🎧 Witch Season by Julia Bianco @julia-a-bianco.bsky.social #NoraSofyan @macmillanaudio.bsky.social #LoveAudiobooks

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Katherine Barnes is an enforcer, charged with upholding the rules of the notorious Los Angeles-based Aestas coven. It’s her job to maintain order and bring unsettled witches–people who aren’t aware they have magic until it explodes out of them in a catastrophic burst–into the coven’s fold. As a former unsettled witch, Katherine owes her life to Sylvia Page, coven leader and silver-haired rebel who founded Aestas years ago.

When Silas Khatri, heir to Noctis, the most powerful coven in the world, arrives to take Aestas to task for some of their more unconventional practices, Katherine’s dislike for him reaches blistering levels. She hates his money, his good looks, his coven’s dangerous attitude towards unsettled witches. She can absolutely overlook that he sets her off in more ways than one.

But a powerful threat is about to rise. Stronger than any one coven. More insidious than the decades-long power struggle that exists in the hidden witch world. One that will pull Katherine and Silas together despite their differences. And one that will lead to an all-out war.

I didn’t know much about Witch Season before reading it. So the setup is our main character is Katherine. She was an unsettled witch. That is when a witch from non-magical parents gets power, usually in their teens and blows up with the magic. It’s called a snap and often destroys property and even kills people.  Katherine was found by Sylvia who trained her and once her magic settled she is now the enforcer for the coven Sylvia founded which takes care of unsettled witches.  It’s Katherine’s purpose in life to help unsettled witches.

The largest coven worldwide is Noctis and they make all the rules. They won’t work with unsettled witches, leaving them on their own without support or training, or even ending them as too dangerous.  Noctis does oversee all the other covens to make sure rules are followed and people are safe.  Silas Khatri is the son of the founders of Noctis and he comes to make sure covens are following the rules.  He feels badly because everything has been handed to him being in a magical family; he knows nothing about unsettled witches. His parents have sent him to take over from Sylvia but he doesn’t want that.  Plus he is attracted to Katherine.

Katherine knows Sylvia has been skirting some rules but she accepts it both because Sylvia is her hero and mentor, plus Sylvia works hard to help all witches including the unsettled ones.  Sylvia is getting older and starting to lose power, so she has been siphoning some from “ordinaries” (non-magical humans) for years (also not allowed).

Things come to a head when Silas arrives for the review and the same day Katherine finds and helps a new unsettled witch.  Sylvia says she will take the unsettled witch, Lily, to the training camp.  But along the way, a mall blows up and Lily ends up dead.  Katherine goes to investigate but so does Silas.  She thinks one of the coven members is making a drug which could have caused the snap when she finds some at the scene.

Silas and Katherine build a little friendship when it seems he is not going to come down on them and that he might help her catch the drug maker.  But Katherine doesn’t quite have the situation figured out.  Silas knows more and they work together until they find themselves in a fight for their lives.

Katherine is a little one dimensional focusing mostly on her work and not having panic attacks but she grows over the story.  She has friends, good ones, and enjoys some time with Silas. I appreciate that we get Katherine’s viewpoint but also that of Sylvia and Silas.  Things change dramatically and I am glad to see this is the first in the series because I definitely want to read more!

Narration:

I really enjoyed the narration.  The voices were distinct for the characters and conveyed emotions. The tones were appropriate for gender and age. I listened at my newer 1.75x speed.

Listen to a clip: HERE

Rating Breakdown
Plot
Writing
Characters
Narration (Audio)
Overall:

• Author
• Recent Posts

Anne - Books of My Heart

Blogger at Books of My Heart

I can't really remember any time when I wasn't reading. I LOVE books and what they give me. It's an opportunity to learn new things, see new places,live different emotions in a "safe" way. It lets me live in a new world.

I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.

Friend or follow me at Goodreads.

Latest posts by Anne - Books of My Heart (see all)

• Sunday Post –4 October 2026 @caffeinatedreviewer.com @readingreality.bsky.social @kimbacaffeinate @readingreality - October 4, 2026
• Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong @kelleyarmstrong.bsky.social @KelleyArmstrong #SpeccyFicChal - October 3, 2026
• 🎧 The Vanished Sister by Sherry Thomas @[email protected] @penguinaudio.bsky.social @berkleypub.bsky.social @sherrythomas ‏@BerkleyPub @KateReadingVO ‏@PRHAudio ‏#LoveAudiobooks - October 1, 2026

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 26-Audio
• 26-COYER

Related Posts

• Same Genre

Castaways by Craig Schaefer

Stray Magic by Kelly Meding

Angel of the Overpass by Seanan McGuire

🎧 To Clutch a Razor by Veronica Roth

Audio: Vampiraz4Life by C.T. Phipps