Why we’re excited
Eva was once the kingdom's celebrated war sorceress, then its most hated one, and now she would rather be known as the Cat Lady. She cleans up after old battle magic by rescuing cats that soaked it up, and when her seventeen volatile strays need a permanent home, a mountain village and its builder offer more than she bargained for.
Durst wrote The Spellshop, one of the gentlest cozy fantasy hits of recent years, along with the Queens of Renthia books. This standalone is aimed at readers who want low-stakes comfort, a slow romance and a great many magical cats.
On our most-anticipated list since 9 November 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch
Sarah Beth Durst is a familiar name here: 6 of Sarah Beth Durst’s books have full reviews, averaging 4.1 out of 5. Our highest-rated so far is The Warbler (4.5★); the most recent is Sea of Charms.
From the publisher
The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch is an adventurous cozy fantasy romance about a retired war sorceress, her seventeen magical cats, and the hero she never expected to meet, by #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Spellshop series, Sarah Beth Durst.
Eva was once hailed as the Sorceress Savior, until she was called the Butcher of Vyron. Now she’s known only as the Cat Lady, and that’s exactly how she likes it.
Years of magical warfare in the Kingdom of Revok left pools of toxic battle magic dotting the war-torn countryside. With her most loyal cat by her side and her staff in hand, Eva now rescues creatures unfortunate enough to have absorbed the magical residue: cats.
Regardless of whether it’s a stray breathing fire or the baker’s pet making the kitchen rain, Eva takes care of any and all problems of a feline nature. For a small fee. When Eva and her seventeen cats (some would say that’s too many, and some would be wrong) get run out of town, she knows she needs to find a permanent, accepting home for her dangerous rescues.
A remote village in the mountains seems to be just what they’re looking for: a sanctuary where they can live free and start to heal with no neighbors all over their business―well, except for the decidedly handsome local builder. But soon Eva realizes that she’s not the only person in the mountains with a dark past, a magical secret to hide, or people who would kill to find her. And Eva, just like her cats, is already on her ninth life….
The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch is a safe-space read where you’ll find healing, love so tender, and the cuddliest of magical cats, perfect for fans of Heather Fawcett’s Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter and Kanehito Yamada’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
