The Binding Mark

Witch Trials #2

by Sophie Williamson

Sadie Sadler is a powerful witch; a daughter of the dominant magical clan in the north; and probably the soulmate of Gabriel Thornber, the scarily attractive half-demon who’s her family’s longstanding enemy. If only she wasn’t always trying to run as far away from him as possible…

Back in London, Sadie's tranquility is shattered when a mysterious letter arrives from Lavinia Morven, the enigmatic head of the London Coven. To stay in the city, Sadie must be bound by a lien – a promise to serve the coven, whatever’s asked of her. And while she’s not thrilled about putting her magic under Lavinia’s control or getting embroiled in more messy witch drama, she’s not going to humiliate herself by crawling back to the very person she came here to escape.

Sadie might have left Gabriel Thornber in the north, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t visit her nightly in her dreams. Part of Sadie would give anything to be back in his arms again… but she fears the price for giving in is more than she’s willing to pay. Meanwhile, Gabriel didn’t just get into Sadie’s bed and her heart over the summer—he also schemed his way into a deal with her family. And it turns out that the new alliance has interests that conflict with Lavinia’s.

Suddenly, Sadie finds herself in the shadow of a dangerous new ally, with no choice but to work against against the combined forces of her family and the man she both detests and desires . It’s not long before Sadie must confront Gabriel in court once again. She gave up her magic and her body to him before… with the dark powers of the London Coven behind her, will she be able to break free from his grasp for good?

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook

452 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2023

Reviews

[Athena of Velaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I adored book one, but the sequel exceeded even my high expectations. Read if you enjoy...

✨Complex characters that are still somehow so very relatable
✨A FMC with a backbone! And magic! And a law degree!
"I don't owe you forgiveness because I love you."
✨An enchanted law library that I wish I could visit
✨A powerful still sort of evil MMC who will cheer on his powerful partner
✨A MMC who will support the FMC's bigger career but still kill for her
✨Characters who build actually healthy relationships (even in fantasy books!)
✨Resistance to destined love
✨TENSION that is off the charts!
✨Slowburn (you really have to wait for the romance but the payoff is totally worth it)
✨"Wait, why don't I hate you anymore?"
✨"Damn it, I really hate that I don't hate you."
✨Multiple romances
✨Sister (and coven dynamics!)
✨Women supporting and not at all murdering women
✨Vampires who get taken down a level
✨Fighting corruption and the system™️
✨A series with the potential to take over the world! (Just like Sadie and Gabriel!)

The Binding Mark is the perfect combination of legal thriller, romance, and urban fantasy full of morally gray characters that I didn't know I needed. I can't wait to read more from Williamson, and I only with the Practitoners had a spell to go back in time so I could read the story for the first time all over again.

An e-ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

[Maike · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75
The beginning was slow, and I didn't care for the other couple, but i enjoyed the ending.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the Twisted Mark (book 1 of this series) so much and was super excited for the story to continue with The Binding Mark. Maybe I expected too much, but this book was just ok for me. It didn’t go where I thought it would and went in other places that left me feeling frustrated and confused - especially given the character development that was established in the first book.

I will start with the positives:
- Still same great characters - give me a morally grey character any day., More than one? Yes please! This book has a ton of good/bad/and everything in between with its characters and I simply adore this about the series.
- The way that sex is treated in the book: This might be a “no” for some, but I found it refreshing that the characters didn’t get hung up on the monogamy aspect. I also loved that there was a pro-love-who-you-want-regardless-of-gender understanding in the world so cheers to diversity.
- More great depictions of London - I can’t get enough of that city and I loved how the locations themselves acted as characters within the book.
- Sadie’s profession - I loved from the first book that she was a smart, sophisticated and accomplished lawyer in addition to being a witch.
- Multiple POV- I really was excited to see an additional POV to this book- tho I ultimately would’ve wanted it to be Gabriel (he’s such a mystery).

Here’s what I liked less:
- The choices of these characters just didn’t seem to align to the character development that had been established in the first book. Sure, there are elements in the book that revolve around being mesmerized and controlled, but event before all of that takes place, there were just parts that did not make sense.
- The whole “will they? won’t they?” Back and forth between Sadie and Gabriel was just getting too old for me. We had an entire first book with the two of them falling into and out of a relationship and it just felt redundant in book 2.
- I loved the writing, as a whole, in book 1, but in certain parts of this book, the writing seemed to fall flat- or perhaps it felt rushed? There were times when a character would bring up something big and the character’s would just accept it and move on as if it wasn’t a big deal which just didn’t vibe with who they had been set up to be in book 1.
- The whole part of the book where Sadie accepts Lavinia’s lien drove me insane. I couldn’t get my head around this and the reasoning just didn’t make any sense. Again, characters making brash decisions for no reason. She’s been established to be smarter than this and it just felt as though it was doing her character a disservice.

Overall, I felt as though this book may not have had enough meat on the bones to constitute a second book and the fact that it ended with a cliff hanger - potentially indicating a third book - makes me somewhat nervous as to how some of these issues could be rectified in a book 3, I just felt that many of the elements that were explored in this second book could’ve been shortened down and brought into the first.

3.5/5 stars

Special thanks and appreciation to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to review.

#TheBindingMark #NetGalley #ARCReview

[Lillian Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there was another book, I can’t find one; if anyone knows of it, please let me know.

[Annette Hatcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see where the next one takes us!

[Melanie Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid 4.5 - There were quite a few things that I did not see coming. Which is saying a lot.

[April Suratos · Rating 4 out of 5]

And just like that, we are back in the world of rival covens and magical bargains. The expansion of the world building to include London was really fun, especially with a new cast of characters as well as Mannith coming to London. The plot revolves around ancient grudges being brought to light, which is always juicy. Lavinia is an intensely powerful and even more petty figure that excels in getting what she wants. I could have used more of her backstory, honestly. A second storyline involving a very weakened Bren and rival Nikki was a nice break from the courtroom drama that further deepened the Mannith connection. That relationship was definitely fun to watch and I hope there will be more of it. Also, who knew Bren was such a romantic?

I gotta say, this time around, Sadie’s stalwart stubbornness and need for justice that I loved in the first book really got her in some hot water. I love Sadie as a character, but I was frustrated out of my mind for a good amount of the book as Sadie was clearly being manipulated like a chess piece by forces far more powerful and far older than her. Like, come on Sadie, things are going TOO WELL right now. SOMETHING IS WRONG. I mean, I think we all strive to have that level of delulu to get through our day, but the red flags were flagging. But at the heart of all this is her relationship with Gabriel. I NEED MORE. What I wouldn’t do for a story in his POV. My only criticism is that there just wasn’t enough witty banter, but again, because I need more Sadie and Gabriel. Hopefully, there will be more of that in future books.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For more reviews check out The Storied Blog

[Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

As with the first book in this duet, the authorial voice is the highlight. The writing feels intelligent and incisive in a way that I rarely come across. It's humorous in places. It has a determined political focus - left wing, feminist, fairly intersectional. I highlighted many passages. Some will follow at the end of the review, but I do want to discuss some issues first.

Predominantly, it's that the plot could use tightening. There is very little subtlety - the villain is incredibly obvious, as is the too-good-to-be-true love interest. Just as importantly, though, there were holes, things that didn't make sense. I'll hide any that are too significant to the plot under spoilers:
- If the villain can traverse a car, why can't/doesn't the all-powerful Gabriel?
- Why would Sadie have to miss court to visit Liam in hospital? Can't she just traverse for a few hours?
- Why, when the villain is caught and magic-less, do they let them go? Wouldn't it make more sense to imprison them somewhere where no one could help remove the bracelets? This seems like it would have saved everyone a lot of trouble.
- Why, when going to confront someone nefarious, incredibly powerful, and with a skewed sense of morality, would you decline back up?
- Why does an hours long car chase seem like a better option than a minute of vulnerability? If you're confident in your head start for the chase, surely you could be even more confident in it for a single minute?
- If the dome expansion is powered by Lavinia's death sacrificing her power to the dome, then how do we end up with both Brendan having all her power and the dome expansion? It'd be one or the other, surely? While we're on the subject, is anyone else concerned about this? He's not the most trustworthy individual, is he?
- The coven was at the staged crime scene to make sure it was perfect, right? How is it perfect that they brought anti-vampire weapons with them to hand out to bystanders and spelled handcuffs for the police? Mesmerism not withstanding, surely someone should have noticed that that's weird? If no one else, at least the lawyer for the defence (who can't be mesmerised) who could perhaps have argued that his client was being set up? Pointed out just how staged it was?

Another concern is Sadie's sister, Clarissa. She is very skilled at creating beautiful clothing out of magic. Before an event early on in the book, she decides it would seem more prestigious to wear something made without magic. So, rather than paying for something, she mesmerises two shop workers into letting them take designer dresses. In doing so, she strips naked to make use of sex magic and controls their minds. I don't care that she believed they wouldn't remember; that's profoundly not ok. Even having magically erased these dresses from the book stock, that money will have been lost somewhere and the implications of large losses can be struggling businesses and lost jobs.

Sadie feels a little unsure about this but ultimately brushes it off. Later, Clarissa is accused of theft and sexual assault. Everyone is suitably horrified but I just thought... she did do those things though. She treated those retail workers like toys to be played with and brushed aside.

Other than that, I simply wish we had spent more time on the more unique aspects of the story. The heroine is a lawyer as, I believe, is the author and I'd like to have lent into this. Seen her process. A little dark academia slant, perhaps. Really embraced the niche. The coven, too - it is full of interesting characters and I'd like to see more of them.

Quotes

"I understand the loving, the killing, and the regret. I experienced all of that last summer. The bit I can’t identify with is the part in the middle. Staying. Forgiveness. Letting someone hurt you."

“What I said before was that I felt love and lust, but nothing in between. So what I want to say, despite it making me sound like a six-year-old, is that now I also like you."

"I stick to a paleo diet. Eating like a caveman. You really ought to try it.” “I’ll stick to eating like a pre-revolution French princess, if it’s okay with you.”

"Somehow, I even manage to come without resorting to my old trick of running Gabriel-fucking-Thornber fantasies and horrors through my mind."

"It’s kind of like the way most people would keep a five-pound note they found on the pavement, but would hand a mysterious suitcase with hundreds of thousands of pounds in at the nearest police station. In legends and in gossip, bad things happen to practitioners who take their magic too far, as though the universe fights back."

"whether that’s due to his demon heritage or general swagger isn’t clear."

"the gritty anonymity and realness of London is always half like coming up for air and half like the sun passing behind a cloud."

"I might as well be trying to cheer up a cartoon villain."

"healthy, happy and slightly staid"

"In Cornwall, the landscape, the magic, and me are all part of one whole." (More of this please!)

"I suppose she is old enough to be my grandma. Presumably, she was brought up to be pretty respectful about the monarchy. For my part, it’s kind of a guilty pleasure. I know the institution is illogical, outdated, and dripping with excessive privilege. But I can’t help but like the splendour and continuity of it all, the fascinating contrast between the symbolic nature of the royal family and the real-life individuals all that symbolism and history rests on."

"that demographic where hippie meets hipster, at the sort of woman who does kundalini yoga before heading off to her job at Goldman Sachs."

"But his posh accent is already grating on my nerves and putting the fact he drinks human blood to one side, I just know that I wouldn’t like his views on welfare, immigration or pretty much anything. It’s unclear whether there’s something about becoming a vampire that makes them all so reactionary or whether men like that are more likely to be chosen for the honour. There must be some vampires who believe in the minimum wage and nuclear disarmament, but I guess seeing humans as food makes it a little hard to accept the concept of human rights."

“The first rule of the London Coven is that my girls do not get their hearts broken. We do the breaking.”

"Do you think she’d be capable of killing someone?” My dad laughs. “Well, yes. Obviously.” Oh. That’s not quite the answer I was hoping for. “Bloody hell, Dad. No need to sound quite so blasé about it."

"There are few people my brother really cares about, but when he does open his heart, he opens it wide."

[Chantel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed The Twisted Mark, I found parts of the plot frustrating because they made no sense, and unfortunately this got worse with The Binding Mark. I was ready for a lot more romance than the first book now everything was set up, and I was disappointed on that score as well. The book was well written, but I'm not sure I can cope with any more plot holes!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the events of the first book, Sadie's back in London, trying to reclaim her life and put space between herself and Gabriel. She's invited to join the London Coven by Lavinia, an old friend of her father, and makes her decision when a client is killed by a vampire. Up north in Mannith, her brother Bren is trying to acclimate to his new low-magic life, with the help of Gabriel's best friend, Nikki.

Every time Sadie and Gabriel were in a room together, you could feel the tension and chemistry simmering below the surface. He definitely opened up to Sadie more in this book, and I was happy with their Hallmark Christmas movie ending, though selfishly, I could read about their lives forever. The London Coven plot line was interesting, but predictable, though I appreciate how it was left open-ended at the end of the book. I did feel more sympathy for Bren in this book, and I'm hoping the next book in this world focuses on his and Nikki's relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC In exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that the sequel was out, I knew that I needed to read it right away! The Binding Mark by Sophie Williamson is the second book in the Witch Trials series, an amazing and innovative blend of fantasy and legal drama. The story revolves around Sadie, who belongs to a powerful witch family. She is also a practicing lawyer. One day, she gets an invitation from Lavinia Morven, the head of the London coven. What does she want? Is Lavinia a powerful ally or a terrifying foe?

Here is a lovely excerpt from Chapter 1:

"After growing up in Mannith, a place saturated with magic and wonder, the gritty anonymity and realness of London is always half like coming up for air and half like the sun passing behind a cloud.
I've been back here for a matter of hours, but it's already been a long, emotionally draining day. Hell, it's been a long, emotionally draining summer."

Overall, The Binding Mark is an amazing adult fantasy that will appeal to fans of Law and Order or the Charmed TV show. One highlight of this book is how innovative this series is. When I read the first book, I was blown away by how the author managed to seamlessly merge two separate genres into one and do both justice. I knew at that point that I would read anything that she wrote in the future.

Another highlight of this book is the romance. Without spoiling anything, because you definitely need to read the first book in the series first, this book has an excellent romance that you need to read to believe. In this book, the romance develops even further, especially when some wrenches are thrown in. I could not help rooting for the main couple though. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of adult fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!

[Cathy Geha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Binding Mark by Sophie Williamson
Witch Trials #2

I came into this book with high expectations. I had hopes that Sadie and Gabriel would find a way to move forward without too much trouble and that the Thornber and Sadler groups would forge an alliance that would benefit the couple. Instead of the strong magical smart being that Sadie was in book one I found Sadie the miffed, rather juvenile, gullible, quick to make decisions, person that I wanted to sit down and talk to. Gabriel didn’t get a lot of time on the page but did come across stronger, wiser, and more in tune with the real world than Sadie did. I think that if they were not fated mates they would not be my first pick for one another.

The storyline dealt with wicked witch Lavinia with a coven that she wants Sadie to join. It requires a lien and after Sadie’s experience with a lien, was surprised she jumped on that bandwagon so quickly but not surprised by the repercussions. There were vampires, a court case or two, hiccoughs in the relationship between Gabriel and Sadie, situations I found mind boggling and unbelievable, and a conclusion that did wrap up some things but leave the door open for a potential romance between Sadie’s brother Brendan and Gabriel’s right hand person Nikki. There are at least three potential sources of conflict I have identified that could be issues in book three.

So, my takeaway from reading this book is that book one was better. Book two was okay but didn’t pack the punch that book one had and wasn’t intense, believable, and easy to follow. I was disappointed in Sadie and many of the choices she made. I might try reading book depending on the synopsis when I read it. This is a book I think will appeal most to New Adult readers who enjoy this genre

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm for the ARC – This is my honest review.

2-3 Stars

[Kyla Ogemow]

When I first requested this book, I didn't realize it was part of a series so after being a bit confused for the first few chapters (although the author does a great job of providing the needed context for the previous book) I immediately used up my audible credit and got the Twisted Mark. I was hooked! I like the author's writing style and it didn't take long to become attached to the characters. Very much an enemies-to-lovers story. The Binding Mark picks up after Sadie Sadler leaves Mannith again, back to London. Before long she finds herself summoned to the leader of the London Coven of Witches, where she is told, in blunt terms, that if she wishes to stay in London she must pledge an oath to the leader and join the coven. Desperately wanting to give herself some space from her, possible soulmate, former enemy, Gabriel Thornber, she reluctantly agrees to join the coven and act as the coven lawyer. Her first case? She works alongside the charismatic leader Lavinia in staging and bringing forth a case against the very vampires her family is trying to ally with. In this book, we also get to see from her older brother Brendens' point of view. Having lost the majority of his natural magical powers after putting Sadie in mortal danger, he finds himself spending more time with Nikki, a taught practitioner and his (still current) enemyy, Gabriels' best friend.

I gotta say I loved the Brenden/Nikki storyline! I cannot wait to read the next book to see where these two go! I enjoyed this book the whole way through! I can't believe the author was able to release these two books so close together!

Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and the author of this ARC. All opinions are my own!

[Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A follow up to The Twisted Mark, this has one of the main characters, Sadie Sadler, leaving her home in the North of England, after being freed from the binding lien used by Gabriel Thornber. She heads back to London and her life as a barrister, but gets summoned by Lavinia, the powerful leader of the London Coven. Given an ultimatum to either join the Coven, and all that entails, or get out of the city, she reluctantly joins, but it becomes clear that everything isn’t quite what she hoped for.

An interesting read, if a frustrating one. Sadie has just got herself out of one situation that clearly wasn’t good for her, but seems willing to get caught up with another, very similar situation straight away. I got a definite sense of deja vu. For a strong woman, she comes across as a bit naive at times, which for someone who is the top of her game career wise, and a powerful witch doesn’t sit quite right. However, the story is good, it is written well and there are some nice sub-plots going on. Also, this time Vampires play more of a part in the story. I like the idea that the Sadler family has safe guarded their home town for so long, and we learn more about both them and the Thornber families. A read that had me wanting to know how it was all going to work out, without being able to completely work it out is always good. There were some nice twists, and I really want to know what happens in the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. 3 1/2⭐️

[stephanie cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie Williamson’s The Binding Mark offers a captivating dive into a world of magic and intrigue, featuring Sadie Sadler, a formidable witch and daughter of a powerful magical clan. Her tumultuous relationship with Gabriel—her probable soulmate—is central to the narrative, as she continuously attempts to distance herself from him.

Williamson’s writing style is engaging, and the intricate plot development keeps the story moving with purpose. The expansion of the magical world to include London adds an exciting new dimension, introducing fresh characters and scenarios that enrich the storyline. The plot delves into ancient grudges with a juicy and compelling narrative, which adds depth to the magical conflicts at play.

Lavinia, an intensely powerful and delightfully petty character, stands out as a force to be reckoned with. Her drive and cunning are well-crafted, though I found myself wishing for more background on her motivations and past. Additionally, a secondary storyline featuring the weakened Bren and rival Nikki provides a welcome contrast to the courtroom drama, further exploring the Mannith connection. Their dynamic is intriguing and adds a layer of complexity to the story.

Overall, The Binding Mark is a thoroughly enjoyable read with a richly developed world and a plot full of twists and turns. Fans of magical fantasy will appreciate the detailed storytelling and the promise of more to come in future installments.

[Jessica Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Binding Mark is the second book in the Witch Trials series by Sophie Williamson. Picking up immediately after the first book, the story follows Sadie as she returns to London and processes everything that happened in her home town only a few months ago. If I'm remembering correctly, the first book only has Sadie's perspective. The Binding Mark adds the perspective of her older brother, Brendan, which I think is a nice addition because of how the first book ended. I like that we also get to see other members of Sadie's family do what they do. There are smaller glimpses of their magic in The Twisted Mark, but not like what we see in this book.

I gave this book 4 stars because I found that I didn't like Sadie as much as I did in the first one. There are reasons for why she acts the way she does, but it still doesn't justify her attitude sometimes. I think the biggest thing that bothered me was her struggle with Gabe. As the story went on, I just got more irritated with it. Things work out in the end, which I really liked, but Sadie really bugged me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sophie Williamson for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Book-a-Day · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the fact that these are well written books in many ways, I had to stop reading this one. The protagonist is the most naive and gullible character I've ever seen outside of YA.

No lawyer in their right mind would agree to join a group that puts a slave mark on them without establishing detailed terms and conditions and she doesn't even ask any questions about how big the mark will be?

And to make it clear that she feels trapped because she doesn't want to move home and doesn't feel like moving elsewhere? Please.

Not to mention all of the other obviously suspicious things that just go over her head. I understand that that naivety is written as part of the character. That's not enough of an explanation. Unless this person has a mental disorder or is on the spectrum in a way that completely prevents her from questioning anything beyond face value, no one 1) raised in a black magic cult of 2) loan sharks who is 3) (supposedly) extremely intelligent trusts a 4) random immortal 5) con artist to this extent after her own brother just tried to 6) kill her and hundreds of strangers.

[Lauren Weiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Binding Mark is the second in the Witch Trials series. After reading The Twisted Mark, I was unsure where the author would take the story - and I really enjoyed what she did! After the events in The Twisted Mark, Sophie has gone back to London and is trying to settle back into life there. Sadie is asked to join the London Coven - a requirement if she is going to stay in London and practice magic. She is not thrilled about the new lien mark, but is insistent on distancing herself from Gabriel. How will Sadie balance this new coven and her loyalty to her family? And why is Gabriel always around?

What I liked: I was unsure where this storyline was going to go, and boy, was it a good one! I liked that we got additional points of view. I hope that we might get to see more of Bren in another book? The new characters were great and the layers of the plot were engaging. The plot was action packed and kept me on my toes.

What I didn't like: I would have liked to see a little more time with her family in this one - it was such a central part of the last book. Also, a little more time with Gabriel would have been great.

I was thrilled to receive this as an ARC from NetGalley after having received The Twisted Mark ARC previously. Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing!

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book in this series so much that I was worried this book wouldn't live up to my expectations, but I was SO WRONG! This book was equally as wonderful and I read it in one sitting. This book picked up right where the previous one left off and detailed Sadie's adventures in London and her dealings with the coven of witches there while she balanced her loyalties and responsibilities to Gabriel and her family back in Mannon. I spent half of this book SO angry with Sadie for her choices and the way she was so clearly being manipulated, but still desperately hoping for her to work out her situation so that she could make it work with Gabriel. Sophie Williamson did such a wonderful job developing this story and these characters that this story was impossible to put down and these characters were impossible not to love! I loved every minute of this story and I can't wait to read the next one!!!

[Alexus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Binding Mark is the second book in the Witch Trials series. The beginning of this story picks up right where the first book left off. I liked getting to read more about Sadie and her time in London. This story focused a lot more on her career with the London Coven. I will say that some of it was a little confusing. It almost felt as though certain political stances were shoved into the book, and they didn't coincide with the story in my opinion. It took the focus away from Sadie for me. I liked learning more about the two families and the side characters. I would've liked to see more character development for some of the characters, but hopefully that will happen within the next book. Overall, this was an okay read for me.

[Jordynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Williamson for giving me a copy of this great book in return for an honest review.
This book frustrated me to no end but I couldn’t put it down.
Sadie decided to go back to London to avoid Gabriel but she comes under the radar of the Lavinia and the London coven. Lavinia wants to use Sadie to get revenge on vampires.
I wanted to give Sadie a good shake in this book. She has everything she would ever need in her hometown with her family and Gabe but she wants to live an independent life and it gets her in trouble. I would have liked more interaction between Sadie and Gabe. The author is great at story telling and I am normally able to predict how the story will go but it caught me by surprise. I will definitely be reading more by Sophie and I hope we have more books about the different characters especially Nikki and Bren.

[Bzz Kolla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eCopy to review

I enjoyed the Binding Mark by Sophie Williamson. This time it focussed on Sadie's life and career in London. She joins the London coven and works with them to bring down the vampires. However, strange things keep happening to her family and Sadie's behaviour becomes very odd. Bren makes a truce with Gabriel to send him to London to help find out what is wrong with Sadie.

I enjoyed the alliance of the 2 families in Meredith, the relationship between Nikki and Bren, and the ending was beautiful. The only negative was the vampire/Lavinia storyline was a bit to complicated and long winded and not enough scenes between Sadie and Gabriel

[Sophie Boyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley & Storm Publishing, for approving my ARC of this book.

I read book 1 last year and couldn't wait to get into book 2, we pick up straight after where book 1 ends with Sadie back in London after leaving her family and soul mate Gabriel after the events of book 1.

She's contacted by a powerful witch who is the head of the London Coven with an offer she can't really afford to turn down.

Along with the drama inside the courtroom and in her personal life along, witches, enemies to lovers, twists, and the addition of vampires.

I like how we got Brendans chapters to show us what was happening back home.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tad disappointed but not surprised. I thought the previous book was good, it had some hints of progressive politics, like white privilege and etc. It didn't add to the story and then started reading the sequel and does it from the beginning. My personal preference for fictions novels is not for political stances for an author to proclaim they are an ally. It just doesn't seem genuine and I don't care for it. Overall it is unnecessary and detracts from the story in my opinion. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Adrianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy, smart, stellar

Loved this sequel!
It's definitely something you need to read in order. I'd say this is like 60% plot and 40% romantic subplot. I loved seeing Sadie grow and kind of come into her own. And Gabriel! I loved seeing his growth because the ending to the first book made me so conflicted!!

I think one of my favorite parts were the vampires honestly. Loved the take on these stuffy old Tories who basically still think they're 18th century aristocrats.

Buy this! It's so good. Twisty and dark and fun. Highly recommend!!

[Holly Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Williamson's follow up to her debut is just as fun, charming and sexy as The Twisted Mark. With plenty of twists and turns, when you think that heroine Sadie Sadler can't possibly suffer anymore ... something else terrible happens — which makes for great entertainment as a reader. Just as before, Sadie remains a relatable, easy-to-root-for main character and this time readers get the added bonus of being able to see this MC really come into her own. Overall, excellent read! Can't wait to see what Williamson comes out with next!

[Loraine Philliban · Rating 4 out of 5]

I jumped into this sequel immediately after reading the first book in the series and I was not disappointed although I think I enjoyed book one slightly better.
The characters developed and grew into themselves and we were introduced to some more prominent characters which definitely enhanced the story. This time around we were mostly based in London which really didn’t sit well with me, it just felt wrong.
Overall though this was another page turner and I really hope there is more coming from the author.
Highly recommend.

[Books Tea Magic · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s so fun to be back in Sadie and Gabriel’s worlds and all of the characters we’ve gotten to know in the first book. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this next chapter. Plus, we get some new faces as the circle of magic expands to include some new + intriguing witches and…vampires 🤩🔮⚡️ From sibling relations to witchy magical + villainous moments, this one had me hooked again — just wish we had more S&G scenes!

[TheLittleLunarReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Witch Trials series, and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the new setting of London, a city I do enjoy visiting frequently. We see some iconic buildings mentioned within the story, The Tower being one which, having visited there made it that much more easier to envision whilst reading. I enjoyed the whole portrayl of city life, living in an apartment, hearing the sounds of the city, very appealing. I also enjoyed the contrast with the POV changing to someone else within the story, set in the small town Sadie comes from. It was a little jarring seeing the dual POV come in after there not being dual POV in the first book. However, it made sense to the plot and it didn't take long to adjust to the difference, as the second POV isn't as frequent as the main one. We are introduced to many more characters, including, finally, vampires, after they're briefly mentioned in the first book, making me wonder if they were just random mentions, we get to see them in action and to begin to hate them. We also see more character progression for Sadie, seeing her making some difficult choices. However, the one choice she makes, sent me crazy, and I spent a lot of time wanting to shout at the book telling her to just give in! IFYKYK. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and it will definitely be a good book for spooky season.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely adored the first book in this series. I devoured this book in a single sitting since it was just as fantastic as the first.

It manages to catch you off guard and knock you out cold at the same time while being stunning, disastrous, and optimistic!!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and reviewed it voluntarily
Thank you to Netgalley and Sophie Williamson for giving an E-copy of this book!