear of the unknown or the inexplicable - it is a systemic eradication of women with a voice, power and healing abilities. It has also always been a rather good way to rid yourself of an enemy. Fear of womanhood, fear of the power a sisterhood can bring to the table. Thomas let's that aspect flow throughout the story even when that fear is being used as a tactic to control and scaremonger, especially when it's used by other women.

I really enjoyed it, although admittedly I was always love to read different interpretations of how magic can be and is used, and then woven into a wonderful story. Definitely a book I would recommend.

Buy Threadneedle at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Harper Voyager pub date 27th May 2021| eBook & audio | £14.99. Buy at Amazon com.