I was really looking forward to this book due to the unique plot and mystery promised. It started out intriguing, but there were many plot holes, and ultimately, just wasn't to my liking.

If you love thrillers this book is for you. I didn't realize when I started the book how much it would effect me. I am a reader who gets scared easy so this book for me kept me from sleeping because I couldn't get out of my mind what I had just read. This did not stop me from reading it though. I continued to the very end.

The storyline was extremely unique and unlike anything I've read before. The concept of poison eater witches definitely created a storyline that was original.

Author Ava Morgyn's characters are well developed and kept the flow of the storyline moving smoothly.

Ava Morgyn’s The Bane Witch follows the treacherous journey of self-discovery that Piers Corbin’s affinity for poisonous things–plants and men–takes her on. Piers has eaten pokeweed berries since she was five years old, and she caused a stranger’s accidental death.

She fakes her death to escape a volatile marriage to an abusive husband with dark tendencies and taste. Then, Piers travels to the mountains to stay with her estranged great aunt, where she discovers her love for eating pokeweed berries isn’t just a hunger but her birthright.

Morgan’s vivid and descriptive writing, detailed world-building, and colorful and natural-sounding dialogue pull you into each scene with the characters. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop for the night, and I couldn’t wait to pick it up again to finish reading. Morgan primarily focuses on developing the book’s fantasy, paranormal, and mystery elements with the romance as a subplot because the novel is about Pier’s journey of learning about her heritage, self-discovery, and becoming who she’s meant to be–a powerful Bane Witch, a poison eater, and hunter of evil men. The mythology of her family/the Bane Witches is fascinating, original, dark, and ominous. Morgan uses the novel to explore relatable, thought-provoking territory that definitely gets to you–it gets inside your head and stays there.

Piers trains with her Aunt Myrtle and works at her cafe to learn about her family heritage, which her mom kept secret from her, to earn her place within the family and carry out her family’s legacy. She takes advantage of the chemistry that simmers between her and the local sheriff, giving into a deadly flirtation to distract him from his suspicions about her aunt, her, and the deaths that have been multiplying since she’s been in town. Unfortunately, Piers also catches an active serial killer’s attention. Piers must accept who she is and begin feeding on poison so that she, and her magic, will be ready to take up her calling.

Piers is likable, relatable, complex, and intriguing. The other characters are, too, while some are revolting and creepy. I especially liked Detective Reyes and found his story interesting. Including him was a wonderful touch by Morgan. I liked Regis too. While Regis helps Piers’ evolution, more character development would improve the romance. Because I love romance, I would have loved more romance, but it wasn’t crucial to the story Morgan was telling. I love Piers’ and Regis’ connection, interactions, and intense chemistry. They bring much-needed light, love, and hope into the novel.

The Bane Witch is a dark, suspenseful, intriguing, fast-paced fantasy and paranormal romance perfect for fans of witches, magic, mysteries, thrillers, serial murders, and dark themes and stories.

CW: Domestic abuse, SA, torture, discussion of SA and torture of young girls and women, discussion of cannibalism, graphic scenes of violence.

St. Martin’s Griffin provided an advanced review copy via Netgalley for review.

Practical magic meets Gone Girl is a great way to describe this book.

This great for people that love thriller with a hint of magic. I loved the concept of this book. The story kicks off with Piers faking her death to get away from her abusive husband. She finds herself on the run and heads to her only family where she finds out she is a bane witch.

The pacing in the beginning was quick and the storyline has me hooked. Now throughout the middle is where I became a little lost. The pacing began to lag a little bit and some of the decisions that Piers was making drove me nuts.

Overall, I did end up liking this. It would be a perfect book during spooky season. The atmospheric vibe and witchy elements were perfect.

As always check your trigger warnings as there are some darker themes.

3.5 stars!

Thank you St. Martins & NetGalley for this eARC.

That was a fun read!! I mean poison eating witches who get rid of horrible men?!? Sign me up for that clan please and thank you!
I loved the FMC Piers! I really felt her pain and was rooting for her the entire book. And then there’s a little added romance that I adored.
The ending had me stressin out.
I recommend this book

(This was joint reviewed on The Library Ladies on March 17)

Serena’s Thoughts
There are a few go-to authors that Kate and I like to joint review, as we’ve both reliably enjoyed their books in the past. This author, I believe, is new to both of us! But we’ve both enjoyed “Practical Magic,” so with a comparable like that, plus the promise of a thriller-like mystery at its heart, we both thought this would be a good candidate to check out!

Unfortunately, for me, this was just ok. And part of that is the simple fact that it skewed further into the thriller genre and away from the fantasy genre than I typically prefer. So that’s nothing against the actual quality of that portion of the story (see Kate’s opinions there for a more reliable source on this genre!), but it does speak to the balance of this book. And I think for fantasy readers, specifically those looking for a read-alike for “Practical Magic,” this might feel like a bit of a let down. Instead, I think the “Gone Girl” reference made a lot more sense, and better fit, tonally, with what this book had to offer. Sure, the witchy stuff was definitely there, but the general plotting and themes fell much more in line, I think, with a thriller than with a typical fantasy story.

I also struggled to really enjoy Piers herself. In the beginning, she comes across as incredibly competent and thoughtful, as one would need to be to successfully pull of faking one’s own death. However, as the book continued, and especially towards the end, she began to make an increasing number of ridiculous decisions that just didn’t vibe with the sort of person we had first been introduced to. Her actions and various plot points felt jammed together in unnatural ways that served to push the story forwards in the direction the author wanted to go, but didn’t necessarily make sense on their own.

For me, this was just an ok read. I didn’t think the magical elements really lived up to my hopes, and I didn’t really connect with its thriller roots. I also struggled to enjoy Piers as a main character. However, readers how are more interested in the mystery and the serial killer angle might enjoy this more than I did!

Kate’s Review
Well, Serena knows me very well, because this one worked for me on many levels! Part of that was the mystery and thriller elements, to be sure, as I love a story with a serial killer and a woman who has to play a cat and mouse game with him. I also liked the suspense that builds up within the book as the story goes on, whether it’s due to the aforementioned killer that Piers is trying to track, albeit against her will, or the stress involving her abusive ex husband Henry and the cops on her tail after her faked death. Heck, I even liked the suspense regarding whether or not the other bane witches are going to accept Piers into their circle. I will say that as we got closer to the end, things went a little bit off the rails, which put a bit of a wrench in the pacing and how I connected to the story, but I thought that the plot itself was strong enough that I wasn’t too put off by it.

But what worked the most for me were the magical systems that Morgyn created for this book, as the idea of a witch being able to consume poison and transfer it to dangerous and deadly men to take them out is SO appealing to me as a horror reader who also loves witchy books. And I actually disagree with Serena a little bit, because I did get “Practical Magic” vibes from this, specifically the darker themes of that movie (I may not be speaking for the book, it’s been awhile since I’ve read it so lets just stick to the film) like violence against women, women taking their power into their own hands in dire circumstances, and the complicated relationships between families where estrangement and trauma is a very real wedge between people. So many of these things really click for me in my witch fiction, and I thought that Piers coming into her own as a dangerous but righteous bane witch was a fun and engaging arc (though I definitely agree that she does make some REALLY dumb decisions in the later third of the novel, no arguments there). And I always like witch stories that work outside the expected box, or outside of what we usually see in the sub-genre, and a bunch of mountain witches using poison magic was VERY fun and not something that I see as much.

Overall I found “The Bane Witch” to be a really entertaining witch tale, hitting all of the notes I had hoped it would.

Serena’s Rating 7: An interesting concept with the poison magic, but I struggled to connect to Piers and wanted more from the fantasy elements in the story.

Kate’s Rating 8: A fun and deliciously wicked witch tale with poison, empowerment, and a unique magical system. Add in a solid suspense vibe and it’s overall a winner.

The Bane Witch was such an enjoyable read! It was the perfect combination of a thriller mixed with magical realism. The FMC comes from a line of bane witches, women who consume poisonous plants to use against predatory men. The whole concept was so intriguing with a really unique magic system.

Just a note to check content warnings as there are mentions of assault and domestic violence throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book!

This book never lost my interest. It had a lot of substance with many moving parts. With suspense, romance, family matters, witches and magic, it was my kind of book!

If you like seeing a main character grow from dependent and weak to a leader who takes charge, you'll enjoy reading about Piers Corbin: the lead character who fakes her own death to escape her abuser, which happens right at the beginning to draw the reader in, then meets her aunt to learn more about her witchy powers, and, ultimately, solves a murder case and falls in love. <3

A definite 4.5 stars!

This was a bit of a missed opportunity. Right out of the gate, the first few chapters felt rough—like reading a choppy draft instead of a polished novel. Sections felt rushed, almost like ideas were sketched out but never finished. Honestly, it had me on the edge of calling it quits (DNF, anyone?). But against my better judgment, I kept going.

At around 30%, I gave the writing a second chance. And, surprise—I started warming up to Piers/Acacia (she changed her name). Or maybe it was Myrtle who kept me hanging on. Still, the dual police storylines felt like a bit of a slog. Instead of pulling me in, they just dragged on, demanding my patience.

I couldn’t help thinking this standalone novel might’ve worked better as a duology. Around chapter 31 (in the ARC), the tone shifts, and it felt like a natural place to end a first book—after a good cleanup, of course—and breathe new life into a second one. Splitting the story might’ve given it room to develop instead of trying to cram it all in.

The thing about reading ARCs is you never know—will these glaring issues be fixed in the final release, or is this as good as it gets? There were moments where logic went out the window, sentences tripped over themselves, and continuity problems left me scratching my head. How did that sweatshirt in the car even make sense? It’s hard to tell if the author skipped the research or just decided to wing it, but some parts felt like they were asking me to suspend a lot of disbelief.

So, will I read more from this author? Eh, probably not. The potential was there, but the execution just didn’t click for me. It’s a shame because I wanted to enjoy it more than I did.

This book was sooo good. What a great story of finding your roots, holding your ground and being true to yourself. With a theme of impending violence and finding the courage to protect those you care about, Piers was a fantastic example of doing the best you can, regardless of the scenario, in order to protect those you care about - and even those you don't! Morgyn's writing style is absolutely wonderful, and she was able to bring a level of storytelling and legend recreating that I absolutely loved. Well done Ava, I cant wait to read more!

I wasn't sure what I was getting into at first, but I am not disappointed.

This book had me hooked and wanting more. I loved the characters, especially the main character and her Aunt Myrtle. When I read this book I felt so immersed into their world by the descriptions. I loved the setting, the plot, just everything.

It was so emotional journeying with Piers throughout her self growth and becoming comfortable with herself.

Also can I just say this book is absolutely badass??

If you love witches, crime, assassins than this will be the book for you.

I will say, be careful of some trigger warnings!

I do not know why I waited so long to read this book. It has been on my ARC TBR for a long while and I kept saying I’ll get to it next……and now I know why. I knew I was going to need something absolutely gorgeously dark and twisted……yet fun and interesting. The idea of women who can use their bodies to right the horrific wrongs of men…….amazing right? But the way that the author wrote it all made it all the more interesting and at times wholesome (weird I know).
There are some TW here so be sure and check before you read but I think you’ll find it to be a delightfully delicious read.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Don't let the cozy cover of this book, with the mushrooms and the cutesy potion bottle fool you - this is a suspenseful, dark tale about revenge, family legacy, abuse, and reclaiming one's identity. I didn't know what to expect when I read this book. It was advertised as "Practical Magic meets Gone Girl" and I thought "huh...I think I might like that and boy did it deliver.

This paranormal fantasy follows our FMC Piers as she attempts to escape her abusive marriage (trigger warning for graphically depicted DV) and in the process stumbles upon her family's secret legacy in the hills of New York. This book takes you on a ride and I legitimately could not put it down. Ava Morgyn is an amazing writer that had me absolutely enthralled from page one, pacing around my house because I was so stressed out (in the best way!!).

Witches are having a bit of a moment right now; every other fantasy or romance book seems to have a witch at the center of it, and some are better than others. This is one of the better ones. The magic system is unique, straightforward and easy to understand, Piers is a wonderful FMC, albeit an unreliable one, and the cast of characters around her, especially Piers' extended family, feel like fully fleshed out people, even if they're only on page for a limited amount of time. I want to return to this world and follow up with each of them!

This is a must read in my opinion. As always, mind the trigger warnings because this book deals with dark, and I mean D.A.R.K. themes. It was fantastic; I hope Ava Morgyn blows up with this one because it was that good. I can't stop thinking about it and have recommended it to several people. 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars!

This book was eerie, magical and wholly unexpected. It was full of mystery, suspense and best of all.... FEMALE RAGE. It was Criminal Minds meets Gone Girl meets Practical Magic. It starts off with our FMC in a brutal abusive relationship. (Check your trigger warnings). and as it progresses we get to see her escaping her fiancé and making her way to her Aunts house in a small town full of secrets and lies. Our FMC is morally grey and figuring herself out and she felt like such a REAL person with flaws, indecisiveness and insecurities. The story was eerie, atmospheric, full of revenge, and witches with dark magic and low morals.

Read if you like:
▫️Magical thriller
▫️female rage
▫️Coven vibes (they ingest poison and hunt men)
▫️she fakes her own death
▫️police investigations
▫️serial k!ller

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Ava Morgyn, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

This is the second book of this author's that I've read and she just keeps getting better! I had to jump on the chance to get this ARC from NetGalley.

Piers Corban has always been attracted to poison. Unfortunately for her, that also included being attracted to terrible men. What's a girl to do other than faking her own death to escape her abusive husband? When she seeks out her long lost aunt, she discovers this attraction to poison is a part of her family history as a bane witch - a group of women who ingest deadly plants in order to hunt deadly men. But a serial killer now has her in his sights - and she's hunting him back.

What I liked: This was a super creepy, nail-biting thriller. It had all the enjoyable parts of a murder mystery and all the spookiness of a book about deadly magic. I could not put this book down. This is the PERFECT fall book.

What I didn't like: I could have read another 100 pages about these characters. I just want MORE.

4.5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

I'd had high hopes for this one and it truly wasn't a let down. Piers is escaping her abusive marriage right into the arms of an aunt she hopes remembers her, only to find out the truth of what she is...and how deadly she can be.

I really loved how the story flowed, even changing from POV to POV. I loved that the chapter titles were little hints to what was going to happen without giving anything away.

I can't wait to read more from this author!

This book was heavier than I expected. I really enjoyed the concept of the poisoning and i am 100% here for supporting women's wrongs so I loved the revenge component. I am grateful that i got to read an advance copy and i realize that some of this might be addressed in the final version, but there was some content that i would have expected a content warning for. Overall though, I really enjoyed the character development and the representation of grief and righteous anger and I found the plot arc super satisfying. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this early copy. my thoughts are my own.

I am currently really enjoying books that center feminine rage. This is one such book and it is a great one!

Piers has an abusive marriage and almost no family. She fakes her own death by jumping off a bridge and escapes to find her great-aunt. Along the way, she meets the local sheriff, with mutual attraction. Her aunt teaches her that the women in their family are bane witches, women who consume poison and can transfer it onto men who have done wrong. Each one "hunts" a different type of man: incestuous abusers, rapists, wife beaters, serial killers. A serial killer is operating in the area and Piers is called to hunt him. Her sheriff buddy is also hunting him. At the same time, back in Charleston, the detective looking into her disappearance/possible suicide is a man whose life she saved. He sees more to her marriage than meets the eye and is determined to bring her justice.

Rage, rage, and more rage flow through this book. There is romance and while enjoyable, I do not think that is a proper classification for this one.

There were a few places where I wanted to story tightened up. The addition of the detective felt abrupt but ultimately worked. I would read more from this author!

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffin for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

This book had such a unique premise that I had to give it a try. The book started out so strong and intriguing. I was hooked from the first page and had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed Piers and her resilience. She went through some horrific things no one should have to deal with but came up with a way to get to safety and take down the monster in the process. But about halfway through the book lost me. It wasn’t as good to me but I did want to know how it ended. It became a bit predictable and so was the ending but still entertaining in some ways. I wouldn’t mind this being a long series that took us through Piers and Regis life while she hunts vile killers and make a life in Crow Lake.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book so compelling and interesting. I loved the premise of a bane witch and how their magic works. Seeing Piers on her journey from leaving her husband to truly learning her full potential is such a fun read.

I have read this author's previous book and I will definitely read any other book by this author especially if she keeps writing witchy type books.