Tag Archives: Witches

Review: The Bane Witch by Ava Morgan

Posted on March 18, 2025 by AmyB

Practical Magic meets Gone Girl in Ava Morgyn’s next dark, spellbinding novel about a woman who is more than a witch–she’s a hunter.

Piers Corbin has always had an affinity for poisonous things–plants and men. From the pokeweed berries she consumed at age five that led to the accidental death of a stranger, to the husband whose dark proclivities have become… concerning, poison has been at the heart of her story.

But when she fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her volatile marriage and goes to stay with her estranged great aunt in the mountains, she realizes her predilection is more than a hunger–it’s a birthright. Piers comes from a long line of poison eaters–Bane Witches–women who ingest deadly plants and use their magic to rid the world of evil men.

Piers sets out to earn her place in her family’s gritty but distinguished legacy, all while working at her Aunt Myrtle’s cafe and perpetuating a flirtation with the local, well-meaning sheriff to allay his suspicions on the body count she’s been leaving in her wake. But soon she catches the attention of someone else, a serial killer operating in the area. And that only means one thing–it’s time to feed.

In Ava Morgyn’s dark, thrilling novel, The Bane Witch, a very little poison can do a world of good.

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MY REVIEW

3.5 Stars!

The Bane Witch was an intriguing, yet unexpected read. Picture the movie Sleeping with the Enemy but with a unique, magical twist. This book definitely sucks you in and keeps you glued to the pages. The only reason I didn’t rate this book higher was because the book did lose its steam around 50% or so. Pacing is a huge pet peeve of mine, so I was disappointed that it fizzled out.

Despite my issue with the pacing, I still found The Bane Witch to be an entertaining read and would be open to reading more from this author in the future.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

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Posted in Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Feature, Paranormal Romance, Reviews, Romance and tagged book-review, books, Fantasy, Fiction, Witches. Bookmark the permalink.

Review: The House on Watch Hill by Karen Marie Morning

Posted on October 1, 2024 by AmyB

#1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning is back with a gripping, imaginative, and seductive new series in which a young woman moves to Divinity, Louisiana, to inherit a large fortune and a Gothic mansion full of mysteries and ominous secrets…

Zo Grey is reeling from the sudden death of her mother when she receives a surprising call from an attorney in Divinity, Louisiana, with the news she has been left an inheritance by a distant relative, the terms of which he will only discuss in person. Destitute and alone, with nothing left to lose, Zo heads to Divinity and discovers she is the sole beneficiary of a huge fortune and a monstrosity of a house that sits ominously at the peak of Watch Hill—but she must live in it, alone, for three years before the house, or the money, is hers.

Met with this irresistible opportunity to finally build a future for herself, Zo puts aside her misgivings about the foreboding Gothic mansion and the strange circumstances, and moves in, where she is quickly met by a red-eyed Stygian owl and an impossibly sexy Scottish groundskeeper.

Her new home is full of countless secrets and mystifying riddles, with doors that go nowhere, others that are impossible to open, and a turret into which there is no visible means of ingress. And the townspeople are odd…

What Zo doesn’t yet know is that her own roots lie in this very house and that in order to discover her true identity and awaken her dormant powers, she will have to face off against sinister forces she doesn’t quite comprehend—or risk being consumed by them.

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MY REVIEW

The House at Watch Hill is an intriguing read that I couldn’t help but devour. I found myself easily swept up in Zo’s story. Even though she frustrated me at times, I understood where she was coming from and found her devotion and hardships relatable.

I thought the author did a great job creating a web of mystery and intrigue. I enjoyed the whole process of trying to figure things out. There are a lot of odd/strange things, and secrets everyone was privy to except Zo.

As far as romance goes, I wouldn’t consider this book a romance. There is definitely steam and chemistry with certain characters, but it wasn’t the focus of this story. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the romance expanded upon.

The House at Watch Hill isn’t without its issues and imperfections. The pacing felt a bit off at times, which I attributed to the world-building. There is a lot of story to build and secrets to uncover. But now that the stage has been set, I look forward to seeing how everything will play out.

Overall, I think this series is off to a great start. I’ve got a ton of questions and look forward to getting them answered. The House at Watch Hill ended with one delicious cliffhanger that will leave you anxious to get your hands on the next book. I certainly can’t wait to find out what happens next.

*Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title*

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Posted in 4 Stars, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Feature, Paranormal Romance, Promo, Reviews, Series, Small-Town, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy and tagged Gothic Romance, Karen Marie Morning, mystery, New Release, New Series, Review, Vampires, Watch Hill Trilogy, Witches. Bookmark the permalink.

Review: Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark #16) by Kresley Cole

Posted on December 1, 2015 by AmyB

An immortal assassin is caught between desire and duty…

A foundling raised in a world of humans

Growing up, orphaned Josephine didn’t know who or what she was—just that she was “bad,” an outcast with strange powers. Her baby brother Thaddeus was as perfect as she was flawed; protecting him became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo’s transition from angry girl… to would-be superhero… to enchanting, ruthless villain.

A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission

A threat to the Møriør has brought archer Rune the Baneblood to the mortal realm to slay the oldest living Valkyrie. Whether by bow or in bed, he never fails to eliminate his target. Yet before he can strike, he encounters a vampiric creature whose beauty conceals a black heart. With one bite, she pierces him with aching pleasure, taking his forbidden blood – and jeopardizing the secrets of his brethren.

A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin…

Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? Rune knows he must not trust Josephine, yet he’s unable to turn her away. Despite his millennia of sexual conquests, he can’t ignore the unfamiliar longing she arouses deep within him. When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.

My Review

Sweet Ruin is my first read by this author and certainly won’t be my last. I have been looking for something new to read in the paranormal world and after reading this book, one thing is clear, I have been missing out on this author’s writing. Now, I know this is the 16th book in this series, and yes I have a habit of reading books out of order, but I will tell you this, I did not feel lost at all. From the moment I picked up this book, I wanted to know more. I was intrigued by the characters and the world that Ms Cole has created. I easily got lost in the plot and sensuality of the story. Yes, there is a lot and I mean a lot of sexy good times in this book, but there was also a really great story-line; one that had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.

I honestly loved everything about this story, from start to finish. It was fun, sexy, entertaining and intriguing. I found the story-line to be very refreshing and it was exactly the paranormal book I was looking for. There is so much to love about this book and I can’t wait to see where this series will go next. In fact, I’m really looking forward to going back and reading this series from the beginning. I can’t wait to see what else I’ve been missing out on. This author has definitely made a fan out of me!

*I was provided an ARC of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

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Posted in 4 Stars, Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy and tagged Shapeshifters, Vampires, Witches. Bookmark the permalink.

Review: Unbound (The Guardian Legacies #1) by Emily Goodwin

Posted on September 11, 2015 by AmyB

The world of ghosts and spirits is nothing new to Anora Benson; she’s spent her whole life trying to ignore them, trying to be normal. But when the Pricolici, a group of ancient bounty hunters, are sent after her, Anora realizes she is more than just a medium.

As a witch she has power, power she doesn’t know how to use, power that makes her vulnerable to the demons that desire her gifts. Anora is alone and scared, forced to face the darkness on her own.

Then she meets Ethan, a handsome and mysterious stranger who shows up in her life right along with the magic, and he seems to know quite a bit about her and the Coven she hails from. Will she risk everything by trusting him or risk fighting alone?

My Review

Unbound is an exciting new series by author Emily Goodwin. One of the things that really caught my attention about this book was the cover. It was eye catching and made me curious. Then, I read the synopsis and thought to myself, I need to check this book out and I’m happy that I did.

Right off the bat, I found myself really like Anora. I thought she was a great female lead. She was a pretty tough and I liked how even though she always knew she was different, she didn’t let it get her down; even when people called her a freak. Then when she starts realizing she has powers, I was entranced. I wanted to know why she suddenly had powers and what was going to happen to her. Ethan was such a wonderful addition to Unbound. He really intrigued me and made me want to read this story. I knew right away that there was more to him than meets the eye. He too was special and was willing to break all the rules for Anora.

My only compliant was the pacing. Pacing is such a critical part of a story for me. And unfortunately, Unbound is really slow in the beginning. It took me a while to really get into the story and connect with the characters. However, once I got passed the first few chapters, I felt like the story-line picked up and finally pulled me in.

Overall, I though Unbound was a pretty good read. It says that it’s YA, but I would say it’s more Mature YA, walking that fine line to NA. I loved the idea of the story and think this series has a lot of potential. Even though I did have some issues with the pacing, I still found this book to be enjoyable. As for the ending, this book doesn’t really end with a cliffhanger, but more of a resolved, yet to be continued ending. I am definitely curious about where the story will go next.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

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Posted in 3.5 Stars, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and tagged Demons, Ghosts, Magic, NetGalley, Supernatural, Witches. Bookmark the permalink.

Relase Day Launch and Review: Lust (The Allure Chronicles #2) by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Posted on July 16, 2015 by AmyB

We are beyond excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Alyssa Rose Ivy’s LUST! LUST is the second novel in Alyssa’s New Adult Paranormal Romance series The Allure Chronicles! As an added special SEDUCTION’S KISS is FREE for a limited time and LURE is only $2.99, so make sure you grab your copy of each book in this amazing series today!!

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011PM9K8O

Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lust-the-allure-chronicles-2

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alyssa_Rose_Ivy_Lust_The_Allure_Chronicles_2?id=-iopCgAAQBAJ

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lust-the-allure-chronicles-2/id1019427051?mt=11

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lust-alyssa-rose-ivy/1122298059?ean=2940150881884

About LUST (The Allure Chronicles #2)

After years of searching Daisy and Owen have finally found each other, only to face the threat of being forced apart. If they are unable to stop Daisy from becoming an Allure, she will forever lose the ability to love.

Desperate to stop the change before time runs out, they must decide what price they are willing to pay to save their love.

My Review

“What’s the point in experiencing anything if you can’t feel it?” I’d never thought about the importance of emotion before I started to change, but now it was everything. I realized I would be nothing but a shell of myself without it. No one would be.

Lust picks up right where Lure left off. Daisy and Owen are off on the quest to stop Daisy from turning into an Allure. Daisy is desperate to stop the change. She doesn’t want to stop being a human or loose the way she feels about Owen, but her quest won’t be easy. In order to find answers, she will have to put her faith in people that she doesn’t trust. But time is of the essence and tough choices will have to be made. And in the end the ultimate question will be: What would you do, what would you sacrifice for the person you love?

Lust was a quick and easy read for me. I enjoyed getting lost in the world of Daisy and Owen. Lust is a great story about fate, sacrifice, the quest to stay true to yourself and the power of love. “I’d never given much credence to fate, but I’d changed my mind. We were fated to be together. There was a higher power that wanted us to be together, and it made each day we spent together feel like a year in the intensity it created.” Daisy and Owen’s quest to find the truth and stop what’s happening to Daisy, will not be easy. They will have to travel to new worlds and will meet new creatures along the way. You will find yourself asking questions: Who’s on their side? Who is telling the truth? Are they really being helped? And when you get to the end….your will be left breathless. My heart is broken. A tough, tough decision had to be made. There is no wrong or right answer. The only thing you can do is hold on for the ride and hope that in the end, all will turn out ok. I for one can not wait to find out what happens next!

* I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the author and InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review*

Excerpt:

Preface
I had no real choice. Only one answer was acceptable, yet giving it meant losing everything and anything I cared about. It meant losing Owen, and it meant losing myself.

“Daisy?” Owen looked deep into my eyes.

“I love you.” I didn’t think, I didn’t question. I crushed my lips against his, needing to soak up his taste and feel. He responded immediately, deepening the kiss as he wrapped me up in his arms.

Always and forever. Our promised words swirled through my head. Promised words that couldn’t possibly be true. But in that moment it didn’t matter. The truth couldn’t hurt us. Only time could.

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About SEDUCTION’S KISS:

Never agree to a road trip to New Orleans with your roommate. At least not when your roommate is dragging you along while she reconnects with an ex-boyfriend. Possible consequences of failing to take my advice:

1) Unknowingly going out with a vampire stripper
2) Getting kidnapped by said vampire’s nest mates
3) Falling head over heels for your winged hero

Believe it or not number 3 is the worst one, especially when no one believes you that he exists.

*Prequel novella to Lure (The Allure Chronicles #1)*

Amazon * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play

About LURE:

There’s danger in the beauty…

Two years, six months, and twenty-five days. That’s how long it had been since I’d seen my winged hero— not that I’d been counting. I’d suffered through years of counseling just to convince my friends and family that I wasn’t crazy and knew he didn’t exist.

But he did. And I was done waiting.

Days after college graduation I headed back down to New Orleans to retrace my steps and find Owen again only to find my life was about to get even crazier… thanks to the most beautiful and dangerous of all paranormal creatures, the Allures.

Alyssa Rose Ivy Bio:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.