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Gothic Grove
Astrea Mori, the last surviving member of the original witch families, has lived a less than charmed life. Being a prisoner of the Vampire Lord, Alexi Helvig, she spent years being tortured and experimented on. To escape, she made a deal with the devil, praying that her past doesn't catch up to her. But her body can't forget how the devil made her feel, and try as she might to forget her touch, it haunts her...
Ciaran Helvig is the only son of the Vampire Lord, Alexi Helvig. He despises his father, and aims to bring down the corrupt empire that is rotting Gothic Grove from the inside out. To do so, he needs a certain witch that ran from him all those years ago. A certain witch who tastes and smells like his. Something he will stop at nothing to remind her.
Gothic Grove is book one in the Gothic Grove series. Each book must be read in order. They will each follow different characters, but have no fear crossovers occur regularly.
Content Note
This book contains s*xual scenes, dr*g use, mental illness, dub con, some k*nk and other triggers/content that might not be suitable for all audiences . Please see the authors IG page or consult the TW/CW page inside the book. This is intended for 18+ and is a dark, paranormal romance.
Ciaran Helvig is the only son of the Vampire Lord, Alexi Helvig. He despises his father, and aims to bring down the corrupt empire that is rotting Gothic Grove from the inside out. To do so, he needs a certain witch that ran from him all those years ago. A certain witch who tastes and smells like his. Something he will stop at nothing to remind her.
Gothic Grove is book one in the Gothic Grove series. Each book must be read in order. They will each follow different characters, but have no fear crossovers occur regularly.
Content Note
This book contains s*xual scenes, dr*g use, mental illness, dub con, some k*nk and other triggers/content that might not be suitable for all audiences . Please see the authors IG page or consult the TW/CW page inside the book. This is intended for 18+ and is a dark, paranormal romance.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2023
76 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
JA George
6 books33 followersJA is a paranormal romance author who lives in the moody PNW. She loves a good cup of coffee on a rainy day. Spooky is a way of life in her household. She lives with her partner, two little wee monsters, and three furry beasts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
February 11, 2024
FINALLY A BOOK WITH A BLOND LOVE INTEREST, WE CHEER!!!! I have nothing against non-blonds, it's just that the dark haired ones are so common, so this feels like a breath of fresh air. And, since he's a vampire it's a double win for me.
But fear not, one of the side characters who's going to be a main character in the next book isn't blond, so you have zero excuse not to read this now!!
So, I kind of randomly decided to read this after seeing it on booksta and I'm really glad I did. It was a very fun read that I tried to stretch as much as I could because I joined a readalong with the chapters planned out week by week.
I finished it too fast, but it's not strict so feel free to go and join if you want, it's still going for 5ish more weeks if my math is correct.
It was cool doing it that way, floating theories around, sharing cool quotes, and now I'm so excited for the sequel (coming next month, sooo you might wanna get to reading).
Gothic Grove is a fast paced read so you could finish it in one sitting if you wanted to. The tension builds more and more the further you go along and it's very hard to stop reading, you just NEED to know what's going to happen next.
The story is compelling and unpredictable, there was even a twist I couldn't have seen in my wildest dreams. I love how J. A. George kept us all guessing until the last second.
The characters are the stars of the show, I love them all equally. We mainly follow Astrea & Ciaran but we also get PoVs from Shadow, Drago, Ava and Kallen.
There's PoV switches in every chapter, multiple times per chapter, and sometimes there's flashbacks too so we get to know the characters a bit better. It took me a sec to get used to that, especially at the start, but it mellowed out eventually.
We also have a fox familiar!!!!!!!!! She's the cutest bestest girl, I hope we'll see more of her in the sequel too.
The ending is a cliffhanger, and a good one at that. It kinda made me want to scream that there were no more pages left to read. Who knew I'd be so attached to that character and their mate? Not me.
Bonus points for including Falling in Reverse on the book playlist!!!
But fear not, one of the side characters who's going to be a main character in the next book isn't blond, so you have zero excuse not to read this now!!
So, I kind of randomly decided to read this after seeing it on booksta and I'm really glad I did. It was a very fun read that I tried to stretch as much as I could because I joined a readalong with the chapters planned out week by week.
I finished it too fast, but it's not strict so feel free to go and join if you want, it's still going for 5ish more weeks if my math is correct.
It was cool doing it that way, floating theories around, sharing cool quotes, and now I'm so excited for the sequel (coming next month, sooo you might wanna get to reading).
Gothic Grove is a fast paced read so you could finish it in one sitting if you wanted to. The tension builds more and more the further you go along and it's very hard to stop reading, you just NEED to know what's going to happen next.
The story is compelling and unpredictable, there was even a twist I couldn't have seen in my wildest dreams. I love how J. A. George kept us all guessing until the last second.
The characters are the stars of the show, I love them all equally. We mainly follow Astrea & Ciaran but we also get PoVs from Shadow, Drago, Ava and Kallen.
There's PoV switches in every chapter, multiple times per chapter, and sometimes there's flashbacks too so we get to know the characters a bit better. It took me a sec to get used to that, especially at the start, but it mellowed out eventually.
We also have a fox familiar!!!!!!!!! She's the cutest bestest girl, I hope we'll see more of her in the sequel too.
The ending is a cliffhanger, and a good one at that. It kinda made me want to scream that there were no more pages left to read. Who knew I'd be so attached to that character and their mate? Not me.
Bonus points for including Falling in Reverse on the book playlist!!!
September 10, 2023
A great debut for what I hope is a long series!
A very character driven story and although I enjoyed the 2 MCs Astrea and Ciaren - Shadow and Ava (and Drago towards the end) were my faves.
I loved the complexity of Shadow and Ava's relationship, the tension in their scenes was exquisit and honestly my favorite parts (not counting spoilery scenes).
Perfect for those that love dark romance and PLENTY OF SPICE.
A very character driven story and although I enjoyed the 2 MCs Astrea and Ciaren - Shadow and Ava (and Drago towards the end) were my faves.
I loved the complexity of Shadow and Ava's relationship, the tension in their scenes was exquisit and honestly my favorite parts (not counting spoilery scenes).
Perfect for those that love dark romance and PLENTY OF SPICE.
October 8, 2023
While this was a very cool premise, the story wasn't ready for publication. Just on a technical level, there are so many grammatical errors that it's hard to enjoy the book. Tenses switched from past to present, there were instances of sentences not being spaced out after the period that ended the previous sentence.
The formatting was also so distracting and confusing. It's cool to have a playlist for the book, but slipping the songs in between paragraphs is jarring. Switching between POVs multiple times in a chapter feels like whiplash, and the multiple back and forths between prolonged flashbacks to present moments in the story cause such a disconnect. Like those all should have been broken up into new chapters.
It's just disappointing because there's some really interesting lore potential, but it's hardly explored, or when it is, there's very little depth, almost as if we, the reader, are supposed to just understand whatever the author has in their head.
The characters are so flat and easily manipulated into whatever the author needs them to be in the moment. They're all so similar that if they weren't named, I'd forget who was who. Their POV sections do not have a distinct voice whatsoever, and at times, motivation feels wishy washy.
There's also just...weird af things with consent that are so uncomfortable. Choking has to be negotiated, but men are choking their partners because they're angry at them? Absolutely not, great abuse rep I guess.
Oh, and the only fat character is the villain? Classic trope, I see.
Overall, this needed several more rounds of edits. Cool ideas, but it wasn't ready for publication.
The formatting was also so distracting and confusing. It's cool to have a playlist for the book, but slipping the songs in between paragraphs is jarring. Switching between POVs multiple times in a chapter feels like whiplash, and the multiple back and forths between prolonged flashbacks to present moments in the story cause such a disconnect. Like those all should have been broken up into new chapters.
It's just disappointing because there's some really interesting lore potential, but it's hardly explored, or when it is, there's very little depth, almost as if we, the reader, are supposed to just understand whatever the author has in their head.
The characters are so flat and easily manipulated into whatever the author needs them to be in the moment. They're all so similar that if they weren't named, I'd forget who was who. Their POV sections do not have a distinct voice whatsoever, and at times, motivation feels wishy washy.
There's also just...weird af things with consent that are so uncomfortable. Choking has to be negotiated, but men are choking their partners because they're angry at them? Absolutely not, great abuse rep I guess.
Oh, and the only fat character is the villain? Classic trope, I see.
Overall, this needed several more rounds of edits. Cool ideas, but it wasn't ready for publication.
October 19, 2023
BOOK/ARC REVIEW: Gothic Grove by JA George
3.5 STARS
I really liked the over all story for this one—witches, shifters, vampires, all the supernatural and paranormal creatures in Gothic Grove—this one is a GREAT spooky/fall read. We have Astrea, who is the last surviving member of the Mori witch line. Then we have Ciaran, who is the son of the vampire lord, Alexi Helvig. And the two team up to take down Alexi and his corrupt empire.
I do think the execution could have been done better, I found the beginning a bit confusing with all the different povs and different timelines and the pacing of the story. It was as if there was an information dump, that we needed to get years of information in just a couple of chapters and I wasn’t able to keep up. Once I would think that I finally got it, I was throw into another pov or a different time. It made processing the information within the story a bit difficult, which would take me out of the story. I almost wish the beginning was fleshed out a little better whether it was restructured or there was more details or things removed completely.
There was a plot twist (and idk if I could call it a plot twist) but I did NOT see it coming and was shocked. And I loved that! With that ending, it was good, it was SO good!! Also Shadow, I would die for him. I want to be able to give him a hug and tell him that he is not what he thinks he is. He is so much more.
3.5 STARS
I really liked the over all story for this one—witches, shifters, vampires, all the supernatural and paranormal creatures in Gothic Grove—this one is a GREAT spooky/fall read. We have Astrea, who is the last surviving member of the Mori witch line. Then we have Ciaran, who is the son of the vampire lord, Alexi Helvig. And the two team up to take down Alexi and his corrupt empire.
I do think the execution could have been done better, I found the beginning a bit confusing with all the different povs and different timelines and the pacing of the story. It was as if there was an information dump, that we needed to get years of information in just a couple of chapters and I wasn’t able to keep up. Once I would think that I finally got it, I was throw into another pov or a different time. It made processing the information within the story a bit difficult, which would take me out of the story. I almost wish the beginning was fleshed out a little better whether it was restructured or there was more details or things removed completely.
There was a plot twist (and idk if I could call it a plot twist) but I did NOT see it coming and was shocked. And I loved that! With that ending, it was good, it was SO good!! Also Shadow, I would die for him. I want to be able to give him a hug and tell him that he is not what he thinks he is. He is so much more.
January 13, 2025
A spicy romantasy
I am an avid dark romance reader but I need a little break. A friend had recommended this series to me multiple times but for some reason I never picked it up and I am regretting all of the time lost without these characters in my brain!
I read untill I feel asleep and immediately pick it back up as soon as I opened my eyes. It is such a cool and unique concept. Astrea is so strong. With everything she had been through, she continues to fight and keep moving forward. I loved to see the friendship blossoming between her and Ava. Every woman needs a bestie. I have to say though, Shadow is my favorite. I am really looking forward to learning more about him.
I am all for a villain redemption arc and I hope we get one.
If you're looking for a fresh, new, spicy romantasy, this is definitely one for you!
I am an avid dark romance reader but I need a little break. A friend had recommended this series to me multiple times but for some reason I never picked it up and I am regretting all of the time lost without these characters in my brain!
I read untill I feel asleep and immediately pick it back up as soon as I opened my eyes. It is such a cool and unique concept. Astrea is so strong. With everything she had been through, she continues to fight and keep moving forward. I loved to see the friendship blossoming between her and Ava. Every woman needs a bestie. I have to say though, Shadow is my favorite. I am really looking forward to learning more about him.
I am all for a villain redemption arc and I hope we get one.
If you're looking for a fresh, new, spicy romantasy, this is definitely one for you!
September 30, 2023
4.5 stars
Thank you to the author for an arc of this.
THAT ENDING HOLY MOLY!!!!! The last 25% of this book had me on the edge of my seat and wanting to keep reading. I was more invested in the side characters than the 2 MCs in this, which i believe is intentional as some of them are going to be the main characters of the next book in this series. This was a great time though and I cannot wait for book 2! This is also a perfect fall read!!!!
Thank you to the author for an arc of this.
THAT ENDING HOLY MOLY!!!!! The last 25% of this book had me on the edge of my seat and wanting to keep reading. I was more invested in the side characters than the 2 MCs in this, which i believe is intentional as some of them are going to be the main characters of the next book in this series. This was a great time though and I cannot wait for book 2! This is also a perfect fall read!!!!
October 8, 2023
I haven't read a paranormal romance in so long that I just to give this one a try and boy it didn't disappoint!! This was such a good story, and from a debut author at that. Following Ciaran and Astrea's journey was both thrilling and fun. There's plenty of action, drama and spice to keep you flipping the pages! The side characters were also mysterious and fun to read and I'm excited for where this series goes. Definitely recommend picking this up.
October 19, 2023
Dnf at 65%. But I'm sure I'm the problem.
It's got many elements and tropes people will definitely enjoy: magic, fated mates, hidden powers, witchcraft, hot spice, a throuple I didn't get to read more about because I quit, dark themes...
But there was something about the pacing and the plot that just didn't move me. I know it's a me thing and will try to finish it in the future. That's why I've given it as many stars as I have.
It's got many elements and tropes people will definitely enjoy: magic, fated mates, hidden powers, witchcraft, hot spice, a throuple I didn't get to read more about because I quit, dark themes...
But there was something about the pacing and the plot that just didn't move me. I know it's a me thing and will try to finish it in the future. That's why I've given it as many stars as I have.
October 12, 2023
Great debut novel! I really enjoyed this one! I haven’t been reading much of vampire and witch reads lately, but this may have just tickled and have me on that path soon. I really enjoyed the characters and the bonds they had and the history behind those bonds. I can’t wait for the 2nd book when it comes out.
Thank you JA George for the opportunity to read your debut novel.
Thank you JA George for the opportunity to read your debut novel.
October 3, 2023
The characters are fascinating and have many layers, the setting is unique and full of mystery, and the spice is perfect. I am so proud of my new friend and her book series launch and I am honored to be one of the first set to get to read it! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!
October 19, 2023
Stunning debut!
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for Gothic Grove and I’m a bit late in posting my review because being almost 9 months pregnant has fried my brain!
In all seriousness, JA has conjured up such an incredible cast of characters and myth.
There is so much still to uncover but I am hooked. I cannot wait for book 2!
Please check TW given some of the dark content.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for Gothic Grove and I’m a bit late in posting my review because being almost 9 months pregnant has fried my brain!
In all seriousness, JA has conjured up such an incredible cast of characters and myth.
There is so much still to uncover but I am hooked. I cannot wait for book 2!
Please check TW given some of the dark content.
February 22, 2024
I’ll write a review when my fingers can catch up with all the raging thoughts in my brain. For the meantime tho…
THIS WAS AMAZING AND YOU ALL NEED IT.
THIS WAS AMAZING AND YOU ALL NEED IT.
Want to read
April 12, 2024Prch Amz April 12, 2024
October 12, 2023
One of my new favorite books! I couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up and I’m glad I didn’t! I absolutely loved the ending! I love the story line and everything about it and it’s characters! 10/10 would definitely recommend to everyone! If your thinking about reading it, just do it!!
September 27, 2023
I absolutely devoured this book and loved every second of it! Fated mates, witches, VIKING VAMPIRE?! That was enough to hook me, but once I got into the book, I could not put it down. Everything was so well done, the plot was intriguing and the pacing was done perfectly to keep the story moving without getting bogged down. And as much as I loved the MCs, the side characters stole the show for me and I can’t wait for their own book next!
October 26, 2023
I was SHOOK after I finished this one. I went in without any real context, only knowing several trusted sources recommended it for some spooky season reading (vampire x witch dark paranormal romance). This world is BONKS and I cannot wait to see where we go from here. Witches? Vampires? Other supernatural beings that we don't know what they are (or do we??).. SIGN ME UP.
Now, this is a dark romance. I know sometimes this description gets tossed around and the darkest it gets is like kinda charcoal gray, but this story is dark like the ink from a fountain pen. Heed the warning on the Amaz*n listing because this checks the boxes of a Real Deal Dark Romance.
The author introduces us to the FMC as morally gray and this sister is 100% ready to do whatever it takes for revenge. Also - why don't we have more of these?? The guys get to have all the morally questionable fun while the girls get stuck at home? I don't think so (I hope you get this reference lol).
FMC Astrea is ready to mess some folks up - a witch whose entire life has been stolen, secrets kept from her family, isolation and desperation and wondering if she'll make it out alive and vows that once she is free, she'll never go back.. no matter the cost. Golden retriever vampire MMC Ciaran, the son of her captor, helps her escape and is prepared to work with her to take down his despicable father until she runs from him. The story begins here with incredible backfilling of the previous time while offering the two points of view from past and present for both our MCs.
Without giving too much away, the two of them are trapped in a push and pull, their physical attraction is a palpable thing that they can only fight for so long - but giving in will set things in motion that can't be undone. Oh, and did I mention that there's something hunting Astrea to steal her magic and none of the coven she was part of can be trusted to help her escape it?
I would also like to take a moment to mega shout-out the 'side' characters - side being the operative word here because we get multiple POVs during the story and after seeing some of those perspectives you're going to be begging for more. Shadow? Ava? Drago? And one of my favorite baddie bad guys in any romantasy series so far this year??
If you like:
- a reversal of the traditional trope of the morally gray MC being male (and you even get a 2 for 1 in this story, shhh!)
- witchy x vampire stories where everyone lusts after power and you literally cannot trust anyone
- a fated mate trope that carries magical significance for the entire future of the supernatural beings of Gothic Grove..
.. grab this one and batten down the hatches of your emotions because you are going to go THROUGH IT in the best way. It does end on a cliffy but we get the right amount of resolution with the perfect amount of questions.
Now, this is a dark romance. I know sometimes this description gets tossed around and the darkest it gets is like kinda charcoal gray, but this story is dark like the ink from a fountain pen. Heed the warning on the Amaz*n listing because this checks the boxes of a Real Deal Dark Romance.
The author introduces us to the FMC as morally gray and this sister is 100% ready to do whatever it takes for revenge. Also - why don't we have more of these?? The guys get to have all the morally questionable fun while the girls get stuck at home? I don't think so (I hope you get this reference lol).
FMC Astrea is ready to mess some folks up - a witch whose entire life has been stolen, secrets kept from her family, isolation and desperation and wondering if she'll make it out alive and vows that once she is free, she'll never go back.. no matter the cost. Golden retriever vampire MMC Ciaran, the son of her captor, helps her escape and is prepared to work with her to take down his despicable father until she runs from him. The story begins here with incredible backfilling of the previous time while offering the two points of view from past and present for both our MCs.
Without giving too much away, the two of them are trapped in a push and pull, their physical attraction is a palpable thing that they can only fight for so long - but giving in will set things in motion that can't be undone. Oh, and did I mention that there's something hunting Astrea to steal her magic and none of the coven she was part of can be trusted to help her escape it?
I would also like to take a moment to mega shout-out the 'side' characters - side being the operative word here because we get multiple POVs during the story and after seeing some of those perspectives you're going to be begging for more. Shadow? Ava? Drago? And one of my favorite baddie bad guys in any romantasy series so far this year??
If you like:
- a reversal of the traditional trope of the morally gray MC being male (and you even get a 2 for 1 in this story, shhh!)
- witchy x vampire stories where everyone lusts after power and you literally cannot trust anyone
- a fated mate trope that carries magical significance for the entire future of the supernatural beings of Gothic Grove..
.. grab this one and batten down the hatches of your emotions because you are going to go THROUGH IT in the best way. It does end on a cliffy but we get the right amount of resolution with the perfect amount of questions.
October 3, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶
✨ Witches, vampires, shifters
✨ Fated mates
✨ Revenge
✨ 🩸 play - does this count if there’s a vampire involved?
✨ Mental health representation
✨ MF - Astrea and Ciaran
✨ MMF - Shadow, Drago, and Ava
Generations ago Kallen lost her mate and vowed to take revenge, leading the founding covens to ban together to split her soul from her magic. Since then, her soul has spent many lives trying to find the witch holding her magic so she can reclaim it.
“They feared me before, but now, I’ll be their reckoning. Now, I’ll be their harbinger of death.”
🖤 Astrea has the potential to be one of the most powerful witches but her powers have been dormant for most of her life. After losing her family, she spent years imprisoned and experimented on by Ciaran’s father. Ciaran and his best buddy Shadow freed her in exchange for her agreeing to help take down his father but she ran away from him almost immediately. Now years later they are brought back together.
🖤 Ciaran is a vampire with viking ancestry. He has known for years that Astrea is his mate, even when she couldn’t yet see it and now he’s finally found her again but they’re in more danger than ever before.
The story is told through multiple POVs and frequently bounces around time periods through flashbacks but it is never confusing and ends up weaving the story together beautifully.
First, I am a whore for nicknames in other languages so kamerat (Norwegian) and rakkaani (Finnish) really did it for me.
Second, this book has zero lulls. There are so many twists and turns that I did not see coming and so much emotion that I could not put this book down until it was over. The ending sets up a ton of unresolved new conflicts for coming books while giving you the HEA you need for our main characters. I can’t wait to read more of Astrea and Ciaran’s story! Astrea goes through an incredible amount of transformation and growth throughout this book, and there is surely more to come as Astrea and Ciaran learn to balance each others power.
Obviously this is primarily Astrea and Ciaran’s story but every other character is also written with so much depth that it leaves me wanting more. I can’t freaking wait for Ava, Shadow, and Drago’s book to come out in February! I have so many questions: what kind of magic does Ava have, what even is Drago, and not a question but Shadow is obviously the most badass shifter in this world without spoiling it. Also, after that epilogue I need Kallen to either have her own book or at least plenty of chapters in book 2!
✨ Thank you JA George for allowing me to ARC read this book, it is easily a new favorite!
🌶🌶🌶🌶
✨ Witches, vampires, shifters
✨ Fated mates
✨ Revenge
✨ 🩸 play - does this count if there’s a vampire involved?
✨ Mental health representation
✨ MF - Astrea and Ciaran
✨ MMF - Shadow, Drago, and Ava
Generations ago Kallen lost her mate and vowed to take revenge, leading the founding covens to ban together to split her soul from her magic. Since then, her soul has spent many lives trying to find the witch holding her magic so she can reclaim it.
“They feared me before, but now, I’ll be their reckoning. Now, I’ll be their harbinger of death.”
🖤 Astrea has the potential to be one of the most powerful witches but her powers have been dormant for most of her life. After losing her family, she spent years imprisoned and experimented on by Ciaran’s father. Ciaran and his best buddy Shadow freed her in exchange for her agreeing to help take down his father but she ran away from him almost immediately. Now years later they are brought back together.
🖤 Ciaran is a vampire with viking ancestry. He has known for years that Astrea is his mate, even when she couldn’t yet see it and now he’s finally found her again but they’re in more danger than ever before.
The story is told through multiple POVs and frequently bounces around time periods through flashbacks but it is never confusing and ends up weaving the story together beautifully.
First, I am a whore for nicknames in other languages so kamerat (Norwegian) and rakkaani (Finnish) really did it for me.
Second, this book has zero lulls. There are so many twists and turns that I did not see coming and so much emotion that I could not put this book down until it was over. The ending sets up a ton of unresolved new conflicts for coming books while giving you the HEA you need for our main characters. I can’t wait to read more of Astrea and Ciaran’s story! Astrea goes through an incredible amount of transformation and growth throughout this book, and there is surely more to come as Astrea and Ciaran learn to balance each others power.
Obviously this is primarily Astrea and Ciaran’s story but every other character is also written with so much depth that it leaves me wanting more. I can’t freaking wait for Ava, Shadow, and Drago’s book to come out in February! I have so many questions: what kind of magic does Ava have, what even is Drago, and not a question but Shadow is obviously the most badass shifter in this world without spoiling it. Also, after that epilogue I need Kallen to either have her own book or at least plenty of chapters in book 2!
✨ Thank you JA George for allowing me to ARC read this book, it is easily a new favorite!
September 21, 2023
lets see… where to begin. i randomly found gothic grove on someone’s instagram, the synopsis had me intrigued & the next thing you know - gothic grove is one of my favorite reads of 2023. for a debut, J.A George did an absolutely amazing job!
witches & vampires? badass fmc’s? cute & over protective familiars? villains we hate to love? revenge plot? destroy & burn the world for him? (notice I said HIM? yeah - our fmc is a little unhinged ✨). as one of the witches in the five families, Astrea Mori is being held as a prisoner by the vampire lord after he destroys the entire lineage. spending years of being tortured & experimented on, her only escape? Was to make a deal with the devil. her devil to be exact. Ciaran Helvig. viking vampire. the vampire lord’s son but is willing to do whatever he can to protect Astrea, even if it means destroying the empire his father built. while they learn to navigate between their power & love, the story unravels into a more darker truth.
the story is told in dual timelines with multiple POV’s, but you don’t even notice because the author did such an amazing job flowing it all together, giving us insight we need without it being too overwhelming. not to mention, the support characters - I fell in love with ALL of them (especially shadow & ava) & even one of the villains. oh and the spice? was SPICING. you know the saying “all good things must come to an end”? i definitely didn’t want the book to end & wanted to savor every page. spells are casted, secrets are revealed, blood is spilled, so whats left? i don’t know, you’ll have to read to find out! as always make sure to heed cw/tws before diving into this dark paranormal romance 🖤
witches & vampires? badass fmc’s? cute & over protective familiars? villains we hate to love? revenge plot? destroy & burn the world for him? (notice I said HIM? yeah - our fmc is a little unhinged ✨). as one of the witches in the five families, Astrea Mori is being held as a prisoner by the vampire lord after he destroys the entire lineage. spending years of being tortured & experimented on, her only escape? Was to make a deal with the devil. her devil to be exact. Ciaran Helvig. viking vampire. the vampire lord’s son but is willing to do whatever he can to protect Astrea, even if it means destroying the empire his father built. while they learn to navigate between their power & love, the story unravels into a more darker truth.
the story is told in dual timelines with multiple POV’s, but you don’t even notice because the author did such an amazing job flowing it all together, giving us insight we need without it being too overwhelming. not to mention, the support characters - I fell in love with ALL of them (especially shadow & ava) & even one of the villains. oh and the spice? was SPICING. you know the saying “all good things must come to an end”? i definitely didn’t want the book to end & wanted to savor every page. spells are casted, secrets are revealed, blood is spilled, so whats left? i don’t know, you’ll have to read to find out! as always make sure to heed cw/tws before diving into this dark paranormal romance 🖤
September 28, 2023
This is a fantastic book. Witches, vampires, and Shapesifters, hell to the yes. There is so much to love in this book. It is dark, which I adore, but you may not so, best to check triggers...
If you have continued to read this, then you have a little black smutty heart, matches mine, and J.A Geroge's
Astrea is a witch that has no powers. She was kidnapped and brought to a prison of evil experimented on, tortured both mentally and physically, and abused. Obviously, we know she is strong from the start, I loved to see her grow and develop into this powerful woman who would destroy the world for her people.
Ciaran, this smoking hot part vampire part witch blonde viking arse kicking god is the MMC. Ypu knows he is a badass from the first time we meet him. The more you read, the more you love him. He is a good person and does what he can to help, which just makes you "awwwwe"
Shadow is as dark as his name, and hides alot of himself as he feels undeserving, it is not his fault he was in the prison of evil too, but you know their is someone special hiding in his shadows.
We meet Ava and Holy hell yes, I want you, the world needs you, you adorable yet terrifying beautiful pixie and the snippets we get from her, just has you begging for more.
Drago, he rolls up his shirt sleeves at one point and that's me gone, only the smoking hot powerful men do that and I am here for that. The sleeve roll is "show me you are powerful, withoit showing me you're powerful" YES.
Also if you can pick a favourite character out of the 5 of them let me know because I keep going back and forth.
I can't wait to see shadow, Ava and Dragon in the next book as it is already on amazon to pre-order, woo hoo.
Right My Dark Hearted Fairies, witches, shapeshifters and smut lovers Assemble and show this book the love it deserves by reading it and revel in the beautiful dark spicy story.
If you have continued to read this, then you have a little black smutty heart, matches mine, and J.A Geroge's
Astrea is a witch that has no powers. She was kidnapped and brought to a prison of evil experimented on, tortured both mentally and physically, and abused. Obviously, we know she is strong from the start, I loved to see her grow and develop into this powerful woman who would destroy the world for her people.
Ciaran, this smoking hot part vampire part witch blonde viking arse kicking god is the MMC. Ypu knows he is a badass from the first time we meet him. The more you read, the more you love him. He is a good person and does what he can to help, which just makes you "awwwwe"
Shadow is as dark as his name, and hides alot of himself as he feels undeserving, it is not his fault he was in the prison of evil too, but you know their is someone special hiding in his shadows.
We meet Ava and Holy hell yes, I want you, the world needs you, you adorable yet terrifying beautiful pixie and the snippets we get from her, just has you begging for more.
Drago, he rolls up his shirt sleeves at one point and that's me gone, only the smoking hot powerful men do that and I am here for that. The sleeve roll is "show me you are powerful, withoit showing me you're powerful" YES.
Also if you can pick a favourite character out of the 5 of them let me know because I keep going back and forth.
I can't wait to see shadow, Ava and Dragon in the next book as it is already on amazon to pre-order, woo hoo.
Right My Dark Hearted Fairies, witches, shapeshifters and smut lovers Assemble and show this book the love it deserves by reading it and revel in the beautiful dark spicy story.
October 17, 2023
ARC Review: Gothic Grove
Rate: ★★★
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Thank you so much for granting me this ARC!
Gothic Grove is so in time for the spooky season! It’s packed with a great deal of mystery and curiosity I can’t help but be drawn to it’s narrative.
It all started with *the* power. That is basically the star of this novel. It’s like Game of Thrones but instead of battling for who sits on the throne, it’s a conquest on who gets to acquire said power.
We follow the story of Astrea, our FMC, the last surviving member of the original witch families. Astrea happens to have *this* strong power that is both a gift and curse for her and her kind. And there is Ciaran, a half vampire half witch, that is Astrea’s mate. Together, they battle to be in control of their feelings for each other, their magic, and those who are set to break them apart.
There are a lot of characters at play here and all of them play a pivotal role. Some more than the others—there’s just so many surprise. And we get to have a glimpse of their stories/pov every now and then too. Now, I must admit, that Shadow’s persona is something I am really looking forward to reading about — probably on book two or maybe his own novel. I can already tell that his story is very promising. So much so that I might have been chasing him during the last 25% of the novel hihi.
So many surprises, revelations, and more intriguing mystery on the latter to ending part of the novel.
PS: I am a little bit thrown off with the back and forth setup during the first few chapters but it got better for the rest of the chapters.
Read if you like:
x Paranormal Romance
x Fantasy Romance
x Revenge
x Fated Mates
x Strong/Badass FMC
Rate: ★★★
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Thank you so much for granting me this ARC!
Gothic Grove is so in time for the spooky season! It’s packed with a great deal of mystery and curiosity I can’t help but be drawn to it’s narrative.
It all started with *the* power. That is basically the star of this novel. It’s like Game of Thrones but instead of battling for who sits on the throne, it’s a conquest on who gets to acquire said power.
We follow the story of Astrea, our FMC, the last surviving member of the original witch families. Astrea happens to have *this* strong power that is both a gift and curse for her and her kind. And there is Ciaran, a half vampire half witch, that is Astrea’s mate. Together, they battle to be in control of their feelings for each other, their magic, and those who are set to break them apart.
There are a lot of characters at play here and all of them play a pivotal role. Some more than the others—there’s just so many surprise. And we get to have a glimpse of their stories/pov every now and then too. Now, I must admit, that Shadow’s persona is something I am really looking forward to reading about — probably on book two or maybe his own novel. I can already tell that his story is very promising. So much so that I might have been chasing him during the last 25% of the novel hihi.
So many surprises, revelations, and more intriguing mystery on the latter to ending part of the novel.
PS: I am a little bit thrown off with the back and forth setup during the first few chapters but it got better for the rest of the chapters.
Read if you like:
x Paranormal Romance
x Fantasy Romance
x Revenge
x Fated Mates
x Strong/Badass FMC
February 4, 2024
"They feared me before, but now, I’ll be their reckoning. Now, I’ll be their harbinger of death."
This was a fun read. Full of magic, witches, vampires, and chaos. The premise of the story was really interesting. I feel like it could have been developed a bit more though. I felt like I was tossed into something without any background information. I wish we had more on Astrea and Ciaran being mates. We missed out on all the tension and heat between them. Instead, we were just told they were mates and kind of took it from there.
I was intrigued by Drago and Shadow so I'm excited that the next book is going to be about them. We got a little flashback of the two of them that definitely sparked my interest😮💨
I liked the various POVs and flashbacks. It was a little hard to follow when things would change mid chapter but for the most part I was able to catch on. I had a hard time connecting with the characters because I felt like I really didn't know much about them. There wasn't a ton of backstory or character development throughout the book. I feel as a reader we missed out on some juicy details.
I liked Kallen. I usually like female villains so I was enjoying her POV and the chaos she ensued.
This was a fun read. Full of magic, witches, vampires, and chaos. The premise of the story was really interesting. I feel like it could have been developed a bit more though. I felt like I was tossed into something without any background information. I wish we had more on Astrea and Ciaran being mates. We missed out on all the tension and heat between them. Instead, we were just told they were mates and kind of took it from there.
I was intrigued by Drago and Shadow so I'm excited that the next book is going to be about them. We got a little flashback of the two of them that definitely sparked my interest😮💨
I liked the various POVs and flashbacks. It was a little hard to follow when things would change mid chapter but for the most part I was able to catch on. I had a hard time connecting with the characters because I felt like I really didn't know much about them. There wasn't a ton of backstory or character development throughout the book. I feel as a reader we missed out on some juicy details.
I liked Kallen. I usually like female villains so I was enjoying her POV and the chaos she ensued.
September 24, 2023
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ♾️
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Oh I LOVE this!
I can not recommend it enough.
It moves between dual timelines and different POVs seamlessly within chapters and the writing is so completely enthralling, it’s brilliant, beautifully written and perfectly paced. I can’t believe it’s a debut book. The world building is top notch, it feels so real, I have flawless visions of it in my mind.
I am a big fan of flashbacks within the stories and it keeps you gripped from the very first chapter, it’s absolutely full of twists and turns. Fated mates gets me every time! And the spiceeeee!
Also. AVA! Yes girl! Love you.
It’s the start of a series and while Shadow, Ava and Drago might be side characters, they do have a their own storyline so I think all of the relationships will continue to develop though the series and I’m so excited to find out more.
All you need to know it’s that it’s a spicy paranormal romance with REAL plot and dark romance and a badass slightly deranged FMC, in the BEST way, who will stop at nothing for revenge.
And that you need to read it now.
-Fantasy romance
-Fated mates
-Witches / Vampires
-Revenge
-Deals with the Devil
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Oh I LOVE this!
I can not recommend it enough.
It moves between dual timelines and different POVs seamlessly within chapters and the writing is so completely enthralling, it’s brilliant, beautifully written and perfectly paced. I can’t believe it’s a debut book. The world building is top notch, it feels so real, I have flawless visions of it in my mind.
I am a big fan of flashbacks within the stories and it keeps you gripped from the very first chapter, it’s absolutely full of twists and turns. Fated mates gets me every time! And the spiceeeee!
Also. AVA! Yes girl! Love you.
It’s the start of a series and while Shadow, Ava and Drago might be side characters, they do have a their own storyline so I think all of the relationships will continue to develop though the series and I’m so excited to find out more.
All you need to know it’s that it’s a spicy paranormal romance with REAL plot and dark romance and a badass slightly deranged FMC, in the BEST way, who will stop at nothing for revenge.
And that you need to read it now.
-Fantasy romance
-Fated mates
-Witches / Vampires
-Revenge
-Deals with the Devil
September 28, 2023
Gothic Grove
By JA George
4/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
🚨NEW FANTASY BOOK ALERT!!🚨 coming to you on October 5th!!! It will be available on KU.
Are you looking for a new dark romantasy book to get into???
This book has….. mating bonds, DRAGONS, witches, MMF romance and MF romance, SPICE GALORE, vampires, grimories, lots of magic, did I mention SPICE🌶️🌶️🌶️.
If any of these stick out to you put this book on your TBR, you will not regret it. 🐉❤️🔥🔥💥
Gothic Grove was such a fun read, this new fantasy world was easy to dive into. Astrea and Ciaran’s story is so lovely and action packed. I will say my favorite people forever and ever will be Shadow, Drago and Ava. Their story is so incredible I can’t wait for book 2 that will follow them. The ending to this book has me SO ready for more. Thank you so much to JA George for the ARC read of her debut novel! I am so excited for the world to read this.
Just a spicy quote to entice you to pick this book up.
“He catches me with ease, and I slam my mouth into his. I can't help but let out a whimper as he shoves me into the wall behind us. All those feelings I kept locked away from him are now overwhelming me.”
By JA George
4/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
🚨NEW FANTASY BOOK ALERT!!🚨 coming to you on October 5th!!! It will be available on KU.
Are you looking for a new dark romantasy book to get into???
This book has….. mating bonds, DRAGONS, witches, MMF romance and MF romance, SPICE GALORE, vampires, grimories, lots of magic, did I mention SPICE🌶️🌶️🌶️.
If any of these stick out to you put this book on your TBR, you will not regret it. 🐉❤️🔥🔥💥
Gothic Grove was such a fun read, this new fantasy world was easy to dive into. Astrea and Ciaran’s story is so lovely and action packed. I will say my favorite people forever and ever will be Shadow, Drago and Ava. Their story is so incredible I can’t wait for book 2 that will follow them. The ending to this book has me SO ready for more. Thank you so much to JA George for the ARC read of her debut novel! I am so excited for the world to read this.
Just a spicy quote to entice you to pick this book up.
“He catches me with ease, and I slam my mouth into his. I can't help but let out a whimper as he shoves me into the wall behind us. All those feelings I kept locked away from him are now overwhelming me.”
February 9, 2024
"𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭ö𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴."
I was blown away by this book.
Everything is balanced so well in this story.
There is the paranormal aspect with witches, vampires, and other paranormal elements involved.
Not so many elements you lose track of what's going on, but the perfect amount to keep you asking, what happens next?
Add in plenty of action, strong characters, personal träuma all around, and a kïller plot, and you have Gothic Grove. The bits of humor scattered throughout the book were perfection and had me laughing.
Oh, did I mention there's spice?!
Astrea has been beaten down repeatedly and has become even stronger and more of a badäss. She's suffered a lot of trauma but is so ferocious.
I think Ciaran Helvig is my fated mate. 😂 Seriously, though, he's delicious. I loved how he interacts with others and the way he thinks.
The secondary characters all have strong storylines, and I can't wait to get to know them better. I need Poppy in my life.
Some of the tropes include:
Fated Mates
Possession
Dark Paranormal
Revenge
Spicy
Dual/Multi POV
MF/MMF
Mental Health Rep
Blo0d Play
🌶🌶🌶
*Always check the TW.*
I was blown away by this book.
Everything is balanced so well in this story.
There is the paranormal aspect with witches, vampires, and other paranormal elements involved.
Not so many elements you lose track of what's going on, but the perfect amount to keep you asking, what happens next?
Add in plenty of action, strong characters, personal träuma all around, and a kïller plot, and you have Gothic Grove. The bits of humor scattered throughout the book were perfection and had me laughing.
Oh, did I mention there's spice?!
Astrea has been beaten down repeatedly and has become even stronger and more of a badäss. She's suffered a lot of trauma but is so ferocious.
I think Ciaran Helvig is my fated mate. 😂 Seriously, though, he's delicious. I loved how he interacts with others and the way he thinks.
The secondary characters all have strong storylines, and I can't wait to get to know them better. I need Poppy in my life.
Some of the tropes include:
Fated Mates
Possession
Dark Paranormal
Revenge
Spicy
Dual/Multi POV
MF/MMF
Mental Health Rep
Blo0d Play
🌶🌶🌶
*Always check the TW.*
October 8, 2023
Really liked the flashbacks throughout the story
This was a difficult story to read, but only because it hit a lot of triggers for me that I am still working through. I need to revisit the shadows of my life, and I do a lot of that by reading books like this one that are not afraid to go to those dark places.
The relationships between the characters are raw and far from perfect. Each character is broken in their own ways, a lot of that due to betrayals of those they should have been able to trust. The relevant flashbacks into the characters' pains and losses really made a difference into how and why the characters act and react the way they do. Again, this book isn't afraid to go into dark places, physically and mentally.
I'm eager to see where the story ventures into the next book and the one after.
I'm only giving this nook 4 stars because as much as I very much do appreciate and enjoy reading the spicy scenes, a majority of them felt forced into the story. That is my own opinion. Others will feel differently.
This was a difficult story to read, but only because it hit a lot of triggers for me that I am still working through. I need to revisit the shadows of my life, and I do a lot of that by reading books like this one that are not afraid to go to those dark places.
The relationships between the characters are raw and far from perfect. Each character is broken in their own ways, a lot of that due to betrayals of those they should have been able to trust. The relevant flashbacks into the characters' pains and losses really made a difference into how and why the characters act and react the way they do. Again, this book isn't afraid to go into dark places, physically and mentally.
I'm eager to see where the story ventures into the next book and the one after.
I'm only giving this nook 4 stars because as much as I very much do appreciate and enjoy reading the spicy scenes, a majority of them felt forced into the story. That is my own opinion. Others will feel differently.
September 24, 2023
This was an excellent debut from J.A. George, and I’m so excited to see where this series goes!
Gothic Grove is an excellent Fall read, especially if you want something dark and spicy with likable, gritty characters.
The story starts with Astrea Mori, the last surviving witch of the Founding Families in Gothic Grove. Astrea is out for revenge and blood. And with that, she makes a deal with the devil—the devil in the form of the Viking vampire Ciaran Helvig. Ciaran is determined to take down his father for his corruption, and even more determined to remind Astrea that she has always been his. Throughout the story, J.A. George also introduces amazing characters (hello, Shadow, Ava, and Drago) with storylines I cannot wait to see unfold in her next book.
If you love:
🖤 Fated mates
🖤 DARK and SPICY
🖤 Mental health rep
🖤 Fast-paced story telling.
You’ll love Gothic Grove*.
*please be sure to check for content warnings for yourself.
Gothic Grove is an excellent Fall read, especially if you want something dark and spicy with likable, gritty characters.
The story starts with Astrea Mori, the last surviving witch of the Founding Families in Gothic Grove. Astrea is out for revenge and blood. And with that, she makes a deal with the devil—the devil in the form of the Viking vampire Ciaran Helvig. Ciaran is determined to take down his father for his corruption, and even more determined to remind Astrea that she has always been his. Throughout the story, J.A. George also introduces amazing characters (hello, Shadow, Ava, and Drago) with storylines I cannot wait to see unfold in her next book.
If you love:
🖤 Fated mates
🖤 DARK and SPICY
🖤 Mental health rep
🖤 Fast-paced story telling.
You’ll love Gothic Grove*.
*please be sure to check for content warnings for yourself.
October 1, 2023
It's rare that I find a dark romance book that handles mental health rep and consent so well, while also pushing the envelope of dark themes. Even rarer to find it in a fantasy setting with the perfect balance of high spice and fantasy plot. And y'all know I am picky AF about balance. So if you're into all of those things, you will love Gothic Grove. And really, what's not to love with vampires, witches, and shifters? I love how the fantasy plot was woven into the background for the characters in an uncomplicated way. And although Astrea & Ciaran are the fabulous main duo in this book, the side characters Shadow and Ava stole my heart. I love a good grumpy/sunshine duo & tortured souls are always my jam. And Drago? Well let's just say I'm very much going to enjoy knowing him better in book 2. Mind the trigger warnings provided & take note, we have a mild cliffy to jump into book 2 that I am now anxiously awaiting.
October 5, 2023
Please please PLEASE read the TW before opening this book. JA George does a very good job of being forthcoming on the TW and what her book initials. This is not going to be for those who like only grumpy/sunshine, and doesn’t really enjoy the spice. This book is every bit DARK dark romance, lotta spiiicceee and the mental health rep is very deep.
You will find yourself in the mix with a vampire, a witch, some animals and more in the paranormal world. George had a line that I just couldn’t get over!!!
“This time of year, the forest looks desolate. The trees are old skeletons, and when the wind blows through them, you can hear their bones clicking.”
By far was my absolute favorite lines I read. If your up for the following in a book this could be just for you!
⚜️Paranormal Characters
⚜️ Dark Romance themes
⚜️ EXXTRAAA spicy spice (like seriously)
⚜️ Multiple POVs & Multiple timelines that explain the backstory & current events
⚜️ Revenge plot
⚜️ Fated Mates
⚜️ MF/MFM
You will find yourself in the mix with a vampire, a witch, some animals and more in the paranormal world. George had a line that I just couldn’t get over!!!
“This time of year, the forest looks desolate. The trees are old skeletons, and when the wind blows through them, you can hear their bones clicking.”
By far was my absolute favorite lines I read. If your up for the following in a book this could be just for you!
⚜️Paranormal Characters
⚜️ Dark Romance themes
⚜️ EXXTRAAA spicy spice (like seriously)
⚜️ Multiple POVs & Multiple timelines that explain the backstory & current events
⚜️ Revenge plot
⚜️ Fated Mates
⚜️ MF/MFM
September 24, 2023
Review of Gothic Grove by JA George
5 stars
Gothic Grove has my heart in a choke hold. I absolutely enjoyed reading this story and the world JA George created. The main characters are Astrea and Ciaran. I love the bond between these two even though she tried fighting it in the beginning because of her distrust of his family. Though this story was centered around them, their friends Shadow, Drago, and Ava really got me hooked. I loved the complexity of their relationship and the deep issues that Shadow was facing, his inner thoughts I think can be relatable to a lot of people. I honestly can not wait until the second one comes out and I think JA George knocked this one out of the park especially this being her debut novel.
Always check your trigger warnings as this touches on some dark content, and mental health struggles.
I received this free as an ARC for an honest review.
5 stars
Gothic Grove has my heart in a choke hold. I absolutely enjoyed reading this story and the world JA George created. The main characters are Astrea and Ciaran. I love the bond between these two even though she tried fighting it in the beginning because of her distrust of his family. Though this story was centered around them, their friends Shadow, Drago, and Ava really got me hooked. I loved the complexity of their relationship and the deep issues that Shadow was facing, his inner thoughts I think can be relatable to a lot of people. I honestly can not wait until the second one comes out and I think JA George knocked this one out of the park especially this being her debut novel.
Always check your trigger warnings as this touches on some dark content, and mental health struggles.
I received this free as an ARC for an honest review.
October 1, 2023
This was a very different read for me than my usual. The book jumps around between different POVs quite a lot, it felt very fresh and it has been handled so skillfully, that I was completely hooked to this book!
The protagonists are fleshed out quite well, they are the strength of this book. There is a mystery behind each character and their magic/powers are quite unique and interesting. On the other hand, the villain felt like the weakest part of the story. But, the story is so well written, that I just have to give it a perfect rating.
The spice is high, but nothing felt out of place to me, I really found a beautiful path linking every moment, in and out of bed. Jaclyn is very skilled at keeping you on toes with scenes of action or "action". ;)
It ends with a promise to expand the lore and the stakes quite a lot, and I can't wait for the next part of the series.
The protagonists are fleshed out quite well, they are the strength of this book. There is a mystery behind each character and their magic/powers are quite unique and interesting. On the other hand, the villain felt like the weakest part of the story. But, the story is so well written, that I just have to give it a perfect rating.
The spice is high, but nothing felt out of place to me, I really found a beautiful path linking every moment, in and out of bed. Jaclyn is very skilled at keeping you on toes with scenes of action or "action". ;)
It ends with a promise to expand the lore and the stakes quite a lot, and I can't wait for the next part of the series.
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