Coven of Bones #1

• Contains explicit sexual content, child abuse, blood, and murder.

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Revenge.

Raised to be my father’s weapon against the Coven that took away his sister and his birthright, I would do anything to protect my younger brother from suffering the same fate. My duty forces me to the secret town of Crystal Hollow and the prestigious Hollow’s Grove University—where the best and the brightest of my kind learn to practice their magic free from human judgment.

There are no whispered words here. No condemnation for the blood that flows though my veins. The only animosity I face comes from the beautiful and infuriating Headmaster, Alaric Grayson Thorne, a man who despises me just as much as I loather him and everything he stands for.

But that doesn’t mean secrets don’t threaten to tear the school in two. No one talks about the bloody massacre that forced it to close decades prior, only the opportunity it can afford to those fortunate enough to attend.

Because of the first time in fifty years, the Coven will open its wards to the Thirteen.

Thirteen promising students destined to change the world.

If the ghosts of Hollow’s Grove’s victims don’t kill me first.

The Coven is book one in the Coven of Bones series and ends on a cliff hanger. This is a gothic, dark academia, paranormal romance and includes elements that may be triggering to some readers.

While the story was a bit slow start, it still kept my interest with just enough little tidbits to keep the intrigue level high.

Willow is immediately introduced as a strong female with the weight of the world on her shoulders: her younger brother, her father’s heavy expectations, hiding from the powers that be, dealing with the death of her mother.

It is that death that is the catalyst to everything. The time has come for her to put into practice everything her father has trained her for and the plans Willow and her mother made.

From the moment Willow met Headmaster Thorne, her life would never be able to return to ‘normal.’

Once Willow gets to the school there are too many weird events for her to completely stay focused on her primary task; to find the bones that belong to her bloodline.  The main distraction is the headmaster.

I was absolutely wrapped up in the story of Willow and Alaric. The ending just pushed me over the line into obsessed! I can’t wait to read the next book which should be the conclusion.

Even though, sadly, I do not have magical powers, have been trained to enact a parent’s revenge, or anything extraordinary, Willow is still relatable. Her thoughts and feelings are more than justified.

The supporting characters are just present enough to add a few more layers to the already involved story. Never complicated enough to become confusing.

When it came to the actual Coven, there was a bit of redundancy I could have done without. But it was trivial. I was also confused with the difference between the Coven and the Covenant as it seemed the terms were used interchangeably. It might be hindsight or I was just completely dense when I read this. It’s not confusing once you know the difference. If it was clear to you, yup, I just completely missed it. If not, well then. I feel a bit more justified.

I would highly recommend this book if you are a fan of a paranormal mystery and romance.