I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world building was very intricate, sometimes a little hard to follow but overall added to the whole story. I loved the whole basis of the Bane Witch venery and I appreciate the little blurb from Aunt Myrtle on the origins because I was definitely curious about it. The magic is original, the suspense is well done, and the twists and turns had me staying up past my bedtime to get through a couple more chapters.
Each character was easy to understand, although I will say the main character Piers/Acacia has her flaws for sure- she, at times, felt very immature and almost whiny, and I wished that the way her character was set up from the beginning (resourceful, smart, resilient) was a trend throughout her story. It didn’t feel that way at times. However, I loved how each family member of the Bane Witch’s was described. Very well done overall.
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins press for access to this arc. The Bane Witch is expected to publish March 18, 2025.

3.75/5✨

Bane Witch

📖 via E Arc

I’d like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy before release.

Practical magic meets gone girl.

She’s a vigilante witch. It’s a thriller full of feminine rage, forbidden passions, and dark magic.

I mean what else could you want. It’s got it all wrapped up into one!

What a wild ride! This book was nothing like I expected! In a good way! I confess, I meant to read it in October (witches, after all) but didn't get it in queue until November. What a good addition to my autumn reads! Piers is such a powerful character - reminding me of Agatha from Marvel's Agatha All Along. The story, though, is much more thriller in nature, which was an entertaining surprise.

Calling all practical magic lovers! All the thrill and all the spark are wrapped up in this one for your Halloween fill. This one is a must for your collection. Captivating characters and a beautiful setting the writing in this one will grip you.

This was a wonderfully dark and twisty tale. I love the way everything was set up to fall together in an intricate web of storytelling.

Unfortunately just not for me. I think others will definitely love this story, but it wasn't for me. I liked the idea upon reading the synopsis, but as I was reading I found myself not caring about the characters.

📚 Book Review 📚

Title: The Bane Witch - Ava Morgen
Release date: March 18, 2025.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely loved The Bane Witch! It offers such a fresh take on magic, with poison as a power and a storyline that dives into justice for women in a fascinating way. The concept of using this power on men who've wronged women is like a calling—a responsibility the main character must complete with a vengeance.

The subplots are rich with tension and keep you hooked as they build. The main character’s journey is intense; you can feel her anxiety and the way her powers draw in all the wrong men, almost like a dark magnet. This adds to the suspense and makes you eager to see how things unfold.

The writing style is clear and engaging, and the dialogues pack in just the right amount of detail to keep you immersed in the story. The ending felt a bit rushed though, compared to the steady buildup of the rest of the book—I’d have loved a few more pauses to savor the climax. Overall- I do recommend this book

If you want to read about vigilante witches who cater to female justice along with a murder mystery then The Bane Witch is for you.

Thank you @netgalley for granting me this eARC to read. ☺️

*Just an fyi - there is numerous trigger warnings *

eARC received from the publisher and NetGalley

Trigger Warning: Graphic descriptions of sexual assault (esp. including strangulation), domestic violence (up to and including premeditated murder)

Piers is fleeing from her abusive marriage - her husband is the literal definition of a piece of shit. She knows that she doesn't have the resources for divorce (given that her husband controls all assets, all communications, and her whereabouts) and that if she were to flee to a women's shelter, her husband (and his powerful allies) would just come and take her back. In desperation, Piers fakes her own death - partially to frame her husband before he can hurt other women and so her husband can't come looking for her.

I was really drawn into the beginning of The Bane Witch. Morgyn writes Piers with such a rich voice. There's an excellent attention to detail and an all-encompassing view of her situation. Pier knows that every detail needs to be perfect for her husband to not come looking for her. She also knows that her husband is beyond saving and that her situation is catastrophic. The novel does discuss how difficult it is for people in domestic violence situations to leave their partners, but Piers is resigned to the fact that her life as Piers is over. To see Piers' capabilities and know that she is still a component and smart woman, no matter how much her husband told her she wasn't, was an excellent introduction to Piers' character.

Morgyn also draws in and interweaves the magical portion of the story incredibly well. The reader sees how Piers uses her power accidentally, how it has shaped her childhood and her past, and how her powers are used by others who have them. The environment that is created at Aunt Myrtle's cafe is a wonderfully beautiful space for healing. Piers is done blindly following rules and letting people dictate her actions. This leads to an incredibly in-depth and thought provoking section on the actions of the bane witches. I know some books say "magic powers, don't worry about the ethics", but Piers takes time to examine the ethics, the options, and the reality of the situation.

I really liked the first two thirds of The Bane Witch. Unfortunately, I felt that the last third lost some of that distinct and unique voice that drew me into the first chapters. I don't know if this was an authorial stylistic choice - to reflect that the tension was higher so there was less thinking going around or that Piers' magical powers altered her mind. I found it really jarring as this woman who meticulously plans her own death and how to frame her husband makes more and more stupid choices. I couldn't find an in-text justification for her actions in the last quarter, which made the many moving parts seem like a jigsaw puzzle that was forced together.

I'm going to continue to pick up every book about women who commit crimes to fix the world, I'm just not sure that I'm going to recommend the Bane Witch to scratch that itch.

Why did I spend all night reading this? I will blame this book for my messy sleeping schedule today! Haha
Gosh- such a great Fall read (whoops got this as an ARC and I guess it’s not out until March) HOWEVER- this would be a perfect gloomy day, chilly night perhaps, going camping or out in nature book. A ‘are you feeling witchy’ vibe book.

I’m sleep deprived atm and I feel like I won’t make its contents justice 😂 BUT I didn’t not want to give it my 5 star rating! (Technically 4.5 rounded to 5) but I will come back and go more in depth about the actual story line (once I have slept just a bit)

4.5 rounded up

I was 83% of the way through this book and completely engrossed when I posted on my Instagram stories and tagged the author blaming her for making me want to put off adult things in favor of finishing her book. It sparked a quick little chat about how she was #sorrynotsorry LOL and it’s okay because I wasn’t sorry either. Needless to say, I rushed through my adulting for the day and immediately picked it back up and finished it.

After reading The Witches of Bone Hill, which I loved, I was excited to get an eARC of this one. It did not disappoint, I loved this book! It’s dark and atmospheric and while it isn’t due to publish until March, it was the perfect mood read for me this October.

I loved Piers’ strength and growth throughout the story. I loved the family bond she had with her aunt and the tenuous new bonds she forms with other family. I liked the touch of romance added to the story but loved that it wasn’t the focus.

I loved the whole concept of a group of vigilante witches (called the venery, which means the practice or sport of hunting, very appropriate) set on ridding the world of the human monsters that walk among us. I loved the magic and how it was fed and how it worked. It was an interesting and imaginative concept. I loved the dark setting and mood. Total Practical Magic vibes with a touch of Dexter.

I loved that while some of the worst examples of men were shown in this story, there were plenty examples of the best too. It’s about balance. While I wouldn’t classify this necessarily as a horror novel, I would say it is horror-adjacent due to some of the graphic descriptions, so be aware of that if you’re sensitive to such things.

Speaking of sensitivity, trigger warnings include domestic violence and sexual assault (attempted on page plus some off page SA).

I was absolutely engrossed in the story the whole way through. Morgan has such a way of writing her settings, characters, and story that it’s a guaranteed good read every time. I can’t wait to get a physical copy in March!

Please see below for my review. I will include a the book description in my post on IG. This review will be posted the week of 11/11 and I will add links for both Goodreads and IG to NetGalley after it goes live.

REVIEW:
As I mentioned in my October wrap-up, this book was the perfect read to close out Spooky season with. It epically creeped me out and I enjoyed this book immensely. Piers, the FMC is in a horrifically abusive marriage and she has to fake her death to escape her deranged husband. She heads North to the only family she has left and learns about her family’s secret legacy. They are Bane Witches. Bane Witches are blessed with a magical ability that allows them to ingest poisonous plants with no ill effects and hunt evil men.

This book is really dark and intense. It reads like a suspenseful thriller with magical fantasy elements thrown throughout. The magical lore in this book was incredible. The author does a great job explaining Bane Witches and the history behind their magic. I devoured this book in two nights. It has such a unique original concept around it and I am hoping that we may get more stories from characters that were introduced in this novel. I also really enjoyed the character growth we see in Piers.

As a side note, I am hoping the publisher puts trigger warnings in this book. I would recommend if you are sensitive to anything you look into them prior to reading. There are a lot of reviews on Goodreads that details them out. One of the main ones in this book is domestic abuse. It goes into details about the psychological and physical abuse that Piers experienced.

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for gifting me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF: 25%

Another book where it is me and not the book itself.

*Sigh*

So. Basically. These past few weeks, I have gone from a huge reading slump to being able to read two books back-to-back only to DNF the next 3 to 7 that come along. And, unfortunately, this one just happens to fall into a DNF…

Let me just say: (1) this cover is ABSOLUTELY beautiful. I am a cover reader. If I find the cover REALLY attractive, I will IMMEDIATELY request or order the book. And because of this cover, it is the first reason why I selected this from the “Read Now” category. (2) The synopsis sounded amazing. Who wouldn’t enjoy a book that features the premise “Gone Girl” (both an excellent book and movie by the way). However, this past year, I have come realize that any book that features “a witch” doesn’t really fit my reading style. Honestly, I don’t know what it is, because a lot of these witchy stories are PERFECT for spooky season. And the reader in me wants to learn how to enjoy this reading aesthetic (both the witchy vibe and spooky season). I guess this book just won’t be the one to help me enter this stage. Which is truly okay.

However,

If witchy stories/vibes are your aesthetic/favorite read then this book is MOST DEFINITELY for you!!!

Side Note: 3⭐️ (for both the cover & the vibe. I may not have been able to finish it but I believe it is still a good story.)

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for making this available for NetGalley readers!!!!

4.75⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This was a perfect read for October so I am surprised that it is actually for publishing in March. The cover, setting and storyline are very fall like.

This is the first book I have read from this author but I very much enjoyed it. She did a wonderful job of setting the scene, character and world-building, and keeping to the plot with a smaller plot included. I loved the bane witch focus and the magic that came with it. I was fully engaged in this story.

There were just a few small things that kept me from giving it a full 5 stars. Some work needs to be done with the sex scenes and the descriptions...“He takes my breasts in his mouth like candied apples …??” <eyebrow raise> Really? That was the best comparison that could be written in?

Plus there were a couple of points in the police investigation that felt far fetched and unrealistic to me. This took a little tiny bit away from the story. I won't detail them so I don't give anything away but unrealistic procedural details do make a difference to me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was such a great story! This book had so many of my favorite things: quirky little town, strong female characters, justice with a side of magic. It was the perfect spooky season read.

4.5 stars! This story was original and compelling. There was so much depth to it. The characters were realistic. I was hooked. Brilliant writing. It definitely needs trigger warnings though. This story deals with a lot of sensitive topics.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thought it was a good book, interesting writing style and plot. It was written well, although some descriptions were a little strange. Overall I think people will like it if you’re into witches.

Was a good read for the spooky season. The pacing for slightly weird for me but the story was gripping. Loved the setting and all the plant knowledge as well. Hard to like any of the characters which I feel like was the point of the book.Kept me guessing till the end.

gorgeously unique story that's filled with the most beautiful poisons and very interesting vibes. dark and fun in every aspect. 5 stars, would recommend. tysm for the arc.

Here is my confession…

“The Bane Witch,” had a promising premise, but could not deliver. I really wanted to like this book, bu I did not.

The chapters were fractured, and the main character was discombobulated and you couldn’t figure out what she wanted. It made no sense. I would also like to mention the numerous trigger warnings, this book can and will be uncomfortable for some.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

If you love Practical Magic-You will love this book.

It has everything and then some. I had such a fun time reading this.

TW-SA and DA and killing. So it might not be for all.

But I loved it and enjoyed the journey Piers took. She found her voice and found healing in the amazing journey.

Thank you Netgalley and Ava Morgyn