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Love is the Oldest Magic
339 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2026
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Did Not Finish
August 15, 2026One Liner: Sloppy; DNF at 32%
Running Between the Pages, a little witchy shop and coffee bar on First Street, has given Selene peace. She is a part of a small Pacific Northwest river town where magic is common. As a resident psychic, she learnt to be content with her life and never fall for things the cards show her repeatedly.
However, Cael Morgan arrives, asking for a reading on a rainy October day. She knows him better than he can guess. She has been dreaming of his face for six months. Moreover, their connection spans several lives. In each life, something ended them before they even began. This time too, her coven is ready to move as they always do. Can she break the pattern and grab love with both hands?
The story comes in Selene’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts
Even though the cover looked a lot like an AI-generated one, I grabbed the ARC since the premise appealed to me. There’s something beautiful about the same souls finding and falling in love with each other. Moreover, the author is a tarot reader, so that part of the story would be more authentic.
However, I was rather disappointed. Initially, I wanted to give the author the benefit of the doubt for the writing style. Likely that she didn’t have a professional editor look at it. But as the story progressed, the writing said a lot without saying much. The more I read, the more it seemed like a good part of it was AI. Too much repetition of the same things, lots of words but absolutely no detailing, questions that have full stops instead of the question mark, and way too many inconsistencies that should have been caught during rereads and proofreading (a few are understandable, but there were many such instances in just the first 1/3rd). Some of these are basics, really.
The bits of tarot reading (at least until 32%) were correct, but the rest of it needs a lot of work. Even if the author wrote it herself, she likely used AI for editing, which messes up the contents. Combined with the super-slow pacing, I cannot continue this book. It is my first-ever DNF for a Galley, but I don’t want to continue.
To summarize, Love is the Oldest Magic has a good premise, but parts of the writing feel like AI, and even if they are not, the editing is bad.
Thank you, NetGalley, Bohemian Tarot Girl, and IBPA Members’ Titles, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #LoveistheOldestMagic
Running Between the Pages, a little witchy shop and coffee bar on First Street, has given Selene peace. She is a part of a small Pacific Northwest river town where magic is common. As a resident psychic, she learnt to be content with her life and never fall for things the cards show her repeatedly.
However, Cael Morgan arrives, asking for a reading on a rainy October day. She knows him better than he can guess. She has been dreaming of his face for six months. Moreover, their connection spans several lives. In each life, something ended them before they even began. This time too, her coven is ready to move as they always do. Can she break the pattern and grab love with both hands?
The story comes in Selene’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts
Even though the cover looked a lot like an AI-generated one, I grabbed the ARC since the premise appealed to me. There’s something beautiful about the same souls finding and falling in love with each other. Moreover, the author is a tarot reader, so that part of the story would be more authentic.
However, I was rather disappointed. Initially, I wanted to give the author the benefit of the doubt for the writing style. Likely that she didn’t have a professional editor look at it. But as the story progressed, the writing said a lot without saying much. The more I read, the more it seemed like a good part of it was AI. Too much repetition of the same things, lots of words but absolutely no detailing, questions that have full stops instead of the question mark, and way too many inconsistencies that should have been caught during rereads and proofreading (a few are understandable, but there were many such instances in just the first 1/3rd). Some of these are basics, really.
The bits of tarot reading (at least until 32%) were correct, but the rest of it needs a lot of work. Even if the author wrote it herself, she likely used AI for editing, which messes up the contents. Combined with the super-slow pacing, I cannot continue this book. It is my first-ever DNF for a Galley, but I don’t want to continue.
To summarize, Love is the Oldest Magic has a good premise, but parts of the writing feel like AI, and even if they are not, the editing is bad.
Thank you, NetGalley, Bohemian Tarot Girl, and IBPA Members’ Titles, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #LoveistheOldestMagic
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wanted to love this book, and am sorely disappointed to be writing this review. The premise seemed interesting (you all know I love a witchy romance) but I read the first chapter and couldn’t continue.
I considered not giving feedback for this book, but that would be doing a disservice to other readers. In a world full of AI, and of people pointing fingers at authors for using AI, I truly never expected to read a book containing AI material or that I would be the one pointing fingers.
I read the first chapter of Love is the Oldest Magic and thought “this is really choppy, I don’t know anyone who speaks like this.” There was far too much telling and not even close to enough showing. I decided to look up the author on Goodreads and didn’t find much of a profile, nor did I find any reviews on the one book they’ve published. I did find the publisher, and looked them up on Instagram. Come to find out the author and the publisher are one and the same, and on both of her Instagram accounts, there is only one post about this book, and that post is flagged for AI content. I personally feel that AI should be left out of anything creative, and I think using AI in your single post about “your” book is indicative of you using AI in your other work, something I am completely against. Additionally, I find it strange for an independently published author to NOT consistently market their book, considering that’s how they get people excited to read their work. With the lack of engagement the author has put forth, I can only assume this book is not important to them, but I work with authors and have never met one to not be excited about their work. This leads me to believe that this book is not something the author has put much time and effort into, which is only confirmed by the fact that the only social media post about it was posted just 11 days ago and the book is set to be published on August 18th, 2026. I can only assume a book announcement and a publication one month apart for what is, for all intents and purposes, a debut author means this work was generated by AI, or at the very least, not created by this author.
Like I said before, I don’t want to point fingers, but unfortunately nothing leads me to believe that this book doesn’t contain AI material, and that I simply cannot support. If someone is willing to prove that this book is 100% the author’s own work, I would be more than happy to rectify my review, but I cannot in good conscience recommend a book that was written by AI.
And hey, if i think your book was written by ai, I’m not going to read it! Do better.
I considered not giving feedback for this book, but that would be doing a disservice to other readers. In a world full of AI, and of people pointing fingers at authors for using AI, I truly never expected to read a book containing AI material or that I would be the one pointing fingers.
I read the first chapter of Love is the Oldest Magic and thought “this is really choppy, I don’t know anyone who speaks like this.” There was far too much telling and not even close to enough showing. I decided to look up the author on Goodreads and didn’t find much of a profile, nor did I find any reviews on the one book they’ve published. I did find the publisher, and looked them up on Instagram. Come to find out the author and the publisher are one and the same, and on both of her Instagram accounts, there is only one post about this book, and that post is flagged for AI content. I personally feel that AI should be left out of anything creative, and I think using AI in your single post about “your” book is indicative of you using AI in your other work, something I am completely against. Additionally, I find it strange for an independently published author to NOT consistently market their book, considering that’s how they get people excited to read their work. With the lack of engagement the author has put forth, I can only assume this book is not important to them, but I work with authors and have never met one to not be excited about their work. This leads me to believe that this book is not something the author has put much time and effort into, which is only confirmed by the fact that the only social media post about it was posted just 11 days ago and the book is set to be published on August 18th, 2026. I can only assume a book announcement and a publication one month apart for what is, for all intents and purposes, a debut author means this work was generated by AI, or at the very least, not created by this author.
Like I said before, I don’t want to point fingers, but unfortunately nothing leads me to believe that this book doesn’t contain AI material, and that I simply cannot support. If someone is willing to prove that this book is 100% the author’s own work, I would be more than happy to rectify my review, but I cannot in good conscience recommend a book that was written by AI.
And hey, if i think your book was written by ai, I’m not going to read it! Do better.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was lucky enough to get a ARC copy of this book from NetGalley. I saw the cover, read it was about witches and decided to jump into it.
The book reads in past tense, like someone is sitting across from you over coffee, telling you what happened, and how they felt, while still popping in bits with hindsight. This is the first book I’ve read told like this and I truly enjoyed it, though at times it took me a moment to wrap my head around what was being told.
This book felt really long and it took me a few days of reading to get through it which is not normal for me, I however was always excited to jump back into the book after having to deal with adult tasks.
I loved the characters. The sense of knowing they all had about certain things. The sisterhood within the book, the taking care of your friends in the quietest of ways.
This book isn’t just a romantic love story, it’s about a coven, about their love, and their gift
The book reads in past tense, like someone is sitting across from you over coffee, telling you what happened, and how they felt, while still popping in bits with hindsight. This is the first book I’ve read told like this and I truly enjoyed it, though at times it took me a moment to wrap my head around what was being told.
This book felt really long and it took me a few days of reading to get through it which is not normal for me, I however was always excited to jump back into the book after having to deal with adult tasks.
I loved the characters. The sense of knowing they all had about certain things. The sisterhood within the book, the taking care of your friends in the quietest of ways.
This book isn’t just a romantic love story, it’s about a coven, about their love, and their gift
Did Not Finish
September 4, 2026Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I really wanted to like this as I was really here for the witchy read, but it just didn't deliver. The cover was what first drew me in, and the premise sounded good. But as I was reading, I found myself not really caring where this book would go.
I got up to 17% before I put it down and then couldn't find the motivation to pick it back up. I'm not a big DNF'er but I just couldn't get into this book.
For me, the main problem was the writing style. I just didn't feel as though I could get immersed in this story. It felt as though I was getting told what was happening rather than shown. It also felt quite choppy at points and didn't really flow well. I felt as though I was missing points and would find myself having to go back.
The main characters in this felt really flat and 2 dimensional to me. There was just no depth to them. It was the same with the side characters. Nothing memorable stood out, and I kept forgetting who was who.
When reading this book, I could see what the author was telling me and really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get invested and feel the emotion of what the book was trying to convey.
I'm not going to leave a star rating as I didn't finish the book.
I got up to 17% before I put it down and then couldn't find the motivation to pick it back up. I'm not a big DNF'er but I just couldn't get into this book.
For me, the main problem was the writing style. I just didn't feel as though I could get immersed in this story. It felt as though I was getting told what was happening rather than shown. It also felt quite choppy at points and didn't really flow well. I felt as though I was missing points and would find myself having to go back.
The main characters in this felt really flat and 2 dimensional to me. There was just no depth to them. It was the same with the side characters. Nothing memorable stood out, and I kept forgetting who was who.
When reading this book, I could see what the author was telling me and really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get invested and feel the emotion of what the book was trying to convey.
I'm not going to leave a star rating as I didn't finish the book.
September 27, 2026
Love the Tarot. Love the tropes. Love the cat.
Love is the Oldest Magic is a tale of two soulmates meeting again with awareness that they have had past lives together. Selene is our witchy, bookshop owning, tarot reader. Cael is a logical, bridge building, engineer. Ptolemy is the wise cat and the best thing about the book.
I did like this. I liked the idea behind it and the way that the story approached the tarot sections. The readings were told but not interpreted - leaving you as the reader to analyse them yourself which I found charming and immersive. The emotional support coven was a lovely touch. But as I was reading, I couldn't help but think that there was a magical rabbit off about this book. The writing style is over the top mysterious - almost like the story doesn't want to be told. Every other line is a quotable - a lot of words to say a very little. It gets grating, very quickly. It's a similar case with the dialogue, so many quotables that it becomes unnatural.
I suppose that should've been my first red flag. Other reviewers have noted that there is a possibility that AI was used to write this. While I can't check and verify, I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case.
Love is the Oldest Magic is a tale of two soulmates meeting again with awareness that they have had past lives together. Selene is our witchy, bookshop owning, tarot reader. Cael is a logical, bridge building, engineer. Ptolemy is the wise cat and the best thing about the book.
I did like this. I liked the idea behind it and the way that the story approached the tarot sections. The readings were told but not interpreted - leaving you as the reader to analyse them yourself which I found charming and immersive. The emotional support coven was a lovely touch. But as I was reading, I couldn't help but think that there was a magical rabbit off about this book. The writing style is over the top mysterious - almost like the story doesn't want to be told. Every other line is a quotable - a lot of words to say a very little. It gets grating, very quickly. It's a similar case with the dialogue, so many quotables that it becomes unnatural.
I suppose that should've been my first red flag. Other reviewers have noted that there is a possibility that AI was used to write this. While I can't check and verify, I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is going to be one of the hardest to put in to words reviews I think I've ever written because I don't think I even have the words for what was so right and then what was so wrong, but I will try.
The so right - what pushed me, a DNF aficionado, through to the last page in spite of the things I struggled with - was that the writing was simply beautiful. I highlighted more in this book to come back to later than I have in any other book ever. The way Evans describes love is delicious and emotionally provocative and often brought tears to my eyes. The one thing Evans can do is WRITE. And it is this quality that will bring me back to the next book she writes, even with the things that I struggled with. Additionally I think the idea behind the story is good. It strongly reminded me of some of my favorite Nora Roberts trilogies (Three Sisters Island, The Sign of Seven, The Cousins O'Dwyer) - series I've read and reread countless times so this is genuinely in my wheel house.
Additionally this book has some of my favorite tropes - the beautiful female friendships that provide a solid found family, the sentient house that feels things and the manipulative and controlling cat who runs every one's lives to his liking (I live with one of those and Ptolemy was perfect).
However now we have the so wrong portion - and the so wrongs were pretty rough. The biggest thing this book needed desperately was heavy editing. It was very repetitive - there were even points where I would read a section and then have to look and make sure I hadn't accidently skipped back to a previous portion of the book because it would have repeated word for word. Honestly a solid 25 percent of the book could have been taken out easily - possibly even more. And the repition of ideas or constantly telling me the same character qualities over and over and over and over and over.... Whew. And Evans definitely latched on to ideas and wouldn't let go of them - for example, the idea of something being "load-bearing" because the MMC is an engineer was referenced over 50 times.
This leads me in to what really didn't work for me the most and it was the lack of character building for the two main characters. We actually know nothing about Cael except that he is an engineer - which is brought up on literally every single page - and that he has a sister. We don't know anything else about this man - what his life was like, who his friends are, what he does for fun, ANYTHING. This man is a blank slate and I don't know if that was on purpose but if it was... I didn't like it. Selene had a little more on page personality but I honestly would have liked to interact with both of them more outside of the magical situation they were involved in.
Two more issues - one is the time travel aspect. I don't really enjoy time travel so I'm glad it didn't really take up too much on page time but I don't like how we don't deal with any consequences of changing the past or even acknowledge that going back to save someone's life can drastically change things in the time line. Second - the cadence of the writing. This is really the part I don't even know how to describe because I've never really encountered it before. It was a wholly new experience for me and I don't have any way to describe it or even to say why it didn't work for me except to say that it just didn't.
Phew. I think that's the bulk of it. Here's the thing - I had way more thoughts and feelings and things to say about this book than I've had for anything else I've read in a very long time so there is something here, in Evans' writing, that will compel me to come back for the next book, either that she writes in this series or in a whole new story line. I found myself going to see if I could order a physical copy and being disappointed that I couldn't.
** Arc from Netgalley**
The so right - what pushed me, a DNF aficionado, through to the last page in spite of the things I struggled with - was that the writing was simply beautiful. I highlighted more in this book to come back to later than I have in any other book ever. The way Evans describes love is delicious and emotionally provocative and often brought tears to my eyes. The one thing Evans can do is WRITE. And it is this quality that will bring me back to the next book she writes, even with the things that I struggled with. Additionally I think the idea behind the story is good. It strongly reminded me of some of my favorite Nora Roberts trilogies (Three Sisters Island, The Sign of Seven, The Cousins O'Dwyer) - series I've read and reread countless times so this is genuinely in my wheel house.
Additionally this book has some of my favorite tropes - the beautiful female friendships that provide a solid found family, the sentient house that feels things and the manipulative and controlling cat who runs every one's lives to his liking (I live with one of those and Ptolemy was perfect).
However now we have the so wrong portion - and the so wrongs were pretty rough. The biggest thing this book needed desperately was heavy editing. It was very repetitive - there were even points where I would read a section and then have to look and make sure I hadn't accidently skipped back to a previous portion of the book because it would have repeated word for word. Honestly a solid 25 percent of the book could have been taken out easily - possibly even more. And the repition of ideas or constantly telling me the same character qualities over and over and over and over and over.... Whew. And Evans definitely latched on to ideas and wouldn't let go of them - for example, the idea of something being "load-bearing" because the MMC is an engineer was referenced over 50 times.
This leads me in to what really didn't work for me the most and it was the lack of character building for the two main characters. We actually know nothing about Cael except that he is an engineer - which is brought up on literally every single page - and that he has a sister. We don't know anything else about this man - what his life was like, who his friends are, what he does for fun, ANYTHING. This man is a blank slate and I don't know if that was on purpose but if it was... I didn't like it. Selene had a little more on page personality but I honestly would have liked to interact with both of them more outside of the magical situation they were involved in.
Two more issues - one is the time travel aspect. I don't really enjoy time travel so I'm glad it didn't really take up too much on page time but I don't like how we don't deal with any consequences of changing the past or even acknowledge that going back to save someone's life can drastically change things in the time line. Second - the cadence of the writing. This is really the part I don't even know how to describe because I've never really encountered it before. It was a wholly new experience for me and I don't have any way to describe it or even to say why it didn't work for me except to say that it just didn't.
Phew. I think that's the bulk of it. Here's the thing - I had way more thoughts and feelings and things to say about this book than I've had for anything else I've read in a very long time so there is something here, in Evans' writing, that will compel me to come back for the next book, either that she writes in this series or in a whole new story line. I found myself going to see if I could order a physical copy and being disappointed that I couldn't.
** Arc from Netgalley**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this book. I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.
I really wanted to love this book. The premise of two old souls finding each other again and again across lifetimes is exactly the sort of romantic concept that should deliver a huge emotional payoff. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the execution, and ultimately DNF'd at around 50%.
My biggest issue was the writing style. The prose felt very stilted and overly formal to me, with a repetitive sentence structure and a tendency to present information rather than dramatise it. A lot of scenes read almost like summaries of what had happened rather than moments I was actually experiencing alongside the characters.
That became particularly difficult because the narration repeatedly told me things about the FMC's personality rather than allowing her personality to come through naturally. For me, a character's voice is strongest when I don't have to be told what it is.
The same problem affected the romance.
The book tells us that these two people have a profound connection, and everyone around the FMC seems to know that the male lead is important and fascinating. But I never really felt their chemistry myself.
The male lead in particular never became a fully developed character for me. I couldn't tell you much about his personality beyond that.
The romance also felt strangely predetermined. Since the premise is about souls repeatedly finding one another, we already know that these characters are supposed to fall in love. That isn't a problem, but what is a problem is that at 50% the present day relationship had no conflict or tension. Most of the conflict revolves around solving what happened to them in the past.
As a result, many of the major emotional moments fell flat for me. All scenes are delivered in essentially the same narrative tone and pacing.
There is a genuinely intriguing story underneath all of this. I think stronger developmental editing and some outside beta readers could have made a significant difference, particularly in the areas of character development, romantic chemistry, pacing, and emotional escalation.
Unfortunately, the beautiful premise wasn't enough to keep me reading when I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters or the relationship.
I really wanted to love this book. The premise of two old souls finding each other again and again across lifetimes is exactly the sort of romantic concept that should deliver a huge emotional payoff. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the execution, and ultimately DNF'd at around 50%.
My biggest issue was the writing style. The prose felt very stilted and overly formal to me, with a repetitive sentence structure and a tendency to present information rather than dramatise it. A lot of scenes read almost like summaries of what had happened rather than moments I was actually experiencing alongside the characters.
That became particularly difficult because the narration repeatedly told me things about the FMC's personality rather than allowing her personality to come through naturally. For me, a character's voice is strongest when I don't have to be told what it is.
The same problem affected the romance.
The book tells us that these two people have a profound connection, and everyone around the FMC seems to know that the male lead is important and fascinating. But I never really felt their chemistry myself.
The male lead in particular never became a fully developed character for me. I couldn't tell you much about his personality beyond that.
The romance also felt strangely predetermined. Since the premise is about souls repeatedly finding one another, we already know that these characters are supposed to fall in love. That isn't a problem, but what is a problem is that at 50% the present day relationship had no conflict or tension. Most of the conflict revolves around solving what happened to them in the past.
As a result, many of the major emotional moments fell flat for me. All scenes are delivered in essentially the same narrative tone and pacing.
There is a genuinely intriguing story underneath all of this. I think stronger developmental editing and some outside beta readers could have made a significant difference, particularly in the areas of character development, romantic chemistry, pacing, and emotional escalation.
Unfortunately, the beautiful premise wasn't enough to keep me reading when I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters or the relationship.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There was something really special and remarkable about this story. The prose and narrative voice was something I couldn’t get enough of and is pretty hard to find outside of just a few authors. Combine that with the absolutely adorable town on the Snohomish and the quirky coven it was borderline perfect. If you like the sound of a coffee serving bookshop that rearranges its own books and sometimes puts the kettle on before you’ve even thought of it, you’re in the perfect place.
Quick addition: I’ve seen other reviewers speculating that this book was made with AI despite having little to no evidence of that. I am of the opinion that this kind of speculation is not just unhelpful but rather harmful to small authors especially self published like this one. I’m not going to participate in those accusations other than just saying that wasn’t the impression I got while reading. This story has its issues, but they seem like human issues to me.
This was a pretty epic love story despite its small town scale. The cute cartoon cover is not reflective of the range and scope of this story. It’s much more grand than I think even it knows. There are several drawbacks to this story, however, that make it less than 5 stars for me.
While I really enjoyed the prose in the beginning, the stylized repetitions became a bit grating personally. There were so many sentences and phrases that were repeated to the point I started just skimming over them. This also applies to the sex scenes. This novel has three different scenes one might describe as spicy, though they don’t fit the traditional mold for spicy scenes. They are flowery, vague, and rooted in the emotional truth and the narrator's thoughts on the scene rather than the specific actions. In the first of these scenes, I found it interesting and emotional. By the third time we were repeating a scene with the same emotional depths, even the same phrasing oftentimes, I just skipped it. That level of frustration, on a larger and a smaller scale, really detracted from the reading experience.
That frustration set in at about 70% and only got worse in the back third of the story. I genuinely thought about DNFing despite how much the characters, setting and overall plot lured me in. It was for those reasons I decided to see it through. It didn’t even feel worth it when I did. I was waiting for some big emotional pay off in the end. It felt like beating the big bad was just too easy. Maybe it was just me, but I was never really worried that our main characters would break up or that they were in any real danger.
⅗ Stars
Quick addition: I’ve seen other reviewers speculating that this book was made with AI despite having little to no evidence of that. I am of the opinion that this kind of speculation is not just unhelpful but rather harmful to small authors especially self published like this one. I’m not going to participate in those accusations other than just saying that wasn’t the impression I got while reading. This story has its issues, but they seem like human issues to me.
This was a pretty epic love story despite its small town scale. The cute cartoon cover is not reflective of the range and scope of this story. It’s much more grand than I think even it knows. There are several drawbacks to this story, however, that make it less than 5 stars for me.
While I really enjoyed the prose in the beginning, the stylized repetitions became a bit grating personally. There were so many sentences and phrases that were repeated to the point I started just skimming over them. This also applies to the sex scenes. This novel has three different scenes one might describe as spicy, though they don’t fit the traditional mold for spicy scenes. They are flowery, vague, and rooted in the emotional truth and the narrator's thoughts on the scene rather than the specific actions. In the first of these scenes, I found it interesting and emotional. By the third time we were repeating a scene with the same emotional depths, even the same phrasing oftentimes, I just skipped it. That level of frustration, on a larger and a smaller scale, really detracted from the reading experience.
That frustration set in at about 70% and only got worse in the back third of the story. I genuinely thought about DNFing despite how much the characters, setting and overall plot lured me in. It was for those reasons I decided to see it through. It didn’t even feel worth it when I did. I was waiting for some big emotional pay off in the end. It felt like beating the big bad was just too easy. Maybe it was just me, but I was never really worried that our main characters would break up or that they were in any real danger.
⅗ Stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is so fascinating to me! It was truthfully my first dive into tarot card reading/ psychic magic, and I really enjoyed learning!! This book was a new premise to me, and I am so glad I tried it out.
Some of my FAVORITE things throughout the book were the sentient shop/ apartment and the kitty (Ptolemy, my beloved). I loved the little moments throughout the story where teaspoons stirred themselves and the mythology section got very pointed with its opinions on Selene's love life. I love how it warmed up to Cael and welcomed him in. The vibes are just immaculate; I wanna see this shop in person.
I also loved the coven and friend group the ladies on Snohomish have. I cannot stress how excited I am to read Wren's book whenever it gets published; I love my girl and her rosemary. Marisol is such a lovely ride-or-die, and I especially appreciated the varying ages and the levels of maturity and respect they all had for each other. They all play such an important part in each other's lives, and it is SO beautifully written.
I was surprised by the whole crossing plot line, but I did really enjoy it! I enjoyed getting to see Selene and Caels' relationship grow and heal throughout the centuries. The mystery of what was going on was also super gripping!! I absolutely ADORE how it wasn't entirely resolved and is hinted to come back into play in the next book (though I would read the next book even if it was; I need more greenhouse time with Wren).
The prose was a little bit too poetic and choppy for me at some points, but for the most part I really enjoyed how airy and fitting the writing style is for Selene's character. It definitely fits the whole "my soul is technically 4,000 years old". If I were also 4,000 years old, I also would probably be a little blunt, to the point, and have a kind of poetic way of speaking.
Some of my favorite quotes include:
"I'm glad I turned the car around."
"There you are."
"I always, always come back for you."
and
"You're very annoying, for a man I've only known for two months." "Two months and four thousand years."
Such a lovely read; perfect for the fall vibes as September starts to peek its head around the corner.
Some of my FAVORITE things throughout the book were the sentient shop/ apartment and the kitty (Ptolemy, my beloved). I loved the little moments throughout the story where teaspoons stirred themselves and the mythology section got very pointed with its opinions on Selene's love life. I love how it warmed up to Cael and welcomed him in. The vibes are just immaculate; I wanna see this shop in person.
I also loved the coven and friend group the ladies on Snohomish have. I cannot stress how excited I am to read Wren's book whenever it gets published; I love my girl and her rosemary. Marisol is such a lovely ride-or-die, and I especially appreciated the varying ages and the levels of maturity and respect they all had for each other. They all play such an important part in each other's lives, and it is SO beautifully written.
I was surprised by the whole crossing plot line, but I did really enjoy it! I enjoyed getting to see Selene and Caels' relationship grow and heal throughout the centuries. The mystery of what was going on was also super gripping!! I absolutely ADORE how it wasn't entirely resolved and is hinted to come back into play in the next book (though I would read the next book even if it was; I need more greenhouse time with Wren).
The prose was a little bit too poetic and choppy for me at some points, but for the most part I really enjoyed how airy and fitting the writing style is for Selene's character. It definitely fits the whole "my soul is technically 4,000 years old". If I were also 4,000 years old, I also would probably be a little blunt, to the point, and have a kind of poetic way of speaking.
Some of my favorite quotes include:
"I'm glad I turned the car around."
"There you are."
"I always, always come back for you."
and
"You're very annoying, for a man I've only known for two months." "Two months and four thousand years."
Such a lovely read; perfect for the fall vibes as September starts to peek its head around the corner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The writing style of Love is the Oldest Magic is a bit of an odd one - there are a lot of really short, formal sentences, particularly in the dialogue, but then there's some really long sentences. For example: "She has been coming to Between the Pages every Tuesday for four years and she orders a Moon latte and she sits in the second chair and she tells me things she has figured out from the historical archive and I tell her things I have figured out from the cards and between the two of us we have an extremely good picture of what is happening in this town at any given moment." That example is just a few pages in to the book. The formal and short sentences in combination with the long, run-on sentences were giving me whiplash and I just couldn't get into it.
I came to the reviews to see if it was just a me thing, and saw that other early reviewers suspect AI was used here. I couldn't say for certain, but I know for sure that the writing style wasn't for me.
At the time of me writing this review, the author's Instagram page only has one post about this book and the rest is all about tarot spreads. And while the tarot expertise does check out content-wise with this book, only having one post about a book seems odd for an author who is at the ARC stage of releasing a book. There is also a huge posting gap on the Instagram page currently, where the author appears to stop posting in 2023 and then pops back up again in June 2026 with posts that look like AI has been used. There is also another pinned post for a non-fiction tarot reading book by the author that released in June 2026. So that means she has two books releasing between June 2026 and August 2026, with only one post about each book.
Update: Immediately after I posted this review, the posts that looked like AI on Instagram (they were each posted in-between reels of the author) were removed. The pinned posts for the two books with the AI info tag on are still there though.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
I came to the reviews to see if it was just a me thing, and saw that other early reviewers suspect AI was used here. I couldn't say for certain, but I know for sure that the writing style wasn't for me.
At the time of me writing this review, the author's Instagram page only has one post about this book and the rest is all about tarot spreads. And while the tarot expertise does check out content-wise with this book, only having one post about a book seems odd for an author who is at the ARC stage of releasing a book. There is also a huge posting gap on the Instagram page currently, where the author appears to stop posting in 2023 and then pops back up again in June 2026 with posts that look like AI has been used. There is also another pinned post for a non-fiction tarot reading book by the author that released in June 2026. So that means she has two books releasing between June 2026 and August 2026, with only one post about each book.
Update: Immediately after I posted this review, the posts that looked like AI on Instagram (they were each posted in-between reels of the author) were removed. The pinned posts for the two books with the AI info tag on are still there though.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Love Is the Oldest Magic sounded much cosier than it actually felt. The witchy bookshop, tarot, coffee, small-town setting and past-life romance suggested something warm and atmospheric, but the reading experience was mostly flat and melancholy.
My biggest problem was the writing itself. The prose repeats the same phrases, descriptions and ideas so often that it constantly disrupted the flow. Ages are restated, Cael is repeatedly defined by being an engineer, and emotional points are explained again instead of developing naturally through the characters. After a while, the repetition became so distracting that it was difficult to stay inside the story.
The novel also rarely explores its ideas in much depth. The historical sections move through different periods without enough detail or accuracy to make those lives feel convincing, which made the past-life element feel more decorative than immersive. The same thinness appears in the present-day story, where action, relationships and emotional turning points often pass without enough texture to make them feel fully lived.
I also struggled to connect with Selene and Cael. A romance spanning multiple lives should carry enormous emotional weight, but I never felt much chemistry, longing or development between them. Cael in particular remained difficult to see as a fully formed person beyond his profession and his role in Selene's story. The supporting cast did not create the strong found-family feeling the premise seemed to promise either.
This is not usually the kind of book I gravitate towards, but I do not think genre explains my reaction. My problem was not the reincarnation, the magic or the romance. It was that none of those elements felt developed enough to become convincing or emotionally meaningful.
By the end, I felt very little attachment to the romance, the characters or the mystery. The premise had potential, but the repetitive prose, thin characterisation and lack of depth made this a difficult read.
My biggest problem was the writing itself. The prose repeats the same phrases, descriptions and ideas so often that it constantly disrupted the flow. Ages are restated, Cael is repeatedly defined by being an engineer, and emotional points are explained again instead of developing naturally through the characters. After a while, the repetition became so distracting that it was difficult to stay inside the story.
The novel also rarely explores its ideas in much depth. The historical sections move through different periods without enough detail or accuracy to make those lives feel convincing, which made the past-life element feel more decorative than immersive. The same thinness appears in the present-day story, where action, relationships and emotional turning points often pass without enough texture to make them feel fully lived.
I also struggled to connect with Selene and Cael. A romance spanning multiple lives should carry enormous emotional weight, but I never felt much chemistry, longing or development between them. Cael in particular remained difficult to see as a fully formed person beyond his profession and his role in Selene's story. The supporting cast did not create the strong found-family feeling the premise seemed to promise either.
This is not usually the kind of book I gravitate towards, but I do not think genre explains my reaction. My problem was not the reincarnation, the magic or the romance. It was that none of those elements felt developed enough to become convincing or emotionally meaningful.
By the end, I felt very little attachment to the romance, the characters or the mystery. The premise had potential, but the repetitive prose, thin characterisation and lack of depth made this a difficult read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love Love Is the Oldest Magic. On paper, this sounded like exactly the kind of cosy autumn read I would fall for: a witchy bookshop, tarot, found family, fated mates, reincarnation and a love story spanning multiple lifetimes. The premise is genuinely lovely, and there were moments where I could see exactly what this story was trying to be.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me.
My biggest struggle was the writing style. There is a lot of telling rather than showing, which made me feel strangely removed from both the characters and the story. I was being told what they felt, what things meant and why moments were important, but I rarely felt like I was actually inside those moments with them.
I also struggled with the dialogue and pacing. Some of the conversations felt unnatural to me, and despite the beautiful premise, I found the book surprisingly difficult to get through. For a story centred around a romance that has survived multiple lifetimes, I expected to feel completely swept up in Selene and Cael’s connection. Instead, I never quite developed the emotional attachment to them that I wanted.
That was probably the most disappointing part for me, because there are so many elements here that I genuinely loved in theory. The magical bookshop, the tarot, the autumn atmosphere and the group of witches all have the ingredients for an incredibly cosy paranormal romance. I can absolutely see this working better for readers who enjoy a more reflective, narrative-heavy style of storytelling.
Sadly, though, this one wasn’t for me. I finished it wanting to love it far more than I actually did.
Tropes & vibes:
🍂 Cosy autumn atmosphere
🔮 Tarot & witches
📚 Magical bookshop
♾️ Reincarnation romance
💕 Fated mates
🫶 Found family
🕯️ Slow burn
ARC provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I really wanted to love Love Is the Oldest Magic. On paper, this sounded like exactly the kind of cosy autumn read I would fall for: a witchy bookshop, tarot, found family, fated mates, reincarnation and a love story spanning multiple lifetimes. The premise is genuinely lovely, and there were moments where I could see exactly what this story was trying to be.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me.
My biggest struggle was the writing style. There is a lot of telling rather than showing, which made me feel strangely removed from both the characters and the story. I was being told what they felt, what things meant and why moments were important, but I rarely felt like I was actually inside those moments with them.
I also struggled with the dialogue and pacing. Some of the conversations felt unnatural to me, and despite the beautiful premise, I found the book surprisingly difficult to get through. For a story centred around a romance that has survived multiple lifetimes, I expected to feel completely swept up in Selene and Cael’s connection. Instead, I never quite developed the emotional attachment to them that I wanted.
That was probably the most disappointing part for me, because there are so many elements here that I genuinely loved in theory. The magical bookshop, the tarot, the autumn atmosphere and the group of witches all have the ingredients for an incredibly cosy paranormal romance. I can absolutely see this working better for readers who enjoy a more reflective, narrative-heavy style of storytelling.
Sadly, though, this one wasn’t for me. I finished it wanting to love it far more than I actually did.
Tropes & vibes:
🍂 Cosy autumn atmosphere
🔮 Tarot & witches
📚 Magical bookshop
♾️ Reincarnation romance
💕 Fated mates
🫶 Found family
🕯️ Slow burn
ARC provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really wanted to love this book.
The premise was exactly my kind of cozy fantasy: a magical shop, found family, discovering your magic, and a quirky community. I was excited to get lost in this world.
Unfortunately, I decided to DNF around 20%.
My biggest struggle was that I kept wanting to feel the story instead of being told about it. There were so many moments that could have been magical or emotional, but they never quite landed. A character constantly brings pastries to comfort people, but I wanted to smell them, feel their warmth, and understand why that simple gesture meant so much. Instead, many scenes felt summarized rather than experienced.
The moment that made me put the book down came during a Halloween tradition. Instead of letting the reader share even a glimpse of this special ritual, the narrator essentially says it's private and won't tell us because it's "theirs." That completely took me out of the story. As a reader, I wanted to feel invited into this magical community, not reminded that I was standing outside of it.
There were also several places where I found myself stopping because the writing felt awkward, repetitive, or missed opportunities to deepen the characters. I especially wanted to feel the pull of the shop choosing its owner rather than simply being told it happened.
What makes this disappointing is that I can see the potential. I wanted this book to succeed. I wanted to fall in love with these characters and this magical little town. The idea is wonderful, I just never felt immersed in it.
I truly hope the author keeps writing because I think there's a beautiful story here. With deeper characterization and more immersive storytelling, I'd absolutely be interested in visiting this world again.
The premise was exactly my kind of cozy fantasy: a magical shop, found family, discovering your magic, and a quirky community. I was excited to get lost in this world.
Unfortunately, I decided to DNF around 20%.
My biggest struggle was that I kept wanting to feel the story instead of being told about it. There were so many moments that could have been magical or emotional, but they never quite landed. A character constantly brings pastries to comfort people, but I wanted to smell them, feel their warmth, and understand why that simple gesture meant so much. Instead, many scenes felt summarized rather than experienced.
The moment that made me put the book down came during a Halloween tradition. Instead of letting the reader share even a glimpse of this special ritual, the narrator essentially says it's private and won't tell us because it's "theirs." That completely took me out of the story. As a reader, I wanted to feel invited into this magical community, not reminded that I was standing outside of it.
There were also several places where I found myself stopping because the writing felt awkward, repetitive, or missed opportunities to deepen the characters. I especially wanted to feel the pull of the shop choosing its owner rather than simply being told it happened.
What makes this disappointing is that I can see the potential. I wanted this book to succeed. I wanted to fall in love with these characters and this magical little town. The idea is wonderful, I just never felt immersed in it.
I truly hope the author keeps writing because I think there's a beautiful story here. With deeper characterization and more immersive storytelling, I'd absolutely be interested in visiting this world again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I looked into Love is the Oldest Magic because I was really hoping for a cute and cozy witchy story and maybe also some interesting new things to learn about reading tarot.
I did not realize it right away, unfortunately, but once I took a closer look at the cover, I noticed how it’s most likely AI generated and looked up the author’s Instagram afterwards, only to realize how she seems to use a lot of AI generated images in her posts.
Initially, I wanted to start my review with a statement how this alone gave me a bad impression of the book, that I do not condone AI in any shape or form but how I’d still review the content of this book honestly and hope the author will do better in the future.
However, while reading, I found myself wondering more and more if the book was actually even written by a person or if the writing was also AI generated. And unfortunately, at the 10% mark I was pretty sure it is.
I still tried to keep reading but I finally decided to DNF at about 30%. At this point I was no longer reading the book but instead just forcing myself through it. I had no interest in learning more about the main character, her friends or her love interest and even the most interesting idea of the whole book, the sentient shop our protagonist lives in, just felt flat, repetitive and soulless.
So, yeah… At some point I just thought “If the author does not put her time, care and effort into actually writing this book, instead of making a machine do all the work… why should I?”
This book is a big No for me that I unfortunately can’t recommend in good conscience.
I did not realize it right away, unfortunately, but once I took a closer look at the cover, I noticed how it’s most likely AI generated and looked up the author’s Instagram afterwards, only to realize how she seems to use a lot of AI generated images in her posts.
Initially, I wanted to start my review with a statement how this alone gave me a bad impression of the book, that I do not condone AI in any shape or form but how I’d still review the content of this book honestly and hope the author will do better in the future.
However, while reading, I found myself wondering more and more if the book was actually even written by a person or if the writing was also AI generated. And unfortunately, at the 10% mark I was pretty sure it is.
I still tried to keep reading but I finally decided to DNF at about 30%. At this point I was no longer reading the book but instead just forcing myself through it. I had no interest in learning more about the main character, her friends or her love interest and even the most interesting idea of the whole book, the sentient shop our protagonist lives in, just felt flat, repetitive and soulless.
So, yeah… At some point I just thought “If the author does not put her time, care and effort into actually writing this book, instead of making a machine do all the work… why should I?”
This book is a big No for me that I unfortunately can’t recommend in good conscience.
August 2, 2026
This book showed up literally 15 minutes after I was telling my spouse I was in the mood for some autumn vibes, and I was so excited to dive in. I wish I could say it delivered, but alas it fell very flat on its face.
I will not come to conclusions like other reviewers, but I will say I did read through to the 40% mark hoping for a positive turn because the plot had so much potential. Sadly, the prose of the blurb was written with more finesse than this book.
The problem lies within the syntax format. For the first 18% of this, there are a lot of fragmented sentences that could be helped by combining them with the use of Oxford commas or ellipses, as well as the use of variation (AKA writing: “I made… I reorganized… I lit… I fed…” back to back in one paragraph). The redundant phrasing and liberal use of staccato stops break up the overall flow. (Huge example is the “neutral face” paragraph in chapter one.) Once you hit around the 18%, we take a different syntax direction and everything gets really long and jumbled together in chaotic run-on sentences. Overall: this reads like a straightforward first-person diary entry written anywhere from bursts of thought to rambling sentences. There is only telling to be found here, and absolutely no showing. It lacks depth and the cozy vibes the blurb & cover promised.
Also, nearly the years referenced being in the twenties muddied the timeline for me.
Thank you to Kendall Evans and Bohemian Tarot Girl (Independent Book Publishers Association) for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I will not come to conclusions like other reviewers, but I will say I did read through to the 40% mark hoping for a positive turn because the plot had so much potential. Sadly, the prose of the blurb was written with more finesse than this book.
The problem lies within the syntax format. For the first 18% of this, there are a lot of fragmented sentences that could be helped by combining them with the use of Oxford commas or ellipses, as well as the use of variation (AKA writing: “I made… I reorganized… I lit… I fed…” back to back in one paragraph). The redundant phrasing and liberal use of staccato stops break up the overall flow. (Huge example is the “neutral face” paragraph in chapter one.) Once you hit around the 18%, we take a different syntax direction and everything gets really long and jumbled together in chaotic run-on sentences. Overall: this reads like a straightforward first-person diary entry written anywhere from bursts of thought to rambling sentences. There is only telling to be found here, and absolutely no showing. It lacks depth and the cozy vibes the blurb & cover promised.
Also, nearly the years referenced being in the twenties muddied the timeline for me.
Thank you to Kendall Evans and Bohemian Tarot Girl (Independent Book Publishers Association) for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Love is the Oldest Magic
by Kendall Evans
⭐⭐⭐☆☆
The cover was what first drew me in, and the premise immediately caught my attention. A witchy small-town romance with a magical bookstore, a Pacific Northwest setting, and cozy vibes? Sign me up.
Going into this, I was expecting something along the lines of Practical Magic meets The Raven Boys, and I really loved the concept. The atmosphere was definitely the strongest part of the book—the small-town charm, the witchy elements, and the cozy setting made it easy to settle into the story.
You can tell Kendall Evans has a genuine understanding of tarot and the Wiccan/pagan world, and I appreciated that knowledge throughout the book. I think there was so much potential to dive deeper into the magic system and create an even more immersive world. I would absolutely revisit this universe if the author leaned further into those elements.
The romance had a lot of promise, and the chemistry between the characters was there, but I personally wanted more tension and buildup. The emotional payoff is always my favorite part of romance, and I found myself wishing for a little more of that slow-burn feeling.
Overall, Love is the Oldest Magic is a charming witchy romance with a beautiful setting and a lot of potential. If you enjoy cozy magical reads, small towns, and romance with a touch of witchcraft, this could be a lovely addition to your TBR. ✨
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
by Kendall Evans
⭐⭐⭐☆☆
The cover was what first drew me in, and the premise immediately caught my attention. A witchy small-town romance with a magical bookstore, a Pacific Northwest setting, and cozy vibes? Sign me up.
Going into this, I was expecting something along the lines of Practical Magic meets The Raven Boys, and I really loved the concept. The atmosphere was definitely the strongest part of the book—the small-town charm, the witchy elements, and the cozy setting made it easy to settle into the story.
You can tell Kendall Evans has a genuine understanding of tarot and the Wiccan/pagan world, and I appreciated that knowledge throughout the book. I think there was so much potential to dive deeper into the magic system and create an even more immersive world. I would absolutely revisit this universe if the author leaned further into those elements.
The romance had a lot of promise, and the chemistry between the characters was there, but I personally wanted more tension and buildup. The emotional payoff is always my favorite part of romance, and I found myself wishing for a little more of that slow-burn feeling.
Overall, Love is the Oldest Magic is a charming witchy romance with a beautiful setting and a lot of potential. If you enjoy cozy magical reads, small towns, and romance with a touch of witchcraft, this could be a lovely addition to your TBR. ✨
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley
I have never DNF'd a book until this one. I really wanted to enjoy it, and I pushed myself through the first 50 pages before giving up. When I saw this book, I wanted to vibe with it. It seemed like it would give off a great start for spooky, cozy, autumn vibes, but the writing was just too choppy. At one point in the first chapter there was a sentence that was 73 words and contained the word "and" a minimum of four times. Between the run on sentences, and the lack of detail it was not my speed. Some parts were overly descriptive or in my opinion very specific and in detail and then others were cut straight to the point. Due to this the writing style made it a hard read.
I also feel as though the narrative was a bit hard to get into. The FMC would reference things and they really would not make sense because as a reader we were not emerged into the story. I also feel like the autho knows a lot about tarot cards and that aspect of the story, everything else is where it falls apart.
I am not one to call-out and be like "This is definitely AI" but I feel as though AI could have been used in this writing at points and that could be where the writing styles don't mesh.
Honestly with a cleaner writing style and a little more storytelling, detail and immersion, I think this has potential to be a good story. It's just lacking in some places.
I have never DNF'd a book until this one. I really wanted to enjoy it, and I pushed myself through the first 50 pages before giving up. When I saw this book, I wanted to vibe with it. It seemed like it would give off a great start for spooky, cozy, autumn vibes, but the writing was just too choppy. At one point in the first chapter there was a sentence that was 73 words and contained the word "and" a minimum of four times. Between the run on sentences, and the lack of detail it was not my speed. Some parts were overly descriptive or in my opinion very specific and in detail and then others were cut straight to the point. Due to this the writing style made it a hard read.
I also feel as though the narrative was a bit hard to get into. The FMC would reference things and they really would not make sense because as a reader we were not emerged into the story. I also feel like the autho knows a lot about tarot cards and that aspect of the story, everything else is where it falls apart.
I am not one to call-out and be like "This is definitely AI" but I feel as though AI could have been used in this writing at points and that could be where the writing styles don't mesh.
Honestly with a cleaner writing style and a little more storytelling, detail and immersion, I think this has potential to be a good story. It's just lacking in some places.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was really excited to read this based on the description but I was sadly let down.
I'll start with the positives. I did really think that the plot and concept was really neat. A tarot reader in a magical store that falls in love with a man she's been dreaming of? Such a cool idea! I also really liked the town and the people in it. It gave off the cozy vibes I was looking for.
The downsides. I feel like the characters were in love way too quickly. I know that realistically they have "known" each other for thousands of years but for this lifetime, it moved too quickly. In chapter 1 he was skeptical about her and the cards. A few more chapters later and they are in love and getting freaky on the floor. Another issue that I had was the repetitiveness of certain phrases and scenes. For example, right before the first sex scene the book says something along the lines of "the record player started playing a song I had never heard before and would never be able to find even if I tried," and just a few pages later that exact sentence is repeated. When it comes to these unique sentences being repeated so closely together it can pull the reader out of the scene and hinder the flow of the story.
I think there is a lot of potential here and if you're looking for a cozy read, this novel is a quick one to get through.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bohemian Tarot Girl for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I'll start with the positives. I did really think that the plot and concept was really neat. A tarot reader in a magical store that falls in love with a man she's been dreaming of? Such a cool idea! I also really liked the town and the people in it. It gave off the cozy vibes I was looking for.
The downsides. I feel like the characters were in love way too quickly. I know that realistically they have "known" each other for thousands of years but for this lifetime, it moved too quickly. In chapter 1 he was skeptical about her and the cards. A few more chapters later and they are in love and getting freaky on the floor. Another issue that I had was the repetitiveness of certain phrases and scenes. For example, right before the first sex scene the book says something along the lines of "the record player started playing a song I had never heard before and would never be able to find even if I tried," and just a few pages later that exact sentence is repeated. When it comes to these unique sentences being repeated so closely together it can pull the reader out of the scene and hinder the flow of the story.
I think there is a lot of potential here and if you're looking for a cozy read, this novel is a quick one to get through.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bohemian Tarot Girl for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
-ˏˋ. ARC Review ˊˎ-
📖 Title: Love is the Oldest Magic
✒️ Author: Kendall Evans
🗓️ Release Day: 18 August 2026
🎧 Format: e-book
📄 Page Count: 233
📌 Genre(s): Urban Romantasy
⭐ Star Rating: 4.5
─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ 🌑 ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ───
I loved this from the offset. I loved meeting Selene and her quirky cafe/bookshop and Ptolomy. Nothing to me felt to over done in terms of characterisation - nothing felt like it was trying to hard.
I adored the inclusion of tarot, usually it's more of a bit/gimmick in media and that's incredibly frustrating, but it was nice to see that it held an overarching theme throughout the book.
I just adored the coven. Everyone's personality felt really distinct and I loved each and every one of them. I'm also really excited to see Wren's story in the next book so I will be eagerly anticipating that.
I have to admit, when I realised it was a reincarnation trope, I was a little sceptical because that's not usually my thing, but this was so beautifully written and so emotionally in depth that I was fully invested from the get go.
My only gripe is that the author uses the phrase 'four thousand years' about four thousand times and it got a little annoying to see but I also see what they were trying to show for it.
I'm looking forward to book 2 and will certainly be buying this one on release.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher - this was a fantastic read and I enjoyed it so, so much!
📖 Title: Love is the Oldest Magic
✒️ Author: Kendall Evans
🗓️ Release Day: 18 August 2026
🎧 Format: e-book
📄 Page Count: 233
📌 Genre(s): Urban Romantasy
⭐ Star Rating: 4.5
─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ 🌑 ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ───
I loved this from the offset. I loved meeting Selene and her quirky cafe/bookshop and Ptolomy. Nothing to me felt to over done in terms of characterisation - nothing felt like it was trying to hard.
I adored the inclusion of tarot, usually it's more of a bit/gimmick in media and that's incredibly frustrating, but it was nice to see that it held an overarching theme throughout the book.
I just adored the coven. Everyone's personality felt really distinct and I loved each and every one of them. I'm also really excited to see Wren's story in the next book so I will be eagerly anticipating that.
I have to admit, when I realised it was a reincarnation trope, I was a little sceptical because that's not usually my thing, but this was so beautifully written and so emotionally in depth that I was fully invested from the get go.
My only gripe is that the author uses the phrase 'four thousand years' about four thousand times and it got a little annoying to see but I also see what they were trying to show for it.
I'm looking forward to book 2 and will certainly be buying this one on release.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher - this was a fantastic read and I enjoyed it so, so much!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I knew this book wasn't for me around 50 pages in, which is unusual as the premise sounds like my dream book.
I DNF'd this at 15%
Recommendation: You enjoy very simplistic and repetitive writing styles, and also enjoy themes of tarot cards, premonition and Eygpt.
What worked for me:
- I liked the setting of the story, the town sounds like it had so much more to explore than being confined to the one shop.
- The premise of this magical shop was such a cool idea, and how the cat interacted with this.
What didn't work for me:
- The writing style was very structured and rigid. It felt like everything was over described, and very repetitive. This works in some stories, but a whimsy story about this magical bookshop and this seeing woman, it shouldn't feel so confided or matter of fact.
- I have 0 interest in the story. I did for the first chapter or 2, but it just felt like it was going nowhere with no develop, the woman wasn't fully doing her job or admitting this was getting to her but not in an endearing way, like it just annoyed me.
- Why are we confided to just this shop, and not even just the shop, one section of the shop she keeps re-arranging?
- There was no investment to me for the characters or the story as the writing was so plain and matter of fact. It felt like a textbook.
I DNF'd this at 15%
Recommendation: You enjoy very simplistic and repetitive writing styles, and also enjoy themes of tarot cards, premonition and Eygpt.
What worked for me:
- I liked the setting of the story, the town sounds like it had so much more to explore than being confined to the one shop.
- The premise of this magical shop was such a cool idea, and how the cat interacted with this.
What didn't work for me:
- The writing style was very structured and rigid. It felt like everything was over described, and very repetitive. This works in some stories, but a whimsy story about this magical bookshop and this seeing woman, it shouldn't feel so confided or matter of fact.
- I have 0 interest in the story. I did for the first chapter or 2, but it just felt like it was going nowhere with no develop, the woman wasn't fully doing her job or admitting this was getting to her but not in an endearing way, like it just annoyed me.
- Why are we confided to just this shop, and not even just the shop, one section of the shop she keeps re-arranging?
- There was no investment to me for the characters or the story as the writing was so plain and matter of fact. It felt like a textbook.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📖 Title: Love is the Oldest Magic-Witches of First Street #1
✍🏾 Author: Kendall Evans-debut
📅 Publication date: 8/18/26 | Read: 8/18/26
📃 Format: e-Book 399 pgs.
Genre:
*Paranormal Romance
*Fantasy
Tropes:
*magic/witches/tarot
*fated mates
*reincarnation
*small town
👆🏾POV:1st person
Summary: As the owner of Between the Pages, Selene is a psychic who reads tarot for the community. She's spent six months dreaming of a man she has loved across timelines. When Cael finally appears, she does a reading on him knowing they fall in love but will be separated before they can see their relationship through. She plans to end the cycle and get her HEA.
👩🏾 Heroine: Selene Voss-29, owns a witchy bookshop and coffee bar
👨🏾 Hero: Cael Morgan
🎭 Other Characters
* Marisol Reyes- Selene's BFF
* Delilah
* Violet
* Striker-stepfather
*Ash-stepbrother
*Ptolemy-Selene's cat
🤔 My Thoughts/Likes:
-repetitive
-slow paced
Rating: 2/5 ✨
🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Bohemian Tarot Girl| IBPA Members’ Titles, and Kendall Evans for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.
✍🏾 Author: Kendall Evans-debut
📅 Publication date: 8/18/26 | Read: 8/18/26
📃 Format: e-Book 399 pgs.
Genre:
*Paranormal Romance
*Fantasy
Tropes:
*magic/witches/tarot
*fated mates
*reincarnation
*small town
👆🏾POV:1st person
Summary: As the owner of Between the Pages, Selene is a psychic who reads tarot for the community. She's spent six months dreaming of a man she has loved across timelines. When Cael finally appears, she does a reading on him knowing they fall in love but will be separated before they can see their relationship through. She plans to end the cycle and get her HEA.
👩🏾 Heroine: Selene Voss-29, owns a witchy bookshop and coffee bar
👨🏾 Hero: Cael Morgan
🎭 Other Characters
* Marisol Reyes- Selene's BFF
* Delilah
* Violet
* Striker-stepfather
*Ash-stepbrother
*Ptolemy-Selene's cat
🤔 My Thoughts/Likes:
-repetitive
-slow paced
Rating: 2/5 ✨
🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Bohemian Tarot Girl| IBPA Members’ Titles, and Kendall Evans for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.
August 7, 2026
2.25 Stars
I read the whole book and then came on Goodreads to leave my review and saw all the other 1 star reviews based on assumptions this is AI or could be AI. Frankly I'm not smart enough to recognize AI or really care to join any witch hunt. My review is based solely on my opinion of what I read.
Love is the Oldest Magic looked like the perfect Fall read. Tarrot cards, star crossed lovers, a cat with an attitude (Ptolemy) and an FMC who owns a book/ coffee store. I loved Selene and Marisol as her bestie and frankly some of the better scenes were when Marisol was present giving us banter and some lightness.
Overall the book was choppy and large portions could be cut out because there wasn't much that added to the plot. I couldn't quite figure out or connect with Selene. The MC Cael was also just ok. They had some chemistry but more often then not they came off as stilted together.
I thought I saw somewhere that book 2 is about Marisol so I'm not sure if I would pick it up or not.
I read the whole book and then came on Goodreads to leave my review and saw all the other 1 star reviews based on assumptions this is AI or could be AI. Frankly I'm not smart enough to recognize AI or really care to join any witch hunt. My review is based solely on my opinion of what I read.
Love is the Oldest Magic looked like the perfect Fall read. Tarrot cards, star crossed lovers, a cat with an attitude (Ptolemy) and an FMC who owns a book/ coffee store. I loved Selene and Marisol as her bestie and frankly some of the better scenes were when Marisol was present giving us banter and some lightness.
Overall the book was choppy and large portions could be cut out because there wasn't much that added to the plot. I couldn't quite figure out or connect with Selene. The MC Cael was also just ok. They had some chemistry but more often then not they came off as stilted together.
I thought I saw somewhere that book 2 is about Marisol so I'm not sure if I would pick it up or not.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. Unfortunately I did have to DNF this book, and I really try my best not to do that.
I noticed this book while scrolling through NetGalley, and thought the cover and premise seemed perfect as we enter spooky season. However, upon starting it, I was greeted with a very interesting, very unpleasant writing style. It wasn’t until I looked at some other reviews on Goodreads that I saw others had suspected this book was written with AI. I can’t speak for certain on if that is so, but I will say the writing style was egregious.
This book is told in past tense, and in the beginning, most of the sentences are VERY blunt, but then sprinkled in are crazy long run-on sentences. “He sat there. He looked at me. He looked at the door.” “A man got out.” However, a few pages prior was an insanely long run-on sentence. It really took me out of the story, and made for a fairly distasteful reading experience. There were also multiple em dashes used on the same page.
I noticed this book while scrolling through NetGalley, and thought the cover and premise seemed perfect as we enter spooky season. However, upon starting it, I was greeted with a very interesting, very unpleasant writing style. It wasn’t until I looked at some other reviews on Goodreads that I saw others had suspected this book was written with AI. I can’t speak for certain on if that is so, but I will say the writing style was egregious.
This book is told in past tense, and in the beginning, most of the sentences are VERY blunt, but then sprinkled in are crazy long run-on sentences. “He sat there. He looked at me. He looked at the door.” “A man got out.” However, a few pages prior was an insanely long run-on sentence. It really took me out of the story, and made for a fairly distasteful reading experience. There were also multiple em dashes used on the same page.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️
ARC Review from NetGalley
I went into this thinking it would be a mix of practical magic & the raven boys, I loved the concept. It sounded like a cozy atmosphere & I love small town/magical charm. The witchy bookstore and Pacific Northwest setting is so comforting and cozy. Sadly, I couldn’t get into it due to the writing style. A lot of the sentences felt very short and clipped, which sometimes made it difficult for me to fully settle into the story. I found myself wanting the prose to flow a little more naturally. I also saw others saying the cover is AI and possibly even the writing, I don’t support AI book covers (which I noticed after downloading it) and definitely not using AI to write your book. It would make a lot of sense why the writing style is the way it is if AI was involved. Unfortunately you can’t take a good concept & AI and expect it to do the heavy lifting. Overall really unfortunate and wasted potential. STOP USING AI IN YOUR BOOKS PEOPLE!
ARC Review from NetGalley
I went into this thinking it would be a mix of practical magic & the raven boys, I loved the concept. It sounded like a cozy atmosphere & I love small town/magical charm. The witchy bookstore and Pacific Northwest setting is so comforting and cozy. Sadly, I couldn’t get into it due to the writing style. A lot of the sentences felt very short and clipped, which sometimes made it difficult for me to fully settle into the story. I found myself wanting the prose to flow a little more naturally. I also saw others saying the cover is AI and possibly even the writing, I don’t support AI book covers (which I noticed after downloading it) and definitely not using AI to write your book. It would make a lot of sense why the writing style is the way it is if AI was involved. Unfortunately you can’t take a good concept & AI and expect it to do the heavy lifting. Overall really unfortunate and wasted potential. STOP USING AI IN YOUR BOOKS PEOPLE!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
While reading this book, I found it really choppy. From the start, I was excited about the premise, most characters, and the witchy vibes. I have seen several posts about thinking it is AI, and I honestly do not know that I am someone who is adept to make that determination.
At the start of the story, Selene and Ptolemy seemed very charming, and I didn't mind the somewhat repetitive prose. As the story went on, the repetition became very monotonous and almost like the author was just writing words to get a longer page count. I found most of the characters to be quite interesting, so its a shame that the storyline fell somewhat flat.
I found the Tarot aspect of the story with the house being its own living entity a cute little nod to the witchy theme. I wish it would have been cut shorter rather than droning on about the same occurrence 3 or 4 different times.
Disclaimer: I received this online copy from NetGalley as an ARC read.
At the start of the story, Selene and Ptolemy seemed very charming, and I didn't mind the somewhat repetitive prose. As the story went on, the repetition became very monotonous and almost like the author was just writing words to get a longer page count. I found most of the characters to be quite interesting, so its a shame that the storyline fell somewhat flat.
I found the Tarot aspect of the story with the house being its own living entity a cute little nod to the witchy theme. I wish it would have been cut shorter rather than droning on about the same occurrence 3 or 4 different times.
Disclaimer: I received this online copy from NetGalley as an ARC read.
Read
August 1, 2026Received as an arc from NetGalley.
DNF at 12%.
I didn't end up finishing this book as I found it a difficult read. Sentences were either quite short, or seemed to be never ending with minimal punctuation. The punctuation that was present was an em dash, to the point of multiple per pages.
Getting past the run on sentences, I found the author chose to over describe certain aspects and yet not the ones that seemed important to the storyline. An example is when the MMC shows up for the second time and the FMC calls him by full name, when originally he was only introduced by first name. As a reader it made me feel like I was missing important part of the story at least for what could come in the future of the book.
I see a lot of comments calling it AI - but not knowing what to look for, I can't say with certain if it was or not.
DNF at 12%.
I didn't end up finishing this book as I found it a difficult read. Sentences were either quite short, or seemed to be never ending with minimal punctuation. The punctuation that was present was an em dash, to the point of multiple per pages.
Getting past the run on sentences, I found the author chose to over describe certain aspects and yet not the ones that seemed important to the storyline. An example is when the MMC shows up for the second time and the FMC calls him by full name, when originally he was only introduced by first name. As a reader it made me feel like I was missing important part of the story at least for what could come in the future of the book.
I see a lot of comments calling it AI - but not knowing what to look for, I can't say with certain if it was or not.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I DNF’d this book which I rarely do… I really liked the premise and was excited to read but after the first few chapters I kept questioning whether this was written by a person or AI. Similar to other people who have submitted reviews, I searched the author’s instagram and found that she doesn’t have much of an online presence aside from being really into tarot reading (no judgement but if you’re about to release a book you’d think you’d have more bookish content…) As a book lover that was disappointing to see and made me not want to waste my time and energy.
Whenever a book is a struggle for me to read it almost always puts me in a reading slump and I fear that was about to happen, hence the decision not to finish.
The cover is what drew me in but there is no information on the illustrator so again this points to AI.
I did hope for the best but it is what it is.
Whenever a book is a struggle for me to read it almost always puts me in a reading slump and I fear that was about to happen, hence the decision not to finish.
The cover is what drew me in but there is no information on the illustrator so again this points to AI.
I did hope for the best but it is what it is.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed the storyline
This is book 1 of the Witches of First Street Series and follows Selene and Cael as they try to understand their connection and alter their future.
Witches, tarot readings, an unknown evil and a love that lasts lifetimes are just some of what’s in this story.
Once I got used to the authors way of telling her story I did enjoy it.
However it took me quite a bit of the book before I really got into it.
I found it at times hard to relate to and a bit confusing but as it progressed I enjoyed the journeys that Selene and Cael went on and the mystery of the book.
Liking the characters plus the way the story finished and the lead in to the next book.
Overall I did find this story really interesting.
Thank you Kendall Evans and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.
This is book 1 of the Witches of First Street Series and follows Selene and Cael as they try to understand their connection and alter their future.
Witches, tarot readings, an unknown evil and a love that lasts lifetimes are just some of what’s in this story.
Once I got used to the authors way of telling her story I did enjoy it.
However it took me quite a bit of the book before I really got into it.
I found it at times hard to relate to and a bit confusing but as it progressed I enjoyed the journeys that Selene and Cael went on and the mystery of the book.
Liking the characters plus the way the story finished and the lead in to the next book.
Overall I did find this story really interesting.
Thank you Kendall Evans and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.
Review of advance copy
Love is the Oldest Magic by Kendall Evans was a fun and entertaining start to the Witches of First Street series. I enjoyed the magical atmosphere, the intriguing characters, and the way romance and supernatural elements were woven together. The story had a cozy, slightly mysterious feel that kept me turning the pages, and I liked getting to know the characters and discovering more about their world. While the pacing was enjoyable, there were a few moments where I felt the story could have moved a little faster. Still, the combination of magic, romance, and family dynamics made this an engaging read. Overall, Love is the Oldest Magic was was an enjoyable paranormal romance with a charming magical setting and plenty of potential for future books.
I received an ARC copy from Story Origin. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel
I received an ARC copy from Story Origin. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A really cozy and unique witchy romance! ✨🔮
The magical bookshop and café instantly pulled me in, and I especially loved the tarot element. Since the author is a tarot reader herself, those parts felt authentic and naturally woven into the story.
I also really enjoyed the sisterhood between the characters. Their friendships felt warm and genuine, and I loved that the story focused on found family and friendship alongside the romance.
Selene and Cael’s love story was another highlight for me. The hints of their connection across different lifetimes added such an intriguing layer to their relationship. There’s something so beautiful about two souls finding each other again and again.
Overall, this was a lovely mix of cozy magic, tarot, romance, past lives and found family. Perfect for a rainy autumn reading mood. 🍂☕✨
The magical bookshop and café instantly pulled me in, and I especially loved the tarot element. Since the author is a tarot reader herself, those parts felt authentic and naturally woven into the story.
I also really enjoyed the sisterhood between the characters. Their friendships felt warm and genuine, and I loved that the story focused on found family and friendship alongside the romance.
Selene and Cael’s love story was another highlight for me. The hints of their connection across different lifetimes added such an intriguing layer to their relationship. There’s something so beautiful about two souls finding each other again and again.
Overall, this was a lovely mix of cozy magic, tarot, romance, past lives and found family. Perfect for a rainy autumn reading mood. 🍂☕✨
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