I enjoyed how powerful women were and all of the different feminist critique that could be found throughout the book, However, the writing was not for me.

The Bane Witch
By: Ava Morgyn
3 stars

What an interesting read! I haven’t read this author before and was intrigued by the pretty cover and synopsis. This story drew me in immediately as we meet our main character, Piers, who fakes her own death to escape her abusive husband. Along the way we learn that Piers is apart of a witch family known as Bane Witches that has the ability to eat poisonous plants with no impact on their health and use the plants poison to eliminate dangerous and violent men. Seeking guidance and familial support, Piers is told she will be accepted into the family if she proves herself by tracking down and killing a serial killer than haas been circling the adirondacks.

What I loved was that this book started in the south and worked its way up to Upstate New York! Piers even stopped at Syracuse and notably the famous Oakwood Cemetery & walked around Syracuse University campus before catching a bus from our transportation center and heading up to the Adirondack’s! As someone who grew up here, it’s always so wild to see my city in a book!

While I really liked this book and was invested in figuring out how it would end, there was so much build up for an unsatisfying climax. There also a part where Piers eats mushrooms and has been told she cannot touch/kiss a man for a period of time or else she could accidentally kill them only for her to shortly afterwards go over and make out with her lover/the towns sheriff. I was asking myself…are we trying to kill him? Only for nothing to happen. There was also some “psychic” gifts she was given as part of her powers where she’d get flashes of information from an object/the surrounding area that played an important role in her tracking down the serial killer that was never fully explained to the reader how or why that was possible.

It was definitely a unique twists on a traditional witch story that had plenty of twists and suspenseful thrills. I love a group of women who take out bad men and this will keep you flipping the page to learn what’s going to happen next!

First and foremost, thanks so much to the publisher St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this thrilling piece in exchange for my honest review. From the start of this book it pulls you in, you are kept wanting to know and learn more. I find that the story is truly captivating with it being mystery, thriller, and fantasy. Also, who doesn’t love witches?! Piers’ journey is of a woman trying to find herself, who she really is, and who she wants to be… but with a twist. If you love witchy fiction with a strong female main character, this books is for you!

Check your trigger warnings before diving into this one, there are some scenes with domestic violence. Protect your mental health before anything :)

I enjoyed this book overall. I mean, we love a strong female lead. Then you have a strong female lead who can ingest deadly plants with no effects to hunt evil men? YES PLEASE. What a unique concept for us reader who get tired of the same cookie-cutter fantasy/romantasy stories we see over and over.

𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓂𝒾𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝒻𝓉 𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉. “𝒲𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓂𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒,” 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓈 𝓂𝑒. “𝑀𝑒𝓃 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓊𝓈.”

If you love a book that channels feminine rage in a dark fantasy setting, then you will love this one.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martian's Press for the ARC.

I loved this book! The premise of this book is a woman who finds out she is not an ordinary person but a hunter of bad men. I liked how Piers slowly came to discover the truth with the help of her Aunt Myrtle. I liked that she struggled with the ethics a little bit. But this was an excellant and on the edge of your seat book.

Bane Witch was...an interesting read. It has some heavy themes - murder, abuse, faked suicide, mercy killings.....definitely one to check the trigger warnings for. I liked the world building this did - the idea of a line of witches who ingest poison in order to remove evildoers from the world is unique, and I think was well done. I did not, however, really like Piers. I felt she was whiny and very 'woe is me' throughout the whole book, and her lack of education about her gift isn't really an excuse. There were quite a few dicy circumstances that could have been avoided, if Piers hadn't been feeling like the victim.

All in all, I enjoyed the story for what it was and if you enjoyed books like Gone Girl, you would probably enjoy this read.

Wow! Is there anything more empowering than girl power and family? In The Bane Witch, by Ava Morgan, you'll find that and more in this unputdownable, engrossing read. It's all about women looking out for the safety of other women and their little piece of world, over all. These ladies are not playing around! There's plenty of suspense & a bit of romance thrown in the mix as well.

I’ve never read a witchy psychological thriller before, but apparently that’s a thing I’ve been missing out on—because The Bane Witch absolutely delivered.

The magic system felt completely new to me, which is rare and honestly kind of thrilling. I’ve read a lot of witch books, and this one still managed to surprise me. The vibe is dark, haunting, and full of that slow, creeping dread I love in thrillers, but it’s also a story about trauma, survival, and reclaiming power.

Piers’ arc hit me in the gut. Watching her unlearn all the ways she made herself small to survive her abusive marriage—and then choose herself, her voice, her magic? Ugh. Yes. Give me more of that. There are some truly garbage men in this story (seriously, one walking red flag after another), but somehow Regis managed to be a soft place to land. He sees her. He believes her. He lets her lead. I didn’t expect to root for him, but here we are.

Also? Aunt Myrtle is a badass and I wanted way more page time with her.

Creepy, cathartic, and beautifully strange. Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—this one definitely cast a spell on me.

The Bane Witch is a dark, twisty tale of survival, female power, and the kind of magic that doesn’t ask for permission. From the very first chapter, Piers is a character who commands attention. She’s always been different—eating poisonous berries as a child and living to tell the tale—and that difference becomes a source of strength as she fakes her own death to escape a deeply abusive marriage and vanishes into a new life.

This is not a light or easy read. The book delves into heavy topics—assault, sexual trauma, suicidal ideation—and does so with sensitivity, never shying away from the pain but also never letting it define the main character entirely. What stood out to me most was Piers’ transformation. Despite her harrowing past, she grows into a resilient woman who fully embraces the strange and powerful gifts she’s carried all along.

The magic system is one of my favorite elements—earthy, eerie, and rooted in ancient female power. There’s a wildness to it that fits the tone of the story perfectly. I was also fully invested in the serial killer mystery woven throughout the narrative. It added an extra layer of suspense that kept me flipping pages late into the night.

This book has a great premise, and while some moments felt emotionally intense (and might be difficult for sensitive readers), the overall story is compelling and empowering. If you like your witchy reads on the darker side with a fierce woman reclaiming her voice and power, The Bane Witch is absolutely worth your time.

Piers Corbin has always felt the need to ingest poisonous plants that should kill her. She does not know that she comes from a long line of Bane Witches. These women purposely ingest deadly plants and use their magic to get rid of evil men. Piers has already escaped a bad marriage by faking her death and gone to live with her Aunt Myrtle.

Now, she has to learn about her unique magic and how to control it. When she finds a serial killer in the area, she has to find a way to get rid of him without causing suspicion with the local sheriff. She also has to ensure that her husband never finds out that she is alive.

Trigger Warnings

Rape, physical abuse, emotional abuse

Why Jackie loves it

This was darker than I thought it would be but gave me satisfaction that these strong women didn't take crap from anyone. I liked the fantasy element and the relationship between the flawed characters.

This book was a classic example of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” I totally thought this was going to be a lighthearted, witchy read and boy was I wrong. This book was DARK and also so well-rounded. I truly enjoyed every aspect and loved getting to know the characters. It was a well written book, which I honestly was not expecting. Loved the depth of Piers and learning about her relationships with her mother, Henry, Myrtle, and Regis. Side note: Regis is a TERRIBLE name.

The premise was unique and one I was not fully expecting. I understand Piers’ struggle with wrong vs. right and figuring out the loyalty to her family. Loved the setting and who doesn’t love a crazy serial killer added to the mix?

The Bane Witch is a rich, dark world! I know many people who would vibe with this story. It wasn't for me the whole time, but I appreciated the writing style and character development! The storyline and MCs make this book a page turner, willing to stay up to finish it in one go!

Piers has always been a been a little bit strange, eating poisonous things like pokeweed berries since she was a small child with no ill effects on her. Now, she's an adult and on the run after faking her own death to escape her husband. She runs to the mountains to hide out with her great aunt and discovers that she comes from a long line of Bane Witches, women who have a special type of magic. This magic not only makes the immune to poisonous plants, but attracts evil men to them and encourages the women to rid the world of those men. Piers shows up in the mountains at the same time as a serial killer, and its just a matter of time until she has a chance to use her Bane Witch magic.

I loved the magic system and female power in this book. This is definitely a dark read, with violence, but the storyline was intriguing and I was totally invested in the mystery of who the serial killer was. Piers was a really strong FMC and I enjoyed seeing her learn about herself, her family, and her powers. I don't read a ton of mystery/thriller types of books, so I was definitely surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the gifted copy!

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5)

The Bane Witch had a cool premise, and I went in expecting something dark, magical, and twisty. While it wasn’t terrible, it just didn’t hit the mark for me. The pacing felt uneven—some parts dragged while others rushed by—and I never quite connected with the main character the way I wanted to. The world-building had potential, but it left me with more questions than answers. It wasn’t a bad read, just kind of underwhelming. If you're looking for something to pass the time, it might work for you, but it wasn’t what I was hoping for.

I just finished The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn and here are my thoughts on it.

Piers has no idea she’s a witch and when she flees her abusive husband and accidently kills a man when he kisses her… She knows she has to find out what is going on and a cryptic clue from her aunt years ago means finding her aunt to find out the truth…

Genre - Fantasy Thriller
Date of Release - March 18th 2025
Publisher - @stmartinspress

Don’t let the cover fool you. This book is dark AF! I devoured it. Piers is afraid. Her husband is getting worse. She has this need to eat things she is not supposed to and she’s never felt normal.. that’s because she isn’t. She has no aversion to poisonous plants and there is a reason why but I won’t spoil it.

There is so much evil in this book. Abusive men… a serial killer.. so I would check the triggers before reading. I really felt for Piers. Her mother kept the truth from her and has had no one in her life and then finding out she’s a witch isn’t exactly good news.

I loved the story. It was well written with so much depth. I was sucked right into the story. It had a really strange pace, it was slow but it didn’t feel slow if that makes sense.

I loved it. It had everything a book needs!

5 stars.

A very unique, suspenseful, and intriguing story. I liked the paranormal and mystery-thriller elements involved in this story. There were parts that I liked, but I struggled with staying in the story.

I walked into this book blind and it was full of surprises! Piers is a bane witch, a witch who ingests poison, and a bit of a vigilante at that. She escapes her ex and goes to live with a relative, all the while rubbing elbows with law enforcement and trying so hard to hide her body count--the murdered kind and not the boudoir variety (although, there was some of that, too)! Throw in a serial killer whose identity I did not see coming, and this was a paranormal thriller not to be missed!

Unfortunately this was a miss for me, and I ended up DNFing around 50%. I found myself unable to be invested in Piers's story, but I can absolutely understand why so many others fell in love with this one. I think the concept of the poisons is an interesting one, so if the premise caught your eye and you love witchy paranormal stories, definitely check this one out.

3.5. Piers has known she’s different since she was five years old. She’s now a married adult and her husband’s dark desires have pushed her to fake her own death and escape. She runs to her estranged aunt who helps her discover her family history. She’s a poison eater, a Bane Witch. While she learns about the long line of witches she comes from, she worries that her sadistic husband will find where she’s hiding.

This book started off so strong. I was keyed up for a solid five star read. The beginning was suspenseful, dark, and completely gripping. At some point towards the middle, I realized that I had lost interest. I can pinpoint it to the way this author writes dialogue. It completely took me out of the story. It would be an extremely high stakes situation and one character would say something similar to how dangerous the FMC’s idea was and to consider not doing it. The FMC would say she has to follow through. And the character would be like “ok” no push back, no real conversation happening it just sounded so unrealistic and was a constant occurrence specifically towards the end. It felt like I was reading two different books. The premise was such a cool idea and I still recommend to read it if this is your thing I just couldn’t get past that part for some reason and it took my rating down.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ava Morgyn, and St Martin’s Press for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on March 18th.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book

This was a really interesting and different read for me. At first, I wasn’t sure where the “witchy” part came in, but it started to make sense after a few chapters. This was my first book by this author, and I really liked her writing style.

Just a heads-up—there are themes of an abusive relationship, so check for triggers.

I didn’t always connect with Piers, but overall I was pleasantly surprised and would definitely read more from this author.