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The Witch Trials #2
The Demon and his Viper
THE DEMON AND HIS VIPER is the
final
book in a MM paranormal romance series of heart-pounding romance, witchcraft, and bloodthirsty enemies, perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and Her Soul to Take.
Hector Briar may have walked away from the Witch Trials alive, but not whole. His failure handed the Witch Hunters a weapon capable of shattering Witch-kind—and placed the ancient demon Bahmet firmly in their grasp. Now the Hunters are poised to burn magic out of the mortal world forever.
Arwyn Hopkin spent years living a lie. Meeting Hector changed that. Manipulation got him so far, until his success during The Witch Trials bound him to Bahmet, a demon who whispers promises, demands obedience, and hungers for freedom. Everyone wants to use the Witches, the Hunters, and the demon inside him. Surviving any of them may be impossible.
When Hector and Arwyn’s paths converge, the Witch Trials ignite once more. Forced into a deadly contest of loyalty and power, Hector will do whatever it takes to stop fate from repeating itself. In Bahmet’s domain, love becomes a weapon, trust a gamble, and every choice carries a cost that could reshape the world. Witches and Hunters face off in one final battle that will determine the fate of their world forever.
And beneath the rising chaos, desire sparks hotter than it ever has between them—dangerous, undeniable, and impossible to control. As enemies and lovers collide, their bond becomes both salvation and ruin, pushing them to the edge of temptation and betrayal. To claim each other—and save magic itself—sacrifices must be made, and the price of their passion may be the one thing neither is ready to give.
Hector Briar may have walked away from the Witch Trials alive, but not whole. His failure handed the Witch Hunters a weapon capable of shattering Witch-kind—and placed the ancient demon Bahmet firmly in their grasp. Now the Hunters are poised to burn magic out of the mortal world forever.
Arwyn Hopkin spent years living a lie. Meeting Hector changed that. Manipulation got him so far, until his success during The Witch Trials bound him to Bahmet, a demon who whispers promises, demands obedience, and hungers for freedom. Everyone wants to use the Witches, the Hunters, and the demon inside him. Surviving any of them may be impossible.
When Hector and Arwyn’s paths converge, the Witch Trials ignite once more. Forced into a deadly contest of loyalty and power, Hector will do whatever it takes to stop fate from repeating itself. In Bahmet’s domain, love becomes a weapon, trust a gamble, and every choice carries a cost that could reshape the world. Witches and Hunters face off in one final battle that will determine the fate of their world forever.
And beneath the rising chaos, desire sparks hotter than it ever has between them—dangerous, undeniable, and impossible to control. As enemies and lovers collide, their bond becomes both salvation and ruin, pushing them to the edge of temptation and betrayal. To claim each other—and save magic itself—sacrifices must be made, and the price of their passion may be the one thing neither is ready to give.
536 pages, Hardcover
Published March 2, 2026
35 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Ben Alderson
35 books14.4k followersBen Alderson is a #1 Amazon bestselling author. His stories are set in fantasy worlds filled with magic, adventure and MM romance. Ben lives in Oxfordshire and, when not writing, can be found reading, taking Winston - his Labrador - out for long walks, or obsessing over Marvel’s The Scarlet Witch.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 4, 2026
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
I recently finished “The Demon and His Viper,” and I absolutely loved it! This engaging and fun read kept me hooked from start to finish. The character development was particularly impressive, with both the leads and supporting characters richly fleshed out, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.
As an ARC recipient, I felt fortunate to experience this before its official release. I'm a big fan of Ben Alderson, and he certainly didn't disappoint with this one. The ending provided a satisfying conclusion to a great duology, tying everything together beautifully. If you're looking for a captivating story with well-developed characters and romance, this series is a must-read!
I recently finished “The Demon and His Viper,” and I absolutely loved it! This engaging and fun read kept me hooked from start to finish. The character development was particularly impressive, with both the leads and supporting characters richly fleshed out, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.
As an ARC recipient, I felt fortunate to experience this before its official release. I'm a big fan of Ben Alderson, and he certainly didn't disappoint with this one. The ending provided a satisfying conclusion to a great duology, tying everything together beautifully. If you're looking for a captivating story with well-developed characters and romance, this series is a must-read!
March 2, 2026
Rating: 3.5 stars
*Please note, I was provided with an ARC version of this book by the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review*
I firstly need to admit that I committed a cardinal reader sin here: I failed to do a reread of book one before embarking on book two. Where the world the author has build is so vivid, nuanced and intricate, a reminder of the previous happenings is an absolute must, and it's clear that my failure to do so did have a knock on impact to my enjoyment. At the same time, however, I was definitely left wanting more!
The best thing about this book is the relationship between Hector and Arwyn. The hangover from the last book is perfectly continued here (yes, that part I did remember!) and the 'enemies' portion of 'enemies to lovers' is just electric. Their history means you can't help but feel the tension and chemistry between them, and honestly there is just something about their interactions that has you waiting for one of them to snap, grab the other by the throat and leave a trail of clothes to the bedroom. My only criticism is that the flip back to their previous good place is possibly a bit quick; there's a lot of history that feels a little brushed aside, and while they are just. So. Cute! When they're happy, at the same time it seemed to let that previously fiery tension slip away. It does recover significantly towards the end though, with the post-Trial scenes being gut-wrenching and beautiful... and their final scene just made me melt all over again.
In some respects, the pacing and overall plot of the book did feel like it mirrored this round of the Witch Trials a little - the end goal is clear, but the journey there is trying too hard to be original and so ends up as a bit of a cobbled together job. The writing didn't feel quite as disciplined as the first time around (or indeed as per many of the author's other works); there are perhaps just a few too many plot strands to weave together, so none of them really get the depth of attention they deserve. As a result, it was harder to truly engage with the story as I just couldn't invest in the 'life or death' nature of the situation. There are also several instances of plot points being introduced and their resolutions falling a bit flat. I honestly don't think it's a bad book at all; it is an enjoyable read overall, but there's just something missing from the mix.
At least now I do have a better understanding of Tomin and why he is the way he is. I mean, the zealotry totally makes sense now. But in the wider community? Forgive me, but I still have just a tiny amount of good faith in human nature and struggled with the notion that, even if there was a mass witch attack, the populace would all quite happily resort to the pyre within 24 hours. This made the settibg much harder to picture; it still felt like we were looking at more like 15th / 16th century London. On a related note, I’m the first to tell you that, in a fictional world, even if it mirrors our own, history and fact mean nothing; if this London burns witches, then fine! But yes, my inner history nerd did get a bit itchy - in England we hang witches, we don't burn them...
Put both halves of the duet together and you have a really good time. But by itself, while still very entertaining, it just didn't quite check all my boxes.
*Please note, I was provided with an ARC version of this book by the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review*
I firstly need to admit that I committed a cardinal reader sin here: I failed to do a reread of book one before embarking on book two. Where the world the author has build is so vivid, nuanced and intricate, a reminder of the previous happenings is an absolute must, and it's clear that my failure to do so did have a knock on impact to my enjoyment. At the same time, however, I was definitely left wanting more!
The best thing about this book is the relationship between Hector and Arwyn. The hangover from the last book is perfectly continued here (yes, that part I did remember!) and the 'enemies' portion of 'enemies to lovers' is just electric. Their history means you can't help but feel the tension and chemistry between them, and honestly there is just something about their interactions that has you waiting for one of them to snap, grab the other by the throat and leave a trail of clothes to the bedroom. My only criticism is that the flip back to their previous good place is possibly a bit quick; there's a lot of history that feels a little brushed aside, and while they are just. So. Cute! When they're happy, at the same time it seemed to let that previously fiery tension slip away. It does recover significantly towards the end though, with the post-Trial scenes being gut-wrenching and beautiful... and their final scene just made me melt all over again.
In some respects, the pacing and overall plot of the book did feel like it mirrored this round of the Witch Trials a little - the end goal is clear, but the journey there is trying too hard to be original and so ends up as a bit of a cobbled together job. The writing didn't feel quite as disciplined as the first time around (or indeed as per many of the author's other works); there are perhaps just a few too many plot strands to weave together, so none of them really get the depth of attention they deserve. As a result, it was harder to truly engage with the story as I just couldn't invest in the 'life or death' nature of the situation. There are also several instances of plot points being introduced and their resolutions falling a bit flat. I honestly don't think it's a bad book at all; it is an enjoyable read overall, but there's just something missing from the mix.
At least now I do have a better understanding of Tomin and why he is the way he is. I mean, the zealotry totally makes sense now. But in the wider community? Forgive me, but I still have just a tiny amount of good faith in human nature and struggled with the notion that, even if there was a mass witch attack, the populace would all quite happily resort to the pyre within 24 hours. This made the settibg much harder to picture; it still felt like we were looking at more like 15th / 16th century London. On a related note, I’m the first to tell you that, in a fictional world, even if it mirrors our own, history and fact mean nothing; if this London burns witches, then fine! But yes, my inner history nerd did get a bit itchy - in England we hang witches, we don't burn them...
Put both halves of the duet together and you have a really good time. But by itself, while still very entertaining, it just didn't quite check all my boxes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Here’s the problem with Ben Alderson’s books … I’m running out of ways to say how amazing they are. Every single book of Ben’s that I have read has left me an emotional mess and absolutely convinced that Ben will remain one of my favourite writers for the rest of my life.
So… The Demon and His Viper is the second book in a duet that Ben has called the Hunger Games but with gay witches. Yes, that sums up the book, but it certainly doesn’t do it justice.
In the first book “The Witch and His Crow” we were introduced to Hector Briar. He is a witch and hunters killed his parents. Along with his Crow familiar, Hector has spent his life becoming a weapon and he is locked in on getting revenge.
Things flip on Hector in a flash and he finds himself forced into a competition to become Grand High Witch. The Hunger-Games-like competition only ends when everyone is dead. One person will remain and that person will be the Grand High. Hector is determined that he will be the last witch standing.
At the end of the book, everything that could go wrong does. In true Ben Alderson fashion, nothing was as I expected.
SPOILERS (Book 1 and 2) PAST THIS POINT
So… The Demon and His Viper is the second book in a duet that Ben has called the Hunger Games but with gay witches. Yes, that sums up the book, but it certainly doesn’t do it justice.
In the first book “The Witch and His Crow” we were introduced to Hector Briar. He is a witch and hunters killed his parents. Along with his Crow familiar, Hector has spent his life becoming a weapon and he is locked in on getting revenge.
Things flip on Hector in a flash and he finds himself forced into a competition to become Grand High Witch. The Hunger-Games-like competition only ends when everyone is dead. One person will remain and that person will be the Grand High. Hector is determined that he will be the last witch standing.
At the end of the book, everything that could go wrong does. In true Ben Alderson fashion, nothing was as I expected.
SPOILERS (Book 1 and 2) PAST THIS POINT
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay, maybe I should have believed the author when he said this book is like 99% pain and 1% happiness because holy hell did this hurt. That being said, I'm a masochist, so I enjoyed every soul-crushing second of it. And no, the happy ending does not magically make it all better.
I loved jumping back into this world of magic and mayhem. I loved these characters so much in the first book, and being able to continue with their stories was so much, well, I can't say fun because of the amount of trauma, but you get what I mean.
The new character additions are fantastic, and there are some twists that I never saw coming (and one that I called from the start, was convinced I was wrong, and was then right all over again and I'm still blown away by that play).
I'm also a major sucker for the found family trope and this delivers on that promise in the best ways possible, both in terms of the family you choose and the family you never knew existed.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were a couple of questions that were left unanswered for me, but I have a feeling that I am probably going to be one of the few stuck on those because they're not really relevant to the plot, but that's my problem to deal with (and tag the author on threads about).
Like the Witch and His Crow, the Demon and His Viper is fast-paced and hits the ground running, and the only reason it took me over a week to finish it is that it was stressing me out. Well, that and the fingers scene, so like, trigger warning on finger injuries because that part was rough.
For my first book of 2026, I don't think I could have picked a better one because even through the pain and trauma and anxiety, the foundation of hope and trusting that things can work out in the end with enough effort, that the good is worth fighting for, really sets a tone that I feel is deeply needed. Ben Alderson never fails to deliver on amazing stories and this is really just more proof of that.
I loved jumping back into this world of magic and mayhem. I loved these characters so much in the first book, and being able to continue with their stories was so much, well, I can't say fun because of the amount of trauma, but you get what I mean.
The new character additions are fantastic, and there are some twists that I never saw coming (and one that I called from the start, was convinced I was wrong, and was then right all over again and I'm still blown away by that play).
I'm also a major sucker for the found family trope and this delivers on that promise in the best ways possible, both in terms of the family you choose and the family you never knew existed.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were a couple of questions that were left unanswered for me, but I have a feeling that I am probably going to be one of the few stuck on those because they're not really relevant to the plot, but that's my problem to deal with (and tag the author on threads about).
Like the Witch and His Crow, the Demon and His Viper is fast-paced and hits the ground running, and the only reason it took me over a week to finish it is that it was stressing me out. Well, that and the fingers scene, so like, trigger warning on finger injuries because that part was rough.
For my first book of 2026, I don't think I could have picked a better one because even through the pain and trauma and anxiety, the foundation of hope and trusting that things can work out in the end with enough effort, that the good is worth fighting for, really sets a tone that I feel is deeply needed. Ben Alderson never fails to deliver on amazing stories and this is really just more proof of that.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Firstly, thank you to Ben Alderson for giving me an ARC copy, and thank goodness I finished this before it was actually published!
Character 4| Setting 3.5| Plot 3| Writing 2.5| Enjoyment 4
Rating: 3.4
Spicy Rating 4 out of 5
This volume of The Witch Trials finished off from the cliffhanger from book one.
I enjoyed how much the characters developed from book 1 to the events of this book. We have Hector and Arwyn angry at the relevations at book 1: Well, Hector is angry Arwyn is more of a sad wet dog to be honest.
I'm glad that the relationship between Hector and Romy was still super strong in this book, I really appreciate when romances also focus on friendships. it builds the dynamic of the characters and real people have lovers and friends. Sometimes I just don't see it highlighted as much.
After poor Caym from book 1 we get another familair. Emon, a lil snake. He's so cute, I would die for Emon. I loved that Emon matched Hector's sass it made for such delicious banter between the two.
We also get a lot of interaction between Bahmet and Arwyn which was interesting and just seeing Bahmet be his terrible self. I loved some scenes with Arwyn losing himself to Bahmet's powers. Delectable!
We get a new character in the coven, Kai. I liked Kai's and Hector's interactions and how slowly they became friends and ended up trusting each other. It was nice to see!
There are 3 sex scenes in this book, there was only one in the last book so it was a tad intense for me, I'm not that into smut, so it was a bit much for me.
I definitely had a fun time with this book, and I stared to enjoy it more on the second half of the book, the darker vibe of this book isn't usually something I would gravitate towards but all in all i'm glad I read it!
Character 4| Setting 3.5| Plot 3| Writing 2.5| Enjoyment 4
Rating: 3.4
Spicy Rating 4 out of 5
This volume of The Witch Trials finished off from the cliffhanger from book one.
I enjoyed how much the characters developed from book 1 to the events of this book. We have Hector and Arwyn angry at the relevations at book 1: Well, Hector is angry Arwyn is more of a sad wet dog to be honest.
I'm glad that the relationship between Hector and Romy was still super strong in this book, I really appreciate when romances also focus on friendships. it builds the dynamic of the characters and real people have lovers and friends. Sometimes I just don't see it highlighted as much.
After poor Caym from book 1 we get another familair. Emon, a lil snake. He's so cute, I would die for Emon. I loved that Emon matched Hector's sass it made for such delicious banter between the two.
We also get a lot of interaction between Bahmet and Arwyn which was interesting and just seeing Bahmet be his terrible self. I loved some scenes with Arwyn losing himself to Bahmet's powers. Delectable!
We get a new character in the coven, Kai. I liked Kai's and Hector's interactions and how slowly they became friends and ended up trusting each other. It was nice to see!
There are 3 sex scenes in this book, there was only one in the last book so it was a tad intense for me, I'm not that into smut, so it was a bit much for me.
I definitely had a fun time with this book, and I stared to enjoy it more on the second half of the book, the darker vibe of this book isn't usually something I would gravitate towards but all in all i'm glad I read it!
March 5, 2026
Non-stop action from start to finish!
Not gonna lie, I was a bit nervous about not remembering much from the first book, which I beta read almost two years ago, but I actually didn’t need to worry. There’s so much going on, and the important bits kept coming back to me, though I would probably recommend new readers to read the two books without leaving over a year and a half between books!
So our lovers have become enemies again, and this is their journey back to being lovers for good this time around, and defeating the evil demon and save witchkind from the fate they were given several hundred years ago. We go back into more Witch Trials, very Hunger Games-esque, and there’s lots of drama, death, trickery, and magic. Found family, real family, revelations about family, dead family, reunited family. This story has it all.
There’s a few spicy scenes, and some romance as Hector and Arwyn find their way back to each other, but this is more of a fantasy action story than a romance. It does have an HEA though, so fans of the romance in the story won’t be disappointed.
Mostly, I just really enjoyed the action, the good vs evil, how it unfolded and how Hector and his coven fought back. The trials were super interesting, and I could see the influence of THG and a few other stories, which I thought was a nice touch. I didn’t cry - I might have, but I expected something more to happen that would resolved the situation that had the potential to make me cry, and I think that’s why I didn’t. But predicting something like that isn’t a bad thing - it just means the author has done a great job of telling the story to the readers 🥰
Thank you, Ben, for the advance copy to read and review! I’m leaving this review voluntarily, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Not gonna lie, I was a bit nervous about not remembering much from the first book, which I beta read almost two years ago, but I actually didn’t need to worry. There’s so much going on, and the important bits kept coming back to me, though I would probably recommend new readers to read the two books without leaving over a year and a half between books!
So our lovers have become enemies again, and this is their journey back to being lovers for good this time around, and defeating the evil demon and save witchkind from the fate they were given several hundred years ago. We go back into more Witch Trials, very Hunger Games-esque, and there’s lots of drama, death, trickery, and magic. Found family, real family, revelations about family, dead family, reunited family. This story has it all.
There’s a few spicy scenes, and some romance as Hector and Arwyn find their way back to each other, but this is more of a fantasy action story than a romance. It does have an HEA though, so fans of the romance in the story won’t be disappointed.
Mostly, I just really enjoyed the action, the good vs evil, how it unfolded and how Hector and his coven fought back. The trials were super interesting, and I could see the influence of THG and a few other stories, which I thought was a nice touch. I didn’t cry - I might have, but I expected something more to happen that would resolved the situation that had the potential to make me cry, and I think that’s why I didn’t. But predicting something like that isn’t a bad thing - it just means the author has done a great job of telling the story to the readers 🥰
Thank you, Ben, for the advance copy to read and review! I’m leaving this review voluntarily, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review - honest opinion
After the cliff hanger of the first book I was interested to see where the story would pick up. How the characters would deal with the fall out of the Witch Trials final. The world building of book one really dragged me into Hector' life and struggles and I'm glad to get the conclusion.
Coming back to find our hero Hector and his lover/enemy Arwyn the newly crowded Grand High winner of the Witch Trials. The end of the games was messy and it's causing issues now the pair are back in the real world.
The witch hunters have Arwyn under their manipulative control, ruled but his evil father Tomin. We gain so much more information on the history of the magic and the world in this book really building apon the previous book.
The ballence of the world is off kilter and it needs to be corrected but how do you put a evil magic being back in it's box. The Witch Trials are a dangerous and messy game with death and pain a constant for these characters. Seeing them overcome and gain strength together was brilliant and the slow build of relationships between the coven was nice.
Glad Hector and Arwyn can work together for once and be more open to eachother. Great ending to this douolagy, the story really feels complete and interlinked.
After the cliff hanger of the first book I was interested to see where the story would pick up. How the characters would deal with the fall out of the Witch Trials final. The world building of book one really dragged me into Hector' life and struggles and I'm glad to get the conclusion.
Coming back to find our hero Hector and his lover/enemy Arwyn the newly crowded Grand High winner of the Witch Trials. The end of the games was messy and it's causing issues now the pair are back in the real world.
The witch hunters have Arwyn under their manipulative control, ruled but his evil father Tomin. We gain so much more information on the history of the magic and the world in this book really building apon the previous book.
The ballence of the world is off kilter and it needs to be corrected but how do you put a evil magic being back in it's box. The Witch Trials are a dangerous and messy game with death and pain a constant for these characters. Seeing them overcome and gain strength together was brilliant and the slow build of relationships between the coven was nice.
Glad Hector and Arwyn can work together for once and be more open to eachother. Great ending to this douolagy, the story really feels complete and interlinked.
March 2, 2026
eARC review
This is the second book in the duology: The Witch trials.
Hector has kept himself hidden from both witches and hunters. When Tomlin frames witches for an attack with several casualties, Hector and Arwyn are once again caught in a fight of life and death.
In many ways this book is better than the first one. It has more depth, there is better character development and the threat seems more imminent. Since you get to know the characters better you care about them. At the same time it felt more predictable and some scenes with Hector and Arwyn didn’t feel passionate, the spice put there for the sake of…well spice. To be honest it felt a bit cringe.
However, the book is exciting. There is love, friendship, treason and death. I like the connection to the past, how it intertwines with the present. I would have loved more flashbacks to the past to learn more about it but you got some of it in the first book. I like how Ben writes the attraction between characters and how it actually makes your heart hurt when they are unhappy. But let us be honest..our favourite character is Emon.
3,5 stars but rounding up to 4.
This is the second book in the duology: The Witch trials.
Hector has kept himself hidden from both witches and hunters. When Tomlin frames witches for an attack with several casualties, Hector and Arwyn are once again caught in a fight of life and death.
In many ways this book is better than the first one. It has more depth, there is better character development and the threat seems more imminent. Since you get to know the characters better you care about them. At the same time it felt more predictable and some scenes with Hector and Arwyn didn’t feel passionate, the spice put there for the sake of…well spice. To be honest it felt a bit cringe.
However, the book is exciting. There is love, friendship, treason and death. I like the connection to the past, how it intertwines with the present. I would have loved more flashbacks to the past to learn more about it but you got some of it in the first book. I like how Ben writes the attraction between characters and how it actually makes your heart hurt when they are unhappy. But let us be honest..our favourite character is Emon.
3,5 stars but rounding up to 4.
March 5, 2026
Thank you to Ben Alderson for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow I’m a few days after release but I’m so happy I was able to finish this one! Ben has done it again and brought some of my favorite characters to life.
Picking up a few months after the first book ends we once again find Hector Briar being a feisty little twink pissing people off and kicking ass. Unfortunately, he is public enemy number 1 with both the witch hunters AND the coven! My boy can’t catch a break.
Book 2 explores the fall out of the events in book 1 and brings us back to a time all witch kind wish could be forgotten - The witch hunts 😭 and if that’s not bad enough the whole crew is going through it and splintered.
Just when I thought things could get any worse BAM back to the Witch Trials. The trials were more unpredictable and scary this time around. Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
I was worried book two wouldn’t live up to book one for me but it gave me everything I needed and more!
Wow I’m a few days after release but I’m so happy I was able to finish this one! Ben has done it again and brought some of my favorite characters to life.
Picking up a few months after the first book ends we once again find Hector Briar being a feisty little twink pissing people off and kicking ass. Unfortunately, he is public enemy number 1 with both the witch hunters AND the coven! My boy can’t catch a break.
Book 2 explores the fall out of the events in book 1 and brings us back to a time all witch kind wish could be forgotten - The witch hunts 😭 and if that’s not bad enough the whole crew is going through it and splintered.
Just when I thought things could get any worse BAM back to the Witch Trials. The trials were more unpredictable and scary this time around. Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
I was worried book two wouldn’t live up to book one for me but it gave me everything I needed and more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨ARC REVIEW ✨
📖 The Demon and His Viper by Ben Alderson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
🌶️ ~ Perfect amount of spice, just enough to ruin you 😌🔥
✨After the chaos and cliffhanger of the first book, I needed this sequel and it did. Not. Disappoint.✨
Witch trials, heartbreak, messiness, and magic that hits right in the chest. The tension? Perfection. The romance? Lethal in the best way. The twists?? I was not ready.
✨Ben Alderson closed this duology with pure power emotional damage, redemption, and characters that refuse to let you go. Ahh caym 🐦⬛🥺✨
🪄 Highlights: ✨ The witch trials are tense & dark ✨ The emotional fallout from this book hit ✨ The romance had me clutching my chest ✨ The reveals? Absolutely shook ✨ That ending devastating and beautiful all at once 🥹 low key wished there was another book
🖤 Tropes & Vibes: ✨ Forbidden love ✨ Found family ✨ Witch trials ✨ Morally gray love interest ✨ Forced proximity ✨ Angst + redemption arc ✨ Enemies to lovers (with feelings 👀) ✨ Magic with consequences ✨ Emotional + spicy finale
✨This finale gave everything love, pain, power, and peace. It’s truly the perfect conclusion to a duology.✨
If you’re after: 💔 Found family + forbidden love 🔥 Emotional spice 🔮 Trials, magic, and moral grayness 🖤 Full-circle endings that hurt so good
…then The Demon and His Viper is your next obsession.
✨Thank you to Ben Alderson for the ARC what an ending. Still not over these two and honestly, I don’t want to be.💀🖤✨
✨After the chaos and cliffhanger of the first book, I needed this sequel and it did. Not. Disappoint.✨
Witch trials, heartbreak, messiness, and magic that hits right in the chest. The tension? Perfection. The romance? Lethal in the best way. The twists?? I was not ready.
✨Ben Alderson closed this duology with pure power emotional damage, redemption, and characters that refuse to let you go. Ahh caym 🐦⬛🥺✨
🪄 Highlights: ✨ The witch trials are tense & dark ✨ The emotional fallout from this book hit ✨ The romance had me clutching my chest ✨ The reveals? Absolutely shook ✨ That ending devastating and beautiful all at once 🥹 low key wished there was another book
🖤 Tropes & Vibes: ✨ Forbidden love ✨ Found family ✨ Witch trials ✨ Morally gray love interest ✨ Forced proximity ✨ Angst + redemption arc ✨ Enemies to lovers (with feelings 👀) ✨ Magic with consequences ✨ Emotional + spicy finale
✨This finale gave everything love, pain, power, and peace. It’s truly the perfect conclusion to a duology.✨
If you’re after: 💔 Found family + forbidden love 🔥 Emotional spice 🔮 Trials, magic, and moral grayness 🖤 Full-circle endings that hurt so good
…then The Demon and His Viper is your next obsession.
✨Thank you to Ben Alderson for the ARC what an ending. Still not over these two and honestly, I don’t want to be.💀🖤✨
March 2, 2026
This book was absolutely amazing! I kept me on my tows the whole time for sure. It's the last book of this duology and I really liked the twist and turns this book took.
It follows Hector after the last witch trials ended. He is in hiding after giving the hunters their biggest weapon agains witches. Arwyn is bound to a demon after the trials and now he is forced to help the hunters. Their paths cross again and a new trial is triggered to start again. Can they face this again and safe the world as they know it.
I absolutely loved Hector in this one. He has grown a bit bitter in the beginning which is fair with everything he went through. The dynamic this new coven had was the best to see. I loved the twists in this story so much and Ben really kept me guessing on where the story was going to go. Definitely one of my fave series!
If you are looking for a queer, fantasy romance with witches and demons this series is for you!
Thanks to Ben Alderson for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
It follows Hector after the last witch trials ended. He is in hiding after giving the hunters their biggest weapon agains witches. Arwyn is bound to a demon after the trials and now he is forced to help the hunters. Their paths cross again and a new trial is triggered to start again. Can they face this again and safe the world as they know it.
I absolutely loved Hector in this one. He has grown a bit bitter in the beginning which is fair with everything he went through. The dynamic this new coven had was the best to see. I loved the twists in this story so much and Ben really kept me guessing on where the story was going to go. Definitely one of my fave series!
If you are looking for a queer, fantasy romance with witches and demons this series is for you!
Thanks to Ben Alderson for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to the author for giving me an ARC to review
It was great being back in the world of The Witch Trials duology. The chaotic nature of the first book was really ramped up in this final book, when it got going we were in for a ride and we weren't stopping. I was happy one moment, stressed out the next and the emotional scenes were just the cherry on top. This book threw me for a loop in a great way.
I'm a sucker for the enemies to lovers to rivals to lovers flip flop. Usually I find in books this falls flat, not in this one it played out amazingly and I felt like I was in on the action.
Honestly, I'm super happy with the ending. I will truly miss Hector and Arwyn, both of them are amazing characters. And the rest of the crew too.
Check out this series!
It was great being back in the world of The Witch Trials duology. The chaotic nature of the first book was really ramped up in this final book, when it got going we were in for a ride and we weren't stopping. I was happy one moment, stressed out the next and the emotional scenes were just the cherry on top. This book threw me for a loop in a great way.
I'm a sucker for the enemies to lovers to rivals to lovers flip flop. Usually I find in books this falls flat, not in this one it played out amazingly and I felt like I was in on the action.
Honestly, I'm super happy with the ending. I will truly miss Hector and Arwyn, both of them are amazing characters. And the rest of the crew too.
Check out this series!
March 4, 2026
📚 I received an advanced copy of this ebook from the author 📚
I've been looking forward to this one since I finished The Witch and His Crow. Ben Alderson's gay witches are some of my favorite characters, because they're so full of personality. Hector Briar is a stubborn, sarcastic, even bratty air witch. Arwyn Hopkin is carved like a god, but so full of feelings of unworthiness he sabotages his own happiness. And Romy Bailey, Hector's best friend, is a fire witch who doesn't need magic to light up a room.
Alongside the tension, the spice, and the romance, this duology feels like something of a love letter to witchcraft.
If you love witches, paranormal romance, deadly trials, banter, and some tense character moments, this series is for you. 🖤
I've been looking forward to this one since I finished The Witch and His Crow. Ben Alderson's gay witches are some of my favorite characters, because they're so full of personality. Hector Briar is a stubborn, sarcastic, even bratty air witch. Arwyn Hopkin is carved like a god, but so full of feelings of unworthiness he sabotages his own happiness. And Romy Bailey, Hector's best friend, is a fire witch who doesn't need magic to light up a room.
Alongside the tension, the spice, and the romance, this duology feels like something of a love letter to witchcraft.
If you love witches, paranormal romance, deadly trials, banter, and some tense character moments, this series is for you. 🖤
March 3, 2026
We pick up after the fall-out from the Witch Trials, with Arwyn now dealing with Bahmet and Hector both in hiding and trying to hunt them down.
Romy and Hector still have a strong friendship throughout the story, which I love and we add someone new to the mix, Kai, an old love interest of Romy. They all make an interesting team together, especially after they're reunited with Arwyn. Which thankfully doesn't take too long into the story.
Although I really do miss Caym, Hector does get himself a new familiar, Emon. A very sassy little snake and the two have some great banter together. I want to give Emon a sweet little kiss on his snake forehead.
Although a whole lot of this story is a LOT of pain, there are also many moments of humor. There's also enough spice to keep you satisfied. There's some great twists I wasn't expecting and I'm kinda sad that their story is over.
Thank you Ben Alderson for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Romy and Hector still have a strong friendship throughout the story, which I love and we add someone new to the mix, Kai, an old love interest of Romy. They all make an interesting team together, especially after they're reunited with Arwyn. Which thankfully doesn't take too long into the story.
Although I really do miss Caym, Hector does get himself a new familiar, Emon. A very sassy little snake and the two have some great banter together. I want to give Emon a sweet little kiss on his snake forehead.
Although a whole lot of this story is a LOT of pain, there are also many moments of humor. There's also enough spice to keep you satisfied. There's some great twists I wasn't expecting and I'm kinda sad that their story is over.
Thank you Ben Alderson for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2026
⭐️3.75⭐️
I don't know how i feel about this book.
I love Ben Alderson so i feel really bad for rating it low.
I loved Hector & Arwyn Ben done a good job at making their love feel real. But i just felt the pacing of the book was all over the place. I didn't enjoy the first part of the book , then the first couple of trials i didn't enjoy as much as the trials in the first book, but then near the end i started to love the book & i loved the ending so much.
I will re read in the future & change my rating if needed.
I don't know how i feel about this book.
I love Ben Alderson so i feel really bad for rating it low.
I loved Hector & Arwyn Ben done a good job at making their love feel real. But i just felt the pacing of the book was all over the place. I didn't enjoy the first part of the book , then the first couple of trials i didn't enjoy as much as the trials in the first book, but then near the end i started to love the book & i loved the ending so much.
I will re read in the future & change my rating if needed.
January 19, 2026
Words cannot describe the range of emotions I went through while reading this book 🥹
So many ups and downs, with surprises I never saw coming.
It’s rare for a sequel to revive my love for the original, but this book nearly matches how much I loved the first 🤍
The found family trope was a standout for me.
And just like in the first book, Hector is still my favorite character 🖤
Highly recommend ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️
So many ups and downs, with surprises I never saw coming.
It’s rare for a sequel to revive my love for the original, but this book nearly matches how much I loved the first 🤍
The found family trope was a standout for me.
And just like in the first book, Hector is still my favorite character 🖤
Highly recommend ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️
January 9, 2026
Ben Alderson is a GENIUS. I loved this book SO SO SO SO much. It was action packed, full of witchcraft, action, a little bit of smut and very well paced. I couldn’t wait to get to the next chapter. I’m absolutely gutted to be saying goodbye to Hector and Arwyn but it couldn’t have been a better ending for them both. I look forward to whatever it is Ben is writing next!
March 5, 2026
I absolutely love this story. The plot twists had me guessing and gasping. The familial ties between two of our main characters was something I didn’t know I needed. I love Arwyn and Hector, I’m so happy they got a happy ending. The found family trope is one of my favorites and it hit me hard in the heart in this book. Absolutely recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
January 7, 2026I AM INSANELY EXCITED FOR THIS
February 20, 2026
Love for the win!! 💕💕💕 Great conclusion to this duet. Really want to know what happened to Emon though… 🐍
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
February 26, 2026
This was such a.good final book. I loved these books so much.
March 6, 2026
I definitely enjoyed this book but I liked the first one a bit more. Very happy with how the story ended!! 💜
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