Reviews: THE BOOK OF MAGIC & VESPERTINE
Sorry I pretty much dropped off the radar by the middle of the week last week. We had a huge deadline at work on Friday, and we’re short-staffed yet again so it was all hands on deck to get everything finished. Thankfully we made the deadline but I was exhausted and just didn’t have it in me to do much of anything except be a coach potato all weekend. I plan to get caught up this week though so thanks for your patience in the meantime. I had also planned to post these two reviews last week but was too tired to even write them. Happy to share my thoughts on both of these today though. 🙂
The Book of Magic (Practical Magic, #2) Goodreads Author: Alice Hoffman
Publication Date: October 12, 2021
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
It’s no secret to anyone who follows my blog that I’m a huge fan of Alice Hoffman’s books, especially her Practical Magic series. My love for this series about the Owens women, their magic, and the fact that they have been cursed in matter of love for generations has only grown with each passing book. I loved how Hoffman used the second and third books in the series as prequels to gradually take us all the way back to the origins of the Owens family curse. What I was not expecting, however, was a fourth book, and specifically a fourth book that would function as an actual sequel to Practical Magic, but that’s what we get with The Book of Magic
The Book of Magic takes us full circle back to Gillian and Sally from the first book, along with their beloved, quirky old aunts, Jet and Franny. When the story opens, we learn that Jet has seen and heard the death watch beetle and knows she only has seven days left to live. She decides it’s time to try to end the family curse. She wants future generations of Owens women to be able to fall in love and live happily ever after rather than suffer the endless heartbreaks that have plagued her, her sister, and all other Owens family members going back 300 years. Seven days isn’t enough, however, and while she sets some things into motion, she is unable to complete the task prior to her death and knows it will fall to someone else in the family to finish what she has started. She has left clues for what must come next but it remains to be seen which Owens will find her clues and if they’ll be brave enough to make the sacrifice that needs to be made to set the rest of the family free.
Jet and her sister Franny were my two favorite characters from the first book, so I was heartbroken from the opening pages of the book learning that Jet was going to die. At the same time though, I loved how determined she was to break this awful curse once and for all. Her family has had way more than its fair share of heartbreak and it has ruined so many lives over the years, and I just loved how she really wanted breaking it to be her legacy.
I also loved getting to see all the beloved characters from the earlier books – Gillian, Sally, Franny, Vincent, and so many more, as well as meeting two younger members of the Owens clan, Sally’s daughters Kylie and Antonia. Kylie and Antonia, thanks to their overprotective mother, have grown up not knowing about magic or their family’s curse, and when they start to hear whispers of it at Jet’s funeral, Kylie in particular, starts looking for answers and stumbles upon some of Jet’s clues. When her boyfriend Gideon falls into a coma, Kylie’s desperate actions put her in danger and become the catalyst for the bulk of the story’s plot, which involves the entire Owens family coming together to confront enemies from the past, try to save both Kylie and Gideon and to finish what Jet started.
I don’t want to say anything else for fear of spoiling the journey, but with The Book of Magic, Alice Hoffman has gifted me with everything I could have possibly wanted in a sequel for these beloved characters, and so much more. This story broke my heart and made me cry, and yet somehow it was also heartwarming and left me with a smile on my face. There’s just something so satisfying about closure and Hoffman absolutely nails it with The Book of Magic. 5 MAGICAL STARS.
Vespertine (Vespertine, #1) Goodreads
Author: Margaret Rogerson
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson is the atmospheric and action-packed fantasy novel I didn’t know I needed this spooky season. I’m a big fan of Rogerson’s earlier novels, An Enchantment of Ravens and A Sorcery of Thorns because I love the strong heroines she creates as well as her exquisite worldbuilding so I was thrilled as soon as I dove into Vespertine and discovered that we have another fabulous heroine to root for.
Vespertine follows Artemisia, a young nun-in-training who prefers to live a solitary life and stay in the background attending to the dead, but who finds herself thrust unexpectedly into the role of heroine when her convent is threatened and she stands up to defend it. She does so by wielding a weapon, an ancient relic, that few are able to wield and in doing so, becomes possessed by a revenant. This becomes a life-changing moment for Artemisia as she not only has to contend with this spirit basically riding shotgun in her mind and with people trying to elevate her to sainthood, but she also somehow finds herself tasked with solving a complex mystery that features old magic, nuns, spirits, saints, as well as secrets and trickery.
While the plot itself is action-packed and guaranteed to keep you turning the pages, and the world and magic system Rogerson has created here is sure to enthrall, my favorite part of the story were the characters. As an introvert myself, I found Artemisia immensely relatable and cringed right alongside her when she found herself unable to escape the spotlight. I also found her to be an incredibly sympathetic character because she comes from a troubled background, including a downright abusive childhood. The more we learn about her, the more I can understand why she is such an awkward and retreating figure.
All of that said, however, my second favorite character is the Revenant who possesses Artemisia. It is unclear whether the spirit is male or female, young or old, but what is clear is that whatever it is, it has the most hilariously snarky personality. The Revenant reminded me of a grumpy old man, and I lived for its banter with Artemisia, especially because it brought out her equally snarky side. The story itself has a very dark atmosphere and Artemisia’s overall journey is pretty dark, but you can always count on the unexpectedly funny banter between these two to keep things entertaining. I was also fascinated by the bond that formed between them even though Artemisia never knew if she could trust the spirit not to consume her completely. I wouldn’t say they become friends but there’s a very interesting dynamic between them that I became very invested in.
The last thing I want to mention is the lack of a romance and the fact that I liked it this way. Vespertine is very much all about Artemisia and her journey and I think a romance would have just been in the way. If you prefer your fantasies with a bit of romance, Vespertine may not be your cup of tea, but if you’re all about stories where underdogs learn they are stronger than they ever thought they could be, then Vespertine is the book for you. 4 STARS.
Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Witchy Reads for Your Spooky Season TBR
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is actually supposed to be Favorite Book Settings. I’ve done similar topics a few times and couldn’t think of any book settings I hadn’t already covered, so I thought it would be fun to go rogue and share some of the latest witchy reads that have come out in 2021. I know not everyone enjoys scary books for spooky season, so I’m hoping I’ve found enough of a variety of titles that everyone can find something they enjoy.
10 Witchy Reads for Your Spooky Season TBR
1. THE ORPHAN WITCH by Paige Crutcher – “Mystical, magical, and wildly original, THE ORPHAN WITCH is a great story from an exciting new voice in fantasy. Persephone May is a witch for the ages, a tough, uncompromising, powerful time walker with a wicked gaze and a heart of gold. Her journey to find her family and herself and the lost witches of Wile Ilse is both rollicking adventure and intimate exploration. If Alice Hoffman and Sara Addison Allen had a witchy love child, she would be Paige Crutcher. Do not miss this beautifully realized debut!”— JT Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of HER DARK LIES
2. PAYBACK’S A WITCH by Lana Harper – Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word in this fresh, sizzling rom-com by Lana Harper.
3. THE BOOK OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman – Master storyteller Alice Hoffman brings us the conclusion of the Practical Magic series in a spellbinding and enchanting final Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters. The Book of Magic is a breathtaking conclusion that celebrates mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers, and anyone who has ever been in love.
4. THE NATURE OF WITCHES by Rachel Griffin – Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing atmosphere, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate.
5. THE EX HEX by Erin Sterling – New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and hexes gone wrong.
6. THE WITCH’S HEART by Genevieve Gornichec – When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.
7. THE WITCH HAVEN by Sasha Peyton Smith – The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.
8. WITCH PLEASE by Ann Aguirre – Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls in this adorable witchy rom-com with: 1) A bisexual virgin baker with a curse, 2) A witch looking to avoid romantic entanglements, and 3) A chemistry between them that causes literal sparks
9. HOUR OF THE WITCH by Chris Bohjalian – A twisting, tightly plotted novel of historical suspense from one of our greatest storytellers, Hour of the Witch is a timely and terrifying story of socially sanctioned brutality and the original American witch hunt.
10. CACKLE by Rachel Harrison – A darkly funny, frightening novel about a young woman learning how to take what she wants from a witch who may be too good to be true, from the author of The Return.
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Question: Do you have a special TBR for spooky season?
Romance Reviews: IT STARTED WITH A DOG, PAYBACK’S A WITCH, & A HOLLY JOLLY DIWALI
Hello everyone! I’m back today with some October releases you’re going to want on your radar if you’re in the mood for romance. There’s a little something for the dog lovers, something for those who enjoy a good spooky season read, and last but not least, for those who enjoy a romance that also feeds their need to travel to faraway places.
It Started with a Dog (Lucky Dog, #2) Goodreads Author: Julia London
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Publisher: Berkley Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
It Started with a Dog is the second book in Julia London’s charming Lucky Dog series. It follows Harper Thompson, a young woman trying to work her way up the corporate ladder at her job. She is currently vying for a promotion and her boss has given her the major task of opening a flagship coffee shop for their Déjà Brew brand, including promoting it and making all the arrangements for the shop’s grand opening. While she has no time at all for romance, an accidental swapping of cell phones during a Lyft ride from hell leads her to meet Jonah Rogers, a scientist at NASA who is on sabbatical to help his family with their struggling business while his dad recovers from cancer. As they make arrangements to meet up and swap phones back once Jonah is back in town, Harper and Jonah really hit it off and engage in a series of flirty texts all week. Harper is already obsessed with Truck, the enormous dog Jonah has as his phone’s wallpaper, and can’t wait to meet Truck and his owner.
Once Hannah and Jonah finally meet in person, the sparks really fly as it becomes clear they have major chemistry and a shared love of dogs. They start dating, including a date where they go to a shelter and walk dogs. It’s all sweet and they’re so happy getting to know one another, until a major obstacle appears before them – the Déjà Brew shop that Harper is helping to launch is directly across the street from Jonah’s family business, a mom and pop coffee shop called The Lucky Star. Can their fledging new relationship survive the strain of being rivals?
I adored both Harper and Jonah. Harper is so fierce and determined to land that promotion. I really loved her attitude and her spunk. I loved Jonah too, especially because of the sacrifices he’s willing to make to try to help his family, including passing up an opportunity of a lifetime at his job. My heart broke for both Harper and Jonah when they realized they were rivals and that Harper could actually be the one to cause The Lucky Star to go under and devastate Jonah’s family. I was so invested in them and just really wanted them to find a solution that worked for everyone. The wondering what would happen added a nice layer of suspense to keep me turning the pages. If you like a little drama to balance out your romance, this element of the story should do the trick for you.
I’m enjoying Julia London’s Lucky Dog series so much. I’m a sucker for a book that features dogs anyway, and with this series, I think I have a new favorite romantic trope – dogs serving as the catalyst to bring couples together. 4 STARS
Payback's a Witch (The Witches of Thistle Grove #1) Goodreads
Author: Lana Harper
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Publisher: Berkley Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Lana Harper’s new witchy romance Payback’s a Witch follows Emmy Harlow, a young witch who abandoned her magical hometown of Thistle Grove years ago in favor of the bright lights of Chicago. Emmy left in part because a warlock broke her heart, but also because she’s tired of being looked down upon because the Harlows are the weakest and least magical of all the prominent witch families in Thistle Grove. Emmy wants to make her way in the world where her magic doesn’t define or limit her.
When the story opens, however, Emmy is reluctantly on her way back to her hometown. She has promised her father she will fulfill one last witchy duty – to serve as Arbiter at the annual spellcasting tournament. When Emmy arrives in town, she reunites with her best friend, Linden, and also becomes reacquainted with another young witch she had a crush on in high school, Talia Avramov. Emmy is appalled to hear that the same warlock who broke her heart years ago, Gareth Blackmoore, has been toying with Linden and Talia’s hearts as well. Gareth thinks he can do whatever he wants just because his family is the most powerful in the town, and the three witches decide it’s time to take him down a peg or two and that the tournament will provide the perfect opportunity for revenge.
I don’t want to spoil anything about the tournament but it definitely has a bit of a Harry Potter Triwizard Tournament feel to it with the three most magical families vying for supremacy. I loved the competition itself, which was action packed and a lot of fun, and of course, the witches putting their plan of revenge into motion made it all the more entertaining.
Aside from the tournament, Emmy’s journey is also quite compelling. Once she is back home and can feel the magic she abandoned so long ago coursing through her veins again, she becomes very conflicted about who she is and where she wants to be. She also finds herself very attracted to Talia and is beyond excited to realize that her feelings are reciprocated. I enjoyed watching Talia and Emmy get to know one another, especially since that relationship adds another layer of complexity to Emmy’s journey of self-discovery.
I also really enjoyed the author’s atmospheric descriptions of Thistle Grove. It’s such a magical place with the perfect autumn vibe. It was very easy to see why Emmy was torn about leaving once she was back under its spell.
If you’re looking for a fun witchy read to dive into this spooky season, I highly recommend Payback’s a Witch. 4 STARS
A Holly Jolly Diwali Goodreads
Author: Sonya Lalli
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Publisher: Berkley Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Sonya Lalli’s new contemporary romance, A Holly Jolly Diwali, follows Niki Randhawa, a young woman who has just been let go from her job and is trying to figure out what to do with her life. Niki has always considered herself a rule follower and a very practical sort of person and is really bummed that living in such a way clearly hasn’t gotten her anywhere. She is also being gently pressured by her parents, who think she really needs to live a little and start dating. She reluctantly agrees to go on a date with Raj, a young man her parents approve of, and surprisingly, it is this young man who convinces Niki to do the most spontaneous thing she has ever done – pack her bags and head for Mumbai, India at the last minute to attend her friend Diya’s wedding.
I loved this journey for Niki because she really breaks out of her comfort zone by going on this trip. It’s also a wonderful time for her to connect with her roots and learn more about her Indian culture and particularly about the Diwali celebration since she doesn’t really know as much about it as she feels she should. Niki’s trip gets off to a bit of a bumpy start since she is so unfamiliar with Indian customs, but after a few awkward encounters, she starts to really embrace the experience and enjoy her time with family and friends. I really enjoyed this aspect of Niki’s journey since it allowed me to learn about Indian culture and customs right alongside her.
My review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t touch on the romance. While watching a band perform, Niki becomes somewhat infatuated with one of the musicians. When an Auntie offers to set her up on a date with her son, Sam, Niki is about to refuse until she realizes that Sam is actually the hot guy from the band she was watching. Sam and Niki cross paths later that same evening and it becomes clear that the attraction between them is mutual. Their connection only grows when they join the married couple on the group honeymoon they have booked in beautiful Goa. By the end of the vacation, Niki is so invested in her relationship with Sam that she’s conflicted – does she follow her head and go back home to Seattle where Raj, the perfectly nice guy her parents already like, is waiting? Or does she follow her heart and do the less practical thing – move to London where Sam lives and start a new life there? Niki and Sam were really cute together so I was rooting with all my might for her to follow her heart. I always enjoy stories that involve that head vs. heart debate since it’s such a relatable situation for so many people.
I’ve been hearing good things about Sonya Lalli’s novels for a while now and was eager to try them for myself. I’m so glad I did too because A Holly Jolly Diwali is an absolute delight! 4 STARS