This book was so unique and whimsical, and I really enjoyed reading this one. It was different and I loved that!

Cordelia Bone finds her meticulously constructed life and successful career in Dallas unraveling before her eyes, all thanks to a cheating husband burdened with criminal debts. Just when she feels like everything is falling apart, a call from her carefree older sister, Eustace, a cannabis grower in Boulder, brings unexpected news. Their great aunt, whom they've never met, has passed away, leaving behind an estate in a quaint Connecticut town. Seeing this as a chance to dig herself out of this hole, Cordelia jumps at the opportunity to unload the house.

Once they arrive, the sisters learned they were getting much more than they bargained for. The Victorian mansion they just inherited is tangled in a dynasty trust controlled by their late aunt's attorney who insists they inhabit the house. Not to mention the sexy, tattooed groundskeeper with a mysterious past and a crypt full of their dead relatives on the property line.

Navigating their challenging circumstances, both women confront a haunting family secret, unravel the mystery surrounding their mother's fate, and confront an age-old adversary lurking in the shadows. In a chilling whirlwind of terror and turmoil, the sisters must tap into their inner strength to mend their fractured bond, reverse their unexplained health issues, and embrace the lineage they once sought to escape. Survival at Bone Hill hinges on their ability to uncover their hidden power and claim their rightful place.

This book has a sprinkle of everything. Ghosts, mystery, blood magic, witches, murder, romance, and a house that is described so vividly, you'd think it was alive. This book was fascinating. It was a bit hard to follow, mainly at the beginning, but it was honestly an amazing book. The story is so intricate and very well written.

I would be really interested in a sequel to see more of Cordelia and her sister settling into their powers and their creepy old house. I'd also like more of the groundskeeper. It was a bit easy to figure out who the antagonist of this story would be in my opinion, but the ending and the story overall made up for that. I truly enjoyed this and would love to read more from this author. A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was certainly spookier than I was expecting! I was drawn to it for it's fantasy elements so I was a little surprised with how dark things got at times. This story definitely has some horror elements and I will have to keep that in mind when recommending to customers.

It's a real credit to the author though, to have taken elements that have bored me in other stories and arranged them in such a detailed and compelling way. The story is fleshed out really well. It feels complex without being convoluted. The main characters are interesting, as is their relationship. I feel like Eustace deserves to shine more, however, as a lot of her development happens off screen. There were parts where I felt a little bit frustrated by what I felt to be unrealistic reactions or behaviors (like a glaring under reaction or characters failing to ask important questions in the moment.) but I can be nitpicky about that kind of thing.

There is only one scene in the book that the writing itself felt weak to me, and that was in the carriage house when Cordy finds a notebook. The resulting conversation needs work in my opinion. The tone just felt off.

Besides that, I enjoyed reading The Witches of Bone Hill and will happily recommend it.

This is a fabulous mysterious paranormal read that will keep you turning pages into the night.
Two sisters inherit a estate that is haunted, spooky and has a Nordic witch family history. They soon find that the house, the family history and the crypts on the property have opinions about them and don't hesitate to show them through hauntings. Its is a gritty horror novel in parts. i admit to skipping some pages as some parts are far to gritty for this reader and not my cup of tea. But as a reader you are entralled to keep reading to conclusion. its a fun read and wonderful writing. I enjoyed all the different paranormal aspects of this book . The author wrote strong women characters that perserve throughout their difficulties and join together to find out who they truly are.

Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

So dark, so twisty, and oh so good. I'm so glad I was able to read and advanced digital copy. Thank you NetGalley! Dont miss this one.

The perfect read to kick off the spooky season. Eustace and Cordelia’s lives are pretty much in shambles when notice arrives that they’ll receive an inheritance from a distant aunt. The women were kept from contact with other family while raised by their mom. When the sisters arrive at Bone Hill, they begin to unearth the many family secrets.

This was a delightfully creepy story that I couldn’t put down. I’d love to see more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was not expecting to like this book this much! I enjoy mysteries and thrillers, but this was bordering on horror. I typically don't like horror books. I'm so glad I didn't shy away from it!

The Witches of Bone Hill is a captivating story of two sisters who inherit an estate from their great aunt. Cordelia, on the cusp of a messy divorce and is having financial troubles, and Eustace, her free spirited older sister head to Connecticut to find out what awaits them. They find more mysteries than answers at their great aunt's dark Victorian mansion.

They must work through these mysteries and family secrets to uncover what is really in store for them. Mysteries about their mother, their health, and generations of women in their family.

What I liked:
All of it. Everything. I could not put this book down. It drew me in. The author revealed just enough to keep you guessing, but kept all of the details close to the vest until the very end.

What I didn't like:
Other than some of the horror elements that I don't normally prefer (but willingly chose to read here), I didn't really dislike anything!

Thank you to author Ava Morgyn, St.Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Title: The Witches of Bone Hill
Author: Ava Morgyn
Publisher: St Martins Press
Publishing Date: Sept 26, 2023
Pages: 416
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: ☆☆☆

A wonderful story that I would highly recommend to my spooky, witchy bookish friends!
The story was pretty immersive and well written. I really enjoyed the characters and there was great development! The story wasn’t necessarily action packed but it was plot packed (if that’s a thing?). There was always a lot going on. It got a lot darker than I anticipated but that was actually one of my favourite aspects about this book! I really liked the dark corner it went into and got really into the thriller/horror of the story.
I didn’t find myself overly excited about this book, even though I enjoyed it. The romance kind of fell short for me and I wasn’t really into it. I know it’s just me as a reader, and my personal style, but it just didn’t have IT that really hooks me in!
I would actually re-read this book around October time when I’m really in my spooky element and would really love it then!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for sending this book for review consideration! All opinions are my own.

Masterful storytelling creates an atmosphere of suspense and tension, with twists and turns that leave you guessing until the very end. The well-developed characters are complex and intriguing, adding depth to the thrilling plot. The pacing is relentless, never giving you a moment to catch your breath, making this book an exhilarating and addictive reading experience for all fans of the genre.

Thriller/horror/witches are not genres I would typically gravitate toward, but holy cow, I’m so glad I did this time! The Witches of Bone Hill is dark and creepy, disturbing and uncomfortable; at the same time it’s uplifting and full of love (both familial and romantic). At its core, it’s a story of two sisters learning to accept themselves for who they are, and becoming who they hope to be. Also, Gordon is hot and amazing.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin.

The Witches of Bone Hill begins with Cordelia, one half of the Bone sisters, in financial ruin after her husband took off with her assistant and left her with a mounting pile of debt—oh, and a loan from the mob. Then, out of the blue, she gets a call from her estranged sister Eustace, whom she hasn’t spoken with for the past five years, to tell her they’ve inherited their aunts estate.
Cordelia assumes she’ll go to Connecticut and make a quick sale, but nothing is that simple when it comes to Bone Hill. Reconnecting with her sister they delve into the family secrets and find much more than they bargained for—witches.
The Witches of Bone Hill was full of mystery, horror, familial connections, humour, and a dash of romance. I loved how rounded this book was with all its rich descriptions and spooky happenings. The ghosts, the ancient Norse magic, and two sisters trying to navigate their past and their family history.
This was a book I didn’t want to put down! Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the arc and the chance to read early!

Thanks to author Ava Morgyn, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m always down for a good witchy book, but sometimes witchy books just aren’t witchy enough. That was not the case with The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn.

Cordelia Bone’s life is crumbling around her. Her cheating husband ran off, leaving her with massive debts and her carefully cultivated life in shambles. Cordelia soon receives news that an estranged aunt has died and left an estate to her and her sister, Eustace, who Cordelia hasn’t spoken to in years. Facing unfortunate financial trouble, Cordelia decides to travel across the country to see the estate – and figure out how much she stands to gain from its sale. Once she arrives, she begins to unravel the unexpected family secrets hidden on the property.

I love a good story about sisters. Cordelia and Eustace have an interesting relationship, and that development was one of the stand-out elements of the book. I also liked the witchy elements of the story. The use of magic in the book was very well-done, and I enjoyed the way the magic system was revealed. This book is dark and a little spooky, making it the perfect addition to an October TBR. It is well-written, nicely paced, and full of twists and reveals to keep the reader engaged!

Thank you to NetGalley, as well as the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I do want to say if you are going into this book, please be mindful that there are some trigger warnings. This is a very intense book especially with animal abuse. With that being said, if you are looking for something this spooky season, I would definitely pick this book up especially because it has a lot of twist and turns that you don’t see coming.

Full disclosure; I don’t think this book was the right fit for me. I don’t mind spooky and the supernatural, but this book became much gorier and darker than I anticipated.

While it was a bit too much for me, if you enjoy a darker slower-paced horror ghostly tale, this one may be for you.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an early electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Following a difficult childhood with a mother clearly on the run from something, Cordelia prefers her tidy life on her quiet street as a real estate agent. Except her husband has made off with her assistant, drained her bank accounts, ruined her business and now she is forced to sell the only home she has ever known. However, when her sister Eustace calls to advise that their Great Aunt died, life presents a perfect monetary opportunity. When they arrive at the estate things are not what they expected, the townspeople hate their family, there’s something off about their aunt’s lawyer, and weird occurrences are happening.

This book is releasing just in time for the height of the fall season. The Witches of Bone Hill presented a real family drama exploring not only generational trauma but also sister relationships. Yet it did so with elements of romance, paranormal and frankly dipped two (I promise two… maybe three at the most) toes into the horror territory. At times it was gross but not disturbing to the point where I was kept awake at night thinking about it. I mean they aren’t called the witches of Bone Hill for nothing. In fact at one point even the sisters themselves are disturbed and ask themselves why they couldn’t be chocolate witches and at that point I was snickering in total agreement.

The characters are atypically charming and relatable and the heightened drama and need for answers builds in such a way that I found this book hard to put down.

There are some historical references and influences from Hela. Frankly, any witch book that manages to set its foundation in mythology of any kind gets bonus points in my books.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced read of this book. This one pulled me right in! Great atmosphere and an intriguing storyline with the Bone sisters and what happened in their family, not to mention the creepy ancestral family home they never knew about and inherited. There’s an inheritance, an intriguing groundskeeper and a lot of unique, magical/witchy family lore to learn along with why their mother kept them away from it all which brings in some of the more horror like moments in the story. Although it had its slow moments, all the pieces fit together well and came to an exciting, satisfying conclusion, one that even though I had a feeling who was behind everything, the “why” was still interesting to me.

Firstly, wanted to give thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC of The Witches of Bone Hill.

As someone who was more than a little obsessed with the TV show Charmed as a kid, the premise of this book excited me. Sisters who realize late in life that they have witchy powers? Heck yes.

When this book is good, it's GOOD. The two sisters and main characters of this book - Cornelia & Eustace - have such a fun dynamic filled with banter. The interactions between the two of them as they explored the family's mystery was one of the highlights. The mystery aspect was also highly intriguing, and the author did an excellent job at building intrigue throughout the first half of the novel.

Sadly, I felt that the build-up of intrigue didn't really reach a satisfactory climax until very close to the end. From about the 50% mark until 80% or so, I kept thinking to myself, "Alright, alright. Come on, let's start getting some answers."

(Spoilers ahead!)

I also wasn't a fan of the romance aspect of the book. I didn't buy into the chemistry between Gordon and Cordelia, and so it all felt a little forced into the story simply for the aspect of her being pregnant with an heir by the end of the novel.

The Mafia side plot - although probably necessary to paint a scenario in which Cordelia would stay put at Bone Hill - felt a little haphazard. That conflict seemed to wrap up way too quickly & easily.

---

A detailed review will be published on my blog & Amazon on 9/19, a week prior to publish date. Links will be added at that time. Thank you again to Ava Morgyn, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was ok. The characters were good but the story was a little slow for me. I felt I kept having to push through. I'm a little disappointed.

I really enjoyed this gothic treat. I liked watching the sister's relationship repair itself and grow while the sisters themselves grew into their family heritage. Nice twists and turns and good supernatural elements. Reminded me a little of Bardugo's Ninth House. Good writing by this author. I enjoy a book that doesn't feel like it is written at the third grade level.

Cordelia and her sister Eustace inherit an estate from a Great Aunt they didn’t know at just the right time-a divorce for Cordelia and health concerns for her sister.

They learn about their family, magic, and there’s even romance in this book that’s not quite romance/horror or what I was expecting at all.

I was pleasantly surprised to find it more than just chick lit and think this may be the beginning of a series. (I hope!)

You won’t be disappointed if you pick up this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.