Coven of Bones #2

*Dubious consent, forced feeding, graphic violence, rough and explicit sexual content, restraint, forced proximity, betrayal, references to past betrayal, knife violence, graphic depictions of blood, and physical harm inflicted upon the main character.

Visit Harper L. Woods’ website HERE

Want to know the scandalous details from The Cursed? Check out the Spoiler Report HERE.

Missed the first in the series? Read The Coven book review HERE, or the Spoiler Report HERE.

Betrayal.

He was the deception waiting in the night; the truth I never saw coming. After a lifetime of manipulation, I finally learned the truth. I was his puppet—even if I never saw my strings.

Even knowing how deep his betrayal runs, I can’t shake the undeniable connection between Gray and I—the way a single glance from him sets my soul on fire. We are not the same. We’re enemies, poised to battle for the future of the very things I’d wanted to destroy.

With the Covenant gone, the revenge I thought I wanted is no longer my priority. The witches that remain played no role in my aunt’s death, and the only person standing in the way of righting those wrongs is the very man determined to keep me in his bed.

But the remaining members of the Coven will never forgive me for the role I played in their demise and subjugation, and the worst part of all is that I can’t even blame them for it. I’d been naïve, believing my own delusions of grandeur when destiny clearly had other plans for me. Plans that had been set in motion centuries before my birth.

But even that ad been a lie, and now it is my duty to do everything in my power to undo it.

To protect my Coven from my husband’s hatred—no matter what the cost.

This review contains spoilers to the first book – The Coven, I highly recommend reading that first before starting The Cursed.

Willow’s first year at Crystal Hollow was definitely full of nothing but lies and deception. She was naïve. Mistakes were made. But, instead of learning from them, she keeps making the same mistakes.  Through both novels, the way her father raised her is mentioned over and over. Yes, it’s to reiterate how horrible her upbringing was under his care. Giving a background on her emotional issues. So why, then, is she so stinkin’ trusting?!

Willow ‘knows’ she can’t trust Gray. So she trusts everyone else to side with her and have her best interest in mind. Ummm, why? Except for her friends, they all blame her for the seal opening and releasing the devil. Oh, and she’s married to Lucifer. So yes, let’s trust the witch that may have damned us all.

Every time some betrayal or manipulation happens to Willow, I can’t help but roll my eyes at her reaction. She treats it as if it leads her to some huge epiphany that maybe not everyone will act with honor and respect. Well, duh!

She is so internalized and self-focused she has no clue what is going on around her in that school.

Gray has sequestered her in a bubble of safety in the beginning. For good reason obviously. But that leash lessens and she walks around the grounds pretty freely. That did nothing but make her more susceptible to her own naivete.

This is supposedly the end of the Gray and Willow storyline, which is odd to me. They seem to be the catalyst in the main plot that’s extending throughout the whole series. So to end with the beginning of a new budding couple seems abrupt and unfinished.

All that said, the story wasn’t bad. It moved quickly, for the most part. A bit redundant when it comes to Willow and her emotional turmoil.

We do get taken on quite the emotional roller coaster though. Written in a way that makes her feelings relatable and really pulling readers into the story. 

It is also pretty steamy and raw. Gray and Willow are filled with love to last the centuries.

In all honesty, I’m not as excited to read the rest of the series now that this duology is complete. Mainly because Gray and Willow seem unfinished. Plus, I have no real attachment to the next couple the story will be focusing on.

Fortunately, my curiosity how the main plot is handle will have me reading everything in this universe!