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Joan of Crows #2
Incendiant
Author Virginia Black burst onto the queer speculative fiction scene with her powerful debut, Consecrated Ground. Now Joan of Crows returns to Calvert in this high-octane thriller that pits good versus evil in a penultimate showdown.
War witch Joan Matthews wants little more than to build a life with Leigh Phan. Their hometown is rebuilding under Joan’s protection, but not everyone is happy with her solution to the most recent vampire crisis.
Meanwhile, Leigh’s bloodling powers lead to unforeseen consequences, and Joan is forced to honor a favor owed to a dangerous foe. Neither knows a greater threat lurks behind seemingly unrelated attacks across the land.
Together, Joan and Leigh once saved the town of Calvert. Now that they are separated, each must learn to save herself, or all their gains will be forfeited—and everyone they know will pay the price.
War witch Joan Matthews wants little more than to build a life with Leigh Phan. Their hometown is rebuilding under Joan’s protection, but not everyone is happy with her solution to the most recent vampire crisis.
Meanwhile, Leigh’s bloodling powers lead to unforeseen consequences, and Joan is forced to honor a favor owed to a dangerous foe. Neither knows a greater threat lurks behind seemingly unrelated attacks across the land.
Together, Joan and Leigh once saved the town of Calvert. Now that they are separated, each must learn to save herself, or all their gains will be forfeited—and everyone they know will pay the price.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 24, 2025
12 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Black
4 books132 followersVIRGINIA BLACK (she/her) is the author of NO SHELTER BUT THE STARS (sci-fi romance, 2024) and CONSECRATED GROUND (paranormal romance, 2023) -- both from Bywater Books -- as well as several short stories and works of fan fiction. She enjoys strong whiskey, loud music, and writing about angsty protagonists, though not necessarily in that order. When not penning dark speculative sapphic fiction, she is almost always reading or lurking on RPG sites. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her wife of 21 years (and counting) and their savagely witty teenage daughter. Learn more at virginiablackwrites.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 18, 2025
Super sequel in this vivid world. More please!
July 2, 2025
The second book in this series delivers a page turner that kept me engrossed.
This Dystopian fantasy that features vampires, witches, binders and bloodlings has lots of action, while Leigh and Joan work through issues around loyalties, love, who are really the monsters, allies and loss.
If you like a rollicking read that also makes you think this will fit the bill. But read the first one first.
This Dystopian fantasy that features vampires, witches, binders and bloodlings has lots of action, while Leigh and Joan work through issues around loyalties, love, who are really the monsters, allies and loss.
If you like a rollicking read that also makes you think this will fit the bill. But read the first one first.
June 10, 2025
Page turning sequel to Consecrated Ground
Incendiant, the sequel to Consecrated Ground is fire. So much fire, in its pages and characters. You could read it as a standalone but I strongly recommend that you read both books, in order, and in as close succession as possible. Dark and unsettling as the universe they're set in is, you'll want to sink in and stay there for a while. Main characters Leigh and Joan's relationship will be all the more meaningful in Incendiant if you know what happened in Consecrated Ground. The tidbit reminders in Incendiant of past events are helpful but, in my opinion insufficient to give you all the information, context and history you need for the full experience. I read Consecrated Ground when it was published so some things were slightly familiar and the reminders did help but I still wondered what I was missing by not having that story fresh in mind going in to this book.
If you like genuinely strong female characters who are also flawed and easy to get attached to, root for and care about you'll love Leigh and Joan. Those two are tested individually, as is their relationship, to extremes. They take their commitment and promises to each other seriously, at times to their detriment. Their love story is powerful, inspiring and so romantic despite the horrors that permeate the world they live in; it got my heart aflutter more than once while reading.
I read this book in two days, spurred on by cliffhanger type chapter endings that enticed me to read 'just one more chapter' to see what happens until 'one more chapter' became many in a reading session. There is humor peppered into the drama and angst though not enough to take much edge off the tension that accumulates while reading. Bureaucracy and petty political shenanigans, propaganda and power dynamics all manage to permeate and thrive in a world of humans, vampires and magical abilities. In addition to violence and dark themes, PTSD figures prominently in the story so heads up if those are issues for you in your reading material.
The book's ending is the kind that provides resolution (as much as there can be in this kind of world) with an ominous whisper in the wind of something more to come for the characters at some point in the future. I'm hoping that will result in a third book being added to the series and will happily read it if and when it's published.
I look forward to reading whatever author Virginia Black publishes next and hope that includes an additional book in this current duology. I recommend this series and her other books for stories that will pull you in with masterful storytelling and complex characters.
Incendiant, the sequel to Consecrated Ground is fire. So much fire, in its pages and characters. You could read it as a standalone but I strongly recommend that you read both books, in order, and in as close succession as possible. Dark and unsettling as the universe they're set in is, you'll want to sink in and stay there for a while. Main characters Leigh and Joan's relationship will be all the more meaningful in Incendiant if you know what happened in Consecrated Ground. The tidbit reminders in Incendiant of past events are helpful but, in my opinion insufficient to give you all the information, context and history you need for the full experience. I read Consecrated Ground when it was published so some things were slightly familiar and the reminders did help but I still wondered what I was missing by not having that story fresh in mind going in to this book.
If you like genuinely strong female characters who are also flawed and easy to get attached to, root for and care about you'll love Leigh and Joan. Those two are tested individually, as is their relationship, to extremes. They take their commitment and promises to each other seriously, at times to their detriment. Their love story is powerful, inspiring and so romantic despite the horrors that permeate the world they live in; it got my heart aflutter more than once while reading.
I read this book in two days, spurred on by cliffhanger type chapter endings that enticed me to read 'just one more chapter' to see what happens until 'one more chapter' became many in a reading session. There is humor peppered into the drama and angst though not enough to take much edge off the tension that accumulates while reading. Bureaucracy and petty political shenanigans, propaganda and power dynamics all manage to permeate and thrive in a world of humans, vampires and magical abilities. In addition to violence and dark themes, PTSD figures prominently in the story so heads up if those are issues for you in your reading material.
The book's ending is the kind that provides resolution (as much as there can be in this kind of world) with an ominous whisper in the wind of something more to come for the characters at some point in the future. I'm hoping that will result in a third book being added to the series and will happily read it if and when it's published.
I look forward to reading whatever author Virginia Black publishes next and hope that includes an additional book in this current duology. I recommend this series and her other books for stories that will pull you in with masterful storytelling and complex characters.
October 2, 2025
4.5 stars
Much better than the first, in my opinion. Even though I felt like Joan was a bit dramatic and overreacted at one point, I still liked her just as much as in the first book. On the other hand, I hadn't been too sure of Leigh in Consecrated Ground, but in "Incendiant" she grew a lot, stopped being ashamed of herself and finally found a spine. In fact, I think I actually enjoyed Leigh's chapters more than Joan's. The world was described in more detail and we learned more about the vampires and about how other cities and towns function. Though I would have liked a bit more of the history of the world. Maybe in the next book. The plot was nicely paced with some great action scenes and unraveling of mysteries. The Coven was as useless in this book as in the first one; how do they even govern themselves ? I really liked seeing Bartholomew and Elizaveta again, I find them both quite fascinating. I wouldn't mind a book about the two of them.
The ending was mostly satisfying, but I hope that the subtle promise of a third book it contained will be fulfilled because I've become quite invested in this series now.
Much better than the first, in my opinion. Even though I felt like Joan was a bit dramatic and overreacted at one point, I still liked her just as much as in the first book. On the other hand, I hadn't been too sure of Leigh in Consecrated Ground, but in "Incendiant" she grew a lot, stopped being ashamed of herself and finally found a spine. In fact, I think I actually enjoyed Leigh's chapters more than Joan's. The world was described in more detail and we learned more about the vampires and about how other cities and towns function. Though I would have liked a bit more of the history of the world. Maybe in the next book. The plot was nicely paced with some great action scenes and unraveling of mysteries. The Coven was as useless in this book as in the first one; how do they even govern themselves ? I really liked seeing Bartholomew and Elizaveta again, I find them both quite fascinating. I wouldn't mind a book about the two of them.
The ending was mostly satisfying, but I hope that the subtle promise of a third book it contained will be fulfilled because I've become quite invested in this series now.
June 19, 2025
War witch, action, vampires - count me in!
After the fights and action of book one of the Joan-of-Crows saga (Consecrated Ground) the sequel explores more shifting grounds. It‘s an captivating deconstruction of firmly held believes of who is friend, who is foe, who to trust. And of course there is action and a big show-down, because war witch, duh!
In book one war witch Joan and her lover Leigh Phan defeated the vampire-monsters - or so they think. Now they‘re back on their homestead in Calvert. Instead of domestic bliss and developing the town they are struggling: a big taboo separates them from their friends and neighbors, they can‘t get a grip on Leigh‘s gifts. All of sudden foes might be more helpful than their friends and doubts creep in from all sides. Leigh needs to go on a dangerous quest - alone, separated from Joan. In the shadows monsters are lurking waiting for a moment of weakness.
This was another page-turner for me. I was taken in by Virginia Black‘s twisted story with sprinkles of todays challenges and her beautiful writing: sharp, well-fleshed out, focused.
Now I am waiting for the next book: the story arc of book 2 was concluded, but at the end I „heard“ war drums in the air.
I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
After the fights and action of book one of the Joan-of-Crows saga (Consecrated Ground) the sequel explores more shifting grounds. It‘s an captivating deconstruction of firmly held believes of who is friend, who is foe, who to trust. And of course there is action and a big show-down, because war witch, duh!
In book one war witch Joan and her lover Leigh Phan defeated the vampire-monsters - or so they think. Now they‘re back on their homestead in Calvert. Instead of domestic bliss and developing the town they are struggling: a big taboo separates them from their friends and neighbors, they can‘t get a grip on Leigh‘s gifts. All of sudden foes might be more helpful than their friends and doubts creep in from all sides. Leigh needs to go on a dangerous quest - alone, separated from Joan. In the shadows monsters are lurking waiting for a moment of weakness.
This was another page-turner for me. I was taken in by Virginia Black‘s twisted story with sprinkles of todays challenges and her beautiful writing: sharp, well-fleshed out, focused.
Now I am waiting for the next book: the story arc of book 2 was concluded, but at the end I „heard“ war drums in the air.
I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
September 11, 2025
Amazing 2nd book. Virginia Black can surely create a vivid world that sticks with you. Would love to read more!
October 3, 2025
Absolutely loved this series! I do hope there are more to come!
July 20, 2025
Really enjoyed the focus on Leigh's storyline in this installment. I hope there are more books to come in this series.
P.S.
This book cover deserves an award!
P.S.
This book cover deserves an award!
September 8, 2025
Virginia Black’s Incendiant, the second installment in the Joan of Crows series, pulls readers back into a world where blood magic, uneasy alliances, and the high cost of survival collide. This isn’t just another witches-and-vampires tale; it’s a darkly elegant, emotionally charged fantasy that knows how to hit both the action beats and the heartstrings. Fans of dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and richly character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sink their teeth into here.
What makes Incendiant so appealing is its balance of intimacy and scale. On one hand, it delivers monsters, blood, and looming disaster. On the other, it’s a story about Joan Matthews and Leigh Phan, two women bound together by fierce loyalty and love, even as separation and responsibility threaten to pull them apart. That tug-of-war between personal devotion and epic stakes is the novel’s linchpin, giving the high fantasy chaos real emotional gravity.
The protagonists are beautifully distinct. Joan, the formidable war witch, is a mix of grit, power, and political compromise. She saves her town, but not everyone appreciates the way she goes about it. Leigh, a bloodling, is equally intriguing: part human, part something else, with powers that are as unpredictable as they are dangerous. Their paths diverge in Incendiant, and that distance allows both characters to grow, stumble, and define themselves in ways that feel raw and human.
What makes this book shine is how Black handles the cost of heroism. Joan’s past bargains come back to haunt her, and Leigh is thrown into the crucible of self-discovery without the safety net of Joan’s protection. Choices have weight, survival isn’t clean, and victories, when they come, always carry shadows. That grounded, morally gray tension is what makes Black’s story world feel real, ensnaring readers into the drama-filled action.
As dynamic as the characters are, the setting is where Incendiant truly comes alive. The town of Calvert lives in the uneasy aftermath of survival, its people suspicious and divided in their gratitude. This attention to the “after” of crisis gives the book more bite: it asks who benefits from sacrifice, and who resents it. Layer that with foreshadowed attacks and a looming, mythology-deepening threat, and readers have a sequel that expands the playing field without losing the intimacy that made book one sing.
All that being said, Incendiant’s greatest success is how it weaves emotional stakes with the supernatural. The battles and bloodshed matter, but what lingers is the question both heroines face: how do you save yourself while trying to save everyone else? That blend of vulnerability and ferocity of tenderness and danger, is where Virginia Black’s storytelling truly thrives.
Final remarks….
Incendiant is a rare kind of sequel, one that expands in scale, sharpens in conflict, and still stays true to its characters’ hearts. For readers who crave romances woven with dark fantasy, or heroines as messy and complicated as they are powerful, this book delivers. Fierce, tender, and hauntingly human, Black crafts a series that revels in character dynamics, exposing layers of vulnerability and resilience that linger long after the final page.
Strengths…
Well-written
Immersive story world
Well-developed, engaging characters
Well-paced
Super-charged tension with big returns
What makes Incendiant so appealing is its balance of intimacy and scale. On one hand, it delivers monsters, blood, and looming disaster. On the other, it’s a story about Joan Matthews and Leigh Phan, two women bound together by fierce loyalty and love, even as separation and responsibility threaten to pull them apart. That tug-of-war between personal devotion and epic stakes is the novel’s linchpin, giving the high fantasy chaos real emotional gravity.
The protagonists are beautifully distinct. Joan, the formidable war witch, is a mix of grit, power, and political compromise. She saves her town, but not everyone appreciates the way she goes about it. Leigh, a bloodling, is equally intriguing: part human, part something else, with powers that are as unpredictable as they are dangerous. Their paths diverge in Incendiant, and that distance allows both characters to grow, stumble, and define themselves in ways that feel raw and human.
What makes this book shine is how Black handles the cost of heroism. Joan’s past bargains come back to haunt her, and Leigh is thrown into the crucible of self-discovery without the safety net of Joan’s protection. Choices have weight, survival isn’t clean, and victories, when they come, always carry shadows. That grounded, morally gray tension is what makes Black’s story world feel real, ensnaring readers into the drama-filled action.
As dynamic as the characters are, the setting is where Incendiant truly comes alive. The town of Calvert lives in the uneasy aftermath of survival, its people suspicious and divided in their gratitude. This attention to the “after” of crisis gives the book more bite: it asks who benefits from sacrifice, and who resents it. Layer that with foreshadowed attacks and a looming, mythology-deepening threat, and readers have a sequel that expands the playing field without losing the intimacy that made book one sing.
All that being said, Incendiant’s greatest success is how it weaves emotional stakes with the supernatural. The battles and bloodshed matter, but what lingers is the question both heroines face: how do you save yourself while trying to save everyone else? That blend of vulnerability and ferocity of tenderness and danger, is where Virginia Black’s storytelling truly thrives.
Final remarks….
Incendiant is a rare kind of sequel, one that expands in scale, sharpens in conflict, and still stays true to its characters’ hearts. For readers who crave romances woven with dark fantasy, or heroines as messy and complicated as they are powerful, this book delivers. Fierce, tender, and hauntingly human, Black crafts a series that revels in character dynamics, exposing layers of vulnerability and resilience that linger long after the final page.
Strengths…
Well-written
Immersive story world
Well-developed, engaging characters
Well-paced
Super-charged tension with big returns
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews