Hekate: The Witch was such a beautiful read. I went into this one expecting a Greek mythology retelling, but I wasn’t quite prepared for how much I would love Nikita Gill’s poetry. The way she tells Hekate’s story through verse gave the book such a dreamy, intimate quality, and if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I will always be obsessed with the Greek Underworld. 🥴

What It’s About (Spoiler Alert)

Hekate is a reimagining of the Greek myth of Hekate, following her from childhood into her eventual rise as the goddess of witchcraft and necromancy.

After the Titans lose their war against the Olympian gods, Hekate is taken to the Underworld, where Styx and Hades raise her. Growing up among the gods and spirits of the Underworld, she spends much of her life trying to understand who she is, where she belongs, and what her purpose is supposed to be.

As Hekate grows older, she begins to discover the extent of her own power. But finding that power also means learning some difficult truths about the gods around her and the world she has grown up in.

When conflict threatens the Underworld and the Olympians once again, Hekate has to figure out what she’s willing to fight for—and what kind of goddess she wants to become.

What Got Me Hooked

The book cover. 🖤

I mean… look at it. 😂

But once I actually started reading, it was the Underworld that really pulled me in. I loved the way Nikita Gill reimagined it, giving it this dark, mysterious atmosphere without taking away from its beauty. Getting to spend so much time with the chthonic gods and all the mythology surrounding them was basically catnip for me.

But the real star for me was the poetry.

I’ve read verse novels before, but Gill’s writing really worked for me here. The poems felt personal and emotional without making the story difficult to follow, and I loved how much atmosphere she was able to create through the verse. There were so many moments where I just wanted to sit with a page for a minute before moving on.

And this is one of those books where the audiobook is actually a MUST. 🎧 Nikita Gill narrates it herself, and hearing the author read her own poetry adds something really special to the experience. The rhythm and emotion of the verse work so well in audio, and I genuinely think this is a book where listening to it can make the reading experience even better. The audiobook is unabridged and narrated by Gill herself.

And then there’s Hekate herself.

I really loved following her as she grew up and slowly figured out who she was. She’s trying to understand her place in a world full of powerful gods while also dealing with everything that comes with being raised in the Underworld. Watching her discover her abilities and gradually embrace her own power was easily one of my favorite parts of the book.

The pacing also worked really well for me. The story moves through Hekate’s life without feeling like it needs to rush through every part of her journey, and the verse format helped keep everything moving.

Give me more books about the weird, overlooked corners of Greek mythology. I’m in. 

Should You Read It?

If you love Greek mythology retellings, poetry, dark fantasy, or stories about women discovering their own power, Hekate is definitely worth picking up.

Nikita Gill’s poetry was a huge part of why this worked so well for me. I loved the way she brought Hekate’s world to life, and Hekate was a character I genuinely enjoyed following from beginning to end.

And seriously, listen to the audiobook! Gill narrating her own poetry is such a good fit for this book, and I think it adds another layer to the experience.

I went in for the mythology and stayed for the poetry, the Underworld, and Hekate herself. 🖤

My Rating: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵

Rating Legend

Spice Level
🌶️ — Closed door / fade to black
🌶️🌶️ — A few steamy moments, mostly implied
🌶️🌶️🌶️ — On-page, moderately explicit
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ — Frequent and explicit
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ — Extremely explicit throughout

Overall Rating
🩵 — Not for me
🩵🩵 — Had potential, didn’t fully land
🩵🩵🩵 — Solid, enjoyable read
🩵🩵🩵🩵 — Really good, would recommend
🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵 — Auto-buy author, instant favorite

Book & Author Info

Release date: September 16, 2025
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 385
Where To Get The Book: Amazon
Author: Nikita Gill