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Lovestuck
A touch of magic meets a romantic mystery in this delightful YA rom-com, where a love-cynical teen with the ability to manipulate emotions gets in over her head when she accidentally curses the school bad boy into falling in love with her.
Of all her sisters, only Riya inherited the full powers of their peri ancestor, a fey creature specializing in emotion magic…especially the sacred power of love.
Riya has never been interested in love—much to the disappointment of her best friend, Mel, who really, really wants Riya to get Mel and her crush together before senior year’s over. The only thing Riya cares about, truthfully, is forgetting the last, disastrous time she used her powers.
So, when Mel finally convinces her to give her crush a tiny push, she’s horrified when the peri magic lashes out of control yet again. Instead of a casual love spell, she’s placed an accidental love curse on the school bad boy, Kian Kho. Riya doesn’t like Kian one bit—but if the curse isn’t reversed by the next full moon, his unrequited love could leave him literally heartbroken.
As the letters, public declarations, flowers, and songs pile up, there’s only one way master her peri magic and break the curse—before they’re both love-stuck forever.
Of all her sisters, only Riya inherited the full powers of their peri ancestor, a fey creature specializing in emotion magic…especially the sacred power of love.
Riya has never been interested in love—much to the disappointment of her best friend, Mel, who really, really wants Riya to get Mel and her crush together before senior year’s over. The only thing Riya cares about, truthfully, is forgetting the last, disastrous time she used her powers.
So, when Mel finally convinces her to give her crush a tiny push, she’s horrified when the peri magic lashes out of control yet again. Instead of a casual love spell, she’s placed an accidental love curse on the school bad boy, Kian Kho. Riya doesn’t like Kian one bit—but if the curse isn’t reversed by the next full moon, his unrequited love could leave him literally heartbroken.
As the letters, public declarations, flowers, and songs pile up, there’s only one way master her peri magic and break the curse—before they’re both love-stuck forever.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published July 14, 2026
About the author
Farah Naz Rishi
14 books655 followersFarah Naz Rishi is a Pakistani-American Muslim writer and voice actor, but in another life, she’s worked stints as a lawyer, a video game journalist, and an editorial assistant. She received her B.A. in English from Bryn Mawr College, her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and her love of weaving stories from the Odyssey Writing Workshop. When she’s not writing, she’s probably hanging out with video game characters. You can find her at home in Philadelphia, or on Twitter at @far_ah_way.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 22, 2026
Lovestuck is a YA novel about a teen named Riya, who uses her magic to help a friend but ends up placing a love curse on a boy she can't stand.
This is a cozy book that straddles the line between fantasy and magical realism. While there is magic in the book, it's written in such a realistic way that I didn't feel like I was reading fantasy or paranormal fiction. This book features a diverse cast of characters from different races and gender expressions-- including a nonbinary side character who plays a larger role in the book.
What I loved:
1. Riya as a character is great! She's complex, realistic, and not always likable-- which is just as she should be. She doesn't always make the best choices, but she wants to do the right thing.
2. Kian. Kian forever and ever and ever. He's the perfect golden retriever to Riya's black cat, and he was so endearing that I couldn't help rooting for him.
3. The magical element and Riya's family magic was super cool and engaging. I just wish there was more! I wanted to know and understand more about it.
4. It's realistic. Even if I didn't love the ending...it was realistic.
5. This is a super complex story and it incorporates a lot of themes on free well, accountability, ethics of magic, love, connection, etc.
What was a miss for me:
1. The ending. Ugh. It was fine, but I wasn't satisfied. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anything. I just...wasn't satisfied.
2. I feel like this story had a lot more backstory and exposition that was taken out or wasn't properly explained. This book incorporates A LOT, so I get having to make choices about what to keep, but sometimes I felt like there was information that I was missing about Riya's family relationships, her magic, etc.
All in all, this was a fun read that I wished there was more of. It's technically young adult, and the characters are seniors, this was written at a level that I think more mature middle grade readers would enjoy as well. I would love to see more of Riya and Kian, Mel, Quinn, and everyone else in the future.
Thank you to Harper Audio Children's for the opportunity to read this alc of Lovestuck. This is my personal review.
This is a cozy book that straddles the line between fantasy and magical realism. While there is magic in the book, it's written in such a realistic way that I didn't feel like I was reading fantasy or paranormal fiction. This book features a diverse cast of characters from different races and gender expressions-- including a nonbinary side character who plays a larger role in the book.
What I loved:
1. Riya as a character is great! She's complex, realistic, and not always likable-- which is just as she should be. She doesn't always make the best choices, but she wants to do the right thing.
2. Kian. Kian forever and ever and ever. He's the perfect golden retriever to Riya's black cat, and he was so endearing that I couldn't help rooting for him.
3. The magical element and Riya's family magic was super cool and engaging. I just wish there was more! I wanted to know and understand more about it.
4. It's realistic. Even if I didn't love the ending...it was realistic.
5. This is a super complex story and it incorporates a lot of themes on free well, accountability, ethics of magic, love, connection, etc.
What was a miss for me:
1. The ending. Ugh. It was fine, but I wasn't satisfied. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anything. I just...wasn't satisfied.
2. I feel like this story had a lot more backstory and exposition that was taken out or wasn't properly explained. This book incorporates A LOT, so I get having to make choices about what to keep, but sometimes I felt like there was information that I was missing about Riya's family relationships, her magic, etc.
All in all, this was a fun read that I wished there was more of. It's technically young adult, and the characters are seniors, this was written at a level that I think more mature middle grade readers would enjoy as well. I would love to see more of Riya and Kian, Mel, Quinn, and everyone else in the future.
Thank you to Harper Audio Children's for the opportunity to read this alc of Lovestuck. This is my personal review.
August 10, 2026
“But I’ve learned that the absence of certainty hasn’t stopped the universe from moving forward or people from mattering.”
In order to help her friend to get together with her curse, Riya uses her inherited peri magic to cast a love spell, only for it to backfire. Her curse gets placed on the school’s resident bad boy, Kian, who begins professing his love for her. Except Riya doesn’t even like Kian, but she has to find a way to undo the curse, otherwise, he’ll die from heartbreak.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking! It’s giving Obsession, but I promise you, Riya has more morals and she’s trying her very best to undo the curse. I loved Riya–at surface, she seems cold, but underneath, she’s kind. She keeps everyone at a distance because she doesn’t want to be a burden or seem vulnerable. But by developing a relationship with Kian, she quickly realizes that no person is an island and that all her actions have consequences on others she loves, even if she had good intentions.
I adored her dynamic with Kian – Kian is a wonderful foil to Riya, where he moves her through his earnest nature, forwardness, and kindness. Of course, the love curse is a factor in this, but I think it also accentuates Kian’s baseline feelings & personality.
I do wish we had seen more internal development from Riya regarding her feelings with Kian. Moreover, they also had an interesting back story, which also involved their families, that I thought could’ve been fleshed out more to make an overall stronger relationship. But! I still had a fun time with this novel–Rishi’s writing truly makes me laugh and gives me ++dopamine. <3
I say this soooo many times, but YA contemporaries truly have a special place in my heart. It always reminds me that we’re all just out here, trying out very damn best.
In order to help her friend to get together with her curse, Riya uses her inherited peri magic to cast a love spell, only for it to backfire. Her curse gets placed on the school’s resident bad boy, Kian, who begins professing his love for her. Except Riya doesn’t even like Kian, but she has to find a way to undo the curse, otherwise, he’ll die from heartbreak.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking! It’s giving Obsession, but I promise you, Riya has more morals and she’s trying her very best to undo the curse. I loved Riya–at surface, she seems cold, but underneath, she’s kind. She keeps everyone at a distance because she doesn’t want to be a burden or seem vulnerable. But by developing a relationship with Kian, she quickly realizes that no person is an island and that all her actions have consequences on others she loves, even if she had good intentions.
I adored her dynamic with Kian – Kian is a wonderful foil to Riya, where he moves her through his earnest nature, forwardness, and kindness. Of course, the love curse is a factor in this, but I think it also accentuates Kian’s baseline feelings & personality.
I do wish we had seen more internal development from Riya regarding her feelings with Kian. Moreover, they also had an interesting back story, which also involved their families, that I thought could’ve been fleshed out more to make an overall stronger relationship. But! I still had a fun time with this novel–Rishi’s writing truly makes me laugh and gives me ++dopamine. <3
I say this soooo many times, but YA contemporaries truly have a special place in my heart. It always reminds me that we’re all just out here, trying out very damn best.
Did Not Finish
September 9, 2026I LOVE YOU FARAH but this was just not for me :(
April 19, 2026
Unfortunately, I really disliked this book. FNR has written great novels in the past, but this one was so frustrating to read. Everything felt rushed—the writing itself left much to be desired, the characters weren't fleshed out, and the plot was too abstract to make up for it. If a novel is composed of three primary elements (quality of writing, characters, and plot), I'd figure that at least two out of three of those elements need to be satisfactory in order to create a decent story, and in this case, none of the elements were. All in all, this was not a compelling or engaging read.
ARC provided by HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2026
I enjoyed reading this. At times I was so frustrated with Riya but as time went on I grew to understand where she was coming from. There’s a great cast of supporting characters and they add a nice touch to the story.
I wish there were even more magical elements but I do get how it makes sense to the story,
Overall a fun read,
I wish there were even more magical elements but I do get how it makes sense to the story,
Overall a fun read,
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Quick Summary: A music, memories, & magic T/YA romance
My Review: Lovestuck by Farah Naz Rishi is categorized as a romantic comedy/magical romantic mystery. It is scheduled for release on 7/14/26.
About the Book: “…a love-cynical teen with the ability to manipulate emotions gets in over her head when she accidentally curses the school bad boy into falling in love with her.”
In My Own Words: A magical oops binds a gifted emo-path to a bully who has a story to tell. Will time run out on them as they race to reverse the spell that opened the door to all the feelings they feel?
About My Immersive Reading Experience: I was fortunate enough to be able to both read and listen to this book. It was perfect for me. I liked the rhythm and flow of the digital ARC, but the audiobook narration made the story come alive even more so. Nikhaar Kishnani’s expressed storytelling captured my attention and eased me into the story so much so that I lost myself for a while, which is exactly what I wanted.
My Final Say: This novel was delightful & charming. It was written with such a creative flair and with such beautiful confessions. The up, down, back, and forth was sweet to watch. In the end, both leads unraveled just as they needed to. Those around them got the overflow, and I liked it.
This story is a coming of age, discovery journey about growing, stretching, becoming, and finding new threads that connect life and love.
Tropes - >
🪄✨ - Accidental Love Curse
🖤💖 - Love-Cynical Heroine vs. School Bad Boy
⏳💣 - Tick, Tick, Boom/High Stakes Romantic Tension
Other: Readers who enjoy original stories with a little bit of whimsical tension and a touch of the quiet part out loud longing should like this novel.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: T/YA
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Level: 💛
Format: 📱🎧
Narration: +
Cover: +
Thank you to the author, to the publisher (HarperAudio Children’s | Quill Tree Books | HarperCollins Children's Books), and to NetGalley. I appreciate the opportunity to review this novel. It was such an entertaining book. I look forward to familiarizing myself with more of this writer’s work.
My Review: Lovestuck by Farah Naz Rishi is categorized as a romantic comedy/magical romantic mystery. It is scheduled for release on 7/14/26.
About the Book: “…a love-cynical teen with the ability to manipulate emotions gets in over her head when she accidentally curses the school bad boy into falling in love with her.”
In My Own Words: A magical oops binds a gifted emo-path to a bully who has a story to tell. Will time run out on them as they race to reverse the spell that opened the door to all the feelings they feel?
About My Immersive Reading Experience: I was fortunate enough to be able to both read and listen to this book. It was perfect for me. I liked the rhythm and flow of the digital ARC, but the audiobook narration made the story come alive even more so. Nikhaar Kishnani’s expressed storytelling captured my attention and eased me into the story so much so that I lost myself for a while, which is exactly what I wanted.
My Final Say: This novel was delightful & charming. It was written with such a creative flair and with such beautiful confessions. The up, down, back, and forth was sweet to watch. In the end, both leads unraveled just as they needed to. Those around them got the overflow, and I liked it.
This story is a coming of age, discovery journey about growing, stretching, becoming, and finding new threads that connect life and love.
Tropes - >
🪄✨ - Accidental Love Curse
🖤💖 - Love-Cynical Heroine vs. School Bad Boy
⏳💣 - Tick, Tick, Boom/High Stakes Romantic Tension
Other: Readers who enjoy original stories with a little bit of whimsical tension and a touch of the quiet part out loud longing should like this novel.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: T/YA
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Level: 💛
Format: 📱🎧
Narration: +
Cover: +
Thank you to the author, to the publisher (HarperAudio Children’s | Quill Tree Books | HarperCollins Children's Books), and to NetGalley. I appreciate the opportunity to review this novel. It was such an entertaining book. I look forward to familiarizing myself with more of this writer’s work.
July 22, 2026
What if your biggest mistake... turned into your greatest love story?
Imagine accidentally using magic...
And the next thing you know...
The school bad boy is hopelessly in love with you.
Nope. Couldn't be me. I'd simply transfer schools.
This book was SO much fun.
It's magical... without feeling like a huge fantasy.
Romantic... without forgetting the importance of personal growth.
And chaotic... in the absolute best way.
Riya was so easy to root for. She's the kind of person who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, tries to fix everything herself, and learns the hard way that asking for help isn't weakness.
And honestly... that hit a little closer to home than I expected.
The romance was adorable because it didn't feel rushed. It actually had time to grow. To stumble. To evolve. And watching both characters slowly challenge their assumptions about each other made every little moment feel earned.
One of my favorite things was that the magic never overshadowed the heart of the story. It simply amplified it.
At its core, this is a story about growing up... Letting go of perfection... Learning to trust... And realizing people are often so much more than your first impression.
Also...If you're an audiobook reader...
I highly recommend it.
The narration brought so much personality to the characters that I completely disappeared into the story.
If you're looking for a lighthearted YA romance with magic, humor, lovable characters, and enough heart to leave you smiling...
This one absolutely belongs on your TBR.
Because sometimes... The best love stories begin with one very magical mistake.
Read this when you need a reminder that sometimes you need to make mistakes to find yourself again.
Thank you to Netgalley and Haper Audio for the gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.
Confession... if I accidentally cursed the school bad boy into falling in love with me... I'd spend the next 300 pages pretending it wasn't my fault
Imagine accidentally using magic...
And the next thing you know...
The school bad boy is hopelessly in love with you.
Nope. Couldn't be me. I'd simply transfer schools.
This book was SO much fun.
It's magical... without feeling like a huge fantasy.
Romantic... without forgetting the importance of personal growth.
And chaotic... in the absolute best way.
Riya was so easy to root for. She's the kind of person who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, tries to fix everything herself, and learns the hard way that asking for help isn't weakness.
And honestly... that hit a little closer to home than I expected.
The romance was adorable because it didn't feel rushed. It actually had time to grow. To stumble. To evolve. And watching both characters slowly challenge their assumptions about each other made every little moment feel earned.
One of my favorite things was that the magic never overshadowed the heart of the story. It simply amplified it.
At its core, this is a story about growing up... Letting go of perfection... Learning to trust... And realizing people are often so much more than your first impression.
Also...If you're an audiobook reader...
I highly recommend it.
The narration brought so much personality to the characters that I completely disappeared into the story.
If you're looking for a lighthearted YA romance with magic, humor, lovable characters, and enough heart to leave you smiling...
This one absolutely belongs on your TBR.
Because sometimes... The best love stories begin with one very magical mistake.
Read this when you need a reminder that sometimes you need to make mistakes to find yourself again.
Thank you to Netgalley and Haper Audio for the gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.
Confession... if I accidentally cursed the school bad boy into falling in love with me... I'd spend the next 300 pages pretending it wasn't my fault
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy!
I unfortunately did not love this. Riya accidentally casts a spell that causes the school bad boy to fall in love with her. What a cute premise! I was hoping this would be a bit like 10 Things I Hate About You. That was not the case. No Heath Ledgers to be found. In fact, Kian is written to be such a fool and an idiot. It would have been more interesting if he had acted the way a normal teenage boy would - especially a “bad boy” with an addition of cute romantic gestures Riya wouldnt be expecting.
Riya’s best friend and her family felt like cardboard cutouts not real characters. Which was so frustrating! I wanted them to be fleshed out.
The magic in here made no sense. Considering its such a cute hinge point for the plot you would think it would be built upon more than it was. And the excuse for lack of magic and world building is that nothing is ever written down….
Frustrated with the main character not talking to her best friend and just flat out lying to her for no reason. Even when given the perfect opportunity to not lie - she does. For no reason. Other than for the author to create drama. That is the definition of miscommunication that is so so annoying. If that wasnt enough to make me really dislike the main character, how about the rude and abusive behavior towards Kian? When this whole situation is her fault. The least she could do is be kind and try to shield him from some of the backlash he’s getting from her spell. Cant see the romance in this at all. Boy is a simp and girl is abusive and im supposed to root for them?
Not a fan of the audiobook narrator. The pacing was off.
The pronunciation of “peri magic” always sounded like “furry magic” and that so did not bring the right connotation it was going for. Beyond that, the male voice the author tries to convey just makes him sound like an idiot.
I unfortunately did not love this. Riya accidentally casts a spell that causes the school bad boy to fall in love with her. What a cute premise! I was hoping this would be a bit like 10 Things I Hate About You. That was not the case. No Heath Ledgers to be found. In fact, Kian is written to be such a fool and an idiot. It would have been more interesting if he had acted the way a normal teenage boy would - especially a “bad boy” with an addition of cute romantic gestures Riya wouldnt be expecting.
Riya’s best friend and her family felt like cardboard cutouts not real characters. Which was so frustrating! I wanted them to be fleshed out.
The magic in here made no sense. Considering its such a cute hinge point for the plot you would think it would be built upon more than it was. And the excuse for lack of magic and world building is that nothing is ever written down….
Frustrated with the main character not talking to her best friend and just flat out lying to her for no reason. Even when given the perfect opportunity to not lie - she does. For no reason. Other than for the author to create drama. That is the definition of miscommunication that is so so annoying. If that wasnt enough to make me really dislike the main character, how about the rude and abusive behavior towards Kian? When this whole situation is her fault. The least she could do is be kind and try to shield him from some of the backlash he’s getting from her spell. Cant see the romance in this at all. Boy is a simp and girl is abusive and im supposed to root for them?
Not a fan of the audiobook narrator. The pacing was off.
The pronunciation of “peri magic” always sounded like “furry magic” and that so did not bring the right connotation it was going for. Beyond that, the male voice the author tries to convey just makes him sound like an idiot.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of Lovestuck by Farah Naz Rishi (Audiobook)
Lovestuck is a fun, fast-paced YA romance with a magical twist that feels grounded in a modern, realistic setting. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator's performance, though I found the pace a bit slow at normal speed and preferred listening at 1.75x.
Riya is a protagonist who is easy to root for. She has a strong sense of justice, takes on more than her share of responsibility, and rarely asks for help. After a past mistake involving her peri magic, she's determined to keep her powers under control. When a spell meant to help her best friend goes horribly wrong, Riya finds herself facing unexpected consequences and a rapidly approaching deadline.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its character development. Riya grows throughout the story, learning important lessons about trust, responsibility, and seeing people beyond first impressions. The romance develops naturally, and I appreciated that the relationships felt believable rather than rushed.
Although magic plays a central role in the plot, the story never feels like a traditional fantasy. The characters, setting, and problems they face are relatable and contemporary, which made the magical elements feel fresh and accessible.
Overall, Lovestuck is an engaging YA romance with likable characters, meaningful growth, humor, and heart. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to teen readers and anyone looking for a light, entertaining romance with a touch of magic. ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Lovestuck is a fun, fast-paced YA romance with a magical twist that feels grounded in a modern, realistic setting. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator's performance, though I found the pace a bit slow at normal speed and preferred listening at 1.75x.
Riya is a protagonist who is easy to root for. She has a strong sense of justice, takes on more than her share of responsibility, and rarely asks for help. After a past mistake involving her peri magic, she's determined to keep her powers under control. When a spell meant to help her best friend goes horribly wrong, Riya finds herself facing unexpected consequences and a rapidly approaching deadline.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its character development. Riya grows throughout the story, learning important lessons about trust, responsibility, and seeing people beyond first impressions. The romance develops naturally, and I appreciated that the relationships felt believable rather than rushed.
Although magic plays a central role in the plot, the story never feels like a traditional fantasy. The characters, setting, and problems they face are relatable and contemporary, which made the magical elements feel fresh and accessible.
Overall, Lovestuck is an engaging YA romance with likable characters, meaningful growth, humor, and heart. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to teen readers and anyone looking for a light, entertaining romance with a touch of magic. ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First and foremost I’d like to thank NetGalley & HarperAudio for allowing me to listen to this book before its July 13 release date. I am forever thankful and my review will be a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
In this book we meet a cynical magic user who after an incident years prior refuses to use magic. But when her best friend asks for a little help getting her crush to notice her. She takes a chance but it backfires and she winds up making the school bad boy to fall in love with her. And if she doesn’t break the connection it will become permanent. And it will take away his free will.
This book was pretty solid to me even tho it’s not in my genre of choice. But the plot sounded interesting and a break from what I had been reading. The plot was pretty basic and easy to guess what happens but was a cute story about accepting who you are and that sometimes love needs a little push.
The narrator was a perfect choice to bring this story to life.
Overall a book I’d recommend to book lovers looking for a little break from their fantasy series.
In this book we meet a cynical magic user who after an incident years prior refuses to use magic. But when her best friend asks for a little help getting her crush to notice her. She takes a chance but it backfires and she winds up making the school bad boy to fall in love with her. And if she doesn’t break the connection it will become permanent. And it will take away his free will.
This book was pretty solid to me even tho it’s not in my genre of choice. But the plot sounded interesting and a break from what I had been reading. The plot was pretty basic and easy to guess what happens but was a cute story about accepting who you are and that sometimes love needs a little push.
The narrator was a perfect choice to bring this story to life.
Overall a book I’d recommend to book lovers looking for a little break from their fantasy series.
July 15, 2026
This was a very cute and sweet romance that I think would appeal to younger teen. I really liked the use of non-European magic, introducing Peris which are kind of a fae/djinn creature from Persian and Asian folklore. I always love being introduced to new magic traditions and history.
Overall the story is mostly a good girl falling for a bad boy (with a heart of gold) story, with a magic twist. This is a classic for a reason and Riya and Kian were both easy characters to fall in love with. I enjoyed the twist of the curse element and how outrageous it often made Kian act while trying to win her affection. That would be absolutely mortifying for a teenage girl! There were also some light elements of mystery as they tried to work through the curse and how they would reverse it.
Audiobook Review - The narrator did a great job bringing Riya’s thoughts to life and was very easy to listen to and follow.
Thank you Netgalley, HarperAudio Children’s and Quill Tree Books for the ARC and ALC.
Overall the story is mostly a good girl falling for a bad boy (with a heart of gold) story, with a magic twist. This is a classic for a reason and Riya and Kian were both easy characters to fall in love with. I enjoyed the twist of the curse element and how outrageous it often made Kian act while trying to win her affection. That would be absolutely mortifying for a teenage girl! There were also some light elements of mystery as they tried to work through the curse and how they would reverse it.
Audiobook Review - The narrator did a great job bringing Riya’s thoughts to life and was very easy to listen to and follow.
Thank you Netgalley, HarperAudio Children’s and Quill Tree Books for the ARC and ALC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐️
This was cute, but ultimately a bit forgettable a few days later. I found myself almost equally pleased and disappointed, but the positives edged it out just enough for me to round up.
What I enjoyed:
The characters. While it took me a little while to fully embrace our FMC, she felt authentic, and I think she could have a meaningful impact on the young readers in the target audience. I also appreciated that it didn’t fall into the typical swoony high school endgame romance, which felt refreshing. Instead, the emotional ups and downs and Riya’s strong sense of justice were enough to keep me invested.
The challenges:
The magic system. It just didn’t make much sense to me. The miscommunication didn’t either. When conflict feels written purely for the sake of drama, it can come across as frustrating and, at times, a little lazy. That was probably my biggest struggle here because the premise had so much promise, but the execution faltered in places.
I received the ALC from HarperCollins Children’s Audio via NetGalley, which I was grateful for. Narrator Nikhaar Kishnani did a solid job. She sounded age-appropriate for the main character and delivered the material smoothly. She did lean a bit slower than I typically prefer, which sometimes pulled energy away from the pacing. While it was easy enough to speed up, doing so shifted the tone and made her voice noticeably higher pitched.
Overall, this was a cute, fluffy read. It didn’t quite meet my expectations, but I’m still glad I read it.
This was cute, but ultimately a bit forgettable a few days later. I found myself almost equally pleased and disappointed, but the positives edged it out just enough for me to round up.
What I enjoyed:
The characters. While it took me a little while to fully embrace our FMC, she felt authentic, and I think she could have a meaningful impact on the young readers in the target audience. I also appreciated that it didn’t fall into the typical swoony high school endgame romance, which felt refreshing. Instead, the emotional ups and downs and Riya’s strong sense of justice were enough to keep me invested.
The challenges:
The magic system. It just didn’t make much sense to me. The miscommunication didn’t either. When conflict feels written purely for the sake of drama, it can come across as frustrating and, at times, a little lazy. That was probably my biggest struggle here because the premise had so much promise, but the execution faltered in places.
I received the ALC from HarperCollins Children’s Audio via NetGalley, which I was grateful for. Narrator Nikhaar Kishnani did a solid job. She sounded age-appropriate for the main character and delivered the material smoothly. She did lean a bit slower than I typically prefer, which sometimes pulled energy away from the pacing. While it was easy enough to speed up, doing so shifted the tone and made her voice noticeably higher pitched.
Overall, this was a cute, fluffy read. It didn’t quite meet my expectations, but I’m still glad I read it.
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July 31, 2026ugh I wanted to like this but I was honestly just incredibly uncomfortable the entire time. Kian gets a "love curse" put on him where he basically becomes the girl from Obsession and is Obsessed with Riya. And it's like... she falls for him along the way, obviously, but he keeps doing things like freaking out that someone else is touching her or attacking people who look at her the wrong way. And I'm like this is a horror story! To be fair, Riya is also horrified, but then it's like... hard for me to get into the more romantic parts. Like I couldn't really get there at all.
Also in the end (spoilers idk if any of you will read this) he doesn't really remember her. He has dreams about her. But she's like let's go on a date. And I'm like honey this is NOT healthy
Also in the end (spoilers idk if any of you will read this) he doesn't really remember her. He has dreams about her. But she's like let's go on a date. And I'm like honey this is NOT healthy
August 3, 2026
**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**
Lovestuck by Farah Naz Rishi was a cute story for middle/high school ages about a young witch who accidentally love-curses a boy she gets mad at and how her life is changed because of it. I realize this book isn't meant for my age range, but I was hopeful after reading the premise. Honestly, it was kind of a stressful read for me. Neither of the main characters is particularly likeable until the very end, and, while I loved her family dynamic, they seemed unreasonably standoffish after an event that happened years ago. It also seemed lacking in magic, given that it was the main plot point. All that to say, I think there are a lot of good themes here that will go over well with a younger audience.
Lovestuck by Farah Naz Rishi was a cute story for middle/high school ages about a young witch who accidentally love-curses a boy she gets mad at and how her life is changed because of it. I realize this book isn't meant for my age range, but I was hopeful after reading the premise. Honestly, it was kind of a stressful read for me. Neither of the main characters is particularly likeable until the very end, and, while I loved her family dynamic, they seemed unreasonably standoffish after an event that happened years ago. It also seemed lacking in magic, given that it was the main plot point. All that to say, I think there are a lot of good themes here that will go over well with a younger audience.
September 4, 2026
I loved this book so much. Rishi always knows how to write an amazing novel - Riya despite all her stubborn antics and the way she refused to include Kian in anything I love her. She’s so annabeth chase coded. Kian is a SWEETHEART I love him so much. He’s actually my dream book boyfriend. Guys he gave her balloons and proceeded to rocks at them when she said they pollute the earth. He’s so golden retriever and she’s so black cat. I loved Mel and Andrew - Mel is actually such an amazing friend. and Quin despite my dumbass never putting together that they were magic like Riya was a great character. I love the evolution of their friendship with Riya. The familial dynamics of the Riya and Kian were so developed which I definitely adored.
5/5
Lovely little book
5/5
Lovely little book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was provided an audio ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this story. It was cute. The main character was layered and interesting. I also enjoyed the magic system, how it was linked to her family and heritage. I really liked that part. It was also quite short but I I felt what the main character felt. I really felt for her and her struggles. However, I did feel like this read more as middle grade than YA but maybe that's just me. I wish we'd had more scenes with the best friends but overall, I did just really like this story. It was really enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to teens!
I liked this story. It was cute. The main character was layered and interesting. I also enjoyed the magic system, how it was linked to her family and heritage. I really liked that part. It was also quite short but I I felt what the main character felt. I really felt for her and her struggles. However, I did feel like this read more as middle grade than YA but maybe that's just me. I wish we'd had more scenes with the best friends but overall, I did just really like this story. It was really enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to teens!
August 18, 2026
This is a really charming YA romance. Riya is a driven student, obsessed with getting into her top choice college. When she accidentally places a love curse on Kian, she has to figure out a way to break it before the next full moon.
Riya gives Wednesday vibes. She's prickly and blunt with everyone, but she loves her family and will do anything to help her best friend Mel. Her journey of growing to care for Kian and understand priorities more really resonated with me. The ending was a little rough for me to believe in, but everything up to that point was really great.
Thank you to Quill Tree Books for the opportunity to read and review.
Riya gives Wednesday vibes. She's prickly and blunt with everyone, but she loves her family and will do anything to help her best friend Mel. Her journey of growing to care for Kian and understand priorities more really resonated with me. The ending was a little rough for me to believe in, but everything up to that point was really great.
Thank you to Quill Tree Books for the opportunity to read and review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC of Lovestuck thanks to the publisher through NetGalley and leave this review voluntarily.
Lovestuck had an interesting take on a magic system and how it impacts the characters. I loved the character development the main character goes through and the complexity of her relationship with the love interest was a major selling feature of the book. I loved the little hints thrown in that give an idea of the end without knowing until you actually finish the story. Really well done and definitely recommend.
Lovestuck had an interesting take on a magic system and how it impacts the characters. I loved the character development the main character goes through and the complexity of her relationship with the love interest was a major selling feature of the book. I loved the little hints thrown in that give an idea of the end without knowing until you actually finish the story. Really well done and definitely recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.
Lovestuck is a fun read. I liked the characters and especially that Riya does a lot of growing in this book. The characters are all interesting and I thoight the author did a great job with developing them. I did wish some of the magical elements were explained a little more. However i did overall enjoy listening to this book. The narrator was great and engaging to listen to.
Lovestuck is a fun read. I liked the characters and especially that Riya does a lot of growing in this book. The characters are all interesting and I thoight the author did a great job with developing them. I did wish some of the magical elements were explained a little more. However i did overall enjoy listening to this book. The narrator was great and engaging to listen to.
August 17, 2026
this book made me cry! Yes I said it!
And it was so bloody good! I inhaled it just in a day, reading the eBook but also listening to it.
At first I thought this would be just a fluffy romance but it was so much more.
A tender letter to opening up to people, choosing to honour your own heritage and understanding that your actions sometimes hide a wish.
It was deeply majestic and I will be looking into the magic and mythology of peri!
And it was so bloody good! I inhaled it just in a day, reading the eBook but also listening to it.
At first I thought this would be just a fluffy romance but it was so much more.
A tender letter to opening up to people, choosing to honour your own heritage and understanding that your actions sometimes hide a wish.
It was deeply majestic and I will be looking into the magic and mythology of peri!
July 24, 2026
2.5 stars
July 30, 2026
Loved this YA romance- the magic was perfect and the love story so sweet. Excellent side characters including family members and classmates.
October 10, 2026
i liked the plot at first but the execution was underwhelming :(
October 14, 2026
This was an interesting read but I did find the main character’s overthinking and constant indecision to be frustrating.
October 16, 2026
Reading this work feels like an enriching journey through complex ideas, 'Lovestuck' by Farah Naz Rishi, providing the reader with an intellectually stimulating discourse, a genuinely rewarding experience for avid and thoughtful readers.
July 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with advanced listening and reading copies in exchange for an honest review. I was lucky enough to receive advanced copies of this book in both formats, and I will say, the narration was perfect, whichever route you go.
Reading Lovestuck was such a great experience. As someone of South Asian descent, it feels more rare than I would like to find young adult fantasy that incorporates aspects of familiar mythology and folklore. Reading about Riya and the expectations she has for herself is relatable, but it scratches a very particular itch to also see her dealing with mystical aspects of life that are directly linked to her family’s history.
Aside from the cultural aspects, I thought the ‘big problem’ was addressed throughout the story was perfect. The author created characters with depth and experience that is relatable to most people in one way or another and I was just so excited to see how everything would unfold because of that. I swear I’m being vague for a good reason, this is one of those books that you just have to read to see why it works as well as it does.
Reading Lovestuck was such a great experience. As someone of South Asian descent, it feels more rare than I would like to find young adult fantasy that incorporates aspects of familiar mythology and folklore. Reading about Riya and the expectations she has for herself is relatable, but it scratches a very particular itch to also see her dealing with mystical aspects of life that are directly linked to her family’s history.
Aside from the cultural aspects, I thought the ‘big problem’ was addressed throughout the story was perfect. The author created characters with depth and experience that is relatable to most people in one way or another and I was just so excited to see how everything would unfold because of that. I swear I’m being vague for a good reason, this is one of those books that you just have to read to see why it works as well as it does.
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