**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.** Actual rating: 4.5 Linda H Codega (they/them) presents Motheater, a queer fantasy rooted in Appalachian folk magic and conjure. Readers follow Benethea "Bennie" Mattox as she seeks to discover what is causing miners to die on Kire Mountain. When Bennie finds an unconscious woman in the river, she quickly learns that the woman, Motheater, has lost her memory but not the power that ties her to the mountain. A dual timeline perspective follows Esther a century and a half earlier, fighting the same fight against industrial mining that Bennie fights in the present day. After so long enduring insult, the mountain is prepared to fight back. I am a resident of Maryland who works in Virginia, but my inherited family homestead is in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Appalachian Virginia. My grandparents married on the Natural Bridge. The mountains that make up Appalachia are one of the settings I run to for peace and rest. I acknowledge that this book probably spoke to me in ways that wouldn't happen for people without those ties, but that makes it all the more special for me. It is inherently obvious that Codega has done solid research into the land and the culture of Virginian Appalachia. I have never before read a fiction book that so seamlessly weaves together the influences of the church and the land. The pacing of the book is slow and the writing is rich with description. It's a Southern drawl of a book. It can't be rushed and it has plenty to say, even if the message is only truly picked up on later reflection. Bennie and Motheater are easy leads to follow through the disorientation of the woods and the wild. I appreciate that Codega let the book be naturally queer rather than forcing a front and center romance that would have been unnecessary and potentially detracted from the core plot. My only real complaint was a bit of a fast wrapup at the end compared to the relatively steady build to that point. This ultimately was the reason for the half star deduction, but I have reason to think this story will take root and grow to be one I only love more over time. I have already pre-ordered a physical copy. I am thrilled to have had the joy of reading this book and am even more excited to escape into the mountains. Looking forward to whatever Codega writes next.

Loved the sense of presence in Appalachia, loved Esther's part, was never fully sold on the romance but otherwise really had a nice time.