Please note that this novel does contain sexual content best suitable for those ages 18+.
Two witchy sisters, Luna and Zara, move to Salem after their beloved grandmother suddenly dies and leaves them her apothecary. Everything in their new life seems perfect until mysterious strangers begin appearing in their lives while local witches start disappearing, revealing secrets about the town’s history.
Together, the sisters must confront shadows from the past with the help of their newly formed coven and an ex-boyfriend-turned-cat. As they navigate love, loyalty, and a brewing storm of danger, they learn that true power lies not just in magic, but in their bond as sisters.
Can they work together to save the witches of Salem and protect everything they love, or will the darkness threaten to tear them apart?
Every Autumn I will read as many books about witches as I can, whether they're actually spooky and dark, or light-hearted and whimsical and a little bit silly. There have been some I have absolutely loved (The Ex Hex by Erin Stirling and the Payback's a Witch series by Lana Harper), so I never say no to books in this vein, no matter how silly or samey they might seem. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite hit the mark.
Not saying this book was all bad, because it wasn't. For example, it wasted no time getting started, plot and character wise, which I enjoyed . The two sisters, Luna and Zara were introduced and established - albeit with a good dose of clunky exposition and numerous reiterations of who was the cutesy sister and who was the bitchy sister etc etc. But it was a strong start, introducing a yucky f*ckboy character so you immediately get behind the sisters and their actions and not fannying about with all the ins and outs of their witchy world, everything is very to the point which I appreciated.
That being said, it did feel like it could have been maybe 30% longer, as there was no padding anything out. It was so short, that by the time I got to 50% through I couldn't even tell you what the point of this book was going to be. They jumped from event to event every couple of seconds, and relationships were made and destroyed so quickly I'm surprised the girls didn't ever get whiplash. The consequence of this speedy narrative was that none of the other characters really got fleshed out at all, for example the members of the coven. They all joined so quickly and were never focused on for more than a couple of seconds that you didn't get a chance to get to know them, or care about them, when they had such potential to be interesting characters. And other times when things happened with the click of a finger, they almost always seemed too fortuitous that I was sure 90% of what was happening was suspicious... But, no. Things just happened and sometimes they were good things, and sometimes they were not so good things that got resolved before there was a chance for any tension to build.
Also, some of it felt very, very on the nose, and I could have done without the numerous comments about how Luna is a gold star lesbian and full time bitch (we get it). I do also feel like these sisters are going to drink themselves into an early grave!! Which I guess might be the reason they didn't think anything through properly??
Overall, this book felt a little too rushed, like the author was just too keen to write a witchy book based on the hundreds already out there before she had the chance to fully develop her ideas. So I would give this a 2.5
Cozy, fall, spooky vibes! I enjoyed this one. It was a quick read and perfect for those who love Practical Magic (the movie, I haven't read the book yet) and want those vibes. There is a bit of steam in it so be aware, though I wouldn't say it is too descriptive. I could always use more spice but I do know that it isn't for everyone so, this is probably a safe bet for you.
I read a review somewhere that said they didn't know what to book was about, I felt that misleading because the book is first about sisters and witches but it starts off with a prologue in the past that ties into events that Luna and Zara have to deal with in their new town and with their new coven.
Could the book have been longer? Sure, but I felt it was just enough to get the baseline of the story achieved and leave you hoping that there will be more. Maybe even on some of the other witches that we are introduced to in this story.
Now I need to go and get my midnight margarita and cozy fall movies on!
Definitely a cozy, fun fall read! Advertised as Hocus Pocus mixed with Practical Magic, and I agree, but also add in some Secret Circle, and you've got the perfect description!
This is the first duet book for these authors, and you wouldn't even know that by their writing. It honestly writes like only one author wrote this (in the best way), and it was a spicy read. I did wish it was longer so we could have a better understanding of the magic system, and maybe more character development, because it did feel rushed at some points in the story. Overall, the story was cute, and the mystery aspect was definitely thrilling and satisfying. It definitely left it open for them to come back and give us more stories for the other witches in their group, or to even give us a little backstory with the grandmother. Absolutely recommend this book as a quick fall-time read!
This book definitely has a "Practical Magic" kind of feel. Two sisters, a curse male that is twisted with a sister's heart, finding oneself etc. I do love how very different from the classical movie it is as well as Binxi. Taking twists from both the mentioned movie and Hocus Pocus had me really enjoying this co-written book. Spice is low but didn't take away from the storyline. Anyone who is into the witchy vibe, loves those classics and enjoys a some spice in their stories I feel would enjoy this book. ✨️📚✨️