An incredibly original concept and fascinating world-building; certainly a take on witches and witch hunters that feels fresh! While it takes a while to get its feet under it. VenCo is a wonderful novel that begs to be turned into a series.

I liked but didn't love this. I love the found family element and loved learning about the different witches. Honestly I wanted more time with the whole coven versus just with Lucky. I like Lucky, but I'm a character driven reader and really thrive on character interactions and there was so much time of Lucky & Stella on the road. The storytelling spends a lot of time building up the world and lots of descriptions of settings that I just wasn't that interested in. I wanted more coven interactions and found family goodness personally. But if you thrive on a quest or journey novel, this could totally be your thing. This felt slow to get going, but once we got going with the coven part I rather enjoyed this. I liked the overt feminist themes, it wasn't soft or particularly nuanced with it's theming, but sometimes it's fun having a more straightforward story. This does end in satisfying way though, it has the catharsis and wins you want/hope for. The ending of this also made it feel like the story could continue. Not in a' this story wasn't wrapped up' way, just in a 'this feels like a beginning of bigger story potentially' way. I think I would continue assuming it focuses on the whole coven not just Lucky. Lucky is easy to root for though, she is determined and resourceful and a bit snarky, and really loves and cares for her grandma Stella in a complicated way, which is sweet and relatable. This is a good book it just didn't 100% hit the mark for me personally, but I'd still recommend if it interests you.

While I was intrigued by the premise of this book, ultimately it wasn't for me. I tried to read it in print and listen on audio. I found the pace too slow and I didn't connect with any character. I lost interest at about 45% in and DNF'd.

I tried to read and finish this several times and in several formats, but I did not enjoy the story or pacing. I don't think the book is lacking, but I was not in the mood for the story.

By the end of this story, I realized this was a pre-lude to the real story. What happens when all the witches are together? Dunno. How is one witch so much older than the rest? No clue. What do we know about the rest of the coven beyond one paragraph of backstory? Nada. I hate it when authors release a book that's really just an intro to another book. And if that's not what this is, I'm beyond confused. This wasn't a full story. It was barely a quest! I finished it and the writing was decent, but where is the story???

**Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC**

It had potential.

VenCo is about an organization of witches. The whole premise is based on the belief that if seven special witches get together, women will become more powerful.

Lucky St James is the sixth witch. She is living in Toronto with her grandmother who is suffering from cognitive changes when she is found by Venco. Lucky is in possession of a special spoon that has the letters Salem inscribed in it. As soon as Lucky touches the spoon, she feels differently. When VenCo comes knocking she accepts traveling from Canada to the USA to meet a possible employer. She brings her grandmother with her and when they arrive at their destination they meet five women who are living together. Here is where Lucky learns she is a witch and she has to find the last spoon and the witch who will complete their coven. But, things are not easy, an ancient being is on the prowl. His name is Jay Christos, and he wants all the witches to die. He is responsible for the death of many and he is on the hunt for the last seven.

The book had a very slow beginning, only the last third had some action. I wished we had seen more of their powers and their backstories than what we got. The ending felt a little rushed. Yet, overall I enjoyed the story.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by William Morrow via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

VenCo definitely started off slower than I had anticipated. I thought this was going to be an action-packed, thriller sort of read. There were definitely suspenseful moments, but they were definitely more toward the end of the book. And that's probably why it took me a while to get into this book.

While it did take me a while to get into this book, there are a lot of things to like about it. There is a good mix of diverse characters. It was fascinating to learn some history on the different cultures represented, which was weaved into the book. I also enjoyed the relationship between Stella (who I just loved throughout the entire book) and Lucky. I feel like it was a realistic look into caring for someone whose grasp on reality is not always firm.

This felt like a really original story, but one that was building up to a series. It does look like this was picked up to be a tv series (which, if done right, would be amazing) and she might be writing a sequel. Which I think would be more fast-paced than VenCo, but I'm not familiar with this author's writing style in her other books, so I could be wrong. Even so, I'll still be picking up the next book to see what happens to this coven of witches.

**Thanks to NetGalley for an free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this from start to finish. I hesitate to say it’s got an “American Gods” vibe but it does, and what’s more, nothing that bothered me about AG is in this book. Brilliant and I deeply hope there is more where this world came from.

VenCo by Cherie Dimaline was just as unputdownable as all of her previous books that I have loved and adored. I love how much Dimaline fits into her books and how atmospheric she manages to make each of her stories. This book, full of old magic and witchcraft with a more modern twist, drew me in immediately and wouldn't let me go. It seems to be the start to a series, and I can't wait to see what Dimaline gives us next.

Most of the book is from the POV of Lucky St. James, with some others woven in throughout the book which gave the story some more nuance and depth than a singular viewpoint might have offered. The pacing is slower but not in a bad way. I felt that we had a methodical build to the story that felt very intentional. Overall, I loved this one! The twist, the excellent worldbuilding, and the cast of characters were all so well-done and I can't wait to continue with whatever Cherie Dimaline comes out with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

This book had a really neat and original concept. I had trouble keeping up with what was happening at some points but was able to enjoy the book once I got back on track.

Good witchy read with conspiracies and interwoven stories of past and present witches and of course with a hot immortal witch killer trying to end them all.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC- my opinions are my own.

Lucky St. James discovers an enchanted spoon connecting her to a network of witches. VenCo is a blend of magical realism and fantasy wherein Lucky embarks on a road trip with her grandmother, pursued by an ancient witch hunter. This novel celebrates diversity and queer representation, empowering readers with its magic, resilience, and defiance against the patriarchy.

Listen this was so good. I really liked this book a lot. I thought the story was extremely creative and I love all things witchy.

The author did a wonderful job creating this world. I feel like I was sucked right in. I also really enjoyed the majority of the characters. I was definitely rooting for their well being.

Again, the whole idea of this book was so creating. To have witch craft commercialized is very unique. definitely recommend this book to just about everyone. If you don't like books about witches, well, read it anyways.

Cherie Dimaline has been on my radar for a while, so I was thrilled to get an ARC of VenCo. This book lived up to the hype. It’s a rollicking and fun read about witches, powerful women, and evil corporations fueled by dark money. I loved it and hope there’s sequel or at least a continuation with the same characters. I’ll definitely be reading Dimaline’s backlist.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

VenCo had an awesome premise and while I did enjoy it I felt like this “adult” novel was definitely more on the younger end of adult. Also, VenCo, the company this book is titled after is highly overlooked and under incorporated in the story. All in all, while this one sounded amazing in the premise it fell a little flat to me.

A young Métis woman, Lucky St. James, discovers an enchanted spoon that connects her to a network of witches. VenCo, a company run by witches, has been eagerly waiting for the seven spoons to be claimed so they can have their power restored. Lucky and her grandmother embark on a road trip of epic proportions to find the final spoon but they have to outsmart an ancient witch hunter on their tail.

I absolutely devoured this witchy tale written with humor, wit, and strength. A compelling blend of magical realism and fantasy, VENCO is an exciting approach to writing witches into the modern day. The diversity and queer representation in this novel is celebratory and beautiful to say the least. Full of magic, adventure, and female empowerment, this absolute thrill ride of a novel bites back against patriarchal oppression and religious persecution. I highly recommend for fans of witchy novels.

The writing style/narrative voice made me want to scream. This was torture and I eventually had to DNF.

On a checklist, this book should've been 5 stars from me, but I just could not get into it. I was bored and annoyed.

These are the elements that I believe will be attractive to readers who do not mind the narrative voice:

-indigenous witches
-diverse characters (including diverse ages)
-hot villian
-strong women
-magical perspectives/rules that are interesting

One would think, that based on the above list I would've enjoyed the story but I just could not. I truly tried. I can imagine this becoming a movie or limited series show and perhaps in that format I would enjoy it, but I just could not get past the writing voice.

VenCo is a beautifully written novel that is full of magic, mystery, and adventure. Dimaline's writing is lyrical and evocative, and she brings her characters to life with her deft touch. The novel is also deeply feminist, and it celebrates the power of women.

I highly recommend VenCo to anyone who loves fantasy, magic, and strong female characters. It is a truly magical and unforgettable read. Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the chance to review this advance copy. VenCo is available for purchase everywhere you buy books now!

Unfortunately this story wasn't for me. I struggles to connect with the story and characters and ended up DNFing at the % mark. I'm grateful for the opportunity to read this book and will try to pick it up again in the future to see if I can connect with it at that time,

‘VenCo’ is a fun, fast-paced family bonding story that is one part witchy scavenger hunt, one part road trip, and filled to the brim with feminine positivity. The story is not terribly complex, but the flavours of womanly empowerment, self love, and queer and trans positivity injected into the witchy context make it absolutely worth the read.

Plus it’s written by an aboriginal Canadian author about an aboriginal Canadian protagonist, which is always worth supporting.

Thank you so much to Cherie Dimaline and William Morrow publishing for the opportunity to read and advanced e-galley of ‘VenCo’ in exchange for an honest review.