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The Witches of Thistle Grove #4
In Charm's Way
Six months after having been hit by a power surge that nearly obliterated her memory, Delilah Harlow is still picking up the pieces. Her once diamond-sharp mind has become shaky and unreliable, and bristly, self-sufficient Delilah is forced to rely on friends, family, and her raven familiar for help. In an effort to reclaim her wits and former independence, she casts a dangerous blood spell meant to harness power with healing capacities.
While the spell does restore clarity, it also unexpectedly turns Delilah into an irresistible beacon for the kind of malevolent supernatural creatures that have never before ventured into Thistle Grove. One night – just as things are about to go terribly sideways with a rogue succubus – a mysterious stranger appears in the nick of time to save Delilah's soul.
Gorgeous, sultry, and as dangerous as the knives she carries, Catriona Quinn is a hunter of monsters – and half-human, half-fae herself, she is the kind of sly and morally gray creature Delilah would normally find horrifying. Though Delilah balks at the idea of a partnership, she has no choice but to roll the dice on their collaboration. As the two delve deeper into the power that underlies Thistle Grove, they uncover not only the town's hidden history but also a risky attraction that could upend Delilah's entire life.
While the spell does restore clarity, it also unexpectedly turns Delilah into an irresistible beacon for the kind of malevolent supernatural creatures that have never before ventured into Thistle Grove. One night – just as things are about to go terribly sideways with a rogue succubus – a mysterious stranger appears in the nick of time to save Delilah's soul.
Gorgeous, sultry, and as dangerous as the knives she carries, Catriona Quinn is a hunter of monsters – and half-human, half-fae herself, she is the kind of sly and morally gray creature Delilah would normally find horrifying. Though Delilah balks at the idea of a partnership, she has no choice but to roll the dice on their collaboration. As the two delve deeper into the power that underlies Thistle Grove, they uncover not only the town's hidden history but also a risky attraction that could upend Delilah's entire life.
259 pages, ebook
First published August 22, 2023
252 people are currently reading
24122 people want to read
About the author
Lana Harper
10 books1,642 followersLana is the New York Times bestselling author of Payback's A Witch and the forthcoming From Bad to Cursed from Berkley Books. Writing as Lana Popovic, she is also the author of YA novels Wicked Like a Wildfire, Fierce Like a Firestorm, Blood Countess, and Poison Priestess. Lana studied psychology and literature at Yale University, law at Boston University, and is a graduate of the Emerson College publishing and writing master's program. She was born in Serbia and lived in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania before moving to the United States, where she now lives in Chicago with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 857 reviews
February 18, 2023
Look, at this point I just want to be a Thistle Grove witch, ok? I want to swim in the enchanted lake and drink mead made in enchanted orchards and meet lots of witchy people. This world, even as we learn more about it and the scope broadens into international territory, remains as warm and inviting as it is richly drawn. Delilah, prickly and deeply injured due to events in the previous book, is at her wits’ end. Not only is she still working on recovering the once-sharp mind she lost in an attack, she is forced to work with the person who caused the misfortune in the first place. She thinks things are looking up when a beautiful stranger and a dubious spell arrive in her orbit within rapid succession, but both will cause her new kinds of pain. She will be forced to rely on the people in her life she has been afraid to fully lean on, but finds new strength in vulnerability and a path that leads to both reconciliation and healing. I admire the way Lana Harper is doling out information about the magic system and the history of the families. Even as individual characters get their HEAs, I’m left eagerly excited for more information about their world. I already can’t wait to revisit Thistle Grove.
NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2024
**3.5-stars**
In Charm's Way is the 4th-installment of The Witches of Thistle Grove series by Lana Harper. This is an Adult Romance series with a witchy-twist.
For those unfamiliar with the series, the books are companion novels. They take place in the small, magical town of Thistle Grove, following the same timeline, but each book focuses on different main characters.
In this story, we follow Delilah Harlow, who we've met before in previous books, and Catriona Quinn, a new character from out of town.
As the story kicks off, Delilah is struggling in the aftermath of an event that caused a serious disruption in her memory. It's worse that just her memory though, it's her brain in general. It's not functioning at the level it once did. It's highly frustrating for the once uber-independent Delilah.
She's had to rely more on family and friends to make her way through every day responsibilities. At wit's end, Delilah, in desperation, attempts a mysterious blood spell said to harness healing capabilities.
It's crazy dangerous, Delilah isn't even sure of the true origins of the spell, nonetheless she gives it a try. At this point, she is willing to do anything to get her life back.
While the spell does seem to work for the most part, it has an unexpected side effect. It basically turns Delilah into a magnet for certain types of supernatural creatures that previously hadn't frequented Thistle Grove.
For example, the malevolent Succubus that attacks her one night. Luckily, a gorgeous and mysterious stranger, Cat, arrives in the nick of time and frees Delilah from the Succubus embrace.
Delilah is intrigued by Cat from the start. Cat, half-human, half-fae, is sultry and intriguing. That initial interaction is all it takes to draw the two of them together. What follows could not have been predicted.
I enjoyed this. I was happy to be returning to Thistle Grove and to be reunited with some characters I have previously enjoyed. This series is one of those that, even though none of them have knocked my socks off, I still have fun picking up and will continue to do so for as long as they are published.
I can't help but compare the books in the series to each other as I am coming up with my rating. For me, this romance wasn't very compelling for me and additionally, I found some of the plot points to be a little muddled.
My favorite part of this was learning more about the history of Thistle Grove. We learned a bit about the origins of the town and how the magic came to be there.
I did also enjoy Delilah's journey. She had a rough road, but I think she learned a lot and I did see growth for her character. Maybe a little bit of peace as well. Her recovery from the brain injury has been tough and I appreciated the examination of that topic.
I think for me the only issue was Cat. I didn't care for her and didn't understand, besides her undeniable hotness, why Delilah would be so interested. Personal opinion on Cat aside though, I think it does make sense in the context of the story Harper created.
We all know fae are a little above and beyond and that they tend to wreck a little havoc wherever they go. We also know they're irresistible...
With this being said, Cat grated on my nerves and I'd be happy if I never read another scene with her in it again. Harsh? Maybe a little, but that's me.
One thing Cat did bring though, that I wouldn't turn away in a further installment, was the heat. Maybe I am imagining it, but this felt like the steamiest of the books thus far. I may have even blushed for a moment.
At the end of the day, I am glad that I picked this up. I find this series to be comforting and easy. I also always enjoy discovering which characters we are going to follow and what romance tropes are going to pop up.
I would recommend The Witches of Thistle Grove series to anyone who enjoys whimsical, low-stakes romance stories with solid witchy-vibes.
Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I hope there are going to be more books in this series. I need more Thistle Grove romance!
In Charm's Way is the 4th-installment of The Witches of Thistle Grove series by Lana Harper. This is an Adult Romance series with a witchy-twist.
For those unfamiliar with the series, the books are companion novels. They take place in the small, magical town of Thistle Grove, following the same timeline, but each book focuses on different main characters.
In this story, we follow Delilah Harlow, who we've met before in previous books, and Catriona Quinn, a new character from out of town.
As the story kicks off, Delilah is struggling in the aftermath of an event that caused a serious disruption in her memory. It's worse that just her memory though, it's her brain in general. It's not functioning at the level it once did. It's highly frustrating for the once uber-independent Delilah.
She's had to rely more on family and friends to make her way through every day responsibilities. At wit's end, Delilah, in desperation, attempts a mysterious blood spell said to harness healing capabilities.
It's crazy dangerous, Delilah isn't even sure of the true origins of the spell, nonetheless she gives it a try. At this point, she is willing to do anything to get her life back.
While the spell does seem to work for the most part, it has an unexpected side effect. It basically turns Delilah into a magnet for certain types of supernatural creatures that previously hadn't frequented Thistle Grove.
For example, the malevolent Succubus that attacks her one night. Luckily, a gorgeous and mysterious stranger, Cat, arrives in the nick of time and frees Delilah from the Succubus embrace.
Delilah is intrigued by Cat from the start. Cat, half-human, half-fae, is sultry and intriguing. That initial interaction is all it takes to draw the two of them together. What follows could not have been predicted.
I enjoyed this. I was happy to be returning to Thistle Grove and to be reunited with some characters I have previously enjoyed. This series is one of those that, even though none of them have knocked my socks off, I still have fun picking up and will continue to do so for as long as they are published.
I can't help but compare the books in the series to each other as I am coming up with my rating. For me, this romance wasn't very compelling for me and additionally, I found some of the plot points to be a little muddled.
My favorite part of this was learning more about the history of Thistle Grove. We learned a bit about the origins of the town and how the magic came to be there.
I did also enjoy Delilah's journey. She had a rough road, but I think she learned a lot and I did see growth for her character. Maybe a little bit of peace as well. Her recovery from the brain injury has been tough and I appreciated the examination of that topic.
I think for me the only issue was Cat. I didn't care for her and didn't understand, besides her undeniable hotness, why Delilah would be so interested. Personal opinion on Cat aside though, I think it does make sense in the context of the story Harper created.
We all know fae are a little above and beyond and that they tend to wreck a little havoc wherever they go. We also know they're irresistible...
With this being said, Cat grated on my nerves and I'd be happy if I never read another scene with her in it again. Harsh? Maybe a little, but that's me.
One thing Cat did bring though, that I wouldn't turn away in a further installment, was the heat. Maybe I am imagining it, but this felt like the steamiest of the books thus far. I may have even blushed for a moment.
At the end of the day, I am glad that I picked this up. I find this series to be comforting and easy. I also always enjoy discovering which characters we are going to follow and what romance tropes are going to pop up.
I would recommend The Witches of Thistle Grove series to anyone who enjoys whimsical, low-stakes romance stories with solid witchy-vibes.
Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I hope there are going to be more books in this series. I need more Thistle Grove romance!
August 13, 2023
3.5 stars
I've loved this series and I think I'll read them forever. After the set up from the previous story, I was excited to see what Delilah was going to bring.
Delilah is angry. Like a rage filled sort of anger. She takes pride in her mind and the abilities it provides, so it's understandable that she's at a non-stop simmer of bitterness. It felt like Cat was supposed to come across as worldly and a different sort of exotic, but it didn't play that way for me. Of course it's lovely to read the other characters, even if their page time was brief.
Plot wise, was a bit of a struggle to read page after page of Delilah pushing people away while convinced no one would be able to help. (Again, I get the anger, I just expected it to be a progressive loosening while the story unfolded.) There were a lot of action scenes and the ending coven work was easily my favorite part.
Overall, I did expect something a little different in this story and that's on me, not the book.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I've loved this series and I think I'll read them forever. After the set up from the previous story, I was excited to see what Delilah was going to bring.
Delilah is angry. Like a rage filled sort of anger. She takes pride in her mind and the abilities it provides, so it's understandable that she's at a non-stop simmer of bitterness. It felt like Cat was supposed to come across as worldly and a different sort of exotic, but it didn't play that way for me. Of course it's lovely to read the other characters, even if their page time was brief.
Plot wise, was a bit of a struggle to read page after page of Delilah pushing people away while convinced no one would be able to help. (Again, I get the anger, I just expected it to be a progressive loosening while the story unfolded.) There were a lot of action scenes and the ending coven work was easily my favorite part.
Overall, I did expect something a little different in this story and that's on me, not the book.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
August 21, 2023
To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. To me, a sapphic witchy romance set in a small town always win but this book proves me wrong.
I hated both of the main characters. I can understand until a certain point of Delilah’s issues but outside of that I did not like her at all. Now for Catriona: beautiful name, insufferable person. I hated her. I knew from the first moment she was bad and so did everyone else except, of course, Delilah.
I saw the “climax”/breakup light years alway and I hated every second of it.
Now you might be wondering: “if you didn’t like anything, then why is it a two star instead of one?” And the answer is Montalban & Ivy. Those two incredible and too good for their own good.
I hated both of the main characters. I can understand until a certain point of Delilah’s issues but outside of that I did not like her at all. Now for Catriona: beautiful name, insufferable person. I hated her. I knew from the first moment she was bad and so did everyone else except, of course, Delilah.
I saw the “climax”/breakup light years alway and I hated every second of it.
Now you might be wondering: “if you didn’t like anything, then why is it a two star instead of one?” And the answer is Montalban & Ivy. Those two incredible and too good for their own good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2023
Having the protagonist call your last FMC a bitch and mean it on page 41 was … a move? Should’ve known it’d be downhill from there for me. Just found both main characters completely irredeemable and there was a distinct lack of the community and found family aspect that made the other books in the series so great.
August 24, 2023
Reading this was an act of bookish masochism, and not even in a fun way. I should’ve DNF’d. Actually, after the last two disappointing books in this series, I should’ve just done myself a favor and not bothered to start In Charm’s Way at all.
Listen, it’s not TERRIBLE. I gave it three stars, after all! - mostly just for the simple fact of being witchy, sapphic, and a little spicy. But the relationship in this one is TOXIC. Gross, gross, gross. The worst ending of all of the books, by far. And I’m just so, so disappointed, overall.
I LOVE lore, usually. I love the discovery of it, and seeing all of the pieces fall into place. I don’t love where the lore of Thistle Grove has gone. It feels to me like Harper is creating it as she writes, rather than actually having it fleshed out and mapped ahead of time. It’s scattered and lazy, and sometimes too convenient. This series could’ve been so good… it STARTED so good.
Also, the more I read this series, the more annoyed I got at the writing. All of the Thistle Grove books are written in a way that you could conceivably pick up any one of them, regardless of publishing order, and understand pretty quickly how the town and its founding families work. As someone who personally couldn’t conceive of reading a series out of order, I find this irritating, but I concede that it’s nice for those who don’t care to read the entire series. HOWEVER, In Charm’s Way takes this to a whole new level. The amount of times that the same exact concept was repeated over and over within the same book was ABSURD. Why are you telling me, for a thirteenth time, about the town-wide oblivion glamor?! I GET IT. They’re written as though the reader is dumb, and I hate it.
And speaking of the founding families - why was this book (and the next one as well!) not told from a Thorn perspective? The first three were Harlow, Avramov, and Blackmore perspectives, respectively… why are we back at Harlow, and then going to Avramov again?! WHERE IS THE THORN PERSPECTIVE?! I thought for sure after book 3 that book 4 would be Linden Thorn going back to Gareth Blackmore - which, to be clear, would be a stupid life decision for Linden, but it really seemed like that’s the seed that was being planted in book 3! Justice for the descendants of Alastair Thorn.
Anyway, there is a one chapter preview of book 5 (Rise and Divine) at the end of In Charm’s Way. I snuck a peek just to see whose story was being told (another Avramov, one we meet in Charm) but I’m not putting myself through the frustration and disappointment of reading another Thistle Grove book. Fool me once, shame on you, Lana Harper. Fool me twice and THRICE, shame on me. I’m relieved to be done with this series. Payback should’ve just been a stand-alone.
Listen, it’s not TERRIBLE. I gave it three stars, after all! - mostly just for the simple fact of being witchy, sapphic, and a little spicy. But the relationship in this one is TOXIC. Gross, gross, gross. The worst ending of all of the books, by far. And I’m just so, so disappointed, overall.
I LOVE lore, usually. I love the discovery of it, and seeing all of the pieces fall into place. I don’t love where the lore of Thistle Grove has gone. It feels to me like Harper is creating it as she writes, rather than actually having it fleshed out and mapped ahead of time. It’s scattered and lazy, and sometimes too convenient. This series could’ve been so good… it STARTED so good.
Also, the more I read this series, the more annoyed I got at the writing. All of the Thistle Grove books are written in a way that you could conceivably pick up any one of them, regardless of publishing order, and understand pretty quickly how the town and its founding families work. As someone who personally couldn’t conceive of reading a series out of order, I find this irritating, but I concede that it’s nice for those who don’t care to read the entire series. HOWEVER, In Charm’s Way takes this to a whole new level. The amount of times that the same exact concept was repeated over and over within the same book was ABSURD. Why are you telling me, for a thirteenth time, about the town-wide oblivion glamor?! I GET IT. They’re written as though the reader is dumb, and I hate it.
And speaking of the founding families - why was this book (and the next one as well!) not told from a Thorn perspective? The first three were Harlow, Avramov, and Blackmore perspectives, respectively… why are we back at Harlow, and then going to Avramov again?! WHERE IS THE THORN PERSPECTIVE?! I thought for sure after book 3 that book 4 would be Linden Thorn going back to Gareth Blackmore - which, to be clear, would be a stupid life decision for Linden, but it really seemed like that’s the seed that was being planted in book 3! Justice for the descendants of Alastair Thorn.
Anyway, there is a one chapter preview of book 5 (Rise and Divine) at the end of In Charm’s Way. I snuck a peek just to see whose story was being told (another Avramov, one we meet in Charm) but I’m not putting myself through the frustration and disappointment of reading another Thistle Grove book. Fool me once, shame on you, Lana Harper. Fool me twice and THRICE, shame on me. I’m relieved to be done with this series. Payback should’ve just been a stand-alone.
Want to read
January 4, 2023It's not just a trilogy, it's a pentalogy!!! (Which feels incredibly fitting for a five pointed witch series 😉) Thank you Lana, can't wait!!!
September 7, 2023
I need more and more and more of Thistle Grove stories...
I loved this one!
I'm on a 20 days holiday... let's see how many books I'll devour!
I loved this one!
I'm on a 20 days holiday... let's see how many books I'll devour!
September 19, 2023
This one completely missed the mark for me
April 14, 2023
Prepare to be sick of me. I will NEVER stop recommending this series now!
I absolutely loved In Charm’s Way. It’s the fourth book in the Witches of Thistle Grove series, and I love it as much as book one!
This book follows Emmy Harlow’s cousin, Delilah, and her love interest, who is not from Thistle Grove. (And isn’t a witch or a human 👀).
It begins by picking up with Delilah dealing with her memory loss from the end of book three due to having an oblivion glamour spell cast on her. And no matter how hard she tries, her memory loss still isn’t getting better. Eventually she becomes so desperate that she casts a baneful spell to improve her memory. And consequences ensue!
I don’t think there’s anything that bothered me, or that I didn’t enjoy about this book!
I loved that it started out following Delilah after what happened in book three dealing with her memory loss. The other books didn’t connect like that intially back to the previous stories. So it sucked me in right away!
There’s also several new CREATURES that come into the story! Sirens, basilisks, etc. I didn’t even realize those would be involved in this world. So that’s was a fun new addition!
The formula for this book is also different from the other three, which was a really nice change of pace.
There’s a twist towards the end!
You have no idea how issue is going to be revolved and work itself out.
And even more information comes out about Lady’s Lake, the goddess statue that lives inside of it, the town history, and the Harlow family.
I liked this book just as much, if not more than the first two books!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read In Charm’s Way as an ARC!
This review is completely honest, and if you know me at all, you already know that because I’m completely obsessed with witches and won’t shut up about this series!
I absolutely loved In Charm’s Way. It’s the fourth book in the Witches of Thistle Grove series, and I love it as much as book one!
This book follows Emmy Harlow’s cousin, Delilah, and her love interest, who is not from Thistle Grove. (And isn’t a witch or a human 👀).
It begins by picking up with Delilah dealing with her memory loss from the end of book three due to having an oblivion glamour spell cast on her. And no matter how hard she tries, her memory loss still isn’t getting better. Eventually she becomes so desperate that she casts a baneful spell to improve her memory. And consequences ensue!
I don’t think there’s anything that bothered me, or that I didn’t enjoy about this book!
I loved that it started out following Delilah after what happened in book three dealing with her memory loss. The other books didn’t connect like that intially back to the previous stories. So it sucked me in right away!
There’s also several new CREATURES that come into the story! Sirens, basilisks, etc. I didn’t even realize those would be involved in this world. So that’s was a fun new addition!
The formula for this book is also different from the other three, which was a really nice change of pace.
There’s a twist towards the end!
You have no idea how issue is going to be revolved and work itself out.
And even more information comes out about Lady’s Lake, the goddess statue that lives inside of it, the town history, and the Harlow family.
I liked this book just as much, if not more than the first two books!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read In Charm’s Way as an ARC!
This review is completely honest, and if you know me at all, you already know that because I’m completely obsessed with witches and won’t shut up about this series!
September 4, 2023
A blood magic spell gone awry, a sapphic romance between a witch and a monster hunter and lots of magical creatures causing mayhem.
In Charm’s Way is book 4 of Lana Harper’s The Witches of Thistle Grove series. I will begin by mentioning that these books are definitely better when read in order because you can fully appreciate all the characters and the events mentioned. This one especially picks up after events that occurred in book 3 and led to Delilah’s memory loss.
Loved that this book really gave us the backstory of this town, the lake, the magical families and the repercussions of what Nina did. I personally really enjoyed Delilah’s character. She was angry and had every right to be with everything she was going through with her memory loss. I understood her being guarded and closed off and enjoyed seeing her open up over the course of the book.
There were some major magical creatures in this book that I wasn’t expecting but which added a sense of danger and fun to the storyline. I wasn’t as wowed by the romance in this book but the rest of the story really got me. Also, can I just say how much I adore Ivy! We should all be so lucky to have a friend like her in our lives. I need to see her get a well deserved HEA.
In Charm’s Way is book 4 of Lana Harper’s The Witches of Thistle Grove series. I will begin by mentioning that these books are definitely better when read in order because you can fully appreciate all the characters and the events mentioned. This one especially picks up after events that occurred in book 3 and led to Delilah’s memory loss.
Loved that this book really gave us the backstory of this town, the lake, the magical families and the repercussions of what Nina did. I personally really enjoyed Delilah’s character. She was angry and had every right to be with everything she was going through with her memory loss. I understood her being guarded and closed off and enjoyed seeing her open up over the course of the book.
There were some major magical creatures in this book that I wasn’t expecting but which added a sense of danger and fun to the storyline. I wasn’t as wowed by the romance in this book but the rest of the story really got me. Also, can I just say how much I adore Ivy! We should all be so lucky to have a friend like her in our lives. I need to see her get a well deserved HEA.
October 14, 2023
Not enough grovel.
What…you put on a dress and we are supposed to forgive.
We do not forgive.
What…you put on a dress and we are supposed to forgive.
We do not forgive.
November 3, 2023
2.5 stars rounded down.
*sigh* this one started off SO strong for me. It has some of the most evocative writing (the spellwork at the end?! i felt like I was right there). I was sure it'd be my new favourite of the series...
And then, well, we got a magic cure storyline. *sigh*
I imagine I'm feeling how many enby folx felt after book 3 which is so disappointed. And, really, I shouldn't be surprised at this point. It seems if there's something Harper is known for its a) rushed endings and b) poorly delivered representation. And yet, why do I keep returning to her books again and again hoping for something different?
In the acknowledgments, Harper talks about how this was always meant to be Delilah's Rage Book. But, even there, IDK how well that was done. Rage can be sacred, can be a fuel. Instead in the story its shown to only be toxic to its holder. Maybe its the Aries in me or maybe its being forced to witness a genocide in real time but like...rage is powerful.
The story opens with a disabled Delilah. Her memory keeps slipping and those first 2 chapters were some of the absolute best writing from Harper. She powerfully captured the confusion, overwhelm, grief, and anger of when your brain-body no longer works the way you know it to. Throughout the book there are also MANY hints to Delilah being autistic - her bluntness, the vastness of her mind focused on her special interest, her feeling misunderstood and like she can't be herself.
So imagine my disappointment when the conclusion recommends *sigh*
The more I think about it, the angrier I get.
And of course we know trauma can live in the body and manifest in a variety of physiological ways. And sure if I could exorcise mine with a coven ritual I absolutely would. But why does the HEA rely on Delilah being cured?
I was having fun with this one. I loved the monsters and monster hunter storylines. I"d bet everything that the intro of Cat is setting up a spin-off series for after this one wraps. And I found Cat and Delilah's chemistry to be off the charts. We got 2 sex scenes and I thought they were well done and hot AF. I even predicted the plot twist which is rare AF for my oblivious ass and still enjoyed it (it was so much worse than I foresaw!).
But sieving off that fun, like the succubus that attacks Delilah sieves off her lust, were the hints that Delilah needed to be cured...and then the actually curing itself.
One of the things I loved most about Book 3 is that Nina is forced to give up her new gift. Its a hard decision, a gut-wrenching one, and yet on the other side of it she finds love and acceptance and confidence. Delilah—and disabled and autistic people everywhere—deserved the same.
CN: brain injury, fantasy violence
Sex tags: making out, oral sex, hand sex
*sigh* this one started off SO strong for me. It has some of the most evocative writing (the spellwork at the end?! i felt like I was right there). I was sure it'd be my new favourite of the series...
And then, well, we got a magic cure storyline. *sigh*
I imagine I'm feeling how many enby folx felt after book 3 which is so disappointed. And, really, I shouldn't be surprised at this point. It seems if there's something Harper is known for its a) rushed endings and b) poorly delivered representation. And yet, why do I keep returning to her books again and again hoping for something different?
In the acknowledgments, Harper talks about how this was always meant to be Delilah's Rage Book. But, even there, IDK how well that was done. Rage can be sacred, can be a fuel. Instead in the story its shown to only be toxic to its holder. Maybe its the Aries in me or maybe its being forced to witness a genocide in real time but like...rage is powerful.
The story opens with a disabled Delilah. Her memory keeps slipping and those first 2 chapters were some of the absolute best writing from Harper. She powerfully captured the confusion, overwhelm, grief, and anger of when your brain-body no longer works the way you know it to. Throughout the book there are also MANY hints to Delilah being autistic - her bluntness, the vastness of her mind focused on her special interest, her feeling misunderstood and like she can't be herself.
So imagine my disappointment when the conclusion recommends *sigh*
The more I think about it, the angrier I get.
And of course we know trauma can live in the body and manifest in a variety of physiological ways. And sure if I could exorcise mine with a coven ritual I absolutely would. But why does the HEA rely on Delilah being cured?
I was having fun with this one. I loved the monsters and monster hunter storylines. I"d bet everything that the intro of Cat is setting up a spin-off series for after this one wraps. And I found Cat and Delilah's chemistry to be off the charts. We got 2 sex scenes and I thought they were well done and hot AF. I even predicted the plot twist which is rare AF for my oblivious ass and still enjoyed it (it was so much worse than I foresaw!).
But sieving off that fun, like the succubus that attacks Delilah sieves off her lust, were the hints that Delilah needed to be cured...and then the actually curing itself.
One of the things I loved most about Book 3 is that Nina is forced to give up her new gift. Its a hard decision, a gut-wrenching one, and yet on the other side of it she finds love and acceptance and confidence. Delilah—and disabled and autistic people everywhere—deserved the same.
CN: brain injury, fantasy violence
Sex tags: making out, oral sex, hand sex
November 23, 2023
Finally got what I have been waiting for!
Payback's a Witch was sooo good, then a couple of mediocre books, and now this one!
Maybe it's because it's sapphic? Maybe it's because it had more depth to the plot? Was it because it involved more darker aspects of characters and revealed some unknown bits?
Who knows. In any case it was fantastic and exactly what I needed to end out this series.
Payback's a Witch was sooo good, then a couple of mediocre books, and now this one!
Maybe it's because it's sapphic? Maybe it's because it had more depth to the plot? Was it because it involved more darker aspects of characters and revealed some unknown bits?
Who knows. In any case it was fantastic and exactly what I needed to end out this series.
September 1, 2023
I understand not tagging authors in bad reviews and I won’t ever do it, but sometimes I do wish I could ask why. I really enjoyed the first three books in this series even though characters had flaws and at times felt a bit two dimensional. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and community that Lana Harper created.
But boy was Delilah awful. I think part of my problem was a direct result of Harper’s decision to dedicate the first fourth of this book shitting all over the protagonist from her previous book. Another issue I took with this one was the massively toxic relationship thru 99.8% of the story. Gaslighting, isolation, lies, and straight up brainwashing are not romantic.
Delilah was petulant, judgmental, selfish, cruel and at times incredibly prejudiced. One minute she’s making fun of a teenager for being a teenager, and the next said teenager is attacked because of HER decision. I’m already not a huge fan of unlikeable characters so this one was a no for that reason alone.
And let me be clear about one thing: processing trauma is great. Having a character who starts out raw and prickly and has a healing arc is also great. This didn’t feel like that through 90% of this story. This was a character lashing out, demeaning, and verbally abusing everyone around her because she could. Did she have the right to be angry? Yes. Did she have the right to hurt people? No.
One final thing: the biggest draw through the series so far was the town and the community. All of that felt very absent through most of this book. I’m not sure if I’m going to give the next one a chance at this point. This one felt either rushed, not well flushed out in advance, or used as filler. Maybe next round. We’ll see.
But boy was Delilah awful. I think part of my problem was a direct result of Harper’s decision to dedicate the first fourth of this book shitting all over the protagonist from her previous book. Another issue I took with this one was the massively toxic relationship thru 99.8% of the story. Gaslighting, isolation, lies, and straight up brainwashing are not romantic.
Delilah was petulant, judgmental, selfish, cruel and at times incredibly prejudiced. One minute she’s making fun of a teenager for being a teenager, and the next said teenager is attacked because of HER decision. I’m already not a huge fan of unlikeable characters so this one was a no for that reason alone.
And let me be clear about one thing: processing trauma is great. Having a character who starts out raw and prickly and has a healing arc is also great. This didn’t feel like that through 90% of this story. This was a character lashing out, demeaning, and verbally abusing everyone around her because she could. Did she have the right to be angry? Yes. Did she have the right to hurt people? No.
One final thing: the biggest draw through the series so far was the town and the community. All of that felt very absent through most of this book. I’m not sure if I’m going to give the next one a chance at this point. This one felt either rushed, not well flushed out in advance, or used as filler. Maybe next round. We’ll see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2024
This series continues to frustrate me. The author is obviously making up rules as she goes along. Tell me why Delilah received no punishment in this book when what she did was so much worse than what Nina did in the previous book?
April 14, 2024
Very charming, cozy witch series with snark for days, female centric-relationships and love, and lots and lots of heart.
May 28, 2023
3⭐️
1.5🌶
Returning to Thistle Grove feels like coming home.
In Charm's Way is Delilah Harlow's book of rage, as the author puts it (and I agree), and her journey is not the lightest or most fun to embark on. It is, however, extremely important and wonderfully different than the other books in the series. We spend more time alone with Delilah than we do with other characters, and more time in her head processing events and the effect they have on her life and relationships. And while she's not the most likeable of characters, I give her so much love and respect.
The town and the magic in this book is, yet again, wonderful. I love the atmosphere Lana Harper always creates and the way she makes me able to *feel* things, almost smell and taste them, too. Her writing is beautiful and it is so easy to get lost in the pages as I read.
Yes, this is my lowest rated book in the series so far but I still enjoyed it overall. Like I said, we spend a lot of time processing and being angry right alongside Delilah, but the resolutions, both character and plot, didn’t quite do it for me. And I felt like this book could have used another 50 pages to add more depth to Cat and more time for readers to understand the connection between her and Delilah. Their relationship development on page just left me wanting so much more, especially following such amazing connections between love interests in the previous books.
**Thank you to Lana Harper, Berkley, and NetGalley for a copy of In Charm's Way in exchange for my honest review!!**
1.5🌶
Returning to Thistle Grove feels like coming home.
In Charm's Way is Delilah Harlow's book of rage, as the author puts it (and I agree), and her journey is not the lightest or most fun to embark on. It is, however, extremely important and wonderfully different than the other books in the series. We spend more time alone with Delilah than we do with other characters, and more time in her head processing events and the effect they have on her life and relationships. And while she's not the most likeable of characters, I give her so much love and respect.
The town and the magic in this book is, yet again, wonderful. I love the atmosphere Lana Harper always creates and the way she makes me able to *feel* things, almost smell and taste them, too. Her writing is beautiful and it is so easy to get lost in the pages as I read.
Yes, this is my lowest rated book in the series so far but I still enjoyed it overall. Like I said, we spend a lot of time processing and being angry right alongside Delilah, but the resolutions, both character and plot, didn’t quite do it for me. And I felt like this book could have used another 50 pages to add more depth to Cat and more time for readers to understand the connection between her and Delilah. Their relationship development on page just left me wanting so much more, especially following such amazing connections between love interests in the previous books.
**Thank you to Lana Harper, Berkley, and NetGalley for a copy of In Charm's Way in exchange for my honest review!!**
April 27, 2024
book so bad i tried to cut my bangs again
October 25, 2024
Triggered my Harry Potter AND acotar ptsd. Jail.
September 3, 2023
Early last year on a whim, I borrowed Payback’s A Witch by Lana Harper from my local library 📚
Nearly two years and several thistle grove family members later, the fourth book in The Witches of Thistle Grove arrived!
Everything Lana Harper writes is magical, and the fourth book in the series is no exception! In Charm’s Way, book four of The Witches of Thistle Grove series is a beautiful blend of fantasy, romance, and paranormal. What I love about In Charm’s Way is the same as what I love about all Lana Harper novels: the characters.
If you’ve read The Witches of Thistle Grove series you may notice some familiar faces in this book. But this is Delilah Harlow’s story, and I enjoyed seeing Thistle Grove through her eyes.
Overall, In Charm’s Way is a beautiful blend of genres and themes. The characters are complex and relatable, the setting is magical and believable, and the romance is steamy and satisfying. If you love paranormal romance, enemies-to-lover, forbidden romance, fantasy, and queer characters, then this magical world is sure to cast a spell on you! 🪄
While I would say it’s possible for her previous books to be read as standalones, it’s not the same for In Charm’s Way. But in the event you don’t have time to read three other books, I highly recommend reading at least the third book in the series. Because, this book heavily relies on magical events from book three.
Nearly two years and several thistle grove family members later, the fourth book in The Witches of Thistle Grove arrived!
Everything Lana Harper writes is magical, and the fourth book in the series is no exception! In Charm’s Way, book four of The Witches of Thistle Grove series is a beautiful blend of fantasy, romance, and paranormal. What I love about In Charm’s Way is the same as what I love about all Lana Harper novels: the characters.
If you’ve read The Witches of Thistle Grove series you may notice some familiar faces in this book. But this is Delilah Harlow’s story, and I enjoyed seeing Thistle Grove through her eyes.
Overall, In Charm’s Way is a beautiful blend of genres and themes. The characters are complex and relatable, the setting is magical and believable, and the romance is steamy and satisfying. If you love paranormal romance, enemies-to-lover, forbidden romance, fantasy, and queer characters, then this magical world is sure to cast a spell on you! 🪄
While I would say it’s possible for her previous books to be read as standalones, it’s not the same for In Charm’s Way. But in the event you don’t have time to read three other books, I highly recommend reading at least the third book in the series. Because, this book heavily relies on magical events from book three.
July 31, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
This was another entertaining paranormal Sapphic romance set in the Thistle Grove universe that sees Delilah trying to recover her magic after a mishap from the previous book.
Unfortunately a spell goes awry and has all sorts of demons flocking to the town, including monster hunter/con artist Kat. With suspicious motives, Delilah reluctantly accepts Kat's help not trusting her one bit but unable to resist her charms.
While this wasn't my favorite book in the series I still thought the banter and chemistry between the two leads was well done and liked the audio narration by Yu-Li Alice Shen. Recommended for fans of small town witchy series like those by Hazel Beck or Erin Sterling.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
This was another entertaining paranormal Sapphic romance set in the Thistle Grove universe that sees Delilah trying to recover her magic after a mishap from the previous book.
Unfortunately a spell goes awry and has all sorts of demons flocking to the town, including monster hunter/con artist Kat. With suspicious motives, Delilah reluctantly accepts Kat's help not trusting her one bit but unable to resist her charms.
While this wasn't my favorite book in the series I still thought the banter and chemistry between the two leads was well done and liked the audio narration by Yu-Li Alice Shen. Recommended for fans of small town witchy series like those by Hazel Beck or Erin Sterling.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
August 19, 2023
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
TW: Sexual Content | Violence | Trauma | Panic Attacks
The fourth installment to The Witches of Thistle Grove already. This time we follow Delilah, a niece to Emmy from the first book.
I think what I appreciated the most about this book is that it continued from the previous book. What happened in that book was pretty big. The discovery of the goddess state in the lake and what Nina did. There had to be consequences that went beyond that book. And I really loved seeing that in this book. It connected the books more too.
At first I was unsure about Delilah. She was harsh and especially with her best friend Ivy she seemed to take and take and not give much back. But Lana Harper build her up really well. At the end of the book I understood her a lot better and why she choose to do what she did. Cat was an interesting addition.
But especially I loved Ivy. She was a spectacular good friend and the next book needs to be about her.
TW: Sexual Content | Violence | Trauma | Panic Attacks
The fourth installment to The Witches of Thistle Grove already. This time we follow Delilah, a niece to Emmy from the first book.
I think what I appreciated the most about this book is that it continued from the previous book. What happened in that book was pretty big. The discovery of the goddess state in the lake and what Nina did. There had to be consequences that went beyond that book. And I really loved seeing that in this book. It connected the books more too.
At first I was unsure about Delilah. She was harsh and especially with her best friend Ivy she seemed to take and take and not give much back. But Lana Harper build her up really well. At the end of the book I understood her a lot better and why she choose to do what she did. Cat was an interesting addition.
But especially I loved Ivy. She was a spectacular good friend and the next book needs to be about her.
September 20, 2023
Round up to 4.5 stars.
October 6, 2024
3.5 stars in comparison to the rest of the series
October 30, 2025
she should’ve just hooked up with the succubus and saved me some time
September 27, 2023
See the full review & more at HarlequinJunkie
The rage-fueled, desperate actions of a small-town witch made In Charm’s Way a quick, fun, emotional read that was filled with new discoveries, a whole lot of anger, and a passionate LGBTQ romance that seemed destined to be.
It was so nice to be back in Thistle Grove! In Charm’s Way picked up right where book three, Back in a Spell, left off. The heroine this time was witch Delilah Harlow, who we followed as she dealt with the fallout from the oblivion spell Nina Blackmoore cast in the previous book. Poor Delilah was left with a lot of her memories and abilities wiped out post spell. And at first it wasn’t clear if it was a temporary thing or something long term. Author Lana Harper did a fantastic job of conveying just how much this affected Delilah–mentally, emotionally, and physically–as well as how much anger and rage she felt towards Nina for what she had done. Even though Nina did everything she could to help Delilah in any way possible afterward... Read More
The rage-fueled, desperate actions of a small-town witch made In Charm’s Way a quick, fun, emotional read that was filled with new discoveries, a whole lot of anger, and a passionate LGBTQ romance that seemed destined to be.
It was so nice to be back in Thistle Grove! In Charm’s Way picked up right where book three, Back in a Spell, left off. The heroine this time was witch Delilah Harlow, who we followed as she dealt with the fallout from the oblivion spell Nina Blackmoore cast in the previous book. Poor Delilah was left with a lot of her memories and abilities wiped out post spell. And at first it wasn’t clear if it was a temporary thing or something long term. Author Lana Harper did a fantastic job of conveying just how much this affected Delilah–mentally, emotionally, and physically–as well as how much anger and rage she felt towards Nina for what she had done. Even though Nina did everything she could to help Delilah in any way possible afterward... Read More
August 23, 2023
I'm a sucker for a good witchy romcom and have been loving Lana Harper's series, The Witches of Thistle Grove. In Charm's Way is the fourth installment in this series and, although I found it a bit darker than the first three books, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time in the magical Thistle Grove community.
The world building as always is wonderful and I loved learning more about their system of magic and especially about that magical, mystical lake, but the real star of this book is Delilah Harlow and the personal and psychological journey that she takes in this story. The author has dubbed this "Delilah's Book of Rage" and she is spot on.
In Charm's Way picks up where the last book left off, with Delilah and Nina having to contend with the fallout from Nina's actions, the fallout being that Delilah's memory has been obliterated. Delilah has always been an independent, self sufficient woman who doesn't need to rely on anyone, and suddenly not being able to remember even the most basic of things, has really thrown her for a loop. Needless to say, Delilah is livid and refuses to forgive Nina. When all of the Thistle Grove witches try and fail to help restore Delilah's memory, she decides to take matters into her own hands and casts a forbidden blood spell that should help. Delilah gets way more than she bargained for, however, & becomes a magnet for undesirable magical creatures. She doesn't want her community to know what she has done so she turns to an unlikely source for help.
Delilah's rage and frustration is palpable throughout, & was so easy to relate to if you've ever been in a situation where you've lost your sense of independence.
I did miss seeing some of my favorites from earlier books, but I adored the newcomer, a tantalizing half human, half Fae who lends Delilah a hand and steals her heart.
This was such a good read! I'm hearing there's going to be a fifth book in the series and I'm here for it!
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The world building as always is wonderful and I loved learning more about their system of magic and especially about that magical, mystical lake, but the real star of this book is Delilah Harlow and the personal and psychological journey that she takes in this story. The author has dubbed this "Delilah's Book of Rage" and she is spot on.
In Charm's Way picks up where the last book left off, with Delilah and Nina having to contend with the fallout from Nina's actions, the fallout being that Delilah's memory has been obliterated. Delilah has always been an independent, self sufficient woman who doesn't need to rely on anyone, and suddenly not being able to remember even the most basic of things, has really thrown her for a loop. Needless to say, Delilah is livid and refuses to forgive Nina. When all of the Thistle Grove witches try and fail to help restore Delilah's memory, she decides to take matters into her own hands and casts a forbidden blood spell that should help. Delilah gets way more than she bargained for, however, & becomes a magnet for undesirable magical creatures. She doesn't want her community to know what she has done so she turns to an unlikely source for help.
Delilah's rage and frustration is palpable throughout, & was so easy to relate to if you've ever been in a situation where you've lost your sense of independence.
I did miss seeing some of my favorites from earlier books, but I adored the newcomer, a tantalizing half human, half Fae who lends Delilah a hand and steals her heart.
This was such a good read! I'm hearing there's going to be a fifth book in the series and I'm here for it!
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2023
I love that a new Thistlegrove Witches book comes right at the first chill in the air. Excellent read during these lower, fall like temps.
I absolutely loved getting to know Delilah better in this book and knowing what she was thinking. My favorite thing to do whenever a new one of these books is released is to go back and re-read the others with the new knowledge and insight to each additional character.
I hope this series NEVER ends please god, Lana- write forever.
I absolutely loved getting to know Delilah better in this book and knowing what she was thinking. My favorite thing to do whenever a new one of these books is released is to go back and re-read the others with the new knowledge and insight to each additional character.
I hope this series NEVER ends please god, Lana- write forever.
November 28, 2023
I think we as a society need to limit our use of the word “trauma” for awhile
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