I read this in one sitting, the book wasnt too fast but it just felt like it was 150 pages long the way I breezed through it.

I’ve fallen in love with the magic system and the unique differences in this community/world the author has built. Cori and Adrian were sweet to read about and I liked their family dynamics despite all the trouble family may have caused in this book.

I look forward to the next one following a new POV.

Review of The Gray Prophecy by Maria A. Eden

The Gray Prophecy by Maria A. Eden is a captivating journey into a world where fate, magic, and destiny intertwine in the most unexpected ways. Eden’s storytelling shines with its innovation, offering readers a unique experience by weaving together glimpses of the past, present, and future through the eyes of Cori, the novel’s smart and determined main character. Cori’s special abilities create a narrative that is both puzzling and engaging, keeping you constantly on your toes as you piece together the bigger picture. Each revelation deepens the mystery, making the story all the more compelling.

If you enjoy stories that explore the intricate threads of fate, the allure of witches, and the irresistible pull of instant attraction, The Gray Prophecy is the perfect read. The novel doesn’t just stop at magical intrigue; it also delves deeply into themes of found family, loyalty, and the lengths one will go to protect those they love. Cori’s character shines brightly as a fiercely intelligent woman who embodies the strength and resilience that makes for a truly memorable heroine.

Maria A. Eden has crafted a tale that is not only thrilling and full of twists but also deeply emotional, with characters who resonate long after the story ends. The Gray Prophecy is a must-read for fans of fantasy, rich storytelling, and strong female leads who defy the odds to forge their own destiny.

The Gray Prophecy is a fantasy book with witchcraft elements set in modern times. It follows the story of main lead Cordelia, a witch who's made a prophecy threatening to many of her fellow witches, rendering her an enemy to the magical realm, which consequently leads her to go into hiding and tethers her to a decade-long isolation. When she comes across a family of witches who open their household and their heart to her though, she is inclined to lean towards the warmth she had been yearning for. However, the more time she spends with them, the more complicated her life turns, as secrets from the past come across the surface and unfold dark truths and betrayals she could have never predicted.

The Gray Prophecy is a book I dearly enjoyed and very easily got into. The plot, novel as it is, is intriguing enough on its own, and the characters are mostly all very well developed and written. The author also did a good job portraying Cordelia's inner turmoil and her struggles with opening up to the new people in her life. I also enjoyed a lot reading about the relationships between the characters, not only the main couple, but the rest of the Huxley's family too. In addition to that, the witty comments and references to all-time-favourite modern shows and series made it even more fun and lightened the otherwise semi-dark plot. To conclude, it was a nice and easy read.

I loved the small town, witchy and mysterious atmosphere. I liked the slow introduction to the magical elements of the series, it didn’t feel overly complex, and fit seamlessly into the story.

I immediately liked Cori, she had spent so much of her life isolated, so I enjoyed seeing as she became closer to those around her. I loved seeing her and Adrien as their romance builds, but I would have loved them to have more on page time to fall for each other. The steamy scenes were perfect, that that shower scene 💦🔥

The main characters and the side characters were all great, specially Adrian’s family. Cori finds friends and family and discovers all that she’s missed out on, I’m still low key mad at her mom for not prioritizing her more.

Read if you’re interested in:
- Cozy small town fantasy
- Supernatural / witchy themes
- Fated mates
- Found Family
- Elemental Magic
- Spice
- Dual POV

Overall, the book had a great combination of magical elements, steamy romance, cozy small town with fun characters, perfect for the fall season.
I honestly really want to see what comes next with Enzo’s book!

This book is a perfect fit for someone who wants a nice, cozy, witchy read with high stakes and romance right away. I really enjoyed the dual POVs and the instant connection between the main characters. We have some spicy scenes present that really drove home the connection between the characters and how magic plays a part in both their lives.

As far as the main plot, there were some parts that I felt came out of nowhere and I found myself looking back for a little more information. I was able to figure some things out more towards the second half of the book where things really got to be more action based and I found myself not wanting to put the book down.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see where the author takes the story!

This was a good read. At first I was a little worried about the long countdown to the prophecy’s arrival, but the pacing of current, flashbacks, and skips was really well done.

The descriptions of different witches and their magics were interesting and plausible. No category of witches seemed too powerful or like they were superior. That was also balanced really well with the history and science presented.

I was glad to see actual character development from not only the protagonist, but all characters. Even the antagonist had progressed from the flashbacks presented, even though not all progress is for the better.

The connection between the two main characters was believable, however, it didn’t seem beyond normal romantic connections despite the added magical entanglement element. I didn’t feel like their connection was any deeper than the other characters except for the fact I was being told they were.

The spice on their intimacy is 3/5. There were realistic descriptions that furthered the plot without being earth-(or water-)shatteringly presented.

The story was an original, well-written, and planned out modern witchy tale and the chapters were short enough that even when the pacing lulled a bit, I found myself able to push through because I was like “what’s six more pages?” I really enjoyed the bonds that everyone created and the couple plot twists were worth the read.

I do look forward to continuing the story with the next book in the series.

This book was a true pleasure to read, with a magic system and worldbuilding that were both meticulously crafted and utterly enchanting. The characters, too, were skillfully shaped, making them relatable and endearing, and I found myself genuinely invested in their journeys and outcomes. I was utterly spellbound by this paranormal romance, which seamlessly blended genres to create a truly unforgettable reading experience. The pacing was perfectly balanced, maintaining a suspenseful tension that kept me enthralled without ever feeling hurried. If you're a fan of the paranormal with a mix of romance, do yourself a favor and add this to your reading list. I promise you won't regret it! I'm already counting down the days until the next book.

Title: The Gray Witch
Genre: paranormal romance
Author: Maria A Eden
This ebook is given by @netgalley

This one is a cozy paranormal romance story about Cordelia or best known as Cori. She is a witch who has been living her entire life in hiding because she delivered a dangerous prophecy when she was 6 years old that could change magic forever. The prophecy made her a target to almost all witches, causing her to hide her power and identity, even from her own family, for safety. That is, until she met Adrian Huxley after she moved to a small town called Farley. Enemies become allies, allies become enemies. Nothing is at it seems as she tried to uncover the riddles behind her own prophecy.

This book is very easy to read with short chapters and great pacing. Paranormal can often times feel a bit cringey as it uses real world setting, but it wasn't the case for this story. I loved how the author detailed on the witchy history and celestial elements, which made the story immersive. There are many characters in this story which are endearing and relatable. The story itself was told from two POVs: the FMC and the MMC, which showed the romantic dynamic and introduced the many characters seamlessly.

The worldbuilding and magic system were multilayered with complexities yet they weren't hard to follow.

What disappointed me was the abrupt ending. It felt like a deux ex machina where the FMC suddenly knew how to wield powerful magic and trampled the bad guys. It wasn't a bad ending, but had there been a build up to her power the ending conclusion would have been more touching.

This book is perfect if you're looking for a cozy witchy read with spice, riddles, and a dash of romance.

When a which foretells a prophecy, it’s rumored that if the witch is “taken care” of, the prophecy will not come to pass. So when Cori has a prophecy that will change all magic she knows that she will have to be on the run until the prophecy comes and goes. The world building was top notch and the relationship between Cori and Adrian is so wholesome. Definitely recommend and can’t wait for Enzo’s story.

As a child, Cori, a celestial witch, foretold that on a winter solstice to come, all witches that practice dark magic would lose their magical abilities. In doing so, Cori put a target on her back. In order to stop a prophecy, a witch must be killed before it is fulfilled.

"There will be a fulfillment of something that has been long anticipated."

The Gray Prophecy was beyond anything I could have hoped for in a witchy fantasy book. As a person who celebrates autumn beginning in August, this was perfect read.

The writing was exquisite, to get that out of the way. 10 pages in and I was already hooked (you can check my Goodreads, I updated it 10 pages in!!) Maria A. Eden weaved together such a beautiful story with so much depth and detail. Even as early as 10 pages in, the setting was so beautifully described, I felt like I was in Farley and a part of this world.

The story as incredible, I loved the fantasy world. I loved the magical world and I appreciated all the depth that we got in regards to this world. But admittedly, I think Maria A. Eden has set this up beautifully in that we could have practically endless stories out of this series (and I can't wait for more from her!)

And of course, I would be remiss not to mention how much I absolutely adore Adrian. The love story here was stunning and wonderful without taking anything away from the main plot line. I loved loved loved it and I will now possibly be dreaming about Adrian too.

"But you can't run from the natural orbit of the Earth, or the convergence of the stars."

Thank you to Maria A. Eden, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Everyone and everything, deep inside of them, has darkness and light. Even people", he said slowly and carefully. Do you understand? All of us have the power to choose what we are son. We can choose to be illuminated by the light, or we can choose to be swallowed by the darkness"

This book is so incredibly well written, every character felt fleshed out. I loved how independent Cori was as a main character, but also the fact that she wasn't afraid to lean on her friends.

The Gray Prophecy blends cosy fantasy and romance, with high stakes adventure and historical story telling.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Gray Prophecy will be released August 29 2024

The Gray Prophesy is a cozy witchy story with high stakes. Mostly set in a small town we get an instant love, fated mates romance WITH spice in a very magical and romanticized way. The plot carries on its own so the spice compliments the romance while the romance compliments the plot. A very balanced adult contemporary paranormal romance!

We get glimpses from the past, present and future due to Cori’s unique ability’s, which makes for a puzzling, unique and engaging storytelling technique. I was instantly hooked, loved Cori’s personality and the STEM / smart people rep! The chapters are vividly written and the descriptive surroundings really transported me to Farley, which made for an immersive reading experience.

Although I liked the creative storytelling and the vivid description of the surroundings, I’d have liked a more “show don’t tell” approach to describing character traits. For example; we get repeatedly told how badass Fern is but I’d have loved to discover that for myself by experiencing her actions or things she says instead of people telling us and their conclusions about her. That would have made it a 5 star read for me!

The plot feels complete and well rounded, a deserving concluding after the buildup. Great balance between cozy and suspense. A perfect read if you like books about fate, witches, instant attraction, found family and a smart MFC that does anything for the people she loves.

This book tells a engaging and suspenseful story in a romantic, magical reconception of a present-day coastal town. May be of interest to readers of Lana Harper's Thistlegrove series. A quick but enjoyable read.

This book was a struggle to read from beginning to end. Immediately, I was put off by the writing style, which to me read more like average fanfiction than something professionally published. The dialogue did NOT help—not a single character had a unique or compelling voice, and most conversations felt like forcefully witty banter from a bad WB show. In fact, most of this story, from the characters to the plot to the relationships to the writing, felt more like a spec script for the latest CW show that gets canceled after a season and a half.

One of my biggest gripes with this book is its magic system. Allegedly, there is a large community of witches all over the world, divided in covens based on type of magic. Sure would have loved to see that, rather than be told about it over and over. We only meet a handful of these witches over the course of the novel, and at no point did their community—or, indeed, their magical abilities—feel real and grounded and engaging. The magic that does get used is a magic of convenience—that is, magic does whatever it needs to do to move the plot forward, and magic is limited in whatever way is needed to cause appropriate roadblocks or drama. That's it. It doesn't feel like a real and meaningful part of anyone's lives, except perhaps the Huxley family, but they're so milquetoast and annoying and isolated that it's hard to know or care if they're the norm or not.

Speaking of milquetoast and annoying, I wish I could have opinions about the characters in this story. Unfortunately, all of them, including the two main protagonists, are so immediately unforgettable that even though I finished this book about five minutes before the start of my writing this review, I could only name, like, five people. Not a single person had real depth or interiority, something that suggests to me that they were a real person with wants, flaws, dreams, fears. Everything is so plainly written out for the audience, either in boring narration or cringey dialogue (this is a telling novel, folks, not a showing one), that the characters felt distant from me, the reader, and from each other.

By that token, wow are the relationships bad. And not just the main relationship—the two main characters are soulmates, called "fated" in this world, and this is used as a way to hand-wave away any of the necessary work of having the love interests, you know, actually have to get to know each other and fall in love—but all romantic, platonic, and familial relationships. Every single one feels corporately calculated to exact the ideal emotional response at any moment from a live studio audience. Cori's gay best friend is snarky and full of dated pop culture reference. Adrian's siblings squabble and snap, but really, they all love each other soooo much. Prudence is meant to be the quirky Alice Cullen to Cori's Bella Swan, but she's just annoying and easily forgettable. I did not believe that anyone in this story really knew or cared about each other, which was fine, because I didn't know or care about them either.

As I read, I kept having to double-check if this book was YA or not. This doesn't mean I could forgive it its sins if it were, but every single word out of every character's mouth reeked of high school, and in particular, Cori felt so, so juvenile, especially for someone with *checks notes* a Ph.D. who has also been living on her own for nearly a decade. But no, this is a book about adults, for adults, and I just can't understand what adult can read this and not feel talked down to.

The short list of things that I enjoyed about this book include the physical descriptions of people and places early on in the book and the small town (name already forgotten) that the bulk of the story takes place in. As someone who also lives in the New England area, this tiny town felt familiar and real, even if, on the whole, the world felt empty and shallow. There is also something of a plot twist involving Cori's brother a little over halfway through the novel, and I didn't hate that, though in the end, it was hard to get into it, because I didn't have any emotional attachment to Cori, her brother, or their relationship, just as with everyone else in this story.

It seems as though there will be more books published in this series, and I for one will not be reading them. I think this book had a lot of rewrites it needed to undergo before it was ready for public consumption, and that doesn't make me excited to see what comes next.

3,5🌟
My very first arc and already a good start! So huge thanks to Netgalley and Maria A. Eden.

"Everyone and everything, deep inside of them, has darkness and light. Even people. All of us have the power to choose what we are, son. We can choose to be illuminated by the light, or we can choose to be swallowed by the darkness."

I want to start first by saying that I struggled to continue reading for first 30% of the book, and at some parts the story felt somewhat slow, and at other a bit rushed. BUT, you have to trust the process as it gets you more with every next turn of the page!

I really loved the whole concept of fated mates and the found family trope. And the relationship between main and side characters was so sweet it melted my heart. However, I have to say I didn't feel that much of a chemistry between two MC, and that made Cori's and Adrian's love less believable to me.

But overall, a great read for those who enjoy modern days witches, astrology, prophecies, and fated MC!

Cori was just a child when she delivered a prophecy that foretold all witches practicing dark magic would lose their power on a future winter solstice. Speaking this prophecy put her in danger. She had to go into hiding and suppress her magic at a young age without her family. After years of hiding Cori moved to Farley, Maine for work where she met Adrian Huxley, a local Water Elemental witch. Keeping her magic and who she is becoming harder as they grow closer.


“Your prophecy gave hope to the people in your village. Mine struck fear in the hearts of witches everywhere.”


This is book one of The Elemental Realm Series I will be continuing this series. I loved the references to popular tv shows from the 90’s and 2000’s. The magic system is easy to understand with Charms, Elemental, and Celestial magic. The historical tie-ins make it fun.

What a fabulous, unputdownable read! From the characters, to the settings and descriptions, I adored the book. The genres covered from history to the modern world was well written and referenced throughout.

I received this ARC for free through Netgalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you NetGalley and author Maria Eden for providing me with this wonderful experience!

Things I liked: I liked that the chapters were short and the magic system was easy to understand. The setting takes place in a modern society shortly after the Salem witch trials so it was easy to picture the world with minimal world building. The smut scenes were well written. It felt almost poetic at times. The tropes for this book include: found-family, touch her and die, and fated mates. The characters were likeable and the female and male leads had good chemistry.

At the 60% mark, the plot started to unfold and really come together. I ended up binging until the end once I got this far in the book.

Things I disliked: The characters first appeared by name without further explanation as to what their relationship is to the main characters. For example, when “David” first shows up, I was confused as to who he was. I went back to the previous chapters to see if he was mentioned before. I had to keep reading to find out that David is our male lead’s dad.

The plot progression was a little slow. The first 58% of the book was difficult to get through as it was mostly trying to establish a connection between all the characters. It felt like there was little to no progression in the plot in the first half of the book. Had I started the book without reading the synopsis, I wouldn’t have known what the main story was about until around the 30% mark.

Final thoughts: for those looking for a cozy read this might be the book for you. I am a mood reader so when I picked up this book, I was looking for fantasy adventure that is fast paced. So when the first half of the book was mostly showing the lives of the characters with little mention of the plot, it was a little difficult to get through. This is the main reason for my 2.7/5 star rating.

To summarize, it wasn’t my cup of tea but definitely a cozy read for those who do like reading about the day to day lives of characters and get to know them better before diving into the plot.

From start to finish, the plot, characters, and fated mates aspects were done perfectly. I have no complaints about how the story was done. I really love Cori, and she's one of the best characters. I will say that the fated mates romance aspect didn't overshadow the plot, which happens in so many books like this.

Whether you're a fan of witchy tales or simply enjoy a good story with a touch of magic, this book is a must-read. Prepare to be enchanted!

I can't wait for book two!!

thank you to netgalley and maria eden for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. this was a quick and enjoyable read! when i read the premise "if you kill a witch who delivers a prophecy, it won't come to be" i instantly wanted to read it, and i'm glad i did. i liked the characters, loved the setting, and thought the magic system was really cool. my main complaint is that the pacing was a bit fast at times. in my opinion, the gray prophecy would benefit from more time being spent on world building and relationship building. i would have happily read a hundred more pages if it helped the pacing!