The premise of this book was intriguing: bane witches, women who consume poisonous mushrooms and basically can store their venom for usage against their prey later. And Morgyn does a fair job of painting a gloomy, yet subtly eerie atmosphere of being in a remote village/town in the woods. I love witchy stories and I forage for mushrooms with my family in the fall, seems like it should be right up my alley.
However, I think the plot built around this magical ability seemed a bit heavy-handed with its "girl power" nature. Especially in the beginning, where the FMC met dirtbag after dirtbag, it was starting to all seem so hammed up and farfetched.
Additionally, the FMC didn't have much of a personality other than "I don't want this ability." So if the story's plot wasn't enjoyable, I was at least hoping to take refuge in a relatable character I could root for, but alas, she was frankly a bit bland.

I think, if you're in the mood for something autumnal, girl-power-esque, with elements of "yer a wizard, Harry" thrown in, you might enjoy this. It's an easy read, however not my personal preference.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

This might be my most unexpected 5✨ of the year.

While I knew I would love it because I love all witchy books, this one exceeded all expectations.

A family of women who eat toxic plants and kill evil men??? All of my favorite things!!!!!!

This many be a controversial take but as someone who believes every r*pist deserves to d*e, this was right up my alley and hit every high note.

Wonderfully written, incredibly vivid, and one of the most thrilling books I’ve read all year.
The Bane Witch will sit side by side with Weyward as my two favorite witchy books of all time.

While this books was amazing, it hits about 100 triggers so please be aware of that. To name a few, SA, DV, r*pe, child abduction, and more.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Ava Morgyn, and the publisher for the ARC!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: March 18, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

You think you are getting your run of the milll witchy fantasy read…WRONG. This was a first SO GOOD. This grabs you by the wrist and pulls you in for one wild ride. Page by page you are sucked in and live this story to the very last page. The characters are well developed and their dynamics/chemistry are just fantastic. The world building in this is spot on and the story is one I had yet to read. We follow our FMC who loves poisonous things realizing that these things do not harm her…this come back into play and possibly saves her life when it comes to her husband…now…she is on the run while she hiding from her husband and we run across situations and characters who help us understand ourselves. There are plenty of trigger warnings so please read those but this book will have you on edge filled with tension and questions until the very end. Put this on your TBR if you love a good spooky thriller filled with fantasy, romance and that psychological thriller aspect as well. So good!

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as St. Martins Press

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Spooky, Thriller, Suspense, Romance, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Fantasy, Magic, Witchy

2.5 stars rounded up

The whole premise of the Bane Witch is actually a pretty cool idea. Women decide to matters into their own hands to take down monstrous men by consuming poisonous plants. I just feel like it wasn’t executed as well as it should have been. The pacing felt a little off. The last third of the book felt very rushed. The romance also was a bit weird. I know everyone deals with trauma differently, but how does someone run away from their evil husband after years of abuse and then almost immediately start something up with another man? Lastly, the second POV of the detective felt very unnecessary. It was almost like it was put in to fill up some pages. This book had a lot of potential, so this is pretty disappointing.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

The Bane Witch, by Ava Morgyn will pull you in from the first chapter. A gripping tale of Witches living in plain sight, but with a creative twist on how the Witches work. When Piers finds herself in a relationship she needs to escape, she recalls long buried memories from her childhood to find her way to her true life calling as a Witch. This story will light the fire of justice for women who have been mistreated throughout the ages, and keep you on edge with the justice that Witches bring. A beautifully written book that feels like a handful of nature scooped up into the pages.

I really enjoyed this one!
Piers has always been different, she just didn't realize how much so. After a Gone-Girl style escape, where she fakes her death to escape her abusive husband, she searches for her great aunt, Myrtle. Myrtle reveals the secret of their family, that the women are Bane Witches who have the ability to ingest poison and use it as a weapon against evil men. And of course, as we know, the world is full of evil.
I had so much fun reading this. It was longer than I was expecting, but kept my interest. As with most thrillers, it really picks up at the end when everything starts coming together. I've never read any of Morgyn's previous works, but I'm definitely interest in them now!
One of the other reviews complained about her descriptions of the sex scenes, but to me they are very much not supposed to be sexy - Morgyn more seems to be capturing the intensity of the encounter. And that line about candied apples? It connects to the later line from the Strangler about his aunt's abuse, and her withered apples - a great moment where that connection between Piers and her mark is made before we realize it.
I really loved this - it was smart, with well-written, beautiful prose, and a compelling plot.

I was blessed to get this in arc copy it was very well written book and I’m glad that I was able to read it. I would suggest to give this to everybody. This is the book that should be on everyone’s shelf.

We’re drawn into the harrowing journey of a woman trapped in an extremely abusive relationship, where every moment feels like a ticking time bomb. The tension is palpable, leaving us bracing for the next terrible event. But she proves more resourceful than expected, cleverly orchestrating her escape while her history gradually unfolds. Her peculiar connection to the poisonous berries that haunted her childhood seemed, at first, like nothing more than an odd fixation.

That is, until she’s thrust into a dark and fantastical world that challenges everything she—and we—thought possible. The magical system revealed here is truly extraordinary, steeped in themes of balance: without bad, there cannot be good. This lineage-driven magic is not only deeply tied to nature but also serves a profound purpose—empowering women to protect themselves and others, correcting injustices across decades and generations. This isn’t just magic for spectacle; it’s a system born of necessity, giving its wielders the power to avert future crimes and reclaim the safety and security they were denied.

The story alternates between our main character’s perspective and a gripping police investigation. This multi-POV narrative creates a compelling interplay, with two stories hurtling toward an inevitable and explosive collision. The suspense is electrifying, keeping me on edge and unable to put the book down until the very last page.

The conclusion delivers not only a thrilling resolution but also tantalizes us with the possibility of what’s to come. I’m still captivated by this magical system—its intricate connection to nature, its moral complexities, and its haunting power to “right” wrongs in ways that blur the line between heroism and vigilantism. The magical realism of the storytelling is utterly immersive, wrapping you in a world that feels both surreal and chillingly plausible. This book left me enthralled, pondering the fine line between justice and fate, and eager for whatever comes next.

I really enjoyed this book, with its unique take on witchcraft. I liked the avenging female role of the women. The plot has enough twists to satisfy a mystery reader and the characters are believable. I thought there was too much crammed into the last pages of the book but all in all a great story.

A thriller fantasy?? I’m here for it. The first few chapters had me locked in. I was so confused about the berries and really into all the intrigue, but then it slowly lost me. The dialogue got cheesier and cheesier, the romantic interest turned into insta-love, and three major events happened at the end that needed more space to breathe. The plot and characters were great, but the dialogue and pacing were so off that it was louder than the good parts. It felt as through the first 25% were really workshopped and then it all just slowly unraveled.

I received this from net galley in exchange for a review.

I have to say that there is something quite delicious in reading books about women who kill the worst of humanity, especially in these times.

First, thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for giving me the honour of reviewing this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Bane Witch is a novel about a woman faking her death to run away from her abusive husband, then realising that she, like other women in her family, has the ability to use poisons by ingesting them to kill men.

Morgyn details a stunning setting and cast of real characters. There is a lot of plot, but the pacing surprised me by being genuinely not being too fast or covering some aspects too quickly/not enough. I really did enjoy seeing the growth and the changes in the characters from their first to last appearance.

I haven't read anything else by Morgyn, but I look forward to doing so! Definitely would recommend this for lovers of Emilia Hart's The Sirens and Layne Fargo's They Never Learn.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book. A bit of a darker witchy read than usual for me but I really enjoyed it all the same.

I really enjoyed this book. The MFC was written amazing. The rate of her growth was what I really enjoyed. The plot was good as well. This was something different from what I normally read but it was still fantastic.

Both dark and cozy. A fast paced romp about a witches with poison for power and the absolute pleasure of killing the worst kind of men, all while living in small town. God, love the small mountain town vibes. The writing was spectacular and I can't wait to dive into more from this author. The characters all felt real but also had that touch of fantasy about them. Gritty and fun. Going to the top of the list of one of my faves of the year.

Piers is truly just that girl. I love her. I mean god forbid a woman have hobbies (eating poison, hunting serial-killing men down and killing them after faking her own death). I loved the Corbin’s. Myrtle and Azalea especially. This book is much more than I expected. It talks of rape, of how sometimes justice is best found in our own hands outside the court.

“A very little poison can do a world of good. It’s all about how you apply it.”

“Bad things happen to good people all the time, we just don’t like to think about it.”

This book is everything!!! I seriously couldn't put it down. Piers, the main character, is like a total badass witch with a knack for eating poisonous plants (yes, you read that right) and using them to take out evil dudes. Like, can we just appreciate how cool that is? Also, she's kind of on the run from her terrifying husband, and yeah, things get real dark real fast.

This book is the perfect mix of creepy and empowering. We're talking female rage turned into action (and not in the cute, fluffy way). There's revenge, justice, a little romance (which is, like, totally secondary to the whole death-by-poisoning thing), and I just couldn't get enough of it. The lore is so unique and interesting – like, where do I sign up for this kind of witchcraft?

But seriously, there are some triggering themes (abuse, violence), so like, heads up. It's dark, but honestly, it's also a total ride. The suspense, the mystery, the revenge – I'm obsessed. I’m already hoping for more stories from this world.

Totally 5 stars, because this book does exactly what it needs to do: it grabs you, holds on tight, and doesn’t let go. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! 💀✨

Such a good story it gave me practical magic and gone girl vibes - the story felt very complete and there was so much depth to all the characters.
Despite some of the very questionable choices that Piers makes I still really enjoyed her and I absolutely loved Myrtle. I even shed a few tears throughout

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange of my honest review.

While not my typical read, something about the blurb peaked my interest. A Bane witch can take poison into herself without any side effects and dispense it to others. Piers is looking to escape in a Gone Girl-esque plan from her abusive controlling husband. Having lost most of herself over time she has one chance to get dead. Her plan, while executed well, left a couple loose ends when her powers kick in unexpectedly. Those clues lead multiple people to Piers and her new life, sone good and some bad.

I enjoyed most of the plot twists but do feel like the conclusion left more to be desired. I wish it didn't wrap up the way it did, but it makes sense to set up a future.

The Bane Witch is a wild modern day mystery thriller. It’s an action film but if you added a layer of witches akin to Practical Magic. This was a good surprise. Most witch themed books I’ve ready this year have leaned more towards cozy or romance but this is a serial killer themed novel. There are woods and mushrooms and tea but there is also plenty of tension and violence. Don’t let the mushroom cottage type cover fool you.

I enjoyed this but it may not be what some people expect. Content warnings include serial killers, domestic violence, rape, abuse, infant death and similar themes.

It was fairly fast paced. I would consider it a page turner with a few lulls. I feel like some character motivations are a bit inconsistent but overall this was a great thriller read. I haven’t read a book that combined these genres yet; so bonus points for that.

This is for you if you like dark psychological thrillers and deadly magic!

I’ll admit, I’m guilty of picking books based on their covers and the vibes alone. A few months ago, I started seeing Ava Morgyn on TikTok promoting The Bane Witch. At that point, I didn’t know much about the book itself, but the cover was absolutely stunning, and there was a mushroom-themed giveaway (which I regret not entering, it looked amazing). As she shared more about the book, it immediately made its way to my TBR list. Even after I got approved for the eARC, I still didn’t know exactly what I was in for—but honestly, I think that was the perfect headspace to dive into this story.

The Bane Witch is described as Gone Girl meets Practical Magic, and I’d also throw in a dash of Belladonna and American Horror Story: Coven (I kept imagining Myrtle’s last words: “BALENCIAGA!!”). From the very first page, I was hooked. The suspense kept me on my toes, and the characters pulled me in. I loved the way Morgyn layered in so many elements—suspense, found family, a little romance, and even some practical tips on how to poison someone (seriously, there’s something for everyone here).

If I had one minor nitpick, it’s that Morgyn gave all the witches floral names, which felt a bit cheesy at times. But, she pokes fun at herself in the book when another character comments on how strange American witches are with their naming conventions, which was a nice touch.

This was such a fast, fun read, and I really appreciated how interactive the author is with her readers on social media. Even before I followed her or received the ARC, she was always quick to respond to comments, which I think is a lovely, down-to-earth trait. I’m definitely excited to read more from Ava Morgyn in the future.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin for the advanced eARC of The Bane Witch!