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Spells to Forget Us
A witch and a non-magical girl get stuck in a cycle of meet-cutes and breakups in this dazzling, romantic young adult fantasy.
Fate brought them together. Magic made them strangers.
Luna is a powerful witch. Known for her skills and feared for her temper, she’s set to preserve her family’s legacy by becoming the head of Boston’s Witch Council—a job she does not want.
Aoife is a non-magical girl. Raised under the lens of her influencer family, she’s grown up in the public eye. Now she yearns for privacy—but knows her parents won’t oblige.
Just when they are at their lowest, Aoife and Luna find each other and start dating. As decreed by magic law, Luna casts a spell that will erase Aoife’s memories of their history together if they ever break up. But when Aoife and Luna end things, it’s both of them who forget . . . that is, until they meet again, fall for each other, and recover all the memories of their last attempt at dating.
So begins the story of two star-crossed lovers who keep finding their way into each other’s orbits, even as the universe pulls them apart. When they set out to break the cycle, will they be strangers forever or together at last?
Fate brought them together. Magic made them strangers.
Luna is a powerful witch. Known for her skills and feared for her temper, she’s set to preserve her family’s legacy by becoming the head of Boston’s Witch Council—a job she does not want.
Aoife is a non-magical girl. Raised under the lens of her influencer family, she’s grown up in the public eye. Now she yearns for privacy—but knows her parents won’t oblige.
Just when they are at their lowest, Aoife and Luna find each other and start dating. As decreed by magic law, Luna casts a spell that will erase Aoife’s memories of their history together if they ever break up. But when Aoife and Luna end things, it’s both of them who forget . . . that is, until they meet again, fall for each other, and recover all the memories of their last attempt at dating.
So begins the story of two star-crossed lovers who keep finding their way into each other’s orbits, even as the universe pulls them apart. When they set out to break the cycle, will they be strangers forever or together at last?
432 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2024
21 people are currently reading
7499 people want to read
About the author
Aislinn Brophy
2 books157 followersAislinn Brophy (they/she) is an actor, writer and arts administrator based in the Atlanta area. She was born and raised in South Florida, but made her way up to the frigid northeast for college. Their hobbies include pawning off their baking on anybody nearby, doing funny voices, and dismantling the patriarchy.
Aislinn has a degree in Theater, Dance & Media, and her experiences as a performer consistently wiggle their way into her writing. In all aspects of her work as an artist, she is passionate about exploring identity and social justice issues. Their debut YA novel, HOW TO SUCCEED IN WITCHCRAFT, will be published fall 2022, with a second untitled novel to follow.
Aislinn has a degree in Theater, Dance & Media, and her experiences as a performer consistently wiggle their way into her writing. In all aspects of her work as an artist, she is passionate about exploring identity and social justice issues. Their debut YA novel, HOW TO SUCCEED IN WITCHCRAFT, will be published fall 2022, with a second untitled novel to follow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
August 30, 2024
4.5/5
If you know anything about me it’s that I love messy gays. And boy was this messsssyyy.
We follow Luna, a powerful witch with a rebellious streak, and Aoife, a non-magical people pleasure from an influencer family. After having an unexpected meet cute, they begin dating while hiding their background and baggage from each other. When they decide to make their relationship official, Luna decides to remove the veil over Aoife that hides all supernatural elements from her. The catch is if they ever breakup, Aoife will lose all memories of their time together. However, to be as powerful of a witch as Luna there has to be balance. Every time Luna casts a spell, there is a cost. It just so happens that the cost of removing the veil from Aoife means that Luna ALSO will forget their time together if they breakup. This is made clear when Luna and Aoife regain memories of a previous attempt to date when the veil is removed. What follows is a cycle of forgetting and remembering as they continue to find each other and subsequently break up.
This is an urban fantasy, romcom, and coming of age all rolled into one. Aishlinn is a fantastic writer and truly knows how to develop vibrant well rounded characters with a lot of growth. Luna and Aoife both have insecurities and issues that they have to work towards overcoming in order to be together. This is a story about agency, gaining confidence, and meeting the person who pushes you to be the best you can. Simply magical, humorous, and inspiring.
I had so much fun! Thank you Penguin Teen for the NetGalley Arc.
If you know anything about me it’s that I love messy gays. And boy was this messsssyyy.
We follow Luna, a powerful witch with a rebellious streak, and Aoife, a non-magical people pleasure from an influencer family. After having an unexpected meet cute, they begin dating while hiding their background and baggage from each other. When they decide to make their relationship official, Luna decides to remove the veil over Aoife that hides all supernatural elements from her. The catch is if they ever breakup, Aoife will lose all memories of their time together. However, to be as powerful of a witch as Luna there has to be balance. Every time Luna casts a spell, there is a cost. It just so happens that the cost of removing the veil from Aoife means that Luna ALSO will forget their time together if they breakup. This is made clear when Luna and Aoife regain memories of a previous attempt to date when the veil is removed. What follows is a cycle of forgetting and remembering as they continue to find each other and subsequently break up.
This is an urban fantasy, romcom, and coming of age all rolled into one. Aishlinn is a fantastic writer and truly knows how to develop vibrant well rounded characters with a lot of growth. Luna and Aoife both have insecurities and issues that they have to work towards overcoming in order to be together. This is a story about agency, gaining confidence, and meeting the person who pushes you to be the best you can. Simply magical, humorous, and inspiring.
I had so much fun! Thank you Penguin Teen for the NetGalley Arc.
September 22, 2024
i really liked the concept of this book and the way it played out!
- yes, the story did get a bit repetitive at times, but i enjoyed how the stakes were raised each time
- the ending was a little rushed; i would’ve liked more reflection and closure to the story
- i liked the magic system and the world-building!!
- aoife and luna were both very complex and fleshed out, and it was easy to sympathize with and root for them
- i felt very lukewarm toward almost all the supporting characters *shrug emoji*
- i hated aoife’s parents so much—the influencer thing was just not fun to read about at all—and also the kind of love triangle
overall, this was a very unique take on time loops and an interesting read!
- yes, the story did get a bit repetitive at times, but i enjoyed how the stakes were raised each time
- the ending was a little rushed; i would’ve liked more reflection and closure to the story
- i liked the magic system and the world-building!!
- aoife and luna were both very complex and fleshed out, and it was easy to sympathize with and root for them
- i felt very lukewarm toward almost all the supporting characters *shrug emoji*
- i hated aoife’s parents so much—the influencer thing was just not fun to read about at all—and also the kind of love triangle
overall, this was a very unique take on time loops and an interesting read!
February 9, 2025
Having loved Aislinn Brophy's debut, I really wanted to pick up their second book. This was super different from her first book, but equally as strong. I love an author with range, and I'm very impressed at how different the magic systems are in both books, it speaks of so much imagination and creativity.
The premisse of the story, with Aoife and Luna forgetting each other each time they broke up, made for such an emotional, tension-filled romance. I could really see the connection between them, and seeing them find their way back to each other every time was so deeply romantic.
The premisse of the story, with Aoife and Luna forgetting each other each time they broke up, made for such an emotional, tension-filled romance. I could really see the connection between them, and seeing them find their way back to each other every time was so deeply romantic.
July 7, 2025
3.5⭐️
I really liked the initial setup and the idea that you could try again with somebody with full knowledge of what went wrong before, AFTER you choose to date them again because of all the memory spell things. And I initially really enjoyed the different internal and familial conflicts of each girl, but neither went very deep, and so it started to get repetitive to me after about half of the book and nothing had really changed. I think it would be a lot better if the plot had been put at 3x speed with the memory losses/starting the relationship over, and speeding up the personal progress that makes the relationships better. It’s possible that this isn’t an issue for a teenaged audience, but as an adult, the story definitely dragged.
Also, having phone text threads/saved contacts for each other as evidence of their relationship even when their memory was erased is a pretty big plot hole.
This also might not be an issue for the YA audience (although I think the strongest YA books still have this), but I wanted the conflicts that each girl individually experiences as introduced at the beginning of the book to grow in complexity as the story went on. Both just basically stayed the same, which was disappointing, so although it was nice to see them work on them (even if it was much later in the story than I wanted), there wasn’t much to it than what we thought right at the very beginning of the book. There’s no added nuance or complexity or anything (especially with Aoife’s parents - they are straight up evil and there are no ethical family influencers)!
I really liked the initial setup and the idea that you could try again with somebody with full knowledge of what went wrong before, AFTER you choose to date them again because of all the memory spell things. And I initially really enjoyed the different internal and familial conflicts of each girl, but neither went very deep, and so it started to get repetitive to me after about half of the book and nothing had really changed. I think it would be a lot better if the plot had been put at 3x speed with the memory losses/starting the relationship over, and speeding up the personal progress that makes the relationships better. It’s possible that this isn’t an issue for a teenaged audience, but as an adult, the story definitely dragged.
Also, having phone text threads/saved contacts for each other as evidence of their relationship even when their memory was erased is a pretty big plot hole.
This also might not be an issue for the YA audience (although I think the strongest YA books still have this), but I wanted the conflicts that each girl individually experiences as introduced at the beginning of the book to grow in complexity as the story went on. Both just basically stayed the same, which was disappointing, so although it was nice to see them work on them (even if it was much later in the story than I wanted), there wasn’t much to it than what we thought right at the very beginning of the book. There’s no added nuance or complexity or anything (especially with Aoife’s parents - they are straight up evil and there are no ethical family influencers)!
September 15, 2024
Thank you to @penguinteen, GP Putnam Sons Books for Young Readers, and Netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
Okay the miscommunication trope and I do not always see eye-to-eye but in this case the author did such a great job with it! It’s one that when done well, is a nice treat, and that was the case here. The writing was easy to read and get lost in the pages and even though this book is just over 400 pages, it is a quick read.
I have taken the stance to not post many photos of my daughter online. When I do it in a controlled space, and to a small following. I usually know all the people and have met them personally. I have asked my family to be the same. It took some adjusting at first, but when I explained that I wanted her to be in control of her image, they understood. In this case, Aoife is the daughter of an influencer and had no choice but to have her entire childhood showcased online. This is one of my fears. I just couldn’t imagine that life for a child when they got old enough to realize it. I love how the book tackled this topic and Aoife’s journey.
I really enjoyed the sapphic romance that this book had as well. Both Aoife and Luna had struggles, and they learned from them and worked through them together. The way their romance was written was delightful and heartwarming. It was a little coming of age, a little romance, and it was a great journey to be apart of.
I recommend this book to YA readers, and those who love the YA genre, it is truly a touching and wonderful read.
Okay the miscommunication trope and I do not always see eye-to-eye but in this case the author did such a great job with it! It’s one that when done well, is a nice treat, and that was the case here. The writing was easy to read and get lost in the pages and even though this book is just over 400 pages, it is a quick read.
I have taken the stance to not post many photos of my daughter online. When I do it in a controlled space, and to a small following. I usually know all the people and have met them personally. I have asked my family to be the same. It took some adjusting at first, but when I explained that I wanted her to be in control of her image, they understood. In this case, Aoife is the daughter of an influencer and had no choice but to have her entire childhood showcased online. This is one of my fears. I just couldn’t imagine that life for a child when they got old enough to realize it. I love how the book tackled this topic and Aoife’s journey.
I really enjoyed the sapphic romance that this book had as well. Both Aoife and Luna had struggles, and they learned from them and worked through them together. The way their romance was written was delightful and heartwarming. It was a little coming of age, a little romance, and it was a great journey to be apart of.
I recommend this book to YA readers, and those who love the YA genre, it is truly a touching and wonderful read.
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November 1, 2024Pretty cute, escapist sapphic fantasy romance. The characters were cute, and I honestly have really warm feelings looking back on this book. Had a lot of fun explaining the premise of this book to my friend, because it was a bit ridiculous in the *best* way possible. Like in a very fun way. Not many critical thoughts on this book because I didn't read this book to think but rather to giggle and feel warmth in my cold black heart. However, this book is aimed to young adult readers, and again, the story is all a bit ridiculous. On top of that, I don't normally like characters . But, if you're looking for a cute romance and you can suspend your belief for a bit, I would say this was surprisingly sweet and I don't regret reading this.
September 5, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I was super into Aislinn’s first book so this was one of my most anticipated. The premise of a quirky magical meet cute is always fun.
I always appreciate biracial authors who write about being biracial. There’s a lot of good discussions about privilege as well as being a token. The comments about how you look does get to you sometimes. Aoife’s experiences mirrored my own a lot. I actually really liked her character. I HATED her parents. God they were awful. The perfect example of why family bloggers are the worst. Luna also has an awful family except for James. I thought she was really cool and she had a lot of great body positivity to her character.
There were parts to this book I thought “why wouldn’t someone mention the other person to them” and I thought it was weird that never really happened. Like I feel like if my friend was dating someone and then they randomly stopped I’d ask “how’s so and so” and they would give me an answer but everyone just never did that? Weird. The ending was very well done and I’m glad it went the direction it did. It gives a lot of good lessons about self confidence and learning to be a better person. This was a very good book and I’m looking forward to more by this author!
I was super into Aislinn’s first book so this was one of my most anticipated. The premise of a quirky magical meet cute is always fun.
I always appreciate biracial authors who write about being biracial. There’s a lot of good discussions about privilege as well as being a token. The comments about how you look does get to you sometimes. Aoife’s experiences mirrored my own a lot. I actually really liked her character. I HATED her parents. God they were awful. The perfect example of why family bloggers are the worst. Luna also has an awful family except for James. I thought she was really cool and she had a lot of great body positivity to her character.
There were parts to this book I thought “why wouldn’t someone mention the other person to them” and I thought it was weird that never really happened. Like I feel like if my friend was dating someone and then they randomly stopped I’d ask “how’s so and so” and they would give me an answer but everyone just never did that? Weird. The ending was very well done and I’m glad it went the direction it did. It gives a lot of good lessons about self confidence and learning to be a better person. This was a very good book and I’m looking forward to more by this author!
November 4, 2024
Content warnings: toxic parents (both), absent parents (Luna), exploitative parents (Aoife), slut shaming, alcohol consumption, magical mind manipulation, magical punishments.
Rep: Luna (MC) is cis, fat, lesbian, and Black. Aoife (MC) is cis, bisexual, and "mixed race" (it's said that way a few times in the book - her mum has Irish ancestry (she's white) and her dad is Black). Side Black characters, side queer character.
I loved this one! The plot was so unique, so wonderfully done, and so captivating that I had hard time putting this book down.
Luna's grumpiness and Aoife's sunshine were so well written. I adored their interactions and watching them fall in love .
This was all kinds of fantastic.
Aoife's parents need a stern telling off tbh. And so do Luna's now I think about it.
I just want to give these girls hugs!
Rep: Luna (MC) is cis, fat, lesbian, and Black. Aoife (MC) is cis, bisexual, and "mixed race" (it's said that way a few times in the book - her mum has Irish ancestry (she's white) and her dad is Black). Side Black characters, side queer character.
I loved this one! The plot was so unique, so wonderfully done, and so captivating that I had hard time putting this book down.
Luna's grumpiness and Aoife's sunshine were so well written. I adored their interactions and watching them fall in love .
This was all kinds of fantastic.
Aoife's parents need a stern telling off tbh. And so do Luna's now I think about it.
I just want to give these girls hugs!
May 31, 2025
2.75 ⭐️ — you know I was feeling bad for Aoife bc the feeling of being desired by people who don’t want to actually get to know who you are is constantly is awful but I swear to god if I took a shot every time they mentioned she was a pretty light skinned girl with green eyes I would die from alcohol poisoning like we got the point jfc. I swear they talked about Aoife being mixed and pretty more than they talked about the fatphobia Luna experienced like we have to be serious for a second.
September 2, 2024
Aoife is the teen daughter of family bloggers who put a lot of pressure on her to provide them with content. Luna is a powerful witch, granddaughter of the head of the local witches council, determined to make her granddaughter her successor regardless of what Luna wants. They meet and fit together very well immediately. Luna decides to skip the process of getting approval and decides to lift the veil that hides the magical realm all around them on Aoife. She lets Aoife know that if she chooses to remain aware of the magical realm it will only occur until they break up, at which point all her memories of magic and Luna will disappear. When she does this, they both realize they have met before and broken up before. Luna’s magic may be powerful, but it requires a payment Luna will be unaware of before she agrees to take the payment or pass it on to the other person and the payment for the lifting of the veil is that Luna also forgets Aoife. Their family situations are complicated and keep them from sharing their difficult situations with eachother leading to breakups, each time they forget eachother and remember everything once they begin dating again, it seems fate keeps bringing them back together.
I was really excited about this book and really loved the premise of two people continuously brought together by fate who constantly forget one another. I think after reading it, however the idea was better than the book as a whole itself.
First of all, the story is made to revolve around the relationship with Luna and Aoife but seems to be more about their family lives than the lives with eachother. Even with that being the case, the majority of the characters were not memorable for me beyond Aoife’s parents and Luna’s grandmother. It was also frustrating that they likely never would have broken up most of the times had they been able to communicate with eachother. I also found the end disappointing in some ways but I do appreciate that with every step they both began to become better.
Overall the concept was better than the story itself for me, this was good but not a page turner and even when I explained it to other people I found the concept led them to believe the book was better than it actually was, but I would love to revisit the concept in the future in other books. Cute book just in time for spooky season, but this won’t be a re-read for me. 3/5 stars.
I was really excited about this book and really loved the premise of two people continuously brought together by fate who constantly forget one another. I think after reading it, however the idea was better than the book as a whole itself.
First of all, the story is made to revolve around the relationship with Luna and Aoife but seems to be more about their family lives than the lives with eachother. Even with that being the case, the majority of the characters were not memorable for me beyond Aoife’s parents and Luna’s grandmother. It was also frustrating that they likely never would have broken up most of the times had they been able to communicate with eachother. I also found the end disappointing in some ways but I do appreciate that with every step they both began to become better.
Overall the concept was better than the story itself for me, this was good but not a page turner and even when I explained it to other people I found the concept led them to believe the book was better than it actually was, but I would love to revisit the concept in the future in other books. Cute book just in time for spooky season, but this won’t be a re-read for me. 3/5 stars.
July 10, 2024
This is the story of a meet cute that keeps happening over and over, all because Luna is a witch, and she does the usual spell which is that if she breaks up with a mortal, she must have them forget about it all. So, when she puts the spell on Aoife, she somehow puts it on herself too.
But fate has other ideas for the two girls, and they keep meeting again, and once they decide to start dating, their memories come back.
It doesn’t help that Luna’s grandmother doesn’t want her to date a human.
So, we follow the two as they meet, fall in love, remember that they have been together before, and start the whole dating thing all over again.
What is a young witch supposed to do?
This was a cute take on a supernatural romance. I liked how fate kept brining them back together, despite everything Luna’s grandmother tried to do to keep them apart.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 17th of September 2024.
But fate has other ideas for the two girls, and they keep meeting again, and once they decide to start dating, their memories come back.
It doesn’t help that Luna’s grandmother doesn’t want her to date a human.
So, we follow the two as they meet, fall in love, remember that they have been together before, and start the whole dating thing all over again.
What is a young witch supposed to do?
This was a cute take on a supernatural romance. I liked how fate kept brining them back together, despite everything Luna’s grandmother tried to do to keep them apart.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 17th of September 2024.
September 7, 2024
This was a great and emotionally moving opposites attract, dual POV, Sapphic YA romance between Aiofe, a biracial 'mudane' who to feels smothered by her parents' social media influencer lifestyle and Luna, a young Black witch from a prestigious magical family who is destined to take over as Head of the witch council.
Both young women feel pressured by their families to live up to expectations that neither one is comfortable with. Together they fall in love (more than once) thanks to a spell gone wrong. Heartfelt and filled with witchy fun but very relatable and real family drama.
It was also good on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like Liselle Sambury. This was my first book by Aisllinn Brophy and I look forward to reading more in the future!! Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
CW: fatphobia, racism
Both young women feel pressured by their families to live up to expectations that neither one is comfortable with. Together they fall in love (more than once) thanks to a spell gone wrong. Heartfelt and filled with witchy fun but very relatable and real family drama.
It was also good on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like Liselle Sambury. This was my first book by Aisllinn Brophy and I look forward to reading more in the future!! Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
CW: fatphobia, racism
August 29, 2025
I enjoyed Aislinn's first book so I knew I had to pick up this one. It's very cutesy from the start but I was floored by the twist (mostly because I refuse to read blurbs and like to go into books blind). I love how these two, a muggle and a witch, are constantly drawn together despite their best efforts to stay apart. I didn't care for Luna's grandmother and it didn't seem like she was all the powerful the way the book made her seem so scary. I felt bad for Aoife and even Kareem for a little while before he turns into a toxic bro as soon as he's rejected. My biggest complaint with the book is it reads like there needs to be a sequel because the ending is so unsatisfying. Luna gets a reprieve, but for how long? And all those hints dropped about her bff cousin who seems to be sneakily having some potentially evil plans of his own come to nothing?! Come on! Gimme more!
February 12, 2025
its silly to think a famous witch would have so much in common with a instafamous teen but they really are the only ones who get what its like to be under such strict rules. also the obsession with bloodline & family is there for both. it shocks me that it ended with them breaking it, but they were stuck in this cycle of high emotion for so long there was no other way, really. And its written in a fun order too, because right after they first have their meet cute, it jumps till after theyve forgotten each other & broken up & remet completely by coincidence so there's like, hints of what happened in the past but you dont see it until they both remember, THEN you get the full flashback.. also its so funny how it happens so often that james, luna's cousin, gets visibly exhausted with it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for a copy of this book.
It is wholesome goodness with angst and witchyness. Cool characters.
It did get confusing with the timeline, but it gets better by the end.
I wish there was more about the other supernaturals as well. Would be cool to learn.
I recommend! It was a fun time. Might have to reread one day.
-queer (bisexual and lesbian fmcs)
-witches
-supernatural
-strict families
-not just a pretty face
It is wholesome goodness with angst and witchyness. Cool characters.
It did get confusing with the timeline, but it gets better by the end.
I wish there was more about the other supernaturals as well. Would be cool to learn.
I recommend! It was a fun time. Might have to reread one day.
-queer (bisexual and lesbian fmcs)
-witches
-supernatural
-strict families
-not just a pretty face
December 21, 2024
I REALLY liked this. It made me immediately want to read the other book by this author and I actually followed through which is impressive for me.
This is a magical contemporary and it's so fun. It's flirty and a bit weird and a lot messy but in the best way.
I loved the fat rep and honestly just everything.
This is a magical contemporary and it's so fun. It's flirty and a bit weird and a lot messy but in the best way.
I loved the fat rep and honestly just everything.
July 9, 2024
rtc
Thank you to Netgalley for my earc.
Thank you to Netgalley for my earc.
November 6, 2024
3 stars. I loved the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind idea and it would have been incredible had not the breakups been so trivial and angsty and annoying.
August 5, 2025
3.5 rounded down
September 7, 2024
This book had me laughing, gasping, and telling people off. What a loving tribute to navigating love, family expectations, and personal growing pains. I loved these characters, I want a sequel!
October 11, 2024
I loved this! Such a good witchy October book! The resolution is also really realistic and I found it very satisfying
Language and off the page sex
Language and off the page sex
May 4, 2025
Lesbian ground hogs day but with witches.
July 1, 2025
This is everything I want in a queer fantasy romance book. It was sweet, and funny, and complicated, and magical in every sense of the word. I loved the writing, the setting, the worldbuilding, the characters, and the drama. NO NOTES.
EDIT BECAUSE I FORGOT TO MENTION: as a she/they gay, I looooved that Mara uses she/they pronouns AND how it was depicted. I feel like a lot of people in my life just choose either she or they for me but my ideal world is like in this book, where one sentence may be "she" and the next might be "they." Loved it.
EDIT BECAUSE I FORGOT TO MENTION: as a she/they gay, I looooved that Mara uses she/they pronouns AND how it was depicted. I feel like a lot of people in my life just choose either she or they for me but my ideal world is like in this book, where one sentence may be "she" and the next might be "they." Loved it.
October 22, 2025
A young witch and a young nonmagical girl fall in love but are required by magic law to agree to a fail-safe spell that will wipe the nonmagical person's memories of their relationship if they break up. When they do call it quits, they both forget each other but can’t help but keep finding each other too. A real cute and real gay star-crossed magical lovers tea.
I loved it. The love was adorable, the characters were navigating their differently yet similarly overexposed lives and finding solace in each other, the cute side characters, and the strong sense of self from both these young protagonists were nice. The magical aspects were fun, and the star-crossed aspect was just so juicy and heartfelt. It did gag me a bit, so that was fun. Def rec for someone looking for something sweet and fun!
The cover grabbed me and it's honestly so validly adorable.
I loved it. The love was adorable, the characters were navigating their differently yet similarly overexposed lives and finding solace in each other, the cute side characters, and the strong sense of self from both these young protagonists were nice. The magical aspects were fun, and the star-crossed aspect was just so juicy and heartfelt. It did gag me a bit, so that was fun. Def rec for someone looking for something sweet and fun!
The cover grabbed me and it's honestly so validly adorable.
June 13, 2025
3.75⭐️
This book had a lot to love! The setting was wonderful, I really enjoyed the mix of magical and real world elements. I think it made the magical elements feel more realistic, like you could imagine them fitting into your life. The inclusion of different kinds of magical species was also great for the world building, I just liked how casually they were mentioned. It really made the world feel more established to me. It would have been nice to explore these other species more, but I understand the focus was on witches. I loved how witches werw differentiated into ones who cast spells or library witches (thats such a cute name) and further how different families had their own specialties of magic - i really really loved that idea! And of course that's how we get Luna's unique challenges of her magic punishing her whenever she uses it - i liked this too, it was a good way of grounding her character whilst she had almost limitless power.
I really loved Luna as a character and the different dynamics we saw in her family. Her relationship with James was really cute and I loved the balance of them being sweet and caring for one another whilst also being mean/teasing - it was very sibling coded of them. I would have liked to see more of her relationship with her mum, however. There was one moment where Luna was unconscious and the mum just did not give a shit😭 I just wanted to either explore this dynamic more or hopefully see it start to change or anything. Luna's relationship with her grandma took centre stage - and I really loved that she finally was able to stand up to her in the end! But I would have liked to see her have a similar conversation with her mum, where we could see that healing could happen there too.
Also, i would have liked to see more from the witches politics. Luna was a very reluctant part of it, so I feel like we were only getting glimpses into the political inner workings of things and I would have liked to deleve deeper. I liked the moments where James would be sharing info with Luna and at the very end I feel like she began to utilise it a bit more, I would have liked to see more of her actively engaging with the politics and using her strengths to her advantage.
Aoife is a whole angel. I really felt for her when it came to her family life. As the child of parent influencers, her and her little brother are exposed to a lot of annoying shit. You see them both struggle with photoshoots and constant filming and having to share themselves with an entire audience who think theyre entitled to comment on their appearance or walk up to them in public whilst not even saying their name properly. And Aoife, whilst struggling with all this, still puts herself last in order to help her parents. Whenever she asks for boundaries, her parents basically say no because they need content. This was all such an interesting concept to explore, and definitely something I can see more authors doing in the future as this topic becomes relevant. It was really thought provoking and handled really well. Like Luna, we got to see Aoife slowly building her confidence and growing more comfortble with setting boundaries and I was just so proud of them both in the end for standing up for themselves.
Karim pissed me off😭 but I liked Micah and Mara, they were both very sweet.
Okay so the main main main focus of the book was obviously the premise of Luna and Aoife repeatedly finding each other and then forgetting each other. The first time they broke up and their memories flooded back to them and they realised this wasnt actually the first time..... I WAS GAGGED. Like I genuinely gasped out loud and it was one of the most fun reading experiences ever because I suddenly realised all of the clues we'd been getting, like how Aoife's friends were asking about the girl she was dating and she was like ???? IT WAS JUST SO SO SO GOOD OKAY. I really loved it a lot and the premise is so so fun and very cute. However..... I did get a little tired of it😭 i appreciated that the break up get together cycle did get shorter as the book went on, but yeah i just got a little exhausted because at some points it just felt like a set back and we were reading the same thing again and again?? Also, the reasons for the break ups were often very avoidable if they just had a conversation. Actually, Luna was super annoying with that for a way too long portion of this book. She simply wouldn't talk to Aoife or explain anything even though it was causing problems, and i understand why to an extent but it was also super frustrating to read about because juST TELL HER. The last like 100 or so pages went really quick and were fun, but there was a big chunk in the middle where it felt like I was just waiting for something to happen. I feel like things could have been a bit shorter to be honest, or some more things needed to have happened in the middle to capture my attention, or they should have balanced it out with the more eventful ending.
I dont hate that they didnt end up together - i actually like the idea that theyre working on themselves first and getting to a place where they can love themselves enough before they seek love from someone else. But I guess the fact that I already felt a little exhausted and was waiting for something, them not ending up together maybe made me more frustrated??? Idk i just wanted more i guess.
Also there were a few things that weren't explained super well for me, like how Aoife got magical abilities from Luna's spells. Like is it just because Luna is super powerful or ?????
Anyways, like i said I really loved a lot of things about this and it was a fun read but overall I wasnt blown away?
This book had a lot to love! The setting was wonderful, I really enjoyed the mix of magical and real world elements. I think it made the magical elements feel more realistic, like you could imagine them fitting into your life. The inclusion of different kinds of magical species was also great for the world building, I just liked how casually they were mentioned. It really made the world feel more established to me. It would have been nice to explore these other species more, but I understand the focus was on witches. I loved how witches werw differentiated into ones who cast spells or library witches (thats such a cute name) and further how different families had their own specialties of magic - i really really loved that idea! And of course that's how we get Luna's unique challenges of her magic punishing her whenever she uses it - i liked this too, it was a good way of grounding her character whilst she had almost limitless power.
I really loved Luna as a character and the different dynamics we saw in her family. Her relationship with James was really cute and I loved the balance of them being sweet and caring for one another whilst also being mean/teasing - it was very sibling coded of them. I would have liked to see more of her relationship with her mum, however. There was one moment where Luna was unconscious and the mum just did not give a shit😭 I just wanted to either explore this dynamic more or hopefully see it start to change or anything. Luna's relationship with her grandma took centre stage - and I really loved that she finally was able to stand up to her in the end! But I would have liked to see her have a similar conversation with her mum, where we could see that healing could happen there too.
Also, i would have liked to see more from the witches politics. Luna was a very reluctant part of it, so I feel like we were only getting glimpses into the political inner workings of things and I would have liked to deleve deeper. I liked the moments where James would be sharing info with Luna and at the very end I feel like she began to utilise it a bit more, I would have liked to see more of her actively engaging with the politics and using her strengths to her advantage.
Aoife is a whole angel. I really felt for her when it came to her family life. As the child of parent influencers, her and her little brother are exposed to a lot of annoying shit. You see them both struggle with photoshoots and constant filming and having to share themselves with an entire audience who think theyre entitled to comment on their appearance or walk up to them in public whilst not even saying their name properly. And Aoife, whilst struggling with all this, still puts herself last in order to help her parents. Whenever she asks for boundaries, her parents basically say no because they need content. This was all such an interesting concept to explore, and definitely something I can see more authors doing in the future as this topic becomes relevant. It was really thought provoking and handled really well. Like Luna, we got to see Aoife slowly building her confidence and growing more comfortble with setting boundaries and I was just so proud of them both in the end for standing up for themselves.
Karim pissed me off😭 but I liked Micah and Mara, they were both very sweet.
Okay so the main main main focus of the book was obviously the premise of Luna and Aoife repeatedly finding each other and then forgetting each other. The first time they broke up and their memories flooded back to them and they realised this wasnt actually the first time..... I WAS GAGGED. Like I genuinely gasped out loud and it was one of the most fun reading experiences ever because I suddenly realised all of the clues we'd been getting, like how Aoife's friends were asking about the girl she was dating and she was like ???? IT WAS JUST SO SO SO GOOD OKAY. I really loved it a lot and the premise is so so fun and very cute. However..... I did get a little tired of it😭 i appreciated that the break up get together cycle did get shorter as the book went on, but yeah i just got a little exhausted because at some points it just felt like a set back and we were reading the same thing again and again?? Also, the reasons for the break ups were often very avoidable if they just had a conversation. Actually, Luna was super annoying with that for a way too long portion of this book. She simply wouldn't talk to Aoife or explain anything even though it was causing problems, and i understand why to an extent but it was also super frustrating to read about because juST TELL HER. The last like 100 or so pages went really quick and were fun, but there was a big chunk in the middle where it felt like I was just waiting for something to happen. I feel like things could have been a bit shorter to be honest, or some more things needed to have happened in the middle to capture my attention, or they should have balanced it out with the more eventful ending.
I dont hate that they didnt end up together - i actually like the idea that theyre working on themselves first and getting to a place where they can love themselves enough before they seek love from someone else. But I guess the fact that I already felt a little exhausted and was waiting for something, them not ending up together maybe made me more frustrated??? Idk i just wanted more i guess.
Also there were a few things that weren't explained super well for me, like how Aoife got magical abilities from Luna's spells. Like is it just because Luna is super powerful or ?????
Anyways, like i said I really loved a lot of things about this and it was a fun read but overall I wasnt blown away?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
3.75⭐️
October 19, 2025
I picked this up both because I enjoyed the premise and because I love to read about a magical Boston -- and the latter was definitely fun! It could have leaned more into the sense of place for sure, but I loved all the easter eggs from both a cultural and a geographic standpoint (it really made me miss Flour!!). I also really enjoyed the magical system, the whole setup of different families with different talents and different amounts of magic and a council that governs them all, and I LOVED the idea of an incredibly powerful witch still being limited by the principle of equal exchange and a painful price to her magic. Great concepts, mostly great execution, especially since worldbuilding is usually what's most lacking in stories like this (and I did still have some questions about witchy governance and how practical having an 18-year-old in charge would really be, regardless of her powers -- but still, mostly pulled off very well!). The conceit of the plot was also incredibly fun, and I love that each iteration got both Luna and Aoife to grow and try to do better next time.
I also liked the characters; I love both the concept of a girl so powerful she gets a terrible reputation and decides to live down to it despite wanting to try so hard to be good and of a girl raised to be a charming pleasant people pleaser learning to how to stand up for herself. And theoretically, Aoife's charisma and kindness getting Luna to open up and be true to herself and Luna's stubbornness and honesty getting Aoife to hold her ground should have been a good and compelling combination -- but I unfortunately didn't really feel like the spark was there and the romance felt really underdeveloped to me. It got better later on, but the first couple of connections really felt more like each girl was using the other as an escape rather than forming a real, meaningful relationship that had the potential to last (and that both of them wanted to make last longterm!). And since buying into the relationship felt really central to the whole story, not doing so meant that a lot of it ended up really not quite working for me.
It's also been a while since I read YA, which I used to really love, so it's a bit disheartening to come back to it and realize that a lot of it is probably not really for me anymore! The writing style feels too simplistic after a lengthier stretch of time reading adult fiction, which is very much not a flaw of the genre but much more noticeable when you haven't been immersed in it for a while, and it also struck me how often in YA some of the messages are just... beaten over the head repeatedly? And there were so many of them in this book: racism, familial expectations (both in the form of Luna's grandma and Aoife's parents), the dangers of parent influencer blogs, how shitty it is when boys befriend girls just for the purpose of wanting to hook up and how toxic the friend zone concept is, being true to yourself ... it's a lot to really hammer home! And it's a lot to try to fit into a book that also has a lot of magical worldbuilding and a lot of relationship content. It meant that the side characters didn't get well developed and the attention to plot points and underlying issues felt more cursory than meaningful.
And that also made the end feel very arbitrary and unfulfilling! So -- a decent amount that I really liked more than I expected to, some things I unexpectedly didn't vibe with, and some things that I think could have been done way better. A pretty solid definition of a three-star read on all fronts, ha.
I also liked the characters; I love both the concept of a girl so powerful she gets a terrible reputation and decides to live down to it despite wanting to try so hard to be good and of a girl raised to be a charming pleasant people pleaser learning to how to stand up for herself. And theoretically, Aoife's charisma and kindness getting Luna to open up and be true to herself and Luna's stubbornness and honesty getting Aoife to hold her ground should have been a good and compelling combination -- but I unfortunately didn't really feel like the spark was there and the romance felt really underdeveloped to me. It got better later on, but the first couple of connections really felt more like each girl was using the other as an escape rather than forming a real, meaningful relationship that had the potential to last (and that both of them wanted to make last longterm!). And since buying into the relationship felt really central to the whole story, not doing so meant that a lot of it ended up really not quite working for me.
It's also been a while since I read YA, which I used to really love, so it's a bit disheartening to come back to it and realize that a lot of it is probably not really for me anymore! The writing style feels too simplistic after a lengthier stretch of time reading adult fiction, which is very much not a flaw of the genre but much more noticeable when you haven't been immersed in it for a while, and it also struck me how often in YA some of the messages are just... beaten over the head repeatedly? And there were so many of them in this book: racism, familial expectations (both in the form of Luna's grandma and Aoife's parents), the dangers of parent influencer blogs, how shitty it is when boys befriend girls just for the purpose of wanting to hook up and how toxic the friend zone concept is, being true to yourself ... it's a lot to really hammer home! And it's a lot to try to fit into a book that also has a lot of magical worldbuilding and a lot of relationship content. It meant that the side characters didn't get well developed and the attention to plot points and underlying issues felt more cursory than meaningful.
And that also made the end feel very arbitrary and unfulfilling! So -- a decent amount that I really liked more than I expected to, some things I unexpectedly didn't vibe with, and some things that I think could have been done way better. A pretty solid definition of a three-star read on all fronts, ha.
September 20, 2024
I received a free ARC from NetGalley. The following opinions are my own.
What was this writing prompt, “write an entire novel using the miscommunication trope, but make it awesome”? I posted a book review a couple days ago saying how much I hate the miscommunication trope, and this book comes along to make me a liar.
What isn’t there to love? The premise is delicious, Groundhog’s Day meets the wizarding world but totally its own thing. Great world building, and everything I ask of a magic system, consistently employed yet not overly explained so I don’t feel obliged to spend a lot of mental energy overthinking it.
On to the book. Aoife (EE-fuh)’s entire life has been documented by her influencer parents. The whole world knows all the personal details of her childhood, and she’s gotten to read their comments about her. Luna is the most powerful witch in a society of witches and magical creatures walking around undetected in plain sight in Boston, and her grandmother has been grooming her to take over as head of the witch council in the next year. Already a conflict-rich environment, and the protagonists haven’t even met. Since genetics determines magical power, witches never date mundanes, and they certainly don’t reveal the existence of the magical world. Luna and Aiofe are doomed from the start.
The cyclical nature of the curse that befalls Aiofe and Luna is well-told. I was worried the story would get repetitive with the same conflicts, but instead the curse fuels new, fresh conflicts that kept me engaged. Top marks for storytelling a difficult premise.
I can’t say enough about how well the story handles the interpersonal relationships between the two main characters and their family and friends. Navigating those conflicts and growing into the kind of people who can stand up for themselves is what this story is all about: how people keep finding themselves in the same bad situations time and time again until they choose to change.
There’s an authenticity to both Aiofe and Luna. I saw them as real people struggling with real problems, even though both of them have rather improbable lives.
The book is beautifully diverse, celebrating differences while calling out obnoxious behavior, e.g. how Aiofe gets praised for her mixed-race attributes or Luna experiences moments of fatphobia. I mention it only because of how often I’ve read books where those elements aren’t well-integrated, feeling like the author is fishing for diversity points rather than trying to tell a story.
A minor pick, which I definitely don’t hold against the book but keeps rattling around in my head. Racism in witch society. If your society includes blue-skinned sirens and green-skinned trolls, vampires and werewolves, and where intermarrying with weak or non-magical humans means your family losing its position of power, it’s weird that racism based on human skin tone is a thing. Especially because there don’t seem to be many powerful witch families to intermarry with. Racism ought to be a self-correcting problem.
One thing I disagreed with is an assumed premise that crops up in this book, that people need to be single in order to grow as an individual. It’s not supported by the characters themselves. Luna and Aiofe drive each other to become better people because they love one another and want the other to be the happiest, best version of themselves. While I appreciate what the author is trying for, it’s flat out wrong, and I know it’s wrong from personal experience. People grow better as individuals when we’re surrounded by people who support us and lovingly call out when we’re heading in a bad direction or celebrate when we overcome our personal roadblocks. I’m not going to dock a star, because everything else the book does is so incredible, but it’s a big enough flaw that I considered it.
I’m not the target audience for this book. I read it because I love the premise and was hoping to find it a YA romance intended for a teen audience and not for adults. It definitely does that, remaining laser-focused on teen themes like justice, friendship, relationships, and family. (For any concerned parents out there, sex does happen, but it’s not on the page, and it’s not the focus of the story.) I would recommend this book for a high school library.
What was this writing prompt, “write an entire novel using the miscommunication trope, but make it awesome”? I posted a book review a couple days ago saying how much I hate the miscommunication trope, and this book comes along to make me a liar.
What isn’t there to love? The premise is delicious, Groundhog’s Day meets the wizarding world but totally its own thing. Great world building, and everything I ask of a magic system, consistently employed yet not overly explained so I don’t feel obliged to spend a lot of mental energy overthinking it.
On to the book. Aoife (EE-fuh)’s entire life has been documented by her influencer parents. The whole world knows all the personal details of her childhood, and she’s gotten to read their comments about her. Luna is the most powerful witch in a society of witches and magical creatures walking around undetected in plain sight in Boston, and her grandmother has been grooming her to take over as head of the witch council in the next year. Already a conflict-rich environment, and the protagonists haven’t even met. Since genetics determines magical power, witches never date mundanes, and they certainly don’t reveal the existence of the magical world. Luna and Aiofe are doomed from the start.
The cyclical nature of the curse that befalls Aiofe and Luna is well-told. I was worried the story would get repetitive with the same conflicts, but instead the curse fuels new, fresh conflicts that kept me engaged. Top marks for storytelling a difficult premise.
I can’t say enough about how well the story handles the interpersonal relationships between the two main characters and their family and friends. Navigating those conflicts and growing into the kind of people who can stand up for themselves is what this story is all about: how people keep finding themselves in the same bad situations time and time again until they choose to change.
There’s an authenticity to both Aiofe and Luna. I saw them as real people struggling with real problems, even though both of them have rather improbable lives.
The book is beautifully diverse, celebrating differences while calling out obnoxious behavior, e.g. how Aiofe gets praised for her mixed-race attributes or Luna experiences moments of fatphobia. I mention it only because of how often I’ve read books where those elements aren’t well-integrated, feeling like the author is fishing for diversity points rather than trying to tell a story.
A minor pick, which I definitely don’t hold against the book but keeps rattling around in my head. Racism in witch society. If your society includes blue-skinned sirens and green-skinned trolls, vampires and werewolves, and where intermarrying with weak or non-magical humans means your family losing its position of power, it’s weird that racism based on human skin tone is a thing. Especially because there don’t seem to be many powerful witch families to intermarry with. Racism ought to be a self-correcting problem.
One thing I disagreed with is an assumed premise that crops up in this book, that people need to be single in order to grow as an individual. It’s not supported by the characters themselves. Luna and Aiofe drive each other to become better people because they love one another and want the other to be the happiest, best version of themselves. While I appreciate what the author is trying for, it’s flat out wrong, and I know it’s wrong from personal experience. People grow better as individuals when we’re surrounded by people who support us and lovingly call out when we’re heading in a bad direction or celebrate when we overcome our personal roadblocks. I’m not going to dock a star, because everything else the book does is so incredible, but it’s a big enough flaw that I considered it.
I’m not the target audience for this book. I read it because I love the premise and was hoping to find it a YA romance intended for a teen audience and not for adults. It definitely does that, remaining laser-focused on teen themes like justice, friendship, relationships, and family. (For any concerned parents out there, sex does happen, but it’s not on the page, and it’s not the focus of the story.) I would recommend this book for a high school library.
September 20, 2024
Rarely do think of a book after finishing like I did with How to Succeed in Witchcraft. It was such an incredibly written, unforgettable story filled with magic and romance. I knew from the moment I began reading it that Aislinn Brophy would be an auto-buy author for me.
Here we are two years later and I’m thinking much the same thing as I did with their debut book. I won’t be able to stop thinking about this. If you aged up the characters from BB Alston’s Amari & the Night Brothers series, mixed the story with Mason Deaver’s Okay, Cupid, made it sapphic, witchy and the parents bloggers/social media content creators, you’d have something… similar, but still not as beautiful and sad.
When a mundane dates a witch, they have to get bespelled knowing that if the relationship doesn’t work out, they’ll forget all about them and everything about the magical world. What happens if that same spell is cast more than once on the same person? A hex. There’s a cost for spell casting. You don’t get to choose what’s taken, but it’ll be equal in value to what you ask for.
Aoife’s parents make family content on social media. So she has a different personality on camera and off. There’s the bubbly, happy girl who loves life, her friends and wants to be in a relationship… and then there’s Angel Aoife, the perfect daughter who doesn’t complain and is subjected to the whole world knowing her personal information.
Luna is the most powerful witch born in generations, which comes with the good and the bad. People are scared of what she could do with her magic, so in turn, she’s gotten a name for being an outcast. But her grandmother is trying to fix her persona and make her the next council head, whether she’s ready or not.
Both of them are keeping secrets from family for different reasons: One, so that her tiniest thought is aired publicly, and the other, so that her grandmother doesn’t punish her. The fact that they had to deal with that felt really icky. Seeing as how your parents/guardians are supposed to take care of you and care for your feelings and wellbeing.
Magic and witchcraft in books always make for a great reading IMO. I knew going into this that I would love it… I just didn’t know how sad it would be in parts. The memories of a relationship help you grow and know what to do or not to do in future ones, so forgetting someone you spent so much time is feels so wrong. It definitely is a heartwrenching idea, but I get why magic users would have to cast that kind of spell when dating non-magical people.
This was definitely the perfect lead up to spooky, magic season!!! If you haven’t put it on your TBR yet, you definitely need to. And it’s so gaaaaaaaay! You need it!
Here we are two years later and I’m thinking much the same thing as I did with their debut book. I won’t be able to stop thinking about this. If you aged up the characters from BB Alston’s Amari & the Night Brothers series, mixed the story with Mason Deaver’s Okay, Cupid, made it sapphic, witchy and the parents bloggers/social media content creators, you’d have something… similar, but still not as beautiful and sad.
When a mundane dates a witch, they have to get bespelled knowing that if the relationship doesn’t work out, they’ll forget all about them and everything about the magical world. What happens if that same spell is cast more than once on the same person? A hex. There’s a cost for spell casting. You don’t get to choose what’s taken, but it’ll be equal in value to what you ask for.
Aoife’s parents make family content on social media. So she has a different personality on camera and off. There’s the bubbly, happy girl who loves life, her friends and wants to be in a relationship… and then there’s Angel Aoife, the perfect daughter who doesn’t complain and is subjected to the whole world knowing her personal information.
Luna is the most powerful witch born in generations, which comes with the good and the bad. People are scared of what she could do with her magic, so in turn, she’s gotten a name for being an outcast. But her grandmother is trying to fix her persona and make her the next council head, whether she’s ready or not.
Both of them are keeping secrets from family for different reasons: One, so that her tiniest thought is aired publicly, and the other, so that her grandmother doesn’t punish her. The fact that they had to deal with that felt really icky. Seeing as how your parents/guardians are supposed to take care of you and care for your feelings and wellbeing.
Magic and witchcraft in books always make for a great reading IMO. I knew going into this that I would love it… I just didn’t know how sad it would be in parts. The memories of a relationship help you grow and know what to do or not to do in future ones, so forgetting someone you spent so much time is feels so wrong. It definitely is a heartwrenching idea, but I get why magic users would have to cast that kind of spell when dating non-magical people.
This was definitely the perfect lead up to spooky, magic season!!! If you haven’t put it on your TBR yet, you definitely need to. And it’s so gaaaaaaaay! You need it!
September 23, 2024
First impression: I'll admit that I came for the beautiful cover...and stayed for the cute story inside. I mean, look at that cover. It's stunning, right? As someone who's not the biggest fan of miscommunication or time loop narratives, but is a huge fan of sapphic romance and contemporary fantasy, I was on the fence about how much I'd like Spells to Forget Us, but I really enjoyed it.
Told in dual POV, Spells to Forget Us follows two girls who are complete opposites, and yet fated to end up together. Luna is a witch poised to take over from her grandmother as head of Boston's magical council; cursed with incredibly powerful magic that exacts a toll upon her each time she uses it, Luna uses her hardened persona to keep everyone out. Aoife is a mundane (non-magical) daughter of family bloggers who's a lifelong people pleaser; unable to keep secrets in her home, when Aoife meets Luna, she is determined to keep this one special thing in her life away from her too-nosy parents. But when their worlds collide, it causes chaos...over and over and over again. Each time they break up, they're fated to forget each other, and yet get drawn together over and over again. Can Luna and Aoife break the cycle to get their happily ever after?
While at times, I felt the miscommunication was too much, I love how Brophy handled the loop narrative. Each time the girls break up, they get closer and closer to figuring out the things that are keeping them apart (Luna's hard edges, Aoife's people pleasing). I genuinely enjoyed being in each of their heads and seeing them grow. I also appreciated that this felt like a sweet spot in YA: the tiniest hint of spice, but mostly sweet, felt like this would be perfect for younger YA readers. It felt readable, nostalgic, and fun. I also really enjoyed the ending. I won't spoil anything, but it's very rare to see a romance end like this, and I appreciated that it did. Fans of HEAs or HNFs may not enjoy this, but I did; sometimes characters (and people) need to grow apart to eventually grow together, and this felt like a very mature end for our central couple.
Positive messages abound here, but never in a way that feels preachy or unrelatable. Like a queer Disney movie, if that makes sense? Anyway, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to Brophy's next book!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin, and Aislinn Brophy for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!
Told in dual POV, Spells to Forget Us follows two girls who are complete opposites, and yet fated to end up together. Luna is a witch poised to take over from her grandmother as head of Boston's magical council; cursed with incredibly powerful magic that exacts a toll upon her each time she uses it, Luna uses her hardened persona to keep everyone out. Aoife is a mundane (non-magical) daughter of family bloggers who's a lifelong people pleaser; unable to keep secrets in her home, when Aoife meets Luna, she is determined to keep this one special thing in her life away from her too-nosy parents. But when their worlds collide, it causes chaos...over and over and over again. Each time they break up, they're fated to forget each other, and yet get drawn together over and over again. Can Luna and Aoife break the cycle to get their happily ever after?
While at times, I felt the miscommunication was too much, I love how Brophy handled the loop narrative. Each time the girls break up, they get closer and closer to figuring out the things that are keeping them apart (Luna's hard edges, Aoife's people pleasing). I genuinely enjoyed being in each of their heads and seeing them grow. I also appreciated that this felt like a sweet spot in YA: the tiniest hint of spice, but mostly sweet, felt like this would be perfect for younger YA readers. It felt readable, nostalgic, and fun. I also really enjoyed the ending. I won't spoil anything, but it's very rare to see a romance end like this, and I appreciated that it did. Fans of HEAs or HNFs may not enjoy this, but I did; sometimes characters (and people) need to grow apart to eventually grow together, and this felt like a very mature end for our central couple.
Positive messages abound here, but never in a way that feels preachy or unrelatable. Like a queer Disney movie, if that makes sense? Anyway, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to Brophy's next book!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin, and Aislinn Brophy for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!
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