The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn
Fantasy
September 26, 2023- St. Martin’s Griffin
ARC

Review by Angela

This is the third book I’ve read this year with the word witches in the title. The first was a lighter paranormal romance, the second a little darker- more magical realism than fantasy, and lastly, The Witches of Bone Hill, a much darker fantasy, almost straddling the horror line.

Cordelia Bone’s life is spinning out of control. Her cheating husband left her nothing but debt, ruined credit, a house covered in black mold she needs to sell to pay her bills and a career off track. Oh, and a mobster threatening her life over a bad loan. Then she gets a call from her estranged sister informing her that their great aunt has died and left them her estate. This just may be the thing that saves her.

Cordelia and her sister Eustice are strangers to their heritage and the Bone legacy. Their late mother left home as a young woman and refused to discuss her family with her daughters. But Cordelia hears whispers, sees ghosts, and experiences the same debilitating headaches her mother had. When arriving at the Victorian mansion left to them, and seeing the creepy and weird contents, both sisters quickly realize that there is something quite different about their Bone ancestors.

This is a mix of mystery, suspense, and supernatural coming of age. Cordelia and Eustace have to decode the legacy of their family all while fighting many of their own personal battles, and a sinister intruder on their property that is threatening both their lives and their sanities. This was gorier than I expected- blood runes, dissected animals, and patches of skin removed from dead bodies- but, I like the horror genre so I kept turning pages. The mystery aspect was well done, but I will say the villain is one I suspected early on. I enjoyed Cordelia and Eustace’s coming into their powers very much. The history of the Bone witches was an interesting one.

There is a romantic element between Cordelia and the tattooed, ex-musician groundskeeper. Gordan helps the sisters as they acclimate to their new normal, and keeps them safe when all the BAD THINGS happen. The romance is subtle and closed-door, but it worked for this story.

The Witches of Bone Hill is an atmospheric, eerie read just in time for the Halloween season.

Content notes- Animal abuse, past death of a parent, blood, gore, mentions of cancer and cancer treatment

Grade- B