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Joan of Crows #1
Consecrated Ground
Like her father before her, Joan Matthews is a witch. For generations, their family of binder witches has protected Calvert, Oregon from vampires by strengthening the land with spellcraft. Pushing back against tradition, Joan defied her father and left town to become a war witch, one who fights the monsters hand-to-hand. But when her father dies, Joan returns to find her hometown assailed by a vampire lord’s endless attacks—and the answers lie with the one woman who chose a rival over Joan.
Leigh Phan once believed her heart was safe and her future was set. When Joan left town, Leigh’s choices led to ruin and unintended consequences. Now Leigh harbors a dark secret forcing her to live a moment-to-moment existence. Her only hope of survival lies in trusting the war witch who left her behind.
Now it's up to Joan to fight for a town she left behind, while Leigh faces a destiny she never imagined was possible. With Calvert on the brink of total destruction, Joan and Leigh join forces and face inconvenient truths in order to save their town—and each other.
Leigh Phan once believed her heart was safe and her future was set. When Joan left town, Leigh’s choices led to ruin and unintended consequences. Now Leigh harbors a dark secret forcing her to live a moment-to-moment existence. Her only hope of survival lies in trusting the war witch who left her behind.
Now it's up to Joan to fight for a town she left behind, while Leigh faces a destiny she never imagined was possible. With Calvert on the brink of total destruction, Joan and Leigh join forces and face inconvenient truths in order to save their town—and each other.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 7, 2023
27 people are currently reading
1015 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Black
4 books137 followersVIRGINIA BLACK (she/her) is the author of NO SHELTER BUT THE STARS (sci-fi romance, 2024) and CONSECRATED GROUND (paranormal romance, 2023) -- both from Bywater Books -- as well as several short stories and works of fan fiction. She enjoys strong whiskey, loud music, and writing about angsty protagonists, though not necessarily in that order. When not penning dark speculative sapphic fiction, she is almost always reading or lurking on RPG sites. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her wife of 21 years (and counting) and their savagely witty teenage daughter. Learn more at virginiablackwrites.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
January 10, 2023
Eight years after she had left her hometown of Calvert, Joan Matthews arrives home to find everything has changed, drastically. Many homes and businesses are boarded up, vampires have blockaded all exits from town and her ex girlfriend is living in her family home. Joan is returning from her witch warrior duties to bury her father and then carry on with her warring.
Leigh Phan fell apart after Joan left her behind. Not even her indomitable grandmother could keep Leigh from her destructive choices and consequences. Only Joan’s father opened his heart and home to Leigh when she needed it the most. With his passing, Leigh’s future is now an unknown as is the secret she carries.
Virginia Black has hit the pavement running with her debut paranormal novel, Consecrated Ground. The reader is slammed into the action from page one and things only rev up from there. Black is a born storyteller as she weaves the multiple plots into a satisfying conclusion.
Attention all paranormal enthusiasts, Consecrated Ground is a must read of 2023.
I received an advance review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Available beginning February 7, 2023.
Leigh Phan fell apart after Joan left her behind. Not even her indomitable grandmother could keep Leigh from her destructive choices and consequences. Only Joan’s father opened his heart and home to Leigh when she needed it the most. With his passing, Leigh’s future is now an unknown as is the secret she carries.
Virginia Black has hit the pavement running with her debut paranormal novel, Consecrated Ground. The reader is slammed into the action from page one and things only rev up from there. Black is a born storyteller as she weaves the multiple plots into a satisfying conclusion.
Attention all paranormal enthusiasts, Consecrated Ground is a must read of 2023.
I received an advance review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Available beginning February 7, 2023.
August 7, 2024
Edit: August 7th, 2024, audiobook review
I loved this book so much when I first read it last year that I was super excited to get to listen to it. All the more so as Trei Taylor is a new narrator to me. Despite the voices being rather indistinguishable in dialogues, which required me to focus even harder than usual, I enjoyed the narration a lot. It was more like being read a story than a performance. Trei Taylor nails the mood, the darkness lighted by bursts of energy, the timid sliver of hope that won’t be shut down. The pacing is perfect, and there are loads of energy and drama in all the right places.
I didn’t remember the ending—I wrote in my original review that it’s “satisfying, leaving no loose ends while keeping the door open for a sequel if the author wants one”—so it surprised me anew. I’ve been hoping for that sequel since I finished listening.
I started this audiobook on the plane to Saint Paul, MN, where the 2024 GCLS conference was taking place and I couldn’t be happier that Virginia Black received two extremely deserved Goldie Awards—in the Debut Novel and Paranormal/Occult/Horror categories. Having the privilege of being in the audience on July 13th was the cherry on the cake.
If you need more than this review and the one I posted in February 2023, you can witness all my enthusiasm in the video review below!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C97Zbl...
------------------------------------------------
We all have authors whose books we know we’ll enjoy reading whatever the story is. Bywater Books is the publisher equivalent of that. Whenever I open a book they release, I know I’m in for a treat. I don’t love them all but they’re all exciting and interesting and they all have something. I’m never ever disappointed. And this stunning debut by Virginia Black is definitely not disappointing.
The story hits the ground running and it never slows down. Eight years after she left Calvert, Oregon, to become a war witch, her father’s death brings Joan Matthews back, only to find her hometown about to fall into the hands of a rogue vampire lord. And her ex, Leigh Phan, in her father’s house.
Joan and Leigh are both captivating characters, complicated, flawed, hardened by life yet brave and with the ability to soften the other’s hard edges. The atmosphere, the mood is dark and heavy, flawlessly stifling. Joan’s reluctance, her exhaustion, Leigh’s secrets and terror, their feelings for each other – good and bad – all are palpable, penetrating. My breathing changed with the story, the weight of the events constricting. The story is intricate without being overwhelmingly complex, helped along by a fantastic (and for some terrifying) cast of secondary characters, and the ending is satisfying, leaving no loose ends while keeping the door open for a sequel if the author wants one. The cover is another Ann McMan work of art, the perfect illustration of what the book is about, neither obscure nor revealing too much. 4.5⭐️
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
I loved this book so much when I first read it last year that I was super excited to get to listen to it. All the more so as Trei Taylor is a new narrator to me. Despite the voices being rather indistinguishable in dialogues, which required me to focus even harder than usual, I enjoyed the narration a lot. It was more like being read a story than a performance. Trei Taylor nails the mood, the darkness lighted by bursts of energy, the timid sliver of hope that won’t be shut down. The pacing is perfect, and there are loads of energy and drama in all the right places.
I didn’t remember the ending—I wrote in my original review that it’s “satisfying, leaving no loose ends while keeping the door open for a sequel if the author wants one”—so it surprised me anew. I’ve been hoping for that sequel since I finished listening.
I started this audiobook on the plane to Saint Paul, MN, where the 2024 GCLS conference was taking place and I couldn’t be happier that Virginia Black received two extremely deserved Goldie Awards—in the Debut Novel and Paranormal/Occult/Horror categories. Having the privilege of being in the audience on July 13th was the cherry on the cake.
If you need more than this review and the one I posted in February 2023, you can witness all my enthusiasm in the video review below!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C97Zbl...
------------------------------------------------
We all have authors whose books we know we’ll enjoy reading whatever the story is. Bywater Books is the publisher equivalent of that. Whenever I open a book they release, I know I’m in for a treat. I don’t love them all but they’re all exciting and interesting and they all have something. I’m never ever disappointed. And this stunning debut by Virginia Black is definitely not disappointing.
The story hits the ground running and it never slows down. Eight years after she left Calvert, Oregon, to become a war witch, her father’s death brings Joan Matthews back, only to find her hometown about to fall into the hands of a rogue vampire lord. And her ex, Leigh Phan, in her father’s house.
Joan and Leigh are both captivating characters, complicated, flawed, hardened by life yet brave and with the ability to soften the other’s hard edges. The atmosphere, the mood is dark and heavy, flawlessly stifling. Joan’s reluctance, her exhaustion, Leigh’s secrets and terror, their feelings for each other – good and bad – all are palpable, penetrating. My breathing changed with the story, the weight of the events constricting. The story is intricate without being overwhelmingly complex, helped along by a fantastic (and for some terrifying) cast of secondary characters, and the ending is satisfying, leaving no loose ends while keeping the door open for a sequel if the author wants one. The cover is another Ann McMan work of art, the perfect illustration of what the book is about, neither obscure nor revealing too much. 4.5⭐️
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
May 10, 2023
Joan is coming home to her small town. Like many tiny burgs where the young people have left, the place has gone to seed. In addition, the paranormal world rules, vampires warring against witches and the average person suffering in the midst. Poverty, drug addiction, and gruesome violence are part of every day life. Joan’s father, once the town’s leader and moral compass, has died. It’s up to Joan to choose to stay and fight for the people she once turned her back on or to leave again.
Consecrated Ground is a heady book. Very well written and good world building. Joan is a powerful war witch and I enjoyed the spells and battles. Her geared up truck, Luther, is a fun detail. Joan’s visions and ancestral ties are mesmerizing. Her trip to visit the Portland Vampire leadership is a treat and I wouldn’t mind more stories taking place there.
My favorite character by far is Leigh. She is the small town girl who got left behind. There is a complex story that led to Leigh’s troubled life and I hope a future book might focus on her. I was drawn to her vulnerability and to her inner strength. It takes a lot to survive when you are alone in hard circumstances and Leigh broke my heart when I read her story so I hope we get more about her as well. I am looking forward to future books from this author. Thanks to my friend, Jude, for recommending this one to me.
Consecrated Ground is a heady book. Very well written and good world building. Joan is a powerful war witch and I enjoyed the spells and battles. Her geared up truck, Luther, is a fun detail. Joan’s visions and ancestral ties are mesmerizing. Her trip to visit the Portland Vampire leadership is a treat and I wouldn’t mind more stories taking place there.
My favorite character by far is Leigh. She is the small town girl who got left behind. There is a complex story that led to Leigh’s troubled life and I hope a future book might focus on her. I was drawn to her vulnerability and to her inner strength. It takes a lot to survive when you are alone in hard circumstances and Leigh broke my heart when I read her story so I hope we get more about her as well. I am looking forward to future books from this author. Thanks to my friend, Jude, for recommending this one to me.
January 6, 2025
Unfortunately a significantly weaker book than “No Shelter but the Stars”. I couldn’t take it seriously despite how seriously the characters seem to take themselves. The relationship was baseless and sparse, and the plotline sounded like a whole lot of nothing to me. Maybe pnr lovers will appreciate this more. Black mentioned that she’ll probably work on a sequel to this, but I don’t think I’ll read it. I much prefer her hand at sci-fi.
January 9, 2024
5 Stars
Charmed + Buffy + Wynonna Earp. All their essence in one book? What else can a supernatural nerd ask for? I couldn’t help myself but finish this book in one go! I felt like an addict wanting to get my fix, I needed to know, I HAD to know how it ended!
I loved that the characters were imperfect human beings. The flow of the story was smooth filled with intrigue spurring the reader on. Basically, my brain is sated.
Charmed + Buffy + Wynonna Earp. All their essence in one book? What else can a supernatural nerd ask for? I couldn’t help myself but finish this book in one go! I felt like an addict wanting to get my fix, I needed to know, I HAD to know how it ended!
I loved that the characters were imperfect human beings. The flow of the story was smooth filled with intrigue spurring the reader on. Basically, my brain is sated.
February 21, 2023
Looking for a lesbian black lead… bad ass war witch… vampires and magic… sexy lesbian women? This is it. Binge worthy and well written! I’ll hype this book up forever. It had everything I ever hope for in a book about witches battling vampires. Don’t wait! I don’t usually write reviews let alone 5 stars. This book deserves it all! And it’s a duet.. applause!
November 14, 2023
Witches. Vampires. Magic.
Oh my god this book! And I don’t even have time to write a long review but the highlights are:
The writing is outstanding.
The story phenomenal.
The characters divine.
In parts I forgot to breathe.
I need more, so much more.
IT IS AWESOMELY AMAZING.
Oh my god this book! And I don’t even have time to write a long review but the highlights are:
The writing is outstanding.
The story phenomenal.
The characters divine.
In parts I forgot to breathe.
I need more, so much more.
IT IS AWESOMELY AMAZING.
September 25, 2023
Wonderful novel debut! This book is relatively fast paced and action packed. It really kept me engaged and I didn’t want to put it down.
Things I loved:
- Both FMCs are strong women in their own unique ways
- Multiracial lesbian representation!
- Not tiredly depicting witches as “dark” or sinister, but rather drawing power from a deep connection to the Earth
- Love that overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles
As much as I enjoyed this read and would absolutely recommend it, there were a few super enticing aspects of the plot / storyline that were brought up, but then not capitalized on. I kept waiting, hoping, anticipating… !! But the opportunity was missed. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to reveal too much, but maybe the author will grab onto those pieces in a sequel (fingers crossed).
⭐️ 4.5 stars, but I’m rounding up because, uhm - witches, vampires, and lesbians!! Duh. ;)
Things I loved:
- Both FMCs are strong women in their own unique ways
- Multiracial lesbian representation!
- Not tiredly depicting witches as “dark” or sinister, but rather drawing power from a deep connection to the Earth
- Love that overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles
As much as I enjoyed this read and would absolutely recommend it, there were a few super enticing aspects of the plot / storyline that were brought up, but then not capitalized on. I kept waiting, hoping, anticipating… !! But the opportunity was missed. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to reveal too much, but maybe the author will grab onto those pieces in a sequel (fingers crossed).
⭐️ 4.5 stars, but I’m rounding up because, uhm - witches, vampires, and lesbians!! Duh. ;)
October 28, 2024
As a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, I felt like Buffy and Willow merged to become the main character. Sure, it doesn’t have the same humor as the TV show, but the book was adventurous, mysterious, and a real page-turner. So much happens in a few days, but Black makes us feel like we know the characters well with their history and the second chance aspect of the story. The universe is well-built yet simple, with everything urban fantasy fans look for: vampires, witches. Reading a story with a couple composed of two POC, with one Asian, is rare enough to be mentioned. It was easy to read, full of action and suspense, and has huge potential for numerous books.
The audiobook version was nice, but the volume was way too low. I had to turn the volume up full.
The audiobook version was nice, but the volume was way too low. I had to turn the volume up full.
February 7, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
Consecrated Ground is a thrilling and engaging urban fantasy with a great lovers reunited theme and featuring a tough, fearless, lesbian war witch (plus her underestimated, but also super awesome ex-girlfriend). This one totally captivated me right from the opening pages and I absolutely adored it. The story begins with Joan returning home and driving back into town and suddenly we are thrust into the action right away. This book is an interesting mix of genres, feeling like a contemporary urban fantasy with the battles between witches and vampires, but also with a really strong dystopian vibe that I found so exciting. The story takes place in what I would describe as an alternative version of our world where the early settlers included humans, witches, and vampires vying for territory. The people in the cities now mostly live peacefully, but that’s because they agree to provide blood to the vampires in exchange for their lives. But in the small towns on the outskirts, the situation is much more lawless. There seems to be no government or central organization protecting anyone and the people are left to fend for themselves against the vampire incursions.
There are a few little bits of plot or world building I wish tied up a bit more cleanly, but nothing that stood in the way of my enjoyment. That said, I’d read more books set in this world in a hot minute, so I am really hoping the author chooses to continue with more stories. If you enjoy urban fantasy, kick-ass female characters, own voices stories, and some heavy dystopian vibes, Consecrated Ground is an excellent adventure and I can highly recommend it.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Consecrated Ground is a thrilling and engaging urban fantasy with a great lovers reunited theme and featuring a tough, fearless, lesbian war witch (plus her underestimated, but also super awesome ex-girlfriend). This one totally captivated me right from the opening pages and I absolutely adored it. The story begins with Joan returning home and driving back into town and suddenly we are thrust into the action right away. This book is an interesting mix of genres, feeling like a contemporary urban fantasy with the battles between witches and vampires, but also with a really strong dystopian vibe that I found so exciting. The story takes place in what I would describe as an alternative version of our world where the early settlers included humans, witches, and vampires vying for territory. The people in the cities now mostly live peacefully, but that’s because they agree to provide blood to the vampires in exchange for their lives. But in the small towns on the outskirts, the situation is much more lawless. There seems to be no government or central organization protecting anyone and the people are left to fend for themselves against the vampire incursions.
There are a few little bits of plot or world building I wish tied up a bit more cleanly, but nothing that stood in the way of my enjoyment. That said, I’d read more books set in this world in a hot minute, so I am really hoping the author chooses to continue with more stories. If you enjoy urban fantasy, kick-ass female characters, own voices stories, and some heavy dystopian vibes, Consecrated Ground is an excellent adventure and I can highly recommend it.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
July 13, 2024
this isnt a bad book per se but;;; the pacing is off, i dont really care about the antagonists, and unfortunately i didnt feel that the world or magic system was developed enough for a book about witches 😭 like i feel if the book was longer it could have been so much better; its unfortunate cuz i read some of black’s other books so i know that she can do wonders with a smaller amount of pages; this just wasnt it ig
April 5, 2025
Every time she thought of turning back, the next thought was of Leigh.
3.25 stars, since 3 seems too low, and 3.5 seems a bit too high. It's funny, because the reason I was unsure about picking up this book is because it involves a second chance romance, which isn't my favourite romance trope. But the relationship between Joan and Leigh and how they reconnected ended up being my very favourite thing about this book, while the plot itself and all the worldbuilding fell a little flat for me. Not terribly so, but I just simply wasn't engaged. I only finished this book this morning, but I can already feel it slipping away from me. This is a paranormal romance set in a sort of dystopian landscape. Joan is a war witch who left her home town years ago with a broken heart. Now she's returning after the death of her father, and finds that not only is the town being menaced by vampires, but her first love and the woman who broke her heart is staying in her house. Leigh is somewhat changed, and is keeping secrets, but despite the misunderstandings and animosity on both sides, the love that they shared hasn't diminished in the slightest.
Aaaaaand the romance is pretty much the only thing that worked for me, sadly? Which means it's impressive that I liked this as much as I did, because the relationship didn't really get the lion's share of the page time. But it was so well-written! Second chance romance of this nature doesn't always appeal to me, where they broke up because of miscommunication. But somehow, it wasn't annoying this time. There were other things that contributed to them breaking apart, which they eventually explore. But I just loved that no matter how much Joan tried to be mad at Leigh, to push her away, to treat her with scorn... she almost immediately slipped back into old habits. Touching her casually, doing little things for her, calling her by pet names... ugh, my heart. The first time she slipped up and called Leigh 'babe' I was squealing. And even when Joan is still mad at her, Leigh is automatically so protective and concerned for her, goes around doing little domestic things like getting her breakfast in the morning, staying up to greet her when she gets home late... I loved it. Both heroines were catnip to me, but especially Joan, with all her power and height and self-assuredly. I loved that Leigh's smallness didn't come with meekness, and there are moments when she's so strong and brave.
The plot was... meh. On one hand, I wish we'd concentrated more on the romance, but on the other hand, I think if the whole business with the vampires and the witch coven politics had been written in a more interesting way, I could have really liked it. I feel like some scenes needed way more fleshing out. In the first half of the book, especially, when they were still trying to understand what was happening with the attacks and the town border, it felt like we were just jumping from fight scene to fight scene, and it got a little bit confused, imo. There's a cool little subplot with the crows that I won't get too much into, but I also felt like that needed something more to anchor it to the story. The book did that thing that I hate with languages: say something in a second language, and then immediately give a direct translation. That always feels so clunky and awkward, imo! You can do it a few times, maybe, with short phrases, but in general most things said in a different language should be easily understood from the context. And in this case, I don't think we needed the translations, because they were spells most of the time. We would get the meaning when we see the spell effects!
Aaaaand I can't really think of much else to say about the plot or the book in general. Like I said, the book just wants to slip out of my head.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Trei Taylor, and it sadly wasn't my favourite. I really like her voice, and I've liked her narration in other books. But she pronounced 'coven' weirdly all throughout the book (she kept saying 'cohh-ven', which I've never heard before), as well as mispronouncing a couple other common words, and it honestly got in my nerves. And probably contributed to lowering my rating a bit. I also felt like the emotion was a bit off in a few scenes. So that was unfortunate! I'm still invested enough in these characters to come back to the series when Black continues it. Hopefully the plot will capture my interest a bit more.
Content warnings:
Light of my heart, incandescent and endless.
January 11, 2026
3.8. A story seemed little bit rushed, but I loved the small town apocalypse witches vs vampires war atmosphere.
There were some wholes in the story, but I would gladly read the sequel.
There were some wholes in the story, but I would gladly read the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2023
Consecrated Ground is a well-written story. Readers will be pulled in immediately. The story world and word building is fantastic. It’s a fast read full of suspenseful moments and hard-hitting action, making it hard to resist. Basically, once one starts this, they won’t be able to put it down.
I should mention that I’m not much for speculative fiction, especially stuff that ventures into places filled with vampires and war witches. This one, however, got ahold of me and wouldn’t let go. Virginia Black is a wonderful storyteller and I was immediately captivated with her creativity. The way she tells a story, filling it with layers upon layers of beautiful, descriptive language. And the action!! It’s so intense and charged!! Black knows how to structure the story elements so splendidly. It creates a dimensional, textured world for readers to fall into—even for vampire-avoiders like me.
Black rolls up her sleeves and reveals some real storytelling muscle with this debut book. The story arc is complex, making readers the true beneficiaries of her sharp plotting. I don’t want to give anything away, but know Consecrated Ground is one heck of a ride. She blends all of the sub-plots nicely, and the development is seamless. More importantly though, the story world makes sense. It’s grounded and credible. She does this through meaningful dialogue and well-constructed scenes, proving she knows how to create a sound narrative. However, the real tell here is this: readers feel invested and involved in the storytelling. They care about the story world and its characters, a hallmark that clearly illustrates Black’s talent.
Final remarks…
This is a must for readers that love speculative fiction filled with vampires and war witches. It’s not just spec fic though; there’s a strong love story woven into the fabric of this tale, giving romance lovers something to rejoice over. Overall, readers will find this to be rich and spectacularly plotted. It’s hard to believe Consecrated Ground is Black’s debut novel; it’s pure indulgent escapism. Fans of dark, demon-filled worlds should definitely take note of Black; she’s going to be the one to watch in this genre.
Strengths…
Well-written, well-developed
Engaging plot
Intriguing characters
Hard to put down
I should mention that I’m not much for speculative fiction, especially stuff that ventures into places filled with vampires and war witches. This one, however, got ahold of me and wouldn’t let go. Virginia Black is a wonderful storyteller and I was immediately captivated with her creativity. The way she tells a story, filling it with layers upon layers of beautiful, descriptive language. And the action!! It’s so intense and charged!! Black knows how to structure the story elements so splendidly. It creates a dimensional, textured world for readers to fall into—even for vampire-avoiders like me.
Black rolls up her sleeves and reveals some real storytelling muscle with this debut book. The story arc is complex, making readers the true beneficiaries of her sharp plotting. I don’t want to give anything away, but know Consecrated Ground is one heck of a ride. She blends all of the sub-plots nicely, and the development is seamless. More importantly though, the story world makes sense. It’s grounded and credible. She does this through meaningful dialogue and well-constructed scenes, proving she knows how to create a sound narrative. However, the real tell here is this: readers feel invested and involved in the storytelling. They care about the story world and its characters, a hallmark that clearly illustrates Black’s talent.
Final remarks…
This is a must for readers that love speculative fiction filled with vampires and war witches. It’s not just spec fic though; there’s a strong love story woven into the fabric of this tale, giving romance lovers something to rejoice over. Overall, readers will find this to be rich and spectacularly plotted. It’s hard to believe Consecrated Ground is Black’s debut novel; it’s pure indulgent escapism. Fans of dark, demon-filled worlds should definitely take note of Black; she’s going to be the one to watch in this genre.
Strengths…
Well-written, well-developed
Engaging plot
Intriguing characters
Hard to put down
April 19, 2023
4.75 stars - What an enchantingly dark debut novel this has been; intense yet exhilarating all throughout!
Virginia Black did a remarkable job at crafting a magical world of human witches and vampires. This paranormal romance and urban fantasy rolled into one is fast-paced and action-packed from start to finish, has a riveting plot, and its scenes leap from the pages, making it positively hard to put down. I'm not really big on urban fantasy novels myself, but I was immersed in Black's writing and narrative right away.
Laden with intriguing, flawed characters, spells and incantations, and suspense that kept me up way past my bedtime, Black's impressive adeptness at storytelling is definitely something to watch out for—especially for readers that are into speculative fiction.
The ending has a couple of loose ends that, to me, did not demean the overall quality of the story; they instead make space for a sequel or two in the future—which, if you ask me, is rather favorable for readers. Because with 'Consecrated Ground,' Black has established that she has what it takes to be one of the must-read authors in Sapphic literature.
Virginia Black did a remarkable job at crafting a magical world of human witches and vampires. This paranormal romance and urban fantasy rolled into one is fast-paced and action-packed from start to finish, has a riveting plot, and its scenes leap from the pages, making it positively hard to put down. I'm not really big on urban fantasy novels myself, but I was immersed in Black's writing and narrative right away.
Laden with intriguing, flawed characters, spells and incantations, and suspense that kept me up way past my bedtime, Black's impressive adeptness at storytelling is definitely something to watch out for—especially for readers that are into speculative fiction.
The ending has a couple of loose ends that, to me, did not demean the overall quality of the story; they instead make space for a sequel or two in the future—which, if you ask me, is rather favorable for readers. Because with 'Consecrated Ground,' Black has established that she has what it takes to be one of the must-read authors in Sapphic literature.
August 19, 2025
2.5/5 stars (rounded up)
this book managed to make urban fantasy sapphic vampire hunting witches, a concept which should have been phenomenal, impressively mediocre.
before I get into more critical comments, there were some parts I enjoyed quite a bit. mainly, I liked joan’s narrative voice a lot, she was a compelling protagonist, and I found her bluntness and confidence endearing. the prose was pretty solid in general, and the action scenes were fun and had good suspense. I love that this was set in oregon. also, I love the idea of a lesbian vampire-hunting war witch. the aesthetics and ambience of that concept were carrying a lot of my investment in the narrative tbh.
and that’s kind of the problem — I feel like Consecrated Ground had all the right building blocks for a great book, but they were just slapped together with low quality adhesive so the structure is kind of crumbling. and now I’m the building inspector shaking my head like, “what a shame, these were some damn good bricks that went to waste.”
into my laundry list of criticisms:
joan — listen, I did like joan a lot as a character. but as a narrative and thematic vessel, she did frustrate me at times. she isn’t so much an unreliable narrator as much as an out-of-sight, out-of-mind narrator who doesn’t express any thoughts beyond necessary exposition or commentary on the situation immediately in front of her. joan’s past as a traveling war witch isn’t at all explored, which is such a shame. like, even just a few specific anecdotes of meaningful people she met / experiences she had / things she learned on her travels would have made her backstory so much more interesting. and it would have provided a lot of contrast to her stationary life in small-town Oregon, and made the subsequent climax of claiming the land and choosing to stay much more significant. she was also sort of… philosophically nebulous? like she hated vampires, which is fair enough since (a lot of) vampires kill people, but she was also very morally opposed to vampires voluntarily feeding on humans, and a justification is never really given for that? then, when her (ex)girlfriend is revealed to have been turned into a vampire creature, she gets over it surprisingly quickly, BUT it doesn’t seem to inspire any deeper thought about morality in relation to vampires. it’s kind of just an unspoken, “well, she’s the one good one, but still fuck every single other vampire.” part of the appeal of vampire media is that they exist in such a morally-grey space! lean into it!!!
leigh — she managed to make the idea of being secretly a vampire boring (well, technically, a human vampire thrall called a bloodling). but skill issue fr. she doesn’t even get to partake in the cool sexy things that come with being a vampire!! leigh felt like a very passive character, which isn’t always bad, but she didn’t really make any important decisions, other than deciding to run away, resulting in her getting captured and needing to get saved by joan. joan keeps commenting on how leigh is such a sweet, gentle person, but it’s never really demonstrated. part of the problem is the lack of showing her interacting with anyone other than joan, which is related to the lack of secondary characters in general — put a pin in that one.
the romance — it was alright, though I didn’t find the chemistry between joan and leigh that strong. if you’re going to put sex in your vampire books, is it too much to ask for hot, fucked-up lesbian vampire sex??? (well? maybe that’s just a personal preference. I digress.) so joan and leigh are exes and it’s sort of a second-chance romance situation, which can be fun and exciting, but I do think the book fell into the trap of justifying their relationship to each other with “well, they’re already in love,” without putting in the work of explaining what drew them together in the first place and why they should still be together for reasons other than familiarity and nostalgia. that being said, joan kissing leigh on the forehead out of habit before realizing and being embarrassed about was extremely cute. so for that alone I’ll give the romance a pass.
other characters — what other characters? lmao. okay, there are other characters, but none of them have any significant depth or agency in the narrative. there’s joan’s dead father who talks to her as a ghost, but a) he’s dead, and b) we don’t get much personal detail about him and his character besides the fact that joan had conflicted feelings about him. (what are these conflicted feelings? idk, she’s sad that he’s dead but didn’t like him because they mostly didn’t get along, I guess). then there’s dayton, the head of the town watch, and it was nice for joan to have someone her age she gets along with, but I’m not sure I can even really call them friends since 100% of dayton’s character is asking joan for help, being impressed by Joan’s skills, or backing joan up in important combat scenes. there’s a couple members of the council but we barely get to know them. at one point one of them is revealed to have been a traitor, but I honestly don’t care, and neither does joan, really, because she doesn’t know them either.
worldbuilding — another case of the “lots of good stuff in theory that was criminally underutilized” issue. I had a lot of questions about the worldbuilding, specifically the magic system and the details of vampire lore, which were not particularly well explained. it’s set in some version of the modern world, but feels very dystopian, so I was frequently left wondering, have vampires and magic always existed openly in this world, or was there some sort of vampire apocalypse? because I fear that is a very basic question and the answer had broad and significant implications to everything else in this world. the idea that witches’ covens in large cities often have contracts with the vampires giving them access to donated blood in exchange for strict rules against killing humans was super interesting, and made me wish we spent any amount of time on the city to see that play out. the vampire politics could have been soooooo cool. instead, joan tries to go to the portland high coven for help, but they won’t even let her in the city and she gives up on that in like 2 pages. then, she ends up requesting help from two other vampires, bartholomew and elizaveta, who we are told who they are the first time like 3/4 of the way through the book when joan shows up at their hideout. joan treats this moment of asking for help from these lesser-of-two-evils vampires as super significant, but the whole time I was just wondering “who are these bitches again???” and finally, how does the magic system work? the limits of witches’ powers and the spells they can do are never really explained. I don’t even know if magic is something you have to be born with, or if anyone can do magic with enough training. are there any other magical creatures besides witches and vampires? joan seems really surprised that her father appears to her as a ghost, to the extent that I don’t think she knew ghosts existed in this world, but the audience doesn’t have a strong enough sense of the magic system for it to seem special and shocking that a ghost would show up.
the villain — the vampire lord victor being pierce (joan’s dad’s old apprentice, presumed dead) was a twist I did not see coming, and while reading, I did enjoy it. but in retrospect, I think my enjoyment was more about being surprised than feeling like it was narratively significant. like, it WAS interesting to have those pieces connect, but one character we who never got to understand their goals and motivations being revealed to be another character who we never got to understand their goals and motivations? not that exciting. plus, victor never really gets developed as a villain. I have no idea why he’s doing what he’s doing beyond the fact that he’s a bad dude who has it out for his ex and wants power. HE’S A VAMPIRE LORD! he should be cool and sexy and evil but he’s just a loser.
so those are my thoughts. I feel like I went a bit overboard on being a hater in this review, and it might give you the impression I didn’t like the book at all, but that’s not true. I still gave it basically 3 stars, I just love lesbians + vampires and wish Consecrated Ground was as excellent as it could have been.
this book managed to make urban fantasy sapphic vampire hunting witches, a concept which should have been phenomenal, impressively mediocre.
before I get into more critical comments, there were some parts I enjoyed quite a bit. mainly, I liked joan’s narrative voice a lot, she was a compelling protagonist, and I found her bluntness and confidence endearing. the prose was pretty solid in general, and the action scenes were fun and had good suspense. I love that this was set in oregon. also, I love the idea of a lesbian vampire-hunting war witch. the aesthetics and ambience of that concept were carrying a lot of my investment in the narrative tbh.
and that’s kind of the problem — I feel like Consecrated Ground had all the right building blocks for a great book, but they were just slapped together with low quality adhesive so the structure is kind of crumbling. and now I’m the building inspector shaking my head like, “what a shame, these were some damn good bricks that went to waste.”
into my laundry list of criticisms:
joan — listen, I did like joan a lot as a character. but as a narrative and thematic vessel, she did frustrate me at times. she isn’t so much an unreliable narrator as much as an out-of-sight, out-of-mind narrator who doesn’t express any thoughts beyond necessary exposition or commentary on the situation immediately in front of her. joan’s past as a traveling war witch isn’t at all explored, which is such a shame. like, even just a few specific anecdotes of meaningful people she met / experiences she had / things she learned on her travels would have made her backstory so much more interesting. and it would have provided a lot of contrast to her stationary life in small-town Oregon, and made the subsequent climax of claiming the land and choosing to stay much more significant. she was also sort of… philosophically nebulous? like she hated vampires, which is fair enough since (a lot of) vampires kill people, but she was also very morally opposed to vampires voluntarily feeding on humans, and a justification is never really given for that? then, when her (ex)girlfriend is revealed to have been turned into a vampire creature, she gets over it surprisingly quickly, BUT it doesn’t seem to inspire any deeper thought about morality in relation to vampires. it’s kind of just an unspoken, “well, she’s the one good one, but still fuck every single other vampire.” part of the appeal of vampire media is that they exist in such a morally-grey space! lean into it!!!
leigh — she managed to make the idea of being secretly a vampire boring (well, technically, a human vampire thrall called a bloodling). but skill issue fr. she doesn’t even get to partake in the cool sexy things that come with being a vampire!! leigh felt like a very passive character, which isn’t always bad, but she didn’t really make any important decisions, other than deciding to run away, resulting in her getting captured and needing to get saved by joan. joan keeps commenting on how leigh is such a sweet, gentle person, but it’s never really demonstrated. part of the problem is the lack of showing her interacting with anyone other than joan, which is related to the lack of secondary characters in general — put a pin in that one.
the romance — it was alright, though I didn’t find the chemistry between joan and leigh that strong. if you’re going to put sex in your vampire books, is it too much to ask for hot, fucked-up lesbian vampire sex??? (well? maybe that’s just a personal preference. I digress.) so joan and leigh are exes and it’s sort of a second-chance romance situation, which can be fun and exciting, but I do think the book fell into the trap of justifying their relationship to each other with “well, they’re already in love,” without putting in the work of explaining what drew them together in the first place and why they should still be together for reasons other than familiarity and nostalgia. that being said, joan kissing leigh on the forehead out of habit before realizing and being embarrassed about was extremely cute. so for that alone I’ll give the romance a pass.
other characters — what other characters? lmao. okay, there are other characters, but none of them have any significant depth or agency in the narrative. there’s joan’s dead father who talks to her as a ghost, but a) he’s dead, and b) we don’t get much personal detail about him and his character besides the fact that joan had conflicted feelings about him. (what are these conflicted feelings? idk, she’s sad that he’s dead but didn’t like him because they mostly didn’t get along, I guess). then there’s dayton, the head of the town watch, and it was nice for joan to have someone her age she gets along with, but I’m not sure I can even really call them friends since 100% of dayton’s character is asking joan for help, being impressed by Joan’s skills, or backing joan up in important combat scenes. there’s a couple members of the council but we barely get to know them. at one point one of them is revealed to have been a traitor, but I honestly don’t care, and neither does joan, really, because she doesn’t know them either.
worldbuilding — another case of the “lots of good stuff in theory that was criminally underutilized” issue. I had a lot of questions about the worldbuilding, specifically the magic system and the details of vampire lore, which were not particularly well explained. it’s set in some version of the modern world, but feels very dystopian, so I was frequently left wondering, have vampires and magic always existed openly in this world, or was there some sort of vampire apocalypse? because I fear that is a very basic question and the answer had broad and significant implications to everything else in this world. the idea that witches’ covens in large cities often have contracts with the vampires giving them access to donated blood in exchange for strict rules against killing humans was super interesting, and made me wish we spent any amount of time on the city to see that play out. the vampire politics could have been soooooo cool. instead, joan tries to go to the portland high coven for help, but they won’t even let her in the city and she gives up on that in like 2 pages. then, she ends up requesting help from two other vampires, bartholomew and elizaveta, who we are told who they are the first time like 3/4 of the way through the book when joan shows up at their hideout. joan treats this moment of asking for help from these lesser-of-two-evils vampires as super significant, but the whole time I was just wondering “who are these bitches again???” and finally, how does the magic system work? the limits of witches’ powers and the spells they can do are never really explained. I don’t even know if magic is something you have to be born with, or if anyone can do magic with enough training. are there any other magical creatures besides witches and vampires? joan seems really surprised that her father appears to her as a ghost, to the extent that I don’t think she knew ghosts existed in this world, but the audience doesn’t have a strong enough sense of the magic system for it to seem special and shocking that a ghost would show up.
the villain — the vampire lord victor being pierce (joan’s dad’s old apprentice, presumed dead) was a twist I did not see coming, and while reading, I did enjoy it. but in retrospect, I think my enjoyment was more about being surprised than feeling like it was narratively significant. like, it WAS interesting to have those pieces connect, but one character we who never got to understand their goals and motivations being revealed to be another character who we never got to understand their goals and motivations? not that exciting. plus, victor never really gets developed as a villain. I have no idea why he’s doing what he’s doing beyond the fact that he’s a bad dude who has it out for his ex and wants power. HE’S A VAMPIRE LORD! he should be cool and sexy and evil but he’s just a loser.
so those are my thoughts. I feel like I went a bit overboard on being a hater in this review, and it might give you the impression I didn’t like the book at all, but that’s not true. I still gave it basically 3 stars, I just love lesbians + vampires and wish Consecrated Ground was as excellent as it could have been.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. I've been in a bit of a rut, and not able to read as much...but could not put this book down. The world this takes place in is a slightly apocalyptic vampire vs witch vibe. Not the usual urban fantasy. Black never gets into how things came to be the way they are. They've been that way long enough that people take it for granted, but not so long ago that you can't see the bones of a modern pre-vampire world all around.
Enjoyed the romance between Leigh and Joan. It's not a slowburn, but it's not instalove either. They've had a relationship before, but it has been years and neither left it on good terms really. They've both lived through some stuff since then and been changed by it. The twist from Leigh's character is pretty obvious from fairly early on in the book...but the way it unfolds and the twists it takes to get there are gut wrenching. When they do come together, they click right back together almost as if they had never been apart. Loved that both MCs were POC and it was stated pretty explicitly.
There is no third act breakup. There is definitely some drama and action throughout the book though. Black definitely set the stage for a sequel if not an entire series. Looking forward to whenever book two drops.
Enjoyed the romance between Leigh and Joan. It's not a slowburn, but it's not instalove either. They've had a relationship before, but it has been years and neither left it on good terms really. They've both lived through some stuff since then and been changed by it. The twist from Leigh's character is pretty obvious from fairly early on in the book...but the way it unfolds and the twists it takes to get there are gut wrenching. When they do come together, they click right back together almost as if they had never been apart. Loved that both MCs were POC and it was stated pretty explicitly.
There is no third act breakup. There is definitely some drama and action throughout the book though. Black definitely set the stage for a sequel if not an entire series. Looking forward to whenever book two drops.
January 29, 2025
Virginia Black’s world building is so well done. The setting for the story is so well done! It might have been a world with vampires and witches, but it felt so real.
Narration: This was my first Trei Taylor narration, and her performance was stellar! It will definitely not be my last. Her delivery of both Joan and Leigh was so well done. The characters were well defined, and the delivery was spot on. Joan’s strong confidence, and Leigh’s sweet hesitance was perfectly done.
Narration: This was my first Trei Taylor narration, and her performance was stellar! It will definitely not be my last. Her delivery of both Joan and Leigh was so well done. The characters were well defined, and the delivery was spot on. Joan’s strong confidence, and Leigh’s sweet hesitance was perfectly done.
March 11, 2024
I am joining the ranks of everyone raving about this book! What a debut!
Vampires and witches aren’t normally my cup of tea, but girl, am I glad I tried this one. Virginia Black shoots to the top of sapphic romance immediately. Her writing skill is phenomenal. Creating a world without endless descriptions but with interactions and dialogue, it’s in one word: stunning.
Vampires and witches aren’t normally my cup of tea, but girl, am I glad I tried this one. Virginia Black shoots to the top of sapphic romance immediately. Her writing skill is phenomenal. Creating a world without endless descriptions but with interactions and dialogue, it’s in one word: stunning.
March 31, 2025
This one was a great time! Like if Twilight had been pro witch and actually good.
I love this audiobook narrator so much—seriously talented—but the mispronunciation of ‘coven’ nearly killed me.
Anyway, I’d listen to the sequel even if the coven thing went uncorrected.
I love this audiobook narrator so much—seriously talented—but the mispronunciation of ‘coven’ nearly killed me.
Anyway, I’d listen to the sequel even if the coven thing went uncorrected.
January 2, 2026
I loveeee witches and vampires so yes I loved this second chance paranormal romance. The action scenes were vivid and descriptive and the romance was on point. The only downfall is that the world building wasn’t as great as I hoped. But other than that this was a good read!
May 6, 2023
3.5
this book feels like a second book in a trilogy. i spent the first 100 ebook pages in total confusion. then the middle bit was alright, but then the ending felt rushed.
idk if the author plans for another book or not but the way the author has left it makes it seem like maybe there will be so i’m slightly confused as to why things werent less rushed. we could have easily taken some more time to explain things and explore things more but instead this book starts, and instantly you feel like you’re missing something. i really did feel like i’d missed a whole other book or something.
i did enjoy the characters however, i think they were interesting and provided us with some good sustenance
but the rest of the book was really hit or miss.
this book feels like a second book in a trilogy. i spent the first 100 ebook pages in total confusion. then the middle bit was alright, but then the ending felt rushed.
idk if the author plans for another book or not but the way the author has left it makes it seem like maybe there will be so i’m slightly confused as to why things werent less rushed. we could have easily taken some more time to explain things and explore things more but instead this book starts, and instantly you feel like you’re missing something. i really did feel like i’d missed a whole other book or something.
i did enjoy the characters however, i think they were interesting and provided us with some good sustenance
but the rest of the book was really hit or miss.
March 5, 2024
Consecrated Ground by Virginia Black
Reviewed by:
S. Y. Thompson
Consecrated Ground offers a refreshing change to the oh-so-familiar vampiric tropes generally utilized in fiction. In this exciting change of pace, the dank and drafty castle holding chained victims awaiting a good bloodletting are shown the door. In its place, Virginia Black masterfully crafts a tale featuring a talented war witch who deliberately seeks out vampires threatening her old hometown.
Joan Matthews returns after years away, though she isn’t planning to stay. Immediately, she senses something is wrong within a town that should be protected by magical wards. Though she wishes nothing else but to leave again, Joan isn’t capable of such cowardice or self-indulgence. We’re offered the fresh, modern perspective of an unapologetically powerful female vampire slayer and war witch who refuses to sit back and allow someone else to lead the charge. Or face the danger.
Despite the serious nature of the plot, wit and levity are interwoven to lighten what is at times an overly dark and foreboding subject. Case in point, the Siberian husky who makes an impromptu appearance during Joan’s first vampire encounter just before she reaches the town line.
As events transpire, Joan realizes something is seriously wrong. Human individuals along with a vampire lord do their best to make life difficult for her, but it’s not enough to chase Joan away. She makes the conscious decision to stay and protect the town of Calvert, despite encountering a former girlfriend and all of the painful memories of her past.
Riveting, contemporary, and action-packed, Consecrated Ground is at the forefront of reimagined vampire tales. Buried within the construct of this many-faceted story, is the altruistic reminder that we are all of us responsible for the safety of others. Joan risks her life and the possibility of love as she faces this truth in the most frightening way possible.
Seemingly effortless and detailed crafting constructs a world where the reader easily imagines vampires living among the masses. From cities with open vampire clans to the rogue and self-proclaimed vampire lords who establish their own territories outside the approved confines. Neither is Consecrated Ground lacking in sensory input. The reader can almost hear the tapping of a crow at the windowpane. All of these elements combine to fashion a novel that overloads the senses and snares the imagination.
Miss Black captivates her targeted audience of paranormal aficionados from the first sentence to the last. Even the cover is designed to captivate before the first page is turned. Though Consecrated Ground is by no means a short tale, I devoured the entire novel in one day. I simply couldn’t put it down. For those desiring a unique twist on a genre favorite, this is one novel that checks all the boxes.
This book immediately and without question earned a 5 Star review.
Reviewed by:
S. Y. Thompson
Consecrated Ground offers a refreshing change to the oh-so-familiar vampiric tropes generally utilized in fiction. In this exciting change of pace, the dank and drafty castle holding chained victims awaiting a good bloodletting are shown the door. In its place, Virginia Black masterfully crafts a tale featuring a talented war witch who deliberately seeks out vampires threatening her old hometown.
Joan Matthews returns after years away, though she isn’t planning to stay. Immediately, she senses something is wrong within a town that should be protected by magical wards. Though she wishes nothing else but to leave again, Joan isn’t capable of such cowardice or self-indulgence. We’re offered the fresh, modern perspective of an unapologetically powerful female vampire slayer and war witch who refuses to sit back and allow someone else to lead the charge. Or face the danger.
Despite the serious nature of the plot, wit and levity are interwoven to lighten what is at times an overly dark and foreboding subject. Case in point, the Siberian husky who makes an impromptu appearance during Joan’s first vampire encounter just before she reaches the town line.
As events transpire, Joan realizes something is seriously wrong. Human individuals along with a vampire lord do their best to make life difficult for her, but it’s not enough to chase Joan away. She makes the conscious decision to stay and protect the town of Calvert, despite encountering a former girlfriend and all of the painful memories of her past.
Riveting, contemporary, and action-packed, Consecrated Ground is at the forefront of reimagined vampire tales. Buried within the construct of this many-faceted story, is the altruistic reminder that we are all of us responsible for the safety of others. Joan risks her life and the possibility of love as she faces this truth in the most frightening way possible.
Seemingly effortless and detailed crafting constructs a world where the reader easily imagines vampires living among the masses. From cities with open vampire clans to the rogue and self-proclaimed vampire lords who establish their own territories outside the approved confines. Neither is Consecrated Ground lacking in sensory input. The reader can almost hear the tapping of a crow at the windowpane. All of these elements combine to fashion a novel that overloads the senses and snares the imagination.
Miss Black captivates her targeted audience of paranormal aficionados from the first sentence to the last. Even the cover is designed to captivate before the first page is turned. Though Consecrated Ground is by no means a short tale, I devoured the entire novel in one day. I simply couldn’t put it down. For those desiring a unique twist on a genre favorite, this is one novel that checks all the boxes.
This book immediately and without question earned a 5 Star review.
November 5, 2024
This was a bit too short to fully grip me. It's heavy on the action (and the action is amazing!) and a bit too light on the romance and lore. Leigh and Joan's relationship hinges mostly on their past relationship without much new development. It's believable, but a bit shallow and boring. Especially as the whole story only encompasses about a week. The lore surrounding bloodlings is a bit lackluster, even though it's very important to the story. Can they walk in the sun? Some apparently can, some others can't or don't? Do they need blood to survive? Normal lifespan or immortal? What's with the aversion to meat? Do they eat normal food?
There are also a few unresolved conflicts at the end. Maybe the author wants to leave space for a sequel? Which would be amazing as there is so much left to explore and a clear way to continue the story (Spoilers: Leigh's secret is discovered, the ancient vampire calls in her favour, another coven tries to fight Joan). The epilogue certainly only confirms, that these conflicts are possible and unresolved.
There are also a few unresolved conflicts at the end. Maybe the author wants to leave space for a sequel? Which would be amazing as there is so much left to explore and a clear way to continue the story (Spoilers: Leigh's secret is discovered, the ancient vampire calls in her favour, another coven tries to fight Joan). The epilogue certainly only confirms, that these conflicts are possible and unresolved.
July 29, 2023
A book about witches and vampires!! Joan left 8 years ago to be a war witch. But she's back to "bury" her father. Only to hear that he left the house to her ex Leigh. In the 8 years since she's been gone, life wasn't kind to Leigh, but she received help from Joans' father. And now they have to fight Victor, a rogue vampire wanting to destroy the town.
This is a page turner if there ever was one! It'll keep you on the edge of your seat! Definitely worth 5 stars!
This is a page turner if there ever was one! It'll keep you on the edge of your seat! Definitely worth 5 stars!
December 11, 2023
Consecrated Ground is a story about duty, second chances, and exploring if you can ever actually return “home” once you’ve left. Joan Matthews comes from a long line of binder witches who have been responsible for protecting Calvert, Oregon from vampires and danger beyond its borders. Joan leaves Calvert to forge her own path and become a war witch–which her father sees as turning her back on the family’s legacy. When she gets word of his passing, Joan returns to Calvert for his funeral, with plans to leave as soon as possible once it’s over. What she finds upon her return sends her on a path she never expected. Leigh Phan loved Joan Matthews with all her heart, and made one decision that impacted them both eight years ago. Since Joan left, Leigh’s life has been anything but easy, and when Joan returns, Leigh is forced to face the love she lost and life she thought she’d have versus the life she has found herself living.
Let me first say that I am not usually a reader of fantasy, paranormal, or speculative fiction, or anything other than contemporary romance. But this book was recommended by someone I trust, and I could not be happier that I took the leap into a new genre. What Virginia Black accomplishes in this book is nothing short of phenomenal. Her worldbuilding is immaculate, and the efficiency and clarity with which she does so grabbed my attention from the first page and kept it throughout. There is no slow build to action. Virginia’s use of imagery is truly incredible, and reflecting back, weeks after having read the book, I am honestly still blown away by her writing.
Joan Matthews is strong, brave, and has a deep sense of honor. As soon as Joan arrives back in Calvert, eight years after she left, you sense the unease that being back in her hometown brings. Joan may be a witch, but that feeling of returning to someplace you long thought you’ve outgrown is a universal one. Joan has such a strong sense of duty and her journey while being home was such a beautiful one to watch unfold. There is a war between Calvert and the vampires trying to breach the barrier, but there is also a war unfolding within Joan. Both are intense and well written. I think Virginia also does such an incredible job of slowly unraveling all the assumptions Joan made when she left. She shows, through Joan, how with time, distance, and perspective, we can often see things in a different way than we ever could before. In fact, it is often that distance that grants us the perspective to see events and people more clearly. It also allows us to evaluate our priorities and what we hold most dear. Joan is incredibly powerful, and her journey to tapping into that power is something to behold.
This is a dual perspective book, and what we see of Leigh Phan is something both painful and breathtaking. Joan is the powerful witch and incredibly brave, but Leigh does not lack bravery or selflessness herself. The life Leigh has lived since Joan left and the decisions she’s had to make grew more heartbreaking with each reveal. Yet, she has persevered and has never lost her kindness or gentleness. One would not blame her for losing those core parts of herself with what she has gone through, and yet she never once waivers. There is a steadiness to her that makes it clear why Joan was drawn to her in their youth, and why it would be hard to not be still. I truly adored Leigh and wanted her to find that safe harbor as much as I wanted Joan to find a place to rest. There is a fierceness in them both, for each other and for Calvert, that is palpable throughout.
The relationship between Joan and Leigh serves as a contrast to the literal battle going on around them, while also being its own kind of battle. Leigh offers such a soft place for Joan, despite their history being as rocky as it is. Even the moments of tension between them are done with an undertone of emotions that can only be had by people who care deeply for one another. Their individual and joint development was so skillfully done and I will be thinking about them for a very long time.
I am not sure I took a breath for the last forty-five percent of this book. And I mean that in the most flattering way possible. Because the way I could not stop, could not look away, and could not wait to see what happened next is such a blessing to have when reading a book. Virginia had so many tricks up her sleeve I honestly gasped at some of the reveals, cried at others, and held my breath during the action scenes.
At its heart, this is a book about embracing the power within ourselves to fully become who we are meant to be. It is about facing the demons of a place you once called home, and finding a balance between duty/honor and desire/choosing your own destiny. It is also about the complexities of grief, especially with the loss of an estranged parent. Carve out some time to be able to read this in as few sittings as possible, because Virginia Black expertly wove a tale that will have you regretting the need to ever put it down. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Let me first say that I am not usually a reader of fantasy, paranormal, or speculative fiction, or anything other than contemporary romance. But this book was recommended by someone I trust, and I could not be happier that I took the leap into a new genre. What Virginia Black accomplishes in this book is nothing short of phenomenal. Her worldbuilding is immaculate, and the efficiency and clarity with which she does so grabbed my attention from the first page and kept it throughout. There is no slow build to action. Virginia’s use of imagery is truly incredible, and reflecting back, weeks after having read the book, I am honestly still blown away by her writing.
Joan Matthews is strong, brave, and has a deep sense of honor. As soon as Joan arrives back in Calvert, eight years after she left, you sense the unease that being back in her hometown brings. Joan may be a witch, but that feeling of returning to someplace you long thought you’ve outgrown is a universal one. Joan has such a strong sense of duty and her journey while being home was such a beautiful one to watch unfold. There is a war between Calvert and the vampires trying to breach the barrier, but there is also a war unfolding within Joan. Both are intense and well written. I think Virginia also does such an incredible job of slowly unraveling all the assumptions Joan made when she left. She shows, through Joan, how with time, distance, and perspective, we can often see things in a different way than we ever could before. In fact, it is often that distance that grants us the perspective to see events and people more clearly. It also allows us to evaluate our priorities and what we hold most dear. Joan is incredibly powerful, and her journey to tapping into that power is something to behold.
This is a dual perspective book, and what we see of Leigh Phan is something both painful and breathtaking. Joan is the powerful witch and incredibly brave, but Leigh does not lack bravery or selflessness herself. The life Leigh has lived since Joan left and the decisions she’s had to make grew more heartbreaking with each reveal. Yet, she has persevered and has never lost her kindness or gentleness. One would not blame her for losing those core parts of herself with what she has gone through, and yet she never once waivers. There is a steadiness to her that makes it clear why Joan was drawn to her in their youth, and why it would be hard to not be still. I truly adored Leigh and wanted her to find that safe harbor as much as I wanted Joan to find a place to rest. There is a fierceness in them both, for each other and for Calvert, that is palpable throughout.
The relationship between Joan and Leigh serves as a contrast to the literal battle going on around them, while also being its own kind of battle. Leigh offers such a soft place for Joan, despite their history being as rocky as it is. Even the moments of tension between them are done with an undertone of emotions that can only be had by people who care deeply for one another. Their individual and joint development was so skillfully done and I will be thinking about them for a very long time.
I am not sure I took a breath for the last forty-five percent of this book. And I mean that in the most flattering way possible. Because the way I could not stop, could not look away, and could not wait to see what happened next is such a blessing to have when reading a book. Virginia had so many tricks up her sleeve I honestly gasped at some of the reveals, cried at others, and held my breath during the action scenes.
At its heart, this is a book about embracing the power within ourselves to fully become who we are meant to be. It is about facing the demons of a place you once called home, and finding a balance between duty/honor and desire/choosing your own destiny. It is also about the complexities of grief, especially with the loss of an estranged parent. Carve out some time to be able to read this in as few sittings as possible, because Virginia Black expertly wove a tale that will have you regretting the need to ever put it down. I can’t recommend this book enough.
April 14, 2023
Home. Roots. Belonging to a land. Belonging to someone. Some things can’t be forgotten, even if you try to
Oregon, unknown times. Joan Matthews, a war witch, in eternal fight to save the country against the spreading of vampire guilds, is returning home to Calvert to attend her father’s funeral. The Matthews family has always been part of the Calvert’s witches’ coven. All apart, Joan, who left her town several years ago to pursue her intent of becoming a war witch. Joan has conflicted feelings about her return. Her relationship with her father was severed due to her lack of interest in staying in Calvert, and they didn’t have the opportunity to talk about any of their unresolved issues. As this wasn’t enough for her not wanting to go back home, her father’s house has a new temporary owner now, one that Joan knows or knew very well, her ex, Leigh Phan, the one she left town for and never came back, the one who broke her heart, the one who she can’t stop thinking about. A long time has passed since Joan came back to Calvert. The city, the inhabitants, the atmosphere, the coven, the town protection spell from vampires, and even Leigh have changed so much, and the latter seems to be hiding a secret… When a new threat strikes the city of Calvert, Joan will have to choose how important her roots are and only then she’ll be able to understand her full destiny.
It's no secret that I enjoy vampires and witches’ stories very much. Not going too deep in the reasoning behind, just keep in mind the Doppelganger, the theme of the Unknown, the Other… anything that is dark and therefore evil… is it always like that? Or there’s more? Light and Darkness. This eternal fight. Through. Fire. Water. Earth. Air. It’s always so fascinating to read, and so entertaining.
Consecrated Ground is an action-packed novel that will keep you anchored to your seat until the very last moment. Dark, gloomy settings. Ancient spells spoken in Latin. Mysterious familiars in the shapes of crows, and many, many secrets and revelations. And a lot of love… who can ask for more?
The narrative is fluent and fast-paced, never a dull moment.
I read Consecrated Ground and I saw all the images running in front of me, just like in a movie. It is a very visual book, but also one full of sounds. From the sounds of Nature to ghastly sounds, to the rhythmic sound of a heart beating, to the sounds of birds’ wings flapping, to the whispering of unknown creatures.
I have a feeling that there’s much more to this story than what I’ve read so far. I wonder if there’s a series in the making… but I would love to know more about the vampires… and about one in particular: Elizaveta!
If you like action/vampires/witches/returning home/second chance romances/the fight between good and evil… you need to read Consecrated Ground.
ps. great use of Latin ;)
Oregon, unknown times. Joan Matthews, a war witch, in eternal fight to save the country against the spreading of vampire guilds, is returning home to Calvert to attend her father’s funeral. The Matthews family has always been part of the Calvert’s witches’ coven. All apart, Joan, who left her town several years ago to pursue her intent of becoming a war witch. Joan has conflicted feelings about her return. Her relationship with her father was severed due to her lack of interest in staying in Calvert, and they didn’t have the opportunity to talk about any of their unresolved issues. As this wasn’t enough for her not wanting to go back home, her father’s house has a new temporary owner now, one that Joan knows or knew very well, her ex, Leigh Phan, the one she left town for and never came back, the one who broke her heart, the one who she can’t stop thinking about. A long time has passed since Joan came back to Calvert. The city, the inhabitants, the atmosphere, the coven, the town protection spell from vampires, and even Leigh have changed so much, and the latter seems to be hiding a secret… When a new threat strikes the city of Calvert, Joan will have to choose how important her roots are and only then she’ll be able to understand her full destiny.
It's no secret that I enjoy vampires and witches’ stories very much. Not going too deep in the reasoning behind, just keep in mind the Doppelganger, the theme of the Unknown, the Other… anything that is dark and therefore evil… is it always like that? Or there’s more? Light and Darkness. This eternal fight. Through. Fire. Water. Earth. Air. It’s always so fascinating to read, and so entertaining.
Consecrated Ground is an action-packed novel that will keep you anchored to your seat until the very last moment. Dark, gloomy settings. Ancient spells spoken in Latin. Mysterious familiars in the shapes of crows, and many, many secrets and revelations. And a lot of love… who can ask for more?
The narrative is fluent and fast-paced, never a dull moment.
I read Consecrated Ground and I saw all the images running in front of me, just like in a movie. It is a very visual book, but also one full of sounds. From the sounds of Nature to ghastly sounds, to the rhythmic sound of a heart beating, to the sounds of birds’ wings flapping, to the whispering of unknown creatures.
I have a feeling that there’s much more to this story than what I’ve read so far. I wonder if there’s a series in the making… but I would love to know more about the vampires… and about one in particular: Elizaveta!
If you like action/vampires/witches/returning home/second chance romances/the fight between good and evil… you need to read Consecrated Ground.
ps. great use of Latin ;)
February 7, 2023
‘Caller of the crow’ - magical, fascinating tale of witches and vampires
Author Virginia Black lives in the Pacific Northwest, the local for her debut novel CONSECRATED GROUND. Her short stories have appeared in several fine collections, and this new novel displays her artistry for creating dark fantasy admixed with social commentary and African and Asian mythology, written with fine prose and a sense of theatrics.
Often stories addressing such characters as witches and vampires neglect to provide insight into the concept of the undead. Virginia corrects this neglect by increasing the spectrum of these mythological creatures. For example, when the primary character, the witch Joan, encounters three threatening men (‘too grimy and underfed to gauge their ages’) and notes ‘They stood in direct sunlight, so they weren’t vampires. Even cocky new vampires who thought nothing could touch them avoided the sun. Ultraviolet rays made dead flesh decompose faster.’ That is just an example of how thorough she delivers her dark paranormal LGBTQ+ epic!
Placing her story in the present time, Virginia weaves an engrossing tale, distilled as follows: ‘Like her father before her, Joan Matthews is a witch. For generations, their family of binder witches has protected Calvert, Oregon from vampires by strengthening the land with spellcraft. Pushing back against tradition, Joan defied her father and left town to become a war witch, one who fights the monsters hand-to-hand. But when her father dies, Joan returns to find her hometown assailed by a vampire lord’s endless attacks—and the answers lie with the one woman who chose a rival over Joan. Leigh Phan once believed her heart was safe and her future was set. When Joan left town, Leigh’s choices led to ruin and unintended consequences. Now Leigh harbors a dark secret forcing her to live a moment-to-moment existence. Her only hope of survival lies in trusting the war witch who left her behind. Now it's up to Joan to fight for a town she left behind, while Leigh faces a destiny she never imagined was possible. With Calvert on the brink of total destruction, Joan and Leigh join forces and face inconvenient truths in order to save their town—and each other.’
Satisfying on every level, CONSECRATED GROUND is a stunning debut novel, introducing an author who demands attention! Highly recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary coy of this book
Author Virginia Black lives in the Pacific Northwest, the local for her debut novel CONSECRATED GROUND. Her short stories have appeared in several fine collections, and this new novel displays her artistry for creating dark fantasy admixed with social commentary and African and Asian mythology, written with fine prose and a sense of theatrics.
Often stories addressing such characters as witches and vampires neglect to provide insight into the concept of the undead. Virginia corrects this neglect by increasing the spectrum of these mythological creatures. For example, when the primary character, the witch Joan, encounters three threatening men (‘too grimy and underfed to gauge their ages’) and notes ‘They stood in direct sunlight, so they weren’t vampires. Even cocky new vampires who thought nothing could touch them avoided the sun. Ultraviolet rays made dead flesh decompose faster.’ That is just an example of how thorough she delivers her dark paranormal LGBTQ+ epic!
Placing her story in the present time, Virginia weaves an engrossing tale, distilled as follows: ‘Like her father before her, Joan Matthews is a witch. For generations, their family of binder witches has protected Calvert, Oregon from vampires by strengthening the land with spellcraft. Pushing back against tradition, Joan defied her father and left town to become a war witch, one who fights the monsters hand-to-hand. But when her father dies, Joan returns to find her hometown assailed by a vampire lord’s endless attacks—and the answers lie with the one woman who chose a rival over Joan. Leigh Phan once believed her heart was safe and her future was set. When Joan left town, Leigh’s choices led to ruin and unintended consequences. Now Leigh harbors a dark secret forcing her to live a moment-to-moment existence. Her only hope of survival lies in trusting the war witch who left her behind. Now it's up to Joan to fight for a town she left behind, while Leigh faces a destiny she never imagined was possible. With Calvert on the brink of total destruction, Joan and Leigh join forces and face inconvenient truths in order to save their town—and each other.’
Satisfying on every level, CONSECRATED GROUND is a stunning debut novel, introducing an author who demands attention! Highly recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary coy of this book
February 5, 2023
First, I’m in love with the cover as it perfectly captures the essence and vibe of the novel.
War witch, Joan Matthews must return to her hometown of Calvert after her father, Trevon’s untimely death. She hasn’t stepped foot back there since she left eight years prior and all she wants to do is get in and out and get on with her life. But the thriving town she left is no longer, the coven is hanging on by a thread, and her former lover Leigh Phann is withdrawn and secretive. Despite wanting to leave, Joan resigns herself to helping the watch protect the town from human thralls, bloodlings, and vampires.
Joan is a total badass who has spent the last eight years being trained by some of the best fighters in the country. But she suffers from a lot of guilt. Guilt from how she left things with both her father and Leigh. The guilt is like an albatross hanging around her shoulders but she doesn’t have time to dwell on it because the town and Leigh need her.
Leigh Phan lost her way when Joan left eight years ago. She made some destructive and questionable choices and feels guilty for the way things went with Joan but also for the way her choice affected her beloved grandmother. Leigh is strong, stronger than she gives herself credit for and her quiet passion, kindness, and generosity are at the forefront. Yes, she made questionable choices but they felt right at the time and the trauma she’s endured has made her the woman she is today. When she’s once again in Joan Matthew’s orbit, the love and passion between them are still there yet she knows she can’t tell Joan the truth.
It’s clear that Joan and Leigh never stopped loving one another but with threats coming from so many unknowns along with Leigh’s secrets it’s hard to know whether they’ll be able to make it work.
Virginia Black uses such powerful sensory language that I could smell vampires’ rotting flesh, see the action as each battle rages, hear the screams, and feel the consistent headaches Joan suffers. She’s created a fast-paced novel that grips the reader from page one and doesn’t let go until the final word. I honestly could not put the book down because I needed to know what was going to happen.
Check out my full review on The Lesbian Review!
War witch, Joan Matthews must return to her hometown of Calvert after her father, Trevon’s untimely death. She hasn’t stepped foot back there since she left eight years prior and all she wants to do is get in and out and get on with her life. But the thriving town she left is no longer, the coven is hanging on by a thread, and her former lover Leigh Phann is withdrawn and secretive. Despite wanting to leave, Joan resigns herself to helping the watch protect the town from human thralls, bloodlings, and vampires.
Joan is a total badass who has spent the last eight years being trained by some of the best fighters in the country. But she suffers from a lot of guilt. Guilt from how she left things with both her father and Leigh. The guilt is like an albatross hanging around her shoulders but she doesn’t have time to dwell on it because the town and Leigh need her.
Leigh Phan lost her way when Joan left eight years ago. She made some destructive and questionable choices and feels guilty for the way things went with Joan but also for the way her choice affected her beloved grandmother. Leigh is strong, stronger than she gives herself credit for and her quiet passion, kindness, and generosity are at the forefront. Yes, she made questionable choices but they felt right at the time and the trauma she’s endured has made her the woman she is today. When she’s once again in Joan Matthew’s orbit, the love and passion between them are still there yet she knows she can’t tell Joan the truth.
It’s clear that Joan and Leigh never stopped loving one another but with threats coming from so many unknowns along with Leigh’s secrets it’s hard to know whether they’ll be able to make it work.
Virginia Black uses such powerful sensory language that I could smell vampires’ rotting flesh, see the action as each battle rages, hear the screams, and feel the consistent headaches Joan suffers. She’s created a fast-paced novel that grips the reader from page one and doesn’t let go until the final word. I honestly could not put the book down because I needed to know what was going to happen.
Check out my full review on The Lesbian Review!
January 3, 2026
2.5
I went into this book wanting to be won over (especially because I am a hardcore Buffy fan).
I wasn’t a fan of No Shelter But The Stars, but the buzz around Virginia Black had me thinking: maybe this is the one. Unfortunately, it wasn't. This is one of those stories that feels like you’ve opened a novel halfway through.
The characters are clearly meant to be rich with history, complicated feelings, old wounds, and that delicious “we loved each other once and it ruined us” tension that second-chance romances thrive on. But the groundwork just isn’t there. Or rather, it’s implied to be there, and you’re expected to fill in the blanks with blind faith.
And I love second-chance romances. I love the ache of what was lost, the lingering resentment, the soft unraveling of defenses, the slow realization that love never truly left. But we don’t get enough glimpses into their past to fully understand the gravity of their connection.
Which leaves you in a strange emotional limbo: you can see what the author is reaching for, and you can tell these characters mean something to each other… but you’re not given the space to care as deeply as the book wants you to.
The pacing only adds to the frustration.
The book is too short to make the world believable, to build attachment to the protagonists, or to earn your patience for the action heavy stuff. Yet somehow it also manages to feel long- because it drags in that way stories do when they keep rushing forward without giving you an anchor. Things happen, fights happen, danger happens, declarations happen… and you’re just trying to catch up emotionally the whole time.
In the end, this book mostly confirmed what I suspected after the author’s previous work: Virginia Black just isn’t for me, even though I can appreciate the intent.
If you love fast-paced romantic tension and don’t mind being thrown straight into the deep end, you may still have fun with it. But if you’re looking for that slow-burn, earned second chance —where the past feels as alive as the present—you'll walk away feeling dissatisfied.
I went into this book wanting to be won over (especially because I am a hardcore Buffy fan).
I wasn’t a fan of No Shelter But The Stars, but the buzz around Virginia Black had me thinking: maybe this is the one. Unfortunately, it wasn't. This is one of those stories that feels like you’ve opened a novel halfway through.
The characters are clearly meant to be rich with history, complicated feelings, old wounds, and that delicious “we loved each other once and it ruined us” tension that second-chance romances thrive on. But the groundwork just isn’t there. Or rather, it’s implied to be there, and you’re expected to fill in the blanks with blind faith.
And I love second-chance romances. I love the ache of what was lost, the lingering resentment, the soft unraveling of defenses, the slow realization that love never truly left. But we don’t get enough glimpses into their past to fully understand the gravity of their connection.
Which leaves you in a strange emotional limbo: you can see what the author is reaching for, and you can tell these characters mean something to each other… but you’re not given the space to care as deeply as the book wants you to.
The pacing only adds to the frustration.
The book is too short to make the world believable, to build attachment to the protagonists, or to earn your patience for the action heavy stuff. Yet somehow it also manages to feel long- because it drags in that way stories do when they keep rushing forward without giving you an anchor. Things happen, fights happen, danger happens, declarations happen… and you’re just trying to catch up emotionally the whole time.
In the end, this book mostly confirmed what I suspected after the author’s previous work: Virginia Black just isn’t for me, even though I can appreciate the intent.
If you love fast-paced romantic tension and don’t mind being thrown straight into the deep end, you may still have fun with it. But if you’re looking for that slow-burn, earned second chance —where the past feels as alive as the present—you'll walk away feeling dissatisfied.
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