I am obsessed with this book!!

This had me hooked from page one. I couldn’t put it down. It’s been a long time since I was so into a book.

Young witch Willow has been raised as a tool for revenge against the Coven who took her aunt's life and vows to protect her younger brother Ash from suffering the same fate. When she is forced to attend the prestigious magical Hollow's Grove University, she both despises and lusts after the evil headmaster Alaric Greyson Thorne. The school is filled with dark secrets that Willow must discover in order to stay alive and avenge her family.

I'm certain there will be a a large audience for this book, unfortunately that didn't include me. The spicy scenes were done fairly well, and I did like the FMC's magical powers, but the world building was so minimal; the characters were not really developed beyond having instant lust for each other. It just seemed like every popular trope was thrown in without turning it all into a cohesive or interesting story, and then sprinkled with shocking dark romance elements.

Thank you to Tor Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC to review!

Oh goodness me, what a spicy witchy book! I have to say, I was only really invested during the back half of this book, around the 60% mark, but after that? I could not put it down. It was definitely an action-packed urban fantasy with witches, prophecies, murder, and more, but I think it could've been fleshed out a lot more.

I really loved Willow as an FMC; she was strong, resilient, witty, powerful and if the book was entirely in her POV I think I would have enjoyed it more. Knowing the reveal at the end, I do not think it was the right choice to also have Gray's POV in there. It jut feels like his reveal was pulled out of nowhere, and since we did get his perspective, it feels disingenuine for him not to have shown any signs throughout the book (does that make sense? idk).

I loved the reveal at the end, don't get me wrong, I think it was a great way to wend the book, I wish we could've had more substance getting to it. The book is short, and the pacing felt all over the place, slow then fast. I liked the smut, I liked the mythology, and the lore, which is why I wish there were more of it!

Because I'm a nosy son of a bitch and have to know what happens, I will read the second book! I'm hoping the pacing is a lot better!

I definitely think there is an audience for this and I think the world building was a little bit stronger than in other dark fantasies I've read. Unfortunately I couldn't get behind Willow and Ash, but totally support people who want a dark academia.

I liked the premise of this book but I had a hard time with the characters. There wasn't much, to me, that was likable about Willow or Gray. She hate what the coven has become and what she must do for her father's family, yet I never see her do anything to find a workaround to her situation. Gray is this vessel who is hate chasing after Willow and it attracted to her but we never get the why. There has to be some reason either of them is drawn to the other, especially if readers are supposed to believe this couple is who we should be backing.

The twist at the end was unexpected and left me wondering what I had missed in this book to not see this coming.

I have enjoyed other books by this author, but this book/series just wasn't for me.

Characters: ★★☆☆☆

Plot Progression: ★★☆☆☆

Writing Style: ★★☆☆☆

Memorability: ★★★☆☆

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Overall: ★★☆☆☆

Thoughts: Meh

You'll Like This If You're Into:
* Dark fantasy with a twist
* Age gap romance
* Intriguing world-building with witches and vampires
* Fast-paced narratives with a touch of mystery
* Dark academia vibes

You Won't Like This If:
* You prefer slow-burn romance over insta-lust
* Unsettling power dynamics make you uncomfortable
* Inconsistent plot progression and world-building frustrate you
* Lack of depth in characters and magic systems is a deal-breaker
* Questionable practices and themes of manipulation in a school setting disturb you

Review:
Buckle up, fellow bookworms, because "The Coven" takes you on a rollercoaster ride through a world where dark fantasy meets age gaps, witches, and vessels (aka vampires), but unfortunately falls short on execution.

Let's start with the good stuff. The initial setup is intriguing, with the protagonist's connection to the earth and the promise of necromancy adding a twisted layer to the narrative. However, any excitement soon fizzles out as the story plunges into a whirlwind of insta-lust and forced proximity between the main characters, Willow and Gray.
While the spice is well-written, it's one of the few highlights in an otherwise inconsistent tale. The plot jumps erratically from point A to point D, leaving important threads dangling and characters like Willow's brother forgotten along the way. The lack of depth in both characters and magic system adds to the disappointment, making it difficult to stay engaged.

But let's address the ✨elephant✨ in the room: Gray, the headmaster whose behavior borders on predatory. The uncomfortable dynamics between him and Willow, coupled with the school's questionable practices, leave a sour taste that even the most intriguing world-building elements can't wash away.

Despite glimpses of potential, this read ultimately falls short of its promise. While some readers may find enjoyment in its dark academia vibes and murder mystery subplot, others will be left scratching their heads and wondering what went wrong.

The Coven is a mixed bag that may appeal to some but will leave many others feeling underwhelmed and, dare I say it, slightly traumatized. Approach with caution, and don't say I didn't warn you.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a review eCopy.

2.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Coven delves into a world where magic and duty collide, painting a vivid picture of a young, female protagonist caught between her family's legacy and her desire to protect her brother. Set against the backdrop of Hollow's Grove University, a haven for magic practitioners, The Coven of Bones series follows Willow’s journey as she navigates a society fraught with secrets, ancient vendettas, and one very dangerous headmaster.

This book and world had so much potential, but I found myself unable to connect with it. I was looking for a dark academia moment but often found myself forgetting that the characters were at a university. It just sort of fell into the background along with everything else except for the instalove-esque sexual tension between Gray and Willow. Even then, I didn’t feel any real chemistry between them. I really enjoyed the scenes that detail Willow’s earth magic and wish we would have seen more of it. More plot in general would have made a big difference. Not my favorite but might be a good choice for dark romance readers.

Wow, this book was such a journey. It just checked off all my favourite things in a romantasy and throwing in the dark academia just made it even better.

I love absolutely love morally grey characters and Alaric Grayson Thorne was exactly what I needed. He's so broody, powerful, ruthless, and most importantly hot.

The tension between the him and Willow was steamy and the spice was everything. Also, the banter? Top notch.

Willow was a terrific fmc for this book. She was so bad ass and snarky and the strength she has is admirable. She's just a fearless Queen and I'm obsessed with her.

Overall, this was such a fantastic dark romantasy book to read and I'm thoroughly looking forward to the next book!

I absolutely ate this up. The premise had me gripped from page one. We love a magic school and a FMC who’s the only remaining heir to a powerful line of witches. Our FMC is truly one of a kind and incredibly strong, and her love for her brother gave me all the warm and fuzzy feelings.
Grey is everything I want in a possessive vampire headmaster and I am so intrigued by him!
The spice is great too. I won’t lie, there’s just something about the whole him feeding on her thing that is super hot. Plus the blood sharing that also allows him to keep track of her? Love that trope.
A truly enjoyable read from start to finish for me.

And that ending? Literally dying for book two.

Finished in a couple days. I love how fast paced and entertaining this one was. Gray is dark and takes what he wants while Willow is sassy and has no problem saying what’s on her mind while trying to figure out who she is and accept it. I loved their dynamic and the twist at the end. It was kind of expected about halfway through, but it was executed well. A nice change of pace from the fae romantasy I’ve been reading lol. Ready to start book two asap!

Thank you so much for this ARC!

This was a mid read for me. I didn’t necessarily feel connected to the world as it lacked world building for me and the student/teacher trope is not my favorite & I had a slight ick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

The author of this book is simply amazing. Her writing always manages to pull me out of a reading slump. The book, The Coven, is reminiscent of What Lies Beyond the Veil but still works to maintain originality. The way she started this series was absolutely brilliant. From the very beginning, my attention was captivated, and I couldn't put it down. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved this book. It's so different from what I usually read, but it's now one of my favorites. I miss Gray so much already, and I can't wait to be summoned back into their world. Four of five strong stars for me!

This book was so so good, I absolutely cannot wait until I can read the next one. Thank you for the early copy!

Harper is an auto read author!

I absolutely loved this book. The plot, characters, world building… nothing fell short. I cannot explain my newfound love for this series. The main characters were incredible.

"If you ever touch me, l'Il be sure to think of anyone but you. I won't be able to enjoy it otherwise," she said.
"Then be sure to scream his name for me. I'd like to know who I need to hunt down the next time I'm hungry," I whispered

The tension was undeniable, I was holding my phone for dear life reading this book. Alaric and Willow are everything, can’t wait to read what’s next for this series!!

This book was. so. freaking. COOL! I had such a fun time reading this, and I was entranced the whole time. Gray, the deliciously morally grey (definitely more on the bad side) MMC, was awesome to read. He was snarky and just hot. Willow was a cool FMC with a lot of layers--you know, a badass but has a soft side. It definitely had vibes of Harper's other work, What Lies Beyond the Veil, while also entirely feeling like its own thing. This book felt original as hell, and I was living for everything that happened (even the end because I'm a bitch who loves drama). I love Willow and Gray's relationship, and I am supremely eager for the next book. Like, I need it in my grubby little hands soon!

This one was hard for me to get into. I appreciated the content warnings at the beginning of the book. I think this might not be for everyone but it was compelling.

This book follows Willow, who returns to a school for witchcraft, one that her mother fled from over two decades earlier. While trying to unravel the mysteries from her mother's past, she encounters other secrets of the covenant of witches who run the school, along with the Headmaster, Gray.. My favorite part of this book was reading how Willow uses her magic within nature.

This is a suspenseful and fast-paced read for mature audience. I would caution any reader to preview the content warnings given by the author before reading.

Thank you to Harper L Woods, NetGalley, and Tor Publishing Group for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Vampires, witches and spice, oh my! Sibling love born out of a revengeful act set in motion by a powerful father. Willow is trained by her father and really all she wants to do is protect the ones she loves!

This was such a creepy gothic atmospheric read! I really enjoyed these characters as they were strong in their respective ways and played the perfect roles! I actually really liked it when Willow used her magic and had connection with nature. The author did a great job describing those scenes because I could envision it all very vividly! Alaric on the other hand was very broody and let’s just say demanding. 🌶️ This book had much more spice than I am used to (usually in reading about serial killers) but I will say I didn’t mind it! The tension and chemistry between the Alaric and Willow is quite steamy! 👀 That’s about all I’ll say on that topic 😂 I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Myth:

The first page that put Willow “on screen” had me in a chokehold. She had a determination that you couldn’t look away from. It also helped that she was a total badass with a take-no-shit attitude. Grey’s perspective was captivating, as was his fixation on Willow.

Magic:

Witches of different bloodlines carry different powers. Many are elemental, with a few more metaphysical. Also, expect demons/vampire-like characters and a dash of a werewolf.

Overall:

I was quickly sucked into this one, and the ending is a big old cliffhanger, so I picked up book two immediately.

This one was a disappointment.

The Good:
- Spicy scenes were well done without being too crude.
- The magic of the FMC was really cool.

The Bad:
- FMC forgets she has a brother even though that's all she talked about at the beginning.
- It was insta-love between teacher and student. The whole time the book was mentioning how it was not appropriate but they didn't try to hide anything!
- It was predictable.
- The MMC is a terrible terrible character/supernatural being. (yes we are warned at the beginning but nothing prepares you for how truly terrible).
- It was all over the place.