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Reviews tagging 'Cursing'
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall
13 reviews
rromero721's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
readwithria's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic was, unfortunately, not for me.
I went into this book thinking it would be similar to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and I was very wrong. I think the blurb made me overestimate how much romance would be in the book. This book is part fantasy, part romance, part family drama, part paranormal mystery, and part cookbook. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of those aspects were quite well developed enough for me.
There were some things that I really enjoyed. I liked the recipes at the end of each chapter. I liked the idea of the magic system (even though I have no clue how it works). I like the prose.
And then, there are the things that didn’t work for me. The pacing was a little all over the place. The MC’s best friend is a bit of a walking stereotype. The resolution to some of the mysteries and questions is a bit lackluster, and the romance is really lacking a spark in my opinion. Everything feels really drawn out, and I didn’t feel satisfied by the end of the book. I also wish this book had listed the trigger warnings at the beginning, as I don’t think it handled every situation with as much care and weight as I would have liked.
This last pain point is VERY much a personal preference, but I personally despise real-world religions in my books and there was far too much for my comfort. I was really tempted to DNF when I got the chapter that was spent entirely inside a church, but somehow I kept going and I’m not sure if I regret that or not. It’s a personal boundary that I really don’t like crossing, so I wish I had known that before going into the book (I hate DNFing ARCs, so I wouldn’t have requested it).
All in all, this book is more of a literary fiction book with a fantasy element than the cozy contemporary fantasy I thought it would be, and that’s not what I tend to like in a book. If that’s what you’re looking for, go for it! Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t for me. 2.75 stars.
Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I went into this book thinking it would be similar to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and I was very wrong. I think the blurb made me overestimate how much romance would be in the book. This book is part fantasy, part romance, part family drama, part paranormal mystery, and part cookbook. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of those aspects were quite well developed enough for me.
There were some things that I really enjoyed. I liked the recipes at the end of each chapter. I liked the idea of the magic system (even though I have no clue how it works). I like the prose.
And then, there are the things that didn’t work for me. The pacing was a little all over the place. The MC’s best friend is a bit of a walking stereotype. The resolution to some of the mysteries and questions is a bit lackluster, and the romance is really lacking a spark in my opinion. Everything feels really drawn out, and I didn’t feel satisfied by the end of the book. I also wish this book had listed the trigger warnings at the beginning, as I don’t think it handled every situation with as much care and weight as I would have liked.
This last pain point is VERY much a personal preference, but I personally despise real-world religions in my books and there was far too much for my comfort. I was really tempted to DNF when I got the chapter that was spent entirely inside a church, but somehow I kept going and I’m not sure if I regret that or not. It’s a personal boundary that I really don’t like crossing, so I wish I had known that before going into the book (I hate DNFing ARCs, so I wouldn’t have requested it).
All in all, this book is more of a literary fiction book with a fantasy element than the cozy contemporary fantasy I thought it would be, and that’s not what I tend to like in a book. If that’s what you’re looking for, go for it! Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t for me. 2.75 stars.
Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
Unsuccessful suicidal attempt on page, discussion of past, off-page sexual violence, minor manipulation of partner vianrogers_1030's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak & Magic is something magical. I laughed, cried and felt every emotion in between. I feel like it could pull anyone's heart strings. It's been compared to Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic and I agree in a sense; it has characteristics of both, but it has a heart of its own. Ms. Randall has spun a story that is so charming, but real. The importance of self-care and being mentally healthy is a huge in this novel, but it's done subtly so it doesn't feel as if you're listening to a self-help lecture. I can't recommend this book enough. I loved the recipes included; it made you feel like you could bake something alongside Sadie. I feel the same way about The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak & Magic that I do about Legends and Lattes. I could reread this again and again.
Here's some quotes that held meaning for me:
“No, your problem, carina, is that it’s practically impossible for anyone to get in that heart of yours. And when they do, you love them forever. No matter what. No matter how much they shit all over you.”
'"Time ceases to exist for you in bookstores, and I am not sitting by for three hours while you get hot over books you have no intention of buying.”“But they need me,” Sadie argued.'
'"All the cousins there and endless games of hide-and-seek and secrets and sprinklers. Sticky watermelon fingers and sidewalk chalk. As the years went on, the memories stuck, but the get-togethers didn’t."' - This could have come from a page of my life.
"I will love you every moment of forever."
When your heart is split in two, you can’t be true to either piece. It’s like you’re two different people with one beating heart.”
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. Any quote(s) used in my review have been uncorrected.
Here's some quotes that held meaning for me:
“No, your problem, carina, is that it’s practically impossible for anyone to get in that heart of yours. And when they do, you love them forever. No matter what. No matter how much they shit all over you.”
'"Time ceases to exist for you in bookstores, and I am not sitting by for three hours while you get hot over books you have no intention of buying.”“But they need me,” Sadie argued.'
'"All the cousins there and endless games of hide-and-seek and secrets and sprinklers. Sticky watermelon fingers and sidewalk chalk. As the years went on, the memories stuck, but the get-togethers didn’t."' - This could have come from a page of my life.
"I will love you every moment of forever."
When your heart is split in two, you can’t be true to either piece. It’s like you’re two different people with one beating heart.”
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. Any quote(s) used in my review have been uncorrected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury