This story was an exhilarating read from start to finish! The premise was unique and immediately drew me in, reminiscent of the suspenseful twists of Gone Girl combined with the enchanting elements of Practical Magic, and a touch of Poison Ivy’s fierce spirit from Batman. The author masterfully crafted a plot that kept me on edge, especially as it built toward the climactic conclusion.

The pacing was perfect, with every chapter pulling me deeper into the tangled web of intrigue. My heart was racing when I reached the final act, and I found myself gripping my Kindle in anticipation. Emil did something so infuriating to me in the final act that I wanted to punch him (if you know, you know!).

What I appreciated most was the empowering narrative of a woman’s journey to reclaim control and seek justice. It was a thrilling ride filled with drama, surprises and a deeply satisfying sense of vengeance. This book was an absolute joy to read, and I’m genuinely sad it’s over. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a gripping, revenge-driven story. I absolutely adored it!

I wasn’t expecting to like this so much.

I was expecting a lighthearted typical type of witchy book. More atmospheric than enticing.

But I was wrong. It was both of those things, dark and intense, while also exploring deep topics like abuse, death, grief. I will say there are trigger warnings because it can be intense at times but it made the characters feel even more real for me

The book was very original and a unique World building was intricate, plot was exciting and had no dull points.

But my favorite part was the character development, Piers is such a well rounded character. She deals with understanding her identity after finding out she is a witch having been aware of it before.

The magic system and coven as a whole was not generic and really creative

I honestly don’t have anything bad to say about the book personally but I can say it is dark and emotionally intense so just go into it aware of that

It's fascinating to follow Piers Corbin as she navigates a toxic world and sinister secrets. Her story is one of perseverance and self-discovery, spanning from a terrible childhood accident to a turbulent marriage and escape. She finds a history of Bane Witches—women who battle evil with lethal plants—after reestablishing contact with her estranged aunt, striking a balance between suspense and deep character development.

What can I say… I’m in my Witchy Era. This one was so perfect and I found it hard to put down. Early reviews were right, for fans of Gone Girl this one should be added to your tbr.

Piers leaves an abusive relationship to find that she ultimately has the power to save many women like herself. Her journey is powerful.

Rating 4.5 stars

I went into this novel with no expectations whatsoever as I have never read of Ava Morgyn’s works before, and I was very satisfied with The Bane Witch being my first impression. I nearly immediately fell in love with the prose and imagery Morgyn used to tell this story of retribution against violent men.

We follow the main character Piers on her plan to leave her abusive husband by faking her suicide. After she reconnects with a distant relative Piers learns that her heritage is a lot more complex than she had originally believed. I thought the beginning was a little choppy and info dump-y with Piers’ actions and flashbacks going back and forth, which made following along with the narrative a little difficult. Other than that, I have no complaints about the pacing or exposition except for it feeling a little predictable at times.

The magic system is unlike any I’ve ever encountered before and I think it was so creative and interesting. Witches who consume poisonous plants in order to kill men who abuse women is just such a compelling concept for a novel and I loved it. I think Piers’ acceptance and personal development in regard to her newfound powers was explored well and felt realistic — regardless that it’s an at all legitimate possibility.

Overall this was a good read. I wouldn’t say I necessarily enjoyed reading it due to some of the content, but definitely a beautifully written story of a woman killing rapists which is something I can totally get behind.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Bane Witch is a contemporary fantasy about bane witches and the men they hunt. There's always something gratifying about watching a woman go from victim to fearless hunter. I guess maybe because some of us wish we could make that transformation!

After Piers fakes her death to escape her abusive husband, she runs to her aunt who reveals her secret heritage as a bane witch. Piers has to cement her place among her family as well as survive the dangerous men who come for her. It was a relief to see good men in this book too. Men who helped Piers and suffered from their family being put in situations like hers with dangerous men, pushing home how abusive people hurt everyone and how the justice system can fail. Those are the issues that this book wrestles with and explores while keeping tensions high.

If you like darker contemporary stories about women getting revenge and enforcing their own brand of justice on the world, then this is the book for you.

Piers fakes her own death to escape an abusive husband and heads off in search of her Aunt Myrtle, where she learns an unbelievable family secret about her attraction to poisonous things. Fascinating!

The Bane Witch is my first book by Ava Morgyn and I can’t wait to read more by her! This was amazing and went places I did not expect them to go. The writing was wonderful and wasn’t to hard to follow. The imagery was amazing and I could see everything that was happening! Please go buy this when it comes out! 10 🌸 out of 5 🌸

What an unexpected witchy vigilante story!! This book caught me completely off guard but in a really good way and I very much enjoyed this one.

This book starts off strong and deep! I did not expect this book to have so many sensitive topics come at you within the first couple of chapters but they did and they hit hard. I think I had different expectations based on the cover and blurb that this was going to be a more cozy, maybe whimsical fierce witchy story and while it was a fire we witchy story, this book is more about the revenge and comeback of a witch who has suffered trauma.

The world building and characters were well fleshed out and I loved the FMC Piers. This has elements of a darker version of Practical Magic meets Gone Girl. The backdrop in the spooky forest was perfect and it’s only a shame it doesn’t come out during the spooky autumn season as it would be the perfect read for that vibe.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world building was very intricate, sometimes a little hard to follow but overall added to the whole story. I loved the whole basis of the Bane Witch venery and I appreciate the little blurb from Aunt Myrtle on the origins because I was definitely curious about it. The magic is original, the suspense is well done, and the twists and turns had me staying up past my bedtime to get through a couple more chapters.
Each character was easy to understand, although I will say the main character Piers/Acacia has her flaws for sure- she, at times, felt very immature and almost whiny, and I wished that the way her character was set up from the beginning (resourceful, smart, resilient) was a trend throughout her story. It didn’t feel that way at times. However, I loved how each family member of the Bane Witch’s was described. Very well done overall.
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins press for access to this arc. The Bane Witch is expected to publish March 18, 2025.

3.75/5✨

Bane Witch

📖 via E Arc

I’d like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy before release.

Practical magic meets gone girl.

She’s a vigilante witch. It’s a thriller full of feminine rage, forbidden passions, and dark magic.

I mean what else could you want. It’s got it all wrapped up into one!

What a wild ride! This book was nothing like I expected! In a good way! I confess, I meant to read it in October (witches, after all) but didn't get it in queue until November. What a good addition to my autumn reads! Piers is such a powerful character - reminding me of Agatha from Marvel's Agatha All Along. The story, though, is much more thriller in nature, which was an entertaining surprise.

Calling all practical magic lovers! All the thrill and all the spark are wrapped up in this one for your Halloween fill. This one is a must for your collection. Captivating characters and a beautiful setting the writing in this one will grip you.

This was a wonderfully dark and twisty tale. I love the way everything was set up to fall together in an intricate web of storytelling.

Unfortunately just not for me. I think others will definitely love this story, but it wasn't for me. I liked the idea upon reading the synopsis, but as I was reading I found myself not caring about the characters.

📚 Book Review 📚

Title: The Bane Witch - Ava Morgen
Release date: March 18, 2025.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely loved The Bane Witch! It offers such a fresh take on magic, with poison as a power and a storyline that dives into justice for women in a fascinating way. The concept of using this power on men who've wronged women is like a calling—a responsibility the main character must complete with a vengeance.

The subplots are rich with tension and keep you hooked as they build. The main character’s journey is intense; you can feel her anxiety and the way her powers draw in all the wrong men, almost like a dark magnet. This adds to the suspense and makes you eager to see how things unfold.

The writing style is clear and engaging, and the dialogues pack in just the right amount of detail to keep you immersed in the story. The ending felt a bit rushed though, compared to the steady buildup of the rest of the book—I’d have loved a few more pauses to savor the climax. Overall- I do recommend this book

If you want to read about vigilante witches who cater to female justice along with a murder mystery then The Bane Witch is for you.

Thank you @netgalley for granting me this eARC to read. ☺️

*Just an fyi - there is numerous trigger warnings *

eARC received from the publisher and NetGalley

Trigger Warning: Graphic descriptions of sexual assault (esp. including strangulation), domestic violence (up to and including premeditated murder)

Piers is fleeing from her abusive marriage - her husband is the literal definition of a piece of shit. She knows that she doesn't have the resources for divorce (given that her husband controls all assets, all communications, and her whereabouts) and that if she were to flee to a women's shelter, her husband (and his powerful allies) would just come and take her back. In desperation, Piers fakes her own death - partially to frame her husband before he can hurt other women and so her husband can't come looking for her.

I was really drawn into the beginning of The Bane Witch. Morgyn writes Piers with such a rich voice. There's an excellent attention to detail and an all-encompassing view of her situation. Pier knows that every detail needs to be perfect for her husband to not come looking for her. She also knows that her husband is beyond saving and that her situation is catastrophic. The novel does discuss how difficult it is for people in domestic violence situations to leave their partners, but Piers is resigned to the fact that her life as Piers is over. To see Piers' capabilities and know that she is still a component and smart woman, no matter how much her husband told her she wasn't, was an excellent introduction to Piers' character.

Morgyn also draws in and interweaves the magical portion of the story incredibly well. The reader sees how Piers uses her power accidentally, how it has shaped her childhood and her past, and how her powers are used by others who have them. The environment that is created at Aunt Myrtle's cafe is a wonderfully beautiful space for healing. Piers is done blindly following rules and letting people dictate her actions. This leads to an incredibly in-depth and thought provoking section on the actions of the bane witches. I know some books say "magic powers, don't worry about the ethics", but Piers takes time to examine the ethics, the options, and the reality of the situation.

I really liked the first two thirds of The Bane Witch. Unfortunately, I felt that the last third lost some of that distinct and unique voice that drew me into the first chapters. I don't know if this was an authorial stylistic choice - to reflect that the tension was higher so there was less thinking going around or that Piers' magical powers altered her mind. I found it really jarring as this woman who meticulously plans her own death and how to frame her husband makes more and more stupid choices. I couldn't find an in-text justification for her actions in the last quarter, which made the many moving parts seem like a jigsaw puzzle that was forced together.

I'm going to continue to pick up every book about women who commit crimes to fix the world, I'm just not sure that I'm going to recommend the Bane Witch to scratch that itch.

Why did I spend all night reading this? I will blame this book for my messy sleeping schedule today! Haha
Gosh- such a great Fall read (whoops got this as an ARC and I guess it’s not out until March) HOWEVER- this would be a perfect gloomy day, chilly night perhaps, going camping or out in nature book. A ‘are you feeling witchy’ vibe book.

I’m sleep deprived atm and I feel like I won’t make its contents justice 😂 BUT I didn’t not want to give it my 5 star rating! (Technically 4.5 rounded to 5) but I will come back and go more in depth about the actual story line (once I have slept just a bit)

4.5 rounded up

I was 83% of the way through this book and completely engrossed when I posted on my Instagram stories and tagged the author blaming her for making me want to put off adult things in favor of finishing her book. It sparked a quick little chat about how she was #sorrynotsorry LOL and it’s okay because I wasn’t sorry either. Needless to say, I rushed through my adulting for the day and immediately picked it back up and finished it.

After reading The Witches of Bone Hill, which I loved, I was excited to get an eARC of this one. It did not disappoint, I loved this book! It’s dark and atmospheric and while it isn’t due to publish until March, it was the perfect mood read for me this October.

I loved Piers’ strength and growth throughout the story. I loved the family bond she had with her aunt and the tenuous new bonds she forms with other family. I liked the touch of romance added to the story but loved that it wasn’t the focus.

I loved the whole concept of a group of vigilante witches (called the venery, which means the practice or sport of hunting, very appropriate) set on ridding the world of the human monsters that walk among us. I loved the magic and how it was fed and how it worked. It was an interesting and imaginative concept. I loved the dark setting and mood. Total Practical Magic vibes with a touch of Dexter.

I loved that while some of the worst examples of men were shown in this story, there were plenty examples of the best too. It’s about balance. While I wouldn’t classify this necessarily as a horror novel, I would say it is horror-adjacent due to some of the graphic descriptions, so be aware of that if you’re sensitive to such things.

Speaking of sensitivity, trigger warnings include domestic violence and sexual assault (attempted on page plus some off page SA).

I was absolutely engrossed in the story the whole way through. Morgan has such a way of writing her settings, characters, and story that it’s a guaranteed good read every time. I can’t wait to get a physical copy in March!

Please see below for my review. I will include a the book description in my post on IG. This review will be posted the week of 11/11 and I will add links for both Goodreads and IG to NetGalley after it goes live.

REVIEW:
As I mentioned in my October wrap-up, this book was the perfect read to close out Spooky season with. It epically creeped me out and I enjoyed this book immensely. Piers, the FMC is in a horrifically abusive marriage and she has to fake her death to escape her deranged husband. She heads North to the only family she has left and learns about her family’s secret legacy. They are Bane Witches. Bane Witches are blessed with a magical ability that allows them to ingest poisonous plants with no ill effects and hunt evil men.

This book is really dark and intense. It reads like a suspenseful thriller with magical fantasy elements thrown throughout. The magical lore in this book was incredible. The author does a great job explaining Bane Witches and the history behind their magic. I devoured this book in two nights. It has such a unique original concept around it and I am hoping that we may get more stories from characters that were introduced in this novel. I also really enjoyed the character growth we see in Piers.

As a side note, I am hoping the publisher puts trigger warnings in this book. I would recommend if you are sensitive to anything you look into them prior to reading. There are a lot of reviews on Goodreads that details them out. One of the main ones in this book is domestic abuse. It goes into details about the psychological and physical abuse that Piers experienced.

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for gifting me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.