The Last Witch of Kalhoun Holler

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the premise at first—another ‘big city kid discovers magic in the sticks’ story? But *The Last Witch of Kalhoun Holler* won me over by refusing to romanticize its setting. The magic here isn’t glittery; it’s *stubborn*, tied to bloodlines and grudges, and Jemma’s struggle to control her powers feels refreshingly physical, like learning to drive a stick shift on a mountain road. Anderle’s worldbuilding is lean but potent: no info-dumps, just a slow reveal of how deeply the supernatural is woven into the town’s gossip, poverty, and pride. Ann Marie Gideon’s performance is a masterclass in regional flavor without caricature. Her Jemma sounds like a real teenager—sarcastic but vulnerable—while the supporting cast crackles with authenticity, from the gravel-voiced old-timers to the church ladies whose ‘bless your heart’ could curdle milk. My only critique? The pacing stumbles in the second act when the plot detours into a subplot about Jemma’s dad that, while emotionally grounded, drags the magical momentum. And while Gideon’s Southern accents are mostly spot-on, a few secondary characters tip into *Dukes of Hazzard* territory. Still, the climax—set in a storm-lashed holler with a showdown that’s equal parts magical and *personal*—made me forgive the lulls. This audiobook is for listeners who want their fantasy with grit, humor, and a narrator who makes you *believe* in the power of a well-timed ‘ain’t.’