This was nostalgic bliss, I’m a massive Buffy fan, so I was delighted to get a chance to read and review this ARC, Willow and Tara are such an iconic couple in the series so it was wonderful to get more of an insight into Tara before it all in The Bewitching Hour.. It is a gritty, well-paced, action packed novel, the murders and crime solving element keeps you guessing and meeting new characters was fun. I hope there’s more in this series.
Ashley Poston really brought the characters to life in this, I also loved the way Tara’s home life and witchcraft was written.
I was rooting for the romance just as hard as in Buffy. Five stars. Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’m always a bit skeptical when it comes to reading new Buffyverse novels — the show is my favourite thing in the world, and I’m not a huge fan of continuing the story outside of the seven seasons. I ended up enjoying The Bewitching Hour much more than I thought I would and, even though it’s not without its flaws, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to Buffy fans.

The Bewitching Hour is a prequel story centred around Tara Maclay during her high school senior year in Hellborne, before she arrives at UC Sunnydale and meets the Scooby Gang. It delves into her troubled family history, her witchcraft, and her life outside of the Hellmouth, and it’s actually a really decent portrayal of her character. She’s the literary embodiment of Amber Benson’s on-screen persona, and I enjoyed seeing more of her past than the show was ever able to explore.

Of all the other characters introduced in this book, Bastion ‘Baz’ Leto is my absolute favourite. I loved everything about him, and I’m really hoping he might show up in another prequel Buffy novel somewhere down the line, even if it’s just a quick mention. Daphne is also a great new addition, befriending Tara as the fellow new girl, and being a lot more important than I initially thought she would be.

The Bewitching Hour has its fair share of Buffy references thrown in, but it can easily be read as a standalone novel without needing to watch the show or have any prior knowledge of the world of Buffy. It’s a bit slow in places and doesn’t always have the best writing, but overall it’s a very enjoyable foray into Tara’s life. She’s a beloved character among fans, and I’m glad this book did her justice.

3.5/5.

I really think Poston did an excellent job of writing Tara and keeping her authentic. She didn't overdo the stutter but it was there when it needed to be. The stuff with her cousin Beth was a bit odd and over done, but then again, there was a strange disconnect between her witch mother and her ultraconservative and religious father. Poston did the best she could do with the sort of disconnected back story for Tara.

I really enjoyed the Buffy nostalgia, the faithful characterization of Tara Maclay, and the mystery at the center of the story. I also appreciated that this was a standalone story that non-Buffy viewers could enjoy without any previous knowledge of the show. However, I found the pacing to be inconsistent with some of the scenes dragging. It didn't detract much from the book overall, but it did knock off one star in my opinion.

I'm a huge Buffy fan and love many of Ashley Poston's other books but this one was just ok for me! A lot of narrative that didn't do much for the story. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery plot but it dragged a bit in places and wasn't as much fun as I was hoping. Still, always worth it to read a Buffyverse book and I will still support Ashley Poston in whatever she writes!

This is the best of the YA Buffyverse books that I have read! I thought Poston did a great job of staying true to Tara's character while also writing a book that doesn't require Buffy knowledge for you to enjoy it. There were a few Easter eggs that made me roll my eyes, but overall this was a fun witchy mystery!