My Thoughts: Witch Season (Broken Coven #1) by Julia Bianco

*I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

Witch Season

(Broken Coven #1)

by Julia Bianco

June 30, 2026 

Goodreads Summary:

Exhilarating, dangerous, and seductive, Witch Season is an action-packed and fiercely romantic contemporary fantasy from debut author and screenwriter Julia Bianco.

That is the price of magic - not just the blood, but the pain to bring it out.

Katherine Barnes is an enforcer, charged with upholding the rules of the notorious Los Angeles-based Aestas coven. It's her job to maintain order and bring unsettled witches - people who aren't aware they have magic until it explodes out of them in a catastrophic burst - into the coven's fold. As a former unsettled witch, Katherine owes her life to Sylvia Page, coven leader and silver-haired rebel who founded Aestas years ago.

When Silas Khatri, heir to Noctis, the most powerful coven in the world, arrives to take Aestas to task for some of their more unconventional practices, Katherine's dislike for him reaches blistering levels. She hates his money, his good looks, and his coven's dangerous attitude towards unsettled witches. She can absolutely overlook that he sets her off in more ways than one.

But a powerful threat is about to rise. Stronger than any one coven. More insidious than the decades-long power struggle that exists in the hidden witch world. One that will pull Katherine and Silas together despite their differences. And one that will lead to an all-out war.

Review

Witch Season was a quick but also surprisingly heavy read. The paranormal characters and their magical abilities brought this contemporary story to another level. The wry humour and the dash of romance was appreciated.

From the very beginning of Witch Season it was easy to tell how scarred Katherine was. She was hard on herself and was subconsciously always punishing herself. "Those, though, were logical thoughts, and if panic responded to logic, the world would be a much happier place." (p. 118) Whether voluntary or involuntary, Katherine's had to endure numerous harsh moments and live with their consequences. If not for the good people in her life, she would be lost.

"That might be the meanest way anyone has ever complimented me." (p. 273) Witch Season had some funny friendship moments and a small amount of romance/heat. The hostility to growing feelings between Katherine and Silas worked for me. Both in their prime, it made sense for them to be attracted to each other when their paths kept crossing. However, with that one explosive event changing things forever, I'm curious to see what's in store for them next.

I am torn with my feelings for Sylvia. After years of being suppressed and looked down on, she saw an opportunity and seized it. “Enough was only enough if she limited her expectations.” (p. 285) As outrageous as Sylvia’s actions were, a tiny part of me understood her. The indignation she constantly faced and the thirst to be powerful and free were strong motivators.

Secrets, betrayals and shocking deaths aplenty, Witch Season ended with the witch world permanently changed. I'm already on the edge of my seat for the sequel, Heat Spell, which I just know will be devastating and juicy!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.