Review by Kelly Jarvis: Only Spell Deep by Ava Morgyn

Only Spell Deep tells the story of Judeth Cole, a young woman descended from a long line of elemental witches. Her late grandmother, Aurelia, once cast a powerful love spell on her grandfather, a man incapable of true love, and its obsessive effects have filtered down through the generations. When the novel opens, Judeth is sixteen years old and has lost her family and their seaside estate Solidago to a fire. Tasked with rebuilding the estate and retaining her grandmother’s maiden name if she hopes to inherit, she chooses to escape her troubled past, changing her name to Jude Clark and living a life of quiet obscurity. When a mysterious invitation tucked into a book brings her into contact with the Fathom, a circle of witches determined to seize their powers, Jude must weigh her loneliness against the cost of confronting her painful past.

This novel is filled with atmospheric details which blend elements of coastal and urban magic. Morgyn offers gorgeous descriptions of a Gothic homestead set on the side of the cliff alongside thrilling adventures through the busy streets of Seattle. Although the book features a romance subplot between Judeth and Levi, the bookstore owner who helps to solve a series of riddles, the story’s strength is its commentary on pain as a source of magic and power. “Secretly, all women burn,” Judeth’s mother says shortly before the family estate goes up in flames; “To be a woman is to be fire.” Judeth learns she is a fire rover, and her interactions with the Fathom put her into contact with night bearers (those who learn to cast themselves in shadow to escape abuse) and water diviners (those who push their powers down in an effort to protect themselves). Steeped in mythology and feminine rage, this book explores difficult issues like sexual assault, suicidal ideation, and incest. The first half of the book establishes setting, initiates mystery, and explores the past’s influence on the present, setting up a second half filled with fast-paced action.

Fans of Morgyn’s previous books The Witches of Bone Hill and The Bane Witch will find much to love in Only Spell Deep. If you enjoy stories which heal generational trauma through the grasping and wielding of magical power give these books a try! You can find them here.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/