The Coven reminded me of old school paranormal romance books, and I really enjoyed it. It’s not the most well-written book out there, but it’s certainly not anywhere near the worst, and its addictive story more than made up for that. I was absolutely hooked right from the start, thanks to the immediate Vampire Diaries vibes and plethora of mysterious characters.

Willow and Gray are nothing new to readers of PNR and romantasy, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from their story. They’re both flawed in their own ways, with Gray being shrouded in darkness while Willow is harnessing her magic. He’s your typical perfect-looking, sarcastic fictional man, which I absolutely will not hold against him. Willow is a badass that won’t stand for his games, and her use of magic is very interesting to learn about. The setting of a school for witches is great too, and I ate it all up like I was watching an episode of the goings on in Mystic Falls (no Damon though, unfortunately!).

The Coven is such a fun book, especially for anyone who likes vampires, witches, and other such creatures. It’s a quick read with some really cool ideas, and I’m looking forward to picking up the sequel. The ending was absolute madness, but I enjoyed it nonetheless — I never see twists and turns coming, and this one was particularly shocking. I can’t wait to see if, and how, it all gets resolved!

3.5/5.

I find myself oddly conflicted with this one. Theoretically it should have been right up my alley. Demons, witches, badass FMC, decently written sm¥t… What’s not to love? But it was just okay. I liked it but I didn’t love it. Having said that, I’ll probably pick up book 2 just to see what happens.

I’ll start with what I enjoyed. The magic system was wonderful. Willow’s affinity with plants and the earth was gorgeous. I loved how feisty she was and the banter was perfect. I really enjoyed the unique approach to the demons/vampires/vessels and I thought the sm¥t was decently written.

However, I called the ‘twist’ in the first few chapters. I really didn’t enjoy the insta-lust and I thought Willow and Grey had pretty poor chemistry beyond the insta-lust. I didn’t really emotionally connect to any of the characters and I didn’t connect with their relationship at all, It just felt a bit forced the whole way through.

Overall, I think it was just okay. Not a poor book by any standard but not an excellent one either. My autistic ass cannot leave a series unread unless the book is utterly awful, so I’ll pick up the second book regardless.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper L Woods and Random House U.K. for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the story, on terms of fantasy and plots surrounding a magic school I always give these a go and it was done fairly well. The characters weren’t my favourite people ever but the plot made it engaging enough to follow the story.

This book transports readers to a fascinating world full of complex characters. The world is rich in detail. The author has created a vivid and breathing world that captivates from the very first pages. The descriptions are so vivid that one can easily imagine being part of it.
The plot is exciting and full of good twists. There are many moments of great suspense that keep the reader glued to the pages. The character development is believable.The writing style is gripping and fluid, with a successful mix of dialogues, action-packed scenes, and in-depth descriptions.

*SCREAMS FOR 20 MINUTES INTO A PILLOW*... I'm fine.

I wasn't too sure what to expect going in and honestly... I'm blown away. This book is written in dual POV from Willow, our sassy and stubborn witch, and Headmaster Gray Thorne. Following the death of her mother, Willow is forced to join the Hollow Grove's University to protect her younger brother. Willow and Thorne have an instant connection, and their back-and-forth was hilarious (and extremely hot). Willow was such a fun and sassy character, and I'm really excited to see how she develops in book 2.

Now, Daddy Thor-- excuse me, I mean Headmaster Thorne... *fans self* was the perfect morally grey MMC that I love. Are some of his actions questionable? Absolutely. Did I love every moment? No comment at this time.

Tropes included:
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Age Gap
- Headmaster & student
- Witches & demons

The tension and chemistry between Willow and Thorne lit up the page and I honestly couldn't read this book fast enough. The pace, the plot, the writing style were all perfection. This is the type of book that engages you so deeply that you don't even realise you're reading.

But honestly, this may be one of my favourite reads of the year so far. The last page has genuinely left me speechless and I'm counting down the days for book 2.

Please ensure you check the trigger warnings before reading.

I received an advanced review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Literally Yours Pr & now Bantam and Harper L. Woods for providing me an ARC to read and review.

Last year I read and loved Harper L. Woods’s What Lies Beyond The Veil Series so when I saw this up for request I applied and I’m so happy that I did. This book is darker than What Lies Beyond the Veil but it is just as amazing. I was so excited to see that Harper was writing darker fantasy romances and this was exactly what I wanted.

Willow has been in hiding from The Coven but when her mother dies, they come after her so in order to protect her brother she lets them take her. In a Coven where she is an outsider and only wants revenge she has to find her ancestors bones to take back the power that is her family’s birth right. But when she starts falling in love with the Headmaster who captured and brought her to the school things start to go not quite as planned.

Harper L. Woods does a great job again of creating morally gray characters that you can’t help but love. I truly loved Willow and I can’t wait to see where she goes in the next book especially with the cliffhanger.

If you are looking for a witchy dark romance I highly recommend this book.

This book was a solid 2 stars, 2.75 for the last 10%.
The concept is strong but not well executed. The love story is weak at best and the characters are not well developed.
If it wasn´t for the ending it would have been a no for me, but that last 10% cough me by surprise (in a good way).
Having read also What lies Beyond the Veil by the same author I found this one similar in plot development but much weaker in writing style. As I said the ending was unexpected and I enjoyed the plot twist.

I tandem between kindle and audiobook and I have to be honest here and say that I didn´t love the voice of the narrator. Maybe also that didn´t help with the rating.