Night of the Moon Witch by Victoria Dougherty

A town cursed by memory. A witch without one. A night that remembers her.

When disgraced poetry professor Twila Stith arrives in the remote mountain town of Sibyl Springs, Virginia, she's desperate for a fresh start. But from the moment she sets foot in this isolated Appalachian community, she knows something is wrong.

A man plunges to his death at the historic Montague Hotel, his blood staining the grand entrance. Strange dreams feel more like memories than visions. Her book of moonlit verses, Moon Child, which won her national acclaim, suddenly feels less like inspiration and more like prophecy. And the townspeople watch Twila with an unnerving recognition—like they know something about her she doesn't know herself.

As the full moon approaches, Twila's encounters with the supernatural intensify. She discovers her verses stem from stolen ancestral memories—and that a man who has loved her for centuries has been awaiting her return. But in a town where the past bleeds into the present and darkness moves beneath the surface, some truths are more dangerous than any lie—and remembering might be the most terrifying thing of all.

This is atmospheric folk horror first, with a slow-burn gothic romance woven through. Expect genuine scares, graphic violence, and complex Appalachian mythology. Not a cozy fantasy or lighthearted paranormal romance.

Perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, T. Kingfisher, Deborah Harkness, and Patricia Briggs—a darkly atmospheric blend of Appalachian folk horror and gothic romance where poetry becomes prophecy and love blooms in the shadow of ancient evil.