Title: An Unlikely Coven Author: A.M. Kvita
Series: Green Witch Cycle #1
Pages: 379
Publication Date: Oct. 28, 2025
Publisher: Orbit
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Contemporary
Synopsis:
The outcast daughter of a powerful family of witches returns home to New York City and is immediately embroiled in a supernatural power struggle in this wickedly funny fantasy debut from AM Kvita.
After seven long years Joan Greenwood is finally returning home. Unfortunately, her family totally forgot about it.
Joan’s homecoming is lukewarm at best, but soon turns disastrous when news hits that someone has created a spell that can turn an ordinary human into a powerful witch, threatening the balance of the magical world and the Greenwood’s place at the top of it.
When her best friend confesses that he has secretly, accidentally, saved this human-turned-witch from an uncertain fate, Joan is thrust headfirst into a desperate race to undo the spell before it does permanent damage to its unwilling host.
Soon, Joan finds herself drawn deeper into the heart of the city’s magic, into an uncertain alliance with a (very attractive) family rival, and far beyond the limits of everything she thought her own magic capable of.
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An Unlikely Coven, the first book in the Green Witch Cycle by A.M. Kvita, is a fun, fast-paced, and heartfelt fantasy debut with a great found family dynamic.
Joan Greenwood is a fantastic protagonist. She’s witty, loyal, and stronger than she (and her family) gives herself credit for. Returning to New York City and her elite witch family, she’s immediately reminded why she left. In a family obsessed with power, she’s the only one who can’t cast magic. The way her relatives dismiss and belittle her is terrible, and I understood why she didn’t want to return to them. Even the “nicer” ones aren’t very nice.
I really liked the contrast between Joan’s cold, manipulative family and the warm, chaotic group of friends she gathers around her. Her found family, especially her best friend CZ, a charming vampire with a big heart, brings so much humor and tenderness to the story. Their friendship is one of my favorite parts of the book, and I loved how each member of Joan’s chosen family brings something unique to the group. Together, they create a sense of belonging and support that’s everything her blood relatives are not.
The worldbuilding is another strength. Kvita’s version of modern New York is so intriguing with its hidden magic, secret rivalries, and dangerous enchantments. The magic system and the social dynamics between the different supernatural groups are definitely going to come into play as the series develops, especially as powers develop and family dynamics change.
And while the plot moves quickly and is full of action, secrets, and a few morally gray choices, it’s balanced well with heart-warming moments of vulnerability and growth. There are also a couple of slow-burn romances starting to take shape, and I’m excited to see where those go in future installments!
Overall, An Unlikely Coven is an entertaining contemporary fantasy with humor, magical intrigue and suspense, unique characters, and an amazing found family. Special thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
🩷 great friendships
💜 slow burn romance
🩷 found family
💜 witches, vampires, ghosts, & fae
🩷 magic, spell work, & portals
💜 witty banter
AMKvita is a speculative fiction writer, artist, and worldmaker who writes about restless gods and, if you’re lucky, kissing. Their debut adult novel AN UNLIKELY COVEN releases October 28, 2025 from Orbit Books/Hachette.
I love a good found family and this one sounds brilliant. Thanks for the review.