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The Babysitters Coven #2
For Better or Cursed
Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this funny, action-packed sequel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.
Esme Pearl's life used to be all about bumming rides and babysitting. Sure, it wasn't glamorous, but it was predictable. All that changed when Cassandra Heaven came to town, and they discovered their complicated, and connected, legacy: Esme and Cassandra are Sitters, supernaturally-gifted teens armed with an ever-changing grimoire of Sitter witchcraft to help them protect the innocent and keep evil demons at bay. You know, the typical teenage stuff.
But just as Esme is starting to adjust to--and maybe even like--her new normal, life lobs another glitter bomb her way. The Synod--the Sitterhood's governing circle--has called a Summit, a once-in-a-generation gathering that promises training, education, and whole lot of ice-breakers.
Esme should be excited--a Summit might mean she can finally get the answers she desperately wants--but she can't shake a building sense of panic. Especially since Cassandra's not acting like herself; Esme's dad is MIA; Pig is out of dog food; Janis is scared to be alone; and there's a guy who seems too good to be true, again. Worst of all, it soon becomes clear, there's no one watching the kids. It's obvious the Summit is a haute mess, but will it be a deadly one, too?
Esme Pearl's life used to be all about bumming rides and babysitting. Sure, it wasn't glamorous, but it was predictable. All that changed when Cassandra Heaven came to town, and they discovered their complicated, and connected, legacy: Esme and Cassandra are Sitters, supernaturally-gifted teens armed with an ever-changing grimoire of Sitter witchcraft to help them protect the innocent and keep evil demons at bay. You know, the typical teenage stuff.
But just as Esme is starting to adjust to--and maybe even like--her new normal, life lobs another glitter bomb her way. The Synod--the Sitterhood's governing circle--has called a Summit, a once-in-a-generation gathering that promises training, education, and whole lot of ice-breakers.
Esme should be excited--a Summit might mean she can finally get the answers she desperately wants--but she can't shake a building sense of panic. Especially since Cassandra's not acting like herself; Esme's dad is MIA; Pig is out of dog food; Janis is scared to be alone; and there's a guy who seems too good to be true, again. Worst of all, it soon becomes clear, there's no one watching the kids. It's obvious the Summit is a haute mess, but will it be a deadly one, too?
384 pages, ebook
First published December 15, 2020
58 people are currently reading
2859 people want to read
About the author
Kate Williams
5 books448 followersI'm the author of The Babysitters Coven trilogy (girls, magic, fashion, friendship, LOLs and dogs) and the thriller Never Coming Home (islands, influencers, bikinis, biscuits and gravy, and murder).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
May 22, 2023
For Better or Cursed is the second installment to The Babysitters Coven trilogy by Kate Williams. This Comedic Teen series channels heavy Buffy vibes mixed with a bit of The Craft and a dash of Adventures in Babysitting.
Witchy besties, Esme and Cassandra, are back and beginning to settle into their new lives as full-blown Sitters.
They're back at school, babysitting and continuing to learn under Coach Brian's tutelage.
After their battles in the first book, Cassandra seems to be suffering from some lasting side effects, so they've been trying to figure that out as well. She's blacking out and doing incredibly bizarre things during these spells.
The girls think she may have been cursed, so clearly, that's not good.
In addition to all of this, they receive news that the Synod, the Sisterhood's governing body, has called a Summit and it's going to be in their hometown.
In fact, Esme and Cassandra are responsible for planning the grand finale party for the weekend. They're so not qualified for that. Luckily, Brian's interior design skills and expert social event knowledge are there to save the day.
I loved the Summit. It was attended by witches from all over the world. The introduction of some new characters was a lot of fun to read. They all stayed at the same hotel and attended classes where they learned more about Sitting and the many threats facing them.
I thought this was a great plot device to build-out the concepts of this world. Incidentally, the girls learning more about Sitting allowed the Reader to learn right along with them.
As with the first book, I loved the humor in this. It's silly, completely ridiculous and over the top, and because of this, a perfect escape from the world.
I laughed so many times. Esme's perspective is dry and hilarious. The most insane things happen during the course of this story. There's never a dull moment. The scenes in the hotel room trying to capture the chicken; I was in tears.
Overall, I think this series, despite its minor flaws, is highly entertaining. It's not perfect, but if you enjoy spoofy types of humor, you could really enjoy this.
As an aside, I did listen to the audiobook and thought the narrator's delivery with the humor was so strong. She definitely added to my enjoyment with her performance!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I will absolutely be picking up the third book when it releases later this year!
Witchy besties, Esme and Cassandra, are back and beginning to settle into their new lives as full-blown Sitters.
They're back at school, babysitting and continuing to learn under Coach Brian's tutelage.
After their battles in the first book, Cassandra seems to be suffering from some lasting side effects, so they've been trying to figure that out as well. She's blacking out and doing incredibly bizarre things during these spells.
The girls think she may have been cursed, so clearly, that's not good.
In addition to all of this, they receive news that the Synod, the Sisterhood's governing body, has called a Summit and it's going to be in their hometown.
In fact, Esme and Cassandra are responsible for planning the grand finale party for the weekend. They're so not qualified for that. Luckily, Brian's interior design skills and expert social event knowledge are there to save the day.
I loved the Summit. It was attended by witches from all over the world. The introduction of some new characters was a lot of fun to read. They all stayed at the same hotel and attended classes where they learned more about Sitting and the many threats facing them.
I thought this was a great plot device to build-out the concepts of this world. Incidentally, the girls learning more about Sitting allowed the Reader to learn right along with them.
As with the first book, I loved the humor in this. It's silly, completely ridiculous and over the top, and because of this, a perfect escape from the world.
I laughed so many times. Esme's perspective is dry and hilarious. The most insane things happen during the course of this story. There's never a dull moment. The scenes in the hotel room trying to capture the chicken; I was in tears.
Overall, I think this series, despite its minor flaws, is highly entertaining. It's not perfect, but if you enjoy spoofy types of humor, you could really enjoy this.
As an aside, I did listen to the audiobook and thought the narrator's delivery with the humor was so strong. She definitely added to my enjoyment with her performance!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I will absolutely be picking up the third book when it releases later this year!
November 20, 2021
Star Rating: —> 4.5 Stars
My rating on this one is mostly based on my enjoyment of this rollercoaster ride of a sequel! This was SO SO SO good!!! It was just SO entertaining & unexpected; it was even better than the first one!
I really just enjoyed this SO much. An awesome, fresh take on, somewhere between the abilities of witches & hunters, guardians of the innocent (against demons, monsters, etc.)... SITTERS!
Sitters, slayers... tomato, tomahtoe ;-)
These books are like y'know, that guilty pleasure tv show you watch on the CW, or wherever.... :-P
A WONDERFUL diverse sequel full of action, fierce females, amazing friendships, lgbtqia+ rep... and just allwitchy good fun fun fun!
8.5/10 recommend! An absolute 90's kinda funky dreammmm of a book!! If you're considering reading it after you read The Babysitters Coven, & gave that at least 3 stars, then i'd def give it a go!
My rating on this one is mostly based on my enjoyment of this rollercoaster ride of a sequel! This was SO SO SO good!!! It was just SO entertaining & unexpected; it was even better than the first one!
I really just enjoyed this SO much. An awesome, fresh take on, somewhere between the abilities of witches & hunters, guardians of the innocent (against demons, monsters, etc.)... SITTERS!
Sitters, slayers... tomato, tomahtoe ;-)
These books are like y'know, that guilty pleasure tv show you watch on the CW, or wherever.... :-P
A WONDERFUL diverse sequel full of action, fierce females, amazing friendships, lgbtqia+ rep... and just allwitchy good fun fun fun!
8.5/10 recommend! An absolute 90's kinda funky dreammmm of a book!! If you're considering reading it after you read The Babysitters Coven, & gave that at least 3 stars, then i'd def give it a go!
November 17, 2025
Esme and Cassandra, under the tutelage of Brian, just finished saving the world from an apocalypse (not that anyone even noticed, thanks to some handy-dandy mindwiping).
These teens have just come to terms with their calling: to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.
And what a doozy it was. They now know that in their world, there are Sitters - who use their witchy magic to keep their charges safe and the world free of demonic portals (caused by red magic).
After the crazy events of the last near-miss of the apocalypse, Esme and Cassandra thought they were going to have a nice and relaxing break - only to realize that the Synod (the people who govern the Sitterhood covens) have called a Summit - a huge magical conference.
And it's happening in their home town! Esme and Cassandra have less than 5 days to host a party and tidy up some rather inconvenient secrets of their town.
And at the same time, Esme's dad has pulled a disappearing act, her mom's curse is being ignored by the higherups in the coven and Cassandra is likely cursed! What is a girl to do?
So, while this was a second book in the series, I do feel like it can be read as a standalone.
The characters were pretty good. Esme was an interesting main character to watch and was engaging throughout.
She had a great sense of humor and her little observations about characters or moments of snark really made it enjoyable. I loved the way she'd play off of other characters in the book - so hilarious!
I loved the concept of this book - with the witchiness combined with babysitting.
And I loved the way the author kept adding more and more tension for the characters. It kind of felt like everyone was juggling eggs and I was waiting for one of them to fall and crack.
All in all, this is my first time with the Babysitters Coven but I really enjoyed the experience!!
With thanks to Netgalley, Kate Williams and Delacorte Press for a free copy in exchange for an honest review
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February 17, 2022
I don’t know where I expected this sequel to go after the end of the first book but it definitely was NOT this way. And I’m not at ALL mad about it because it was pure spooky brilliance! I just love the campiness of this series, the dashes of The Babysitters Club and pinches of Sabrina the Teenage Witch come together to make such a fun read. It does get a bit darker and serious in this one which I didn’t mind because they were fighting a pretty big “evil” so the darkness was perfect. But, and I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, I missed the terrible cheesiness and mysterious, awful teenage slang that the first had in such abundance. It added so much fun and silliness to the story and I’m disappointed the second book didn’t have that. What can I say, I love cheesy crap! That being said, I still loved the hell out of this book and I’m sad there’s only one more left for me to read. I just love silly YA horror like this, it’s so much fun to lose yourself in.
October 31, 2022
I don't know how it happened, but somehow I went from wanting to DNF the first book in the series to being absolutely hooked.
I mean, the story is still silly, over the top, and beyond unrealistic, but I'm all in.
I mean, the story is still silly, over the top, and beyond unrealistic, but I'm all in.
October 3, 2021
Why did I wait so long to read this?! For Better or Cursed is the second book in The Babysitters Coven series and it just keeps getting better. I think book three is due to come out soon, and that's excellent, because I NEED to know what happens next! Also, I would be remiss if I didn't talk about that cover. I mean, it's pretty freaking sweet. The cover of the first book caught my eye from all the way across the book store and it was love at first sight, so kudos to the cover artist because they slay, honey!
Let's skip the synopsis, because you can read that right up there. FBOC does a great job of expanding on the world introduced in the first book. We learn more about The Sitterhood, and the magic system, right along with our heroines. In fact, there's a lot to learn in this book, and there is beaucoup action, too. It's basically bonkers! It was a blast to read.
*Edit* I just found out the 3rd book came out on 9/21/21, called Spells Like Teen Spirit. What rock was I under?
Let's skip the synopsis, because you can read that right up there. FBOC does a great job of expanding on the world introduced in the first book. We learn more about The Sitterhood, and the magic system, right along with our heroines. In fact, there's a lot to learn in this book, and there is beaucoup action, too. It's basically bonkers! It was a blast to read.
*Edit* I just found out the 3rd book came out on 9/21/21, called Spells Like Teen Spirit. What rock was I under?
dnf
December 15, 2020DNF @ 30%
I can't do it.
These covers are so gorgeous and I love the premise but I can't deal with the execution of the story.
The plot is not for me. There are too many variables of lying to everyone around you, hiding BIG things from the people who could help, and characters who are basically pointless. Throw in a shady love interested and you've got this book.
Oh yeah, don't forget that everyone is in danger of dying but they're planning a huge party? I just . . . it's so ridiculous I can't stand it.
And let's talk about the real issue, which is this gem:
Y'all, the other main character in this series is queer. And even if she wasn't and this wasn't basically saying "I don't care if my bff is gay, they have great waffle fries", it's still saying "I know this company is shady AF but I don't care."
I cannot and WILL NOT support this book or this author.
I can't do it.
These covers are so gorgeous and I love the premise but I can't deal with the execution of the story.
The plot is not for me. There are too many variables of lying to everyone around you, hiding BIG things from the people who could help, and characters who are basically pointless. Throw in a shady love interested and you've got this book.
Oh yeah, don't forget that everyone is in danger of dying but they're planning a huge party? I just . . . it's so ridiculous I can't stand it.
And let's talk about the real issue, which is this gem:
“We are,” she said, “After we go to Chik-Fil-A.”
“You know they’re homophobes, right?” I asked.
Janis grimaced and nodded. “I know, I know,” she said, “but…”
We finished the sentence together: “Waffle fries.”
Y'all, the other main character in this series is queer. And even if she wasn't and this wasn't basically saying "I don't care if my bff is gay, they have great waffle fries", it's still saying "I know this company is shady AF but I don't care."
I cannot and WILL NOT support this book or this author.
Read
September 6, 2021
THOUGHTS WHILE READING:
• oh look another hot, mysterious indie boy
• when you start a sentence with “most of these girls …” oh boy!
• also not everyone needs to know Andre 3000, aDRIAN!
• being scared of heights and not scary movies are two different things!
• heights is real. horror movies are fake …?
• 😒
• “you’re not sick!” she said. “you just wanted me out of this room so that you could fill it with animals!”
• honestly same
• i think i know what’s going on here!!!!
• spoiler? is probably the Synod
• i was close enough!
• i demand to know what happened to Pig?!?
• these are just silly and i keep thinking if it’s on purpose!
• oh look another hot, mysterious indie boy
• when you start a sentence with “most of these girls …” oh boy!
• also not everyone needs to know Andre 3000, aDRIAN!
• being scared of heights and not scary movies are two different things!
• heights is real. horror movies are fake …?
• 😒
• “you’re not sick!” she said. “you just wanted me out of this room so that you could fill it with animals!”
• honestly same
• i think i know what’s going on here!!!!
• spoiler? is probably the Synod
• i was close enough!
• i demand to know what happened to Pig?!?
• these are just silly and i keep thinking if it’s on purpose!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2022
A fun sequel to the first Babysitter's Coven book that picks up where book one ended. In this book we get to know more about the organization as Esme and Cassandra are tasked with hosting a once every ten year Synod conference. Pig the pitbull has a starring role in this book and I can't wait to find out what happens to him in book three! Great on audio, this book is a not to be missed supernatural teen adventure story perfect for fans of Buffy the vampire slayer!
![Profile Image for julia ☆ [owls reads].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1636739475i%2F5520447._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 21, 2024
I didn't have such a good time with this sequel. Cassandra's character arc here was really frustrating, personally, and the slow pace didn't help things one bit. It took a looong time for the plot to move forward and the introduction of many different characters helped drag it all down a bit.
The world-building kept expanding and the new information about the magic and Sitter world was interesting! And the final chapters when the action finally came into play was also exciting.
The world-building kept expanding and the new information about the magic and Sitter world was interesting! And the final chapters when the action finally came into play was also exciting.
September 23, 2021
This was so much fun. I want to be a babysitter now.
January 14, 2021
I hate that I love this series so much.
January 10, 2022
3.5
Where's Pig?!?!?!?!?
Where's Pig?!?!?!?!?
November 30, 2023
to be honest, this might turn into a 2. i’m going to finish the series and decide.
December 24, 2020
A great second book in The Babysitters Coven series. There are still things that need to be resolved so there has to be a third book in the works... right?? Right? This one takes place not long after the last. A month or so in fact because the first was during Halloween and this one everyone is ready for Christmas. With like three days notice the leaders of the Sitters decides to close all the portals and have a giant multi-day meeting, in Esme's tiny town. Of course nothing is what it seems and demons are now trapped on Earth and creating hell.
October 23, 2022
This was okay. I so enjoyed the first book. I feel like these second books are a lot like the second movie in you think should we have just stopped at the first? Maybe I will read the third/closing book.
July 14, 2021
3.5 stars. I liked the first book better but this one is still fun. I’ll have to read the next one to find out what happens.
November 16, 2023
Easy, entertaining reads that are definitely playing into those that love the 90s. Audiobooks have good narration that I can listen to at 1.5x.
May 15, 2025
This second book was just as good as the first one and I’m so sad I don’t have the third book!!
November 18, 2020
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full review will be posted in December on my blog.
This plot was so insane and all over the place with useless information that even the Esme points it out. Much like the first book, we have endless paragraphs of descriptions of outfits. This would be fine if there was a more sensible plot, but alas, that was not the case. My other gripe was this quote here:
“We are,” she said, “After we go to Chik-Fil-A.”
“You know they’re homophobes, right?” I asked.
Janis grimaced and nodded. “I know, I know,” she said, “but…”
We finished the sentence together: “Waffle fries.”
You may not recall from the first book, but Esme’s partner in Sitter Coven is queer. Cassandra likes girls. Esme said, I know they hate your fundamental human rights, but those fries, though! This was in the first 12% of the book, and for it to be a young YA book, I don’t like the lesson that that line teaches. It seems like an innocent joke, but it’s really telling that Esme does not care about any struggles Cassandra may go through.
Too much of this plot focused on hiding things from people who needed to know what was going on. Instead of focusing on that, the story takes a drastic turn to something entirely different. This book ended on a cliffhanger, but I found the characters so infuriating that I don’t care to read the third one. The only characters in this story who deserve rights are Janis and Pig. No one else. I don’t care about anyone else in this book, and I don’t care what happens to them.
Needless to say, this was a 2-star read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full review will be posted in December on my blog.
This plot was so insane and all over the place with useless information that even the Esme points it out. Much like the first book, we have endless paragraphs of descriptions of outfits. This would be fine if there was a more sensible plot, but alas, that was not the case. My other gripe was this quote here:
“We are,” she said, “After we go to Chik-Fil-A.”
“You know they’re homophobes, right?” I asked.
Janis grimaced and nodded. “I know, I know,” she said, “but…”
We finished the sentence together: “Waffle fries.”
You may not recall from the first book, but Esme’s partner in Sitter Coven is queer. Cassandra likes girls. Esme said, I know they hate your fundamental human rights, but those fries, though! This was in the first 12% of the book, and for it to be a young YA book, I don’t like the lesson that that line teaches. It seems like an innocent joke, but it’s really telling that Esme does not care about any struggles Cassandra may go through.
Too much of this plot focused on hiding things from people who needed to know what was going on. Instead of focusing on that, the story takes a drastic turn to something entirely different. This book ended on a cliffhanger, but I found the characters so infuriating that I don’t care to read the third one. The only characters in this story who deserve rights are Janis and Pig. No one else. I don’t care about anyone else in this book, and I don’t care what happens to them.
Needless to say, this was a 2-star read.
February 27, 2021
I adored The Babysitters Coven, and I was looking forward to seeing what Esme, Cass, and Pig would be up to in this second entry.
The upbeat, stylish, and sarcastic Esme is such a fun narrator. The book is often silly and over the top, and I am completely here for it. This book focuses on a summit, where all the Sitters (aka teen witches who fight demons) come together to learn about their kinesis (aka magical powers). Of course, shenanigans ensue and everything goes horribly wrong, leaving Esme and her friends to save Spring River once again.
It was fun to meet some other girls with different powers, though I would have liked a bit more characterization for those characters. For me, this book suffered from middle book syndrome, where a lot of the plot feels like it is only happening to set up the finale. So there was a fair amount of fluff, for example: extended scenes with chickens that felt unnecessary and overly long and a new character/love interest who is only in two scenes. Esme bounces around, gathering information in a piecemeal sort of way (most of which does not pan out fully in this book) while ignoring the fairly obvious signs of what is going on at the summit.
While it felt a bit all over the place, it was still a fun return to some characters I really enjoyed. I will definitely be reading the next book, Spells Like Teen Spirit, to see how it all turns out!
The upbeat, stylish, and sarcastic Esme is such a fun narrator. The book is often silly and over the top, and I am completely here for it. This book focuses on a summit, where all the Sitters (aka teen witches who fight demons) come together to learn about their kinesis (aka magical powers). Of course, shenanigans ensue and everything goes horribly wrong, leaving Esme and her friends to save Spring River once again.
It was fun to meet some other girls with different powers, though I would have liked a bit more characterization for those characters. For me, this book suffered from middle book syndrome, where a lot of the plot feels like it is only happening to set up the finale. So there was a fair amount of fluff, for example: extended scenes with chickens that felt unnecessary and overly long and a new character/love interest who is only in two scenes. Esme bounces around, gathering information in a piecemeal sort of way (most of which does not pan out fully in this book) while ignoring the fairly obvious signs of what is going on at the summit.
While it felt a bit all over the place, it was still a fun return to some characters I really enjoyed. I will definitely be reading the next book, Spells Like Teen Spirit, to see how it all turns out!
December 31, 2020
The first third of this book is literally the monotony of party planning, and while I can definitely relate to having no clue what is hip with "kids" my age. This was incredibly difficult for me to slog through, and it felt like I was being subjugated to some layer of hell. Especially as someone who has planned a convention and knows that magic or not you need a large team of people and weeks if not months of prep work beforehand,
Both the first and second third of this book is incredibly slow-paced. But if you can get through the party planning, you will at least be treated to some more insight into what Sitter culture, history, and practices look like. But in reality, you are left feeling like you didn't learn a lot, which really stinks given that The Summit was introduced as just the kind of place where we would learn that kind of thing.
I can't decide if it's because I'm not quite the demographic for this book or just Motives' choice. But I found it really hard to take the villain seriously. Like they felt like you could give them the level of credibility you would Dr. Doofenshmirtz, but they are actually a terrible person that will stab you,
I am definitely left with this really meh feeling, much like finishing the first book. Where I think the story is great, but the execution isn't there.
Both the first and second third of this book is incredibly slow-paced. But if you can get through the party planning, you will at least be treated to some more insight into what Sitter culture, history, and practices look like. But in reality, you are left feeling like you didn't learn a lot, which really stinks given that The Summit was introduced as just the kind of place where we would learn that kind of thing.
I can't decide if it's because I'm not quite the demographic for this book or just Motives' choice. But I found it really hard to take the villain seriously. Like they felt like you could give them the level of credibility you would Dr. Doofenshmirtz, but they are actually a terrible person that will stab you,
I am definitely left with this really meh feeling, much like finishing the first book. Where I think the story is great, but the execution isn't there.
January 31, 2021
3 stars.
So right before this book was published I had just listened and binge read the first book so I was PUMPED to see that the second was had just dropped but like...it doesn't feel the same? Janis was basically delegated to a side character and like 10 new names and plots were dropped on us so fast. The fun campyness of Spring River was barely in the story. Even the ending left us with SO many plot holes. The entire book felt more like a middle book plot fodder to lead to the next book in the series.
I missed the daily fashion moments between Janis and Esme. I missed the awkwardness of her and her dad's relationship. I think that because this book's timeline was under 5 days (basically) the timing felt super off to me. Additionally the "big baddie" motive felt super off to me. Maybe it's supposed to make you think about how bureaucracy ruins things but the Synod just being corrupt or okay with corruption was super weird and not believable? Especially from the impression they made in the first book.
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So right before this book was published I had just listened and binge read the first book so I was PUMPED to see that the second was had just dropped but like...it doesn't feel the same? Janis was basically delegated to a side character and like 10 new names and plots were dropped on us so fast. The fun campyness of Spring River was barely in the story. Even the ending left us with SO many plot holes. The entire book felt more like a middle book plot fodder to lead to the next book in the series.
I missed the daily fashion moments between Janis and Esme. I missed the awkwardness of her and her dad's relationship. I think that because this book's timeline was under 5 days (basically) the timing felt super off to me. Additionally the "big baddie" motive felt super off to me. Maybe it's supposed to make you think about how bureaucracy ruins things but the Synod just being corrupt or okay with corruption was super weird and not believable? Especially from the impression they made in the first book.
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October 18, 2021
Did I like it or did I just not despise it as much as the first one? Either way, never has a book two done such a strong uptick, because this was not painful to read like the first. I would even venture a 2.5? It might have been because I was able to get the audiobook for this one and thus, was more easily able to ignore how utterly trash all the characters are.
Here is the thing that I think makes these books the most painful- the author really nailed the teenage voice, which is impressive, but also, unless you are one, teenagers are actually terrible most of the time. It's not their fault, their brains are not fully developed yet but it means they still suck.
The plot in this one had better pacing...sort of. Hints towards something bigger going on but the end 'battle' was over before I even realized what was happening, and also it came out of no where and made no sense. I ask you BEANIE BABIES. Reaaaalllly
Here is the thing that I think makes these books the most painful- the author really nailed the teenage voice, which is impressive, but also, unless you are one, teenagers are actually terrible most of the time. It's not their fault, their brains are not fully developed yet but it means they still suck.
The plot in this one had better pacing...sort of. Hints towards something bigger going on but the end 'battle' was over before I even realized what was happening, and also it came out of no where and made no sense. I ask you BEANIE BABIES. Reaaaalllly
December 7, 2020
I’m disappointed to be giving this 3 stars because I loved the first one and was hoping to recapture that experience, but it was so slow and some very odd descriptions and similes/metaphors that left me perplexed. (I hope no one is comparing my face to a Krispy Kreme 😂)
Cassandra made me more and more uncomfortable as the book went on, and I wanted to be rooting for her. She’s really horrible to her brother, and Esme seems slightly concerned but never takes it further.
Janis and Pig were my favorite parts of this book, and there wasn’t enough of them! I enjoyed this enough to try the next one - I HAVE QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERS
There was some fun, some pop culture references, and some magical teen girls saving the world, and that was nice, but overall the pacing was too slow and the plot didn’t get to where I wanted it.
Cassandra made me more and more uncomfortable as the book went on, and I wanted to be rooting for her. She’s really horrible to her brother, and Esme seems slightly concerned but never takes it further.
Janis and Pig were my favorite parts of this book, and there wasn’t enough of them! I enjoyed this enough to try the next one - I HAVE QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERS
There was some fun, some pop culture references, and some magical teen girls saving the world, and that was nice, but overall the pacing was too slow and the plot didn’t get to where I wanted it.
June 18, 2022
better than the first one for sure, I think it definitely gained a lot from having a bigger cast of characters this time around which was honestly one of the things I was missing from the first. I think one of the other issues is that every other character is infinitely more interesting than the protagonist, but hopefully now the other Sitters will play a bigger role in the third and I’ll like that even more.
I think my main complaint is just that the writing feels like self-insert fan fic I would’ve written in middle school but hey, it’s interesting enough I’m picking up the third one so who am I to judge? I would never recommend this but the audiobooks are definitely passing time while I’m making dinner throughout the week and that’s all I ask
I think my main complaint is just that the writing feels like self-insert fan fic I would’ve written in middle school but hey, it’s interesting enough I’m picking up the third one so who am I to judge? I would never recommend this but the audiobooks are definitely passing time while I’m making dinner throughout the week and that’s all I ask
September 21, 2022
Enjoyed this but definitely not as much as the first one
November 27, 2023
esme is a bit annoying, so is janis
adrian is odd
i totally knew cassandra was queer
some unnecessary shenanigans
im intrigued
the title sucks
adrian is odd
i totally knew cassandra was queer
some unnecessary shenanigans
im intrigued
the title sucks
December 18, 2020
3.5, rounding up. The Babysitters Coven series is so full of humor and adventure! I always have a good time when I'm reading them, and For Better or Cursed helped me cope with a fairly serious reading slump. Lighthearted and fun, For Better or Cursed followed Esme and Cassandra on to the next chapter of their Sitter experience. Sitters are like babysitters, but instead of babysitting children and keeping them safe, they're babysitting the world and keeping it safe from demons. And instead of being CPR qualified, they have specialized magic powers. In the first installment of the series, Esme and Cassandra learned the truth about their birthright and their family legacies. In For Better or Cursed, they are summoned to a Sitters' Summit, but corruption and conspiracy threaten not only the Sitterhood and Esme and Cassandra's families, but also the entire world.
I love the characters in these books. I love that they feel like real teenagers with strong personalities and have to deal with real-life issues (like poverty and broken families) along with cosmic and paranormal threats. Kate Williams' writing has great pacing that made me excited to pick this book up despite struggling to read anything at the moment. The pop culture references were very fun, and Esme and her best friend Janis really remind me of Andie from Pretty in Pink (one of my all-time favs still to this day). In fact, this series gets compared to The Babysitters Club and Buffy often, but I also think there is a strong comparison to the John Hughes universe. I know there is a lot to criticize and examine concerning those films, but there is a warmth to them that I have always enjoyed, and I feel that warmth here. Not everyone will feel that, however.
While I greatly enjoyed this book, it, unfortunately, suffers from middle child syndrome (in the bookish world). I felt that the external conflict was an afterthought, and the more interesting dynamics were the interpersonal relationships. I think Williams felt that as well because the external conflict seemed rushed and a bit lacking in emotional weight. Unfortunately, the plot was constructed in a way that also pushed the interpersonal and familial relationships aside. I think Williams started exploring some interesting emotional journeys for her well-crafted characters, but those seemed to drop off as the external conflict picked up. This resulted in a slightly unsatisfactory conclusion to this installment. Luckily we have another book coming, and I hope these lingering threads will be tied up.
What I did appreciate was the continuing expansion of the diversity of the characters. Williams' strength truly is her character work (which is why I would like to see her focus in that direction). Her characters grew and developed in fascinating ways in For Better or Cursed (trying to avoid spoilers here), and I hope to see that continue into future books.
Overall, this was a delightfully fun read, and (surprise) it takes place during the winter holidays so it gave me a lot of Christmas vibes at just the right time of year! If you are struggling to finish a book right now (which is understandable) and are having a hard time feeling holly jolly during a difficult holiday season (also understandable), For Better or Cursed might be just the thing to cheer you up!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC for review.
I love the characters in these books. I love that they feel like real teenagers with strong personalities and have to deal with real-life issues (like poverty and broken families) along with cosmic and paranormal threats. Kate Williams' writing has great pacing that made me excited to pick this book up despite struggling to read anything at the moment. The pop culture references were very fun, and Esme and her best friend Janis really remind me of Andie from Pretty in Pink (one of my all-time favs still to this day). In fact, this series gets compared to The Babysitters Club and Buffy often, but I also think there is a strong comparison to the John Hughes universe. I know there is a lot to criticize and examine concerning those films, but there is a warmth to them that I have always enjoyed, and I feel that warmth here. Not everyone will feel that, however.
While I greatly enjoyed this book, it, unfortunately, suffers from middle child syndrome (in the bookish world). I felt that the external conflict was an afterthought, and the more interesting dynamics were the interpersonal relationships. I think Williams felt that as well because the external conflict seemed rushed and a bit lacking in emotional weight. Unfortunately, the plot was constructed in a way that also pushed the interpersonal and familial relationships aside. I think Williams started exploring some interesting emotional journeys for her well-crafted characters, but those seemed to drop off as the external conflict picked up. This resulted in a slightly unsatisfactory conclusion to this installment. Luckily we have another book coming, and I hope these lingering threads will be tied up.
What I did appreciate was the continuing expansion of the diversity of the characters. Williams' strength truly is her character work (which is why I would like to see her focus in that direction). Her characters grew and developed in fascinating ways in For Better or Cursed (trying to avoid spoilers here), and I hope to see that continue into future books.
Overall, this was a delightfully fun read, and (surprise) it takes place during the winter holidays so it gave me a lot of Christmas vibes at just the right time of year! If you are struggling to finish a book right now (which is understandable) and are having a hard time feeling holly jolly during a difficult holiday season (also understandable), For Better or Cursed might be just the thing to cheer you up!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC for review.
January 1, 2021
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: For Better or Cursed
Author: Kate Williams
Book Series: The Babysitters Coven Book 2
Diversity: f/f relationships
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: December 15, 2020
Publication Date:
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 384
Recommended Age: 16+ (Gore, Violence, Animal violence/near starvation)
Synopsis: Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this funny, action-packed sequel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.
Esme Pearl's life used to be all about bumming rides and babysitting. Sure, it wasn't glamorous, but it was predictable. All that changed when Cassandra Heaven came to town, and they discovered their complicated, and connected, legacy: Esme and Cassandra are Sitters, supernaturally-gifted teens armed with an ever-changing grimoire of Sitter witchcraft to help them protect the innocent and keep evil demons at bay. You know, the typical teenage stuff.
But just as Esme is starting to adjust to--and maybe even like--her new normal, life lobs another glitter bomb her way. The Synod--the Sitterhood's governing circle--has called a Summit, a once-in-a-generation gathering that promises training, education, and whole lot of ice-breakers.
Esme should be excited--a Summit might mean she can finally get the answers she desperately wants--but she can't shake a building sense of panic. Especially since Cassandra's not acting like herself; Esme's dad is MIA; Pig is out of dog food; Janis is scared to be alone; and there's a guy who seems too good to be true, again. Worst of all, it soon becomes clear, there's no one watching the kids. It's obvious the Summit is a haute mess, but will it be a deadly one, too?
Review: Oh my word I fell in love with this sequel! While the first book is still a bit better in my opinion I really enjoyed this sequel. I felt that the world building was very well done and the character development of the main characters and our side characters were also very well done. The plot of this book is much more intriguing then the first book and I am interested to see where this goes. I think this has an excellent shot of being one of my favorite series in most recent years. I love all of the little callbacks to babysitters and horror films and I love just basically everything about this book.
The only thing that I could really fault the book for is that it did take a little bit for me to remember the events of book one. but I do say that the author did well with presenting the material in a more relatable way than just a big info dump at the very beginning. but in getting that information it did take a little bit and I was confused through the first couple of chapters.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: For Better or Cursed
Author: Kate Williams
Book Series: The Babysitters Coven Book 2
Diversity: f/f relationships
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: December 15, 2020
Publication Date:
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 384
Recommended Age: 16+ (Gore, Violence, Animal violence/near starvation)
Synopsis: Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this funny, action-packed sequel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.
Esme Pearl's life used to be all about bumming rides and babysitting. Sure, it wasn't glamorous, but it was predictable. All that changed when Cassandra Heaven came to town, and they discovered their complicated, and connected, legacy: Esme and Cassandra are Sitters, supernaturally-gifted teens armed with an ever-changing grimoire of Sitter witchcraft to help them protect the innocent and keep evil demons at bay. You know, the typical teenage stuff.
But just as Esme is starting to adjust to--and maybe even like--her new normal, life lobs another glitter bomb her way. The Synod--the Sitterhood's governing circle--has called a Summit, a once-in-a-generation gathering that promises training, education, and whole lot of ice-breakers.
Esme should be excited--a Summit might mean she can finally get the answers she desperately wants--but she can't shake a building sense of panic. Especially since Cassandra's not acting like herself; Esme's dad is MIA; Pig is out of dog food; Janis is scared to be alone; and there's a guy who seems too good to be true, again. Worst of all, it soon becomes clear, there's no one watching the kids. It's obvious the Summit is a haute mess, but will it be a deadly one, too?
Review: Oh my word I fell in love with this sequel! While the first book is still a bit better in my opinion I really enjoyed this sequel. I felt that the world building was very well done and the character development of the main characters and our side characters were also very well done. The plot of this book is much more intriguing then the first book and I am interested to see where this goes. I think this has an excellent shot of being one of my favorite series in most recent years. I love all of the little callbacks to babysitters and horror films and I love just basically everything about this book.
The only thing that I could really fault the book for is that it did take a little bit for me to remember the events of book one. but I do say that the author did well with presenting the material in a more relatable way than just a big info dump at the very beginning. but in getting that information it did take a little bit and I was confused through the first couple of chapters.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
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