Cordelia Bone had a carefully crafted life that was in direct opposition to her older sister Eustace's carefree one. Both are summoned to their great aunt's home in Connecticut after she dies. The mansion comes with strings attached that the lawyer won't fully explain, as well as a handsome tattooed groundskeeper. There are secrets present, and their health begins to fail. They must now embrace the lineage they wanted to ignore if they plan to survive.

Cordelia might have held herself as a businesswoman, but throughout chapter one we see how out of control everything is: her husband cheated on her with her assistant, ran up debts in her name, emptied their joint account, and then threw her under the bus for other debts he racked up because she was easier to find. The relationship she had with her sister was strained for years, and neither knew anything about their extended family before they were summoned to Connecticut. All she wants to do is be successful and secure, a wish that anyone would empathize with. This immediately draws in the reader, and the mystery surrounding the inheritance is another draw.

Cordelia and Eustace's relationship improves over time, and each have their strengths. They learn about the magic they're supposed to have, the ghosts of their ancestors, and about the people orbiting the estate. The mystery of it all deepens, and Cordelia finds it hard to trust anyone but Eustace. They can't survive alone, especially when they aren't able to leave the property without health issues. It comes to an amazing conclusion, which I raced through to discover. The Bone Witches are determined to save themselves, and it was an enthralling novel to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an ARC of The Witches of Bone Hill in return for my honest review.

This book follows sisters Eustace and Cordelia who discover their aunt has passed away and they have now inherited her estate. While trying to figure out their family's hidden secret and the truth behind what happened to their mother, the sisters must grapple with the darkness surrounding the estate and the darkness they discover within themselves.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought the storyline was fairly fast-paced and interesting. Although I was surprised by the amount of gore in this book - I loved it! It was not something I was expecting.

I found the ending to be somewhat predictable and I I think adding one more chapter before the final chapter of this book and changing the final chapter to an epilogue would really enhance the story and the reader experience.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Just in time for spooky season, a good witchy read!

Loved this book- unique story, balanced suspense and fantasy elements, plus good character development as you go on this journey with two estranged sisters. Great writing too, will check out more from this author.

Diving into fall and witchy season, I was very much looking forward to this book. The premise is fun: two sisters who have lost touch over the years find themselves having to deal with a surprise inheritance of a definitely-haunted house.

What I liked: the plot. The overall mystery with the house and the build up was the most interesting part of the story for me. It kept me turning the pages, and I was genuinely interested. I like the concept of houses with "minds" of their own, and this definitely hit those mysterious plot points to move the story along.

What I didn't quite connect with: the characters. Cordelia's motivations seemed all over the place and I wasn't sure why the mob was included in the story at all, it seemed like too much. Her ex also completely disconnected me from the story when he showed up. Eustace, Cordelia's sister, didn't have as much depth as I would have liked, and maybe I would've connected with her more if there was more of the narrative outside of Cordelia's POV. Lastly, the final reveal of who the main antagonist has been the whole time was pretty predictable.

Overall, it's a fun mystery thriller for the fall season. While I'm very thankful to the publisher for sending me a free eArc in exchange for my thoughts, it wasn't my utmost favorite read and I'm sure others may appreciate it more than me.

Some content notes to be aware of: animal death/cruelty, gore, emotionally abusive ex, mention of cancer

4.5 rounded up!

THE WITCHES OF BONE HILL captured my interest right away. When reading the synopsis, I felt that this book would be really perfect for fall. And as I read, I was correct. Cordelia Bone's life is falling apart as her marriage, business, and home is literally collapsing. When she receives a phone call from her estranged sister, Eustace, she learns that their aunt, one they did not know, has died and they must travel to a small town in Connecticut to claim a vast estate, and a mysterious house.

The first thing about this novel is that the author writes beautifully. The amount of detail she puts into the story to make it atmospheric, to really explain to the reader all aspects of the house, the Bone estate, and the supernatural events is breathtaking. It was immersive and one of the most most special things about this book.

This novel also did a great job of blending a mixing a lot of different aspects of the story to be unique and thoughtful. There's a lot going on here, but the author does not allow the book to get bogged down or overwhelmed by these elements of mystery, the supernatural, and romance. They work seamlessly together to create the story. And the way that she writes her characters was well done as well. The growth that Cordelia goes through, both internally and in her relationship with her sister, is another thing that makes this story so interesting.

The only reason I'm not giving this book a full 5 stars is because the supernatural elements, while important to the story, were a bit much. There are quite a few scenes where Cordelia is experiencing these elements and it gets repetitive after a while, especially in the beginning. However, once we as readers start learning more about the history of the Bones estate with the sisters, the book becomes more engrossing.

Overall, this book is perfect for spooky season. If you love atmospheric writing, witches, romance, mystery, the supernatural, character growth, and sisterhood, I think this is your book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The protagonist of The Witches of Bone Hill, Cordelia Bone, is suffering from a string of bad luck when this novel opens. She has been left by her cheating husband and is in debt due to his nefarious business dealings when a call from her sister Eustace, who she has not seen for five years, informs her that the siblings have inherited a Victorian estate in the hills of Connecticut known as Bone Hill. To claim their inheritance, they must travel to the estate and live in the house, a Gothic mansion filled with ghosts, secrets, dangers, and mysteries.

Although Cordelia and Eustace were brought up by their mother and know little about their relatives, their lives have been anything but normal. Since childhood, Cordelia has heard songs and whispers, predicted things before they happened, seen ghosts, and suffered from migraines. Once they arrive at Bone Hill the sisters discover more about their lineage and learn about the suspicious circumstances of their own mother’s death. Their family has long been suspected of witchcraft, and an investigation into the past will reveal the truth of the Bone Hill family and leave Cordelia seeking revenge on those who have wronged her. This book is full of generational curses that the sisters must battle to heal their relationship and restore their health. The twists and turns will keep readers on the edge of their seat, but at its heart, this book is about the strength of family. This is an entertaining contemporary read with a cozy and mysterious feel. Fans of witch lit and Gothic novels will find much to enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This has witches, ghosts, a mystery. Perfect for spooky season.

Lovely writing. I enjoyed the characters and the pacing.

The one part of the story line I think was unnecessary was the mob. I understand it was to make an urgency for money for our main character but it seems random and unrealistic. I think just saying the ex wiped her out and ruined her credit (very realistic unfortunately) would have been enough.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this read. I made it to about 20% and couldn’t push myself further.

I did enjoy the premise of the book and if some of the issue areas could be worked through a little more I think I’d enjoy it more than I did.

Some things that weren’t my cup of tea:
🖤Third person POV
🖤Lack of emotional connection to characters
🖤Too many details that have led to an unnecessarily long book
🖤Dialogue is lacking - surface level and short for a good portion of what I read

I really wish I were more into the book than I wound up being as I was really looking forward to another witchy read. This, unfortunately, missed the mark for me.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

If the title includes witches I’m down & Ava Morgyn’s The Witches of Bone Hill offers a sometimes darkly engrossing story that’s ultimately hopeful & sister-focused.

Cordelia is facing a lot of problems when the book begins, including the end of her marriage to a man who exploited her & cheated on her & the imminent sale of her home so she can try to settle the debts he left her with. But wait, there’s even more trouble waiting for her & she hopes the house & inheritance that the family she never really knew left her will help.

She goes to Bone Hill, owned by the aunt she didn’t know IRL, & reconnects with the sister she’s been largely estranged from in recent years.

There she meets the groundskeeper Gordon & realizes there are lots of family secrets just waiting to be uncovered.

There’s a good creepy factor to this book for those looking for thrills, & family secrets just keep pouring out of the woodwork. Betrayal & history & a house that shows she & her sister are part of a larger family even if their mother wanted to act like they weren’t.

This one kept my attention & I liked how everything wrapped up so hopefully.

3.5⭐️. Out 09/26.

CWs: Death of mother. Mutilation. Cancer. Mob threat. Reference to Opioid addiction.

[ID: the ebook sits on a brown desk. A yellow wall is in the background & to the left is a bunch of multicolored zinnias.]

I really tried to push through because this was an advanced copy the publisher and NetGalley so graciously gave me, but I am a big believer in also not wasting time on a book you’re not vibing with and as soon as I realized there was animal abuse it was a “no” for me and I DNF’ed.

Perhaps for a different reader this would be a five star book, but I made the mistake of thinking I was picking up an atmospheric, witchy, cozy fall read about estranged sisters and second chances with a little romance and it turned out to be bordering on horror vibes and those are not my vibes.

I don’t necessarily think the writing (of the parts I read) was bad, I think she pretty effectively immersed me in some creepy moments, but it was a hard book to get into, the mafia aspect felt really out of place, and the way the author described the presumed romantic interest was tacky and immature. I wish I could have stuck around to see if the twists and turns were good, but I can’t do gore and I can’t do animal abuse.

I love anything remotely witchy so was very excited for this read. Unfortunately this fell flat for me - it was predictable, formulaic, and I saw the ending coming very early on. None of the characters really came to life for me, I was bored much of the time, and overall there was no real substance or depth - I would call it witchy chicklit perhaps?

3 - 3.5 Stars - "The Witches of Bone Hill" was a great way to start the month off as spooky season is upon us. There were times when I got bored of the story, and others when I was dying to know what was going to happen next.

It was not too creepy, but some of the descriptions were so vividly written it was unsettling at times.

There was some randomness I could do without, but otherwise kept me engaged

If you like slight horror, and mystery, with a touch of romance. This is for you.
Thank you NetGalley, publisher, and author for the opportunity to read this arc.

I found this book to be really engaging and I loved the premise. I'm a sucker for witchy books so this story was right up my alley. I am looking forward to reading other books by the author.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martens Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Witches of Bone Hill, in exchange for my honest review!
At first it reads like a purely contemporary fiction, but something I enjoyed was as the story goes on, the magic and overall spookiness got greater and greater. It’s not so much a fantasy as it is paranormal fiction. If you are a true fan of horror and gore, looking for something dark and unsettling, that’s going to give you the creeps, I don’t think this is for you. On the flip side if you are someone who is more into standard fiction, who wants to dabble in something that has moments of eeriness, magic, and can handle a little gore, you may really enjoy it!
I appreciated that the main characters were all of mature age, I’m guessing late 30s to mid 40s, and that the issues they had before arriving at the estate were that of people in that group. The pacing and writing was good, while the fmc was a little annoying at times, the reasons behind her actions were understandable. Another thing I liked was how communicative the sisters were with each other, there weren’t moments where, as a reader, I felt frustrated by the main character and I knowing there was information that should be shared. The sisters were a smart pair, and figured everything out at a reasonable speed for the story.
The villain was very predictable but there was still a *slight* twist about it. It wasn’t so much “who” but “why” with the bad guy.

(Spoilers ahead)
The only thing that really didn’t do it for me in this story was the relationship between Cordy and Gordon. I think there had to me a romance plot in the book, and I’m glad there was.. I just didn’t really believe in their chemistry. She was genuinely rude to him outwardly and judgey inwardly, as well as recently wounded from her ex husband, which is brought up enough to know it was obviously a huge deal. Even after she very suddenly decides to stop being snooty to him, they still just didn’t make sense to me. They had a few conversations about their issues together, he mentions she’s attractive on accident, and then he just steps into the role of needing to be there and protect her (it’s kind of his only personality trait) with so much faith and gusto after like… less than three weeks. And he’s just cool with all the bad stuff happening and the violence in the end, because it’s all about making sure she is safe.. he is kind of a shell of a character. Aside from just being the only people there and trauma bonding over loss/the property, I don’t see why they like each other at ALL. Much less to sleep together in a way which would end up in immediate pregnancy. Getting knocked up after a month of knowing each other and maybe 2 weeks of sleeping together? Not the trope for me. Yucky even. It could have been something alluded to by her ancestor for the future and mentioned as part of the wrap up when it has the jump to the future at the very end. Don’t think that had to happen at all.
Overall this was a very readable story, I was able to picture the atmosphere and follow along with everything very well. It was like watching a modern day practical magic-esque film on Netflix.

DNF at 33%. Just couldn't get into the story. I attempted to read it over the month of August, but ever time I picked it up I only read for twenty or so minutes before I lost interest. I found the plot interesting, but I just couldn't connect to the characters. All in all, this book just wasn't for me, but I do think that those who enjoy a more atmospheric and slower paced story would enjoy.

3.75 stars rounded up.
Overall, I rather enjoyed this book. Things I like: The sisters relationship, the history of the Bone family, the house. It’s creepy without venturing too far into being horror.
Things I didn’t like: lots of parts dragged and in those parts it seemed as though they were just rehashing the same things over and over. I could have done without the “Bad boy romance”-it felt unnecessary to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this novel!

With sisters who are entirely in the dark about who they are, a scheming ex-husband, murders, and mysterious deaths, a lot is going on here. As the story is told from Cordelia’s point of view, we get to know her better than her sister, Eustace. Eustace could probably do some amazing spells, but we don’t really see that because we didn’t get to know anyone all that well. Even Gordon, who is supposed to be a great love, isn’t all that fleshed out.

Their mother, Maggie, was a terrible mother. The girls might say otherwise, but keeping dangerous secrets from your daughters, introducing shady men into their lives, and constantly moving to run away from who and what you are was a terrible thing to do to them. She had to have known what would eventually come to pass for them, and she left them completely unprepared. But the fact I didn’t like her shows how well Morgyn wrote her.

The pacing for this was off for me as it dragged for much of the book. I also figured out 80% of who we had to worry about, right from the start, which came to pass mostly. And that’s okay because this isn’t a thriller, so the enjoyment of the novel doesn’t depend on knowing. Perhaps this will be the start of a series, and the characters will become more in depth and explore what they’re capable of. I certainly would read a book 2.

This book was the perfect read to kick off spooky season! I thought the fantasy and mystery were perfectly balanced. The family drama and history were relatable and intriguing. Oh, and that little touch of romance... Honestly, I'm left hoping for an unexpected inheritance myself. I will 100% recommend as an autumn weekend read.

How do *I* find out that I'm a Nordic witch?! Love love love. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this!

really good book and kept me on my on my toes of what would happen. really enjoyed the characters and their journey and would read this author again.