Suffer a Witch: A Memoir

by Joy McCullough

For readers of Know My Name by Chanel Miller and fans of Broadway’s John Proctor Is the Villain, a stunning memoir in verse about sexual abuse, survival, and sisterhood from the New York Times bestselling author of Blood Water Paint.

Joy McCullough’s earliest memories are of time spent in church, moments when she climbed the steps to recite from the pulpit, just like her preacher father. But when she was a teenager in San Diego in the 1990s, her connection to her family and church were forever altered when a youth pastor groomed and sexually assaulted Joy. 

In her debut memoir, McCullough pairs achingly raw poems recalling her abuse and its aftermath with hopeful, challenging verses about her life today as she seeks healing and justice in a country that rewards men for sexual abuse and still insists “girls these days will say anything.”  

Among the poems, McCullough also weaves prose letters to historical girls and women—from Joan of Arc to Abigail Williams—whose lives and stories were ignored when they were caught in the maelstrom of witchcraft accusations.

Suffer a Witch shines a bright, unsparing light on one woman’s experience—and on those of generations of women who came before her.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Poetry, Adult, Religion, Feminism, Biography

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 18, 2026

Reviews

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admit it, the priests told you, and twelve years was old enough for you to know you must listen to church authorities. Old enough to know the truth didn't matter anyway. Old enough to know someone had to pay for a boy's wounded pride. (loc. 669*)

McCullough was a young teenager, a preacher's daughter, when a new youth pastor was hired at her father's church. That is not the point she describes as the tipping point, the moment when things could have been different—but fundamentally, this pastor who groomed her and sexually assaulted her tipped her life upside down. And: He was not subtle. And: Nobody spoke up, not when it was McCullough and not when it was her sister and not when it was the next girl behind closed doors with the youth pastor.

The story is devastating. McCullough is so clear about what happened and the ways in which she was silenced, both then and later; also the ways in which it affected her, then and later. (I won't get into the family parts of things here, but...if she's not still angry, she's a more forgiving person than I.) Her story comes in conversation with women accused of witchcraft—in Salem, in Sweden, in Scotland, beyond. (See the quotation up top.) It's also in conversation, at times, with itself: I do say that, in a previous draft, in a poem my editor says / isn't quite landing (loc. 855).

I had some trouble with the story format—verse works best for me when I can't just read it as sentences flowing one into another with extra line breaks, and when I have to slow down and reread to get all of the nuance and wordplay. While there is some play of structure and word choice here, for large parts of the book I was able to just read straight through. This is more personal preference than anything, but I probably would have found this a better fit for me in a different format (more prose, or a different style of poetry, or maybe a play). That said, maybe also worth noting that the formatting wasn't quite right on my Kindle (I read an ARC and assume this will work better in the final version, so not something to worry about), and if I'd realized earlier I would have switched to reading on my phone, where things like page breaks came across more clearly. And if you like your poetry on the more straightforward side, this is likely to be a better fit for you.

3.5 stars; structure wasn't for me, but the story is powerful and important, and I love the tie-ins to history. At one point McCullough mentions a previous book being called "timely" when it came out in 2018, and she notes that it was timely then and now and in the 1970s and in the 1610s and in so many years in between, and this feels the same way. It's a timely book, published now when so many stories have been told about abuse within churches and religion (and when restrictive evangelical religion is doing its best to take over the US), but it also would have been timely five years ago or ten or fifty, and I expect it will be timely still some years from now.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

[Jessie May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a tough read, but it was also incredibly powerful and moving. Written in verse, Joy McCullough tells the story of the grooming and sexual abuse she endured by the youth pastor at her church. The book is interspersed with letters to women throughout history that were accused of witchcraft. A heartbreaking, infuriating, and incredibly important read.

Believe women.

[Shannon Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** I received this book as an Advanced Reader’s Copy. I would actually rate it a 4.5, but GoodReads only likes whole numbers. 😁 My review follows.

I had my doubts about reading this book when I received it as an ARC giveaway, but I love novels in verse and memoirs so hunkered down and started reading. For the first 60 pages I was forcing myself to continue and really didn’t think I would finish because my initial impression of the author, Joy McCullough, was that she was so angry and bitter that I could not connect with her. I just “knew” that this book was going to be blaming every man and every church and Christianity in general for what happened to her.

However, I kept reading and suddenly realized that this story felt familiar, like a book I had read back in the fall. I walked over to the novels in verse section of my classroom library and discovered that the book felt familiar because it was familiar. I had read “Blood Water Paint” by Joy McCullough a few months ago. So again, I kept reading. And you know what? I could not put this book down!

I loved the pauses in the narrative for the letters to women throughout history. I loved the connections made between men with power over women not getting what they want and women being accused of being witches. (I thought A LOT about that and even stopped took a little bit of time in class to discuss it with my students.) I loved the emotional struggles I experienced as the author shared her the trauma she experienced. And I loved that as the story continued I no longer felt the bitterness and anger from the beginning of the book but rather the confusion and betrayal the author dealt with.

This book would have been a 5 for me if it weren’t for these two sticking points, which may not be a problem for most people. They are for me though. First, I really, really dislike gross generalization made about institutions that lead to the villainization of churches/Christianity, entire justice systems, etc., rather than placing blame where it is specifically needed (her youth pastor, her father, her church, the specific officer who shared information, etc.). And secondly, I do not want to know the political viewpoints of the author I am reading. We are already so surrounded by political divisions that I don’t want it spilling into my treasured reading time. The political bias was present throughout the book but was overwhelmingly obvious when the author created a lengthy list of women sexually assaulted by powerful men but skipped over likes of the Kennedys and Clintons of the world.

I did love this book and happily give it 4.5 stars, maybe even a 4.75.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a beautiful and raw account of a woman’s experience with navigating/processing her childhood sexual abuse. She also incorporated letters written to women who were accused/accused others during the witch trials, and how their experiences so deeply mirror her own experiences, as well as those of modern day women. It’s a lovely tribute to survivors. I’m looking forward to reading her other works.

[Madd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cried <3

The pros: The events of this memoir are hard to talk about, and unfortunately still common. I haven't read many such accounts, at least not long-form ones, and I think there are two main things that make this stand out. First is the interstitials of history, the letters to accused witches and the stories of the men that hurt them. It was a connection I wasn't expecting, as I had never really associated these stories with sexual assault, but I was thinking about it the wrong way. The results may differ (sometimes), but the pattern is the same; the loss of autonomy for the accused/assaulted women. I really loved the parallels, as well as just the deep empathy the author has for these women throughout history, even in cases that aren't so black and white. The second thing that stands out is how deeply the author is impacted to this day. She talks a few times throughout the book about how writing and researching this memoir has brought up many terrible memories, has led to new terrible revelations, and has often been triggering. Maybe it's crazy or evil of me to say, but I like that raw emotion. It makes everything feel more real. I think some memoirs and nonfiction try to distance themselves too much, and it sounds a little detatched sometimes, but I think this book is all the stronger for not flinching, not looking away, even though I'm sure that made it harder to write. This is a truly terrible series of events that the author has written in a very moving way, and I hope her and her story continue to help others.

The cons: Is it weird to say that I think more poetic forms/devices could've been used? Just something I'm noticing with the novels in verse I've read lately (which granted, aren't many). I don't think the book is lacking for it, per se, just something I noticed.

I'm definitely going to look into more of this author's work.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Books for the review copy of Joy McCullough’s powerful memoir “Suffer a Witch.” It is deeply appreciated.

Trigger Warning: abuse of a minor

I love Joy McCullough’s work. Her novel in verse “Blood Water Paint” about the artist Artemisia Gentileschi is one of my favorite books. Her newest book “Suffer a Witch” is a hard-hitting memoir of betrayal, survival, and resilience.

McCullough recounts the years of grooming and sexual assault by a youth pastor, funneling her pain into poetry. She pulls women from the past into her narrative, women who spoke up and weren’t believed, women like her.

She speaks of the blessings of her life today with a supportive, loving husband and beloved children, and the shadows of the past that still haunt her. McCullough writes of her campaign for justice and closure for herself and her assailant’s other victims, and her desire to protect other girls that he has the free opportunity to prey on.

“Suffer a Witch” is a painful, angry memoir, written by a brave, brilliant woman, a mother, a sister, a survivor. A fighter.

[Caitlyn DeRouin]

(unrated because I do not typically rate memoirs, but this is absolutely a highlight of my reading year and most likely will be the best book I read all month)

The way Joy McCullough intertwines her story with the stories of falsely accused and misunderstood women from history is beautifully done and creates such a compelling narrative that keeps you turning the page. It's an important, though painful reminder, that while society has changed and shifted in countless ways throughout the history of time, there's one thing that has not changed: women are always blamed for the atrocities placed upon them by men, and when they speak out and shine a light on the abuse and injustice they have received, everything they've ever said and/or done is placed under a microscope and used against them. However, what prevails above all else, is that women and victims continue to speak up, regardless of the outcome, and will do all they can to take back their power which shows a strength that no one can truly take away from you.

McCullough's writing is always impactful, and I think that telling this story, her story, in verse is something that feels so truthful to her and her art. From the first sentence I couldn't put this down. There were moments where I raged and yelled about the abuse she endured and the people who turned a blind eye when she spoke out, I cried multiple times as my heart was broken again and again by what she went through, and I was so inspired by how she never gave up and has continued to tell her story because her story and her voice matter.

I think the blurb saying that this is for readers of Know My Name by Chanel Miller and John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower is absolutely spot on as someone who has read both the novel and the play and thought about them countless times since reading them. I thought this was an absolutely brilliant memoir and while it is a tough and heartbreaking read, I highly recommend it.

[Madison Glines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s burn all men!

[Alexa Blart, Library Cop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Joy McCullough is a heavy hitter for me in the world of YA literature, and of course I can't resist a book with witchy influences. While not every single part of this worked for me--for instance, the poem that's just the section of the California Penal Code that lists all the individuals who are considered mandated reporters fell flatter than I think it was intended to--the whole is a stunningly raw, vulnerable, and powerful mirror held up to a society that has failed young women and girls since time immemorial. The open letters to witches of history (and witchcraft trials accusers, such as Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., and Betty Parris) are especially well done, as McCullough finds a threads of commonality between their terrible histories and her her own traumatic experiences. While there isn't necessarily justice in her tale, the conclusion the book seems to draw is that being a voice for other victims--for calling out these evils where she sees them--is its own kind of justice. Ideal for fans of memoirs or novels in verse.

[ceci viana · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was phenomenal. tough to read, but so powerful and so moving. mccullough is a master of her craft; all of her words are selected with the utmost precision and delivered with the gentlest of blows to the heart. it was such a pleasure to read a memoir in verse, something that i have never come across before. i loved the touch of the letters to mistreated and falsely accused women in history weaved through. i was truly brought to tears so many times through this. a beautiful, impactful book that i think everyone should read. thank you to the author for baring your soul to us.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a tough book to review, it takes a long time to gather momentum and the witch narratives not to feel jarring. I felt the college-trial sections of the book were the most composed, which also makes me wonder if the earlier sections are intentionally less formed, due to the haziness of specific menu and an effort to help the reader understand her naïveté and limited but progressing sense of self, and how trauma often leaves only snapshots and odd details with overall sensation/feeling leading the way.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a tough read, making it even tougher to rate. The memoir is written in verse as the author shares her experience being the daughter of a pastor who was abused by the youth pastor at their church. Throughout the book there are letters written to other women in history that were accused of witchcraft, such as "Dear Salem Girls", Geillis Duncan, or witchcraft accusers such as Ann Putnam Jr.

[Virginia Noyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

the witch in me sees the witch in you (plot twist: most men are vile)

[bookswithmaddi · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Suffer a Witch is a memoir-in-verse by Joy McCullough about her time in the church, the abuse she encountered during that time, and surviving the aftermath of those events. It weaves in the stories of historical women whose stories had previously been neglected. It is this historical resuscitation that has continually drawn me to McCullough. Her voice comes through so clearly in Blood Water Paint, I knew I had to read her again.

A memoir is a difficult thing to rate, especially one that recounts such personal and traumatic memories. McCullough demonstrates incredible bravery through her powerful prose and stunning verse. She crafts her story in a way very few people can. Her writing makes her story visceral, creating an intimacy with the reader that feels like she is right there telling you the story. This intimacy makes McCullough a force to be reckoned with; she doesn't pull punches, and her raw honesty sets a powerful example for readers of what bravery looks like. I have no doubt it will inspire others to recognize and confront the painful parts of their own stories, write their own narratives, and move towards healing.

The small "biographies" of historical women inserted into the narrative are a large reason why this book didn't make it to five stars for me. While I loved learning about these women and it felt important to know their names and hear their stories, it took me out of McCullough's narrative in a big way. I wasn't expecting these stories in a memoir, and while I am able to see the ways that they weave into McCullough's story, it felt a little dicey to me to use other women's stories as a way of telling your own. There is certainly a time and place for these stories; they absolutely need to be heard, and I would love for McCullough to be the one to tell them, but this didn't feel like the right place. The placements occasionally were awkward for me, and the intermittent insertion of McCullough's own voice, narrative, or assumptions into the biographies threw me off.

I will always appreciate what McCullough is doing; she is telling stories in a way I feel very few authors are. She is an incredible author, poet, and storyteller. I will continue to seek her out and read the stories she is telling. I am always learning from her, growing in new ways from her writing, and left in awe in some ways. While this wasn't necessarily a hit for me, it is nonetheless inspiring, brave, and poignant.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A searing and poignant memoir written in verse with letters to women who suffered at the hands of the patriarchy or contributed to the telling of a “tale as old as time” and offering a paean to women’s resilience.

First, I am no fan of poetry. I didn’t read the blurb on this book very well or I would not have requested it, but like all things serendipitous, this turned out to an extraordinarily fascinating read (my thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for granting me access to this ARC).

“Rape culture tells us rape is a stranger in an alley with a knife or a gun”. This is a line from this memoir, but the theme of abuse begins earlier with the story of Artemisia Gentileschi, a young female artist in 17th C Italy, sent by her father to study under an artist only to be abused by him - and the father knew this could happen, who then tried to prosecute her abuser only to not be believed. In the author’s case, her minister father was woefully absent, leaving his daughter vulnerable to a predator on his staff. Later when her truth comes out , belief in her story is suspect especially from her father who after writing a book received much praise. The author writes “Lauded men of the cloth will always have a louder voice than mine.” The abuser goes on to serve as a youth pastor in other churches.

The author’s story of abuse is told during her high school and college years with Part III of the book focusing on her adult years and dealing with the damaging effects of the predator and recreating her sense of self. Having never experienced what the author has, I was so saddened by her tale. Predators are narcissistic controlling slime. In this age of the Epstein Files where people still believe the abuser over the abused, we see the damaging effects of patriarchy and misogyny.

I was surprised by how easy it was to read this book, verse and all. I especially enjoyed the letters. The first was my favorite about Eufame MacAlyane (1558-1591), a noblewoman who so angered King James VI for requesting pain relief in child birth that he had her burnt alive because that erstwhile misogynist believed that asking for pain relief “violated God’s commandment that women suffer in childbirth.” The Joan of Arc letter is the last letter where the author notes Joan is the most famous woman ever to get burnt at the stake who everyone knew was not a witch - patriarchy always wins! But as the author states “we know what happened but we just don’t care.” Finally, I learned the book cover is from a 1620 painting by Gentileschi depicting a scene from the Book of Judges where a woman drives a stake through the head of an evil Canaanite commander - what delightful snark! And the best way to sum up this book.

This book is filled with pain, anger, searing criticism and hope. The author’s resilience shines through.

I gave this book five stars because in spite of it being written primarily in poem form, I was not put off and could read and enjoy, for its gripping and searing topic and indictment of the patriarchy, and for the cleverness of writing a memoir in poem form. I found I enjoyed this book.

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

📝 ARC Review: This hits hard from the start… the dedication: “To the angry girl, to the girl who tells her truth, to the girl who keeps her truth, if you find yourself in these pages, I'm so sorry. It wasn't your fault.
- I wrote this for you.”

This memoir was extra impactful for me as I love writing and reading poetry, and this was written in poetry & verse. Also, I’ve dealt with childhood SA in my own life and known people who were abused and let down by “church members”.

In between the heartbreaking poems of a girl who was taken advantage of by someone in a position of power and trust, we also have the author writing letters to women in history, mostly from the witch trials time. I appreciated becoming better acquainted with some of these historical figures who were mistreated and even killed because they were women and dared to reach for things men deemed unacceptable.

This memoir is raw and tragic. The author doesn’t hold back her honesty, her shame, her regrets, nor her actions to try and save others from a similar fate and bring attention to strong women from the past.

Topics such as religion, childbirth, “witches”, forced submission of women, rap£, self harm and PTSD are prevalent throughout this memoir.

(I also appreciated the explanation at the end of the book in regard to the importance of the book cover! I had forgotten until this triggered my memory, of the biblical story of Jael, who drove a tent stake through Sisera’s head. The cover made so much sense after the author explained that painting!)

Quote’s 👇
(Taken from an uncorrected proof ARC)

“… too aware the sanctuary was anything but.”

“… my rage at having my body made a thing for someone else’s amusement.”

“… can finally breathe which is wild because I didn’t even know I was suffocating.”

“… if anyone is going to hurt my body it’s going to be me.”

“… the women lost because the world feared their power.”

Genre: Memoir; poetry & verse.
POV: First Person
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5
Release Date: August 18, 2026

Vibes: Heartfelt; Tragic; Bittersweet; Feminine Rage.

Tropes 👇

- Witch trials
- Strong women who were oppressed
- Recounting of religious figure taking advantage of the youth in his care
- Learning how to stand up and fight for yourself & others
- Based on a true story
- Feminine rage

CW’s 👇

- Underage SA
- Grooming by an abuser
- SA from a youth pastor
- Mention of self harm
- Topic of abortion
- Mention of death of an infant/children
- Injustice to women/murder of women
- Injustice in religion
- Failure to protect the innocent
- Pastor/Father turning blind eye to SA
- Complex PTSD/long lasting trauma

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a hard read. Not mechanically, of course--though reading a book written in verse when you're used to prose does take a bit of an adjustment. There were times when I had to read parts over again, slightly differently than how I had originally read them to make better sense of the words and what the author meant, and other times when I just sat back and looked at the shapes the words made on the page and how that added to their meaning.

I don't read a lot of poetry...though apparently when I do, it's poetry that will make me cry ( Odder , I'm looking at you).

But the subject--that was hard. Not that I thought it wouldn't be--grooming, abuse, abuse of power, betrayal, the part that religion often plays in all of the former--all subjects that should be hard to read. The way the author interspersed her own story with notes she wrote to various women through history (all of whom had some connection to witchcraft accusations--either accused, accuser, or both) was interesting--the first one took me out of the book for a minute (wait...am I supposed to know who Eufame is? Some day I will read entire book blubs before I sit down to start reading a new book, but clearly today was not that day) but once I realized what she was doing I began to look forward to those parts, even when they made me tear up even more than I already was.

There were so many WTAF moments throughout the book, but one of the ones that will probably stick with me longer than I want it to was when the author mentioned that after Blood Water Paint came out she was told time and time again how "timely" it was (a few months into the #MeToo movement) and she listed all the other times in history when it also would have been "timely"--which, of course, it still is today.

Ugh.

Also--her list of triggers. And the perfectly innocent times that they still trigger her in everyday life to this day, years after her abuse.

So, yeah. This was a hard read. But a really good one too.

Side note: the formatting (or lack of, honestly) on the Kindle version of the ARC made trying to read this next to impossible--thank goodness for the Netgalley reader, which (as far as I could tell) kept the original formatting and saved my sanity.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually a fan of annotating books. It hurts my soul a bit to write on the pages. However, there are some times when I feel compelled to underline certain phrases or make notes in the margins of a book that I’m especially connected to. Suffer a Witch by Joy McCullough was one of those books for me. Part memoir, but told in verse, this book inspired so many emotions in me that I needed to get them on the page while I was devouring the text.

McCullough’s story is, unfortunately, all too familiar. As a child raised in a Christian church, she was abused by a person who knew that she would be too ashamed of what was happening to report it. Assaulted by the youth pastor (who had been hired by her father) for several years, McCullough’s story is tragic and heartwrenching. But then she takes her experiences and weaves them into poetry. With just a few dozen words on each page, every moment of McCullough’s story is powerful.

At first glance, I would have related to McCullough’s trauma, and would have found this book to be a moving account of her abuse and healing. But Suffer a Witch transforms into something else entirely, because McCullough has chosen to intersperse her story with letters she’s written to famous accused witches in history. By comparing her story with the Salem witches or historical women I hadn’t even heard of, McCullough is able to create a tragic thread throughout history of women being subjugated, abused, and wrongfully maligned. The true feminine rage and ferocious energy electrifies every page, and manifests a book that means so much more to me than a traditional memoir ever could. Even the cover has a creative meaning that ties the entire book together in such a brilliant way.

There is so much to be angry about when you read McCullough’s story, and the accounts of other women who have been brutalized over the course of history. But Suffer a Witch also made me feel incredibly hopeful in an odd way. It made me believe that other victims can find ways to tell their own stories in a way that feels authentic and unique, and perhaps, the greatest sign of strength in someone is their ability to use their own tragedy to help someone else.

I’ve already added several of McCullough’s other books to my TBR, and I can’t wait to dive into her writing even more. I’m grateful that she has been so open and honest with her story, and that she was brave enough to put it on paper. Hopefully, it will inspire other women to get angrier, because we have so many years of suffering in silence to make up for.

*Free ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Kate Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joy McCullough’s Suffer a Witch: A Memoir was a fantastic read. Here, McCullough uses a hybrid form to combine poetry, memoir and historical non-fiction to create a collection of stories woven into her own, showing the historical links between Eve, the women accused of witchcraft and her own traumas. Joy McCullough was raised in the Presbyterian church and being the pastor’s daughter made her a prominent figure. During her teens she was sadly abused by her youth pastor, a serial offender who has never being brought to justice. She calls this man ‘Brett’ after the well-known sexual offender controversy surrounding Brett Kavanaugh.
She weaves these stories flawlessly, each of them relevant and they examine the horrific abuse of power men held/hold over women when accusing them of magic to punish them. These historical parallels show how men in positions of power are allowed to abuse victims and have the safety net of masculine and religious support to prevent them being prosecuted. What is even more distressing is that McCullough’s father, also a pastor, was complicit in her abuse. Although both her and her sister told him about the grooming and sexual assaults, he was unwilling to support their stories, believing it would put his own position at the church at risk.
This book made me so angry, angry for Eve and her treatment, angry for the women and children who unfairly died at the hands of men, angry for the survivors of sexual assault. These stories are heartbreaking, enraging and informative. The verse language style works incredibly well, it softens the historical content into a format which is more accessible if you aren’t a history reader. I learned the stories of women such as Abigail Williams, Gurtrud Svensdotter and Geillis Duncan, women I was not familiar with but now respect their tragic stories. This book is a brilliant read, showing the damage that sexual assault causes to families and the long term effects of PTSD. The church and so many positions of power are responsible for so much hurt across the world, we can only hope that one day they will be rightly held accountable for their crimes and their support of molesters.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this brilliant book in return for an honest review. I'll defiantly be recommending it to others and buying a copy when it is published!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be too emotionally connected to this subject matter to be totally impartial here, but wow this was an incredible, genre bending memoir that I won't stop thinking about for quite some time.

I had never read any of Joy McCullough's other work, but immediately the cover pulled me in. I have a great love of Artemisia Gentileschi's work, and so the snippet of Judith slaying Holofernes had me completely entranced from the start. McCullough weaves in her devastating personal experience of sexual assault by her youth pastor and the fight for that to be acknowledged, with letters to women who were accused of and killed as witches. You wouldn't think those two things would be so easily interwoven, but McCullough has singled out a theme of young women not being believed about their experiences and women taking ownership over their bodies and directly tied it to her modern experience of being disbelieved and discredited by her community and even her father.

For anyone who has ever had ties to a high control religion, this is going to hit close to home. For any woman who has ever felt unable to tell her story for fear of being disbelieved, this is going to feel incredibly cathartic. And for any girl who is currently in a similar situation of grooming by someone who holds power over her, this offers a hopeful roadmap out.

I can't say enough good things about this book. I have recommended it to countless folks in my life already, and feel like it ought to be required reading. What a beautiful tribute to her younger self McCullough was able to create by honoring her own truth. I think this book could be even more poignant if read alongside How to Kill a Witch, Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell, for an even more thorough dive into some of the historical figures that McCullough highlights in her letters.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group for an early copy of this incredible memoir in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Charlotte Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suffer a Witch: A Memoir by Joy McCullough

Joy McCullough's Suffer a Witch is a powerful and deeply personal memoir in verse that explores sexual abuse, survival, healing, justice, and sisterhood. Drawing from her experiences as a teenager whose relationship with her family and church was profoundly altered by sexual abuse, McCullough uses poetry to revisit painful memories while also examining the complicated process of rebuilding a life beyond trauma.

One of the book's most striking elements is the way McCullough connects her personal story with the stories of historical women and girls whose voices were dismissed or silenced. Her prose letters to figures such as Joan of Arc and Abigail Williams create a broader conversation about how women have historically been judged, disbelieved, and misunderstood. The result is a memoir that is not simply about one woman's suffering, but also about resilience, accountability, female solidarity, and the continuing struggle to have women's experiences heard and believed.

With a 4.57 Goodreads rating from 129 ratings and 79 reviews, Suffer a Witch has already generated substantial and positive reader engagement. The book could appeal to readers of memoir, poetry, women's history, feminist literature, survivor narratives, and contemporary literary nonfiction, as well as educators, libraries, book clubs, and communities interested in conversations surrounding resilience and justice. Its distinctive verse format and deeply human perspective also create opportunities for literary podcasts, author interviews, reading groups, educational discussions, and broader cultural conversations.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a raw and powerful memoir. McCullough shines a light on her teen years, when she was groomed and abused by her youth pastor. Most heartbreaking is the decision by her father, the senior pastor of their Presbyterian church, to turn a deaf ear to her and her older sister when they attempted to tell him the truth about his youth pastor. In recounting her experiences, McCullough addresses the ongoing nature of trauma (and her father’s admonition that “You can’t play the abuse card forever”). She goes into detail about the guilt she has carried, her rationalizations that she must have somehow encouraged the abuser’s attentions, her eventual understanding of consent and power dynamics and serial abusers and mandated reporters. Interwoven with her own story are letters to mostly-forgotten women from past centuries who were also silenced (and often put to death) when their truths threatened men’s power. Teens will appreciate her candor and her determination to not be silenced. The free-verse format allows readers to feel McCullough is in a close conversation with them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the electronic ARC.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this incredibly powerful book.

This is a really tough topic, and it's an incredibly hard read. But we all need to bear witness to these crimes. Joy McCullough has written a gorgeous book, all in prose, about her experiences surviving and then working through her sexual abuse at the hands of an adult youth pastor. The abuse occurred over a three year period while she was in high school, and the trauma caused her to later develop an eating disorder and self harm. It's really interesting how she layered her real life experiences with her letters to women involved in the witch trials hundreds of years ago.

I was particularly shocked when I realized - not until the end of the book - that this all occurred in my hometown. I went to high school with Joy and her older sister. My younger sister even attended this church and participated in their youth group. I didn't recognize Joy's name at first, after so many years, but once she described the specific streets where the church was located, I knew. Joy (and Jennifer), I wish you so much love and peace. Thank you for sharing your story. You are making a difference.

[Danna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joy McCullough’s brief memoir in verse, Suffer a Witch, packs a heavy punch. In it, McCullough details the years of sexual and emotional abuse she suffered at the hand of her youth pastor. The pastor, who she calls Brett, is a serial offender who was never held accountable for his actions.

In between the poetic descriptions of McCullough’s experiences, McCullough weaves the stories of women pronounced as witches throughout history and her identification with them.

McCullough’s story is heartbreaking and infuriating, made more so by the fact that her father, also a pastor, was complicit in the abuse she experienced. It seems he might have believed McCullough, but refused to confront or validate the claims because it might put his own position and reputation at risk.

Suffer a Witch is a story of trauma, women’s powerlessness in the face of a society that refuses to believe the victim, and also of moving forward with that trauma and grief.

Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Christiana Doucette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's memoir follows her through her life as the daughter of a pastor, spiritual abuse at the hands of church leaders, and her battle for truth. Interspersed throughout, Joy McCullough tells the stories of both women accused of witchcraft throughout history, and those who made the accusations. I appreciated so much the historical context she provided. And the extensive research notes at the end (because I wanted to know more). Additionally, her commitment to sharing both those in power who abused her, and those with some level of religious authority who stood by her and continued to believe her through the onslaught of pushback shines. Those who've experienced grooming and sexual predation of minors walk a difficult line as they speak up about what happened to them. And Joy faces this challenge head on, heart ablaze.

As one who has especially appreciated her books Blood Water Paint and Kestrel Takes Flight, the insight into her writing around those books, and the way the stories impacted her especially connected with me.

Well worth adding to your reading list.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In her debut memoir, McCullough pairs achingly raw poems recalling her abuse and its aftermath with hopeful, challenging verses about her life today as she seeks healing and justice in a country that rewards men for sexual abuse and still insists “girls these days will say anything.”

All of it was a tough read. It was raw and vulnerable and full of an incredible amount of trigger warnings but as time went on and you kept reading, you could see the tone and growth of the author as well. Joy honestly writes about the grooming she experiences at the hand of her youth pastor and how that subsequently impacts her ability to have relationships with men.

She also incorporated letters written to women who were accused/accused others during the witch trials, and how their experiences so deeply mirror her own experiences, which was a tie-in that I absolutely loved.

I’d like to add a physical copy of this one to my shelf. 4 stars.

Suffer a Witch will be published August 18th, 2026 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joy McCullough’s memoir is every bit as potent and raw as her YA novels. She tells her story in poems and includes letters to women who were called witches throughout history. I found this format really interesting and it added a unique perspective for a memoir.

McCullough is vulnerable and honest in her recounting of her trauma at the hands of a trusted person in her church as a teen and the aftermath of people not believing her because she waited several years to report it. This is a visceral and aching story of abuse, survival, and taking ownership of your story that I will be thinking about for a long time. If you can handle the subject matter (see content warnings below), I highly recommend this book. I also recommend her YA verse novels, especially Blood Water Paint since it is referenced in Suffer a Witch.

Please note the content warnings for sexual abuse, grooming, mentions of pregnancy and birth, child abuse, emotional abuse, and eating disorder.

Thank you so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the honor of reading this story.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joy McCullough grew up in the Presbyterian church as a pastor's daughter. By the time she joined the youth group, she was all into God. And trained to obey adult authority. That's when her youth pastor began grooming her. Eventually, he r*ped and sexually assaulted her over the course of several years. This book is her memoir.
In each chapter, the author shares a part of her story. The chapters also contain stories of witches - women who were accused of crimes and punished. Throughout history, men have wielded power over women - their bodies, their words, their stories. This book is an attempt to win back women's voices, stories, and lives.
Reading this memoir has prompted me to reexamine my own past. I am also prompted to examine my attitudes toward women who say they have been sexually harassed and/or violated. It's too easy to dismiss their stories or blame them. Let's place the blame where it truly belongs and seek to discern the truth and believe women!

[sarah panic · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We stand before the men in power and speak our truths even as they crush our joints.”

I was completely destroyed by Joy’s memoir and the way she incorporated the history of the women that came before us. When I tell you my hand was covering my mouth in distress for the majority of the book, I am not exaggerating in any way. Joy lived a life that so many women live and her voice was silenced time and time again. She walked a path straight to abuse that was forged by someone that was supposed to be a figure of support, guidance, and trust. She was failed to be protected by those around her and when her voice was able to reach the point where it was able to resound with all of her truths, those around her managed to failed her yet again.

While hard to read at times because of the very traumatic subject matter, this book is revolutionary and an absolute must read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Victoria Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suffer a Witch is a heartbreaking memoir told in prose. Upon first reading, I was afraid that the writing style would feel inaccessible as somebody who doesn’t frequently read poetry, but it was pretty simple to follow. It was really only hard to read because the triggering content.

This memoir follows a woman with PTSD after being groomed and sexually abused by a youth pastor. Despite it being a relatively quick read, I had to read it in multiple sittings because it was so unsettling. It is well-written and an important read, but it is not something that I could ever read again. This is why I hesitate to give it five stars, as I tend to only give five stars to books that I plan to re-read. For most readers, I would recommend grabbing a copy from the library rather than owning it, and, before reading, I would recommend anybody with PTSD to search content warnings.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.