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The Alehem Witches Duology #1
The Crescent Spell
If magic doesn’t exist in Islar, then why do I find myself suddenly bound to it?
I should know better than to be starry eyed over the mysterious dark haired man that appears in my shop. The moonlit spell he casts throws me into a world I never knew was possible, turning my careful, normal life into a chaotic mess.
Leaving me with no choice, I’m forced into a world of shadows, intrigue, and danger coming from every direction.
With my life on the line, I’ll have to trust the men I’m bound to in order to make it out alive, or suffer the consequences for a cruel twist of fate.
I should know better than to be starry eyed over the mysterious dark haired man that appears in my shop. The moonlit spell he casts throws me into a world I never knew was possible, turning my careful, normal life into a chaotic mess.
Leaving me with no choice, I’m forced into a world of shadows, intrigue, and danger coming from every direction.
With my life on the line, I’ll have to trust the men I’m bound to in order to make it out alive, or suffer the consequences for a cruel twist of fate.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2022
158 people are currently reading
2284 people want to read
About the author
Zoe Abrams
7 books43 followersZoe Abrams resides in the sometimes warm but mostly cold region of Michigan. She is happily married to a human man and has produced two offspring, which she is immensely proud of. Zoe writes all kinds of romance books, but they mostly tend to be on the sweeter side.
She enjoys reading, of course, journaling, knitting, cooking, and all things witchy. You'll most likely find her curled up with her heated blanket, a cup of tea, and a good book in the best lighting in her house. For aesthetic purposes.
She enjoys reading, of course, journaling, knitting, cooking, and all things witchy. You'll most likely find her curled up with her heated blanket, a cup of tea, and a good book in the best lighting in her house. For aesthetic purposes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
September 5, 2022
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Tell me, little bird. Tell me you don’t feel anything between us. That it wasn’t fate that bound us tighter than anything I could ever do.”
The Crescent Spell is the first installment in the Alehem Witches duology and it's an utterly delightful story brimming with magic and sizzling romance.
It's a New Adult RH fantasy romance that draws its inspiration from Howl's Moving Castle which lends it its charm and fairytale cadence while featuring a cast of such vibrant characters.
Briar Eloise Gresham is a seamstress from a valley where all kinds of magic is banned due to a treaty. So imagine Briar's surprise and horror when she finds herself bound to three enigmatic male witches by a connection spell— Avan, Cal, and Ian the scoundrel.
Where she goes, they follow.
But how can Briar continue to live normally in Islar as she is surrounded by three witches and their magic without putting herself and her sister, Ainsley, in danger.
But magic calls to magic, and perhaps magic may still linger in Islar in the form of a fiesty seamstress.
“You think I haven’t seen what they’ve done to you, what made you scream in ecstasy? What makes you think I don’t know every part of your body, everything that makes you squirm? Everything that leaves you breathless?”
This book is such a treat! It's fast-paced and the imagery is quite stunning, I could picture the scenery in my head as I'm reading.
The main romance features more than one love interest and the author does a great job at developing and balancing the dynamics between the heroine and her love interests. Polyamory is also quite normal within the magical community.
The heroine and her love interests had an amazing chemistry even though they all come with different personalities and I ate up all of their interactions and from the moment I read “How would you like to go on an adventure, little bird?”
The spice is 10/10.
I do hope the magic is a little bit more fleshed out as I feel lost sometimes, maybe a guide would have helped. I'm really intrigued by the magic system.
What to expect?
• A fiesty and fun heroine
• Charming and enigmatic love interests
• Magic system
• Spice (2.5-3/5)
• Humor
• Action scenes
• Secrets
If you're looking for a light and fun read, this book is the perfect palate cleanser.
Trigger Warnings: imprisonement, parental death, explicit sexual content.
“Tell me, little bird. Tell me you don’t feel anything between us. That it wasn’t fate that bound us tighter than anything I could ever do.”
The Crescent Spell is the first installment in the Alehem Witches duology and it's an utterly delightful story brimming with magic and sizzling romance.
It's a New Adult RH fantasy romance that draws its inspiration from Howl's Moving Castle which lends it its charm and fairytale cadence while featuring a cast of such vibrant characters.
Briar Eloise Gresham is a seamstress from a valley where all kinds of magic is banned due to a treaty. So imagine Briar's surprise and horror when she finds herself bound to three enigmatic male witches by a connection spell— Avan, Cal, and Ian the scoundrel.
Where she goes, they follow.
But how can Briar continue to live normally in Islar as she is surrounded by three witches and their magic without putting herself and her sister, Ainsley, in danger.
But magic calls to magic, and perhaps magic may still linger in Islar in the form of a fiesty seamstress.
“You think I haven’t seen what they’ve done to you, what made you scream in ecstasy? What makes you think I don’t know every part of your body, everything that makes you squirm? Everything that leaves you breathless?”
This book is such a treat! It's fast-paced and the imagery is quite stunning, I could picture the scenery in my head as I'm reading.
The main romance features more than one love interest and the author does a great job at developing and balancing the dynamics between the heroine and her love interests. Polyamory is also quite normal within the magical community.
The heroine and her love interests had an amazing chemistry even though they all come with different personalities and I ate up all of their interactions and from the moment I read “How would you like to go on an adventure, little bird?”
The spice is 10/10.
I do hope the magic is a little bit more fleshed out as I feel lost sometimes, maybe a guide would have helped. I'm really intrigued by the magic system.
What to expect?
• A fiesty and fun heroine
• Charming and enigmatic love interests
• Magic system
• Spice (2.5-3/5)
• Humor
• Action scenes
• Secrets
If you're looking for a light and fun read, this book is the perfect palate cleanser.
Trigger Warnings: imprisonement, parental death, explicit sexual content.
February 26, 2023
⇢ DNF 43%
While I don't mind when a book's fast paced, I wish I had more time to fully absorb and enjoy the story.
Unfortunately, that's one of the reasons I decided to stop here, the other being that it failed to make me care for any of the characters or the plot itself.
A little sad it didn't work out for me, but it is what it is 🥹
While I don't mind when a book's fast paced, I wish I had more time to fully absorb and enjoy the story.
Unfortunately, that's one of the reasons I decided to stop here, the other being that it failed to make me care for any of the characters or the plot itself.
A little sad it didn't work out for me, but it is what it is 🥹
September 24, 2023
This was a bit of a difficult read. Others in this review section have explained why far better than I ever could, so I’ll concentrate on another aspect that I didn’t see mentioned: The Howl’s Moving Castle inspiration. It is one the author embraces, and it was what caught my eye when I saw the book advertised. Because I am a fan of both versions of the story.
This actually worked against my possible enjoyment of the book. Because from the moment the story started, it was clear Briar was meant to be a Sophie stand in, complete with the social anxiety and nonexistent social life. But the author clearly didn’t want to work with Sophie - she wanted a snarky heroine, that is sexually experienced and will run away from threats while chanting “fuck” as she does so.
I have no problem reading heroines like this. I have problems reading Sophie Hatter being written like this.
The narration excuses Briar going from, well, Sophie and becoming this entirely different character, as Briar becoming “stronger” as the story progresses, but on top of being bad writing (show me the strength in her thoughts and actions, don’t just tell me she has changed and become stronger, holy shit) it just feels jarring since, again, this is a book that uses its basis on Howl's Moving Castle as a selling point, and, AGAIN, starts with a very clear Sophie-proxy as the heroine -- a character whose own arc was beautifully written decades ago. It is impossible not to compare the two, and frankly speaking, Briar's falls flat on its face simply because it falls into the modern trapping of a “strong FMC” equalling snark + cursing without any thought given to other, more subtle skills such as observation, or even basic problem solving.
The trials are meant to test exactly that, but it is hardly challenging to have your own magic tell you "X and Y bottles have poison in them", or using said magic to guide your way through a maze and also defend yourself from attackers. Logically speaking, yes, it makes sense for her to use her strongest tool in these situations -- but from a reader's POV, it is all so very fucking boring because there is no real challenge to face, or puzzle to solve.
For an example of this, refer to Evin telling her, as she goes into her final trial, “just… don’t believe what you see.”
This is as clear-a-day as a hint can be, when going into a mystery magic trial. There’s no subtlety here. The only way it could be more explicit would be him telling her “you will be shown an illusion”.
Briar’s brilliant response to this? “Okay, cryptic much?”
This exchange stood out to me because a big part of the original Howl’s Moving Castle story was the mystery Sophie had to unravel about how to free Calcifer. Hints were given through the text, but so subtle that when Calcifer himself told Sophie that a hint had been given, you didn’t feel as if the author was talking down to you. We, like Sophie, were invited to reconsider everything said in search for the hints – all which only made sense when the plot unraveled, leaving us with a sense of satisfaction as pieces fell into place, giving us the impression that we solved the mystery alongside Sophie herself.
Briar doesn’t even stop to think about the single weird sentence she is being told by a magic user a moment before she steps into a magic trial that will determine her fate. Just snarks and continues on, not giving it a second thought despite immediately being given a potion that sends her into a vision that reveals something meant to be shocking.
Except any shock is nullified by the blunt hint Evin gave us at the start of the chapter, which told us from the start the vision was a lie. We are robbed of any mystery-solving satisfaction by said mystery being so transparent it is nowhere near a challenge. Really, the only feeling left is the frustration at Briar, who fell hook, line and sinker for the entire vision.
I really think the book would have benefitted from either a greater distance from the Howl inspiration, or a true embracing of it. Either give me Sophie finding love with NotHowl, NotCalcifer and whoever the hell Ian is meant to be a stand-in for, or start the book with an entirely different heroine from the very first line, so that I won't be made dissapointed every time Briar does something that would make the original Sophie roll her eyes in disdain. Keep the moving castle if you want, as well as the shampoo obsession -- I don't care. The one thing I care about is the heroine in whose mind I'll be spending all my time in.
Would also love improved writing in general -- less ungodly repetition, for one -- but hey, baby steps.
This actually worked against my possible enjoyment of the book. Because from the moment the story started, it was clear Briar was meant to be a Sophie stand in, complete with the social anxiety and nonexistent social life. But the author clearly didn’t want to work with Sophie - she wanted a snarky heroine, that is sexually experienced and will run away from threats while chanting “fuck” as she does so.
I have no problem reading heroines like this. I have problems reading Sophie Hatter being written like this.
The narration excuses Briar going from, well, Sophie and becoming this entirely different character, as Briar becoming “stronger” as the story progresses, but on top of being bad writing (show me the strength in her thoughts and actions, don’t just tell me she has changed and become stronger, holy shit) it just feels jarring since, again, this is a book that uses its basis on Howl's Moving Castle as a selling point, and, AGAIN, starts with a very clear Sophie-proxy as the heroine -- a character whose own arc was beautifully written decades ago. It is impossible not to compare the two, and frankly speaking, Briar's falls flat on its face simply because it falls into the modern trapping of a “strong FMC” equalling snark + cursing without any thought given to other, more subtle skills such as observation, or even basic problem solving.
The trials are meant to test exactly that, but it is hardly challenging to have your own magic tell you "X and Y bottles have poison in them", or using said magic to guide your way through a maze and also defend yourself from attackers. Logically speaking, yes, it makes sense for her to use her strongest tool in these situations -- but from a reader's POV, it is all so very fucking boring because there is no real challenge to face, or puzzle to solve.
For an example of this, refer to Evin telling her, as she goes into her final trial, “just… don’t believe what you see.”
This is as clear-a-day as a hint can be, when going into a mystery magic trial. There’s no subtlety here. The only way it could be more explicit would be him telling her “you will be shown an illusion”.
Briar’s brilliant response to this? “Okay, cryptic much?”
This exchange stood out to me because a big part of the original Howl’s Moving Castle story was the mystery Sophie had to unravel about how to free Calcifer. Hints were given through the text, but so subtle that when Calcifer himself told Sophie that a hint had been given, you didn’t feel as if the author was talking down to you. We, like Sophie, were invited to reconsider everything said in search for the hints – all which only made sense when the plot unraveled, leaving us with a sense of satisfaction as pieces fell into place, giving us the impression that we solved the mystery alongside Sophie herself.
Briar doesn’t even stop to think about the single weird sentence she is being told by a magic user a moment before she steps into a magic trial that will determine her fate. Just snarks and continues on, not giving it a second thought despite immediately being given a potion that sends her into a vision that reveals something meant to be shocking.
Except any shock is nullified by the blunt hint Evin gave us at the start of the chapter, which told us from the start the vision was a lie. We are robbed of any mystery-solving satisfaction by said mystery being so transparent it is nowhere near a challenge. Really, the only feeling left is the frustration at Briar, who fell hook, line and sinker for the entire vision.
I really think the book would have benefitted from either a greater distance from the Howl inspiration, or a true embracing of it. Either give me Sophie finding love with NotHowl, NotCalcifer and whoever the hell Ian is meant to be a stand-in for, or start the book with an entirely different heroine from the very first line, so that I won't be made dissapointed every time Briar does something that would make the original Sophie roll her eyes in disdain. Keep the moving castle if you want, as well as the shampoo obsession -- I don't care. The one thing I care about is the heroine in whose mind I'll be spending all my time in.
Would also love improved writing in general -- less ungodly repetition, for one -- but hey, baby steps.
August 3, 2022
This book is the Howl’s Moving Castle vibe I never knew I needed! Such a great story, and I love Cal and Avan! Avan is very much the Howl like character and even has the fancy shampoo to go with it. Female main character starts off shy and a bit like a southern belle at first, but slowly starts getting confident with her powers and herself and begins making choices for herself as a person. Great story line with just a less spice than I prefer, but I can’t wait for the next book!!
I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.
August 8, 2023
Gods help anyone who considers this spicy in general let alone GOOD spicy 🙃
This was absolutely horrible and lacking in every possible aspect a book could lack: the worldbuilding is non-existent, the characters are reduced to one characteristic and a lot of sputtering one liners and the writing itself is stilted and confusing. Oh and there is no chemistry between anyone in this harem of men at all. And also Briar is dumb af.
Basically this is a very cheap one note howl's moving castle rip off with a spin of being very bad otome game 💩
This was absolutely horrible and lacking in every possible aspect a book could lack: the worldbuilding is non-existent, the characters are reduced to one characteristic and a lot of sputtering one liners and the writing itself is stilted and confusing. Oh and there is no chemistry between anyone in this harem of men at all. And also Briar is dumb af.
Basically this is a very cheap one note howl's moving castle rip off with a spin of being very bad otome game 💩
July 17, 2023
Dnf @ 15%/ 3 chapters
I liked the cozy charming feel of it. Lots of potential there.
The dialogue is rather circular and has character names thrown in a lot and a little repetitive. The story is fast, but also not much is actually explained. Like, why was magic done onto her? How are there going to find Ian? Where are they from where magic is legal? What does the bond between them mean or do?
I just wasn’t convinced by anything I read.
I liked the cozy charming feel of it. Lots of potential there.
The dialogue is rather circular and has character names thrown in a lot and a little repetitive. The story is fast, but also not much is actually explained. Like, why was magic done onto her? How are there going to find Ian? Where are they from where magic is legal? What does the bond between them mean or do?
I just wasn’t convinced by anything I read.
September 7, 2022
The plot could even be interesting but I didn't even have time to empathize with the characters since the entire book is so fast!
August 6, 2022
**I was sent his book prior to release date as an ARC reviewer
This book was a really fast read for me! Not gonna lie I was sold when I heard a ‘Howls Moving Castle inspired romance with spice’, like sign me up immediately! I love what Zoe has done with her book in that you can clearly see the inspiration from HMC but she spins it and makes it her own. Sometimes authors do this but their spin isn’t original enough or well developed and its boring. This book did not bore me! I loved the world building, the love interests, and the female lead. The only complaint I have is that I think the spice could be a little more intense. Maybe I read too much 🌶 books but it didn’t satisfy me as much as I needed it too. I hope Zoe will consider upping the heat levels in the next book. Other than that I can’t wait to continue exploring this world.
This book was a really fast read for me! Not gonna lie I was sold when I heard a ‘Howls Moving Castle inspired romance with spice’, like sign me up immediately! I love what Zoe has done with her book in that you can clearly see the inspiration from HMC but she spins it and makes it her own. Sometimes authors do this but their spin isn’t original enough or well developed and its boring. This book did not bore me! I loved the world building, the love interests, and the female lead. The only complaint I have is that I think the spice could be a little more intense. Maybe I read too much 🌶 books but it didn’t satisfy me as much as I needed it too. I hope Zoe will consider upping the heat levels in the next book. Other than that I can’t wait to continue exploring this world.
August 24, 2022
Things I wish I never read: this book.
March 24, 2024
Second read before reading the sequel: didn’t like it as much this time around. More of a 3.5 that I rounded down for. Similar opinions from the first time, but the ending didn’t make up for the issues this time around.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ but rounded up
🌶.5-🌶🌶 depending on your spice tolerance. I need book two to be a bit spicier like that last scene was shaping up to be, and it needs to be gay. It gives gay vibes and I need it. Thanks 😂
This might have started as more of a 4, but that ending had me big time. Imma need the second book.
Pacing felt off at first, but it really hit its stride in the second half. It was almost too inta-love/lusty with Cal, but I'll forgive it because the tension with Ian was excellent.
I really enjoyed the magic, and all of the HMC nods and influence. RH Howl is what had me interested in the first place and it didn't disappoint.
I was offered this ARC in exchange for an honest review, so these thoughts are mine and mine alone. If you want a quick read, with a fun story and relatable FMC and delectable guys, give this a go 😁
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ but rounded up
🌶.5-🌶🌶 depending on your spice tolerance. I need book two to be a bit spicier like that last scene was shaping up to be, and it needs to be gay. It gives gay vibes and I need it. Thanks 😂
This might have started as more of a 4, but that ending had me big time. Imma need the second book.
Pacing felt off at first, but it really hit its stride in the second half. It was almost too inta-love/lusty with Cal, but I'll forgive it because the tension with Ian was excellent.
I really enjoyed the magic, and all of the HMC nods and influence. RH Howl is what had me interested in the first place and it didn't disappoint.
I was offered this ARC in exchange for an honest review, so these thoughts are mine and mine alone. If you want a quick read, with a fun story and relatable FMC and delectable guys, give this a go 😁
December 20, 2022
4.5
Depending on how this wraps up I foresee a 5 star favorite of the year.
This is a magical read with fantasy romance elements akin to a Howl's Moving Castle style. I really loved the world and where the building went.
Briar was a really fun character who starts off kind of unsure/very set in her ways but quickly becomes a stronger FMC.
Really excited to see where the sequel takes us.
Depending on how this wraps up I foresee a 5 star favorite of the year.
This is a magical read with fantasy romance elements akin to a Howl's Moving Castle style. I really loved the world and where the building went.
Briar was a really fun character who starts off kind of unsure/very set in her ways but quickly becomes a stronger FMC.
Really excited to see where the sequel takes us.
November 17, 2022
Full thoughts here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CiRB7Ybrf...
September 8, 2024
This book did a really great job at capturing my attention, but I struggled to stay interested after the first few chapters.
There was no real introduction into the story, you kind of just got thrown in right off the bat, and while there wasn't really any in depth world building, I think it was there just enough to create a world that wasn't confusing. That being said, there wasn't enough to make me care about the world at all.
However, I could have done with a lot of detail on how the magic system worked, a lot more detail on how the political hierarchy worked, and a lot more development into ANY of the relationships that Briar made in this book.
It was okay. The idea was there, but there wasn't enough detail in any part of the story for me. It just scratched the surface of the relationships, and the queen and the trials. It just didn't feel fleshed out enough for me, and I needed more.
There was no real introduction into the story, you kind of just got thrown in right off the bat, and while there wasn't really any in depth world building, I think it was there just enough to create a world that wasn't confusing. That being said, there wasn't enough to make me care about the world at all.
However, I could have done with a lot of detail on how the magic system worked, a lot more detail on how the political hierarchy worked, and a lot more development into ANY of the relationships that Briar made in this book.
It was okay. The idea was there, but there wasn't enough detail in any part of the story for me. It just scratched the surface of the relationships, and the queen and the trials. It just didn't feel fleshed out enough for me, and I needed more.
March 10, 2024
I DEVOURED this book! DEVOURED!!
This is a book about a woman named Briar who is just finding out she has magic. She has very little memory of the night her parents were killed when she and her sister were very very young.
Out of nowhere does a man appear to Briar telling her that she needs to go with him and help in his quest to find his friend Cal and bring him back home. There's this undeniable bond between Briar and Avan, so of course she goes with him. Things take a turn when the coven (council) find out that Briar has a magic that hasn't been seen in over a century.
Will Briar, Avan, and Cal be able to solve the mystery surrounding their bond in time? And why does Ian seem so familiar to Briar and the connection she shares with him?
This is a why choose romance that will have you kicking and giggling in some parts.
This is a book about a woman named Briar who is just finding out she has magic. She has very little memory of the night her parents were killed when she and her sister were very very young.
Out of nowhere does a man appear to Briar telling her that she needs to go with him and help in his quest to find his friend Cal and bring him back home. There's this undeniable bond between Briar and Avan, so of course she goes with him. Things take a turn when the coven (council) find out that Briar has a magic that hasn't been seen in over a century.
Will Briar, Avan, and Cal be able to solve the mystery surrounding their bond in time? And why does Ian seem so familiar to Briar and the connection she shares with him?
This is a why choose romance that will have you kicking and giggling in some parts.
August 4, 2022
What more could you want then an intricate magic system, hot make out scenes, and our favorite wizard?
I was fortunate enough to receive "Crescent Spell" as an ARC for review. Fairly quick to read with a cliff hanger leaving me wanting more, I thoroughly enjoyed this take on Howl.
I really enjoyed learning the dynamics of each characters relationship to the other. I do think I would have enjoyed a slightly slower pace so as to really have an opportunity to dive into the environmental and character intricacies. However, that just goes to show that I wanted more! Zoe's writing style is easy to digest and she writes enjoyable and human-feeling characters. I know that the PR for this book has mostly been "Spicy Howl" but I do think she has a sense of world being and character development that's all her own! Im really looking forward to reading the next part in this series as well as any other world's she delves into!
I was fortunate enough to receive "Crescent Spell" as an ARC for review. Fairly quick to read with a cliff hanger leaving me wanting more, I thoroughly enjoyed this take on Howl.
I really enjoyed learning the dynamics of each characters relationship to the other. I do think I would have enjoyed a slightly slower pace so as to really have an opportunity to dive into the environmental and character intricacies. However, that just goes to show that I wanted more! Zoe's writing style is easy to digest and she writes enjoyable and human-feeling characters. I know that the PR for this book has mostly been "Spicy Howl" but I do think she has a sense of world being and character development that's all her own! Im really looking forward to reading the next part in this series as well as any other world's she delves into!
June 4, 2024
I think The Crescent Spell was a great idea, but wish it had a little bit more. The book was relatively short, so I think some more world building could have been included to really make me feel connected. There were some parts that I was confused about, especially when it came to the love interest. I kept getting the two male partners confused thinking they were the same person, because I didn't realize she was involved with both.
.
I do love the idea of a girl with magical abilities coming into her own and not realizing she had these powers until it was too late to turn back. I also did enjoy the fact that it left off on a cliffhanger, because I already have book two ready to go.
.
I do love the idea of a girl with magical abilities coming into her own and not realizing she had these powers until it was too late to turn back. I also did enjoy the fact that it left off on a cliffhanger, because I already have book two ready to go.
August 4, 2022
A good, quick read! Interesting characters and good character development. We follow Briar and Cal, it wasn’t perfect but I think that still leaves room for more growth.
I liked the magic and world building, again not perfect but a great intro to the world!
There is some medium spice that I over-all enjoyed.
I’d definitely recommend giving this one a shot. I will be continuing it and can’t wait for the next installment!
I liked the magic and world building, again not perfect but a great intro to the world!
There is some medium spice that I over-all enjoyed.
I’d definitely recommend giving this one a shot. I will be continuing it and can’t wait for the next installment!
August 3, 2022
I just wanted to state beforehand that I received an ARC copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
I was over the moon excited for this book! It is the first in the series and I was not disappointed! The characters are amazing and the details were great for most areas of the book. I will say that due to some portions having too much detail it kind of slowed down the story, but pacing and flow is a thing! Although details aren’t for everyone, it helped create amazing imagery to set the scene and story line. The spice was there, but it is not super spicy. The book does end in a cliffhanger so be prepared, but as I stated earlier for this being the first book in its series it was great. I’m excited for the second book and eagerly await its release!
I was over the moon excited for this book! It is the first in the series and I was not disappointed! The characters are amazing and the details were great for most areas of the book. I will say that due to some portions having too much detail it kind of slowed down the story, but pacing and flow is a thing! Although details aren’t for everyone, it helped create amazing imagery to set the scene and story line. The spice was there, but it is not super spicy. The book does end in a cliffhanger so be prepared, but as I stated earlier for this being the first book in its series it was great. I’m excited for the second book and eagerly await its release!
October 24, 2022
“How would you like to go on an adventure, little bird?”
This was the Howl’s Moving Castle RH that I never knew I needed. It’s a quick fun read and I really enjoyed it! I do think a few things could’ve been fleshed a bit better, but it was still enjoyable. I’d love to read the sequel.
This was the Howl’s Moving Castle RH that I never knew I needed. It’s a quick fun read and I really enjoyed it! I do think a few things could’ve been fleshed a bit better, but it was still enjoyable. I’d love to read the sequel.
September 6, 2022
Thanks God it is short I could not stand a single more word
September 21, 2022
The Crescent Spell is heavily inspired on Howls Moving Castle, which I loved!
I would of have it 4 stars, but I felt that the relationships were slightly rushed and I think if the author had taken more time to develop the the relationships a little more, it would of made the book even better!
I would of have it 4 stars, but I felt that the relationships were slightly rushed and I think if the author had taken more time to develop the the relationships a little more, it would of made the book even better!
August 3, 2022
I got an ARC copy of this book and read it in a day. I had been in a book rut lately and this book brought me right out! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the different relationships that are throughout the book. I do have to say that Cal was by far my favorite from the beginning. I enjoyed the writing style of this book. It had a great flow to it and it never seemed slow to me. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who asks. Loved the spice in it and the plot. Can’t wait to read more books from Zoe!
August 6, 2022
Great book! Lots of world building and decent spice!!!
July 31, 2022
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Initially, the pacing of the story seemed a little rushed and a few times it was referenced that multiple days had passed despite there being no indication in the writing that more than one day had happened.
Despite that, though, the story was very interesting. Zoe did a great job with creating the world they live in. The FMC, Briar, was likeable from the start and she grew a lot throughout the story. The guys characters are more slowly developing, but Cal is obviously my favorite! 🙂
Towards the end of the book definitely started to pick up action-wise and the ending definitely left me with questions I can't wait to be answered in the next book. A great start to a new series!
Initially, the pacing of the story seemed a little rushed and a few times it was referenced that multiple days had passed despite there being no indication in the writing that more than one day had happened.
Despite that, though, the story was very interesting. Zoe did a great job with creating the world they live in. The FMC, Briar, was likeable from the start and she grew a lot throughout the story. The guys characters are more slowly developing, but Cal is obviously my favorite! 🙂
Towards the end of the book definitely started to pick up action-wise and the ending definitely left me with questions I can't wait to be answered in the next book. A great start to a new series!
November 3, 2023
Zero world building, the interactions between characters make no sense, they've known each other for 2 days but have been "waiting a long time for this", the plot has no coherence whatsoever. It does end on a """cliffhanger""" but I won't read book 2.
August 2, 2022
(Edit: forgot to say! I got an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.) I had been waiting on pins and needles for this book after finding the author’s TikTok and it did not disappoint. Came for the magic and spice, stayed for the kindness and loyalty of a certain fire witch.
I love the characters and the dynamics between them. Having a close friendship between the men already established made for an interesting tension among them and the protagonist. I’m firmly a Cal girl, myself, but I appreciated the balance between all three and the feelings and strengths they had to share with Briar. I may also have been slightly biased by the fact I wanted to take Avan by the shoulders and give him a good shake SEVERAL times… but he’s a good soul, even so.
All in all I would (and already have) absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, romance, and a heroine who faces her anxiety head on to save herself and the people she loves.
I love the characters and the dynamics between them. Having a close friendship between the men already established made for an interesting tension among them and the protagonist. I’m firmly a Cal girl, myself, but I appreciated the balance between all three and the feelings and strengths they had to share with Briar. I may also have been slightly biased by the fact I wanted to take Avan by the shoulders and give him a good shake SEVERAL times… but he’s a good soul, even so.
All in all I would (and already have) absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, romance, and a heroine who faces her anxiety head on to save herself and the people she loves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2022
You can find this review and all my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating of 3.75
Briar's life is quiet but content. Being a well known dress maker in Islar, she spends her days sewing gowns and her evenings snuggling up with her cat. Until one night, a dark haired stranger appears in her shop and casts a spell tasting of night and stars over her turning her world upside down. Now she must navigate this strange new world with these men that she's bound to, trusting that they will help her make it out alive. The one burning question that Briar has however is, If there is no magic in Islar, then how come she's suddenly bound to it?
I was super excited to receive an ARC copy of this book! Abrams described it as Howl's Moving Castle but with spice. SIGN. ME. UP. I will tell you, straight off the bat, I could feel the gorgeous Howl's vibe from the first sentence. It really had me feeling all kinds of ways because I adore that story and movie. The imagery of the world, the characters and the scenery was beautiful and I really thoroughly enjoyed it. The world building was rich without being info dumpy and the descriptions were beautifully detailed without being overly flowery which was absolutely fantastic. Some stories I find get really bogged down in the details, this one does not.
The story was so wonderfully unique for me. I've read a fair whack of fantasy and I loved the whimsical feel that this one had to it. The story itself was also a breath of fresh air for me, I loved going on this journey with Briar as she learns about who she really is. The last quarter of the book, I was absolutely glued to the page. I feel like that was where Abrams' story really stood up and became an amazing story in it's own right. The urgency, the danger, the questions, the trials, the realisations, all of it was so wonderfully delicious and I adored every second. I'm still thinking about it now, and when a book can make me keep thinking about it after finishing it over a day ago, to me, that denotes a good book.
I do want to add in here, that while I can really, really appreciate the inspiration from Howl's Moving Castle and I could definitely see the inspiration peppered throughout the story itself, there were a couple of things that were a little on the nose for me. Not in a bad way, just in a "this is really really really close to some details from the inspiration material" and it made me a teeeeeeny bit uncomfortable and not sure how to feel. There is a the small detail of Avan's house, it can move between four locations, and is controlled by a wheel next to the door. Each location has a colour, and you spin the wheel to the colour to move to that location. I felt like this was a little too close to the detail from Howl's, but it's not a sole focus for the story, rather a plot device that is used when needed. The other was Avan's off handed obsession with his hair - Howl also has this. Other than these two things, however, I felt like everything else was super original and I really enjoyed it all. I loved the details added in about the black location, the creatures that reside there and the strange world that Briar found herself in really did have me on the edge of my seat, and I felt incredible concern for the strange beast that is described, and trust me, it's no small feat to make me fear a fictional creature. So I applaud Abrams in her ability to make her world, creatures and characters jump right off the page.
I loved the characters. Ainsley (Briar's sister), though we don't see her that much in this initial instalment, she did come off as a little bit of a carbon copy of the sister in Howl's, but with slight differences, and she's playing a bigger role. So I let that one slide. I'm curious to see her pop up again though, I have questions and I feel like she has answers. Briar's character I really enjoyed, she's quiet, and sort of blends into the background a little, until she doesn't. As said above, I feel like Briar also came into her own in the last quarter of the book. We started to see who she really is underneath and I'm looking forward to seeing what she becomes. Cal...my dear Cal. I'd be lying if I said he wasn't my favourite of the love interests. Something about him just makes me swoon. Avan is a good character, but I feel like there's much more than meets the eye when it comes to him, and there's still so much to be uncovered, so I don't have much to say. Ian is an intriguing character and I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out in regards to the character relationship when it comes to him. Once again, I have many questions and I feel like he has a lot of the answers.
In regards to the relationships, I'd put the ones we see here as an insta-lust feel, I'm not a fan of insta-love - and these were definitely not that. Yes there are deep feelings between the characters as their stories are woven together and they are on this journey, but it's not love. And I'm totally okay with this. The spice that we did get was hot, yet tasteful and it didn't take full center stage to the story, it was more a by product of the story that was unfolding and I thoroughly enjoyed the way that it was written in.
All in all, I enjoyed this a lot more than I actually thought that I would. Yes there are some aspects of the story that are a little bit too heavily inspired by Howl's, but honestly? I feel like they're not really going to be sitting glaringly in the forefront in the following instalments, they're a little quirk that will fade into the background while Abrams story grows into the magical beast that it's promising to be. This is a wonderfully whimsical fantasy story that has high steaks and intriguing characters and I am hanging to see what happens next.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating of 3.75
Briar's life is quiet but content. Being a well known dress maker in Islar, she spends her days sewing gowns and her evenings snuggling up with her cat. Until one night, a dark haired stranger appears in her shop and casts a spell tasting of night and stars over her turning her world upside down. Now she must navigate this strange new world with these men that she's bound to, trusting that they will help her make it out alive. The one burning question that Briar has however is, If there is no magic in Islar, then how come she's suddenly bound to it?
I was super excited to receive an ARC copy of this book! Abrams described it as Howl's Moving Castle but with spice. SIGN. ME. UP. I will tell you, straight off the bat, I could feel the gorgeous Howl's vibe from the first sentence. It really had me feeling all kinds of ways because I adore that story and movie. The imagery of the world, the characters and the scenery was beautiful and I really thoroughly enjoyed it. The world building was rich without being info dumpy and the descriptions were beautifully detailed without being overly flowery which was absolutely fantastic. Some stories I find get really bogged down in the details, this one does not.
The story was so wonderfully unique for me. I've read a fair whack of fantasy and I loved the whimsical feel that this one had to it. The story itself was also a breath of fresh air for me, I loved going on this journey with Briar as she learns about who she really is. The last quarter of the book, I was absolutely glued to the page. I feel like that was where Abrams' story really stood up and became an amazing story in it's own right. The urgency, the danger, the questions, the trials, the realisations, all of it was so wonderfully delicious and I adored every second. I'm still thinking about it now, and when a book can make me keep thinking about it after finishing it over a day ago, to me, that denotes a good book.
I do want to add in here, that while I can really, really appreciate the inspiration from Howl's Moving Castle and I could definitely see the inspiration peppered throughout the story itself, there were a couple of things that were a little on the nose for me. Not in a bad way, just in a "this is really really really close to some details from the inspiration material" and it made me a teeeeeeny bit uncomfortable and not sure how to feel. There is a the small detail of Avan's house, it can move between four locations, and is controlled by a wheel next to the door. Each location has a colour, and you spin the wheel to the colour to move to that location. I felt like this was a little too close to the detail from Howl's, but it's not a sole focus for the story, rather a plot device that is used when needed. The other was Avan's off handed obsession with his hair - Howl also has this. Other than these two things, however, I felt like everything else was super original and I really enjoyed it all. I loved the details added in about the black location, the creatures that reside there and the strange world that Briar found herself in really did have me on the edge of my seat, and I felt incredible concern for the strange beast that is described, and trust me, it's no small feat to make me fear a fictional creature. So I applaud Abrams in her ability to make her world, creatures and characters jump right off the page.
I loved the characters. Ainsley (Briar's sister), though we don't see her that much in this initial instalment, she did come off as a little bit of a carbon copy of the sister in Howl's, but with slight differences, and she's playing a bigger role. So I let that one slide. I'm curious to see her pop up again though, I have questions and I feel like she has answers. Briar's character I really enjoyed, she's quiet, and sort of blends into the background a little, until she doesn't. As said above, I feel like Briar also came into her own in the last quarter of the book. We started to see who she really is underneath and I'm looking forward to seeing what she becomes. Cal...my dear Cal. I'd be lying if I said he wasn't my favourite of the love interests. Something about him just makes me swoon. Avan is a good character, but I feel like there's much more than meets the eye when it comes to him, and there's still so much to be uncovered, so I don't have much to say. Ian is an intriguing character and I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out in regards to the character relationship when it comes to him. Once again, I have many questions and I feel like he has a lot of the answers.
In regards to the relationships, I'd put the ones we see here as an insta-lust feel, I'm not a fan of insta-love - and these were definitely not that. Yes there are deep feelings between the characters as their stories are woven together and they are on this journey, but it's not love. And I'm totally okay with this. The spice that we did get was hot, yet tasteful and it didn't take full center stage to the story, it was more a by product of the story that was unfolding and I thoroughly enjoyed the way that it was written in.
All in all, I enjoyed this a lot more than I actually thought that I would. Yes there are some aspects of the story that are a little bit too heavily inspired by Howl's, but honestly? I feel like they're not really going to be sitting glaringly in the forefront in the following instalments, they're a little quirk that will fade into the background while Abrams story grows into the magical beast that it's promising to be. This is a wonderfully whimsical fantasy story that has high steaks and intriguing characters and I am hanging to see what happens next.
March 1, 2023
DNF
What book did everyone else read? 5 stars really? There is no world build, maybe that would have helped. Did she go through a portal, is it two different worlds? That at least would have been interesting to delve into.
The heroine, goodness me, maybe I'm used to reading about strong, intelligent heroines. Can't TELL us that the heroine is a thinker and planner, then SHOW that she's flighty and emotionally all over the place, crying for no reason. At least if she'd cried after almost being killed that would be something, but nooooo
The smut huh please "I've been waiting a long time for this" she met him 2 days ago!! as a ghost for 2 minutes and she's whimpering and simpering I love yous. The smut had no business being there yet, the characters have barely been defined and the plot is still up in the air.
What book did everyone else read? 5 stars really? There is no world build, maybe that would have helped. Did she go through a portal, is it two different worlds? That at least would have been interesting to delve into.
The heroine, goodness me, maybe I'm used to reading about strong, intelligent heroines. Can't TELL us that the heroine is a thinker and planner, then SHOW that she's flighty and emotionally all over the place, crying for no reason. At least if she'd cried after almost being killed that would be something, but nooooo
The smut huh please "I've been waiting a long time for this" she met him 2 days ago!! as a ghost for 2 minutes and she's whimpering and simpering I love yous. The smut had no business being there yet, the characters have barely been defined and the plot is still up in the air.
August 4, 2022
Was sent this book before the release date to review.
When I first heard the prompt of a spicy, Reverse Harem, Howl's Moving Castle inspired series on Booktok, I was hooked! I totally get the inspiration of the Howl's world, but this Author weaved together a world and plot that could really stand on it's own as a completely separate world.
The Pros:
THE MEN! Honestly, was in love with these guys from the first mention of them. Cal gives such soft dominant vibes, total cinnamon roll but gets all commanding in bed. Probably my favorite of the three. Avan almost gives hates everyone but her vibes shrouded with a hidden past and some secrets. The one we learn the least about is Ian, the dark troublemaker, but his nickname of "Little Bird" gave me butterflies every time I read it.
The author, Zoe Abrams, wrote so eloquently and descriptive that it made this world so visually appealing. I felt immersed in the settings and scenes of the novel, everything was so easy to picture as I read it.
The Plot was exciting and fun. The story of the first book in the duology had ups and downs, lots of fun little moments while still feeling completely serious and thrilling. I am excited to see what comes next as the novel ended on a good point that felt a little cliffhanger-y and a little like it ended at the perfect part to start again in the next book.
The Cons:
At a few parts, towards the beginning of the novel, I thought the characters internal thoughts and world setting was a little long winded. Could have been broken up a bit, even just breaking up the paragraphs would have made it feel a little less prolonged. One of those too much of a good thing can be excessive type of feeling. By the end of the book, I didn't feel the same about the characters thoughts or scene settings at all, so maybe it was just to get the reader into the world.
There were a few parts I feel like weren't explained enough. Particularly with the romantic relationship being formed. Multiple times the guys would say things like "I waited forever for this" or " I wanted this for so long" but they literally met the day before. Maybe this will be something that is explained in the second book but it was just a tad unbelievable, even for a insta-love. Besides the relationship, I would have liked to read more backstories and history of the characters. For example, all I really got about the sister was that they are close, that the main character basically raised her and that she bought a house/art with her inheritance.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Looking forward to the release of the second book in the duology, there are a bunch of things I can't wait to see resolved and certain things finally explained.
When I first heard the prompt of a spicy, Reverse Harem, Howl's Moving Castle inspired series on Booktok, I was hooked! I totally get the inspiration of the Howl's world, but this Author weaved together a world and plot that could really stand on it's own as a completely separate world.
The Pros:
THE MEN! Honestly, was in love with these guys from the first mention of them. Cal gives such soft dominant vibes, total cinnamon roll but gets all commanding in bed. Probably my favorite of the three. Avan almost gives hates everyone but her vibes shrouded with a hidden past and some secrets. The one we learn the least about is Ian, the dark troublemaker, but his nickname of "Little Bird" gave me butterflies every time I read it.
The author, Zoe Abrams, wrote so eloquently and descriptive that it made this world so visually appealing. I felt immersed in the settings and scenes of the novel, everything was so easy to picture as I read it.
The Plot was exciting and fun. The story of the first book in the duology had ups and downs, lots of fun little moments while still feeling completely serious and thrilling. I am excited to see what comes next as the novel ended on a good point that felt a little cliffhanger-y and a little like it ended at the perfect part to start again in the next book.
The Cons:
At a few parts, towards the beginning of the novel, I thought the characters internal thoughts and world setting was a little long winded. Could have been broken up a bit, even just breaking up the paragraphs would have made it feel a little less prolonged. One of those too much of a good thing can be excessive type of feeling. By the end of the book, I didn't feel the same about the characters thoughts or scene settings at all, so maybe it was just to get the reader into the world.
There were a few parts I feel like weren't explained enough. Particularly with the romantic relationship being formed. Multiple times the guys would say things like "I waited forever for this" or " I wanted this for so long" but they literally met the day before. Maybe this will be something that is explained in the second book but it was just a tad unbelievable, even for a insta-love. Besides the relationship, I would have liked to read more backstories and history of the characters. For example, all I really got about the sister was that they are close, that the main character basically raised her and that she bought a house/art with her inheritance.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Looking forward to the release of the second book in the duology, there are a bunch of things I can't wait to see resolved and certain things finally explained.
August 12, 2022
I got an ARC of The Crescent Spell in exchange for an honest review. What hooked me was how the author compared The Crescent Spell to Howl’s Moving Castle but with more romance, men, and magic. Abrams exceeded my expectations! There were Howl’s Moving Castle vibes throughout the story, especially in the settings, the magic house, and the main male characters. Briar even uses an old lady disguise spell for a bit. Despite all the similarities, The Crescent Spell is an entirely different story as a magical, fast-burn, soulmate romance. The romance does take center stage at some points; this first book especially focused on Briar and Cal over her other guys.
I liked the overall story, but the pacing felt a bit off. It felt like the book got stuck in a rut in which Briar would get upset that she wasn’t getting answers and storm off to do something clever, but her actions would ultimately prove fruitless or lead her into a trap. Things picked up in the last few chapters, leaving the book on a big cliffhanger. I had to push myself a bit in the beginning and middle of the story to keep reading, but the ending sped up the story and spiked my interest in future books.
Briar was a bit annoying, particularly her overly critical distrust of Alvan versus her trust in Ian. Avan did withhold information but never did anything to hurt her. In contrast, Ian bespelled Briar, blatantly withheld information from her, and constantly tried to excise her from his life. Despite my annoyance with Briar and her decisions, she was a strong main character with awesome magic! Her guys were also a lot of fun, and I loved them. They were all so different from each other and had complicated and traumatic histories. There's always an extra layer of complexity and delicious tension to the romance when the guys have a shared history, especially if they had a falling out.
It was a pleasant surprise that Briar was 29, and the guys are all over a century old (though they all act like children at times). They had no hangups about sex or relationships, though there were some understandable trust issues. Many RH stories I read focus on more juvenile problems with main characters in their late teens to early twenties, so it was nice to read about a more mature main character. The Crescent Spell was the perfect escapist read, but it does leave you with more burning questions, so it was not the most relaxing but worth it. You'll love this book if you love unknown magic, characters with dark pasts, fated loves, sexy fun times, and a good mystery!
I liked the overall story, but the pacing felt a bit off. It felt like the book got stuck in a rut in which Briar would get upset that she wasn’t getting answers and storm off to do something clever, but her actions would ultimately prove fruitless or lead her into a trap. Things picked up in the last few chapters, leaving the book on a big cliffhanger. I had to push myself a bit in the beginning and middle of the story to keep reading, but the ending sped up the story and spiked my interest in future books.
Briar was a bit annoying, particularly her overly critical distrust of Alvan versus her trust in Ian. Avan did withhold information but never did anything to hurt her. In contrast, Ian bespelled Briar, blatantly withheld information from her, and constantly tried to excise her from his life. Despite my annoyance with Briar and her decisions, she was a strong main character with awesome magic! Her guys were also a lot of fun, and I loved them. They were all so different from each other and had complicated and traumatic histories. There's always an extra layer of complexity and delicious tension to the romance when the guys have a shared history, especially if they had a falling out.
It was a pleasant surprise that Briar was 29, and the guys are all over a century old (though they all act like children at times). They had no hangups about sex or relationships, though there were some understandable trust issues. Many RH stories I read focus on more juvenile problems with main characters in their late teens to early twenties, so it was nice to read about a more mature main character. The Crescent Spell was the perfect escapist read, but it does leave you with more burning questions, so it was not the most relaxing but worth it. You'll love this book if you love unknown magic, characters with dark pasts, fated loves, sexy fun times, and a good mystery!
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