"Bad Witches" by H.B. Akumiah was an absolute delight! The world-building is immersive, blending magical politics seamlessly with the “typic” world we know, creating a hidden realm that feels as thrilling as Diagon Alley, but with a sleek, futuristic vibe. The three protagonists really stand out—not just as archetypes, but as fully realized characters. I was worried they’d fall into familiar roles: the naive teacher, the glamorous socialite, and the level-headed realist. But each had surprising depth and relatable struggles, making their journey feel fresh and engaging. What I especially loved was that this magical coming-of-age story unfolds at 22, a time when life’s big questions hit differently than in typical teen fantasy. These witches aren’t discovering magic alongside puberty—they’re figuring out what it means to live authentically as adults. It’s a smart, fun twist on the genre that’s perfect for anyone navigating that post-college, "what's next?" phase of life. Highly recommend!

This was a great first witchy read for the fall but it ended in a CLIFF HANGER lol that I wasn't expecting but I am looking forward to the next book. I did get a little confused a times during the narration remembering which character was being read but I don't think you would have that problem reading it physically. The story was really interesting and I only figured out the twist a couple of pages before it happened which usually I can figure them out before it gets to that point haha. Imani Jade Powers did a really good job with the narration of this one. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for gifting me the audio of this book.

DNFed. The narrator can make or break an ebook, and this narrator did no favors for the story. She was monotonous in her narration. She made the story sound vapid and pointless. I could not differentiate the characters from one another. Every female character seemed the same, as did the male characters, and I gave up the book in frustration after about 6 chapters. I'm still not sure what the point of the story was, except multiple women were celebrating their 22nd birthday.

Besides the title and the gorgeous cover, the synopsis grabbed my attention effortlessly. I’m so glad I read this because I loved it. This book is the embodiment of black girl magic and it deserves ALL the praise. It’s reminiscent of Twitches and That’s So Raven with a hint of Harry Potter, but it stands alone with uniqueness and originality. The characters felt so real with their flaws and quirks, and that twist towards the end? Shocking and so smart! This book is going places. You WILL be hearing about this book this spooky season and the attention is so well earned!

The Description of this book was intriguing to me and I am so glad I requested it.
This book was great from the beginning. I wasn't sure how exactly it was going to unfold but they way it did was perfect and fun!
3 young women who don't know they are witches are suddenly thrown into the Witch Sphere which is in turmoil. They end up being called to help after they go through some training. The women trying to navigate this is comical, shocking and interesting. The only thing that I found annoying was when the witch training book and articles were being read as if they were scientific reports.
All in all I enjoyed it so much that I was really bummed when it ended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for this arc.

The book is really intriguing and mysterious. In the beginning, I felt the pace was a bit slow and then the story picked up when three young women accidentally discover their magical abilities. The world changes for them. They find themselves in the world of spells and a purpose to fulfill. It’s like a secret society. They are both shocked and curious. While a lot of things are going on in the witches world. Witches are giving birth to human babies, they are being threatened and there is a mystery of a witch sphere. So Maya, Gabbie, and Delali has a purpose to fulfil but will they be able to do it? The book ended on cliffhanger ( There are still unanswered questions). Not a major cliffhanger but unanswered questions. Can’t wait to read the next book.

This was a great book in terms of character development and world building. I felt it was a bit more of character driven and the narrator did a great job. I am hoping to read more about the witches sphere and hope all the secrets and truth unveils in next the instalment.

Thanks to the Publisher and Author.

I had a fun time with *Bad Witches* by H.B. Akumiah! The story follows Maya, Gabbie, and Delali—three Black women who discover their magical abilities after an impromptu birthday celebration. The mix of everyday life and witchy vibes was really cool, especially as the trio navigates both the magical Sphere and the regular world. I loved the unique twist of witches becoming fewer in number and how scientific research was tied into the story. The audiobook was great, though the large cast of characters with similar voices made it tricky to follow at times.

While the pacing could’ve been smoother and some characters felt a bit underdeveloped, I really enjoyed the overall story. The strong bond between the three main characters and the world-building around the Sphere and the magical organizations kept me hooked. The ending had a wild plot twist that definitely left me wanting more, and I’m really hoping for a sequel!

Narrated by Imani Jade Powers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Story by H.B. Akumiah
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story took me a little bit to get into as I found the beginning a little slow but it definitely picked up about half way through. The story is intriguing enough that I would continue the story.

This was such a fun witchy read for spooky season. 😍 I really enjoyed all 3 of the characters and their personalities. There were a lot of lol moments because these gals were so funny together. The narration was great also. 🥰🎧

This was a real fun, quirky, cosy, lighthearted listen that I really enjoyed.

The narration was great & it was the perfect listen when you need something light & easy in the background

This just wasn’t for me. I got bored and there was way too much info dump .

I do not recommend it.

3.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed “Bad Witches" by H.B. Akumiah. The book introduces Maya, Gabbie, and Delali – three Black women who coincidentally share a birthday. Their spontaneous celebration forges a magical bond, creating a strong sisterhood. As they explore their newfound abilities, they navigate two different realms: the enchanting Sphere and the ordinary Tipic world.

The concept of a decreasing number of witches being born and the integration of scientific inquiry to solve this enigma was quite captivating. However, I had a challenge while listening to the audiobook because there were numerous characters with similar voices, making it difficult to follow the plot at times. Nevertheless, I did appreciate the narrator's performance. I believe having a physical copy of the book would have enhanced the reading experience.

Big thanks to H.B. Akumiah, Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ARC! “Bad Witches” is on sale now.

This was a fun and easy read! I loved the dynamic between the 3 girls, that they were so different but worked so well together! The narrator did a good job! The ending definitely left it open for the next installation of the story!

4 Stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

Publish date: 08/20/2024

An interesting and fun debut novel! Definitely a cozy millennial witch vibe. I have heard some reviews about it feeling a little like Gossip Girl, and I can see that. Two worlds collide - the Witch Sphere and the Typic (non-magical) World when three strangers meet in a bathroom, and discover they have more in common than just sharing their 22nd birthdays. Maya, Gabbie and Delali decide to celebrate their birthdays together, and a strange incident ends up uniting them and taking them on a strange journey. Meanwhile, the Witch Sphere is in turmoil. Witches are giving birth to Typics, and witches are dying out.

If you are looking for a cozy autumnal/witchy read, consider Bad Witches!

I was given access to the audiobook, and the narration was great too. I hope there will be more coming within this world-I would love to dive back in!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for granting me access to this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled with how to review this book.

Things I liked:
- The diversity: most of the key witches are black women. We need more of this kind of diversity in this genre, please!
- The premise around fewer and fewer witches being born and the way scientific research is being used to try and figure out why.
- The narration of the audiobook is excellent.

Things I didn't:
- The story had way too many characters that didn't sound very different from each other, and that made it hard to follow.
- The amount of detail over things like lipstick and nails. I recognize that some of this is culturally relevant, but I found it bogged down the story.
- The romance felt random and the plot as a whole was chaotic without clear progression and a very abrupt ending.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

For an audiobook the narrator was good. There are three main characters, and honestly I had a hard time keeping track of which witch was which. Which can be a me issue as sometimes character names do not stick. But I think this particular story would benefit from multiple narrators.
The girls were relatable, and I liked them. The story was good I liked it.
I will recommend it for fans of Charmed, Urban Fantasy, Sabrina the Teenage Witch. It was a good read before spooky season.

I don't even know where to begin. I loved, loved, loved this story. I was a big charmed fan growing up and this gave that but soooomuch better. I loved every character, I can't wait to see what happens next on all fronts. Definitely a book I'd highly recommend!

Bad Witches was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I felt like it was a bit more of a YA book, as it seemed to turn down some lingering rabbit holes that really didn't contribute too much to the overall plotline. As a result, a lot of it felt like it dragged a bit. However, there was a lot to like about this book as well. I appreciated how the three witches interacted; they weren't instantly BFFs and still had their own lives. I also liked the back-and-forth in the sphere. Overall, I thought the book was interesting and will definitely thrill the right audience.

This is the definition of a SLOW BURN. It took way too long to get to the witchy vibes and I got so overwhelmed with the amount of characters. I’m sure lots of people will love this but it wasn’t for me

This one is a DNF for me. I just couldn't get into it. Unique premise, but execution didn't live up--too much information right from the outset, perhaps. I hate rating a book negatively--we can't love every book we read or listen to--so I'm giving it 3 stars because I feel pretty neutral about it.