Before I Do by. Sophie Cousens | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Before I Do

Author: Sophie Cousens

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/11/22

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Romance, Wedding, Women’s Fiction

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

What would you do if ‘the one that got away’ turned up the night before your wedding?

Head-in-the-stars Audrey is about to marry down-to-earth Josh. Though they are polar opposites, they have a healthy, stable relationship; Josh is just what Audrey needs. But romance should be unpredictable and full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey’s found herself wondering if Josh really is The One.

So, when Josh’s sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey’s What If? guy–the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with–Audrey finds herself torn. Surely Fred’s appearance the night before she is due to get married can’t be a coincidence. And when everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to ask herself: Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humour?

Content Warning: divorce, sexual harassment

Sophie Cousens is becoming a must read author for me. I read one of her books last year and decided to request this one because I liked it so much. She did it again! I really enjoyed this one so let’s take a look at what did and didn’t work for me:

+ I usually hate jumping timelines, but I was hooked from the prologue! There are a few timelines: the present timeline – where Audrey is about to get married. We also follow her childhood to get an idea of her home life and what made her feel underserving of happiness plus how she came to view love and marriage as an adult. Lastly, there is another timeline involving the guy who “got away” – was he the one? I think the way the timelines are written is done so well.

+ Audrey questions if her fiancé, Josh, is really her soul mate or is it that guy, Fred, from the past who she can’t stop thinking about? Is she supposed to follow the signs and fate? Or is she supposed to stick to what’s solid and there for her, like Josh? At some moments the book reminded me of the movies Serendipity and The Wedding Singer…haha – in good ways! I found Audrey so relatable in the ways she questioned soul mates or how she felt about Fred in the past and Josh in the present.

+ I honestly loved Audrey’s meet cute with Fred – I can see why she never forgot about him. But I also fell in love with how she met Josh and how their relationship grew over time. I was Team Josh but because the way the timelines are written, I really wasn’t sure what Audrey was going to do! I was worried for her and it kept me engaged in the story.

+ I love the side characters like her best-friend Clara, who give us a tiny glimpse into her life and dealing with having twins. And Josh’s sister Miranda represented the bridesmaid who is never the bride and feeling bad about it. Honestly weddings bring out the worst emotions in people sometimes. It’s stressful for everyone but I found everyone gathered for the wedding so much fun because of the chaos.

+ This book was full of emotions when it came to the story of Audrey, her dad, and their shared love of astronomy. Then there is her relationship with Josh which in essence is sweet because they are opposites but that’s why they work even though sometimes it got challenging.

~ Oh Audrey was about to throw it all away because she was stressed out about Fred! It was stressing me out because Fred was barely in her life except for as a memory about a day!

~ Audrey’s mother is her own person but she really broke up their family and let Audrey see her go in and out of relationships not even thinking of the consequences. I thought she was lucky Audrey loved her so much and was so forgiving of her constant infidelity. I don’t think i could have been that forgiving! But I think it shows how Audrey was mature enough to let her mother be who she was and not make it her problem – except for Benedict, who is a despicable man.

Tropes: opposites attract, what ifs

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

it’s a heart felt story filled with humor, emotion, chaos, bad omens, and love
great writing – the timelines really drew me into the story, making me want to find out what happened at the wedding!
Audrey’s story: her past with her mom and dad, her mom’s infidelity, her own dating choices before meeting Josh, and her what if guy-Fred…I was sucked into the story

Why you might not want to read it:

Some people might not be a fan of Audrey having cold feet about Josh before the wedding, but marriage is a big step and weddings are super stressful.

My Thoughts:

This story is entertaining, engaging, funny, sweet and heart warming. I was invested in Audrey and her photo booth meet cute with Fred and then boring Josh comes along and what do you know…he’s not that boring after all. I love this story and it just makes me want to read more books from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Here are other books by this author that I have read or reviewed on this blog:

Just Haven’t Met You Yet by. Sophie Cousens | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spells For Lost Things by. Jenna Evans Welch | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Spells for Lost Things

Author: Jenna Evans Welch

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 9/27/22

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Coming of Age, Family, Witches, Contemporary, Teen Readers

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.

There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it?

Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other?

Content Warning: foster care, parent with drug addiction, running away, divorce

I requested this book because I loved the colors of the book cover and the title. I love books about witches. The name of the author seemed so familiar to me and of course it is, since she wrote the Love & Gelato series. Here is what did and didn’t work for me:

+ I love Willow and Mason. The characters don’t meet until about 20% into the story but we get a good background of Willow and her need to travel, her feelings of being trapped with a mom who has pushed her away and a dad busy with his new family. Mason’s mom is a drug addict and he’s been in the foster care system for a long time but all he wants is to be with his mom again, but he can’t find her. He moves to a new foster family but maybe this time it will be different or not.

+ The story is set in Salem, Massachusetts and with their history of witches its the perfect setting. Willow learns more of her mother’s secretive past there and meets Mason. I love uncovering the Bell women’s past, including meeting Willow’s aunts who all dabble in a little witchcraft – they are so sweet and funny. The restored house that is part of the secret history sounds absolutely magical.

+ The romance is sweet and really beautiful. I love how Willow and Mason meet, become friends and partners, but feel a magical bond between them. They are still young and have a future wide open to them but I love how they start falling for one another even with their futures undecided. I like the hope of the two of them together.

+ I found myself tearing up at the end of this story mostly because of Mason’s story. He’s had a tough time and all he wants is his mom. He has to realize in the end that she might not be the best person to raise him and I can only imagine his pain and hurt. It’s a surprisingly emotional story! On the other hand, Willow has her own issues with her mom and it does get resolved in the end. I’m just happy Willow found her family and home…same as Mason.

~ Willow’s mom is a hard one to crack – she’s kept her past secret and it hurt Willow a lot. Willow doesn’t know her mom like she thought and I was so frustrated with her mom because all Willow wants, is to be close to her mom. It’s a sad situation. This book was about romance and family, but definitely the bonds between a mom and her child which I can relate to.

~ I thought Nova, one of Mason’s new sister was an interesting character who was there in the beginning but as Mason and Willow spent more time together, we heard less of her – but I’d love to know more about her!

~ the characters don’t meet right away and I do wish they meet sooner. We get a lot of background information on Willow and Mason in the first few chapters, but I do think some of that could have moved quicker to them meeting.

Tropes: broken families, family secrets, first love

Why you should read it:

it’s a heartfelt story with innocent romance, and tells a story about bonds between sisters, family, mom and child
it’s got a little bit of witchcraft, and mystery
Willow and Mason’s romance is the sweetest thing
Willow and Mason have their personal life challenges and I like that each had to deal with it in their own way, but they come out safe and loved in the end

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s not a book about witchcraft – there isn’t much of it

My Thoughts:

This is such a heartwarming story, especially around the themes around family and moms. Mason’s story brought tears to my eyes as he struggles with moving to a new foster home and trying to find his mom. I love that he meets Willow in the process, a girl who is always dealing with trying to find a place that feels like home. There isn’t much witchcraft in the story but I feel like whatever was tied to witches or witchcraft was used to help them hope for something better for both of them in their separate situations. Lovely story and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Here are other books by this author that I have read or reviewed on this blog:

Love & Olives by. Jenna Evans Welch | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Love & Gelato by. Jenna Evans Welch ~ never reviewed on blog but goodreads says I gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

The Monarchs by. Kass Morgan & Danielle Paige | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Monarchs (The Ravens, #2)

Author: Kass Morgan & Danielle Paige

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 1/11/22

Publisher: Clarion Books

Categories: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Witches, Sorority, College

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Clarion Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this thrilling conclusion to New York Times best-selling authors Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige’s The Ravens, the sorority witches are tested when a rival threatens to usurp their place on campus and the forces of hell come knocking on their door.

The sorority girls at Kappa Rho Nu—the Ravens—are determined to restore balance to the world. After destroying an ancient talisman and barely saving their sorority in the process, they’ll go to any lengths to keep their secret as Westerly’s most powerful coven of witches.

Scarlett Winter, a legacy Raven, has finally gotten what she’s always wanted: the Kappa Rho Nu presidency. After the disaster that killed the sorority’s last president, Scarlett is determined that no sister will fall under the sway of wicked magic ever again. But the powers of the presidency have their own pitfalls—and Scarlett has big shoes to fill.

Vivi Devereaux, a freshman, finally knows what it feels like to belong. For the first time ever, she’s got it all: her Kappa Rho Nu sisters and a sweet (and hot) boyfriend. When Scarlett assigns Vivi the coveted role of social chair, Vivi is determined to live up to her Big’s expectations—even if that means dabbling in a new form of magic.

Unbeknownst to the Ravens, new rivals and ancient evils lurk on Westerly’s campus. With Kappa Rho Nu’s future on their shoulders and their pasts still haunting them, will Scarlett and Vivi be able to save their sisterhood once again?

The thing I enjoy about this series is the witchcraft the sisters actually do – by using chants and their magic elements. It feels like the movie, The Craft which was a fun witchy movie. I also like that there was an evil power at work and we didn’t know who it could be, although there are a few suspects. The rival sorority house a good storyline too because the Kappas are pretty private.

I enjoyed the mystery part of the story as the girls try to figure out what or who is attacking them. There is a revelation near the end that I wish would lead into a book three but it seems like this is a duology? But in a sense things were wrapped up conveniently at the end.

Scarlett is now the head of the Kappas but her leadership is being tested on every front. Scarlet’s love life is a mess also, something is going on with Jackson and a new guy, Xavier comes into the picture. Vivi is now social chair and taking on more responsibilities on top of dating Mason but she is overwhelmed with trying to figure out what’s happening to the Kappas.

Content Warning: self harm

The romance storylines didn’t work for me. Jackson doesn’t want anything to do with Scarlett and she’s bummed about it but a new guy comes into the picture, but he’s a bit of a mystery. Vivi and Mason start off strong but things go south when she doesn’t have much time for him. So I didn’t feel anything on the romance front between any of these couples.

Scarlett’s leadership was tested but honestly I felt she was lacking in leading the Kappas. She didn’t have any good plans to figure out what was going on and only relied on Vivi for help. As for Vivi, she should have talked to her Kappa sisters about what she was experiencing and accepted their help but she went and did things on her own. And why is Vivi always getting possessed?! First book one and now this one? It all ended with a person sacrificing their life to save Scarlett, and pretty much everyone on campus and I didn’t like how that went down.

Would have liked to learn more about the witch hunters! Would definitely read a book three.

Why you should read it:

it’s a series about witches in a sorority
rival sororities competing with one another
a mystery as Scarlett and Vivi try to figure out what is attacking them

Why you might not want to read it:

not into sororities fighting over who gets to throw the spring fling event
main characters growth wasn’t quite what I expected

My Thoughts:

It took me awhile to get into the story but once I did, I enjoyed the Kappa girls and their witchcraft. I enjoyed seeing the girls use their magic and witchcraft. I felt like Scarlett and Vivi were weak in their own ways and I wish there was more growth to each of their characters. Overall, a pretty good conclusion to a witchy duology but I still think there could be one more book after that ending.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Nature of Witches by. Rachel Griffin | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Nature of Witches

Author: Rachel Griffin

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 6/1/21

Categories: Contemporary , Fantasy, Young adult, Romance, Nature, Environmental, Coming of Age

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.

In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic―losing the ones she loves―is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.

In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.

In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.

In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves… before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

I love witch stories and this one sounded very different. The witches in this story are helping with weather disasters and trying to combat climate change – present issues we are dealing with! I thought it was a very unique take on what witches powers could be useful for in our present day.

Clara is an Everwitch – her seasonal powers don’t wane, she is powerful in all seasons as oppose to other witches who are powerful only in their season. But she doesn’t want this gift. People she love have died around her, because she can’t control her gift so she is at a school for witches to learn to control her powers. But what’s holding Clara back is herself. She meets a boy who finally teaches her to calm her insecurities and fears and to control her magic. Her journey comes full circle and we do get to see Clara embrace herself.

Sang is amazing and I loved his Spring affinity and talent with plants. He was the balance Clara needed and I loved watching their relationship go from friendship to more. The romance is so sweet. Clara is bisexual and we also get to meet her ex, another witch, Paige. There is some hard feelings between them but there is closure at the end also.

Content Warnings: death, grief

Clara is deep into her self-loathing and it takes up much of the story and it got repetitive – this whole story is about her journey to break through her fears and insecurities…I just wanted something more to happen. It would have been cool to see more severe weather events that affect shaders (non-witches) and the witches helping out. But this story is about Clara’s journey and it just takes too much of the first part of the story. The second half is much better because we see Clara grow and learn to control her power finally.

With Clara’s doubts and insecurities she lashes out a lot at her instructions and superiors. Everyone was an enemy to her and it got a little tiresome.

Even though the beginning lagged for me, there were some really good moments in the books. One of my favorites were how she and Sang communicated after they were in the middle of a break from one another. I thought in the essence of the romance story, Sang and Clara’s relationship was beautiful.

Why you should read it:

unique contemporary fantasy witch story – the witches are helping to combat climate change and maintain the environment – they tackle natural disasters
sweet, emotional romance story
Clara’s journey ends on a happy note

Why you might not want to read it:

Clara’s attitude – she’s going through a lot of emotional turmoil but she comes off selfish and stubborn
some parts are repetitive, especially when it comes to training Clara

My thoughts:

I keep going back and forth on my rating of this one. I loved the ending and the romance Clara has with Sang. I totally love how this is a unique witch story because they help with climate change which is a very important issue right now. I understand Clara’s grief and reluctance to use her power because it’s killed people she loves but I also wanted to shake her to see that a gift like hers cannot be wasted. She is the chosen one who doesn’t want to be chosen but it got tiresome. Despite my issues with it, I look forward to reading the next book from this author.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Year of the Witching by. Alexis Henderson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Year of the Witching

Author: Alexis Henderson

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 368

Publisher: Ace

Publication Date: 7/21/20

Categories: Young Adult, Dark Fantasy, Witches, Puritanical Society

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.

In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

I picked this book up to read because we are in spooky season and I wanted to get into the mood. The funny thing is the scary witches that are in this story didn’t scare me at all, but instead it was the Father-fearing, Father-loving puritanical society Immanuelle lives in that frightened me.

Immanuelle is different from the rest of Bethel. She’s half black, her father was an Outsider and her mom Miriam was cursed. But Immanuelle goes about living her life with her grandfather and their small family until she gets lost in the forbidden Darkwood and has an encounter with witches. From there, events unfold and Immanuelle has to figure out how to break this curse that her mother placed on her. I love her character – she was willing to help the people of Bethel even though she never fit in there. I felt connected to her story and her journey to find out about her parents. I love that she stands up to the Prophet, sacrificing herself to try and end his power.

The setting for this story is perfect. We have a puritanical society in Bethel where the flock follow the word of the Prophet. They are a polygamous group where men marry multiple wives and sire many children. The Prophet is the leader, what he says, goes. He is the monster, hiding behind his religious beliefs. The surrounding Darkwood is where the witches live and the descriptions are atmospheric and eerie. People are forbidden to go into Darkwood and for good reason.

I enjoyed a lot of the other characters like Leah, Immanuelle’s best friend. And Ezra, who is the Prophet’s heir. He questions everything about their way of life and wishes he could leave and explore the world. There is a romance growing between them but it’s not a romance book. It starts off as friendship and grows into something stronger. They are there for each other and envision a better society, they both want the Prophet to lose his power. I was happy they had one another and that whatever feelings growing between them stayed in the background.

My favorite part has to be the ending when Immanuelle uses her curse/power to fight the Prophet and the witches. It’s a powerful statement about a girl fighting for what she believes in and doing the right thing. I also like how the book was written with each curse in succession, I think it built nicely to the climax.

Content Warnings: cutting, blood, pedophilia, misogyny

The world building is tight in the sense we stay in Bethel for the most part and maybe we are supposed to feel as stifled as the society they live in. Ezra wants out and Immanuelle explores the Outskirts and does get to leave for a little bit but it would be amazing to know what’s out there. It looks like this is a series and the next book Immanuelle gets to leave Bethel so I’m excited to see what happens next. It would have been nice to get more back story on the holy war.

This book gave me no spooky vibes at all, but I was frightened for Immanuelle and Leah when it came to the Prophet. He was just creepy and gross. I hated what he stood for and what he was doing and polygamous societies always give me the creeps when young girls are marrying men old enough to be their father or grandfather. The Darkwood is eerie and mysterious but it wasn’t enough to scare me. There is a lot of blood in the story but nothing too gory.

Why you should read it:

you enjoy witch stories
good story telling, Immanuelle is a great character
great message about women and their roles and power

Why you might not want to read it:

dark themes
you don’t care for stories about strict puritanical polygamous societies

My Thoughts:

I went in wanting to be spooked but I came out finishing this in one day and really immersed in the world of Bethel. I was entranced with Immanuelle’s story and needed to know about the Darkwood and her mother’s curse. In the end I was treated to a powerful moment of Immanuelle taking back her power, sacrificing herself for the greater good of Bethel – even if it wasn’t the best place for her. I enjoyed this dark, eerie, witchy tale and look forward to reading the sequel.

📚~ Yolanda

Born of Blood and Flames by. Amber Darwin | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Born of Blood and Flames (Gravestone Book, #1)

Author: Amber Darwin

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 268

Publication Date: 8/9/21

Publisher:

Categories: Paranormal, Dark Fantasy, Romance

“The Darkness found me, and when I awoke, I became the most gifted Blood Witch my generation has ever known.

I am a weapon.
I am hunted.
I am everything they fear.

My name is Vivi Graves, and my story was never a fairytale.”

Life hasn’t been simple for the city of Thornfall’s best Blood Witch turned bartender. Shunned by most other witches, abused by The Academy of Elders, her love life is a dumpster fire, and even her sassy familiar doesn’t listen to a word she says. But at least she’s escaped the clutches of her corrupted mentors. Or has she?

When a terrifyingly sexy man shows up at her workplace, all shadows and temptation, her current reality starts to unravel. There’s no denying that he’s dangerous for her health, her heart isn’t safe either. But as their fates intertwine, buried secrets expose themselves and the past comes back to punish them both.

Is blood thicker than water?
Does love conquer all?
And in the depths of hell, can Vivi survive the flames?
There’s only one way to find out…

** Born of Blood and Flames is a medium burn, enemies to lovers, dark fantasy, adult paranormal romance.

Where do I start? I picked this up because the synopsis mentioned witches and a sexy man plus it’s Fall and fall reading is a time for witchy and sexy books!

I love Vivi Graves – she’s a Blood Witch, she swears, she’s snarky and sassy, and she can fight. Vivi is also a bit broken inside. Her childhood was messed up and seems like her school years were pure torture. The Academy of Elders need her for something but she doesn’t want to give them the time of day. But then someone tall, dark and handsome strolls into town and everything between them is lust at first sight and she doesn’t know why – who is he and what does he want? In this book we find out Vivi is more than just a badass Blood Witch and Seer.

First off, the world building is great and detailed. I didn’t know what to expect but we get a detailed account of Thornfall and some info about Underhill Academy where Vivi went to school to learn about her powers. She had a miserable time at the Academy and harbors bad feelings about the place and people. Also we get to travel to the Netherworld where Killian (tall, dark and handsome) is from. The Netherworld is the underworld where Kilian rules but he has his own problems to deal with and we find out more about what those issues are when Vivi is there. I liked learning about Thornfall and the Netherworld and all the types of beings living in both worlds.

The characters really make this book amazing because Vivi is snarky, sassy and broken but she has a best friend, Marlow who is fantastic. She’s funny, level-headed and says the most inappropriate things! Linc rounds out the three of them, he’s a shapeshifter who is in love with Vivi, so it complicates things between them but I really hope they can be friends again. I can’t forget about Calypso, Vivi’s cat and familiar, when no one is around it’s just Vivi and Lippy. And in Killian’s world we have his badass half-siblings, a wild siren named Anise, a dragon shifter named Jagger (love him!), and the gorgon twins, Bane and Dante! They also have a volcano dog named Grim! It’s a fun cast and crew.

Now the romance between Vivi and Killian is full of angst. The attraction happens instantly and it’s hot. There is a push and pull between them, she doesn’t like when he’s being an alpha-hole but she can’t stay away from him either. At least Vivi knows herself and knows she’s always falling for the bad boys – poor girl, I feel her pain. Haha! I do like that when we are in The Netherworld, we get to know more about Killian and his motivations. He is the alpha, he is the heir but Killian loves his mama, his siblings and his people so I look forward to learning more about him in book two!

The ending is awesome – what a way for Vivi to access her powers!

Content Warnings: parental abuse, violence, death

We are in Vivi’s thoughts a lot and for me it got a bit too much in the beginning because it felt like info dumping and emotional dumping. I love that she is someone who expresses herself fully, whether it be happiness with her friend Marlow, confusion with Linc, lust with Killian and rage at Lilia. it’s what makes her amazing, but I think in the beginning as we get to know her background it was just us with Vivi trying to sort her feelings about a lot of things. Once the action starts happening this is a quick read.

The ending was an emotional roller coaster, I was raging and heartbroken with Vivi – I loved it and makes me eager for book two.

The author even puts a note before the story begins of content warnings. Read it! I love that she puts a warning.

Why you should read it:

the romance – it’s hot, sexy and angsty and about to get worse before they can be together
Vivi, Killian and all the other characters make this a fun story
good story about Vivi’s secret past and family
the Netherworld is dark, dangerous and magical

Why you might not want to read it:

Vivi curses, so if you don’t like dirty language, this is not for you
Killian is referred to Vivi as an alpha-hole, but honestly…I’ve read worst, I thought he was a pretty nice guy! lol
death of an animal

My Thoughts:

I’m so glad I downloaded this book. I’m a fan! It’s a quick read full of heat, magic, danger, friendship, secrets, love, rage, destruction, grief, and angst. It’s got a little bit of everything. The ending was unexpected, heartbreaking and so many things need to be resolved. I need book two asap.

📚~ Yolanda

This Coven Won’t Break by. Isabel Sterling | Book Review

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Title: This Coven Won’t Break (These Witches Don’t Burn, #2)

Author: Isabel Sterling

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 321

Publication Date: 5/19/20

Publisher: Razorbill

Categories: Young Adult, Witches, Romance, Duology, Paranormal, LGBT

In this gripping, romantic sequel to These Witches Don’t Burn, Hannah must work alongside her new girlfriend to take down the Hunters desperate to steal her magic.

Hannah Walsh just wants a normal life. It’s her senior year, so she should be focusing on classes, hanging out with her best friend, and flirting with her new girlfriend, Morgan. But it turns out surviving a murderous Witch Hunter doesn’t exactly qualify as a summer vacation, and now the rest of the Hunters seem more intent on destroying her magic than ever.

When Hannah learns the Hunters have gone nationwide, armed with a serum capable of taking out entire covens at once, she’s desperate to help. Now, with witches across the country losing the most important thing they have—their power—Hannah could be their best shot at finally defeating the Hunters. After all, she’s one of the only witches to escape a Hunter with her magic intact.

Or so everyone believes. Because as good as she is at faking it, doing even the smallest bit of magic leaves her in agony. The only person who can bring her comfort, who can make her power flourish, is Morgan. But Morgan’s magic is on the line, too, and if Hannah can’t figure out how to save her—and the rest of the Witches—she’ll lose everything she’s ever known. And as the Hunters get dangerously close to their final target, will all the Witches in Salem be enough to stop an enemy determined to destroy magic for good?

This series reminds me of the paranormal books that started my obsession with the genre and everything in it since I was a teenager. It has the witches and witch hunters who are enemies. The beauty of this one that the books I read as a teenager didn’t have is the lgbt romance.

I didn’t re-read book one but I could kind of remember what happened in it just by jumping into book two. Hannah is now with Morgan, a Blood Witch – the kind of witch even Hannah’s coven looked down upon for ages. But Hannah and Morgan make it work because they are seriously into one another.

The story is a light, quick read, with a race against finding the poison the witch hunters have concocted to remove magic from all witches. Hannah also has to figure out what has happened to her magic and why Blood Witch magic can actually help her and not harm her.

Triggers: violence

I did enjoy the first book more than this one but I still think this was a solid conclusion. I mentioned it was nostalgic and reminds me of paranormal books from the years ago and yes it gives me that fun, light, thrilling vibe where we are in it with the characters to stop disaster from happening. It would make a fun tv show!

I thought Benton turning around to help Hannah in this one seemed like a stretch. Yes he was conditioned and brainwashed by his parents and then all of a sudden he realizes it wasn’t all supposed to happen this way? He wasn’t supposed to burn her at the stake? I wouldn’t have forgiven him so easily haha. And the betrayal at the end by the true villain felt rushed.

I’m all for witch stories and this one is not only witchy but it has a lot of LGBT representation. The f/f romance is sweet, now that Hannah is over her ex Veronica. Overall, I thought this was a light, quick read and a solid ending to a fun, paranormal duology.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Spells Trouble by. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast | ARC Review

My Rating: 2/5 Stars (DNF @25%)

Title: Spells Trouble (Sisters of Salem, #1)

Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 5/25/21

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Witches, Young Adult, Twins, Contemporary, Paranormal

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Double double, twins spell trouble…

Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.

When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the devastated sisters vow to avenge her death. But it will take more than magic to rein in the ancient mythological monsters who’ve infected their peaceful town.

Now Hunter and Mercy must come together and accept their destiny or risk being separated for good.

I DNF’ed this book at 25% because it was just not for me. But let’s look at what I liked ~

Love the cover, it’s what drew me to the story in the first place and a book about witches? I was definitely interested.
Right away there is some crazy action with the girls 16th birthday ritual night but I can’t say for the rest of the book because I wasn’t interested in finishing.
The Goode twins, Hunter and Mercy, are different and have distinct voices.
Their familiar, a cat named Xena turns into a human, so that was fun.

The one time I read this mother/daughter duo is when they came out with the House of Night series back in 2007! I followed it up until book 5 maybe? It was fun and I was obsessed with it in 2007-2009 and then I outgrew it. The writing is much more suited for teen readers (except there is detailed sexual content). At times the story felt superficial and rushed especially when their mom died.
I felt no connection to any of the characters.
I really wish this held my interest because the concept is good and witches always make for a fun and thrilling story.

Overall this one is definitely not for me because of the writing style which felt rushed. At times I felt like I was in my 20’s reading a young adult novel again, but not in a good way because times have changed in the young adult world and I did not finish it but I think many people will still enjoy this one. I feel like it’s written for teen readers except for the detailed sexual scene.

📚 ~ Yolanda

ARC Review | The Dark Tide

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dark Tide

Author: Alicia Jasinska

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: August 4, 2020

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Young Adult

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Every year on St. Walpurga’s Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking.

Lina Kirk is convinced her brother is going to be taken this year. To save him, she enlists the help of Thomas Lin, the boy she secretly loves, and the only person to ever escape from the palace. But they draw the queen’s attention, and Thomas is chosen as the sacrifice.

Queen Eva watched her sister die to save the boy she loved. Now as queen, she won’t make the same mistake. She’s willing to sacrifice anyone if it means saving herself and her city.

When Lina offers herself to the queen in exchange for Thomas’s freedom, the two girls await the full moon together. But Lina is not at all what Eva expected, and the queen is nothing like Lina envisioned. Against their will, they find themselves falling for each other. As water floods Caldella’s streets and the dark tide demands its sacrifice, they must choose who to save: themselves, each other, or the island city relying on them both.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

My Reactions:

My Attention: wavered

World Building: dark fantasy world with witches

Writing Style: atmospheric

Bringing the Heat: 🔥 – not much heat, there is a slow burn romance

Crazy in Love: Lina has a major crush on Thomas and basically sets off to rescue him so is she crazy about him? YES…but…things change when Eva comes into the picture.

Creativity: love the dark witchy vibe

Mood: gave me a little but of The Hazel Wood vibes

Triggers: violence

My Takeaway: the Witch Queen is not all she seems

I like when a book about witches goes into the dark side. When Lina and her brother Finley make it to the Witch Queen’s palace is where things get fantastical, and dark! The world building is great – we learn about the cursed island and the witches that have to sacrifice a boy to keep the curse away. It’s a very dark story.
The Witch Queen Eva at first comes off evil…but…we learn she’s more than a witch queen needing a sacrifice to the sea serpent. She’s complicated. I liked learning about her past and her motivations, she has a lot riding on her shoulders to do the right thing.
Lina and her brother’s relationship made me a laugh a few times because they bicker like siblings do. They do not hold back with one another!

Lina was so in love with Thomas (the boy who escaped being sacrificed), that went to the witch’s castle to free him…like whoa…but at the end of the story, she starts having feelings for Eva. Like where did that crazy crush on Thomas go?! Haha…
I think Eva was the most interesting character in this story. At times the other characters felt flat and the story lacked depth.
Triggers: violence

I definitely would have been more in the mood to read this in the fall. I enjoyed the dark and witchy vibe. The world building with cursed island and the witch’s castle intrigued me and kept me reading until the end. At times I thought the story fell flat but I think if you like stories about witches, you may enjoy this one.

Book Review | Winterwood

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Winterwood

Author: Shea Ernshaw

Format: Hardcover (owned)

Pages: 323

Categories: Witches, Mystery, Romance, Young Adult

Be careful of the dark, dark wood…

Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even.

Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing.

But Nora can feel an uneasy shift in the woods at Oliver’s presence. And it’s not too long after that Nora realizes she has no choice but to unearth the truth behind how the boy she has come to care so deeply about survived his time in the forest, and what led him there in the first place. What Nora doesn’t know, though, is that Oliver has secrets of his own—secrets he’ll do anything to keep buried, because as it turns out, he wasn’t the only one to have gone missing on that fateful night all those weeks ago.

For as long as there have been fairy tales, we have been warned to fear what lies within the dark, dark woods and in Winterwood, New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw, shows us why.

I am a fan of Shea Ernshaw’s books. This is now the second book I’ve read from her and I have to say I love how she writes these witchy stories. By coincidence I always start reading them near a full moon and not even by choice…it just happens that way! If that isn’t magical, I don’t know what is.

Nora Walker is a “Walker”, she is descended from witches. She lives in the town of Fir Haven which is surrounded by woods. There is a boys camp, called the Camp for Wayward boys near her home and a boy went missing in a snowstorm. Nora finds the boy in the woods and she learns how he came to be lost, but it’s not what she expected at all.

The author has a distinct style to her writing. Once I read the first sentence, my world disappears and I’m in the world she has created. I love that both books I’ve read now have been about witches, she’s very good at it. Her writing is atmospheric. I felt the creepiness of the Wicker Woods especially when Nora explains things about the woods like how you can only take things from the woods during a full moon when the trees don’t see you do it! 😳 The trees are watching. This story is told like a magical, haunting, supernatural, eerie, fairy tale.
I love the setting of the story: a town that is alive in the summer because of lake life, and dead in the winter because the cold is fierce. Nora lives for the winters and the isolation it brings and when I say she is alone, she is ALONE. Her mom left the town, and her grandmother has died. I can’t even imagine living in a place like that all by myself. But just the vibe of the story comes through in the writing: the eerie town, the scary woods, the isolated feeling Nora experiences and a sinister event taking place at the boy’s camp was a recipe for making my spine tingle.
I kind of had an idea where the story was headed with Oliver and the dead boy at camp. There is a mystery that Nora is trying to uncover. I liked that this mystery was tied to these boys at camp and it brought the feeling of danger to the story, at least danger around Nora. I enjoyed trying to guess at what happened.
Nora is a Walker and all Walker women are witches. I absolutely adored the black pages dedicated to a Walker woman between some chapters. I thought it was done beautifully because it was a family tree and spell book at the same time. And we get to see Nora’s entry. 😍
That ending with Oliver and Nora. ❤️
Also I have to mention the book cover is beautiful (I have the white OwlCrate version), the naked cover is gorgeous, the pages that are black with the branches…I love all the little details. 😍

Some things were a bit repetitive, like Nora saying there was a dead boy. Also she said she was a Walker, a lot. Haha…we know Nora! You Walker women are pretty amazing.
The romance is a slow burn almost to the point it felt a little forced to me when they let their attraction take over. But it still made me enjoy the twist at the end – actually that twist made my heart just thump a bit harder.
Triggers: drowning

I’m in love with Shea Ernshaw’s writing. She just knows how to set the mood perfectly for a full moon, witchy, reading night and what a coincidence that I’ve read her books on these nights! Winterwood is haunting and it wove its spell around me. I look forward to reading more books from this author!