Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. DNF. I will not be finishing it. This is not the books fault at all. I have no idea why I requested this, because reading the synopsis, it does not sound like my kind of book. This is different than what I usually read. Maybe I requested it because I was in the mood for something different but this is not for me. I’m only rating because it makes me and reviewing so it doesn’t hurt my feedback ratio.

I was so shocked by this book and loved it so much! It would have only been better reading it during spooky season.
The story was so unique to me and had a perfect mix of Belladonna and Gone Girl with slightly more dark undertones. We have a mystery with a lot of moving parts and magic that cannot be explained, and I had the best time!
The only thing that could have made it better was if the ended wasn’t as “tidy”? It wrapped up almost too nicely after all the twists and turns the story takes, I was more expecting things to go unanswered.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy an eerie tale of the unexplainable, complicated romance, and a mystery of a serial killer wreaking havoc on all the main characters.

The start of this book was quite intriguing. A woman faking her death to escape her abusive husband. There was another story going on as well, the same woman who was faking her death had an odd experience when she was five years old. She was found in the woods near a dead stranger. She had also ingested a large amount of poisonous berries, which should have been fatal.....and survived.

From her on two stories play out consecutively. Running from her husband, to an aunt she barely knew... and unravelling why she could ingest poisonous berries repeatedly and survive. What lost me was the third story, of an ill fated romance. That is when I really began to loose empathy for the MC, and become less interested in her story.

I felt like this book had interesting ideas and concepts, but in my opinion too many storylines were going on at once. I DNF'd this book at about the 60% point.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. Domestic violence is not a topic I prefer to read, however, this book is extremely well written and with the mystical storyline included made this an amazing book. I could not put it down. The main character is relatable with the mistakes she makes but not so obvious that you are screaming at her what was she thinking. Some stories the characters are just so blatantly written oblivious that it is annoying. This author did not make this mistake and made the character realistic. Absolutely recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Griffin for letting me read it early.

Thank you to St Martin’s Griffin for the earc, all opinions are my own.

Piers Davenport is married to an abusive man. We learn of her past, an estranged family, her mother’s death, and she managed to find the worst sort of person. After his mother dies a few weeks after their wedding, he really starts to get more aggressive. Piers fakes her death and heads north to find an aunt she met once at the age of 5. After a few unfortunate deaths and meeting up with her aunt, she learns that she is a bane witch. A woman that ingests poison to use later on a victim.

The premise of this was unique and I was hooked for the story. The side characters were fun and endearing and the thrillers/suspense aspect kept me up late finishing the book!

I read this over two days and the only reason I didn’t finish it on the first day was because I was reading and reading and didn’t notice how late it was getting until 3:10 am.

If you weren’t able to tell from my above statement, I didn’t want to stop reading this.

Well earned female ire, revenge, magic, a secret sisterhood, all in one tightly paced thriller. This kept me turning the pages, held my interest, and captivated me from the first chapter. The reasoning for my star rating are the last chapters; I found the final confrontations oddly unfulfilling after the buildup of the story, along with being far too quickly wrapped up. I still enjoyed this despite the ending, but it definitely adversely affected my reading enjoyment.

This was my first time reading Ms Morgan’s work; it won’t be the last.

*“The world as we know it has l long festered a hatred for women, let alone witches, a hatred for everything we are and stand for. There is nothing it despises more than a woman with power.”*

Recommended!



*Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the DRC*

4.5☆ rounded to 5 here and on Goodreads.

I seriously sat here and read this book in a single day. It was a bit slow and dark and touched on extremely heavy subject matter, but I was sucked into the story. I haven't read anything like it.

Piers is an abused women who fakes her own death because she knows her husband is going to kill her. That in and of itself makes for a powerful story as she relearns to stand on her own two feet after. But then you add in magical family secrets, where the magics' sole purpose is to rid the world of abusive men... and you have a recipe for a unique story full of feminine rage and female empowerment.

I think my only complaint was that it focused so heavily on men being the perpetrators. While it did showcase that not all men are evil and there was mention of one woman who abused a man which was one of the driving factors for him turning out the way he did, it was kind of glossed over in comparison. I wished this superpower the bane witches have was for all abusers regardless of gender.

Overall though, I did really enjoy this book even though it's not my usual sort of read outside of the magical part of it. I think it would be a great read for spooky season especially.

A dark book about the brutality of abusive men and the women left injured in their wake. Piers fakes her death to escape her horrifically violent husband. When she tracks down a distant relative to lay low for a while, she discovers a legacy of poison witchcraft and the power to fight back against dangerous men. A really interesting take on witches, and I loved how Piers tries to get control of her power in time to stop the violence that seems to circle her.

This is an urban fantasy novel that follows our FMC Piers who discovers she is a Bane Witch. A woman who can ingest poisonous plants and survive, not only survive, but can kill with it. We do have multiple POVs throughout this book, but we follow Pier’s story. This book is not for the light hearted. The first few chapters were hard for me to get through due to how badly her husband treats the FMC of this book. High trigger warnings for sure with this one. It is a tale in the end of women overcoming the terrible men in this world, while not hiding how many horrible crimes get committed even to little girls. I did enjoy the magic in this book as it is more subtle, no wands here. Pier’s character develops a ton through this book and she overcomes a lot throughout. The fact that these strong women can make the world a safer place for future women is what is inspiring with this read. I did throughly enjoy this book, like I said it’s just a hard subject to read. There is also a dog Bart, who is the best boy🐕 Anyways I think this is a great read, and rather timely for the state of things.

"The world as we know it has long festered a hatred for women, let alone witches, a hatred for everything we are and stand for. There is nothing it despises more than a woman with power. We are everything they want to eliminate."

The Bane Witch centers on Piers Davenport, a Charleston housewife who fakes her own death to escape an abusive husband. She travels north to upstate New York, in search of her long-lost Aunt, What Piers finds are the answers to questions she's had her whole life - along with family she did not know existed...a family with a secret: they are witches. But not just any witches; they are poison eaters. The women in Piers' family "were an ancient weapon magically designed to be a defender of women and children by taking the lives of predatory men, an instrument of justice and vengeance older than time." It is a work of fiction that lays bare the power and privilege men have in our society, and celebrates the women who try to take back that power. It is culturally and politically relevant, a masterful blend of genres - fantasy, mystery, thriller, and romance. The writing is atmospheric and evocative, and the story kept me on the edge of my seat.

"If history has taught us anything, it is this - powerful men never tire of abusing their positions. There is much work to do still...And ou knwo what they say - a very little poison can do a world of good."

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn is a mixed first and third person dual-POV dark contemporary fantasy. Piers has always struggled with relationships; whether it’s ones with men or her mother, her only healthy one is the platonic one with her Aunt Myrtle. When her husband Henry makes it crystal clear that he plans on killing her, Piers frames him for her murder and runs to her aunt’s small town. But there’s a lot of secrets waiting for her and Henry isn’t willing to let her go.

There’s a strong mystery element and several sheriff characters that play an important part: Emil Reyes who is investigating Piers’ case and wants to help her and Regis, who is Piers’ romantic interest (there are critiques of the American judicial system in regards to sexual assault). Both men are very understanding and respectful of women but they struggle to let Piers stand on her own two feet and handle the situation herself. This gets compounded by a strangler murdering young women who look similar to Piers and Henry running after Piers to kill her.

While I feel comfortable labeling this as a dark contemporary fantasy, I can easily see it being called a horror or a fantasy suspense. The themes are on the darker side and there is a constant impending dread that someone is going to find Piers and try to hurt her, but she fully intends on hurting them first. The use of poisonous plants that the bane witches use to poison dangerous men is a form of vigilante justice adds to the darker themes and is painted as a necessary system because the judicial system is way too flawed. The book doesn’t really fit neatly in any subgenre because it has all these other elements from all these other genres and subgenres, so it’s going to be up to individual readers’ personal taste where it fits on their shelves.

Ava Morgyn is not afraid of taking a revenge fantasy, questioning it and the world the situation exists in, and then moving forward with the concept in a way that will negatively impact the people who are taking revenge. The bane witches cannot have romantic relationships with men nor can they raise sons, limiting their options in life and isolating them from other parts of society. Piers was isolated due to her husband but it’s a whole other layer to be told she can’t create a life with someone who loves her and treats her well if she wants. It’s a very difficult thing to ask of someone and the bane witches are not asked: they are born into it and it is expected of them, making a system that does remove dangerous people from society but also doesn’t allow witches any real choices.

Content warning for mentions of incest and depictions of sexual assault and domestic abuse

I would recommend this to fans of horror and dark fantasy looking for a lighter magical touch in a contemporary setting and readers of witch-y books looking for something exploring difficult topics

4.75 stars

The witch books I tend to fall into are fantasy, romantic to the point where I can see everything before it falls into place. But this one had me on edge I didn’t know where it was going but loved the mystery and suspense. Hitting all the right marks, a witch who knows nothing of her powers, family or purpose. Has no where else to turn but to the family she met a long time ago, discovering how deadly she can be to others. Who can be terrible people doing atrocious things or even innocents. As she meets her family having to meet certain expectations on how to control herself and manage her power. Honestly loved all parts of this book, the mystery and steady pacing. We get a couple of characters but the story is solely focused on Piers who to overcome her past, face her fears and be the woman she is now. I found it all pretty interesting and original with how their magic works and how they go about fulfilling their purpose. I’m just sad that there isn’t another book, I would love to see more about Piers life, interactions with others like the sheriff and people in the town.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press publishing I received a ARC for an honest review !

What if Teeth (2007 film) but the main character was Poison Ivy?

#ISupportWomensWrongs #GoodForHer

I was captivated by the idea of a Bane Witch and could not put this book down. Empowering, intriguing, and unique, The Bane Witch a song of hope and strength for the vulnerable and abused.

It was the cutesy cover that originally drew me in, and then I saw this was dubbed as Practical Magic meets Gone Girl and just new I had to read it.

The Bane Witch took me on an absolute ride and I loved every minute of this unexpectedly dark and suspenseful story!

The Bane Witch started off a bit slow for me, but once the story gained momentum, I was hooked! The world Ava Morgyn creates is so atmospheric and unique, blending mystery, magic, and self-discovery in a way that feels almost hypnotic.

I absolutely loved being beside Piers on her journey to uncover her lost family and the deep, dark secrets they left behind. The way the mysteries unfold—gradually and poetically—made the reading experience even more immersive. As both Piers and the reader begin to grasp what it truly means to be a Bane Witch, the story takes on a depth that lingers long after the final page. This was such a captivating read, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for something magical and hauntingly beautiful!

💥💥💥 Book Review 💥💥💥

The Bane Witch
By. Ava Morgyn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

Don’t let this cutesy cover deter you on what is inside this amazing book! Ava Morgan blends fantasy with mystery and with a big slash of murder!! Ava brings Piers Corbin to life with an affinity between poisonous things, including plants and men. This was an unexpected dark, feminine empowerment read that I gobbled down. Please check triggers warnings because this does deal with abusive, controlling, and sadistic killers, but there is a twist.

“A very little poison can do a world of good.”

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

💙📚
🩸📚
🌶️📚

Petition to make this a multi-book thing! 🙋‍♀️

Appropriately identified as a crossover of Practical Magic and Gone Girl. But with a self-empowerment addition!

There was a point in this book where I forgot what genre it was and what I was supposed to be reading. I definitely jumped a couple of times when I was reading in the dark, alone at night. I loved the bane witch lore and how well the story was plotted out. Definitely kept me on the hypothetical edge of my seat (because I was laying in bed the entire time)

As soon as I saw in the description that this book contained witches, I was hooked. But witches that consume poisonous plants for their own nefarious purposes? Sign. Me. UP. If Taylor Swift gave us Female Rage: The Musical, then Ava Morgyn gives us Female Rage: The Novel in 'The Bane Witch' and I applaud her for it.

The Bane Witch is the story of Piers Davenport, wife of Henry Excelsior Walden Davenport, resident of Charleston, and sufferer of a disease called Pica - or so she thinks. From a very young age, Piers has been drawn to eating things that she shouldn't, things that should have killed her, such as poke berries. Doctors explain Piers obsession with the berries on Pica and prescribe her medicines that help her keep her strange desires in check. Piers seeming tolerance to poke berries aids in her flight from her marriage to Henry, helping her fake her death to flee to Crow Lake, New York, where her only known relative Great Aunt Myrtle lives. After a harrowing journey to Crow Lake, Piers learns that not only does she have other living relatives, but that she is one in a long line of Bane Witches - those who eat poison and then later release it to kill their intended victims, bad men. After accidentally killing a man in her aunt's cafe, the rest of the Corbin women descend on Crow Lake to decide Piers fate. Divided between giving her time to come into her powers and learn to control them, or administering the Last Kiss before Piers can shine a spotlight on the witches of the venery, Piers is finally granted a six-week trial period before her fate is decided. Unfortunately for Piers, not only does she have to learn to control her craft during that short trial period, but she also has to convince the Sheriff of Crow Lake, the magnetic Regis Brooks, that she is harmless. Did I mention that there's also a serial killer on the loose in the area? Add the worry of her husband finding out she faked her death, has Piers bitten off more than she can chew?

This story is in my top three reads of 2025. Not only does it have an expertly woven story, but the suspense in this novel just about did me in. From almost the very start of the story to the end, I was worried about the fates of all of our main characters. I didn't know until the very last page what Piers' outcome was going to be, and I both couldn't wait to finish the story to know for sure what happened to our Bane Witch, and did not want the story to end because I was enjoying it so much. This is a stand-alone novel, but I for one would love to see a future novel revisiting these characters - there are so many things that Ava Morgyn to do with the characters that she created in these pages. I also really enjoyed the subtle romance woven into the novel. I found myself cheering for every last character in these pages, minus the villains of the piece.




**Slight spoilers ahead***





Ava Morgyn puts so much detail into her novels. Not only are scenes written in such detail that you can immediately put yourself into them with no difficulty, there are fun things to catch. For instance, all of the witches in the Corbin venery have names that are associated with plants - some of which I know for sure are poisonous, and others that I suspect may be found to be if one did a little research. Another fun snippet - early in the book, during Piers first interaction with her great aunt Myrtle, Myrtle tells Piers that the Corbins are a family of crows. Piers is told "Crows feed on what others can't. Including other birds." The surname Corbin? It means "little crow raven". I love catching small details woven into stories such as that - it often makes me want to go back and reread a story again when I notice details such as that to see if there are more that I missed. I also found it interesting that instead of being called a 'coven', the typical term for a group of witches, their collective group is known as a 'venery'. When I looked up the origin of the word 'venery', it is the collective noun that refers to the specific names for groups of animals, such as the venery for crows is 'a murder of crows' or 'a gaggle of geese'. There is also a more archaic meaning of the noun venery which is "the sport, practice, or art of hunting or the chase". The meaning is very fitting for the venery of Bane witches.

Using romance, botany, suspense so thick you can cut it with a knife, and characters that you can't help but love, Ava Morgyn gives us a novel of female rage and revenge that will stay in your mind long after it's finished.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Giffin for providing me with an eARC of this novel!

This book was interesting, but I did not think it would have a HEA or be a romance book. Overall, the main character experienced major growth, and the world built around her with all the learning of the forest and the characters you learned to love. I did enjoy this book!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.