cajunliterarybelle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A cute, witchy story about a witch who lost her magic and forgot she ever had any. Emerson Wilde has a solid, supportive group of friends, though, who never let her fully forget who she is and protect her as best they can. Sometimes she comes across as a little self-righteous, which is annoying, but I love how strong Emerson perceives herself and her little circle. The dynamics of her group is great; everyone has a role. The potential for more with her old friend Jacob and what that could mean for her magic made me smile. I enjoyed the family history, witch community, and the small town atmosphere. Witches fighting evil works for me, especially considering Charmed. After finishing, I immediately started wondering about book 2.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment and Gaslighting
chelseylb1988's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexual content, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
cassielaj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The magical world of St. Cyprian is charming, and the characters are well developed. The concepts in this book feel at once original and familiar. Excellent example of found family, and Emerson’s character development is incredible: she asks hard questions and makes important discoveries about herself and the people around her. The plot takes a good bit of time to pick up steam, but it also gives the significant elements space to unfold. I also appreciate that the romantic elements were present without taking over. the feminist slogans and love conquers all theme felt a tad bit hokey at times, but they also had their place
Side note: An excellent example of fade-to-black romance that still captures the significance of the moment. Also has some thought-provoking comments on womanhood and society.
Side note: An excellent example of fade-to-black romance that still captures the significance of the moment. Also has some thought-provoking comments on womanhood and society.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
purplepenning's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Imagine Sabrina the teenage witch grows up to be Leslie Knope but with a witchy, Buffy-style Scooby-gang friend group who fights a growing evil in a Midwestern river town. And Sabrina/Leslie/Buffy is an indie bookstore owner. And there's a friends-to-lover romance with a grumpy farmer.
If only the execution had been as good as that plot. But let me say that I feel like this book is going to get dinged because of its very confident, type-A protagonist who is a proud, loud, somewhat insufferable feminist in a small Midwestern town. And, I mean, I get it, because I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed spending this entire narrative journey in her head, but I also reject it, because, yes, she's a little intense but she's not wrong. I do think she could've been written and rounded out a little more skillfully so her whole personality wasn't a string of stereotypes and mini-lectures. But even more than that, I think a ruthlessly good edit to the first few chapters would've helped this whole book tremendously. And I'm still confused about the town's timeline. Is this contemporary fantasy based on alt history or is the timeline supposed to make sense in actual history? It was supposedly settled by witches after the Salem Witch trial in the late 1600s, when really the earliest "towns" in the area were little more than French and Spanish trading posts set up in the mid-to-late 1700s.
So yeah — a great idea, an enjoyable read, that could've been much more so with a tighter edit.
If only the execution had been as good as that plot. But let me say that I feel like this book is going to get dinged because of its very confident, type-A protagonist who is a proud, loud, somewhat insufferable feminist in a small Midwestern town. And, I mean, I get it, because I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed spending this entire narrative journey in her head, but I also reject it, because, yes, she's a little intense but she's not wrong. I do think she could've been written and rounded out a little more skillfully so her whole personality wasn't a string of stereotypes and mini-lectures. But even more than that, I think a ruthlessly good edit to the first few chapters would've helped this whole book tremendously. And I'm still confused about the town's timeline. Is this contemporary fantasy based on alt history or is the timeline supposed to make sense in actual history? It was supposedly settled by witches after the Salem Witch trial in the late 1600s, when really the earliest "towns" in the area were little more than French and Spanish trading posts set up in the mid-to-late 1700s.
So yeah — a great idea, an enjoyable read, that could've been much more so with a tighter edit.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, and Grief
Minor: Medical content and Sexual content
Magic includes the following non-consensual applications
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