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The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
For fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is a debut novel that explores the shields we build around our hearts to retain our own magic.
Sadie Revelare has always believed that the curse of four heartbreaks that accompanies her magic would be worth the price. But when her grandmother is diagnosed with cancer with only weeks to live, and her first heartbreak, Jake McNealy, returns to town after a decade, her carefully structured life begins to unravel.
With the news of their grandmother's impending death, Sadie's estranged twin brother Seth returns to town, bringing with him deeply buried family secrets that threaten to tear Sadie's world apart. Their grandmother has been the backbone of the family for generations, and with her death, Sadie isn't sure she'll have the strength to keep the family, and her magic, together.
As feelings for Jake begin to rekindle, and her grandmother growing sicker by the day, Sadie faces the last of her heartbreaks, and she has to decide: is love more important than magic?
Readers who love the magic of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and the sense of community found in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches will enjoy this warm, witchy novel.
Sadie Revelare has always believed that the curse of four heartbreaks that accompanies her magic would be worth the price. But when her grandmother is diagnosed with cancer with only weeks to live, and her first heartbreak, Jake McNealy, returns to town after a decade, her carefully structured life begins to unravel.
With the news of their grandmother's impending death, Sadie's estranged twin brother Seth returns to town, bringing with him deeply buried family secrets that threaten to tear Sadie's world apart. Their grandmother has been the backbone of the family for generations, and with her death, Sadie isn't sure she'll have the strength to keep the family, and her magic, together.
As feelings for Jake begin to rekindle, and her grandmother growing sicker by the day, Sadie faces the last of her heartbreaks, and she has to decide: is love more important than magic?
Readers who love the magic of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and the sense of community found in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches will enjoy this warm, witchy novel.
322 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2023
About the author
Breanne Randall
2 books1,132 followersBreanne lives in the sleepy foothills of Northern California with her husband, two daughters, and a slew of farm animals. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering the property searching for fairy portals or serving elaborate stuffed animal tea parties.
As a journalist, her work has been featured in Good Housekeeping, Fit Pregnancy, Disney Family, Bustle, Brides, et. al. A seasoned traveler, she imbues her stories with the magic and culture collected from the over forty countries she’s visited.
As a journalist, her work has been featured in Good Housekeeping, Fit Pregnancy, Disney Family, Bustle, Brides, et. al. A seasoned traveler, she imbues her stories with the magic and culture collected from the over forty countries she’s visited.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,280 reviews
August 12, 2023
I would thank NetGalley for the eARC they gave me in exchange for my honest review, but in reality I wish they hadn't inflicted this upon me.
First and foremost, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic had absolutely no idea what it wanted to be. A small town fantasy? A small town romance? A novel about family relationships? A coming of age novel? A mystery? Bits and pieces of all of these different books are scattered throughout but the lack of an actual cohesive story is incredibly frustrating.
Out of all of these disparate book parts, by far the worst was the horrible excuse for a "romance," which might take the cake for the worst one I have ever read (that was not intentionally written to be bad). If you, like me, got about a third of the way through the book and thought to yourself "huh, this romance is making me feel a bit morally squicky," just you wait! It gets A Lot worse.
Not content to include parts of a million different books, this book was also horrendously overwritten. From descriptions of settings to appearances, it was just Way Too Much.
The recipes at the end of each chapter were cute, I guess, but not enough to redeem a book where (beyond all of the other stuff I've mentioned) the WITCHES are Christian?? I can excuse a lot of things in the name of fun, cute, fantasy, but a book where the ritual forming and spell casting witches are church going Methodists is too much.
I requested an ARC of this book because a combination of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls sounded like a blast! But this book was neither a combination of those nor a blast. Please don't inflict this on yourself. 1/5.
First and foremost, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic had absolutely no idea what it wanted to be. A small town fantasy? A small town romance? A novel about family relationships? A coming of age novel? A mystery? Bits and pieces of all of these different books are scattered throughout but the lack of an actual cohesive story is incredibly frustrating.
Out of all of these disparate book parts, by far the worst was the horrible excuse for a "romance," which might take the cake for the worst one I have ever read (that was not intentionally written to be bad). If you, like me, got about a third of the way through the book and thought to yourself "huh, this romance is making me feel a bit morally squicky," just you wait! It gets A Lot worse.
Not content to include parts of a million different books, this book was also horrendously overwritten. From descriptions of settings to appearances, it was just Way Too Much.
The recipes at the end of each chapter were cute, I guess, but not enough to redeem a book where (beyond all of the other stuff I've mentioned) the WITCHES are Christian?? I can excuse a lot of things in the name of fun, cute, fantasy, but a book where the ritual forming and spell casting witches are church going Methodists is too much.
I requested an ARC of this book because a combination of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls sounded like a blast! But this book was neither a combination of those nor a blast. Please don't inflict this on yourself. 1/5.
October 8, 2023
Extremely disappointed with this one. Made out to be a a cozy, delightful Gilmore Girls/Practical Magic combo which was a big stretch, but it ended up being dark and messy both in plot and writing. The author has stated they had over 500 rejections of this book before it was accepted and honestly, there’s a reason for that!!! Here are my issues:
- Practical Magic in the sense of the magic portion, but the only Gilmore Girls vibe was they live in a small town where everyone knows each other. With that, you’re thinking this takes place somewhere like New England or maybe North Carolina… it takes place in California. Not only that, but there’s lots of mentions of just how cold the weather is, so it’s not even stated if it’s in northern California.
- Long chapters for absolutely no reason. I read this on my Kindle and truly some of these chapters were 30 minutes long. Was there no editor editing this and saying “I think we can cut this chapter short here and go into the next one.”
- Absolutely bizarre combo of Christianity and magic in this. The main character goes to a Christian church, some verses are mentioned but the connection isn't explained. It was really weird. At one point the characters specifically say to not call them witches, but they use magic?? They say “Magic doesn’t mean witches.” That's literally what a witch is, but ok. This book just had really weird conservative energy and Christian ideology for that alone I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.
- Sadie sucked. She’s 28 and has the emotional maturity of a teenager. Angry at people for leaving her in their small town, but fails to remember that people have agency over their own lives. This girl is truly morally questionable. She steals her love interest’s dog and refuses to give him back. Uses truth-telling recipes on people without their consent. The biggest “woe is me” character.
- The writing truly was cringe at times. There was an overuse of similes that truly did not make any sense, at one point I started highlighting them.
“the summer heat cocooning them like a secret”
“Tava’s tiered skirt rustled like whispered secrets.”
“it smelled like a promise”
“everything she ever saw as true was slipping through her fingers like starlight.”
“Her words were buoyant and calm, and Sadie turned them over in her mind like a sand dollar you find on the beach.”
Other things described like “the gingersnap wind” or “her stomach was a raging sea of angry lightning bugs.” It was like the writer was trying to be poetic, but was putting things together that just didn’t have any connection to make the simile make sense.
And the overuse of “shit ass” and “pissant” was so annoying and cringe.
There were very cringe millennial pop culture references like Harry Potter and Frozen. I highlighted “She felt like Elsa. Control it. Conceal. Don’t feel.” CRINGE.
- Did not care about Sadie and Jake’s romance. There wasn’t enough context to their romance from ten years ago for me to care whether they got back together or not. Also, she hadn’t seen him in TEN YEARS and it takes nothing for them to rekindle. After ten years this man may as well be a stranger to you.
- Really bizarre character behavior. Sadie’s brother Seth comes back after being gone for a year and she’s absolutely pissed at him, but soon enough they’re buddy-buddy again. Their mom comes back after being gone THEIR ENTIRE LIVES and soon enough it’s all “honey” and “sugar” and sharing feelings with each other. It was bizarre. Other bizarre behavior, Sadie literally steals Jake’s dog and refuses to give him back.
- VERY casual mentions of very serious topics (not in order). First is the mention of r*pe resulting in Sadie and Seth’s existence. It was so casual that it caught me off guard. It’s then later used in a victim-blaming moment between Sadie and her mom. Second, was an attempted s*ic*de that one, came out of absolutely nowhere, and two, was so casual and resolved in the one incredibly long chapter it was in. Third, was a fake pregnancy that is (very problematic) revealed because Sadie feeds the girl a pie with an ingredient that encourages truth telling. You mean to tell me Sadie just accidentally put too much of that ingredient in it? Fourth, literal murder that’s just like “oh well, that happened I guess.” Fifth, a mention of the mom getting pregnant by a random man again for what exactly?! ANYWAYS, these were so casual and made me so uncomfortable. How are you marketing this as a cozy book when NONE OF THESE TOPICS ARE COZY?!
- So many different plots in this book. A curse, a grandma dying, a love interest back in town, potential ominous ghost, family problems. Stop half-assing (in this case, quarter-assing) many things and instead whole-ass one to two things, please, I’m begging.
- Mentions of mental health, therapy, grief counseling, but it felt really forced and put in there to check a box. A character’s bipolar disorder is discussed for seemingly no reason. And the therapy/grief counseling mentions felt like too little too late after the situations that transpired.
ANYWAYS, I’m sure I have more problems with this book that I’m forgetting at the moment because my brain is already working to block this book out of my memory. This book was marketed entirely wrong.
- Practical Magic in the sense of the magic portion, but the only Gilmore Girls vibe was they live in a small town where everyone knows each other. With that, you’re thinking this takes place somewhere like New England or maybe North Carolina… it takes place in California. Not only that, but there’s lots of mentions of just how cold the weather is, so it’s not even stated if it’s in northern California.
- Long chapters for absolutely no reason. I read this on my Kindle and truly some of these chapters were 30 minutes long. Was there no editor editing this and saying “I think we can cut this chapter short here and go into the next one.”
- Absolutely bizarre combo of Christianity and magic in this. The main character goes to a Christian church, some verses are mentioned but the connection isn't explained. It was really weird. At one point the characters specifically say to not call them witches, but they use magic?? They say “Magic doesn’t mean witches.” That's literally what a witch is, but ok. This book just had really weird conservative energy and Christian ideology for that alone I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.
- Sadie sucked. She’s 28 and has the emotional maturity of a teenager. Angry at people for leaving her in their small town, but fails to remember that people have agency over their own lives. This girl is truly morally questionable. She steals her love interest’s dog and refuses to give him back. Uses truth-telling recipes on people without their consent. The biggest “woe is me” character.
- The writing truly was cringe at times. There was an overuse of similes that truly did not make any sense, at one point I started highlighting them.
“the summer heat cocooning them like a secret”
“Tava’s tiered skirt rustled like whispered secrets.”
“it smelled like a promise”
“everything she ever saw as true was slipping through her fingers like starlight.”
“Her words were buoyant and calm, and Sadie turned them over in her mind like a sand dollar you find on the beach.”
Other things described like “the gingersnap wind” or “her stomach was a raging sea of angry lightning bugs.” It was like the writer was trying to be poetic, but was putting things together that just didn’t have any connection to make the simile make sense.
And the overuse of “shit ass” and “pissant” was so annoying and cringe.
There were very cringe millennial pop culture references like Harry Potter and Frozen. I highlighted “She felt like Elsa. Control it. Conceal. Don’t feel.” CRINGE.
- Did not care about Sadie and Jake’s romance. There wasn’t enough context to their romance from ten years ago for me to care whether they got back together or not. Also, she hadn’t seen him in TEN YEARS and it takes nothing for them to rekindle. After ten years this man may as well be a stranger to you.
- Really bizarre character behavior. Sadie’s brother Seth comes back after being gone for a year and she’s absolutely pissed at him, but soon enough they’re buddy-buddy again. Their mom comes back after being gone THEIR ENTIRE LIVES and soon enough it’s all “honey” and “sugar” and sharing feelings with each other. It was bizarre. Other bizarre behavior, Sadie literally steals Jake’s dog and refuses to give him back.
- VERY casual mentions of very serious topics (not in order). First is the mention of r*pe resulting in Sadie and Seth’s existence. It was so casual that it caught me off guard. It’s then later used in a victim-blaming moment between Sadie and her mom. Second, was an attempted s*ic*de that one, came out of absolutely nowhere, and two, was so casual and resolved in the one incredibly long chapter it was in. Third, was a fake pregnancy that is (very problematic) revealed because Sadie feeds the girl a pie with an ingredient that encourages truth telling. You mean to tell me Sadie just accidentally put too much of that ingredient in it? Fourth, literal murder that’s just like “oh well, that happened I guess.” Fifth, a mention of the mom getting pregnant by a random man again for what exactly?! ANYWAYS, these were so casual and made me so uncomfortable. How are you marketing this as a cozy book when NONE OF THESE TOPICS ARE COZY?!
- So many different plots in this book. A curse, a grandma dying, a love interest back in town, potential ominous ghost, family problems. Stop half-assing (in this case, quarter-assing) many things and instead whole-ass one to two things, please, I’m begging.
- Mentions of mental health, therapy, grief counseling, but it felt really forced and put in there to check a box. A character’s bipolar disorder is discussed for seemingly no reason. And the therapy/grief counseling mentions felt like too little too late after the situations that transpired.
ANYWAYS, I’m sure I have more problems with this book that I’m forgetting at the moment because my brain is already working to block this book out of my memory. This book was marketed entirely wrong.
April 30, 2023
This was pitched as Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls, which isn’t inaccurate, but it gave me different expectations. We follow Sadie, who runs a cafe in a small town. Sadie’s magic enables her to incorporate herbs in baked goods and other food to imbue them with some power (based on the magical correspondences of the herbs).
The inspiration from Practical Magic is evident and quite cosy. There is a strong sense of family and hereditary magic. Going into this, I was expecting the wit and humour of Gilmore Girls, but was disappointed. Instead, the Gilmore Girls inspiration seems to be more related to the small town vibes and the amount of drama and messiness that was in the show.
Some aspects of this were really enjoyable - it’s always heartwarming to read about a close-knit family, and the descriptions of baking and cooking put me in a baking mood. Each chapter also ends with a recipe for a cake, meal or drink that was referenced in that chapter, and the recipes look delicious for the most part.
Where this didn’t work for me was in the characters. We’re in Sadie’s head for the whole book, and quite often she seems to do, say, and think stupid things which got quite frustrating. I didn’t connect to any of the characters, and I found some of the side characters irritating. I found the motivations and behaviour of the romantic interest, Jake, to be unbelievable (for reasons that would be spoilers).
I would recommend this if you like a lot of messy drama and some magic. then this would be a good pick. If you’re after a book with the quippy dialogue of Lorelei Gilmore, then this will probably disappoint. I point this out because that was what I was hoping for (it’s what I enjoy from Gilmore Girls), and having the wrong expectations affected my enjoyment of the book, which is a shame.
Content warnings for cancer, attempted suicide, death of a family member.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The inspiration from Practical Magic is evident and quite cosy. There is a strong sense of family and hereditary magic. Going into this, I was expecting the wit and humour of Gilmore Girls, but was disappointed. Instead, the Gilmore Girls inspiration seems to be more related to the small town vibes and the amount of drama and messiness that was in the show.
Some aspects of this were really enjoyable - it’s always heartwarming to read about a close-knit family, and the descriptions of baking and cooking put me in a baking mood. Each chapter also ends with a recipe for a cake, meal or drink that was referenced in that chapter, and the recipes look delicious for the most part.
Where this didn’t work for me was in the characters. We’re in Sadie’s head for the whole book, and quite often she seems to do, say, and think stupid things which got quite frustrating. I didn’t connect to any of the characters, and I found some of the side characters irritating. I found the motivations and behaviour of the romantic interest, Jake, to be unbelievable (for reasons that would be spoilers).
I would recommend this if you like a lot of messy drama and some magic. then this would be a good pick. If you’re after a book with the quippy dialogue of Lorelei Gilmore, then this will probably disappoint. I point this out because that was what I was hoping for (it’s what I enjoy from Gilmore Girls), and having the wrong expectations affected my enjoyment of the book, which is a shame.
Content warnings for cancer, attempted suicide, death of a family member.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2023
I never write reviews, but feel like I needed to get this off my chest:
This book has a super weird, conservative energy for being marketed as a Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic cozy read.
I, for one, would rather my cozy magic NOT be saddled with Christian ideology, and conservative small town firefighter hero energy. An ick I knew I had, but wished I’d known about this particular book prior to shelling out $12. In this economy?! DNF.
This book has a super weird, conservative energy for being marketed as a Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic cozy read.
I, for one, would rather my cozy magic NOT be saddled with Christian ideology, and conservative small town firefighter hero energy. An ick I knew I had, but wished I’d known about this particular book prior to shelling out $12. In this economy?! DNF.
September 21, 2023
DNF
YEET THIS BOOK INTO THE SUN
YEET THIS BOOK INTO THE SUN
October 12, 2023
i would’ve left sadie too
December 29, 2023
Recipe for an awful book
1 cup Gilmore girls, but only Rory’s unlikeable qualities
1 cup practical magic, minus any of the charming elements
1/2 cup culturally appropriated magic, whitewashed and christianized
5 tablespoons bad unseasoned recipes
Full cast of deeply unlikeable side characters
7 half baked plot lines
1 incredibly narcissistic main character who blames everyone for everything, including… leaving their small town for a while?
As many nonsensical metaphors as you can possibly find
Glaze:
1 gallon of conservative ideology, including victim blaming (if you can blame a woman for being sexually assaulted, then use that)
1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Mix all ingredients and pour into a book shaped pan
3. Bake until it is inedible
4. Glaze
5. Serve to witches you’re trying to convert to Christianity
1 cup Gilmore girls, but only Rory’s unlikeable qualities
1 cup practical magic, minus any of the charming elements
1/2 cup culturally appropriated magic, whitewashed and christianized
5 tablespoons bad unseasoned recipes
Full cast of deeply unlikeable side characters
7 half baked plot lines
1 incredibly narcissistic main character who blames everyone for everything, including… leaving their small town for a while?
As many nonsensical metaphors as you can possibly find
Glaze:
1 gallon of conservative ideology, including victim blaming (if you can blame a woman for being sexually assaulted, then use that)
1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Mix all ingredients and pour into a book shaped pan
3. Bake until it is inedible
4. Glaze
5. Serve to witches you’re trying to convert to Christianity
November 6, 2023
This book was a fucking mess. I though it was gonna be a cozy small town witchy romance but I was wrong.
The writing was super clumsy and the pacing was so strange. There were just way too many plot lines for there to be a cohesive and good story.
I thought cute - it’s gonna be a second chance romance but that really took the back burner and they didn’t even spend any time together??? Bethany and that plot was so random and unnecessary and wasn’t even done well. It was introduced and basically resolved in 2 chapters. Then the thing with her stealing his dog was random as well and I didn’t get it. Also Simon the cat was random and I thought he would have more significance. Then there’s the mysterious spirit that’s coming across as evil but then it just turns out to be her grandfather.
Then there’s the whole curse plot and one of the twins has to die otherwise a twin will die. Then there’s the death of the grandmother, where when she told Sadie about her cancer diagnosis - it was so random and strange. Also Sadie was really annoying.
Let’s list all the different plotlines
- death of a family member and the grief that comes with it
- depression
- witches and magic
- second chance romance
- weird fake baby plot
- mysterious spirit
- missing mother because of a curse which resulted from assault
- trying to build a relationship with your missing mother
- the importance of family
One thing that confused me was that they were Christians because witches have their roots in the occult and paganism which doesn’t really align with God but idk.
Also the whole thing about how they were conceived was so icky. Because basically their mum was groomed, abused, and sexually assaulted - and it’s never really addressed???? It’s just stated and then we move on. And Sadie just keeps blaming her mum for the whole thing like she was described as literally being a teenager so like it’s the guy’s fault??? Also and then her mother just leaves at the end????? Wtf
Overall confusing book with too many threads and a bad ending.
The writing was super clumsy and the pacing was so strange. There were just way too many plot lines for there to be a cohesive and good story.
I thought cute - it’s gonna be a second chance romance but that really took the back burner and they didn’t even spend any time together??? Bethany and that plot was so random and unnecessary and wasn’t even done well. It was introduced and basically resolved in 2 chapters. Then the thing with her stealing his dog was random as well and I didn’t get it. Also Simon the cat was random and I thought he would have more significance. Then there’s the mysterious spirit that’s coming across as evil but then it just turns out to be her grandfather.
Then there’s the whole curse plot and one of the twins has to die otherwise a twin will die. Then there’s the death of the grandmother, where when she told Sadie about her cancer diagnosis - it was so random and strange. Also Sadie was really annoying.
Let’s list all the different plotlines
- death of a family member and the grief that comes with it
- depression
- witches and magic
- second chance romance
- weird fake baby plot
- mysterious spirit
- missing mother because of a curse which resulted from assault
- trying to build a relationship with your missing mother
- the importance of family
One thing that confused me was that they were Christians because witches have their roots in the occult and paganism which doesn’t really align with God but idk.
Also the whole thing about how they were conceived was so icky. Because basically their mum was groomed, abused, and sexually assaulted - and it’s never really addressed???? It’s just stated and then we move on. And Sadie just keeps blaming her mum for the whole thing like she was described as literally being a teenager so like it’s the guy’s fault??? Also and then her mother just leaves at the end????? Wtf
Overall confusing book with too many threads and a bad ending.
September 14, 2023
This was such a perfect book to read in the fall. It's pitched for fans of Practical Magic & Gilmore Girls and it does fit the bill on that.
I would say if you love Practical Magic I think you'll really enjoy this book. It's got amazing witchy vibes and a second chance romance. There is also a recipe at the end of each chapter which I loved.
Overall great read for fall if you want a witchy, family & romance time.
I would say if you love Practical Magic I think you'll really enjoy this book. It's got amazing witchy vibes and a second chance romance. There is also a recipe at the end of each chapter which I loved.
Overall great read for fall if you want a witchy, family & romance time.
October 6, 2023
From the first page of this book, I was already starving. As a foodie, I loved the many descriptions of Sadie making her way around the kitchen and serving delectable sweets. 😋 There were even recipes in between each chapter! The other aspects of the book, however…… 🥴 It was so discombobulated it’s not even funny. For the “romance” course of the novel, I was served second chance and forced proximity tropes—ones I actually enjoy. Where the author lacked is character development. I was given next to no background into Sadie and Jake’s relationship before his return; I didn’t know either character well enough to care if they got back together or not. I also felt like I was thrown into the middle of Sadie’s familial problems, and it was expected that I care with no further explanation. The long chapters killed my reading experience, as well as the randomness of the plot. I definitely skimmed the last two chapters and I was left disappointed as I thought this would be the perfect fall read. 😓 My thoughts summed up in one word: unfortunate.
December 16, 2023
this audiobook will be played on a loop when i get sent to hell. guaranteed.
June 17, 2023
This is easily one of my all time favorite witchy books that I have read!! It’s the perfect cozy, witchy read. And is very comparable to Practical Magic!
The writing is so amazing and so descriptive that you feel like you’re actually in the book.
My favorite part of this was how unique the magic system was and how they could manipulate emotions and behavior based on the food and spices that they gave to people!
I have nothing bad to say about this book. I binge read it in a day and cried pretty much the entire time. Idk why I was so surprised that this book would be sad when “heartbreak” is literally in the title 😂
I love this book so much and recommend it to everyone!
Easy 5 ⭐️ read. I’m so obsessed with it!
Quick plot summary: The FMC is a witch and from a witch family. Each family member has their own unique magic, but also their own unique curse (since nature requires balance). The FMC has a curse that says she will experience 4 major heartbreaks in her life until she’s so sad and bitter she will lose her magic! When the story begins, 2 of the major heartbreaks have already happened to her. On top of that, the love of her life moves back to town just to make her life even more complicated!
It’s cozy and comforting, but also sad at the same time. And it does have a happy ending. The way that it ends leaves an opening for another book of the author decides to continue into a series.
I received this as an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is so amazing and so descriptive that you feel like you’re actually in the book.
My favorite part of this was how unique the magic system was and how they could manipulate emotions and behavior based on the food and spices that they gave to people!
I have nothing bad to say about this book. I binge read it in a day and cried pretty much the entire time. Idk why I was so surprised that this book would be sad when “heartbreak” is literally in the title 😂
I love this book so much and recommend it to everyone!
Easy 5 ⭐️ read. I’m so obsessed with it!
Quick plot summary: The FMC is a witch and from a witch family. Each family member has their own unique magic, but also their own unique curse (since nature requires balance). The FMC has a curse that says she will experience 4 major heartbreaks in her life until she’s so sad and bitter she will lose her magic! When the story begins, 2 of the major heartbreaks have already happened to her. On top of that, the love of her life moves back to town just to make her life even more complicated!
It’s cozy and comforting, but also sad at the same time. And it does have a happy ending. The way that it ends leaves an opening for another book of the author decides to continue into a series.
I received this as an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2023
DNF @ 30% because what the hell is this. breanne randall i know you're a republican.
September 20, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately this was a complete miss for me. I have made the decision to DNF at 35% which is earlier than I would like but I can no longer slog through a book that is clearly not for me.
I was drawn into this book by the pitch of Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic, two of my favourite things. It seemed like the perfect nostalgic, cozy, witchy read. For me, it failed miserably at living up to that huge promise.
Please note that the below review was a stream of consciousness while trying to negotiate with myself to finish. It is harsh, but absolutely truthful.
—————
Sadie is an absolute nightmare. She has the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old. She is selfish, neurotic and toxic. She is constantly complaining about how Jake and Seth broke her heart by leaving but she has no concept of other people having agency in their lives. She seems to think that every decision everyone make should be based around her even though she pretends to be self-sacrificing. She wants to stay, but they want to leave and they are the bad guys. I honestly don’t blame either of them for leaving without telling her, because she seems to be the type to enforce her will on the people that she “cares about”
She has zero redeeming qualities. She literally kidnapped Jake’s dog. She admits to using what amounts to a truth spell on Jake without his consent, while claiming she loves him. She’s keeping secrets about malevolent spirit of some sort waging attacks on her home when her grandmother just told her that there is a curse that will kill either her or her brother.
The book itself is full of plot holes. Seth is a couple inches taller even though he’s only been gone for less than a year and he’s 28 years old. Raquel is at the hospital but then she’s at the house in time for Sadie to get home to hug her.
It’s over written in the sense that the setting descriptions are extremely long, which is a failed attempt at emulating the Practical Magic vibe. But it’s under written in the sense that the characters are one dimensional and underdeveloped.
The pacing is so painfully disjointed with these detailed, flowery, setting descriptions but plot developments are rushed through, and major shifts seem to happen in a matter of sentences. It’s giving me f***ing whiplash.
The attempt to make Sadie seem quirky and fun seems to be the link to Gilmore Girls, but the dialogue is completely flat, and quite frankly intolerable.
This book just seems like it’s trying way too hard to be something it’s not, and in the process has become some sort of tedious experiment.
Actual quote from me while reading “this is so incredibly juvenile”
Also, why does this book seem like a caricature of a southern small town and Southern Magic but it’s set in California?
Unfortunately this was a complete miss for me. I have made the decision to DNF at 35% which is earlier than I would like but I can no longer slog through a book that is clearly not for me.
I was drawn into this book by the pitch of Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic, two of my favourite things. It seemed like the perfect nostalgic, cozy, witchy read. For me, it failed miserably at living up to that huge promise.
Please note that the below review was a stream of consciousness while trying to negotiate with myself to finish. It is harsh, but absolutely truthful.
—————
Sadie is an absolute nightmare. She has the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old. She is selfish, neurotic and toxic. She is constantly complaining about how Jake and Seth broke her heart by leaving but she has no concept of other people having agency in their lives. She seems to think that every decision everyone make should be based around her even though she pretends to be self-sacrificing. She wants to stay, but they want to leave and they are the bad guys. I honestly don’t blame either of them for leaving without telling her, because she seems to be the type to enforce her will on the people that she “cares about”
She has zero redeeming qualities. She literally kidnapped Jake’s dog. She admits to using what amounts to a truth spell on Jake without his consent, while claiming she loves him. She’s keeping secrets about malevolent spirit of some sort waging attacks on her home when her grandmother just told her that there is a curse that will kill either her or her brother.
The book itself is full of plot holes. Seth is a couple inches taller even though he’s only been gone for less than a year and he’s 28 years old. Raquel is at the hospital but then she’s at the house in time for Sadie to get home to hug her.
It’s over written in the sense that the setting descriptions are extremely long, which is a failed attempt at emulating the Practical Magic vibe. But it’s under written in the sense that the characters are one dimensional and underdeveloped.
The pacing is so painfully disjointed with these detailed, flowery, setting descriptions but plot developments are rushed through, and major shifts seem to happen in a matter of sentences. It’s giving me f***ing whiplash.
The attempt to make Sadie seem quirky and fun seems to be the link to Gilmore Girls, but the dialogue is completely flat, and quite frankly intolerable.
This book just seems like it’s trying way too hard to be something it’s not, and in the process has become some sort of tedious experiment.
Actual quote from me while reading “this is so incredibly juvenile”
Also, why does this book seem like a caricature of a southern small town and Southern Magic but it’s set in California?
December 22, 2023
To start, I am speech to texting this review, because I physically have to scream about this book, and the way that it made me feel because I don’t know if I have ever read anything that I have hated more in my life. This is nothing against the author. This is nothing against the book or the story or anything like that. I think it’s just that I did not relate to a single thing happening in this book and I just don’t think that this book was for me. I don’t think I was the audience for this book and it did not sit well with me at all but anyway welcome to my rant. Please only read at your own discretion
So much dumb shit in this book makes me mad. This book made me so visibly angry to the point where somebody asked me on the train if I was okay while I was reading this book because my face apparently portrayed all of my feelings towards it. To start, why in the name of hell and all things holy would you ever call somebody “toot” and why so many times
Also, I’m sorry, but the main character is so insufferably playing the pick me victim card who loves to be the person who does things for everybody, but only out of their own misery because they want people to know that they’re doing everything for everyone for the clout and attention but also “out of the kindness of their own heart.” Like she knows she’s the main character and we all want her to stfu kind of vibes.
And not to be a bitch, but all of her friends and family are kind of lowkey terrible to her. Firstly, her grandma raises her and keeps all of this shit from her that she then has to take on once her grandmother dies and not even that, but she leaves it to her at the very last moment, and just expects her to have to deal with it.
Her best friend in the whole world who apparently she shares everything with has been fucking her brother behind her back this entire time after her brother leaves and clearly she’s upset about it and wants to know where her brother is only to find out that her best friend who she’s been talking to every single day for the past however many months has been with her brother this entire time.
And don’t even get me started about this fucking love interest dude because he shows up and he’s showing her all this affection, and she for some reason is so into this guy who she dated like 10 years ago and has clearly had a life since but somehow, when it comes to him, her whole life just immediately stops. And he is clearly into her, and like hyping her up and everything, but then tells her in the same breath “I want you so bad” and “I’m engaged and gonna be a dad” and she’s just supposed to take it ? Like what the FUCK. And at one point after she is clearly at her lowest point to the point where she thought that she had to sacrifice herself for her brother and she’s lying there sick in bed and he’s like “I love you so much but I’m trying to be good to my fiancé and my unborn child what am I supposed to do“ and it’s like I DON’T KNOW BITCH YOUUUU ARE THE ONE that’s in full health right now why don’t YOUUUUU make that decision out of your own cognizance you fucking idiot while she’s lying there in bed recovering from poison. Men !!!!!!!
Also, I know this is a really small thing and I know that this is probably something that didn’t bother literally any other human being on this planet but I think the name Bambi for a male dog labrador retriever is probably the stupidest name I’ve ever heard. Also she straight up STOLE HIS DOG. And what dog owner would realize his dog is missing and just … let that happen ? If my dog isn’t in the same room as me I immediately panic and have to go find him and make sure that he’s okay. So I don’t know how the hell this guy let his dog - his brand new puppy, - just amble off into the sweet twilight and then didn’t think to go and look for him immediately. It’s not until four days later he’s like “oh my god did you steal my dog” and it’s supposed to be this cute thing ??? THEY SHOULD NOT BE PET OWNERS.
There’s so much dialogue in this book and there’s so much set up of who the characters are, and who they’re supposed to be in the context of the story and the history of everything and all these rules and honestly I was so bored with it that I cleaned my entire apartment and did four loads of laundry so I didn’t have to finish this book and then I had to force myself to sit back down and read it. The pacing is insane and the beginning front half of the story drags like hell, but then everything kicks off towards the end.
Also imagine your grandma is dying and she comes to you and your twin brother and goes, “hey guys, sorry but I killed your dad and now you have to kill someone else or me of you guys gonna die” like what the literal fuck is that about.
The whole lore of this book and the magic system and everything that goes on within the magic system of this town is so confusing to me, and it just was not set up in a way that I felt was conducive to the actual relationships of the people. Everybody in this family is a terrible caricature of a person, and it frustrated me that every character had one personality trait and that personality trait was then supposed to carry that person throughout the entire book.
I didn’t want the main character to end up with the guy and I didn’t want the main character to have to uphold this entire town and all of their needs. And I also didn’t want the main character to have to deal with her family. In fact, I think that she should’ve kept her magic left that town. Clearly, nobody gives a shit about her and what she wants and everyone keeps checking in with her and asking if she’s okay but nobody actually seems to really care because they’ll see that she’s crying and ask if she’s okay and then immediately load up a story of their whole backstory and what they’re going through and she just has to sit there and listen to them while she’s clearly going through way more than they are.
She’s probably one of the most insufferable characters I have ever met in my entire life. But also the mistreatment of her character in the way that she was just expected to take on so many things when she clearly is hurting … she needs to go to to fucking therapy.
Actually do you know what she needs ? I think that honestly she should leave the town behind and not talk to another single human being in this family or anyone in this town, ESPECIALLY her brother, her best friend and her ex-boyfriend - those three are shit to her, and I hate them.
And clearly at the very beginning of this book the one thing that the main character keeps talking about is how much her magic means to her and how much she has been trying to protect her magic against all odds and has been spending her entire life wanting to keep her magic for herself and for others. And then, at the end of this book, the one thing that she has to give up to save her brother is her magic. The one thing that she is selfishly has been trying to keep for herself even through all of this “heartbreak” even though she knew that there was a curse. She has been persevering to keep her magic this entire time and then we are supposed to be okay with her, giving it up at the end with an ambiguous “well, maybe we can get it back.” Like, I’m sorry but she’s the one who’s utilizing her magic the most by caring for all of these people in this town and how the fuck is she supposed to do that if she had to give up her magic so that the curse can end or whatever. I’m not condemning her brother to death - maybe I am - but honestly that whole situation made me question book burning.
Once again, I am sorry for ranting. I just had a lot of feelings and thoughts while I was reading this and felt the need to get it off of my chest. Maybe it’s the fact that I am an older sister so I felt majority of the feelings that this woman had been going through where everybody just expected her to be okay with everything and nobody really was honestly thinking about her as long as she was still “okay” and taking care of everyone. So maybe this book actually just hit a little bit too close to home and that’s the issue. But also I just don’t think that this book was for me and that’s okay.
However, if you were into witchy books that have big family vibes and small town vibes, definitely give this a try - I’m never going to not recommend some thing to somebody, so this could totally be for you. I, however, apparently had an entire mental breakdown while reading this so maybe that’s some thing I need to unpack for myself
So much dumb shit in this book makes me mad. This book made me so visibly angry to the point where somebody asked me on the train if I was okay while I was reading this book because my face apparently portrayed all of my feelings towards it. To start, why in the name of hell and all things holy would you ever call somebody “toot” and why so many times
Also, I’m sorry, but the main character is so insufferably playing the pick me victim card who loves to be the person who does things for everybody, but only out of their own misery because they want people to know that they’re doing everything for everyone for the clout and attention but also “out of the kindness of their own heart.” Like she knows she’s the main character and we all want her to stfu kind of vibes.
And not to be a bitch, but all of her friends and family are kind of lowkey terrible to her. Firstly, her grandma raises her and keeps all of this shit from her that she then has to take on once her grandmother dies and not even that, but she leaves it to her at the very last moment, and just expects her to have to deal with it.
Her best friend in the whole world who apparently she shares everything with has been fucking her brother behind her back this entire time after her brother leaves and clearly she’s upset about it and wants to know where her brother is only to find out that her best friend who she’s been talking to every single day for the past however many months has been with her brother this entire time.
And don’t even get me started about this fucking love interest dude because he shows up and he’s showing her all this affection, and she for some reason is so into this guy who she dated like 10 years ago and has clearly had a life since but somehow, when it comes to him, her whole life just immediately stops. And he is clearly into her, and like hyping her up and everything, but then tells her in the same breath “I want you so bad” and “I’m engaged and gonna be a dad” and she’s just supposed to take it ? Like what the FUCK. And at one point after she is clearly at her lowest point to the point where she thought that she had to sacrifice herself for her brother and she’s lying there sick in bed and he’s like “I love you so much but I’m trying to be good to my fiancé and my unborn child what am I supposed to do“ and it’s like I DON’T KNOW BITCH YOUUUU ARE THE ONE that’s in full health right now why don’t YOUUUUU make that decision out of your own cognizance you fucking idiot while she’s lying there in bed recovering from poison. Men !!!!!!!
Also, I know this is a really small thing and I know that this is probably something that didn’t bother literally any other human being on this planet but I think the name Bambi for a male dog labrador retriever is probably the stupidest name I’ve ever heard. Also she straight up STOLE HIS DOG. And what dog owner would realize his dog is missing and just … let that happen ? If my dog isn’t in the same room as me I immediately panic and have to go find him and make sure that he’s okay. So I don’t know how the hell this guy let his dog - his brand new puppy, - just amble off into the sweet twilight and then didn’t think to go and look for him immediately. It’s not until four days later he’s like “oh my god did you steal my dog” and it’s supposed to be this cute thing ??? THEY SHOULD NOT BE PET OWNERS.
There’s so much dialogue in this book and there’s so much set up of who the characters are, and who they’re supposed to be in the context of the story and the history of everything and all these rules and honestly I was so bored with it that I cleaned my entire apartment and did four loads of laundry so I didn’t have to finish this book and then I had to force myself to sit back down and read it. The pacing is insane and the beginning front half of the story drags like hell, but then everything kicks off towards the end.
Also imagine your grandma is dying and she comes to you and your twin brother and goes, “hey guys, sorry but I killed your dad and now you have to kill someone else or me of you guys gonna die” like what the literal fuck is that about.
The whole lore of this book and the magic system and everything that goes on within the magic system of this town is so confusing to me, and it just was not set up in a way that I felt was conducive to the actual relationships of the people. Everybody in this family is a terrible caricature of a person, and it frustrated me that every character had one personality trait and that personality trait was then supposed to carry that person throughout the entire book.
I didn’t want the main character to end up with the guy and I didn’t want the main character to have to uphold this entire town and all of their needs. And I also didn’t want the main character to have to deal with her family. In fact, I think that she should’ve kept her magic left that town. Clearly, nobody gives a shit about her and what she wants and everyone keeps checking in with her and asking if she’s okay but nobody actually seems to really care because they’ll see that she’s crying and ask if she’s okay and then immediately load up a story of their whole backstory and what they’re going through and she just has to sit there and listen to them while she’s clearly going through way more than they are.
She’s probably one of the most insufferable characters I have ever met in my entire life. But also the mistreatment of her character in the way that she was just expected to take on so many things when she clearly is hurting … she needs to go to to fucking therapy.
Actually do you know what she needs ? I think that honestly she should leave the town behind and not talk to another single human being in this family or anyone in this town, ESPECIALLY her brother, her best friend and her ex-boyfriend - those three are shit to her, and I hate them.
And clearly at the very beginning of this book the one thing that the main character keeps talking about is how much her magic means to her and how much she has been trying to protect her magic against all odds and has been spending her entire life wanting to keep her magic for herself and for others. And then, at the end of this book, the one thing that she has to give up to save her brother is her magic. The one thing that she is selfishly has been trying to keep for herself even through all of this “heartbreak” even though she knew that there was a curse. She has been persevering to keep her magic this entire time and then we are supposed to be okay with her, giving it up at the end with an ambiguous “well, maybe we can get it back.” Like, I’m sorry but she’s the one who’s utilizing her magic the most by caring for all of these people in this town and how the fuck is she supposed to do that if she had to give up her magic so that the curse can end or whatever. I’m not condemning her brother to death - maybe I am - but honestly that whole situation made me question book burning.
Once again, I am sorry for ranting. I just had a lot of feelings and thoughts while I was reading this and felt the need to get it off of my chest. Maybe it’s the fact that I am an older sister so I felt majority of the feelings that this woman had been going through where everybody just expected her to be okay with everything and nobody really was honestly thinking about her as long as she was still “okay” and taking care of everyone. So maybe this book actually just hit a little bit too close to home and that’s the issue. But also I just don’t think that this book was for me and that’s okay.
However, if you were into witchy books that have big family vibes and small town vibes, definitely give this a try - I’m never going to not recommend some thing to somebody, so this could totally be for you. I, however, apparently had an entire mental breakdown while reading this so maybe that’s some thing I need to unpack for myself
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2023
DNF. This is probably the worst book I’ve ever read. I can’t with all of the dumb similes. If there is one thing this author excels at, it’s marketing, because I totally fell into the TikTok hype. Lesson learned.
October 2, 2023
This entire book felt like an advertisement for Young Living essential oils and lo and behold, about three quarters into it, Thieves (a popular YL exclusive product) was used by the protagonist. I didn’t know I could get pyramid schemed through a novel.
Also, I’ve never read a novel about Christian witches with so many biblical stories interwoven. I signed up for a cozy romance. Not Sunday school.
And the ending seems to set up a sequel. Should that come to fruition - hard pass from me.
Also, I’ve never read a novel about Christian witches with so many biblical stories interwoven. I signed up for a cozy romance. Not Sunday school.
And the ending seems to set up a sequel. Should that come to fruition - hard pass from me.
September 24, 2023
I was really looking forward to this book, but it ended up being a colossal disappointment. The biggest problem is that the marketing of this book is setting it up for failure. It should be marketed as a Christian-oriented death-in-the-family drama, but instead it’s being sold as a romance where “Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls.” The story may borrow certain plots wholesale from those titles, but that does not mean that it is anything like them. The story is apparently set in California, but the small town presented hits just about every Southern trope you can imagine. The characters speak primarily in cliche and aphorism. They are on the whole indistinguishable from each other and very flat in their characterization. The world-building and magic system is barely there and anything paranormal in the story could have been cut pretty easily. The story consists primarily of baking, going to a church, and family reunion scenes. It’s incredibly dull. I found myself skimming to the end. The romance is lackluster and the love interest is absent for most of the story. He shows up to have scenes that don’t make much emotional sense with the main character primarily to move along the plot and then disappears. The writing on the whole was repetitive and overwrought. I really thought this was going to be such a good read for early fall, but I feel like I was duped by misleading advertising. I’m sure there is an audience that will enjoy this book, but it is not being marketed very effectively so I doubt it will find its way to them.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2023
if you’re here because you were promised Gilmore Girls, and you’ve seen every episode multiple times, turn around and walk away right now. this book ain’t for you.
if you’re going to market your book as “Gilmore Girls meets..” I expect any two of the following items (and this book had none):
- witty banter (none to be found here)
- single mom + daughter who are besties (twins raised by a grandma)
- all the cute small town vibes (she tried but 🤷🏼♀️ it definitely ain’t Stars Hollow)
- Luke Danes, or a version of him (no father figure to be found, and no hot grumpy cafe owner)
- innumerable references to coffee (they drank it but they never expressed their love for it)
- a swoony love interest (I’d take Jess or Logan! Jake was definitely more Dean-coded 🤢)
- lovable side characters/found family (there were lots of family members but no Kirk or Patty or Babette or Sookie or Taylor)
overall, it was a fine book (that may or may not have made me cry) that I would’ve enjoyed a whole lot more had I not been promised Gilmore Girls.
… but then again, maybe not because Sadie was basically a doormat and Jake is an arse.
I do think the recipes after each chapter was a fun touch. ultimately, i think this was just marketed incorrectly.
if you’re going to market your book as “Gilmore Girls meets..” I expect any two of the following items (and this book had none):
- witty banter (none to be found here)
- single mom + daughter who are besties (twins raised by a grandma)
- all the cute small town vibes (she tried but 🤷🏼♀️ it definitely ain’t Stars Hollow)
- Luke Danes, or a version of him (no father figure to be found, and no hot grumpy cafe owner)
- innumerable references to coffee (they drank it but they never expressed their love for it)
- a swoony love interest (I’d take Jess or Logan! Jake was definitely more Dean-coded 🤢)
- lovable side characters/found family (there were lots of family members but no Kirk or Patty or Babette or Sookie or Taylor)
overall, it was a fine book (that may or may not have made me cry) that I would’ve enjoyed a whole lot more had I not been promised Gilmore Girls.
… but then again, maybe not because Sadie was basically a doormat and Jake is an arse.
I do think the recipes after each chapter was a fun touch. ultimately, i think this was just marketed incorrectly.
November 4, 2023
Usually, I try to find some redeeming quality in a book to justify a two star rating, but there was something about this book that was so fundamentally unpleasant, foundationally grating, that I cannot bring myself to give it such a courtesy.
I read some of the other negative reviews after getting 10% into the book because I smelled something afoot, and even with the warning, I could not have been prepared for the fuckery that went down.
There was something so amateurish about how the plot was constructed, very disjointed and pulled apart at the seams. There were a bunch of frayed edges and jagged corners and the plotlines did not feel like natural foils and parallels of each other, but each as distinct storylines that were all left underdeveloped and, dare I say, undercooked.
The prose was painfully overwritten. I have criticized other books for telling too much, but trying to do so in a pretty way, and this book falls straight into that trap. There were a couple of fisted in scenes that might have been the characters looking into the camera and explaining exactly how they were feeling and what message they were meant to learn. And because we're told these things instead of realizing them with the character, all the characterizations feel cardboard and lifeless.
I really did not like the main character. I was actively rooting for her failure. The entire thing about how she hates when other people leave and feels lonely, you think that the message would be about making peace with that and moving on, but instead it was "everyone always comes back". Like girl... that's not what cozy means? Cozy isn't about bending reality to your will so delude yourself into feeling better. The truth is that people leave. And that's /fine/. It just felt all over the place. I was genuinely agape. Aghast. Struck.
I think the main exemplifier of this point is the romance. It's supposed to be a second chance romance. Except she fell in love with this man when she was /17/ and now she's /28/. They haven't talked since. She does not know this man. And for that ENTIRE TIME he was still hung up on her. IKYFLLL!!!! What kind of delusion is this? WHAT KIND OF DELUSION? It's one thing if they kept up with each other or if he came back and they had the time to get to relearn who each other are and fall in love again... but no. All you know is that they loved each other, and he broke her heart because he chose to leave, and when he came back, the spark instantly rekindled and they loved each other again. There was no development into who they were as people, or even why they really loved each other, besides the narrator telling the audience in the most basic of terms, which feels so disingenuous because she's delusional.
There were huge plotholes in how the magic and the curses worked. It got way too convoluted. Idgaf about unravelling all that. Like if their birth demanded a sacrifice because they shouldn't have been conceived... what about... you know what... never mind... If you had the misfortune of reading this book, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
The main character's brother was the most interesting part of the book, namely because he's the only person who has any mystery behind them. But even then, when the mystery is revealed, it feels so surface-level. Once again, we just get the top layer explained to us, before the rest gets shuffled forward. Come ON!!!! Why don't any of these characters have any interiority...
Now. Definitely the worst part of the book was the way it attempted to tackle serious topics. CW for sexual assault/drug abuse/murder.
You find out that the main character and her brother were conceived out of rape and their mother was groomed when she was young. Which, everyone can admit is terrible. There's some fuckshit with magic and apparently that's why she wasn't in their lives, but for some reason that's not explained to the main character until she's 28. Even then, that doesn't stop the weird victim blaming that happens later in the book when her mother's relationship with her groomer is brought up. Like, when they talk about him and her conception, the conversations ARE about rape, but they're not talking about it as if it's rape. I felt so insane. IT'S INSANE.
Another point, there's an entire story randomly in the middle about the love interest's experience when he was off in the city. It's an over romanticization of small-town life, as if these small towns in rural areas aren't hotbeds of Republican activity. But of course that's better than the #crime of the big cities. The love interest talks about the gangs and the drugs and it's just... okay like. He just brings up teens dying in gang wars and people having drug problems to a point where a ten year old overdoses on cocaine?? And she doesn't have anything to really say about any of this. She just drops it as #tragic backstory for cheap sympathy points. It's sooo fucking weird and distasteful. And on top of this while he's explain all of this, the love interest goes "I tried to help them and even brought xyz character to church with me" and you go ah. well there we go.
The weird victim blaming of the mother, the way they talk about the main character's conception from rape that almost feels like it parallels pro life rhetoric (this point is a bit of a stretch, but I do think the way it's presented in the book will resonate with pro lifers regardless of intent), the way the love interest almost gets baby trapped, the way the witches in the book follow pagan rituals but refuse to call themselves witches and instead are Christians and go to church. It all screams weird Christian holier-than-thou vibes. I don't even know if that's what the author believes, but that's what's textually in the book. It's sooo nasty lmao.
Usually I go "I'm sure this book has an audience" and you know what... I'm sure what this book thinks it is has an audience. Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic. This convoluted, strange, delusional book does not unless maybe you're a Mary Cooper from Young Sheldon type. I feel so duped lmao. Don't read it.
I read some of the other negative reviews after getting 10% into the book because I smelled something afoot, and even with the warning, I could not have been prepared for the fuckery that went down.
There was something so amateurish about how the plot was constructed, very disjointed and pulled apart at the seams. There were a bunch of frayed edges and jagged corners and the plotlines did not feel like natural foils and parallels of each other, but each as distinct storylines that were all left underdeveloped and, dare I say, undercooked.
The prose was painfully overwritten. I have criticized other books for telling too much, but trying to do so in a pretty way, and this book falls straight into that trap. There were a couple of fisted in scenes that might have been the characters looking into the camera and explaining exactly how they were feeling and what message they were meant to learn. And because we're told these things instead of realizing them with the character, all the characterizations feel cardboard and lifeless.
I really did not like the main character. I was actively rooting for her failure. The entire thing about how she hates when other people leave and feels lonely, you think that the message would be about making peace with that and moving on, but instead it was "everyone always comes back". Like girl... that's not what cozy means? Cozy isn't about bending reality to your will so delude yourself into feeling better. The truth is that people leave. And that's /fine/. It just felt all over the place. I was genuinely agape. Aghast. Struck.
I think the main exemplifier of this point is the romance. It's supposed to be a second chance romance. Except she fell in love with this man when she was /17/ and now she's /28/. They haven't talked since. She does not know this man. And for that ENTIRE TIME he was still hung up on her. IKYFLLL!!!! What kind of delusion is this? WHAT KIND OF DELUSION? It's one thing if they kept up with each other or if he came back and they had the time to get to relearn who each other are and fall in love again... but no. All you know is that they loved each other, and he broke her heart because he chose to leave, and when he came back, the spark instantly rekindled and they loved each other again. There was no development into who they were as people, or even why they really loved each other, besides the narrator telling the audience in the most basic of terms, which feels so disingenuous because she's delusional.
There were huge plotholes in how the magic and the curses worked. It got way too convoluted. Idgaf about unravelling all that. Like if their birth demanded a sacrifice because they shouldn't have been conceived... what about... you know what... never mind... If you had the misfortune of reading this book, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
The main character's brother was the most interesting part of the book, namely because he's the only person who has any mystery behind them. But even then, when the mystery is revealed, it feels so surface-level. Once again, we just get the top layer explained to us, before the rest gets shuffled forward. Come ON!!!! Why don't any of these characters have any interiority...
Now. Definitely the worst part of the book was the way it attempted to tackle serious topics. CW for sexual assault/drug abuse/murder.
You find out that the main character and her brother were conceived out of rape and their mother was groomed when she was young. Which, everyone can admit is terrible. There's some fuckshit with magic and apparently that's why she wasn't in their lives, but for some reason that's not explained to the main character until she's 28. Even then, that doesn't stop the weird victim blaming that happens later in the book when her mother's relationship with her groomer is brought up. Like, when they talk about him and her conception, the conversations ARE about rape, but they're not talking about it as if it's rape. I felt so insane. IT'S INSANE.
Another point, there's an entire story randomly in the middle about the love interest's experience when he was off in the city. It's an over romanticization of small-town life, as if these small towns in rural areas aren't hotbeds of Republican activity. But of course that's better than the #crime of the big cities. The love interest talks about the gangs and the drugs and it's just... okay like. He just brings up teens dying in gang wars and people having drug problems to a point where a ten year old overdoses on cocaine?? And she doesn't have anything to really say about any of this. She just drops it as #tragic backstory for cheap sympathy points. It's sooo fucking weird and distasteful. And on top of this while he's explain all of this, the love interest goes "I tried to help them and even brought xyz character to church with me" and you go ah. well there we go.
The weird victim blaming of the mother, the way they talk about the main character's conception from rape that almost feels like it parallels pro life rhetoric (this point is a bit of a stretch, but I do think the way it's presented in the book will resonate with pro lifers regardless of intent), the way the love interest almost gets baby trapped, the way the witches in the book follow pagan rituals but refuse to call themselves witches and instead are Christians and go to church. It all screams weird Christian holier-than-thou vibes. I don't even know if that's what the author believes, but that's what's textually in the book. It's sooo nasty lmao.
Usually I go "I'm sure this book has an audience" and you know what... I'm sure what this book thinks it is has an audience. Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic. This convoluted, strange, delusional book does not unless maybe you're a Mary Cooper from Young Sheldon type. I feel so duped lmao. Don't read it.
October 10, 2023
First things first: I hated this.
The grammar mistakes alone were enough to make me want to rip my eyes out.
The first third of the book was cute and cozy and exactly what I expected. Nothing overly unique but enough to hold my interest. The prospect of baking and magic and family drama all wrapped up in a silly little bow. But then there was a completely out of pocket plot twist that did not at all match the material from the first hundred pages - and that’s just the start.
I didn’t care about any of the characters (Seth excluded) because there was no development and almost no backstory. Almost all of them were flat and one-dimensional. Sadie, the female protagonist, is one of the most childish, selfish characters I have ever seen. I’ve never known a character to victimize themselves as much as she does. I was very ready for her to sacrifice herself at the end and be done with it.
The “love story” is a total joke. Jake, the love interest, is a mystery. I couldn’t tell you a single characteristic of his because he wasn’t given any. Which, in turn, made it difficult to root for a romantic relationship between a self proclaimed victim and a man with no personality. Not to mention the unfortunate use of the “I lied about my pregnancy” trope.
Also - who allows someone to just take their dog?! Sadie basically kidnapped Jake’s dog and he was fine with it?! Probably because he didn’t have enough personality to react properly in that situation.
The addition of “witches” (who refuse to call themselves witches) going to church and practicing Baptist Christianity was so unbelievably weird. There was an obvious tonal shift every time someone mentioned the Bible or church. It was such an unnecessary touch and I can’t understand why it was included in a book about witchcraft.
It was set in California but was written like it was set in a small southern town, which is confusing just on its own. I thought I was going to lose my mind if I heard Gigi say “shit ass” or “pissant” one more time. Find other stupid endearments or don’t use them at all!
This was somehow both overwritten and underwritten. At least five different genres - and not intentionally. So many bad tropes. So many grammatical errors.
All in all, yikes. Would not recommend.
“Whoever said this was a Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic crossover was seriously disturbed” - Elle Woods
The grammar mistakes alone were enough to make me want to rip my eyes out.
The first third of the book was cute and cozy and exactly what I expected. Nothing overly unique but enough to hold my interest. The prospect of baking and magic and family drama all wrapped up in a silly little bow. But then there was a completely out of pocket plot twist that did not at all match the material from the first hundred pages - and that’s just the start.
I didn’t care about any of the characters (Seth excluded) because there was no development and almost no backstory. Almost all of them were flat and one-dimensional. Sadie, the female protagonist, is one of the most childish, selfish characters I have ever seen. I’ve never known a character to victimize themselves as much as she does. I was very ready for her to sacrifice herself at the end and be done with it.
The “love story” is a total joke. Jake, the love interest, is a mystery. I couldn’t tell you a single characteristic of his because he wasn’t given any. Which, in turn, made it difficult to root for a romantic relationship between a self proclaimed victim and a man with no personality. Not to mention the unfortunate use of the “I lied about my pregnancy” trope.
Also - who allows someone to just take their dog?! Sadie basically kidnapped Jake’s dog and he was fine with it?! Probably because he didn’t have enough personality to react properly in that situation.
The addition of “witches” (who refuse to call themselves witches) going to church and practicing Baptist Christianity was so unbelievably weird. There was an obvious tonal shift every time someone mentioned the Bible or church. It was such an unnecessary touch and I can’t understand why it was included in a book about witchcraft.
It was set in California but was written like it was set in a small southern town, which is confusing just on its own. I thought I was going to lose my mind if I heard Gigi say “shit ass” or “pissant” one more time. Find other stupid endearments or don’t use them at all!
This was somehow both overwritten and underwritten. At least five different genres - and not intentionally. So many bad tropes. So many grammatical errors.
All in all, yikes. Would not recommend.
“Whoever said this was a Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic crossover was seriously disturbed” - Elle Woods
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2024
Your star ratings warned me off this one. But my curiosity about this cute title got the better of me.
Let me tell you what was good about this book…
The recipes. Every chapter provided one. Yum. 😋Well, I don’t know if I would cook or eat like that, but they looked good. A bit high in calories for me…cherry cheese pie? Fried chicken? Chocolate Pecan Pie? Healing salve. Oh wait, that isn’t to eat, but it was a recipe.
Now, this book also said it was like the Gilmore Girls. Now I have never watched that show, so I have no idea what that meant. So, I went into this blindly.
But having just been off a book discussion group of Practical Magic and finishing posting the last in the series with The Rules of Magic, I know all about that series, which this book was also compared to, and…nope, not close.
So, what can I say?
When your Goodreads friends ratings are low, pay attention.
Touted as a comfy cozy magical book that believes in love and family and romance…well...
The family issues and romance made the plot long and drawn out which didn’t flow well or feel natural. So, the story just flopped for me.
Let me tell you what was good about this book…
The recipes. Every chapter provided one. Yum. 😋Well, I don’t know if I would cook or eat like that, but they looked good. A bit high in calories for me…cherry cheese pie? Fried chicken? Chocolate Pecan Pie? Healing salve. Oh wait, that isn’t to eat, but it was a recipe.
Now, this book also said it was like the Gilmore Girls. Now I have never watched that show, so I have no idea what that meant. So, I went into this blindly.
But having just been off a book discussion group of Practical Magic and finishing posting the last in the series with The Rules of Magic, I know all about that series, which this book was also compared to, and…nope, not close.
So, what can I say?
When your Goodreads friends ratings are low, pay attention.
Touted as a comfy cozy magical book that believes in love and family and romance…well...
The family issues and romance made the plot long and drawn out which didn’t flow well or feel natural. So, the story just flopped for me.
September 30, 2023
DNF. This was my most anticipated read this fall and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so swindled with a book. This, to me, is a textbook example of how social media marketing of books is destroying the art form.
There were zero Practical Magic/Gilmore Girls vibes to be found, although the book was heavily marketed this way. I think perhaps in this case, the hubris of the marketing backfired. Alice Hoffman, the author of PM, is an expert of the craft. She’s a veteran writer of literature. To compare this book to any of hers is wild. I don’t even think this book classifies as magical realism in genre, tbh. It is barely witchy - more like undercover Christian Hallmark movie vibes. I also got zero fall vibes? Cozy is not a word I’d use to describe this at all. It’s a mishmash of popular tropes in order to sell and that’s about it. There’s no substance.
I simply could not get into it. I kept having to reread pages, multiple times, because the writing was so distracting and overly descriptive. It was truly hard to follow the plot at all, who was speaking, where characters physically were, etc. I could not tell you where geographically this was set from the text because I thought the American South but also Great Britain and it’s apparently set in California? The recipes after each chapter took me out of the book entirely, and since I was already struggling to follow the plot, this was a big deal. I wish the author much success and I am happy for her, but I just couldn’t like this book.
If I didn’t know better, I would think this book created by AI. Super disappointed.
There were zero Practical Magic/Gilmore Girls vibes to be found, although the book was heavily marketed this way. I think perhaps in this case, the hubris of the marketing backfired. Alice Hoffman, the author of PM, is an expert of the craft. She’s a veteran writer of literature. To compare this book to any of hers is wild. I don’t even think this book classifies as magical realism in genre, tbh. It is barely witchy - more like undercover Christian Hallmark movie vibes. I also got zero fall vibes? Cozy is not a word I’d use to describe this at all. It’s a mishmash of popular tropes in order to sell and that’s about it. There’s no substance.
I simply could not get into it. I kept having to reread pages, multiple times, because the writing was so distracting and overly descriptive. It was truly hard to follow the plot at all, who was speaking, where characters physically were, etc. I could not tell you where geographically this was set from the text because I thought the American South but also Great Britain and it’s apparently set in California? The recipes after each chapter took me out of the book entirely, and since I was already struggling to follow the plot, this was a big deal. I wish the author much success and I am happy for her, but I just couldn’t like this book.
If I didn’t know better, I would think this book created by AI. Super disappointed.
November 14, 2023
1. This book sucks.
2. Sadie is a wet blanket.
3. There was no plot.
4. She steals someone’s dog
5. The grandma just casually murders someone
6. Way too Christian
2. Sadie is a wet blanket.
3. There was no plot.
4. She steals someone’s dog
5. The grandma just casually murders someone
6. Way too Christian
July 10, 2023
“Hold on to hope no matter the cost, because as long as there’s hope, everything else is just the unfortunate side effects of heartbreak and magic.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishing team for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic follows Sadie, since a young age she’s known that her magic comes with a curse: four heartbreaks, the next worst than the last; and if this curse becomes real she’s going to lose her magic. The book starts with her in her late twenties dealing with all the walls she’s built up in her life because of this. What happens when her biggest heartbreak comes back into town and messes up her meticulously organized life?
“𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧.”
❥ World-building 5/10
❥ Writing-style 5/10
❥ Romance 6/10
I absolutely loved the first 30% of this book. It gave me cozy fantasy vibes; the tone and writing of the book was beautiful. But around the 34% mark, the tone completely changed and the writing started to be too repetitive for me. I wanted to love this so badly, but that plot twist k* worded the book for me.
Is it a bad book? Absolutely not. I can see a lot of people enjoying and loving it. In my opinion, the romance is the best part of this book. But it just didn’t do it for me.
“𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”
꧁My favorite quotes from this book꧂
“But life isn’t that simple. It’s not black and white like that, Sade. It’s messy and hard and breathtaking. And those are the things that knock the rough edges off. That makes life worth living.”
“She thought about telling him that knowing what you want is its own kind of curse. Because when else are you so aware that you’re never going to get it? Not knowing meant possibility and dreaming and hopes.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishing team for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic follows Sadie, since a young age she’s known that her magic comes with a curse: four heartbreaks, the next worst than the last; and if this curse becomes real she’s going to lose her magic. The book starts with her in her late twenties dealing with all the walls she’s built up in her life because of this. What happens when her biggest heartbreak comes back into town and messes up her meticulously organized life?
“𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧.”
❥ World-building 5/10
❥ Writing-style 5/10
❥ Romance 6/10
I absolutely loved the first 30% of this book. It gave me cozy fantasy vibes; the tone and writing of the book was beautiful. But around the 34% mark, the tone completely changed and the writing started to be too repetitive for me. I wanted to love this so badly, but that plot twist k* worded the book for me.
Is it a bad book? Absolutely not. I can see a lot of people enjoying and loving it. In my opinion, the romance is the best part of this book. But it just didn’t do it for me.
“𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”
꧁My favorite quotes from this book꧂
“But life isn’t that simple. It’s not black and white like that, Sade. It’s messy and hard and breathtaking. And those are the things that knock the rough edges off. That makes life worth living.”
“She thought about telling him that knowing what you want is its own kind of curse. Because when else are you so aware that you’re never going to get it? Not knowing meant possibility and dreaming and hopes.”
October 25, 2023
the unfortunate thing about this book is… it was not good. 🫣 it was HEAVILY hyped as being “gilmore girls meets practical magic” and while there was magic (albeit shoddily crafted and with so little clarity or actual sense), there was none of the gg charm or wit or warmth. and yall — if i had a penny for every dang simile in this book, i could quit my job. THERE WERE SO MANY IT WAS PAINFUL. i truly wanted to find constructive ways to review and share this book because there’s been so much buzz around it but… i’ve got nothing. i didn’t like it. it wasn’t for me. i don’t recommend it and i should have called it a DNF when i first noticed how often “like a …” was used by like page 5… 🫠🫠🫠
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 11, 2024dnf @ 31%
the recipes are so cute and whimsical, but the story is just not delivering for me.
also, why is a witch going to church every sunday?
the recipes are so cute and whimsical, but the story is just not delivering for me.
also, why is a witch going to church every sunday?
October 8, 2024
Just... nope. This one was not for me :(
Shelved as 'dnf'
October 8, 2024💀 pls DNF @6% (ch2) started this bc it’s on my physical TBR and I wanted fall / witchy vibes, only to browse the gr reviews and find out this is some kind of poorly disguised christian fiction PLEASSEEE lmfao. At least the reviews made me laugh and I got one adorable recipe out of this, will happily donate
October 29, 2023
I felt like this book wasted my time. It was all over the place, and because of that never hooked me. It had a lot of promise as a cozy and delightful magical fall read but it was all over the place. It really felt like it was trying to hard to be to many things and never excelled at any of them. I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters, and it was really just a big flop for me. It made big promises that it failed to deliver on.
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