The Damned

Coven of Bones #3

by Harper L. Woods

Brought to you by Penguin.

The New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller Harper L. Woods returns with The Damned , the next book in her unforgettable Coven of Bones series.

Trapped.

He fell through the gate to Hell to save my life.

Beelzebub, the Lord of Gluttony, is no longer his own. He’s been mine ever since he caught me singing to myself, falling prey to the magic of my song. If I can keep my distance, we can both move on.

But now, he is caught under my spell, which makes him forbidden to touch. And yet, he is the only one I can trust to get me back to Crystal Hollow.

We’ll have to make it through the Nine Circles of Hell first.

No matter what we lose along the way.

Harper L. Woods 2025 (P) Macmillan Audio 2025

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Dark Romance, Paranormal, Witches, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published October 7, 2025

About the author

Harper L Woods A pseudonym used by Adelaide Forrest. Harper L. Woods is the fantasy romance pen name for USA Today Bestselling dark romance author.

Reviews

[Caitlin_ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Updated Review

Final review: 2 ⭐️

After reading Books 1 & 2 in the 'Coven of Bones' series, I can say pretty confidently that book 3 was a miss.

The atmosphere, the writing quality, the character lore and romance was all just so subpar and not on the same level as the previous books in this series.

If you've read books 1 & 2, you know Harper L Woods was weaving a pretty complex plot, including witches, God, the Devil, Archangels & Demons, Heaven & Hell...it was interesting, with some parts familiar and expected as part of that lore, and others pretty new and unique.

However THIS installment felt like every other half-baked theological romatasy I've read. Beelzebub was way underdeveloped IMO. He's Lucifer's right-hand, centuries old...and yet I wasn't getting "powerful demon spawn of hell" vibes at all. Yea, Woods gave us the bits and bobs of a broody, powerful demon protector...but at no time did I get "uber powerful" energy, or the notion that this was a guy who had a deeper understanding of human existence and other-dimension knowledge and experience. He simply felt like an older guy who'd been there, done that.

The writing wasn't good. The sentence sprawl and the dangling / misplaced modifiers had me rereading sentences over and over again (for those of you who aren't familiar with these terms, they basically describe the way writers try to do too much in one sentence...too many actions and subjects crammed together, making it difficult to align what's going on and who's the doer or the subject). It made the pace clunky. There's literally nothing wrong with slowing down...having two sentences instead of one...

Additionally the 1st part of the book is just a recap of time / events that happened in book 2. To put it in a different perspective, that means a third of this book is just a reallyyyyy high level rewrite of what went down previously. The point of this, of course, was for Woods to anchor the attraction / connection between Margot & Beelzebub...and it would have worked...except she gave us nothing but a few scenes of Beelzebub following Margot around (stalking, really) and both of them having inner monologues of the same "hmmm what's this connection between us, I'm so drawn to him / her"....ok....could have done that in a chapter or two...

Moving on to the siren-esque magic of the Red witches. It was poorly explained, and the information we get about how the magic works, what it does, the purpose, how the witches use it, etc...is not consistent and at times contradictory.

However, I will give Woods credit for the creativity and thought behind making our FMC, Margot, a Red witch (witches who have power associated with seduction, lust, sex, love), as she has trauma associated with SA...so you can imagine how that pairing could make her situation VERY tricky. I will also say that Margot's journey to heal and move through her trauma was believable (conflicting feelings, back and forth between rage and sadness, the repulsion that her body "felt" things that she didn't want)...I say that because I've read works by authors who write MCs with SA as part of their backstory and it's flat, two-dimensional, and "gotten over" a little too quickly IMO (I'm lookin' at you Lacey Lahotzky and your 'A Choice of Light and Dark' series....)

Yes, there's romance ❤️ and spice 🌶️, but the "I love yous" are thrown out there FAST...without "fated mates" or "destined to be together" lore as part of this series. So we're just supposed to interpret that it is...or just go along with it, I guess. Sorry, I couldn't get behind it.

I did find the journey through hell interesting (passing through 9 realms)...but we spend a lot of time in some, while others are completely skipped over. Seems like a missed opportunity to me, and could have been a way to strengthen the bond between Margot & Beelzebub AND used to give us more backstory on other characters or whatever tf is going on with (what I imagine to be) some sort of Heaven x Hell, Angels x Demons war that's about to go down in the rest of the series.

But unfortunately, this was a left turn from books 1 & 2, so don't expect to get any new answers for where Willow x Gray's story left off.

If you can get over the clunkiness of the writing quality and have never read a "journey through hell with a demon" romantasy before, maybe you'll like this. I wasn't impressed.

This does end on a pretty gnarly cliffhanger, so obviously I *HAVE* to continue the series...but be prepared...this feels very much like a filler book for the series.

✔️ Theological Romantasy
✔️ Witch x Demon
✔️ Journey through Hell
✔️ Healing of past trauma (SA) ⚠️ Check TWs if you're sensitive to this theme
❌ Clunky writing
❌ Plot holes & underbaked plot points
❌ Insta-love vibes with 'fated mates' not part of main storyline
❌ Felt too rushed
❌ Some spice 🌶️🌶️ but it was meh

__________

Ugh. You guyyyssssss the writing was so clip clop I need to think about how to rate this. While I can absolutely say I’m a mood reader, and I get it, not everything can be perfect all of the time, the clunky sentence structure and unnatural dialogue between characters KILLS a story for me.

Right now, it’s a 2.75 ⭐️

Still worth reading, but everything felt underdeveloped. Also WOW were we going in circles with the siren-esque magic of the Red witches. It was poorly explained BUT created complexity with our FMC who has a history with SA.

There’s interesting things going on, there’s POTENTIAL….but it was TOO rushed….

Suffice it to say, Books 1 & 2 were way better.

More detailed review to come…

_______________

Release Day!

Give me Beelzebub!

Now the question is, whose story will we like better: Margot x Beelzebub, or Willow x Gray from books 1 & 2??

______________

Honestly I have no idea where Harper L Woods plans to take book 3 after the ending of The Cursed but I’m here to find out 😂

[ariyel ⟡ [semi-ia] · Rating 1 out of 5]

── ⋆˙⟡ 1.5 stars! ★
﹒⌗﹒contains spoilers﹒౨ৎ˚₊‧

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ “loving her would come with pain until then; it would come with rejection and a lack of understanding, but she’d be worth it.”

﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

⟢ ⌗ ⋮ my thoughts♟️ ིܳ ﹾ ⸝⸝
ৎ i knew i shouldn’t have read this. literally a year ago i said i wasn’t continuing this series. and yet somehow i reread both books recently like a dumbass, and now here i am. officially regretting it. this was just so fucking boring. genuinely nothing pulled me in. there was no tension or excitement. and definitely no moments where i felt like i had to know what happened next.

book 2 ends on a cliffhanger. margot and beelzebub fall into hell. so naturally i expected this book to pick up there. but no. it starts with a 100 page detour showing us scenes we already saw—but now from their povs. it added barely anything. didn’t even feel like new context. just regurgitated shit we didn’t need, from a book i already didn’t like. and yeah we get a few scraps about their dynamic but none of it felt important enough to justify all that time. so the first third of this book? a complete waste of time.

then once we finally get past the prologue arc and into the actual plot, it’s just margot and beelzebub traveling through the nine circles of hell. and it was somehow even more boring than it sounds. the pacing dragged. the world-building didn’t even feel developed. and i know they needed context as characters before continuing the story, but was this really the best way to do that? showing us a past we already knew, from povs that didn’t add anything, in a setup that killed all the momentum before it even started? it just made everything feel pointless.

there’s so much focus on giving more lore instead of finishing or deepening the stuff we already have, which makes it worse. like yeah cool, more information, but what about the unanswered things from the last two books? what about the things that actually needed development? this series just keeps piling on more and more and it’s exhausting.

﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

⟢ ⌗ ⋮ characters♟️ ིܳ ﹾ ⸝⸝
ৎ margot was so insufferable. all she did was complain. like literally any time something happened, she complained. if she had to do something? complained. if she didn’t have to do something? still complained. beelzebub tries to help her? she complains. and the whole time she keeps saying she’ll do whatever it takes to get home, but her actions say the complete opposite. everything was a fight with her. she was just difficult for no reason. i genuinely wanted her gone. she even caused the cliffhanger ending—literally walked off in a tantrum and now they’re stuck with another mess because of her. like congrats, you caused another cliffhanger.

ৎ beelzebub was a letdown. i liked him in book 2. he felt like he had actual potential. but the second we get more of him, that disappears. he had like one moment i liked, and that was when he talked shit about lucifer because lucifer fucking sucks, but other than that? nothing remotely interesting. his pov is dry. his personality evaporates. he has no identity outside of following margot around and talking about how much he wants her. and considering he’s supposed to be lucifer’s second in command, he’s weirdly passive and bland. nothing about him feels powerful or intimidating.

ৎ side characters? didn’t matter. like at all. i couldn’t name a single one that actually contributed something. and !!! i need to talk about how much this book refuses to let go of willow and lucifer. why are they still here. why are they still relevant. this is supposed to be a new story with new mcs, but apparently not, because every few pages margot’s mentioning willow like she’s the second coming. and margot worships her like it’s her religion. i do not care !!! i’m a willow hater so it made everything insufferable. and when she said a world without willow was horrific to her??? they literally just met??? shut up???

﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

⟢ ⌗ ⋮ romance♟️ ིܳ ﹾ ⸝⸝
ৎ i hated the romance. their whole dynamic felt off. it starts with her unintentionally bewitching him through song, which already makes it weird, but then later it’s revealed he was never under her spell. which makes it even weirder. if he wasn’t bewitched, then why was he so obsessed with her?? there’s no real explanation. he’s an archdemon who hates witches. why would he suddenly catch feelings for one random girl who sang in a garden??

then margot’s constantly acting like being around him is this horrible punishment… until she decides she can’t possibly go home without him. like. what?? the dynamic made no sense. they had no chemistry or any actual connection besides forced proximity and a badly explained magical pull. and then it ends in disaster because she gets mad and tries to leave him. and obviously everything goes to shit. she caused the whole ending mess and i still don’t even understand what they feel for each other.

﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

⟢ ⌗ ⋮ extras♟️ ིܳ ﹾ ⸝⸝
— the fact that part 1 was just stuff we already saw from book 2 made this start off on such a bad foot. literally wasted pages.
— hell was the dullest setting imaginable. zero atmosphere.
— the whole “magic recognizes love” thing made zero sense in this context.
— part 3 of the magic system still not making sense.
— no one acts like a demon. they’re all just… dramatic humans with wings.
— the willow obsession was so overdone. stop forcing your new fmc to praise the old one every other chapter.
— lucifer continues to be the most disappointing “big bad” i’ve ever read. he’s supposed to be terrifying, and yet he feels like willow’s obsessive lapdog.

﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

⟢ ⌗ ⋮ overall♟️ ིܳ ﹾ ⸝⸝
ৎ i genuinely think i’m done. there’s just nothing left here for me. i don’t care about the plot. i hate the characters. and the romance made me want to set something on fire. if anything, this book confirmed that this series just isn’t for me. book 1 was so fun, but everything since then has been downhill. and this? this was the confirmation i needed to call it quits.


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ── ⟢ ・⸝⸝ ‎ ‎ entry 0357 ❞


☆ 🖇️ pre-read 𖥻 ＜꒱
i swore i was done with this series after finishing book 2 a year ago. then i reread the first two recently and somehow decided to keep going anyway. not exactly thrilled but i’m curious enough to see where this goes. new mcs, new setting… maybe there’s hope.


𓏲 ⟡ coven of bones ⋆ ꒰ ✦ ꒱
⌗﹒ 01 the coven — 4 ☆
⌗﹒ 02 the cursed — 1.5 ☆
⌗﹒ 03 the damned — 1.5 ☆

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m trying to process that ending because right now I’m just staring at a crumb on my desk. Like what am I suppose to do?! I had a feeling how it would ending would be, but yet I also didn’t want to accept it you know?

If you have read the first two books in the series, you know how Miss Woods liked to leave us fighting for our sanity after every ending. This one is no different. I am not going to give away the ending, all I will say it. You better buckler the cuck up for this one. Because I thought the last book ended on a tortuous cliffhanger? HA. That last ending, makes this one look like child’s play. I don’t know how I am going to function without finding out what happens for who knows how long. I may have offer to bribe Harper with my nonexistent money to get some deets from her.

What I will say is, that this is a very, VERY torturous slow burn. I am completely obsessed with how obsessed Beel is with Margot. Like I want to be a fly on wall with every encounter they have with one another. Just to bask in their cuteness and how much Beel and Margot were in denial with themselves and how much they care for one another. I cannot wait to see how their story goes, because it is so far from being over.

[˚₊‧⁺⋆♱ giorgia at scusastavoleggendo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harper Woods I could read your grocery list I would die an happy woman

[sam | sammylou.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just put me in the third circle of gluttony cause baby I DEVOURED this book and I need more!!! 🍽️

I had the absolute best time buddy reading this with my girl @bookedwithjos & traveling through the nine circles of hell with Margot & Beelzebub! I think we finished this in under 24 hours?

Wheeeew 😮‍💨 Beelzebub was a man (demon) obsessed and I’M obsessed. And he was such a gentleman too?? 😩 I literally cannot get enough of him!!

I also really loved Margot's character and seeing her overcome her traumatic past. A certain chapter did have me sobbing, so be sure to check the TW! No complaints here though! I love me a good cry 😂

AND THAT CLIFFHANGER 😫 Harper sure knows how to write them!!

I do recommend reading The Coven/The Cursed first. You don't *have* to, but I think they're perfect for spooky season 😏

What to expect:
-Demon x witch
-Enemies to lovers
-Forced proximity
-Slow burn
-Childhood trauma

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
I fear I have a type, and it’s a big, bad, dangerous, down-bad archdemon demon with wings who rules over a circle of hell. Yeah… this is very much my thing.

The end of The Cursed had me so intrigued for these two. And while I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Willow and Lucifer, I didn’t miss them nearly as much as I thought I would( whoops) because these two completely stole the show.

The premise of this book is so fucking cool. A journey through hell? Immediately sold. The story was wildly entertaining, layered, and packed with interesting characters, and I loved every second of the ride. It’s very much up my alley, so I was fully locked in on the plot from the start, which is always a win.

But what really got me was the emotional depth. Margot’s story broke my heart into a million pieces. Watching her work through such heavy trauma and learning what she went through and why she is the way she is, had me in actual tears. I felt for her so deeply. Every reaction, every feeling she had was so fucking valid, and I loved that she had a partner who helped take down her walls and reminded her and showed her that she was safe. They were literally a perfect pair. And listen… it’s always the giant demons who turn out to be the biggest softies and would do anything for their woman.

Also, can we talk about the fact that she’s a siren? Because that is so fucking cool. I loved her abilities, her powers, and red witches in general are already elite but she’s got that extra pizzazz. Every time her siren side started to peek through, I was like, yeah… this girl is cool as fuck.

Beelzebub was so patient and gentle with her from the beginning, which made everything hit even harder because he’s meant to hate witches. Their kinds have been at each other’s throats for as long as anyone can remember, and he truly believes he’s under her spell, only to realize he’s just completely down bad. I loved how he didn’t just protect her body, but her mind, her spirit, and her soul. The devotion was through the fucking roof. Nothing was getting to her if he had anything to say about it.

So we’ve got an incredible concept, an elite pairing, an adventure through hell, insane tension, and a burn that is so fucking slow It’s dripping off the pages, but it’s absolutely worth it. That said… when I hit the ending? The cliffhanger knocked me on my fucking ass. I clicked, fully expecting another chapter, and when I realized there wasn’t one, I literally stared at the wall for ten minutes. That was brutal.

I don’t know when the next book comes out, but I also don’t know how I’m supposed to survive without knowing what happens next.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ It just drives me crazy when the heroine’s thoughts say one thing but her words and actions say another 😬

[°❀⋆.monica ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 2 out of 5]

no ❤️

[LKCREADS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me a demon… no… better yet, give me a archdemon who rules his own circle of Hell… wrap him up in sin, power, and centuries of pain… and I will devour that story like it’s my last meal on Earth.

This story opens with a premise I could only dream of. A witch. Trapped in Hell. Magically tethered to a scornful, tortured archdemon who loathes her presence… yet cannot bear to be apart from her.

I mean... if that doesn't have you kicking your feet and giggling.. are you dead inside? Just kidding. Sort of.

"You'll need to visit each of the circles and earn the right to pass through them individually. You'll need to show that you are in control of each of the sins..."

And so begins a journey across the nine circles of Hell. Each layer brings new trials, fresh monsters… sometimes literal, sometimes emotional… and delicious, devastating tension.

It's like someone cracked open my soul and built a candy shop out of everything I crave. Dark fantasy, moral tests, impossible choices, and the kind of romance that leaves you burning…

But here's where the magic of this book really begins. Beyond the demons, the spells, the mythic landscapes, and the jaw clenching tension… This is a story about trauma. About survival. And about reclaiming what was taken from you.

Please check the trigger warnings before diving in. SA and trauma are central themes here, and they're handled with immense care and empathy. Honestly, if you've been through something similar, I might even recommend this MORE. Because this book isn't about pain. It's about healing. About reclaiming the narrative, taking your broken pieces, and forging something stronger than steel.

"I don't want to just exist anymore. I want to live."

This is not just a fantasy. It's a mirror. It's a story for anyone who's ever felt too broken, too ruined, too stuck in the mud to move forward.

You will walk beside our heroine not just through Hell, but through grief, repression, longing, rage, and, eventually, reclamation.

This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful stories of worthiness l've ever read.

The romance? Absolutely excruciating in the best way.

Longing so intense it makes you ache. Dialogue so sharp it could cut glass.

There’s betrayals, bargains, moments that made me gasp aloud. And the heat? Let's just say... fitting, considering the setting.

"Her heels clicked against the stone floor as she fled quickly, but she didn't run. She didn't give me the privilege of that fear."

By the time I reached the final page, I was frozen in place. Jaw on the floor. Emotionally disassembled. I don't know what to do with myself now. And maybe that's the point.

"You have burrowed your way into my soul and branded me with your mark."

This book isn't just a love story. It's a battle cry. A reckoning. Can you fall into the fire and rise from the ashes?

[Alicia | kindleandmagic · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚.”

-witches and demons
-enemies to lovers
-9 circles of hell
-forced proximity
-trauma healing
-dual pov

I didn’t expect to swoon as hard as I did over these characters. But as soon as I started it, I was invested.

Starting off just a little before the events at the end of book 2 gives you a little more backstory between Beelzebub and Margot, which I looooved. It made that final event in The Cursed more impactful and builds the way for an emotional read.

“𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚.“

There’s a lot of trauma healing in this and I’m all about it. The way Margot has to work through her past and address her self preconceptions, as they’re forced to go through the nine circles of hell, is both heartbreaking and empowering. But Beel is there for her throughout the process, encouraging and challenging her. And while he may be a archdemon who hates her kind, he’s a cinnamon roll for her and only her.

“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩, 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙙, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”

For a shorter book, this was an incredibly fun and enjoyable read, and easy to binge. What I didn’t expect was the ending… I will be sitting with that for a long time.

Thank you @torbooks @brambleromance and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

The Damned is out today and is available on kindle unlimited.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my cup of a tea solely because I felt the author rushed them to make them fall in love. Also 24% of the book in the beginning is just retelling what happened in the book prior. I did not like that at all.

[Riley_Ann♌️]

October 7th 2025

[KT · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐ (rounded up)

After how much I loved the first two, this one didn't quite live up to the hype. I waffled really hard between giving it a 2 or 3, because as a standalone I might give it closer to a 3, but if I compare it to the other two, I would give it a 2. Honestly, the more I think about this review, the lower the rating gets.

The first part of this book was literally a rewrite of the events of Book 2 from another perspective. While important, the same information (and connection or lack thereof) could have been given within a couple chapters.

The lore in this book felt detached from the other two - so instead of a continuation and deepening of the knowledge base from Book 1 & 2, it expanded sideways. It was giving generic hell fantasy with no atmosphere.

Parts of this were very interesting, specifically what was done with Margot's magic and how that affected her, even past her obvious trauma. But I still didn't really like her as a character. And Beelzebub felt like a whole lot of nothing. Their relationship didn't grow at all until it very suddenly did. I didn't understand the dynamic.

The audio narration lived up to the first two books, so at the very least, that can be counted on.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with this ALC.

[TheCaffeinatedBookSisters · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️

✨Demon x witch
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Forced proximity
✨slow burn
✨9 circles of hell
✨Touch her and die
✨Childhood trauma
✨Star crossed lovers
✨Cliffhanger

I loved the world building in this book while Margot and Beelzebub traveled through the 9 circles of hell! I am obsessed with Beelzebub he was such a cinnamon roll but only for her. It was nice to see Margot’s growth as she overcame her traumatic past. Can’t wait for the next after that cliffhanger! I miss the academy setting though and I hope we get back o Hollow’s Grove in the next one!

Make sure to shock your trigger warnings.

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

RTC

[lex (samkiel’s version ⚡︎) · Rating 3 out of 5]

soooo mid until the end 🤨

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book three in the series and unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as the previous ones. Book one with Willow and Grey I adored, book two wasn't a complete hit but I did mostly enjoy myself. This one though didn't resonate with me and for the majority of this, I was bored. There wasn't a whole lot here to retain my attention and it did feel quite slow in its place. Also, the first third of this was a rehash just from a different perspective.

This is Margot and Beelzebub’s story and as characters, I didn't think they were fleshed out enough. Margot was mostly irritating and Beelzebub felt one-dimensional. I felt this concentrated on painting a picture of the hellscape to the detriment of the actual story. I also would have preferred carrying on with Willow and Grey’s story as there were so many threads still left unanswered from the previous books. This third book clarified nothing and with how this then concluded I'm assuming book four won't provide further clarity either.

I did think it did an excellent job of dealing with the subject of SA though. This was all handled sensitively which was a big plus point. Overall I will continue with this series as I want to know what happens next but I was definitely left disappointed as this was a book I initially had high hopes for.

[Kaitlynn Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I wasn’t at work right now I would be crying so hard. The ending broke me, like I need to remind myself to breathe, sitting and staring at a wall, broke me. And I’m really hoping that there’s another one because the ending of this, cannot be the ending I get. I love Margot and Beelzebub story, even with the ending of the book, but there’s gotta be another one to fix that soon, it had a lot of growth and learning from each other and it was perfect. I did not want to put this book down the whole time I was reading, even this morning when I had to leave for work with 5 pages left, when all I wanted to do was finish it. I want more and I want it now. Not next year or whenever, but right now.

[Audrey-Anne Théoret · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai bien aimé suivre Margot et Beelzebub à travers les pêchés capitaux en enfer. J’ai tellement trouvé ça originale comme « épreuve ». J’ai full appréciée comment Harper L.Wood à traité l’évolution des traumatistes de Margot au fur et à mesure que l’histoire avance, mais SURTOUT le respect de Beelzebub au travers du livre. C’est peut etre un démon, but its a good one 😏. Je dirais qu’au 3/4 du livre ya de petites longueurs mais overall j’ai full aimé ce 3e tome.

La fin… hello ? Faut vraiment attendre jusqu’au printemps ? Qui a décidé de finir un livre sur sa faim.. vraiment très injuste 😅

[Hera · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to Tor Books and to Harper L. Woods for the e-ARC of The Damned. This book comes out on October 7th, and let me just tell you right now, I highly recommend you put it on your radar.

The Overall Vibe

Set in the nine circles of hell, this book follows Beelzebub and Margot, and to be honest, I did not think I was going to enjoy Beelzebub’s character as much as I did. He is an archdemon, she is a witch, and their rivalry was at first confusing to me. Maybe that was on me, since I dove straight into book three without reading the previous ones. In my head, I decided to treat the earlier books like a sort of prequel, even if that was not how the author planned it, and that worked out well enough. Initially, I did not understand why archdemons and witches hated each other, but Harper L. Woods gradually explains the roots of their animosity, and suddenly, it all clicked into place.

The vibe of the book itself reminded me of Lucifer on Netflix. Not in a copycat way, but in how it humanized a figure we are conditioned to see as irredeemable. Lucifer made me empathize with the devil, and The Damned did the same for the archdemons, while also teaching me about the nine circles of hell. Each circle representing a sin made hell feel like more than just fire and brimstone, it became a whole ecosystem that justified its own existence. I love when fiction makes me think, “Oh, this works, this makes sense,” and this book absolutely did that.

Beelzebub and Margot

Their relationship started with the impression that he was enchanted by her music, but what unfolded was so much richer than I expected. Beelzebub is, without a doubt, a consent king. He kept his hatred for witches to the side when it came to Margot, and he respected her as a person, respected her space, her privacy, her restraints, her need for control. He gave her choices in everything, from the romance to the overarching plot, even in her desire to escape. That cemented his place in my heart, because it showed he wasn’t trying to control her, he was giving her control.

There were moments where things could have gone south, but they never did. His protective nature shone when he learned someone had wronged her. He did not ask what happened, he asked who did it. Their banter was calm, easygoing, and never obsessive. And then there was that one line that stuck with me: “I wanted the real her, not the show pony they turned her into.” That line alone sealed it for me. From the start, even if it began with obsession, he wanted the real her, cracks and all, and he gave her space to heal herself rather than trying to “fix” her.

Power, Consent, and Restraint

Margot’s powers made her deeply hesitant, because she felt that using them would strip people of their consent. She feared her own nature, believed it made her monstrous, and when she struggled with that, Beelzebub delivered one of the most beautiful lines: “I don’t want to be something you regret, Songbird, I want to be your everything.” That showed his restraint and his commitment to letting her choose. He did not want her to see herself as a monster for something she could not change. He wanted her to be in control, always. That balance of power, restraint, and love gave their romance so much depth. And when the love confession finally came, I was completely swept away.

Slow Burn and the Payoff

Despite Margot’s power being rooted in sex, this was the slowest of slow burns I have read in a long while. Throughout the book, I kept asking myself, “Are they going to do it now? No? Maybe now? No? Still no?” They did not until the third-to-last chapter, and when it finally happened, it was one of the steamiest and best-written scenes I have read in ages. The wait made the payoff even better. Again, Beelzebub let her choose everything, the when, the what, the how, and it was glorious.

The love confession tied perfectly into that moment, and I was riding a high of joy and satisfaction, until the cliffhanger. And oh, the cliffhanger. I hated it with every fiber of my being. Not because it was bad, but because it was so good at being frustrating. I knew Margot’s decision was going to come back to bite her, and when it did, the book ended. I wanted to pull my hair out. I have been reading a streak of cliffhanger endings recently, so maybe I am extra sensitive, but this one enraged me. Since this was an ARC, I am now stuck waiting even longer for the next book, and I want it immediately.

Final Thoughts

The Damned was a masterclass in romance, angst, healing, betrayal, restraint, and the sheer potency of love. Harper L. Woods’ writing transported me into the nine circles of hell, and I could feel every shadow, every flame, every heavy breath. Beelzebub surprised me by being one of the most devoted lovers I have read in a long while, and Margot’s growth made me ache for her triumphs.

This was a five-star read for me, through and through. It releases on October 7th, and I cannot recommend it enough.

[SAMANTHA. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a good time — really engaging and entertaining from start to finish!

In The Damned, the focus shifts to Margo and Beelzebub as they venture through the levels of hell. Along the way, Margo confronts her past, discovers her own power, and maybe finds just a bit more. 😉💕 I easily loved both Margo and Beelzebub. Their dynamic was so fun, and I really appreciated the journey we went on alongside Margo. Her growth felt genuine, layered, and satisfying to watch unfold.

While it was a little reminiscent of other books I’ve read that involve characters navigating hell, this one carried its own unique charm and challenges that made it stand out. It’s absolutely worth picking up — and that ending left me immediately wanting more!

I received this as an ALC, through NetGalley — the narrator’s added depth to the character in perfect ways! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um… that ending?! Tell me there is another book coming soon? I loved reading Beez and Margot’s story but I need more!

[LaceyBanana Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

How was the first book so good and now we’re here what was this?? Absolutely not.

[Alara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harper L.Woods has an incredible ability to write, and the stories they share are always engaging and emotional. This is no different. I really enjoyed The Coven and The Cursed, but honestly they didn't grab me as much as her other books did. This book changed that.

I looove the concept of Red Magic, focusing on lust and seduction. Reading about a Red Witch with an aversion to affection was interesting and made the story very unique. The FMC is relatable and very human, making it easy as the reader to connect and truly feel emotions alongside her. Watching her fear and resistance built from trauma transition to power and confidence was amazing. I found myself feeling proud of her at times.

The MMC is a classic powerful demon with no understanding of emotions. Yet somehow, he gave sweetheart energy. I loved him trying to fight their connection and the slow process of learning to accept it and strive to further develop it.

The storyline is action packed and unique. I thoroughly enjoyed the exploration of the realms of Hell, and getting to know all the unique characters that resided there.

Overall, highly recommend this one. Make sure you read The Coven and The Cursed first and check the trigger warnings.

[Sarah (in Slump mode) · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2.5 ⭐️ Well, I'm glad I'm done with that. I ended up skimming the last 2 chapters because I was over it and ready to move on. Nothing bothers me more than a book with a "whoa is me" FMC. Is what she went through terrible and traumatic, yes. But whatever happened to rising above, fighting "the man", standing up for yourself and not letting the trauma make you ruin your own life. Maybe I am a bit tainted from reading about such amazing and strong FMC's like Aelin, Feyre, Livia, Poppy and Violet that the whiny ones who only punish themselves instead of fighting the enemy just grate my nerves something fierce. After Willow turned into one of these in the second book and now Margot in the 3rd book, I am officially over this series and will not be continuing. The first one was the only good one (before willow turned weepy)

🔸️Pros- Its over
🔸️Cons- So many
🔸️Favorite Character- Beelzebub
🔸️Least Favorite character- Margot
🔸️Would I read it again? Hell no
🔸️Would I recommend it? Also, no
🔸️Will I continue the series? Definitely not
🔸️Buy a physical copy? Also, hell no

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Tor/Bramble for the ARC!

I would read Harper's grocery list at this point. Plus this series is witches and demons, so really there's no way I wasn't going to love this. And I was not disappointed at ALL.

Dare I say....I think I like Margot more than Willow??

Girl goes THROUGH it in this book, and I ate up every single second. Where Willow's story is about rage and fighting for power, Margot's is about healing and personal acceptance. If you're wanting a perfect FMC who has the ability to communicate her feelings and thoughts, this is not going to be for you. Margot and her story, her recovery, is M E S S Y. She's angry, she's scared, and she's trying to hold it all together in a world that doesn't accept weakness or personal growth. And she does it with a KILLER wardrobe--even in Hell.

I don't know what it is about a journey through Hell, but I will eat it up every single time!!!

And Beel? Oh boy he is down bad. Is his love a little insta lust? Sure. Do I really care? Not really. For an arch demon, he's pretty great--he's protective, gives her an adorable nickname, can communicate, and is patient. Sure, he can also take out a dozen lesser demons with one swing, but nobody is perfect, right?

I LOVED the story and thought the pacing is perfect! It's definitely a slow burn relationship, but it has to be for Margot. The tension was great--I was definitely screaming at the end!! I'm so ready for the rest of this series--who doesn't love a demon love story?

[Angelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing this book and spending the last 30 minutes basically staring at my wall, I'm still not sure how I need to go on with life.

The way this book builds up and works through the traumatic experiences of a character, giving us more understanding and makes the pieces fit...

I need more of this Harper, what kind of drug did you put in here?

[Sammy Storey · Rating 5 out of 5]

gosh I love when witches and demons hook up

[Merry Jayned · Rating 3 out of 5]

wasn't good until towards the end where it picked up.

[Dawn Boxley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ I think this was my favorite so far. Curious to know how the story continues