Calling this a 3.5

Cheesy and pretty cringe at times, but ended up being a fun read with friends.

An interesting take on religious themes with definite Lucifer the tv show vibes. I liked the banter and the relationships, but it might have been better if it wasn't set at a school. This didn't really add to the plot, especially since we never really see the students learning anything. Overall I liked it.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

I wanted to love this, the premise was super interesting, but it just kind of fell flat for me. For the most part, I really, really like Willow. She's been through hell, she's snarky and sarcastic, and she cares about the well-being of magic. But outside of that, I wish that everything had been better developed. I still feel like I'm missing key points of world building, the lore, and it read kind of young, while still being for adults.

I already read book 2, but I'll probably continue the series, if it does.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!! The premise of it sounded very intriguing and boy was I not disappointed, If anything, i was pleasantly surprised that it was better than I anticipated!! The story was so unique and the magic system was perfection! This was the perfect book to read during spooky season!

I really wish all the content/trigger warnings had been included in the description. I would not have requested this book had I know how many traumatic experiences I would have been able to escape reliving if this simple courtesy had been afforded to those of us on NetGalley who wish to avoid unnecessary triggers.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy to review.

If you love a morally grey MMC, this is for you. I mean his name is even Gray (well one of his names). She’s a witch, and a powerful one, and he’s a demon vampire thing they call a Vessel. She’s the last of her line, but her secret is that she’s actually the last of two lines, one of which can unmake Vessels.
It’s a steamy read, and they both do bad things. He has no empathy really, except when it comes to her, and even that is limited. But it’s expected, as he can’t feel much in his Vessel form. There is a lot at stake for her, and she cares deeply for the earth (the source of her power), her brother who is in hiding, and begrudgingly, Gray. I really loved the world built, as it’s our world but with these magic families; all the lore behind it and the mystery of the deaths happening in the school and how it links to what happened in the past.
I’m moving on to book two now and can’t wait to dive in!

Thank you Bramble for this gorgeous copy

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read "The Coven." This is a great recommendation for fans of the "Discovery of Witches," series. I do wish that there is was more development in the relationships between the main character and the other students. It was mainly, just three characters that interacted with one another. Overall, I thought is was a good story for those who love witches, vampires and demons. I also admire the fact that Woods let villains be villains. Too many stories have the villains always turn out to be heroes. Well, done can't wait for the second book.

Both of the main characters were incredible. Willow was raised outside the coven in secret and has this unwavering strength hardened by her circumstances.
She is everything I want in a FMC. Alaric Grayson Thorne. First of all, can we take a moment for that He is broody, vicious, powerful, and
possessive. All of the traits I drool over in an alphahole. As the headmaster of the school he is tasked with bringing Willow in when the coven discovers she exists. Gray is a Vessel, and like vampires, they feed on a witch's blood. There is a deep history there.
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What had once been allies serving the same higher power had become tentative enemies trapped together-an animosity that grew over generations.
The tension between them was very much I-hate-you-so-much-I-want-to-rip-your-clothes-off. When the clothes finally did come off, the spice was blazing. The banter had me pivoting between laughter and fanning myself. These two! Sudden swoon warning.

I adored this book! The magic system was so interesting and the characters were well developed. I was absolutely shocked by the ending and I cannot wait to jump into book 2!

The Coven was an exciting take on Dark Academia. The pacing was top tier. The eerie, spooky vibes of the campus, town, and surrounding areas hit the spot. AND THE TENSION between the two main characters was almost more than I could bear. We love an anti-hero, villainous MMC, past lives, secrets, and mystery. I can't wait for book two because questions are still lingering, but also the ending was extremely satisfying. 10/10. Read Immediately!

WHAT. A. VIBE.

Literally so perfectly spicy and such fantastic, dark, spooky season vibes. I loved this book and ate it up in a day. It's short and fun and definitely sets the mood for Halloween. Gray is a dreeeeeamy morally grey (read:morally awful to literally everyone but her and even to her at times) and I adore him for it.

4.5 Stars.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

So I liked the book but it felt a little like it came from wattpad. It felt a little juvenile and there were a few things that definitely could have been fleshed out more. Now maybe those things are addressed in the second book though. I will say though that I did not see that plot twist coming.


Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for the ARC!

Glad it has a TW page, because I would take it serious if you’re a reader hesitant about those things. This book is filled with all of the cliche romantasy tropes, but not quite enough depth for each character that I was hoping for. The ending is great and definitely makes me want to read the second one asap!

4 ⭐

What to expect:
• Paranormal fantasy with witches, demons and vampires
• Dark academia vibes, perfect for autumn
• Enemies to and lovers
• Fast paced and angsty
• Forbidden romance and dark secrets

This book was a wild ride! It was absolutely addictive and fast paced — I really recommend it for fans of the Zodiac Academy series — it was also messy, angsty and sometimes a bit confusing. And it's a perfect dark and spooky autumnal read with a isolated witchy university setting.

I adored the elemental magic system, it was complex, unique and so well done! Although there was a lot of worldbuilding to be thrown into, I didn't find the magic confusing, it was one of my favorite parts.

Willow (the FMC) is fierce, powerful and stubborn — I loved her! And I also loved seeing a curvy FMC, particularly in a fantasy book. I found her refreshingly realistic as she was super confident most of the time but struggled with her purpose and indecision at others.

The romance was a true enemies to lovers and the chemistry between Willow and Gray (the MMC) was magnetic! But it was definitely more lust than love and (minor spoilers for the crazy ending coming up — but it might be important if you’re reading this for the romantic element) this first book (view spoiler) I still think this works well as it’s a complete duology and a short, very fast paced book. I’d be annoyed if I had to wait to see what happens, but I don’t!

This book wasn't perfect but the atmosphere and beautiful writing made it one I couldn't put down. I'm already dying to jump into the next book in this series!

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group, Bramble and NetGalley and for this ARC

After reading a loving another series by Woods, I was ecstatic to see this book available through Netgalley. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me. I do love a good revenge story, and bonus points for an enemies to lovers story. I didn't feel a strong connection with Willow, but it was enough that I kept going. Thorne was my issue. He had all the right stuff to be an awesome shadow daddy, but he just felt flat for me. I think if I could have liked him better, I would have really enjoyed this read. The magic was interesting if not fully original. Other than my mediocre feelings for the characters, I think one of the things that took away from my enjoyment was the connection between witches and Lucifer. I don't know exactly what about the combination made me feel like that detracted from the story. We have so much history combining the two that it made the world building feel shallow perhaps. Regardless, this read delivers for readers who need plot with their spice. I would recommend if someone who is looking for a quick, spicy read.

This spooky and spicy book was the perfect kick off to my fall/halloween reads for this season! Highly recommended across BookTok, this book pushes the edge of morally bankrupt characters, brimming with dark romance and magic. Be sure to check your content warnings before reading, but if you are comfortable with them, I highly recommend you dive into this fun duology!

I found the first part of this story quite confusing, but it started to make sense as we learned more of the backstory.

With that said, by the end of this book, I was sitting on the edge of my chair waiting to find out what was going to happen, did not fully expect that ending and I cannot wait to read The Cursed to find out what the ramifications of the ending are!

“For those who love them villainous.”
Book Dedication by Harper L Woods
Aside from the fact that I love anything Harper L Woods writes, this dedication hooked me from the beginning! Willow is resilient and strong willed. She was raised to do one thing, take down the Coven. But when she gets to Hollow’s Grove University she finds things aren’t always as they seem. I love a good academia romance, especially set in a collegiate setting where everyone is *ahem* of age. Enter Alaric Grayson Thorne, a man full of much mystery and puts the sweltering heat into the term slow-burn.

“You think I would allow anyone but me to touch you?”
The Coven is a bit spicy without being off the charts. Quite tame for some of the other books I’ve read by Harper L Woods. However the heat is still prevalent. Add in the paranormal of witches and vampires and you have yourself a gothic romance full of mystery and intrigue. I highly recommend diving into this story without knowing too much about it, so I will leave you with this:
I wanted to tear his throat out. I wanted to tear his clothes off. The fact that I wasn’t even sure which one I wanted more terrified me.

I wanted this to be so much better than it was. I think there is a lot of potential here. The magic system sounded really interesting and who doesn't love a dark academia setting? However, any depth, worldbuilding, or character development was completely abadoned in favor of the romance. At that felt lack-luster and completely unbelievable. This would have really paid off as a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers kind of thing. And the plot twist at the end? Fantastic. But honestly I just didn't really care that much by the time I got to the end because I didn't believe in the characters, their motivations, or their relationship in the slightest.