Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for my ARC of this book.

Really wanted to like this but just couldn't relate to the characters and the writing felt a bit stilted and off

3/5

This book gripped me from the start! The writing was so atmospheric and dark, and the tension hit so right!

The magic system was so interesting, and I really liked how different families had different abilities. My favourite parts of the book are when willow is experimenting with her abilities. Reading about how she connected to the world was beautiful and I could read a whole book about just that!

I really enjoy any books that have a magical academy and even better when there are twists and turns that you don’t even see coming! Grey, the headmaster, was so dark and brooding and I couldn’t help but fall for him. He isn’t morally grey, he is morally black and I hated and loved him in the same breath! Nothing better than a forbidden romance with enemies to lovers entwined 😍

I read this whole book in one sitting, and the last 20% of the book had me hooked. By the time I had finished the book I was an absolute mess! The world building was a lot, but so, so worth it! Nothing better than a witchy book with vampires 🥰

Thankyou so much to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me this arc in return for an honest review.

The Coven follows Willow, a young woman trained as her father's weapon against a powerful Coven that took his sister and birthright. To protect her brother, she enrols at Hollow’s Grove University, a secretive magical school in Crystal Hollow. Despite the freedom from human judgment, she faces hostility from the enigmatic Headmaster, Alaric Grayson Thorne, with whom she shares a deep mutual disdain. As dark secrets about a past massacre and the return of the mysterious Thirteen students surface, the dangers at the school grow, threatening everyone involved.

This was quite a short book, and a lot of the plot was essentially the relationship between Willow and Gray. Because the book wasn't long enough to build a proper relationship for me, and because there wasn't much else in the plot, I couldn't really connect to the characters or get invested in the story. When it comes to paranormal romances, I like a more balanced mix of plot and romance. Had it been longer and had more depth (such as more worldbuilding, the school setting actually contributing something to the story or more chance for Willow to form proper relationships with anyone at the school, not just Gray) I would have rated this higher. I just think there's only so much you can do within 284 pages when the focus is on the lust between the two main characters.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

This novel gave me exactly what I was expecting, and I don't think that's a bad thing. Witchcraft, demons, conspiracies and a healthy amount of decent spice.

Some backstory questions were left unanswered, which I assume may be covered in the sequel? Would read...

The storyline of this novel is quite similar to What Lies Beyond the Veil but only with witchcraft - but I didn't hate that (and actually I much preferred this to WLBTV). Willow is much more likeable as a character IMO - less oblivious and stronger minded.

I picked this up because I really enjoyed the Author’s Of Flesh & Bone series. She’s very good at writing deeply morally grey characters that do truly heinous things but you grow to like/love?

I’m going to give this 3.25 stars because I have mixed feelings about different aspects of the book.
* I enjoyed the plot and storyline for this series. It starts of well and builds. I felt with the pacing. The ending is a little convoluted but makes sense with the twists and final reveal. There are some plot holes - the whole thing with the devil’s eye in her dream and whoever was killing the witches.
* The character development is interesting. As I mentioned the author likes morally grey characters which I tend to enjoy but some of them are more black than grey. She essentially develops her own moral code that we just have to accept. Apparently there were some trigger warnings in the beginning that I missed but be warned the characters do some really horribly evil shit.
* There are some dubious things that happen that made me feel icky - I don’t love that pretty early on we establish this centuries old vampire/vessel is lusting over a teenage girl but then it’s quickly established she’s not a “child” because she’s 20. However all the other kids taken to the school are 16. Makes the dynamics between the vessels and witches icky especially with the reaping. There is also a dub con scene - which some people like but I find very uncomfortable and not at all sexy.
* The world building could do with a little more work - we get a really detailed explanation of the witches powers elements in the beginning(all 13 of them) but really only see 2 at play and 2 others mentioned in any capacity. The vampires/vessels being demons given a human like body was an interesting twist.

All in - it was an interesting read that found problematic in parts but I finished in one sitting, and I will definitely be reading the 2nd book.

I ADORED this book!

I knew from the blurb that this would be one I'd enjoy. The story is a beautifully dark culmination of everything I love in a fantasy - vampires/demons, witches, romance & lust (and some delicious spice), betrayal and morally grey characters. I enjoyed it so much I bought the US special edition hardback so it has a place on my bookshelf.

The Coven follows Willow as she's forcibly enrolled into an academy for witches. She's the last in a family line of witches and has secrets that she can't afford to reveal. Witches and Vessels (they read like Vampires) must co-exist due to agreements made in the past, though their existence is by no means harmonious. Willow's lifetime of training has lead her to this moment and she must do what her father expects of her, including seducing the Headmaster, the Vessel known as Gray.

This was such an easy read. I really liked the writing style - it was clear, to the point, but it didn't lack emotion or depth. There's dual POV which worked really well. I enjoyed being able to see things from Gray's perspective, as well as Willow's.

There's not tonnes of world-building, but it's not really necessary. The characters are well-developed and I feel the focus is more on them. It's not a huge book, so any more world-building would have been too much.

The ENDING!!! Again, I've ordered the US edition of the sequel. There's no way I can wait to see how the story continues, and, ultimately, ends. I thought the way The Coven concluded was really good, I honestly wasn't expecting what happened. I loved how we saw how the vampires (Vessels) linked specifically to Hell and Him.

My only criticism was I managed to finish it really quickly and I would have happily had another 200 pages to read.

I'd really recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a dark fantasy or dark romance - check the trigger warnings before reading 🖤

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an honest review.

Pros: Willow’s characterisation
The flowing prose
Part of the setting and mood.

Room for improvement:

To simply put, not what I expected. The pacing is - in a way - good, as we cut to the chase, and this is a quick read, but I wanted 20-30% more world building, character intro and back stories.

And without some tropes repeated, this would have been a more nuanced and fresh story.

I am a bit torn about the finale as well, but in general I favour it more than I dislike it.

I was not expecting that!!

This is a gothic, dark academia with magic. It's dark and mysterious keeping you guessing what will happen next. There is an element of enemies to lovers and slow burn romance where you don't fully trust either side. Told in dual POV you get to see their inner thoughts.

This ends on a cliffhanger and I am itching to get my hands on the next installment.

Please ensure you read the trigger warnings before reading.

Willows powers were the only part of this book I liked.

There was little character development and the ending was annoying. If we only had Willows POV I could understand the ending, but we also had Grays POV so why wasn't there more foreshadowing.

This was a fast read but not really worth it. There wasn't much of a story, the world building is minimal and both the 🌶️ and certain revelations were just flung about and then too quickly moved on from.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a fascinating magic system that Harper L Woods creates. Witches are categorised according to their magic affiliation by colour. Black witches are necromancers, white witches use crystals, green witches work with the earth, and white witches have life magic. These old witches from the original families are the "leaders" of the coven; they also oversee the academy, which teaches other witches with extraordinary power or the next generation of these families' descendants. Similar to vampires, vessels are demons in the form of flesh who must drink the blood of witches in order to survive.
This book is for you if you're looking for a dark paranormal romance with gothic overtones in a setting of gloomy academia and a male lead that transcends the usual morally grey antihero who is actually the villain.

This was the perfect book to start off my spooky season. It's got all the vibes I love - witches, demons, dark academia, spice!
It wasn't perfect; I did need a little bit of time to wrap my head around the plot, and the relationship between the two leads was a little lacking.
That being said, I am definitely getting book 2 as I want to stay in this world longer and see how the story ends!

I loved this one! Especially the characters Willa and Gray kept me hooked and you got a lot of plot twists I didn’t see coming which made it quite the fast read for me. The atmosphere of dark academia, witches and vampires is well fleshed out and it was fun to read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the ARC

A fantasy dark academia with witches and vampires and all deliciousness. The story and the characters were so captivating! I loved the school setting and the dark atmosphere. It was sexy, spicy and fun. Both the world and the characters were so well-fleshed out. I had a great time reading it and can't wait for the sequel!

This was an absolute incredible book that delves deep into the realm of magic and mystery. As a fan of supernatural fiction, this book exceeded all my expectations and left me utterly captivated. It had amazing character development, tense scenes and the mesmerizing plot twists that kept me completely hooked from start to finish.

Willow was my favourite, she was strong and funny, and despite what she went through she still held her head high. I also really liked Gray, the headmaster, he was amusing and bold, the kind of character you love to hate (but do you really hate him?)

From the suspenseful storyline to the richly crafted world of magic, The Coven is a book that will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished reading. I was shocked at revelations, trying to figure things out, and the ending!! I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW, like right now, do I really have to wait 😭

It’s an amazing witchy book, with chemistry, some of my favourite tropes and it’s just completely addicting.

I had no idea what I was going into with this one and I’m so glad that was the case. I ate this book up as quickly as I could.

When you think the story is going one way, there is another twist and then another. It’s been a long time since a book has kept me so hooked. I loved the chemistry between Willow and Gray. The way they navigated each other was brilliantly.

What really got me was how much of a strong FMC Willow is and it’s nice to see a curvy girl being represented. I wish I was like her at 20. Being so brave and strong.

I want to jump straight into the second book of this series now and I’m annoyed I can’t.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Blurb: Willow was groomed by her father to tear down the Witch Coven that deprived him of his sister and rightful inheritance, with the hopes to shield her younger brother from the same fate. This responsibility leads Willow to the hidden town in Salem known as Crystal Hollow, home to the esteemed Crystal Hollow University where aspiring Witches hone their magical skills without fear of human scrutiny. Juggling her role as the weapon her father moulded her to be, Willow navigates through hidden truths and clashes with the Coven's strict Witchcraft regulations. Adding to her challenges is the enigmatic and vexing Headmaster Alaric Grayson Thorne, presenting the ultimate trial for Willow's mission.

Characters: I liked these characters, but I really wish we had more focus on the side characters. The story heavily revolves around the main female and male characters, with minimal exploration of other students, Coven Members, and demons. If we had sightly more development and insight to both of these characters, I definitely would have felt more attachment.

Romance: For anyone who doesn’t enjoy Insta-Lust, this is not going to be for you. The Forbidden Romance between a demon and a witch, along with the Age Gap, completely captivated me when it came to Willow and Gray. We also get a LOT of the ‘Touch her and Die’ which is one of my favourite Tropes of all time. The added element of Gray's Obsession, coupled with their constant bickering and banter, kept me hooked from start to finish. I would have loved a little more complexity, however, this book was barely 300 pages. The romance was also my favourite aspect of this book.

Plot: This was a significant disappointment for me, and it saddens me because there is great potential for this to be an amazing story! I was unable to overlook how convoluted the plot became in the middle of the book, with crucial elements and revelations appearing abruptly in just a few chapters (seemingly out of nowhere). If the story had been extended by another 200 pages, I believe I would have found it more enjoyable.

Vibes: Was this perfect? No. Did I still really enjoy it? Yes I did! Will I read book two? Absolutely.

i really enjoyed this book with its twists and turns and will definitely look out for the next book. the book comes with certain triggers warning but i will say in my opinion sometimes it’s too much some may like it but my opinion is it’s too graphic in places.
a great storyline

I finally got this off my tbr after having my eye on the indie for a couple of years! This was so much fun, a dark gritty fantasy romance with a proper enemies to lovers romance. I love the witchy feel of this, along with the earth magic and the school setting.

What to expect:
- Witches + Vampires (vessels)
- Morally grey MMC
- Forbidden romance
- Age gap
- Zodiac Academy vibes
- Betrayal

I've heard a lot of great things about this book and overall, it was okay and the ending might make me want to read book 2.

I really enjoyed the very beginning of this book, getting swept up in the Zodiac Academy vibes (having just binged that series), it felt like a safe space. But as you reach the middle of the book it becomes a little bit messy and I was lost for a while in the 80% spice (fair enough, I won't lie, it was fun) and 20% scattered plot, which goes on for a while. The story ends on a pretty big cliffhanger that I really enjoyed, It should have been something that I predicted but I'm terrible at that.

While the plot/magic/world building aspect of the story was confusing, it has potential and I enjoyed the small moments where we got to see Willow use her magic and her understanding of it. I also really enjoyed reading about the role Willow's ancestors played in this story, it was a cool concept.

Focusing on the main focus of this story, our main characters and couple, Willow and Gray, they were okay and it was a fun time. Overall, I enjoyed their scenes and a warning for anyone reading this, this is not a slow burn story, this is an insta-lust story. They are obsessed with each other from the get go, and while I'd usually absolutely love that there was something about this that lacked depth and left me a little bit bored with their relationship.

Overall, while this story had flaws, I had a fun time and the exciting ending might have hooked me for book 2.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House UK for this arc copy!

I adored this book. The magic of a well written dark romantasy can not be understated. The pace was perfect and the ending has left me hankering for the next book as soon as possible. This is the exact sort of book I can see myself rereading over and over again when the spooky season hits.

Harper L. Woods could write in any genre and I'd read it, she's an easy auto read author for.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars