Possessed: A Dark Gothic Romance

Pythonissam Filia

by Ava Thorne

Experience this gothic historical romance where faith and forbidden desire collide in the shadows. Set during the terrifying height of the Bamberg Witch Trials, witness a tale of possession, obsession, and the dangerous line between salvation and damnation.

In a city where women burn daily for the crime of knowledge, loving a witch's daughter might be the greatest heresy of all.

Katharina is the daughter of a burned witch, raised by the Church that killed her mother. She secretly continues her mother's healing work while her guardian, Father Heinrich, shields her with his silence—even as forbidden feelings grow between them. But when a moment of weakness on Beltane breaks Heinrich's sacred vows, something ancient slips into the cracks of his shattered faith.

What enters him transforms his protective love into dark obsession. Now Katharina must navigate not only the Witch Bishop's increasing suspicion, but the unholy devotion of a man who may no longer be entirely human. Is this the devil wearing her guardian's face, or the man freed from the chains of religious repression?

As Heinrich's obsession deepens and his shadow grows hungrier, Katharina faces an impossible choice: flee from the only person who ever protected her, or surrender to a love that might damn them both.

"Is that what you desire, my dove? To be punished for your sins? To transmute those lustful thoughts through pain?"

Perfect for fans of gothic romance and religious horror. If you crave atmospheric historical fiction with morally complex characters, supernatural possession, and the intoxicating tension between sacred and profane, this dark romance is your next obsession.

Genres: Romance, Dark, Dark Romance, Historical Romance, Demons

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2026

Reviews

[Clarice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea how to rate this. On one hand it was really well researched and the prose was really well put together, however the romance was very 😑 and not satisfying.

I feel like Ava could have done a lot with a possessed priest and his condemned love, but making him and his demon counter part straight up simpoids without personalities beyond giving the fmc orgasms was not it 💀

Still waaaaay better than Devoured (which I dnf’d), but not as good as Neon Flux unfortunately 🙃

[NicolBackBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC — this was a quick read that absolutely did not feel small.

Possessed drops you straight into the brutality of the witch trial era, and it does not hold back. The atmosphere is heavy, oppressive, and honestly uncomfortable in the way it should be — especially in how it highlights the treatment of women during that time. That piece alone felt grounded and impactful.

Katharina is a strong FMC in a quiet, defiant way. She’s not loud power — she’s survival, resilience, and control in a world that’s actively trying to destroy her. Watching her navigate that while holding onto her identity was one of the strongest parts of the story.

And then there’s Heinrich… who takes a hard left into unhinged once the possession hits. The dynamic between them shifts from protection to obsession in a way that’s dark, tense, and honestly addictive to read. There’s spice, there’s power imbalance, there’s that “is this love or something much darker?” tension that keeps you locked in.

For a novella, this was packed — plot, atmosphere, emotion, and just enough chaos to keep you flipping pages.

If you like:
• gothic romance
• religious tension + possession
• morally gray (borderline feral) MMCs
• strong but subtle FMC resilience
• dark spice with meaning behind it

…this one is absolutely worth the read.

[Rae Quigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is so good. witch trials and a possessed priest? What more could I want. Ava Thorne does feminine rage so well. I love the way she showcases how that rage can be dealt with in different ways, and different kinds of defiance. and I LOVE a down bad man (demon? creature? all of the above?)

Our FMC is such a badass, in her quiet day to day of helping women with natural ways to escape their daily harm, to the very big moments toward the end.

This is fairly short, but packs a real punch. This is all meat & potatoes, and incredibly well done. Sat and read this straight through a couple weeks ago, and then read it again last night for release day today and it was *just as good* the second time through.

I received an advanced copy for this book. All opinions are my own.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s giving “The Scarlet Letter” if Dimmesdale wasn’t such a little b**** about being horny.

The horny priest book we all deserve. Because not only is it horny, it’s incredibly well researched and thought out. Anyone who grew up in the church and/or had an unhealthy fixation with the various witch trials is going to twitch and feel some rage.

But the best part is the way it’s all layered together to be a story of power and strength, and how to fight against systems of oppression when you seem to have none. A book with female rage, a hot and horny priest, and a “this whole system is garbage and has GOT to go” attitude? I mean come on. What more do you want???

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

[Erica (BooksAndNebulas) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Ava Thorne, for the early preview of this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Title: Possessed
Author: Ava Thorne
Format: e-book

“I was a holy man—that was, until I laid eyes on her.”

Trigger Warnings:
* Religious Trauma
* Varying Degrees of sexual assault
* Physical violence
* Witch Trials/Burning of Women


Review:
Please read trigger warnings as there are many things mentioned, discussed, and some events that happen during the story.

“They’ve made us afraid of each other, teaching us that survival means betraying our neighbors. Turning on one another so we’re too busy destroying each other to see who’s really destroying us.”

First of all, Ava, how dare you make me love a book so much?! I didn’t even think I could love a book that would touch on religious trauma.

This story was SOOOOO good. I love the setting, the MCs, the BIBLE QUOTES and relating to CURRENT DAY (subtly and beautifully, of course). I didn’t just love Katharina and Heinrich, I loved Sister Margareta and her loving nature and infinite wisdom. All of the characters that added to this story’s depth. I really FELT the relationships and the history.

I am always impressed with Ava. Really, I felt like everything must have been heavily studied to pull this all together and make it so seamless. Her writing always feels easy to read, never clunky. I just love being pulled into her mind and getting to experience an ounce of her talent.

And my goooooddddddd I did not see the ending coming. Girl, chefs kiss. Throughout the book we get delicious scenes that are straight out of fantasies.

Final thoughts: The rage. The passion for justice. And maybe a hint of foreshadowing in our current existence that hopefully the bad guys don’t end up “winning”. I really did love everything about this book.

[d_uhreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What are you?” I asked. My voice was steady. I was proud of that. “You know what I am.” He did not deny it. “You have known for some time now, I think. You simply chose not to see.”

“A demon.”

I can absolutely appreciate the irony of this release day.

Dark Gothic historical romance with equal parts of religious horror and feminine rage...all written so beautifully lyrical.

This author truly knows how to weave a book that encompases so much emotion. I read this in one sitting, but it feels so fleshed out that you won't believe it less than 300 pages. It's layered and in its depths you find a woman crushed by the church she was raised by after her mother was burned at the stake. She is filled with anger, guilt, and a lot of lust for the one man she can never have. The priest.

This really shows that nothing is all black and white, but everything is covered in red.

[Nea ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Author

4,5 ⭐️

Okay wow!! I was hooked through this entire book. It had such good tropes, and I love a good dark gothic romance. The ending just kinda lost me a teeny weeny bit. I wish they had ”separated” a bit earlier so we would have seen more romance between the actual FMC and MMC. The story and the message itself was beautiful though, and the writing was so immersive and gorgeous. I found this also to be incredibly well researched, and they had been well included in the story.

[Lexie Medina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ Wtf did I just read??? The ending scenes felt like a fever dream. I didn’t expect there to be so much religion honestly, much less legit footnotes. This was not for me but I can appreciate the writing being decent.

[Angela Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid read about the times of witch trials. A witch and a priest fighting feelings for each other, trying to fight temptation and sin. There was a bit of religious aspect to it and the end was…..interesting. Quite a bit milder than Devoured.

[Cat♓️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I DEVOURED THIS BOOK! There are NO CRUMBS LEFT!! Ava Thorne, you have officially made me a fan!
This was my first time reading anything from her and I am absolutely adding the rest of her books to my TBR ASAP! If I didn’t have to go to work to pay my bills I think I would’ve finished in one sitting.

A poetic tale of corruption and seduction, a story so DELICIOUS and full of temptation it’s nearly impossible to resist.

With a dedication that made me GIGGLE as a former member of the Catholic church and years of being taught to always feel guilty for EVERYTHING (The Catholic guilt is REAL)!!!! I had SO much fun reading this book filled with SO. MUCH. SIN.

🔥“I was a priest who had sworn himself to God. She was a woman who refused to kneel in a city that craved to watch her burn. We were impossible.”🔥

There was SO MUCH time and passion put into this book I honestly couldn’t believe it was just under 300 pages. Ava must’ve put so much into research and making sure every little piece was perfect and it’s OBVIOUS!! I could feel the pain of every woman for being independent or outspoken or daring to stand out in a world full of scared men. I could put myself in their shoes. The world would be a better place if strong and empathetic women had more power, not the weak and pathetic men that do today… just because of what’s between their legs.

“These fools spoke of women as weak, but none of them would survive the gauntlet of birth. Oh, how they craved that power. They wanted it, so they hid behind their altars and holy words and called that gateway blasphemous, when in truth it was the closest they could come to Heaven on earth.”

I can’t begin to describe how often I was PHYSICALLY shaking my head yes to everything Heinrich would say about the awful Bishop and Vicar. A fucking MAN!

I adore Ava Thorne’s ability to make succumbing to everything you’ve ever wanted sound so tantalizing.
Beautifully and eloquently written, the prose is to die for and I am ADDICTED to the dialogue between Heinrich and Katharina! Their chemistry was SO HOT because it was forbidden and isn’t that the BEST KIND??

“Am I still a man of God? Tell me, what is prayer but yearning? What is faith but the ache for union with something greater? I have never been more devout than I am now, on my knees before you, worshipping at an altar the Church would call profane.”

“You do not believe me? You’re right—words can be empty. So let me show you.”

LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I am FERAL for Heinrich, such a gentleman (kinda👀) with a dirty, dirty mouth!
I can safely say that I would’ve given in to him MUCH sooner than Katharina did lol. I love a man (kinda) who worships the woman he loves.
The joining of both Heinrich and… our Angel was beautiful, giving them everything they always wanted and not feeling guilty about it. I took such pleasure in their revenge. The Catholic church, if nothing else, has always had such poise and is so aesthetically pleasing and Ava Thorne does an amazing job of describing the detail of this world and the other.

I could absolutely keep going on and on about my love for this book, I was so pleasantly impressed with how I not only had fun reading but got something emotional out of this experience.


Thank you to Ava Thorne for the opportunity to read this early! I am honored to receive this ARC and FOREVER grateful!

[thevelvetthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am possessed by Possessed.

Ava Thorne didn’t write a story.
She wrote david defeating goliath.

What begins as something soft,
unfolds into something, Unholy. Inevitable.

Set during the 17th-century witch trials in Bamberg,
we follow Katharina
haunted by the memory of her mother
burned at the stake.

And then there’s Heinrich.
A priest. A man of God. Her teacher.

A man who should never want her
but does.
And that want twists into something
dark, deadly, and unholy.

In this world, the Church is control.
Fear is law.
yet knowledge is power.
Desire is liberation.
And sin is rewritten into pleasure.

The serpent is not evil.
And God is not just.

Through scripture and sin,
she steps into her autonomy.

She awakens.

And the ones who built the pyre
are the ones who burn.


ARC REVIEW

[jess sweetland · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ ava thorne, girl you write the weirdest stories i’ve ever read. not often do you get a smutty adam and eve retelling with citations to the king james testament but you somehow made it happen

[achaserigtrup · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoy Ava Thorne’s books. You can never figure the plots out and this book was no exception. I didn’t love this like Neon Flux but I did find it interesting where this book ended up going and the messages it was sending about Original Sin.

But there was a lot about this novella that fell flat for me. The two main characters are lacking chemistry, the possession was clunky, Heinrich seemed inconsistent at the start and largely created for us to like him because of how Katerina feels about him (but not necessarily his actions or words), messages were mixed, and the pacing was strange. It felt like three different books. One that is about the 16th century witch hunts in Bamberg; another about a priest pining for a woman and struggling with that attraction; and a third monster romance of sorts.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author.

[Tani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burn it Down

I am not only possessed but completely obsessed! Katharina and Heinrich inspire me to free myself of any doubt and go after the true power inside me.
*full review coming soon*

[GoldenEyeOfHorus · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC review. Thank you to Ava Thorne and her team.**

"Yours,' he whispered. "Until the final trumpets sound, and even then, nothing could take me from you." *feral sounds*

The writing was.....beautiful, divine. So much emotion, so much rage, so much devotion put on the page.

I enjoyed reading the journey of the FMC coming into her own and becoming more confident and self-assured through her involvement with (and the support of) the MMC.

The confessional scene was so hot! Also hot, how frequently the MMC was worshipfully on his knees for the FMC. 😝

[Nini · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!

review coming soon...
I was really liking the beginning of this and then I lost the plot😭😭

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Ava Thorne for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

While I have read and loved other books by this author, unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. Do I think it's a bad book? Absolutely not. Do I think there are things that could have been done better? Yes, I do and for this, I give it 3 stars. The bones of it had a lot of potential, but ultimately, it didn't make that much of an impact on me once I finished the book.

First, the prose. For a book set in the witch trials of Bamburg during the 1600s, the prose felt awfully modern in a way that disconnected me from the story a bit. I really appreciate the attention to the time period in the characters clothing, but the prose and dialogue gave a tonal mismatch that made it difficult to suspend my disbelief. I had just finished another book that did this type of prose especially well, so perhaps comparison really is the thief of joy, BUT I know this type of prose can be done and done well.

Next, theming and the plot itself. I understand the urge to be able to tag marketing with "female rage," but the themes seemed overly explained and even ham-fisted in some parts. For a book that can so heavily draw from the already symbolism-heavy Catholic backdrop, it sure did a lot of telling rather than showing. The main character, Katharina, spent so much of her inner monologue explicitly explaining her thoughts to herself and therefore to me, the reader, that there was no room for any amount of interpretation. Everything was spelled out. There were long stretches of inner monologue to hammer in the themes, and certain lines were indeed bangers in those monologues, but I didn't like that they didn't leave anything for me, as the reader, to ponder. The themes were good, but they were so over-explained that I found many of the passages forgettable because they weren't challenging me in any way. I went in with extremely high hopes because the premise of it is so compelling, I just think the most interesting parts of the book were not capitalized on in favor of too much interiority. I appreciated Neon Flux in that the plot happening to the characters allowed me as the reader to draw my own conclusions about their world, as opposed to spending chapters and chapters of the book explaining to me how the POV characters felt about their situation. A true 5-star book, for me, is one that stays with me after I've finished it. This one missed the mark in that sense.

As for the plot, the inherent gothic styling of the 1600s Catholic church setting really lent itself well to some sexy encounters between Heinrich and Katharina, but in my opinion, isn't taken advantage of to its fullest potential. I've read some other reviews that say the ending of the book lost them, but I feel that is when the book really hit its stride in what it could've been. Catholicism is already so rife with parables and iconic stories, I feel like if they had been more explicitly drawn on from the beginning, the ending wouldn't have felt so out of left field. The entire novel has this magical realism running under the surface of it, but because we don't spend that much time wondering what kind of powers Katharina has, or what is going on with Heinrich, that the plunge into the more abstract ending feels jarring. Throughout the novel, Katharina refuses to examine what is happening in her surroundings past her rants on the value of women, that the magic aspect of the story is underdeveloped until it is too late. I really did enjoy the ending, and I wish that the abstraction from reality would've happened much sooner.

It's not that I didn't enjoy parts of the book, (hello self-flagellation scene!!!), and the bones of the book really did have so much potential. Without going in to too many spoilers, the whole novel has this strong draw on the Original Sin story, which ultimately fell flat because the connection wasn't revealed early enough in the story. The plot with Katharina's mom isn't really concluded in any satisfying way, in my opinion, especially for how much of a crucial role it plays in the beginning of the book. Katharina's powers are never really explained, and I feel like there was a missing potential home-run moment in the scene with Heinrich and Katharina in the Bishop-Prince's church at the end. Ultimately, the book fell flat based on the great potential of the story elements that kind of went nowhere, leading to an overall forgettable story, albeit with a wonderfully weird ending. And despite all this, it's still better than most other books on BookTok.

Even though the themes were overly-explained in my opinion, I did enjoy the girl-power moments that happened and I cheered out loud when Katharina finally accepted her full potential. I really liked the arc Heinrich had, and as I said earlier, I really enjoyed the ending as well. A lot of the draw of these kind of stores is the forbidden nature of it, which I thought could use a bit more yearning, as from the beginning of the book, the characters have already known each other for two years. However, the book wastes no time on build-up and dives into the thick of the plot rather quickly, around the 25% mark. Once it hits the ground, it starts running and pretty much doesn't stop. It definitely has a lot of the juicy things to love about a Priest-parishioner relationship, and the intimacy scenes (without the larger context, which I found wanting) were very well done.

Overall, I would still recommend this book for people who enjoy dark romances, but would caution a warning not to expect anything revolutionary about the plot itself.

[bookishpadawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

🍎Gothic romance
📿Forbidden love
🍎Demon romance
📿Possessed MMC
🍎Witch trials
📿Feminine rage
🍎Unholy priest
📿Baroque Europe
🍎Improper use of religious artifacts
📿Improper use of confessional
🍎Blood play
📿"Burn it all down"
🍎Dual pov
📿Standalone novella

♥️♥️Huge thanks to Ava Thorne for selecting me to read this arc, all opinions are my own♥️♥️

"She said knowledge was its own prayer." My throat tightened. "But knowledge killed her."

Katharina lived in a town where making herbal potions only could lead to someone being accused of being a witch and being burned alive at a stake. Katharina's mother became one of the innocent citizens who were burned alive before her own eyes. As the "daughter of the witch", 10 years passed but the local church authorities and the Witch Bishop still kept a close eye on her. One of the priests assigned to watch over her was Heinrich. For two years, Heinrich taught her to read scripture or assist him in the chapel's library. and for two years, they were drawn to one another, but with all the rules in place, they tried to fight their feelings, until one night changed it all. suddenly Heinrich became bolder in approaching Katharina, showing her how wrong the system was and kept convincing her to embrace her power and liberate the town together from the true sinners

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I have desires I cannot rid myself of. No matter what I do, they linger in my heart."

"You think I came to corrupt you, but the truth is much simpler. I came to worship you"

This book was a thrilling page turner, unpredictable, a very not-holy read that had me enthralled🤩 I enjoyed the story, the characters and the struggle these characters felt... their attraction is palpable, there is a magnetic pull and an intense chemistry between them from the very beginning, and it elevates even more when Heinrich is possessed. I like Katharina's determination and her courage. She still holds on to not letting her emotions get the better of her, still doing good to those who wronged her, and even though the demon kept worshiping her, convincing her to give her the power to do anything, or even the world, all she asked for was to bring back her Heinrich and her Heinrich :")

"Do you think I was not here the entire time, Katharina?"
My hands snapped to his face. I held him tight as I peered deep into his eyes, as if I could see into his very soul through those dark windows. "My Heinrich?"
"Always yours, Katharina."

Would have been 5 stars, but I just didn’t like some parts that made me feel uncomfortable: they were having intercourse when Heinrich was still possessed by the demon who had been loving her for a long time...but I was so glad that in the end Heinrich was finally freed from being possessed by him. I just wish that Heinrich could be freed early, because I want to see the development of Katrina and Heinrich's relationship without the demon involved☹️☹️☹️

overall it was a great read, this story is definitely unique and keeps your attention✨ I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for forbidden love and a good gothic romance!✨

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Ava for the ARC!

"Patience doesn't mean accepting injustice."

If you're looking for something dark, fairly blasphemous, hot, and full of feminine rage for this Easter, look no further because Ava Thorne has once again delivered a scorcher of a novella in her Pythnissam Filia series. This time set during the Bamberg Witch Trials, our main character is Katharina, daughter of a condemned witch, trying her best to keep her head down and survive while helping what women she can with her knowledge of herbcraft and folk medicine. The two spots of joy in her life are taking care of Leibchen, the nunnery's cow, and her Latin lessons with the handsome and caring Father Heinrich.

The care and building heat between Katharina and Heinrich is palpable, made only more potent by the danger and how forbidden it is. When it culminates though, someone extra comes in through the cracks and drives this relationship to both new heights and depths of depravity.

I'm glad Heinrich and the demon--I assume Lucifer--got separated in the end for an especially smutty scene, but honestly, I wish they would have been split sooner so the Ot3 relationship could have been explored more. We get a little bit of that in the last chapter, but most of it after Katharina learns the truth is her begging the demon to bring Heinrich back to her.

I'll let the novella's own words speak for the relationship itself and why it feels so satisfying:

My angel loved me the way a predator loves its chosen prey....He loved the parts of me that were difficult and sharp and dangerous, the parts that other people had asked me to hide...He wanted all of it, the hunger and the fury and the raw unfinished edges, and his wanting had no ceiling and no apology.

Heinrich's love was different. It was the thing that stands between you and the cold ...He had believed in my goodness when I had not believed in it myself, had seen the shape of what I was becoming and guarded it quietly, asking nothing, simply remaining. His devotion was the oldest kind. The kind that does not require reciprocation.

And in all this of course is also a story of a woman triumphing over an unjust system and burning it all down--very cathartic in this day and age. Check this book out if you want to scream and enjoy a good demon romance at the same time.

[Jovana M · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This is the first Ava Thorne book I’ve read, and it certainly won’t be my last. This book is set during the witch trials in 1600’s Bamberg, Germany. I loved the way that the story portrayed some of the emotions, fears, and horrors that people may have felt and faced at time, as well as the religious toxicity and hysteria that were prevalent during this dark period in our history.

“𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬—𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬—𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭.”

This story follows Katharina, who’s mother was burned at the stake for witchcraft, as she attempts to help other women with her extensive knowledge of outlawed herbs and healing that could lead to her death. She works in secret, but is infatuated with Father Heinrich, a priest who sees the injustice of the trials, but has no power to stop them. That is, until Walpurgisnacht, when a shadow takes over the man Katharina loves. The shadow gives Heinrich the courage to finally pursue Katharina, and try to convince her to step out from the shadows and claim her power.

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫.“

I adored the forbidden love aspect of the story. The yearning and worship is immense, and the love these two have for one another is cosmic. Katharina’s feminine rage and Heinrich’s unyielding love and devotion created a divine storm.

“𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈’𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.”

The poetic writing and evocative imagery in this book, along with the subtle (and not so subtle) religious symbolism and metaphors make this story something so beautiful and unique that you won’t be able to put it down. I loved the way it all came together, and the way the crescendo of the story unfolds, showing us who Katharina and Heinrich really are.

“𝐌𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐯𝐞. 𝐌𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐌𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞.”

I am immensely thankful to Ava Thorne for the arc of Possessed. I cannot wait to see what she writes next 🖤

[Alicia (weird.reads.books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hot, sacrilegious, and beautiful in the best ways possible. This is my second Ava Thorne read, and she does not disappoint. While the "hot priest yearning for a parishioner" trope isn't new, adding a demon possession into the mix made this story oh-so-delicious.

Thorne has a way of highlighting historical injustices toward women in a way that resonates deeply with the modern reader. Possessed takes place during the Bamberg Witch Trials in 1629. Our FMC, Katherina, is the daughter of a burned witch, raised by the very Church that executed her mother. As she secretly carries on her mother’s healing practices, Katherina witnesses the oppression and condemnation the Church inflicts on the innocent or on those who simply want to help their neighbors.

This hypocrisy is even more striking in Heinrich’s point of view. As a priest who truly follows the teachings of mercy, he is the perfect lens to highlight the callousness of those enacting horrific persecutions in the name of their deity. His desire for Katherina burns at a lovely simmer until the possession gives him the push he needs. I loved that Thorne wrote the possession in a way that didn’t force Heinrich to abandon his beliefs, but rather used it to sharpen his perspective on the Church's cruelty.

“I think a god who punishes the small for fighting those who would abuse them is no god worth our devotion.”

There were parts of this book that spoke volumes to me. While it may not hit the same for everyone, as someone who is an ex-Catholic and has deep religious trauma, I spent part of my read screaming, “Yes!” while highlighting so many quotes that resonated with me. Wrapping this with some female rage to carry out injustices made was exactly what I needed. Oh, and I absolutely cackled with glee when I realized this book releases on Easter Sunday. Absolutely beautiful.

If you’re looking for a novella that delivers forbidden love, high-heat spice, and satisfyingly enacted female rage, I can’t recommend Possessed enough.

Thank you to Ava Thorne for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an ARC copy that I received.

Book: ⭐️2.75
Smut: ⭐️2.5

The tropes are delicious - some of my favorites: angel x demon, feminine rage, PRIEST 🥵, gothic romance, forbidden love, just to name a few.

This contains SPOILERS so do not attempt to read more if you don't want this book spoiled.

The author hooked me the first 40% as it involves Bamberg Witch trials and the FMC being an accused daughter of a witch burned at the stake 10 years ago and how she heals those in pain. She has no voice. Because religion is 💩 and men rule in religion. She keeps hearing her mother's voice telling her to stay in the shadows until the 3rd part of this book.

Heinrich, a very hot, shy dude priest. I mean, Father? He was always pining for Katherina and I highly doubt he would have expressed those thoughts if the Devil hadn't possessed him in the forest. The rebellion in this book is from both sides and is so quiet. My brain needed more and the intensity was low.


The spice is.. mild. I'll add a star because there is a huge lack of period oral and sex in general (it's hot, okay? we need more of this. it's natural. you will not shut me up about this) and Father Heinrich partakes with his fingers and mouth on an alter, I believe?

Halfway through, I found myself bored. I'm actually very upset about this. More and more people (esp women) are being taken and killed by the church, and Katherina is too cripped to do anything despite wanting to.


Possessed Heinrich knows that Katarina is capable of as a woman and a witch, but she of course, hears her mother's voice yet again until she tells her mom's voice to fuck off AT 70-ish% when she summons fire in the backyard and is held captive to be executed by the church.

I began to stop and skim there because she had someone that believed in her (even if it was possessed Heinrich, lol) and it took her getting captive and having sex with angel and demon Heinrich to .. believe in herself and her capabilities 😭 Okay, I guess getting a good dicking will do that right 😂

[Jasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Ms. Ava Thorne for a copy of this for a review.

This was so good! All the temptation between a priest and parishioner the yearning for each other even though it’s all forbidden. Captured me from the start. Like who doesn’t turn to temptation? I’m a non practicing catholic and this hit me hard. I enjoyed the era of this story. It made me picture myself being there even though it definitely wasn’t ideal for women in that time period. I’m sure if we were all there most of us would be accused for witchcraft.

My heart broke for Katharina losing her mother at such a young age. I loved how she felt wanted from Father Heinrich even though it’s forbidden. He gave her one thing she wanted. To feel and be loved.

Katharina rage was so strong. I felt for her. She’s only doing good for those around her and people still look down on her because of where she came from. This made me think of a few bible quotes

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.
— Leviticus 19:18.

And also Proverbs 14:21 — "Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor”.

There was so much negativity from the church (other than from Father Hienrich) towards Katharina even though she was taught to help others but keep in the shadows. Made me think did the people from the church even read the bible. Did they truly love God and his work cause it definitely wasn’t showing.

The demon was very forward in his feelings towards Katharina and I loved how devoted he was towards her. Like she was his God. At times I’m thinking is this the demons true feelings of the Fathers that he took over? I just wish that the demon and Father weren’t one for so long. I would’ve loved to see how their relationship would go. The ending made me cry. This is a powerful book full of love, hatred, religion and temptation and I definitely enjoyed it.

[V's Rockin' Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙂𝙤𝙙. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣. 𝙒𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚.

I didn’t expect this book to make me cry. I went in assuming I was getting a smutty romance, but it was so much more. The pages were full of emotion, revenge, powerful messaging, and an ending so utterly beautiful 😭 Easily a top read!

Possessed takes place in Bamberg, Germany during the witch trials of 1629 AD. After watching her mother burn at the stake as a child, Katharina is sent to live at the convent. Now an adult, she follows in her mother’s footsteps healing others in secret. She sticks to the shadows, keeps her head down, survives.

Until a forbidden kiss with Father Heinrich during Walpurgisnacht invites the devil in 😈 Suddenly their daily lessons shift from reading Latin to exploring freedom, desire, living without shame. This is where all the smutty bits come in, including a 🩸 scene that was surprisingly one of the hottest things I’ve read 🥵

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙪𝙥𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙧. 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪.

This possessed version of Heinrich pushes Katharina to stop diminishing herself, stop staying small to satisfy the ‘men’ intimidated by a knowledgeable woman - no more apologizing for simply existing. That moment Katharina accepts her true power 😮‍💨 My favourite part. She has the devil himself bending the knee, worshiping her, right before she burns it all down 🔥

…𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚. 𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙪𝙨.

Possessed is more than a love story, it’s feminine rage, revenge, and justice served. Loved every second of it 🖤

[Sarah Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

👹💀Possessed by Ava Thorne💀👹

👹 This is the second Pythonissam Filia novella, but each one is a complete standalone so feel free to start here. This one is about Katharina, whose midwife mother was burned as a witch when she was a child, and who was raised in a convent in Bamberg. She never forgot her mother’s teachings, and she continues to help women in secret for fear of persecution. She has a deep connection with Father Heinrich, but they can never be together. But one day, something changes in Heinrich. He becomes a whole new man, one that frightens Katharina as much as he attracts her. 💀

👹 I love Ava Thorne’s books, they feel kind of therapeutic due to the feminine rage that permeates the pages. These days we may often feel helpless and it feels good to read a book about women who also feel trapped and powerless, who take their power back and wreak vengeance upon their oppressors and abusers. This one is a scathing indictment on religious zealotry and the medieval witch trials that were nothing more than a means of controlling, and suppressing women. This book is dark, spicy, and macabre. If you can handle the triggers, I definitely recommend it! 💀

👹 “Fear killed her. Fear of women who didn’t need men to interpret God for them. Your mother died for the same reason Christ did—for showing people they had power the authorities didn’t want them to know about.” 💀

Thank you so much to the author for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

❓QotD: Do you have any herbal remedies that you like? I love raspberry leaf tea, it helps with cramps. Or, current read?

🫖 I paired this book with German herbal tea from Teekanne, “Träum schön” which means “sweet dreams”. Katharina is a healer who uses herbs to help women in her town, one of which is valerian which can help with sleep.

[MintTeaPages · Rating 3 out of 5]

The bigger half of this book was honestly perfect for me. It completely satisfied my witch trials obsession. I loved the historical atmosphere, the old-time setting, and the writing style was genuinely beautiful. I also really enjoyed the developing relationship between the main characters… at least until the final part of the book.

First, I want to say that I’m not religious, nor a believer in Christianity or any other religion. But I was genuinely so disappointed by the direction this story took. The whole point seemed to be showing how the church demonised women and falsely portrayed them as being seduced by the devil… only for the story to end up validating those exact ideas.

Yes, the book punished the men, the bishop, and the people responsible for the suffering, but as a fantasy story, there were so many other ways this could have been handled. Instead, it ended up leaning into the same ideas it originally seemed to criticise, and that really disappointed me. I know the ending was probably meant to feel empowering, but for me, it had the opposite effect, because Katharina’s power ultimately came from the devil rather than herself. And don’t even get me started on Heinrich. I hated what happened to his character, and the shift from couple to throuple was completely not my vibe.

Honestly, my heart aches for the potential this book had. I still enjoyed most of it, but the ending gave me a huge ick. That said, I’d still recommend it, because I can absolutely see why other readers would love it. I think it just wasn’t for me.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possessed, written by Ava Thorne, is a dark gothic romance. It explores the intersection of religious fanaticism and the forbidden power found in reclaiming one’s own power. This is my first book by this author, and I look forward to more.

Set during the Bamberg Witch Trials in 1629, the story follows Katharina, the daughter of a woman burned as a witch, and Father Heinrich, a man of the cloth whose faith is challenged and transformed into an obsession. Together, they navigate this soul-crushing world that punishes independence.

Katharina lives in the shadow of her mother’s execution. Confined to a convent and forced into labor, she finds purpose in the forbidden knowledge of herbalism - a practice she uses to help the women of Bamberg. Only surviving by being silent and invisible.

Father Heinrich is a man hollowed out by the events around him, seeking redemption through his service to the Church. Yet his path is altered by his attraction to Katharina, and his spiritual journey slowly erodes as he begins to guide her.

Thorne gives us Vicar Forner, the embodiment of the Church’s darkest impulses. He thrives on fear and the exploitation of the “sinful.” Together, the “priest” and the “sinner” seek to defy it all. It is an intense journey as they find their salvation. I enjoyed it.

Thanks to Ava Thorne for gifting me an eARC of Possessed. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nicole (book_drake on IG) · Rating 5 out of 5]

🕯️🐣 𝕰𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕽𝖊𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖊 𝕯𝖆𝖞 🐣🕯️
✨📖 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ REVIEW 📖✨

This book didn’t just cross the line between sacred and profane… it erased the line entirely ⛪🔥

Set during the Bamberg Witch Trials, this gothic historical romance delivers forbidden longing, religious tension, and obsession that feels almost reverent in its intensity 🕯️📜

Katharina — daughter of a condemned witch, raised by the Church that killed her mother — continues her mother’s healing work in secret… protected by Father Heinrich, the man sworn to guide her faith… not fall victim to it.

But one fractured vow on Beltane opens the door to something ancient… and Heinrich’s devotion becomes something far darker 👁️🔥

This book explores power, control, faith, shame, and desire — and how often society punishes women simply for existing beyond the roles assigned to them.

And honestly… it hits a little too close to home.

History shows us again and again what happens when fear, control, and righteousness collide — yet somehow we still find ourselves repeating the same mistakes. Different century… same suspicion of women who think, speak, heal, or refuse to stay small 😞🖤

The atmosphere is thick with dread and devotion — every scene feels like it smells faintly of incense, old paper, and danger 🕯️📖🌑

Some quotes that absolutely possessed me:

🖤 “Every drop is rebellion… every day you survive past your usefulness is a small victory.”

🖤 “They wanted us to hate each other… so we’d be too busy destroying one another to see who’s really destroying us.”

🖤 “Salvation has never come from kneeling at the feet of evil.”

And the author’s note??
ICONIC:
“To the Catholic Church, thanks for the trauma, but for doing it with incredible symbolism and drip.” ⛪✨

If you love:
🕯️ gothic romance
⛪ religious tension
🔥 forbidden desire
🌑 morally complex characters
🖤 obsession that feels like worship

Consider this your sign (or warning)…

This story doesn’t just haunt — it lingers 🖤👁️

[RosieRitesReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Length: 236 Pgs
Chapters: 29
Release Date: 4/05
Prologue ✅
Epilogue ❌


Tropes:

⛪Gothic Romance
❤️‍🔥Forbidden Love
⚖️ Witch Trials
🔥“Burn it all down”
🖤Improper use of confessional and more 😈


This dual-POV historical gothic romance is jam-packed with lush world-building, lust, and feminine rage. The story is told in a way that leaves nothing out, creating vivid imagery that transports you to a period of time where being a woman automatically made you a sinner, and having knowledge is a crime.

Ava Thorne’s writing style is captivating, to the point, and impossible to put down. The way Katherina is written is exactly what I picture when I think of feminine rage. She lives in fear, loves in private, and when she’s finally had enough, her rage becomes the flame.


Y’all I RAN to grab this through the link in Ava Thorn’s bio on IG—immediately after finishing the book😩📖 If you love historical gothic romance with 🔥feminine rage🔥, DO. NOT. SLEEP. ON. THIS ONE.


Favorite Quote:

“I knew now, love was too small for what burned in my chest. Love was patient, kind, all those things Paul wrote about. This was… possession. This was the need to devour and be devoured in return.”

This is the first book I have read from Ava Thorne and will NOT be the last! Thank you so much to Ava Thorne for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[MicaylaTheBookDragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katharina is orphaned after her mother was accused of being a witch and burned at the stake. With no other family, she goes to live in a convent with the sisters. She never becomes a nun herself, but she continues in her mother's footsteps to help others as a healer. Katharina cannot help but feel her rage grow at the injustices done to both women and children.

Despite this, Katharina has grown close to Father Heinrich. She meets with him daily and he teaches her Latin. Heinrich has been enchanted by Katharina since they first met. He uses their lesson as an excuse to be near her. They are both drawn to each other, but know that it is forbidden. On Walspurisnacht, Katharina is lured into the woods and Heinrich follows her. They give into a moment of temptation before they are attacked by something.

This was another amazing novella from Ava! I absolutely loved it! There was some spicy blasphemy and deliciousness that I loved! I am obsessed with Katharina and Heinrich. He is such a simp for her. The yearning of their forbidden love was top tier and super hot. Definitely check your triggers first before reading, though!

Thank you to author Ava Thorne for the gifted eARC.