Witchkiller

Most people know the story of Hansel and Gretel, the Grimm Brothers’ tale of two siblings abandoned in the woods, only to be lured in by a witch’s candy house. They killed the witch to escape. But what of the story after that, the life the siblings lived after escaping the witch? Ashlee Latmier reimagined the fairy tale with Gretel slaying the witch to save her brother, Hansel. But in the kingdom, women were not equal or did not have the rights given to the menfolk. Gretel has to live in the shadow of her “heroic” brother and the very same father who led the children into the woods to begin with. But the rebellious Gretel did as he did in the witches’ cabin. She took matters into her own hands, and life would never be the same.

Witchkiller is the breakout novel for writer Ashlee Latimer. This fast-paced fairytale reimagining is more than giving the story a new point of view. Latimer continued the tale, gave personalities and a backstory to the siblings, and then made Gretel a badass. Witchkiller is a quick, fun read about breaking with social norms and expectations and taking life into her own hands.